Providence (33 page)

Listless green eyes glanced in
Kate’s direction. “Why?” she whispered.

Taking a deep breath, Kate said,
“Whatever you may think, whatever your pain, this child is a gift, it belongs
to God, and He has seen fit to give it into your care.”

For the first time since Kate had
entered the room, a spark of life seemed to ignite the pain racked body on the
bed. “A gift?” Annie spat out. “More like a curse.”

 Kate’s heart ached for this
woman, as she realized the pain she felt was far deeper than the physical
torment her body endured. “Annie, there is no sin in this life that God cannot
forgive. You are blessed with a husband who loves you, and who loves this
child, no matter the origins.”

Annie’s eyes held Kate’s, “How do
you....” the question was obliterated in a scream of pain as Annie grabbed
Kate’s arm.

“Breathe, Annie, breathe,” Kate
commanded, gripping her hands in support.

Annie’s eyes flew open, staring
at Kate with hope, “God forgive me,” she gasped, “Help me, save my baby,
please.” She drew in deep ragged breaths as the spasm began to subside.

Uncertain whether Annie pled with
God or with her, Kate resolved to do everything within her power to save both
mother and child. “Annie, I’m going to check and see how you are progressing,”
Kate said. “I’ll try not to hurt you, but I need to do this, okay?”

Annie nodded.

Laying aside the muslin sheet,
Kate began a brief examination, feeling for the baby’s head and position.
“Annie, the baby isn’t laying the way he should. It’s not too bad, but that’s
why it seems to hurt so much. He’s lying face up and I need to get him face
down. I’m going to try to get the baby to turn after the next contraction.”

Fear shone in Annie’s green eyes.
“Is he going to be all right?” she asked, her voice hoarse from fatigue.

 “If we can get him to turn
over, I think he’ll just slip right out,” Kate said, wiping her hands on a
coarse towel.

“Oh, oh, here comes the next
one!” an agonized wail escaped Annie’s lips before she clamped her jaw shut.

“Breath, Annie, come on, you can
do it!”

Annie gasped at the pain, then
began breathing in shallow rapid bursts until the contraction subsided.

“Hold on now, honey,” Kate said
working rapidly to turn the infant within the womb. “There, I think that’s
better. How do you feel now?”

“Scared,” Annie said, her eyes
wide. “Where’s Michael?” she asked looking beyond Kate.

“His father’s gone to fetch him,”
Greta’s voice came from the door. She entered and set a lamp on the table near
the bed. “How is she doing, Kate?”

“I think we’re almost there. Can
you stay to help now?”

“Of course,” Greta answered.
“Just let me get the water,

“Annie, with the next pain, I want
you to bear down as hard as you can. Do you understand?”

Annie nodded. Kate could see the
toll the exhaustion was taking written clearly in Annie’s features. “You’re
almost through now. This baby will be here real soon,” Kate said, hoping that she
was right. Greta returned carrying a basin of warm water and several more clean
towels.

 “Figured we could use
these,” she said, placing her burden on the floor near the foot of the bed.

“Good, thank you, Greta,” Kate
said, watching Annie’s tired features. Greta went to Annie’s side taking her
hand, and stroking her feverish brow. A spasm of pain racked the tired woman,
“Push now, Annie, push.” Kate said.

“Ow, I can’t do it, I can’t,” she
screamed.

“Yes, you can, now push! Annie, I
can see the baby’s head, push.”

Kate could see Annie’s grip
tighten even harder on Greta’s hand. Her eyes pressed shut, every muscle taut
and straining against the agony she felt. The pain subsided and Annie gasped
for breath.

“It’s going to start again right
away, Annie, take a deep breath,” Kate encouraged.

Annie complied breathing rapidly,
then drawing a great breath as the pain came roaring again.

“Now, Annie, use the pain, push!”

