February, Buxton

Amy woke up with wet sheets and a strong contraction. She grabbed for Caleb. "Caleb!"

"Ames?"

"Its time. I need you to check me. I feel pressure."

He sat up to get his bearings and then moved to Amy's side of the bed. He had not delivered a baby before, but he had been trained and Amy was a midwife, so together they could do it. "Ok." He moved her nightgown up over her legs and examined her. "Babe, I think you're almost there. Have you been having pains?"

"I must have slept through them." She gripped his arm for a moment. "You need to sterilize your knife to cut the cord," she told him through clenched teeth.

He headed over to the stove and held the knife in the coals for a few more contractions. "Should be good."

"I need to push, Caleb."

He rushed over to the bed and prepared to catch his new son or daughter. He'd seen her give birth before but it still amazed him to see how capable and strong God had made women, his wife in particular. "I can see the head. You can do this, Ames." He eyed a basket on the table next to Amy that had yarn in it. Good to tie off the cord. "Ok, push. You can do this!"

Amy pushed and groaned quietly, amazing him still more. He noticed the baby had fine dark hair. He hoped for a girl. Amy needed another Maggie in her life.

Another push later, their Maggie Elizabeth was born into his hands, crying loudly, sure to wake the others. "Girl, Ames!"

Amy cried silently, so grateful for their sixth little miracle. He tied the string around the cord tightly and cut the cord, then he cleaned Maggie and wrapped her tightly in the yellow blanket Amy had crocheted just for this moment. His own tears got the better of him as he handed their much wanted daughter over to her mother. "Thank you," Ames told him as he bent down and kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you."

….

Later that day….

Fifteen year old Logan sat down in the kitchen where his dad was making lunch. He was graduating this year and he had been thinking long and hard about his future. Now it was time to tell his dad.

"Something on your mind, Logan?"

Caleb put a sandwich in front of him and then sensing that he needed to talk, he sat down across from him. "Yes."

"Ok." Caleb watched his son, the quiet one, stew in his own head for a moment.
"You have a girlfriend?"

"No."

"Um, you need money?"

"No. I decided what I want to do after graduation."

"Oh ok. What's that?"

"I want to be a Mountie."

Caleb smiled. It brought back to his mind how proud his own father had been when Caleb had confirmed that he had wanted to be a Mountie. With Jack and Elizabeth, it hadn't surprised them. Caleb had never had a doubt about being a Mountie since Jack had found him in the woods when he was five. He wanted to be just like Jack.

Logan, on the other hand, had not spoken much about it so it was a shock.

"Can I ask why?"

"I see how important the job is and I want to protect people and make a difference. I want to be someone people respect. Not just some guy named Logan."

"In my opinion, you're more than just some guy named Logan."

"But you're my Dad. You have to feel that way. I want to make something of myself."

"I'm proud of you, son. But maybe, let's wait a few weeks before telling your mother."

….

A week later….

Amy placed Maggie in her cradle, hoping she would stay asleep but knowing she wouldn't for long. She was a very clingy baby. Amy heard a knock on the door. She quickly looked at Maggie and then walked to the door.

"Dad?" Kevin opened his arms and smiled.

"Hi, sweetheart. I missed you so much!"

"Me too. Please come in. What are you doing here?"

"I needed a change so I decided to travel."

"Travel?" She led him into the kitchen and gestured for him to sit. She poured him a cup of coffee and handed it to him, joining him at the table. "Missing Mom?"

"Yeah. I decided to sell the house."

"Where will you live?"

"I don't know. I may just live at the boarding house. Too many memories in that house and I am getting too old to run the ranch alone. I offered it to Drew."

"The ranch?"

"Yes. Jack is moving to Hope Valley and Drew is already taking over his part. I thought maybe Drew might enjoy running the whole thing."

"What did he say?"

"He said yes. I sold it to him for a dollar."

"Dad, that is very sweet."

"He's family and I don't need the money. He tried to insist that he pay me more but I told him no."

They both looked up as Maggie squawked. "Want to meet your new granddaughter?"

"Yes." He smiled, preparing himself for the emotions that were to come when he caught sight of Maggie's namesake. She handed the tiny baby to him a moment later. "Hi, Maggie. I'm your Papa." He kissed her soft black hair and took a deep breath of her clean baby scent. "I think I will just hold her for a while." It had been a long time since he had held a baby.

"She will love that and it helps me too. She is very clingy."

"I'm going to go sit in the living room. Do whatever you need to do. We'll be just fine. Right, sweet pea?"

"In that case, I'm going to start dinner and maybe sleep a little."

…..

HARRIS TOWN

Sara sat in her living room, rubbing her belly, trying not to worry. She couldn't believe her dad had sold the ranch and was going to travel. She'd barely see him. He assured her he would be back in time for her and Jay's baby to be born but that didn't help.

"Sara?"

"In here," she said wiping her cheeks.

"Hey, I'm heading to Don and Fran's farm to check on his horses. Wanna come?"

"Yes." He helped her up and gave her a kiss.

"How are you?" He tucked her hair behind her ears and kissed her forehead.

"I don't know. I understand why he is doing it but I don't understand why he couldn't just stay with us or something. Why travel for months at a time?"

"Let's go get in the wagon and we can talk, ok?"

She nodded and walked over to put her coat on. It wouldn't button anymore. Tears came again.

"Sweetie, it's ok."

