The Cowboy Way

by Stevens, Melissa

  The doors slid open and he froze. Mariah stepped out and tugged on his hand, pulling him along.

  "Come on, let's find your family."

  He followed along, dazed and out of it for a moment. Mariah stopped at the front desk and he heard her ask for his sister.

  "Waiting area's over there," the bored nurse pointed down a hallway.

  "Thank you." Mariah turned to face Levi. "They said your parents are in the waiting area. You ready?"

  Levi blinked, the fog over his brain seeming to slowly lift. He took another deep breath, held it a moment then released it.

  "As ready as I'll ever be. Let's go."

  * * *

  Fear and dread made the weight in his stomach feel like it was about fifty pounds, and every step toward the waiting room made it heavier. He just needed to get there and find out the facts. Experience told him the not knowing, the uncertainty was worse than the knowledge, almost always. But what if this was one of those times it wasn't?

  The thump of his boot heels on the polished tile floors echoed in his ears as he closed the distance to the waiting room. Every step taking him closer to the news, whether it was good or bad.

  He stepped into the large open area, seats lining the walls and arranged in small groups. It only took him a few seconds to spot his parents sitting to one side, with Melody, his niece playing in a small children's area a few feet away, their faces drawn and worried. A moment later he'd taken the few steps required to close the distance between them.

  "What's going on? Harmony's not due for two more months."

  "Six weeks actually," his mother stood, "we're not sure exactly what happened, but they couldn't get labor stopped, she's going to deliver today."

  "How's it look?" He barely got the words out. His chest was so tight he could barely draw a breath.

  "So far so good. The last time Joe came out he said other than not being able to stop the labor there are no complications." His mother's gaze flicked to Mariah and back to him.

  "Mom, Dad, this is Mariah Stein. She's a guest at the ranch, my only one at the moment." This wasn't the place to go into all the details, if he ever did. "Mariah, my parents, Julia and Kevin Wiggins." He motioned to the play area. "That's Melody, Harmony's daughter." He took a deep breath while Mariah and his parents exchanged greetings, but ignored the pointed looks his mother was shooting him. "When Joe called he said Harmony was asking for me. I'm going to see if I can go see her," he looked at Mariah, "will you be all right out here?"

  "Go. See your sister. I'll be fine."

  He didn't want to leave her here, but taking a stranger back where Harmony was in labor would be worse.

  "I'll be back soon, I'm sure." Feeling a little better after talking to his mother, he made his way back to the desk near the elevator and spoke to the nurse there.

  "My sister is Harmony Sharp, she's in labor and was asking for me."

  "You're name?" the middle aged, blonde nurse asked without looking up. He gave her his name and waited while she made a call. "Through this door. She's in room 306." She hit a button, the door buzzed and unlocked.

  He stepped through into a hallway that was more what he was used to in a hospital. It didn't take him long to realize even numbered rooms were on one side of the hall, odd on the other. After that he had no trouble finding room 306. The door was open, beeping from machines leaked out the doorway.

  Levi hesitated. He didn't want to just barge in, what if she wasn't decent? She was his sister and they were close, but there were just some things he didn't need to see.

  "Knock, knock." He rapped on the open door with his knuckles while he called out.

  "Levi?" it was Harmony's voice, but something was off, he couldn't tell what.

  "It's me. Are you decent?"

  "I am. Come on in."

  He stepped in the doorway and through what felt like a short hallway before the room opened up and he could see Harmony. She was propped up in bed wearing a one size fit's all hospital gown that dwarfed her, wide elastic bands stretched across her exposed belly.

  Joe, his brother-in-law came around from the far side of the bed and gave him a one armed hug.

  "Thanks for coming, and sorry about the frantic call. She was a little freaked out when they told her they couldn't stop the labor. They've given her something to help with the contractions and she's a lot calmer now."

  Levi moved away from Joe and moved to stand beside the elevated hospital bed where Harmony lay.

