Part 1: Chapter 87: 1891 Red Deer, Alberta

Ophelia is Ill

As the days without Archie went longer, Ophelia was growing more and more weary. Edith noticed her weariness first and made them stay a few days with them in order to give Ophelia a break, but while Ophelia did, in fact, use it to rest, she still felt tired and weary when they went back home.

A few more days passed in a similar manner Ophelia was getting more tired and more nauseous as the days went on. At first she thought she was catching influenza as it was the time that the disease spread around town. But Ophelia hadn't ever gotten that sick. Even during the Typhoid Fever outbreak, despite being in the thick of the first wave, Ophelia hadn't actually gotten sick with Typhoid. So, she was becoming more and more concerned about what this was and what she is sick with.

Ophelia tried to make due with her ginger tea and ginger snaps. Drinking calming and herbal teas to overpower whatever it was. But she was slowly getting worse. She had tried to brush off her symptoms and her growing issues, but she was overruled by Mildred when Collen, Nate, and Thomas were making her a lesson dinner and the smell made Ophelia heave and run to the water closet. Ophelia spent a few minutes in the washroom while the rest of the family looked on with concern.

Mildred was glaring at her.

Ophelia sighed heavily.

The next morning Ophelia walked the children to school and then went to the Normandeau parlor. Edith was looking at her in concern knowing that Ophelia wouldn't have interrupted her morning without a reason.

"What's wrong?" Edith asked.

Ophelia sat down across from Edith.

Edith watched as Ophelia tried to form her words.

Ophelia looked down and was wringing her hands nervously. She was pale and frightened. Ophelia took in a deep breath, but almost heaved on the exhale.

"Do you need a doctor?" Edith asked as she watched her friend.

"He can't help me," Ophelia said tersely with chocolate eyes rolling their way towards Edith's blue ones.

Edith gave a challenging look in return

"He can tell you what's wrong," Edith responded firmly.

Ophelia sighed before answering carefully, "he would only be confirming what I know."

Edith raised her head to inquire.

"I'm pregnant," Ophelia choked out in a whisper.

Edith gasped in surprise.

"Are you absolutely certain?" Edith asked in surprise.

Ophelia nodded, her eyes showing the depths of her fear but also certainty.

"I don't get sick this long or this badly without having been pregnant. I've missed my course. The naseusia is bad, and my food cravings are weird," Ophelia confirmed.

Edith looked at her best friend.

"Is this a good thing?" she asked because Ophelia didn't seem to think so.

Ophelia looked down at her hands before answering the question.

"Normally, yes. If the child had been conceived when Archie was present and around, I would be thinking of ways to tell him that would have been happy memories. But with him being gone…do I bother to let him come back? How long do I wait to let him know at all? With our history of miscarriage, what happens if I lose another one?" Ophelia was sobbing into a handkerchief.

Edith watched with a breaking heart as Ophelia was having to deal with this alone. She was beginning to have long term issues with Archie Grant.

"How long before you usually miscarried?" Edith asked.

"Three months," Ophelia sobbed out.

"My advice is to take the time to figure out when and what to tell Archie for a few days. Take your time. But I also want you to think about living with us. James and I will happily house you for whatever you need," Edith reminded Ophelia.

Ophelia gave her a long look.

"Just remember it IS an option," Edith said.

Ophelia nodded, but was still giving Edith the skeptical eye. As the women stood up, Ophelia pulled Edith into a hug.

"I don't know what we would do without you, Edith Normandeau," Ophelia said with gratitude.

Edith hugged her back.

"I say the same thing about you every day. James made sure we came back for a reason," Edith said.

"Because you have a husband who moves whatever obstacles are in your way," Ophelia smirked.

"He does spoil me," Edith agreed. "I truly dread the day when we have to move and leave you behind."

Ophelia nodded her agreement.

"If you would just let us…" Edith started.

Ophelia sighed and rolled her eyes.

"No," she replied firmly.

Edith gave her a look.

"But if…" Edith tried again.

Ophelia shook her head.

"We could be lifelong neighbors," Edith pointed out.

"You're not buying us a house," Ophelia said firmly.

"Well then, you will just have to live with us in the same house," Edith returned.

Ophelia gave her a long look of reprimand over her shoulder. But she was also walking towards the guest bedroom to take a much needed nap.

Edith began painting for the day.

