He arched a brow, not the least bit threatened by the statement. “You would leave this place? You would leave our home?”
She looked away, unable to stare into those beautiful eyes. “I might.”
He laughed and hugged her to him, and despite her fears, she allowed him to pull her close. “You love me. You love the orchard too much to leave.”
“But you are leaving,” she said.
“I’ll come back to you.” He spoke with such surety. Such confidence. But there was no way he could be sure.
“Swear it.”
“I swear.”
She wanted to believe he would keep his word to her, so she forced a smile for him when he boarded the eastbound train the following day. She stood on the platform until the train pulled away from the station and its whistle grew silent in the distance.
It would be years before he kept that promise and returned to her. But when he did, he was not the same.
April 10, 1939
From the Journal of Samuel Jessup
We received word from Gilbert Bernard today via the harbormaster in Le Havre. He’ll meet us on the docks late tonight. He’s got several passengers for us to take. He warned it would be dangerous, which suits me just fine.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Megan
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Cape Hudson, Virginia
10:00 a.m.
“Bad news,” Mr. Tucker said.
Work at Spring House had progressed at a steady pace over the last month. Old and crumbling layers were stripped away from the walls while the kitchen and bathrooms were demolished. Though there were still weeks of work ahead, drywall was going up the next day. The restoration had turned a corner and would soon really take shape.
“I thought we were finished with the bad news,” Megan said.
“The guys were clearing the land around the property, and they found an old septic system. The wheel of the backhoe ran over it, and it cracked.”
“I didn’t know there was a second septic system on the property.”
“No one did. We are going to have to remove the old tank and fill in the hole. It’s not only an environmental issue, but it’s also a safety one. Don’t want anyone stumbling into it down the road.”
“No, we don’t.”
“I also had a chance to poke around the old kitchen house, and it looks like I found a door to a cellar.”
“Old root cellars weren’t uncommon.”
“Maybe, but we’re going to have to excavate it and figure out what we got. Again, a safety hazard.”
“Okay, close up the tank, and let me know when you get that cellar open.” She checked her watch. “I’ve got to get going. Helen is picking me up. We have our second birthing class.”
“I thought you two got into a tussle during the last one.”
They had. Lucy was her birth coach, but Helen had insisted that she attend. The instructor had given Megan a baby doll to hold, and the toy had been in her arms less than a minute before Helen took it from her. Megan, suddenly really annoyed, had grabbed the baby doll back, but Helen had refused to release it. The doll had ripped.
Mr. Tucker went back toward the house surrounded with a collection of power tools. Megan’s stomach cramped, and without thinking, she began to rub it as she had done the better part of the last couple of nights. She dialed Lucy’s number.
When Lucy answered, Megan walked away from the construction noise as the sounds of girls squealing on the other end rumbled over the line. “You must have more news from Spring House.”
“I do.” She rubbed her belly and shifted her stance.
“What stack of cash does the money pit demand today?” Lucy asked.
“Educated guess is at least five grand.” She gave her a rundown on the discoveries.
Lucy sighed. “Well, you did warn me there would be a few nasty surprises.”
Megan crossed her fingers. “I think that we’ve identified all of them. We really should have a functioning house by September or October.”
“Good. I’m anxious to get that house put together and get into a real routine.” A bus engine rumbled in the background.
“How is the field trip going?” Megan asked.
“For the first hour it was fine because all the kids went right back to sleep. Now we’re approaching Richmond, and the beasts are stirring. I suspect it’s going to be a wild day.”
“It’s going to be a pretty day today, so the canal walk will be nice, and the governor’s mansion is always interesting.”
“So you keep telling me,” Lucy said. “Already looking forward to a glass of wine when I get home tonight.”
Megan chuckled. “Text me pictures.”
“Will do. How goes it with the baby?”
“She’s still in the oven,” Megan said.
“Good. See you about seven tonight.”
“I’ll be here.”
As Megan walked toward her car, her belly cramped again, only this time the discomfort wrapped around her belly toward her back. She took several deep breaths until it finally passed. Her doctor had said not to worry about contractions unless she had more than four in the same hour. But what was a contraction? Were they all like this, or were they worse? Surely last night’s backache didn’t count, right? She tried to remember the birthing movie Helen had brought by Winter Cottage and insisted she watch.
She took another step, and a fresh pain gripped her belly. When it passed, she checked her watch. It had been thirty seconds between pains. But two was not four, and she figured it had to be what her doctor called Braxton Hicks pains. She checked her watch and considered calling her mother, but it was the middle of the night in Australia, and if she called, there wasn’t anything her mother could do.
No sense freaking the woman out when she was half a world away. Besides, everyone said first babies were always late, not early, so the chances that she was really in labor were slim. Right?
Megan settled behind the steering wheel of her car and instantly felt a little better. Tipping her head back, she closed her eyes. “Baby, you cannot be early. I’m not ready to be a mother. I’m just not ready.”
The baby kicked and shifted in her belly. A hard rap on the glass startled Megan as she turned.