 The baby’s head appeared
again, this time emerging from the womb in one great effort. Another brief
respite and the next contraction delivered first one shoulder and then the
second. The tension in Kate’s shoulders and back began to ease slightly even as
her hands trembled feeling the new life. She worked to clear the baby’s tiny
airways even before the final push delivered the precious infant into her
waiting hands.
Oh, bless you, Lord, thank you
, Kate voiced her silent
prayer, tears of relief flooding her eyes.

“A girl, it’s a girl, a
beautiful, perfect little girl,” Kate said wrapping the baby in a towel.

“A girl? I want to see my baby,”
Annie whispered hoarsely.

Tears flowing freely down her
cheeks, Kate looked at the precious child in her arms, then handed the infant
to Annie, praying that Annie would accept and love the child, and as God commanded,
would put her sin behind her and remember it no more. The look of wonderment
that crossed Annie’s tired features made Kate’s heart soar. This child would be
loved and cherished, she could see it in the mother’s eyes as surely as she
could hear it in Annie’s voice when at last she spoke.

“Oh, my daughter, you are
beautiful,” Annie whispered, closing her eyes and rocking gently, holding the
baby close to her breast. A slow smile curved the corners of her mouth, her
features softened, and a look of peace settled over Annie’s face.

“Oh, Annie, I’m so happy for
you,” Greta said. “Why don’t you let me get her cleaned up? You can rest for a
bit, get cleaned up yourself, and then she’ll probably be wanting to eat.”
Greta took the infant, her own face glowing with a grandmother’s special joy.
“Do you have a name for her yet?”

“Amanda. If it’s all right with
Michael, that is.” Annie said.

 “It’s fine with me,” came a
voice from the front room, deep with emotion.

“Michael,” Annie exclaimed
weakly.

“You just stay put, young man,
until I have your wife looking decent for you!” Kate called, hurrying to put
Annie to rights. She bathed her with the warm, soothing water, dressed her in a
fresh gown and brushed the damp auburn hair. Greta washed the tiny girl and wrapped
her in a soft cotton blanket. As Greta handed the baby to her mother, Kate
opened the door to admit the anxious husband.

“Annie?” Michael asked, crossing
to her bedside.

Annie said nothing, her tender
gaze falling on their daughter. Looking up, her eyes shimmered with unshed
tears.

“She’s beautiful, our daughter,”
Michael whispered, “Amanda,” reverence filled his voice. A sense of awe crossed
his handsome face as he beheld his wife and their child.

Kate motioned to Greta, and they
slipped out of the room, closing the door as they left.

“I swear, I have never seen a
woman that fearful of havin’ a youngun before,” Greta said as the door latched
softly behind them. “I do believe that’s the first time I’ve seen her smile in
all the weeks she’s been here.”

“Well, she’s going to be just
fine now,” Kate answered. “And you have a beautiful granddaughter. But I
haven’t even gotten a chance to see your new little girl!”

 Kathy handed the small
bundle of sleeping baby to Kate. “Here you take a turn, I’ve got to get dinner
on anyhow,” Kathy said.

Kate looked down into the
sleeping face. A stray wisp of dark hair peeked from beneath the blanket,
curling perfectly on a pale ivory forehead. Her small mouth was the color of
wild pink roses, and lay like an exquisite bow beneath a little button nose.
“Oh, Greta, she’s absolutely breathtaking. What’s her name?”

“Rose Marie Hall, after Mike’s
momma,” she said smiling. “Only you won’t think she’s so very perfect in a few
more minutes. She’s bound to be wakin’ up hungry any time now.”

Kate laughed as she handed the
child to Greta. Would she ever again know the joy of holding her own child, so
perfectly formed, known by the Creator even as it grew within her? A wistful sigh
escaped her lips as she watched Greta prepare to feed the baby.

“I figgered you’d be staying to
dinner, Miz Shaughnessey, and I can fix up a pallet on the floor if you want to
take my bed tonight,” Kathy offered shyly.

“Oh, dinner sounds wonderful, but
I need to be getting back to Providence tonight. They’ll be worrying about me
if I don’t show up soon,” Kate replied.

“Now, Kate, you shouldn’t be out
travelin’ after dark like this, it’s just not safe,” Greta protested.