  "How you doing, squirt?" He picked up her hand and squeezed.

  "Better now." She squeezed back and gave him a tired smile.

  "Glad to hear it. Any idea how we got here?" He glanced up at Joe where he'd gone back to the chair sitting on the far side of her bed.

  "No clue. They said sometimes it just happens. Sometimes they can stop it, hold things off for a while, but it's like this little guy is ready to meet the world."

  "Guy? It's a boy then?" As far as he knew, and he'd asked, they'd opted not to find out the gender. Harmony had told him she wanted to be surprised.

  "It's a boy," Joe nodded, "at least that's what they told us a couple hours ago."

  "I know it's too early, how bad's it gonna be? Do we know?"

  "It is early, but as soon as the pre-term labor started the doctors pushed the steroid to help mature his lungs, that seems to be the biggest worry so far," Joe told him.

  Harmony squeezed Levi's hand while she took a long, deep breath, after a moment she relaxed letting the breath out and easing her grip.

  "It's a matter of time now," Harmony said. "I'm sorry about scaring you, but I wanted my big brother."

  "That's what I'm here for. You want me to pull up a seat and sit with you a while?"

  "No, I'm okay now. Whatever they gave me helped, both with the pain and my little freak out." She squeezed his hand again, closed her eyes and took a breath. A second later she eased her grip and opened her eyes. "Go out and talk to Mom and Dad, check on Melody for me. She misses her Uncle Lee."

  "All right, if you're sure."

  "I'm sure. Go."

  "I'm gonna step out in the hall with him a moment, if you don't mind?" Joe stood and looked at Harmony.

  "Go ahead. I'm not going anywhere."

  "I'll be right back, baby, and I won't go far." He bent over and dropped a quick kiss on her forehead before looking up at Levi and tilting his head toward the door.

  "Take care, sis, I'll be in the waiting room if you need me."

  "Go."

  He released Harmony's hand and followed his brother-in-law out to the hall.

  "So what didn't she say?" Levi asked once they were out of the room, keeping his voice low so she wouldn't overhear.

  "Not much. They're telling us not to worry too much about it being early. Multiples are born this early all the time. I've not done the research or looked up the numbers, but he has a good shot, even if he's a little early." Joe shook his head. "But they had to give her something to calm her down after they told her they couldn't stop the labor. She'd gone into full freak out and that was causing distress with the baby. There was talk of emergency c-section if her blood pressure didn't drop, which it has, so don't worry." He glanced at the clock on the wall across the hall. "Things are going smoothly and now that they've decided to let her deliver, it's moving faster than it did with Melody. I'd hang around."

  "Will do." Levi shook his head. "I'm still floored at how calm you are through all this."

  Joe chuckled. "After operating while things explode around you it's all relative. It's not the easiest thing Harmony and I've done together but we'll get through it."

  Joe had been an Army surgeon and had put in at least two tours in war zones, possibly more that Levi didn't know about. He didn't talk much about his time in the Army or overseas. Levi didn't know him well, he'd seen him around as a kid, but then he'd left, joined the military and gone to school. After he'd come home, he'd gotten on at Middleton County Hospital, Joe and Harmony had gotten together
. They were good together and they both seemed happy. That was what mattered to Levi that Harmony was happy. Levi didn't care if she'd married a ditch digger, as long as he treated her well and she was happy. That she's managed to find happiness with someone who afford to take good care of her and spoil her, only made Levi happier for her.

  "I'll go talk to Mom and Dad. Let us know when there's news." He clapped his brother-in-law on the back and headed back out the way he'd come. He shook his head as he thought about it. He would have called Joe to come take a look at Mariah, but he was a surgeon, not a regular doctor, plus, after being attacked by three men, Levi had thought a woman doctor was a better choice than another man.

  * * *

  Levi went back out to where his parents and Mariah waited. He spotted his parents right away, they were right where he'd left them, but he didn't see Mariah, not for a moment, then he spotted her. She sat on the floor, feet extended out in a V in front of her while Melody brought her toys. She seemed absorbed in the little girl, paying attention to everything she said, not like most single adults with small children who weren't related to them.