Helen was standing there, her face tight with worry. “Are you all right?”
She sat forward as she hissed in a breath. “I’m not sure.”
“What do you mean, not sure?” Helen opened the door and laid her hand on Megan’s belly. “It’s hard as a rock. That means you are having a contraction.”
“I haven’t had that many.”
Helen dug her cell phone out of her purse as Rick pulled up. He parked beside her car and with one glance was frowning. He knew something was not right.
Focusing on her breathing, Megan smiled at Helen. “I think I’m fine now.” Her body felt relaxed, and she felt pretty good now. “Yes, definitely better.”
“Is everything all right?” he asked, eyeing her and then Helen.
“If I hear bad news and Spring House one more time, I might go crazy,” she said.
Neither he nor Helen appeared amused at her attempt at levity.
“She’s having contractions,” Helen said.
“Honestly, it has to be a false alarm,” Megan said. “I still have at least a week or two to go.” Her belly cramped. In the last ten minutes, this was her fourth cramp. Damn it. She refused to be in labor.
“You okay?” Rick asked.
“She’s not okay,” Helen said.
Megan winced, knowing her life was going to change now whether she wanted it to or not. “I think Helen might be right. It could be a contraction, but I’m not sure.”
“I am sure,” Helen said.
“It’s got to be a Braxton Hicks contraction,” Megan countered. “I read all about it. That’s the kind of contraction that isn’t the real deal, but definitely uncomfortable.”
“I know what they are,” Rick said. �
��And Helen could be right, and it could be the real deal. You might be in premature labor.”
“How would you know about premature labor?”
“I’m a town sheriff. I’m officially a jack-of-all-trades.”
“And I’ve given birth,” Helen said. “Women know these things.”
“How many have you had?” Rick demanded.
The intensity of their gazes revved up her nerves. “Three, or was it four?”
“Four!” they shouted at the same time.
“Might have only been three.”
“In the last hour?” He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck.
She checked her watch. “The last half hour.”
He ran his hand over his short hair and muttered under his breath. “Both of you get in my car.”
“Excellent idea,” Helen said. “Use the sirens.”
“Why?” Megan asked. “This could be a false alarm.”
“The doctor can tell us at the hospital,” Rick said.
Helen ran to her car and grabbed a bag. “I took the liberty of packing an overnight bag for Megan. I was afraid with her crazy schedule, she would forget.”
“I didn’t forget,” Megan said. “It just seemed too early.”
“It’s never too early to be prepared,” Helen said.
“I have to meet with the countertop and flooring guy tomorrow,” she said.
“Helen and Megan, get in my car.” He reached for his radio, and, pressing a button, said, “Martha, I’m logging out. I’m taking Megan Buchanan to the hospital.”
“Is it time for the baby?”
“Don’t know. But she’s having contractions. Four in the last half hour.”
“Ooh, that’s the real deal,” Martha said. “Let me know how it goes.”
“Ten-four.” He opened the car door. “Get in.”
“I don’t have my purse,” Megan said.
“Sit,” Helen said, handing the overnight bag to Rick. “Where is it?”
“Front seat of my truck.” Her belly tightened. Make that five contractions.
She settled into the front seat and hooked the seat belt as Rick got behind the wheel and Helen grabbed her purse. She got into the back seat, slid to the middle, and fastened the belt.
Rick started the engine. “Are these the only contractions you’ve had?”
She leaned against the seat and paused. “It was a rough night.”
His jaw pulsed as he threw the truck into gear. “What does that mean?”
“Uncomfortable.”
Helen leaned between them. “They said in the birthing class that premature babies represent twelve percent of births. This is a thirty-six-week baby, so her lungs might not be mature.”
Megan flexed her fingers, willing the fear and tension away. “Helen, I don’t need the grim statistics right now.”
“I’m just being honest,” Helen said.
Rick picked up speed and flipped on his lights and siren.
“The lights aren’t necessary, Rick. Seriously, I bet this is a false alarm.” Another cramp had her shifting and pressing her hand to her belly.
He drove faster. “If I had two sirens, I’d put them both on. You’re in labor, and this kid isn’t waiting.”
As the lights flashed, she glanced back at the house and saw Mr. Tucker come out on the porch. Between him and Martha, the town would all know soon enough. “Please don’t make this a big thing.”
“You’re having a baby,” Rick said. “This is a big thing.”
“Women have been having babies for thousands of years,” she said.
“I have a confession. It’s my first hospital run with a pregnant woman, so I’d rather err on the safe side if it’s all right with you.”
“And it is my first and only grandchild,” Helen said.
Megan drew in a deep breath.
Rick muttered a curse. “Should you call Lucy? I thought she was going to help.”
“Right now she’s arriving in Richmond on a field trip with Natasha’s class.”
“That’s two hours away from Norfolk,” he said.
“She rode the school bus with the kids. She’s out of pocket on this rodeo.”
“Who’s next on the bench?”
“Me,” Helen said. “I’ve trained to be her birthing coach too.”