James surprised the women of his home by returning for lunch. Ophelia was still sleeping. He approached his wife as she was finishing up. She had painted Ophelia during the early visit. James had sensed that Ophelia had known for a while what was wrong with her and had been waiting for Ophelia to speak with Edith about it.

Edith smiled up at her husband as she stopped to turn towards him. He sat next to her and took her hand into his own. Edith curled into James' sides as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head with affection. They sat in companionable silence for a while before Edith finally spoke.

"Ophelia's pregnant," Edith whispered.

James gave a small flicker of surprise followed by apprehension.

"How is she handling it?" James asked.

Edith shrugged.

"As well as she can be expected. Conflicted about not feeling as joyous and happy as finding out with her others," Edith said.

James looked at her.

"She actually said that?" James whispered.

Edith shook her head to indicate a negative.

"Our friendship is such that I know how to read her. She wears her heart in her eyes. Nate does the same thing," Edith said with confidence.

James held Edith until Ophelia came out of the guest room looking queasy. James smiled in her direction. Ophelia grimaced back.

"Do you want me to get Archie?" James asked.

Ophelia looked at James and Edith.

"Not yet. I want to see if it sticks. I've had so many miscarriages that it seems silly to let him back just yet," Ophelia said.

Edith and James both looked at her in concern.

"What happens when you miscarry?" Edith asked with concern. Ophelia looked at her friend.

"It depends. Sometimes, I just don't feel the fluttering anymore. Others, my courses had come back. Sometimes, I bleed out," Ophelia said.

Edith gasped.

"That sounds awful. How badly have you bled out?" Edith asked with concern.

"There have been a few times Archie took me to the hospital near our apartment," Ophelia said.

Edith and James shared a concerned look.

"If you get to that point, we are paying for the doctor," Edith said firmly.

Ophelia glared at them, but also nodded her consent.

James and Edith smiled at her.

Ophelia's pregnancy was still being kept quiet. She hadn't even let her children know. The children had a growing concern with their mother's unending illness. Colleen and Nate were both about to have an intervention with Ophelia about seeing a doctor, when Ophelia woke up on a cold and blustery winter's day to massive pain in her abdomen. She grimaced as she moved around. Her pain was only getting steadily worse.

Colleen softly knocked on her door.

"Mama?" she asked through the door.

Ophelia cried out in pain as she tried to answer.

"Mama, what's wrong?" Colleen asked in fear.

Ophelia cried out again.

Nate and Colleen opened her bedroom door and walked inside.

"Nate, go and get help! I will try to help her here," Colleen ordered as she saw that her mother couldn't even get up.

Nate nodded and then hurried out of the house. Nate looked around to see what he could use to get to town faster, but nothing was here. Galileo was with Archie. General in his stall at the fort. Nate sighed as he prepared to run in the growing snow storm. He ran as fast as he could down the driveway and towards town.

Nate didn't get very far when he saw his father bundled up and with Galileo slowly heading towards home.

Father and son looked at each other in complete surprise to see the other person.

"What's wrong?"

"Why are you here?"

These were asked at the same time.

Nate and Archie eyed each other.

"I couldn't get this feeling that I was needed more at home," Archie replied. "Which turns out to be true if yer out and about right now. What's happened?"

Nate sighed.

"Ma's been ill for a long time. She keeps throwing up and getting nauseous. But she's refused to go see a doctor. She woke us up this morning as she was crying in pain. Something's wrong, but we don't know what," Nate answered as he looked at his father in complete fear of his mother's illness.

Archie sighed and nodded.

"Go to the fort and let your aunt and uncle know that Ophelia is having issues and may need a doctor. Then ask if you can ride General back to the house. I will go and see to your mother and sister," Archie said as he straightened his pack and let go of Galileo's reins. Nate nodded as he took them. He easily mounted Galileo and took off down the road. Archie sighed as he watched his tall son galloping towards the fort in snow.

"I would be complaining about the weather and here he is galloping into it," Archie said to himself as he readjusted his scarf, hat, and mittens (all made by Ophelia, so they worked very well). Archie tucked his head down as he walked faster towards his home.

Nate wasn't even stopped by the fort guards; they just let him inside with a quick opening of the barrier. Nate nodded once in thanks. He led Galileo towards the Normandeau yard. It was there that he had the conflict of what to do next. If he went inside, he would need to take a shower, but he would also be going outside again in this weather.