  He stepped into the waiting area and went to his parents first, sitting down beside his mother.

  "How are things?" she asked, her hands clenched together in her lap.

  Levi took a deep breath and watched both his parents a moment, realizing for the first time they were aging. For most of his life they'd looked the same, sure, Mom had gained a little weight, lost some then gained it back with a little more, but she still wasn't overly heavy. But now, for the first time, he noticed small lines on their faces. It struck him that they were getting older and eventually he'd lose them. Sure, he'd known that in his head for a long time, but something about the drawn, worried looks on their faces made him realize it with something more than just his brain.

  As he sat watching them, he saw Dad's hand on Mom's shoulder. He gave her a little reassuring squeeze, much like he'd given Mariah when he'd left her to talk to the sheriff.

  "She's doing all right. Labor is progressing and it looks good so far."

  "Why so early?" Dad asked.

  "They don't know. Harmony told me he was too much like me." That made Mom smile and Dad shake his head.

  "Anything else?"

  "They had to give her something to calm her down, but Joe says it worked and it should be okay from here. He said hang around a while and he'll let us know when there's news."

  "Unka Lee!" Melody's excited shout let him know he'd been spotted.

  "Hey munchkin, who's your new friend?" He smiled at Mariah as he spoke to the little girl.

  "Mia!" Her tiny hand smashed into Mariah's chest, making Mariah's eyes go wide.

  "Mia is pretty close, it's Mariah isn't it?"

  "Mia!" she said again.

  Levi couldn't hold back his chuckle. He loved this little girl, so much like his sister, he knew there were days when Harmony was ready to pull her hair out as she tried to deal with a child as self-assured and demanding as she'd been at the same age.

  "Come here and give me a hug. It's been too long since I've had Melody snuggles."

  The little girl race across the gap between them and threw herself in Levi's arms. He lifted her into his lap and snuggled her close.

  "How are you today?"

  "Where Mama?"

  "She's busy, munchkin, you'll just have to make do with me, Grandma and Pops for a little while."

  "Mia!"

  Levi laughed. "Yeah, and Mia too." He looked across at the woman they were talking about and found her smiling at him, a different smile than he'd seen before and he wondered what it meant.

  Turning his attention to the child in his arms he asked what she'd been up to and laughed as she told him everything she'd eaten all day long.

  * * *

  Two hours later, Joe stepped into the waiting room.

  "Grandma and Pops, why don't you go see your new grandson." Joe looked tired, but overjoyed. "Harmony's fine and the baby's doing good."

  They both sighed then stood and headed back to the room. Joe came and slouched in the chair his mother-in-law had just vacated beside Levi.

  "Daddy!" Melody spotted him from where she and Mariah were playing in the corner, ran and dove into his lap.

  "Hey sweetheart, how are you?"

  "Good." She snuggled close, burying her face against her dad's chest and sticking her thumb in her mouth.

  "Come on, you know better." He pulled the thumb from her mouth and held her close. He closed his eyes and all at once, he looked exhausted.

  "Are they both really okay?" Levi had to ask.

  "They're fine. The baby's going to need a little special treatment, but nothing major." Joe didn't open his eyes. "When your folks come out, she wants to see you."

  "Well, give me details."

  "Five pounds, three ounces. Twenty one and half inches long." Joe opened one eye. "You want to know the names she called me too?"

  "No but I'd like to know my nephew's name."

  "Sorry. I'm under strict orders not to tell you. She wants to. And after today, I'm afraid if I go against her, she'll remove the family jewels with a rusty spoon if I piss her off."

  "Is everything okay?"

  Levi looked up to find Mariah standing next to him. He hadn't noticed her approach.

  "It's fine. Joe here says they're both doing fine."

  "I'm so glad." The relief in her voice let him know she was worried too, even though she'd never met his sister.