"I'm fat," she sobbed.

"No you're not. You're lovely and beautiful and pregnant. Maybe there's even twins in there." He touched her belly and she cried harder.

"You think I look like I'm having twins?!"

He tried not to laugh. He knew it was her hormones.

"Stop," she told him with a gentle swat to his arm. "I know you're laughing at me."

"Only because I love you so much." He smiled and hugged her. "You really do look beautiful, Sara."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now let's get over to Don's and then we can come home and build a fire."

She was looking forward to chatting with Fran. She was about the same age as her mom would be so it helped to see her. She always made her feel better.

….

Ben read the paper from his stool in the slower than normal store that afternoon. He felt a tug on his pant leg. He looked down expecting to see Eddie or 14 month old Faith beside him. What he saw, however, was a small girl, red hair, and freckles, and the greenest eyes he had ever seen peering up at him.

"Hi, there. My name is Ben." He set the paper on the counter and looked around, looking for the child's parent but seeing no one. "Is your Mama or Daddy here?" The little one seemed taken with him. "Are you lost?" Finally she shrugged.

"Molly!" The little girl turned her head quickly at the male voice. "Molly Susanne! Where are you?" The owner of the voice walked in. "There you are. I'm sorry if she bothered you. She got away from me." The man, probably Ben's age, picked up the little redhead.

"No bother. I'm Ben Harris." Ben offered his hand to shake. The man shook his hand and nodded.

"Warren Whittaker. This is my daughter Molly."

"Nice to meet both of you." Ben looked up as Carlie walked in from the sweets shop. "Warren, Molly, this is my wife, Carlie. Carlie, these are the Whittaker's."

"Nice to meet you. Are you new to town?"

"Yes, ma'am. We just got in last night."

"Is your wife around? I'd love to meet her."

"No. My wife passed on last year. Just me and Molly now. But we're ok, aren't we Molly?" She nodded, a sad look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry about your wife," Carlie told him. "How old are you, Molly?"

"She's a shy one. She's four, aren't you, baby?" Molly nodded and whispered something in his ear.

"We best get goin," Warren said with a nod.

"If you just got in, you must need a place to stay and supplies," Ben suggested. "Why don't I start a credit page for you?"

"We'll get by. Thank you."

As the pair walked out, Ben slipped his arm around Carlie. "What's their story?"

"Not sure. They seem happy enough."

"Yeah. He said she's shy but she came in here by herself and came over to me, a negro man she didn't know. If she was shy, she probably wouldn't be comfortable doing that."

"Yeah. Maybe she is just quiet?"

"I wish I knew where they were staying."

"Maybe the boarding house."

"Maybe but my gut is telling me they don't have the money for that."

"You could be right, babe." She kissed his cheek and smiled. "I better go relieve Mom of the kids. See you for supper?"

….

Warren was glad it was warmer than a normal February otherwise camping in the meadow wouldn't be ok with a four year old. The fact was, he didn't have a job or much money and he couldn't afford to stay at the boarding house in town so the meadow was home for now. At least they had a tent.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, baby?"

"I'm hungry."

"I know, sweetie. I'm cooking our biscuits right now."

"How long?"

"A few minutes. Now come here and cuddle up to me by the fire."

"I want to live in a house. Can we, please?"

It broke his heart that he wasn't providing what she deserved. Tomorrow he would find a job and then things would start to get better. "I do too, baby. I do too."

….

The next morning…

Carlie and Faith walked by the meadow on their way to Sara and Jay's house. She looked over and saw a tent and a fire with a man and a child, immediately recognizing them. Her Thornton heart lurched and she walked over to them.

"Mr. Whittaker?" she said as she walked closer.

"Mrs. Harris," he said with a nod.

Knowing a man's pride was all they had sometimes, she held out the basket she had. "I run the shop off my husband's store. In the mornings, I go out to the neighbors and give out samples. These are for you and Molly."

Warren accepted the basket, knowing Molly was hungry and they hadn't started cooking biscuits yet. "Why us?"

"You're my neighbors, aren't you?"

"I suppose." He smelled the heavenly scent of sausage wafting from the basket.

"Sausage, egg, and cheese scones. One of my biggest sellers. Enjoy."

Faith waved with her fingers as they walked away. Molly shyly waved back at the baby.

Carlie turned back. "Oh and free coffee at the sweets shop!"

Coffee sounded heavenly to him. "Thank you!" he called back, remembering his manners.

"Daddy?"

"Hungry, Molls?"

"Yeah. It smells good."

"It does."

He handed her one of the warm scones and watched her eyes light up as she nibbled. Yes, this day was looking up. Now, he just hoped he could find a job.

….

Carlie visited with Sara for a bit and then she and Faith headed to the boarding house to chat with Abbie and Charlotte.

"Anyone home?"

She smiled as Abbie walked toward her reaching for Faith. "Hi, sweet girl." Faith readily went to her auntie and snuggled up immediately. "What brings you by?"

"I wanted to speak with you and Grandma. Is she here?"

"No. Actually she left this morning. She said she was headed to Hope Valley to see her grandkids and great-grandkids."

"Oh ok. Well, can we chat for a minute?"

"Of course. Do you want some tea?"

"Sure."

After Carlie told Abbie her idea about Warren Whittaker, she felt like she was helping him and that he and his little girl might just be warm for the night. The hard part would be convincing him to accept the offer.