A Heart Renewed (47 page)

He struggled to go on.  “I’m not the same man I was then.  I know what I did was wrong.  Since then I have tried to live a good life, one that Drew would be proud of.”

Hannah smiled.  “Tell me how you ended up here, of all places.”

Thomas recounted the story, starting with the trial in Ohio.  He told her of the judge’s strange sentence and his service in the Union, how he seemed to be in the right place at the right time.  He told her how he tried to find her and Drew in La Paz.  Then he told her the bizarre story of Betty Lancaster being the boardinghouse owner, probably one of the strangest parts of his tale yet.

“Betty and her son, Paul, told me they traveled with you.  Said Drew died in an avalanche, but you were safe.  They told me you were here.”

Pausing for a moment, he gathered his courage.  “Hannah, I wish I could take back all that I did to cause you and Drew harm, but I can’t.”  Tears trickled down his face.  He ran the back of his hand over his eyes.

“Thomas,” she said, reaching for his hand.  He scooted closer so she could reach. “All these things happening in your life—it’s astonishing.  God has blessed you with great opportunities.  He brought you here, so both you and I could have some peace about the past.  I’m glad that you found me.”

Thomas looked at her hand cupped over his.  He still did not believe God would grace him with even the tiniest thought.  But he was finding peace in just pouring out to his sister.  Even though his brother was gone, Hannah would always be his sister.

“I wonder if I might ask you a favor.”

The debt he owed her was so great.  He would do anything for her.  But the emotion choked the words from forming.  He simply nodded instead.

“Would you be an uncle to my child?  I know he or she will not be related to you by blood, but it would mean so much to me for you to be a part of my family.”

Thomas barely got the words out in a whisper.  “I would be honored.”

Then they talked for hours, until it was supper time.  Hannah told him about Drew on the trip west, how proud she was of him when he tried so hard to handle the team even though he did not know what he was doing.  She told him of Drew’s child that did not survive.  She told him about how she met Will and how blessed she was to have loved two such wonderful men.  Through the conversation, Thomas began to feel the heavy burden start to lift.

When Julia knocked on the door to invite him to join them for supper, Hannah said, “Thomas, Drew would have been very proud of the man you’ve become.”

As he leaned over to kiss her cheek, he held back the rush of emotions.  Thomas’s only regret was that he would never be able to hear those words from Drew’s lips.

Chapter 37

Colter Ranch

June 26, 1865

“Julia, wake up,” Will’s panicked voice pulled her from a sweet dream.

She sat up in her bed waiting for the fog to clear.  Before she could ask Will what was wrong, she heard Hannah’s screams from the next room.  The baby was coming!

She dropped her feet to the floor trying to think.  “Go fetch some water and start a fire in the stove,” she told Will.  Keeping him busy would hopefully get him to calm down.

Poking her head in to check on Hannah, she said, “I’ll send someone for the doctor.  Then I’ll be right back.”

Hannah panted.  “We have some time yet.”

While Hannah had coached Julia on what to expect, she was still nervous and would much rather have the doctor here to deliver the baby.  After lighting a lamp in the kitchen, she ran across the yard to the bunkhouse barefoot.  As she knocked on the door, she was suddenly aware she forgot to grab her robe.  Even though it was dark out, the moon shone rather brightly.

The door opened before her and Adam stood there bare-chested.  The sight caused her heart to leap and her memory to flee.  What was she doing here again?

“Julia,” he whispered.  He partially closed the door and blocked any view with his body.

“The baby.”  She managed to gather her wits.  “It’s on the way.  We need someone to ride for the doctor.  And someone to get Lucy Morgan, just in case.”

“I’ll ride,” Covington said from somewhere in the shadows.

Adam said, “I’ll go get Mrs. Morgan.  Everyone else, back to sleep.”

He stood there for a few seconds longer, a strange smirk on his face.  Then he closed the door.

Julia, now embarrassed, ran back to the ranch house.  After a quick check on Hannah and Will, she ran to her room to dress.  No need for further embarrassment once the doctor arrived.  Securing her hair into a loose braid, she heard rapid hoof beats sounding up the lane.  With the way Covington rode, he should get back with the doctor in an hour.

Gathering some rags set aside for this purpose, Julia checked to make sure everything was ready in the kitchen.  Pouring some cool water into a pitcher, she went in to help Hannah.  She soaked a small cloth in the cool water and began mopping her forehead.  The night seemed rather hot, even for late June.

When Hannah cried out with the next pain, Will’s face went white.  Julia wondered if she should make him wait outside.  Then again, he would probably put up too much of a fuss.

A half hour later, Adam showed Lucy into the room.  Julia was thankful for the woman’s experience.  Then nearly another hour ticked by before the doctor arrived.

Julia took a quick break while Lucy helped Dr. Armstrong as he examined Hannah.  Stepping outside for some fresh air, she nearly collided with Adam.  Dark blue and purple tinged the sky signaling dawn was upon them.

“Everything, okay?” Adam asked, as he steadied her.

“Yes. From what Hannah told me, these things take time.  I’m just glad she told me what to expect.  Being the youngest, I’ve never been around the birthing of a baby.”

