Disclaimer: not mine, don't own, blah blah blahhhhhh

Chapter Four

Eva knocked on the door and waited. She had just finished uttering a brief prayer that someone would be home when the handle turned and Katharine was standing in the doorway.

"Is Sam home? Hiram has fallen ill. He has a fever… I don't know what to do."

"Sam isn't home right now, but he'll be back soon. I'll come with you. He's going to be fine, dear, don't worry," Katharine pulled Eva into the house while she called up the stairs for her son, Simon. The tall 16 year old stopped halfway down the stairs. He greeted Eva politely and then listened to his mother's instructions.

"Dr. Baker is feeling ill. Please tell your father to come across the street when he returns home," She waved to him as she opened the door for Eva. "Thank you, dear. You're a good boy."

"I know it's probably just a chill," Eva explained as they hurried back across the street and up the walk to her house. "But he's so miserably feverish. I didn't know what to do except making him go back to bed."

"With men, sometimes that is the hardest part," Katharine quipped. "We'll take care of him. Don't worry." They hurried up the stairs to find him coughing in his sleep. Katharine went to his side and touched his forehead.

"We can bring that fever down," she observed. "But that cough is a bother. Let's start with a cold cloth on his head. Do you have any broth?" Eva shook her head. She felt completely helpless. "Then bring some water. He needs to keep drinking. I know he's shivering but we need to let that fire die down and then put some moisture back in the air. That will help him breath and get some rest." Katharine smiled and put her arm around her nervous friend and then prodded her to follow the instructions she listed.

Eva kept busy doing everything she was told. She made many trips up and down the stairs with boiling water to fill a small cauldron she hung over the hot embers in the fireplace. After the third trip she could feel the difference in the air and noted that it helped her husband rest better. The sight of him finally sleeping well gave her relief.

"Now we just let him sleep," Katharine said cheerfully as she pulled curtains over the windows and darkened the room as best she could. "I think we could both use a cup of tea, huh?" She followed Eva to the kitchen and ordered her to sit while she took care of the refreshment.

"Thank you, Katharine," Eva said. She let her self relax for the first time all day. "I guess I panicked."

"My pleasure," Katharine replied. "My men folk don't let me nurse them anymore. Most doctors make the worst patients. They never do what their supposed to do. You're lucky."

"Yes," Eva agreed. She tried to smile but she was finally overcome with relief and started to feel the tears well up in her eyes.

"Hey, he's going to be fine," Katharine consoled her. "It's hard to watch someone you love suffer the littlest bit, I know, but he'll be up and around in no time. Please don't worry."

"We had a fight this morning," Eva confided suddenly. "I said something really awful to him. I just feel so bad."

"I see," her friend nodded knowingly. "It's just bad timing, that's all. You'll make it right when he feels better. And he will feel better."

"I hope you're right… about making amends. When he remembers what I said he is going to be very hurt."

"I am having a hard time believing it was that bad." Eva didn't want to have to explain everything so she remained silent. Katharine was the best kind of friend. She was always available, but didn't pry.

"It was. Oh… this is kind of strange, but right before I came to get you Hiram told me to ask you for something." Eva accepted the tea and waited for Katharine to sit with her before proceeding. "He wants you to tell me about a Captain Brooks?"

"Brooks?" Katharine bit her lip as she tried to recall the name. When it finally came to her, her face lit up and she clapped her hands to her chest. "Oh, yes… Captain Brooks. He was a remarkable fellow."

"Who was he?"

"When I first started nursing, the war was barely over. The majority of my patients were soldiers who were finally getting treatment for the wounds they suffered in battle. It was difficult. They were so young. So many were missing arms and legs or other physical scars from fighting. I remember I started to doubt if I was meant to be a nurse. I would be so depressed by the end of every day.

