Title----The Cry of a Child

Author-----Winnie

Rating-----K

Disclaimer-----Unfortunately Mag 7 and the characters do not belong to me, but I enjoy keeping them alive in fiction

Comments-----This story is dedicated to everyone who believes that miracles do happen, especially around this special time of year. Merry Christmas, Everyone

The Cry of a Child

Chris Larabee stood in the doorway and smiled as he watched his wife walking toward him. She was even more beautiful with the sun kissing her hair and the plumping of her belly that spoke of the baby growing inside her. He still couldn't believe he was going to be a father and reached for her as she came closer. He kissed her lips, the intoxicating scent of her body made his senses reel and he moaned as he remembered their lovemaking earlier that morning before the sun had risen above the horizon.

"Chris, I need to get breakfast ready," Sarah told him. She loved this man more than life itself and wished they could spend every minute wrapped in each other's arms, but there were chores to do.

"I'm hungry, Sarah…"

"Then let me get the eggs inside and…"

"I'm not hungry for food, Sarah, I'm hungry for you," Larabee whispered and heard movement behind him. "We could always let Buck make breakfast."

"Only if we didn't expect to eat it…I love having Buck here, Chris, but cooking is not something that man could do if his life depended on it."

"True…"

"You wound me, Sarah," Wilmington said, a hint of a smile on his face as he joined the couple outside the door and breathed deeply of the cooler air. "It's getting to be mighty cold in the mornings."

"It is December, Buck," Larabee told him.

"It's almost Christmas," Sarah said, loving the feel of the strong arms wrapped around her. She missed the snow, but it was a small sacrifice to make when she looked at her husband and knew this was their home. They would be adding a room soon, one that would be used by the baby when he or she was old enough.

"Which reminds me we need a Christmas tree," Larabee said. "I know where there's a perfect tree for us."

"You do?" Sarah asked, wondering when her husband had time to search for a tree. He'd worked so hard on the two new horses they'd purchased. Whiskey, a beautiful animal given to them by Chris' parents stood in the corral, its regal bearing obvious to anyone with any kind of knowledge about horses.

"Sure do. I'll get it after we finish with the corral fence," Larabee told her and reluctantly released her. He turned and watched her make her way inside and smiled at the thought of how much his life had changed since meeting Sarah. Buck had been the first to see her and had taken a bit of a shine to her, but when he'd introduced himself, Sarah had been trying to see around him. Buck had never had a problem attracting the ladies, so when Sarah showed more interest in Chris than him, he'd smiled and introduced the two people.

"That's one beautiful lady you have, Chris."

"Don't I know it, Buck," Larabee said and struck the other man on the back. "Thanks, Pard."

"Any time…so where do you want to start?"

"Well, I'm thinking if there is cold weather coming we'd better get some wood cut and make the repairs to the barn," Larabee answered.

"Wood first…the barn…then I'll get to work on the fence while you get to cut your first Christmas tree" Wilmington said and turned to look at the mountains in the distance. At this time of year the cooler air blew down from there and that was where the nip in the air came from. He knew they wouldn't get the snow storms like they experienced in Indiana but he couldn't help, but wonder if maybe, just maybe they might get a few flakes during the night.

"Buck, have I ever told you how much Sarah and I appreciate your help?"

"More'n once, Chris, and that goes both ways," Wilmington said and the two men made their way toward the pile of wood that needed to be split and stacked in the barn. With Sarah's due date coming upon them fast, Buck knew Larabee wanted to have everything ready for her.

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Sarah finished making the biscuits and put them in the oven, smiling when she thought of the gift Buck had given her and Chris once they'd moved into the house. She could bake her bread and cook on the pot bellied stove and all because of Buck Wilmington's king sized heart. She knew it wouldn't take long for the biscuits and had already started the ham steaks that would go with them. Eggs would be the final addition to the hungry man breakfast she was making.

Wiping her hands in her apron, Sarah rested her arms on her belly and could feel the baby moving around. The doctor had told her the baby would make an appearance early in the New Year, and her excitement mounted with each passing moment. She walked to the door and watched her husband and his best friend. The two men worked so well together, Chris was chopping the chunks of wood while Buck took it into the barn and stacked it against the wall. She loved watching her husband, seeing the muscles cording with each strike of the ax. He was lean, some would say too lean, but she loved him just the way he was. The sun had turned his hair to a golden blond and she loved how he kept it just a little on the longer side and often played her fingers through the silken strands when they lay together in bed.

"Chris, you're putting on a show for your woman again," Wilmington teased of Larabee's penchant for shucking out of his shirt even when the temperature plummeted. Right now it was comfortable, but again with the nearby mountains he knew that could change fast.

"What?" Larabee said standing and wiping the sweat from his face and smiling when he spotted his wife standing in the doorway. He strode toward her, unable to keep from taking her into his arms and feeling the warmth of her mouth against his own.

"Damn…guess breakfast is gonna be late," Wilmington said with a light-hearted grin.

"You're just jealous," Larabee said with a soft chuckle.

"I just wanted to let you know breakfast would be ready in about fifteen minutes," Sarah told them.

"Sounds good, but you know fifteen minutes is a lot of time to kill," Larabee nuzzled her neck as he spoke. "We could always make the time go faster by taking this inside…"

"Oh, Chris, you're…"

"Hungry, but not for food…"

"Well, food is all you're getting this morning or we'll never get the chores completed," Wilmington teased. "All right, Larabee, let's get that wood split and get on with this. I can smell them biscuits already."