“You’ll do fine.” Adam put his arm around her shoulders and rubbed his hand up and down her arm.  The movement was soothing.  “Besides, Hannah is the one that has to do all the work.”

“I’m just not sure if Will is going to make it or not.”

“I imagine it is difficult to watch someone you love go through so much pain,” he said, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head.  Then he released her.  “Well, sun’s coming up and the cows are going to start crying soon.  Suppose I could help the antsy soon-to-be-father by seeing to his chores.”

He flashed a grin before bounding across the yard towards the barn.

Julia sighed as she reflected on his words.  Somehow she got the feeling he was not really talking about Will watching Hannah in pain.  Seeing Rosa heading up the path from her shack, Julia turned and went back inside. 

 “Will.”  His sister’s voice sounded far away.  Somewhere in the background he thought he heard a baby crying.

“William!” Julia’s voice was clearer this time.  The hard pat to his face now had his attention.

Did I black out?
  He hoped not, but suspected that was the case, especially now that a baby’s cry filled the room.  Hopefully no one would mention this to his men.

Baby.
  He turned to look at Hannah.  A tiny little bundle lay in her arms.  His wife and child.  Her eyes glistened with moisture.

“Will, come see your son,” she whispered.

“Son?” he asked as he scooted onto the bed to get a closer look.

“Do you want to hold him?”  She didn’t wait for his answer before she placed his son in his arms.

Instantly his heart connected with the small child.  “James William Colter,” he whispered, marveling at how tiny he was.  Pride welled within his chest.  This was his son, James.

“After Father’s middle name?” Julia asked from the corner.

Will nodded, too choked up to answer.  He placed a big kiss on Hannah’s lips.

“He’s perfect,” she said as the door clicked shut.  Julia and the doctor were both gone from the room.

“He’s so tiny.”

“No he’s not!” Hannah exclaimed.  “He’s actually rather large for a newborn.”

“Must come from my side of the family.”

“Yeah, I bet he’s going to be as tall as you.”  She smiled up at him.  “But, hopefully he won’t swoon when his wife bears his first child.”

Will gave her a sheepish look. “Let’s not get him all married off already.  I’m kinda looking forward to watching him grow.”

As James started to squirm, Will handed him back to his mother.  He did not think he could possibly love anyone more than he did his wife and his son.

Two weeks later, Julia just finished setting the table when their guests began arriving.  Will and Hannah invited Betty, Paul, Thomas, the Morgan family, Dr. Armstrong, and Reverend and Mrs. Page for Sunday dinner.  Of course, Julia was sure it had more to do with everyone wanting to meet baby James, but she was sure Hannah’s secret was safe.

As the Morgan family entered the ranch house, James started to fuss. 

“I’ll take him,” Julia said, knowing Hannah just fed him a little while ago.  Sure enough, he needed a fresh diaper.  She took him into Hannah’s room and cleaned him up, dropping the dirty diaper in a pail to soak.  Kissing him on top of his cute little forehead, she cradled him in her arms and returned to the gathering crowd.

When Adam entered the doorway, their eyes locked.  My, he was looking fine today.  An odd look passed over his face, one she had seen another time when she was holding James.

She smiled at him and he smiled back.  She scolded herself for not making time before today to talk with him.  Since James’s birth, she intended to speak with Adam to apologize for her reaction on their first and only outing.  If she was reading his looks correctly, he still very much loved her.  She loved him and wanted to mend their relationship. 

But, Hannah needed all the help she could get caring for James and keeping up with household chores.  When either of them had a free moment, it was usually spent napping, since James kept them up frequently throughout the night.

“Let me see the little man!” Lucy Morgan exclaimed rushing to make silly noises to James.

Handing James over, Julia went to the door just as Betty, Paul, and Thomas pulled up.  Thomas jumped down from the wagon and then helped Betty down as Paul climbed down the other side.

“Let me look at you, dear,” Betty squealed in delight as she wrapped Julia in a hug.  “You look lovely, dear.  Tell me,” she asked seeing Adam standing nearby, “are there wedding bells on the horizon?”

Leave it to Betty to be so direct.

“Ma,” Paul chastised with one syllable before ushering her inside.

Thomas nodded a greeting as he carried in one of the crates from the back of the wagon.  Julia and Adam started towards the wagon at the same time, bumping into each other.

“Sorry,” Julia said, as heat rose to her cheeks.

Adam continued forward.  One brow arched, he curiously looked at the remaining items in the wagon.  “What do we have here?”

Julia leaned over the side.  “Oh!  Hannah will just love it!” she exclaimed, speaking of the little baby quilt.  How did Betty find time to work on such a lovely piece while running the boardinghouse?  She picked it up as Adam lifted the other crate.  If they did not have a house full of guests, she would try to talk to him now.  But, it would have to wait.

Adam carried the crate into the kitchen while she deposited the quilt on a stack of gifts by the fireplace.  The rest of the guests arrived, so she helped Rosa set out the food.  Setting the last item on the table, she took James from Hannah so she could enjoy the meal.  Once grace was offered, Julia stood off to the side, bouncing baby James on her hip, cooing at him.  When she looked up, she saw that strange look from Adam again.