Nate led Galileo into the barn to get him out of the snow, but walked back to the Normandeau yard and knocked on a window. He did this a few times before he saw light from the hallway appear inside. Edith and Uncle James were in their thick winter robes and nightcaps. Both looked around and then both gasped in surprise when they saw Nate at the window.

James quickly put on his winter outer gear and walked around.

"What's happened?" James asked with authority.

Nate shuffled his feet before answering, with everything they knew.

James sighed as he escorted Nate to the barn where Galileo and General were being held. He helped saddle General and helped Nate warm up enough that he could ride again.

"I will take care of Galileo. You go back home and tell your family the fort doctor will be there shortly. Keep General with you," James ordered as he scratched General's long nose in affection.

Nate nodded.

"Take care of one another," James whispered into General's ears. General nodded his consent.

"I will be there as soon as I can," James said.

Nate nodded before mounting General and sitting tall and proud on his horse. General was a sure footed mount in any terrain. They left the fort at a cantor and were galloping just as they reached the town's edge.

Colleen was unsuccessfully trying not to panic. Her mother was in pain. She needed Colleen's help. And Colleen didn't know what was wrong or how to help her dear mama in this moment. She kept a cooled cloth nearby to help with the sweat already perspiring on Ophelia's forehead. But how good was that. She sat with her mother and held her hands as she was whispering and speaking with God about her mother.

Eventually, she heard someone enter the front door. They had been using heavy footfalls to stomp off the snow and peeled off layers of their clothing to hang up before the fire, before coming up stairs. She was expecting Nate not her father. So, when Archie showed up, she dropped her jaw.

"Dad?" she asked, not believing her eyes.

Archie nodded.

"D…ddddd…ddd…dad…Momma's b..b..bbbb…een so sick…"Colleen stuttered out in a sob of emotion.

Archie nodded.

"So yer brother said," Archis said softly.

"I don't know how to help," Colleen said in a guilt laced whisper.

"I'm quite certain she knows yer doing what she would do," Archie said as he took a seat next to Colleen and brushed Ophelia's chocolate fringe back. Ophelia didn't open her eyes.

"Colleen, what I need ya to do is keep some warm water on the stove. Keep the rag towels out, and help give everyone snacks as they begin to pass through," Archie said.

Colleen nodded before eyeing her mother once more and leaving her father to care for her mother.

Archie waited until Colleen was gone before he shut the door for privacy. He looked at Ophelia up and down. She looked like she had the last time she had a bad miscarriage.

Archie warmed and washed his hands before pulling the blankets up to check his wife.

Ophelia gasped at the contact. Her eyes went open to meet her husband's.

"Something ya forgot to tell me wife?" Archie asked.

Ophelia shrugged.

"I haven't told you about 4 of them. I had minor symptoms, missed my courses and then nothing happened except starting my courses again. This one I was wondering if it would take. James was supposed to contact you over the weekend," Ophelia said as she grimaced in pain.

Archie gave her a look of hurt.

"What would it have changed? The previous times were so quick. Women are told not to get anyone's hopes up until we are certain. And this time…this time…," Ophelia cried out with both physical and emotional pain.

Archie looked down.

"No one except James and Edith know. Nate and Colleen just think I have a really long flu," Ophelia said. "Because I wanted to wait to be sure."

Archie sighed as he looked at his wife. He knew she was completely honest. So he had no reason to doubt her points and they were valid.

"What do ya need?" Archie asked as he looked at his wife deep breathing.

"A doctor. I feel like it's going to get worse. It feels like I'm going to start bleeding soon," Ophelia said as she leaned back.

Archie looked at her in fear.

But Ophelia had been correct. She did indeed begin to bleed. Nate came inside after taking care of General. He went upstairs to sit outside his parent's room with Colleen and they held each other as they were ready with warm water, fresh towels and clean linens. Then, the fort doctor showed up.

He went upstairs immediately and went to work.

Archie, never having been good at seeing Ophelia bleed a lot, was soon ushered out and left to wait with his children as they followed the doctor's orders through the door. In the morning, James rode out on Galileo with two Mounties. They were ordered to keep the horses fresh and healthy as well as keep firewood stocked. James looked at the terrified Grant. Colleen and Nate were holding each other in comfort. Archie was sitting outside of their room looking more and more worried.

"We've brought clean linens, just in case," James said softly to the Grants as he pulled out the items in his satchel. He figured this wasn't a time for trite words that did little to comfort the people around him.