 “There’s a full moon
tonight to travel by, and Hawk knows the way, I’m sure,” Kate answered.
“Besides it’s only a few hours away, and Jo needs me.”

“Well, at least take some food
with you. Kathy can make you up some biscuits and ham. You can eat along the
way,” Greta said. “Ross, you go saddle Miz Shaughnessey’s horse for her.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ross answered,
hurrying out to do his mother’s bidding.

“Thank you, all,” Kate said
accepting the parcel of food from Kathy and taking her coat and bag from their
resting place near the door. “Annie and the baby will be just fine now, but if
you need anything at all, please know that you can send for me.”

“I know that,” Greta smiled. “And
I thank you for it.”

The door opened, and a weary boy
walked in. “Aaron, you look all done in,” Greta said, concern flooding her
face. “Did you find Doc Horn?”

“No, ma’am, he was away, but I
left word at Jansen’s store for him.” The exhausted lad sank into a chair at
the table, and began shoveling biscuits into his mouth as fast as he could. “I
left your gelding in the corral where I found him, Miz Shaughnessey,” he said
around the food in his mouth. “My horse was well enough rested, I rode her back
here.”

“Thank you, Aaron,” Kate said.
“Did you see anyone at my place?”

 “No, ma’am, funny thing, I
figured they’d be in, it was getting well nigh dark when I dropped by there.”

“Well, you know how harvesting
goes, and I sent Jo up to the Insleys’,” Kate said, brushing off any concern
she may have felt. “Nana had another attack last night.”

“Oh, dear, is she doing all right?”
Great asked.

“She seemed to be resting well
when I left her.” Kate said. “I’m worried, though, I don’t know how much more
her heart can take.”

“Well, I can understand you
wanting to get on home then,” Greta said. “You just get going, hurry, but be
careful along the way.” Kissing Kate on the cheek, Greta sent her out the door.

“I will, Greta, you take care of
that new family in there,” Kate called, waving as she hurried toward the barn.

Mike was pitching hay into the
corrals for the horses and Ross was just making the final adjustments to Hawk’s
saddle when she got there.  

“Thank you so much, Ross,” Kate
said. “She seems to like you, it’s not everyone she stands still for like
that.”

“Aw, I just got a way with
critters,” he replied, blushing.

“Kate, I need to speak with you
for minute,” Mike called as she was mounting.

“Sure, Mike, what is it?” Kate
asked, stepping down from the stirrup.

“Ross, you go on up to dinner
now,” Mike commanded.

 Glancing from his father to
Kate and back, he nodded and headed off to the house.

“Mike?” Kate asked, wondering
what was on his mind.

“Kate, first I wanted to thank
you for being there for Annie. Michael and I had a long talk about it, and,
well, this is hard for me to say…”

“I think I know, Mike.”

“The baby isn’t Michael’s.” A
look of pain crossed mike’s face as he said those words.

Taking his hand, Kate prayed for
wisdom. “I know.”

Mike looked deep into her eyes,
searching, Kate felt, for answers, something to help him accept and love his
grandchild.

“Mike, I’ll tell you exactly what
I told Annie.” Kate paused, gazing at Mike, wanting to give him a peace that he
could hold on to, “This child is a gift from God. She deserves the love and
respect of her family just as any child would. Michael has
chosen
to
love this baby, regardless of the past. I believe he will be doubly blessed by
that choice.

“Only you can decide how you will
treat this child and her mother, but think, Mike, think what God would have you
do.” Kate paused, watching Mike’s face in the flickering glow of a lantern for
any hint of response. Shadows danced over his features, obscuring his emotions
within the play of light. After a long moment, he nodded. Kate reached up and
hugged him briefly, whispering in his ear, “I know you’re going to just love
your granddaughter, she’s beautiful.”

 Kate turned to mount the
impatient mare who stood pawing the ground and snorting. “Easy, girl, we’ve got
a long ride ahead of us,” she said taking up the reins.

Turning to leave, she was stopped
once again. “Kate, one more thing,” Mike said.