One day, though, I had a patient named Captain Brooks. He not only lost a leg, but he had this hideous scar from a bayonet that slashed his face from one corner of his mouth and took out his left eye. When I saw him the first time, I couldn't look him in the face, but he wished me a good morning and asked for my name. I was so nervous working with him at first, but he was so calm and so cheerful. He actually made me feel better. He was so at peace with the war and everything he had been through. I actually looked forward to seeing him everyday because he made me feel so good.

Finally I had to ask him, 'How can you be so happy and peaceful?' And he just smiled at me and said 'These scars aren't about the bad things that happened to me. When I look in the mirror and see my face or when I remember that I don't have my leg anymore, I look at those scars as a reminder that I survived. The men who died, they don't have scars.' Isn't that something?" Katharine shook her head at the memory.

"Incredible," Eva murmured. "How very wise."

"That is exactly what I said to him and he just dismissed it. He said there was a time when he was suicidal. He couldn't bear the thought of his family having to take care of him and look at his disfigurement. He said, 'I was a very vain man before the war, Katharine. If it weren't for my good looks, I would never have been able to convince the most beautiful woman in the world to marry me.'"

"So, what happened?"

"He wrote to her and told her that he would not come home and force her to stare at his scar for the rest of her life. She replied that she would stare at the scars because…"

"… The scars meant he wasn't dead. That he survived." Eva finished the sentence. Katharine smiled and nodded.

"All she wanted was for him to live and come back to her. She loved him and she loved those scars. Two kinds of soldiers came through the war, Eva. One kind survived and lived life better, loved better and had an appreciation for what was really important. The other kind was a mere shell of their former selves. They didn't die of their wounds, but they didn't live very many years once the war was over. For whatever reason. "

"That's a wonderful story," Eva mused. "What happened to him?"

"Oh, his wife came and took him home. She was just like he described her to me, the most beautiful woman in the world. And she loved him so much. I took to telling my other patients about him… and her. It helped some come to terms with their scars. Not all, but some." Katharine paused and then gave Eva a strange look. "Why would Hiram want me to tell you that story?"

"I have to think about it and let you know," Eva shrugged. "I think I'll go check on him and see how he's doing."

"And I'm going to go home, fix some food and bring it over to you. You, little mother, need to keep yourself healthy." Katharine pulled Eva into her arms and hugged her. With that, she donned her coat and opened the front door. "Look at that! It's snowing! I'll be back in a little while."

Eva refilled the teapot with hot water and set a tray. She carried it carefully up the stairs and quietly entered the bedroom. She set it down and moved softly to the side of the bed. He was resting peacefully. He was still warm to her touch, but his face was dry. She caressed his hair and pulled the quilt tighter around him. As she did, his hand reached up and took hers. He held on a long moment before he let go.

"Don't wake up," she whispered. "Keep sleeping."

"I feel better," he mumbled, not bothering to open his eyes. "You took really good care of me."

"Katharine told me what to do," she answered. "I didn't have a clue."

"Oh," he answered. "You're a good student. Is she still here?"

"No, she went home. I'm going to let you sleep now."

"Wait," he grabbed her hand again. He opened his eyes a little. "Eva, you're a survivor. I hate so much that you were hurt, but… that woman who was hurt? I fell in love with her. She is the strongest, bravest woman I have ever known."

"I love you," she whispered through silent tears. "Please sleep now. We'll finish making up when you're better."

"One more thing… you were right. I am obsessed with your happiness. Your happiness is everything to me."

She leaned over him and kissed his head. He closed his eyes and released her hand. She crept out of the room.

As she walked past the nursery door, she stopped. She opened it and walked across the empty room to the window. She watched the snow fall on the street and sidewalks below. The flakes settled on everything she could see and it looked beautiful.

"It's snowing," she said aloud, touching her stomach as she did. "Everything looks clean and fresh and new. It's quite pretty. Of course it will all be gone by the time you get here." A smile stretched across her face. Her baby heard her voice and moved. She still wasn't sure how everything was going to work itself out, but she knew she would try harder. She had a very good feeling that it was going to be worth all the effort.