No Place for a Lady (37 page)

On the ride to the cabin, Crystal went over in her mind everything she knew about babies, which wasn't very much. But she
did know that it was too soon for Emily's child to enter the world. She shuddered. Please, God, take care of that little baby and Emily.
Calm her heart and fears, and help me too!

In short order they made it to the cabin, even though the snow
was thicker now. They threw the reins over the hitching post, and
Jube opened the cabin door. Moans escaped the closed bedroom
door, and Crystal saw the fear in Jube's wide eyes.

"I'll just go take care of the horses. Let me know if I'm needed:"
Luke backed out, looking uncomfortable.

Jube opened the door, and they entered the bedroom. Crystal
tried to put on a bright face for Emily, who was writhing in pain,
her hair damp against the pillow. She stepped close to the bed,
took Emily's hand in hers, and patted it. "Em ... I'm here. I want
to help you. How close are the pains?"

`About ... four minutes. I'm not sure;' she managed between
gritted teeth. "Crystal, it's too soon. But I can't stop it ... ooh, it
hurts!" She tried to sit up with each contraction.

"Now, just lie back down, Emily, and take some deep breaths.
Maybe we can halt the labor. I'll check you out." Crystal made her
voice as steady as possible, but in truth she was scared to death.
She couldn't help but see the cradle that Jube had set up near the
fire, and her heart jerked.

"Dube, why don't you go sit in the kitchen, and I'll call you when
I need you" She guided him to the door and patted him on the
shoulder. "Try not to worry."

She didn't have to tell him twice, and he sat stiffly next to Luke,
who had returned after getting the horses settled.

Closing the door behind her, Crystal squared her shoulders, determined to do whatever she could to help her friend. She wished
Carmen hadn't left today. She would have known what to do.

"Emily, I'm going to pull back the blankets and check you now."
Crystal was surprised at her own voice. She sounded so in control,
but her hands were shaking. Emily nodded and closed her eyes.
Pain coursed through her pale face.

Lifting the cover, Crystal drew in a sharp breath. There was
blood on the sheets.

Oh, dear God, what do I do now? she pleaded. There would
be no stopping this baby, she was sure of that. And there was
no hope of its survival. What had Jube told her-that Emily was
barely five months?

She replaced the cover, watching the clock tick the minutes
between Emily's contractions. Two minutes now. Emily grabbed
her hand in a nightmare grip.

"That's right, squeeze as hard as you like, Em"

When Emily's pain subsided, Crystal opened the door and
asked Luke to rustle up a pan of hot, soapy water and some clean
cloths. "Do you want to help me, Jube?"

Jube stood. "I just can't go back in there, Crystal. Is the baby
coming?"

"I'm afraid so, Jube. There's nothing I can do to stop it. Emily's
bleeding quite a bit:'

Jube turned so white that Luke had to reach out to steady him.
Luke pushed him back into his chair. "Take it easy, buddy." Luke's
face was masked in concern.

"Luke, after you get the clean cloths, please step into the bedroom. I may need you:"

Jube rallied. "I'll get the cloths and water. I'm not helpless:"
But Luke hurried to heat up the water. "You stay put;' he directed
Jube.

A piercing wail came from the direction of the bedroom, and
Crystal hurried back in.

"I can't do this, Crystal! We wanted this baby," Emily cried.

"Shh ... calm down. We have to let nature take its course,
sweetie." Crystal removed her coat and rolled up the sleeves
of her dress. She took Emily's hand again and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

Before long Luke knocked softly on the door, and Crystal called
out for him to come in. He carried a couple of worn towels along
with hot water in a huge enamel pan and set them on the bureau,
then stood next to the bed.

Crystal peeled Emily's fingers from her hand and placed them
inside Luke's larger one. "Hold on to Luke's hand, Em" Crystal
was in control now, and she stole a glance at Luke, whose eyes
peered back at hers.

"Where ... is Jube? I need him;' Emily panted.

"Jube is just fine, Emily. He is getting things that you need.
Luke can hold your hand," Crystal said above the rising of Emily's voice.

Crystal stood near the foot of the bed, washed her arms and
hands in the hot soapy water, and dried them quickly. It wouldn't
be long before the baby would be expelled. Lord, help me. When
she glanced down and saw how much blood Emily had lost, she
mouthed "pray" to Luke, and he nodded his agreement.

Crystal pulled back the covers as far as was decent, ready to
receive the tiny form within all the bloody mess. "Push, Emily,
push!" Emily cried out one last time and then fell back into her
pillows.

Crystal's hands were now covered with blood. She lifted the tiny baby, a little bigger than her palm, and wiped away the
dark, sticky matter. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she looked up
at Luke, who was stone-faced, and swallowed hard. Thankfully
Emily had passed out. Crystal took a sharp knife that Jube had
sterilized earlier and swiftly cut the umbilical cord, then tied
it with string.

Tears streamed down Crystal's face. She watched as Luke took
the bloody infant from her with care and wrapped it tenderly in
a flannel blanket that he'd found in the cradle.