“We had one class,” Megan said.
“One is better than none,” Helen replied. “And I have had a baby, dear.”
Megan dropped her head against the headrest as she shifted and tried to get comfortable. “This really could be a false alarm. In fact, I bet we all have a good laugh about it. I feel like I’m wasting your time.”
“I can call ahead to the hospital,” Helen said.
“Can you just wait until we know if this is the real deal or not?” Megan said. “I don’t want to get Lucy all torqued up, and then there’s no spud to show.”
As the highway rushed past, she winced. “We should be there in plenty of time.”
Rick cursed under his breath as he drove past the marshes and toward the Bay Bridge–Tunnel. No one spoke as he crossed the seventeen-mile expanse and wound around the beltway toward the hospital. Several times Megan shifted in her seat and did her best to hide the pain.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
“Feeling pretty good,” she lied.
“You’re pale as a ghost, and you’ve touched your belly and grimaced four times since we got in the car,” Helen said.
“That much?” she said. “I didn’t notice.”
Twenty minutes later, after using his lights to cut through traffic, he rolled up to the hospital emergency entrance.
“Stay put,” he said.
“I can walk.”
“Sit down,” Helen said.
“She’s right, damn it!” Rick said.
“Fine. Sitting!”
He dashed through the sliding doors of the emergency room. As the seconds ticked, fear rushed through her.
“I’m right here,” Helen said. “No need to worry.”
Tears welled in her eyes. Rick and Helen would see her through this crisis, but once they had seen Scott’s baby safely into the world, then what?
Minutes later, Rick appeared with a nurse and a wheelchair. He opened the truck door and unlatched her seat belt. He took her by the arm and lifted her, helping her settle into the chair.
A nurse, who didn’t appear nearly as panicked as Rick or Helen, laid her hand on Megan’s shoulder. “This is your first baby, isn’t it?”
“How can you tell?” Megan asked.
The nurse unlocked the wheelchair’s brake and nodded toward Rick with a grin. “Rookie Daddy and Grandma.”
“Grandma,” Helen said. “I think I’m too young to be called Grandma. We’ll have to come up with some other name.”
Megan was about to tell the nurse Rick was not the baby’s father when another pain gripped her belly. She sucked in a breath as the nurse pushed her through the front door of the emergency room, while Rick parked his cruiser.
“We’ll get you checked into a room,” the nurse said.
Minutes later Helen was helping Megan out of her clothes and into a gown. As the nurse settled her into a bed, Rick walked into the room. “I have your paperwork filled out. You’re all set,” he said.
“Thanks,” she said.
Helen tugged up her blanket. “Much better.”
As the nurse started the IV, she said to Rick and Helen, “If you two are going to stay, you better get washed up and put on those gowns. While you do that, I’m going to check to see how much she’s dilated.”
“Right,” Rick said. He turned away, stripping off his jacket. He rolled up his sleeves and reached for a gown.
Helen slid a gown over her outfit and pushed up the sleeves to her gold bracelets.
“Daddy and Grandma, you got her here in the nick of time. Mama is nine centimeters dilated and completely effaced.”
Helen sucked in a breath.
Rick
stared at the nurse.
“That means it’s go time, Daddy,” the nurse said. “I’m grabbing the doctor because we don’t have much time.”
“Right, thanks,” Rick said.
“How could I be that far along?” Megan said. “I thought labor was supposed to take hours.”
The nurse grinned and patted her on the shoulder. “Not in your case, sweetie.”
“Are you sure?” Megan asked.
“Very. You’re going to be a mama real soon.”
Megan closed her eyes. She wanted to be a good mom, and she wanted to do this right. But already she had been caught by surprise by the kid.
“I called Lucy,” Rick said. “I put a call into a buddy at the state police. He’s picking her up.”
“Thank you,” Megan said. “I really don’t want to do this . . . alone.” The last word came out with a rush of breath as she breathed through another contraction.
“Take a few deep breaths. It’ll make you feel better,” Rick said.
Megan expelled several breaths. “Whoever said breathing helps has never been in labor.”
“I know, dear,” Helen said. “I almost punched my doctor when he told me I should be feeling better. Scott was a ten-pound baby.”
The doctor appeared at the door, moving with quick, purposeful strides. He settled on a seat at the end of the bed and examined Megan.
“Ms. Buchanan, I think you might be setting a speed record today.” The doctor looked at Rick and Helen. “Dad and Grandma, get up behind her shoulders and be ready to hold her hands.”
“What about drugs?” Megan said. “Don’t I get an epidural or something?”
“Mom,” the doctor said, “we’re beyond that now. The nurse is going to put a sedative in your IV to take the edge off, but this baby is coming in quick.”
“I’m not ready,” Megan said. An overwhelming sense of panic washed over her.
The doctor laughed. “You can take it up with your daughter when you see her.”
Another contraction silenced her reply, and soon all her words and thoughts were washed away in waves of contractions that came faster and faster. Her focus narrowed to the arrival of each contraction, the pain and the brief respites and the urge to push.
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