  "Who's this?" Joe asked.

  Levi glanced his way and found him looking up at Mariah.

  Levi made introductions and finished with, "She's been a life saver today. She's kept Melody occupied and distracted so she didn't wonder too much where Harmony was."

  "Thank you, ma'am. This little one means the world to her mama and me. It's been a rough day and I've been almost as worried about her as I was about the others." A soft snore came from the little girl resting against his chest making them all smile.

  "It was no problem. She's a bright little girl. I don't want to keep you, you look as tired as she does." She moved to Levi's other side and took a seat just as his parent's came back out.

  Levi stood and met them as they reached the waiting area.

  "Go on in and see them," Dad said. "They're tired, but both doing good." He glanced over at Joe. "I think we're gonna take Melody and head home."

  Levi glanced back at the pair, who both looked exhausted and like they were sleeping. "Good luck getting her away from her dad. She pounced on him, talked for a minute and passed out."

  "We'll figure it out. She's waiting on you, before she takes a nap so get going."

  Levi turned to Mariah. "Why don't you come along with me?" For some reason he didn't want to look too closely at, he wanted her to go with him.

  "Oh, no. I couldn't." Mariah shook her head. "She's not going to want to meet a total stranger right now."

  "Go," Joe spoke up. "Harmony will be fine, she'll be happy to have someone new to show the baby off to."

  "Come on." Levi held out a hand in her direction and waited. It only took her a moment to put her hand in his and stand.

  He spoke to the nurse at the counter again and waited while she unlocked the door and let them in. He stopped in front of the room door again and knocked.

  "Come in," Harmony called softly.

  Levi stepped in and peeked in around the corner. Harmony sat up in the same bed she'd been in earlier, now with a tiny baby in her arms. "Hey, brother, come see your new nephew."

  He stepped into the room, pulling Mariah in behind him.

  "Who's this?" Harmony asked as the two of them approached her bed.

  "This is Mariah. She was at the ranch when Joe called. I didn't want to leave her alone so I brought her along. She's been great. She spent all morning playing with Melody and keeping her happy without a single complaint." He squeezed Mariah's hand as he spoke. She squeezed back.

  "I would have been happy
to stay in the waiting room, but Levi and your husband insisted."

  "No, it's great to meet you and thanks for helping with Melody today. Come see." Harmony peeled the blanket back so they could see his face.

  "He's got Joe's nose." Levi leaned in. "All that dark hair came from our side though."

  "Here, hold him a minute." She lifted him toward Levi. He only hesitated a moment before lifting the baby from her arms.

  "Look at you, aren't you something. A little pushy, demanding to make your entrance on your own time, but welcome to the family," he spoke to the baby in his arms as he sat in the chair where Joe had been earlier as he focused on the tiny creature. "What's his name?" he didn't look up as he asked, keeping his attention on the baby.

  "Big brother, I want to introduce you to Levi Kevin Sharp."

  It felt like someone knocked the breath out of him. Levi stared down at the baby staring up at him for several seconds before he looked back up at his sister.

  "Levi? You're naming him after me? Are you sure?"

  "I did and I am. Joe agrees, there's no one better he could be named after." Her smile was bright and happy despite the exhaustion that left dark circles under her eyes.

  "Then I'm honored. I just hope he's not as stubborn and difficult as his namesake." He looked down at the baby who opened his mouth in a huge yawn as he stretched one arm over his head before snuggling deep into the blanket and closing his eyes once more.

  "After today, I'm sure he will be." Harmony yawned almost as big as little Levi had.

  Little Levi, that was going to take some getting used to.

  "You're tired and we don't want to keep you from resting." Levi stood, carried the baby over and gently gave him back to Harmony.

  "All right. You can send my husband back in, and Melody, I'm sure she'd like to meet her little brother."

  "I'll see what's going on out there, Mom said something about taking Melody home with them, but when we came in here she and Joe were in mid-combat-nap in the waiting room."