"You'd better do as he says, Chris, or we'll have a bear on our hands…"

"A big old grizzly bear," Wilmington growled and handed Larabee the ax before picking up several logs and heading toward the barn.

Chris kissed his wife once more, placing his hand on her belly and smiling when the baby moved, before reluctantly returning to the pile of wood. Sarah stood for several moments, watching her husband and finally made her way inside. The ham had begun to sizzle and she checked the biscuits to find they were just beginning to brown around the edges. Chris loved his eggs scrambled and she quickly put the cast iron frying pan that had once belonged to her mother on the stove.

It wasn't long before the two men entered the house and washed up in the basin of water before moving to sit at the table. Chris sat at the head of the table with Sarah on his right and Buck on the opposite end.

"Smells great," Wilmington said and reached for a slice of ham.

"Tastes even better," Larabee said and kissed his wife. "Always does."

"Thank you," Sarah said and reached for a warm biscuit. She watched the two men eating and smiled at how much they ate, yet neither man gained an ounce. She stared at her husband's face, drinking in the sight of him and knowing he loved her as much as she loved him. The meal was eaten in relative silence, but she didn't mind because it meant they were hungry and the food was good.

"Uhoh, Chris, Sarah's got that look on her face again," Wilmington observed.

"What look?" Larabee asked, oblivious to his wife's penchant for looking at him when he was unaware he was being watched.

"That 'my stars, but he's perfect' kind of starry eyed look," Buck teased and received a swat to his arm. "Ouch…she packs quite a punch too. Better stay on her good side, Chris."

"I plan on it," Larabee said, a cocky grin on his face as he reached out and wiped a smear of butter from her lips and finished the last of his coffee. "Well, I guess we'd best get moving, Buck."

"Keep your shirt on, Larabee, I'm not done yet," Wilmington said and grabbed the last biscuit. He watched Larabee kiss his wife and felt a pang of jealousy at the obvious love these two shared.

Once the two men left, Sarah washed the dishes and placed them in the cupboard before taking the basket of scrap material and sitting down on the sofa. She pulled out the small pillow and ran her fingers over her husbands name she'd so painstakingly sewed and knew her name would be added today and in about two or three weeks their baby's name would be added. She gently touched her stomach, sighing in contentment at the gift bestowed on them. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and she had everything she could possibly wish for and the love she shared with her husband would last a lifetime.

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Chris looked at the repairs they'd made to the barn and knew in his heart it was time to get Sarah her Christmas tree. There were a couple of ornaments he'd carved sitting in a box in the barn and he hoped Sarah would like them. He'd spent hours making sure they were perfect and Buck had teased him at different times, but Chris knew Buck meant nothing bad by what he said. He owed Wilmington for saving his life several times during the war, and especially for getting him home to his wife and family.

"What's got you thinking so hard, Chris?"

"I was just thinking about the war…wondering how many soldiers never made it home and what a lucky bastard I am," the blond answered, offering his right hand to his friend.

"Hell, Chris, it goes both ways," Wilmington vowed and pointed to the ax. "You need help with that pretty little tree?"

"No, thanks, I can handle it," Larabee said, pulling the coat collar up as a chill wind blew out of nowhere. "Damn, you could be right about it getting cold tonight."

"You're lucky you've got a woman to keep you warm…"

"Don't I know it…maybe you can talk Sarah into giving you an extra blanket," the blond said and walked toward the sound of running water. The tree he'd spotted was near the bank of the river which ran along the outskirts of his property. The stream was fed from the mountains in the distance and at this time of year it could get cold, even freezing. Chris made his way down the path he'd carved out with Buck's help and stood looking at the tree as the sound of a song reached his ears.

Chris stood for several minutes, listening to the sound of his wife's voice as she sang an age old Christmas carol that had easily stood the test of time. Sarah could hold the notes and put just the right amount of emotion into the song and it often brought a tear to his eyes. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and he hoped she would like the gift he'd made her. It had taken longer than expected, but he'd managed to keep it hidden. The crib was more of a family gift than being just for Sarah, but it was something they'd need once the baby was born.

In the five months since moving into the house Chris had also managed to do some odd jobs for nearby neighbors and he'd saved enough to buy her something special. The silver locket and chain were wrapped in paper with a pretty bow on top and he'd hidden it behind the hutch where Sarah kept the dishes her mother had given her. Chris thought about Sarah's father and wished there was some way he could show the man that he'd given up his carouser ways and settled down because he loved Sarah. It had been an easy decision once she'd agreed to marry him. The ceremony had taken place in a small church with Sarah, her mother, and older brother in attendance, but Hank Connelly had remained conspicuously absent. That was his one and only regret about their otherwise perfect wedding day.

Chris sighed heavily and vowed that one day he would make sure Hank understood how much he'd changed. He moved along the river bank, slipping and sliding in the mud and wet grass until he reached the small clearing where he'd spotted the tree standing by itself. It was big, but it should fit by their fire place and would be used for firewood once Christmas was over. Chris shivered as the wind picked up and looked around, but nothing seemed out of place, yet something bothered him as he turned back to the task at hand. He lifted the ax and brought it forward into the trunk of the tree while fighting to keep his balance.

TBC