"It was a little girl ..." Crystal's voice croaked. She wiped her
bloodied hands on a fresh towel and looked into Luke's eyes, which
mirrored her own pain. He stared back at her, the muscles in his
jaw flexing with emotion, and Crystal reached out and touched
his forearm.

Whimpering from the bed brought Crystal back to Emily, who
had wakened. Kneeling, she took Emily's hand in her own and
pressed it to her chest. "Oh, Em ... I'm so sorry" Crystal chewed
her bottom lip to keep from trembling, but Emily just continued
to weep softly.

"I've sent for your mother and the doctor. They should be
here soon"

"I want ... to see Jube, Crystal. Does he know?"

"Not yet. Look, I need to clean you up a bit" Crystal wiped Emily's face. "So you just lie still now. Luke will bring Jube in a bit:"

As Crystal turned to go, Emily's hand on her arm stopped her.
"What was it?"

Emily's sad face was hard for Crystal to look at. "A little girl
I'm about to clean her up for you, Em"

Crystal stuffed the lump back down in her throat and reached for the warm soapy water in the enamel pan to reverently wash
the tiny bundle that Luke held. She thought she detected a tear
at the corner of his eye.

She continued with her ministrations and wrapped a soft blanket around the baby. How delicate and precious. Inside her heart
was breaking. "Be strong for Emily and Jube," she could almost
hear Kate say.

Crystal brought the baby to Emily, who seemed to be trying
hard not to lose control. She pressed the baby to her wet face.

Crystal stepped back to the foot of the bed and was horrified
at the blood beginning to pool. She hurriedly tried to staunch the
flow and felt so incompetent. Crystal wished she knew what to
do next. Hurry, Doc, please hurry, her mind screamed.

Luke washed his hands, then handed Crystal fresh towels and
averted his eyes as he stepped outside to talk with Jube. She folded
the towels and, with a little help from Emily, placed them underneath her hips. Emily's face was so pale. She just has to make it,
Lord. Please stop the bleeding, if it be Your will. Jube needs her,
Crystal prayed.

The sound of voices outside the door interrupted her praying.
Thank God the doctor was here now. He could take over.

Crystal was only too happy to relinquish her patient into the
kind and capable hands of Dr. Gibbons, who remarked at what a
good job Crystal had done thus far for Emily. Most important now
was that the bleeding be stopped before they lost Emily too.

Luke took Crystal's arm and led her to a nearby chair in the
other room of the cabin. She waited with Luke and Jube and
prayed. It seemed like hours, but in truth, it was a short time before the doctor stuck his head out and declared that the bleeding had stopped. The three of them jumped to their feet at the sound
of the door.

"She's mighty weak, losing all that blood, but I think with adequate rest, she'll make it;' the doctor said, looking over his spectacles at Jube. "You go on in now. She's asking for you, son"

Relief flooded their faces, and Crystal sank into her chair, exhausted.

Crystal and Luke stayed with Emily and Jube the rest of the evening. Crystal offered what comfort she could and fixed them a
light supper, although no one had an appetite. Emily sipped a
little broth, but after the gentle urging of Jube, who refused to
leave her side, she managed to drink it.

Sara arrived while the doctor was giving strict orders for Emily
to stay in bed for the next two weeks. Sara now took over and
lovingly enfolded Emily in her arms, stroking her hair with tenderness. Sara's sad face and red-rimmed eyes spoke volumes about
her daughter's loss to Crystal.

"She needs her rest now, Mrs. Johnson." Dr. Gibbons snapped
his bag shut, indicating he had done all he could this day. It was
apparent that he wished to speak to the others in private. They
understood and followed him out of the room, where Luke was
stoking a crackling fire that filled the small room with warmth.

The doctor wasted no time with small talk. "Most people die
with miscarriages at this stage, but I was able to deliver the afterbirth to allay infection. Thank God I was able to get here so soon."
He ran his hand through his hair.

"I don't know how to thank you, Doc;' Jube said.

"No need, friend. I'll come back to check on her later this
week. If you need anything, you just send for me." After giving
Sara instructions on mixing laudanum for Emily's pain, the kind
doctor left.

What a long day, Crystal thought. She had an ache in her shoulders that matched the one in her heart. She thought it best that
she and Luke leave the small cabin so that the family could have
their privacy, but not until she looked in on Emily.

She was propped up on two pillows, and her smile was very
weak when Crystal sat on the edge of the bed.

"Crystal ... thank you"

"Shh ... don't thank me, thank God that you're going to be okay.
You just get your rest now and do as your mother says, okay?"

"Maybe I'll never have children, Crystal. .

"Don't think about that right now. I'm sure you will."

"But why didn't I get to keep this baby?" Tears started filling
her blue eyes again.

"Honey, I wish I could answer that. Only the good Lord knows
why you lost this baby ... but I do know your baby is in Jesus's
arms right now. You'll have a baby when the time is right, and it
will be a healthy baby too. But you're exhausted. I'll pray for you
to regain your strength in a hurry. I'm going now so you can get
your rest, and we'll talk again later. I'll leave you in your mother's
care, and there's no better place to be"