Archie looked at him with gratitude. Nate and Colleen both gave a small smile. James looked at the shut door.

"How are things?" James asked as he looked at the shut door.

Colleen whimpered and Nate held her more tightly. Archie looked at the door with pain.

"She's bleeding something awful," Archie said.

James sighed as he examined the closed door.

"Why don't the three of you go downstairs and freshen up, eat toast, and get some rest. If I may enter the room to check?" James asked as he looked at Archie.

Archie nodded. The Grant family all slowly and stiffly made their way downstairs. James waited until they had turned into the kitchen to knock on the door.

"Enter," the doctor said from inside.

James entered quickly and quietly and shut the door behind him. He looked at Ophelia who. She was obviously still in pain and the doctor looked up at James' entrance with some surprise.

"How is she?" James asked.

"She miscarried twins," the doctor said from where he was washing again and next to a pile of bright red mess of sordid rags.

James' eyes flashed to the doctor briefly as he took in the sharpness of that statement, but his eyes also narrowed at the doctor.

"You haven't answered the question," James said. "How is she?"

The doctor sighed.

"I only just got the bleeding to stop. It could start again any minute. She is alive for now. But her immune system will be terribly weakened by this. Anything could make her sick and she could easily die. She will need weeks, if not months of bedrest to heal properly," the doctor said.

James eyed Ophelia Grant laying in her bed. She was looking out into nothing.

"And that is not just the emotional toll this will have," the doctor pointed out.

James sighed as he took Ophelia's hand. Ophelia flinched away and looked at him in surprise, until she saw that Archie wasn't in the room. She looked away again.

"Where was Archie during this?" James asked in a low and deadly whisper.

"Once I got here? He went outside with the children. Claiming he can't handle seeing her bleed," the doctor said.

"Is he blood shy?" James asked.

The doctor sighed, "you would know better than me."

James sighed as he rubbed his eyes in frustration.

"Ophelia, is Archie blood shy?" James asked softly.

Ophelia shook her head.

"Only when it's me," Ophelia said softly, but not meeting anyone's eyes.

They both looked at her in confusion.

"Archie has never been able to stay in the room when the children were born, or when I had a major miscarriage," Ophelia added, still not meeting James' eyes.

He sighed.

"I will stay with her, while you tell the family," James said as he looked at the doctor.

The doctor nodded and left.

James reached into his satchel again and pulled out a music box and a portrait from Edith. He turned the music box on so that it played a soft tune to help ease the silence. Ophelia looked at the music box.

"Edith said this was Regina's. She wants you to have something nice and promising to look forward to and listen to," James explained. "I also need to offer our services again."

Ophelia cried as she listened and saw the portrait Edith had made. Edith had put their lost children as angels watching over Colleen, Nate, and Thomas. The angels included the lost Normandeau child and the two the Grants had just lost.

"How did you know?" Ophelia asked.

James shrugged.

"I didn't. Edith said that the number felt right," James explained.

Ophelia cried as she was properly mourning her loss again.

James sat with her as she cried, not saying a word, only holding a hand and passing over a hanky when necessary.

Eventually, James gave up his seat to Nate and Colleen.

"How do we help her, Uncle James?" Colleen asked.

"By being with her. There are times when people need to cry and the only thing the people who love them can do is by being present. She doesn't need kind words, just loving hands and hearts full of love for her," James replied in a whisper as he watched Nate and Colleen sit by their mother's side with extra care and diligence.

James finally left the room as he went in search for Archie. Archie was sitting on the back porch looking up at the night sky that was now clear. James silently stood next to him. Archie kept looking up. They stood like this for quite some time.

"Do ya know why I named me horse Galileo?" Archie asked.

"I can't say I've heard that story," James replied.

"Galileo was a man of science and managed to prove outrageous scientific belief to be, in fact, belief. Belief is the ability to have faith in something that cannot be proven. Humans have for a long time made Gods to their knowledge of science and the belief they would be the results of all mighty beings. And while he was labeled a heretic, a lot of our current knowledge comes from his changes to the knowledge of the world. And while I also believe in God, as a boy I was more interested in the stories of the sky. I enjoyed looking up and being able to see their stories played out. Orion the hunter, forever chasing the goddess Artemis for daring to love an eternal maiden. I can name every star and the reason they are named because of a telescope lens that makes them shine bigger and brighter. When we bought the horse, I wanted to give him a name of hope and perseverance through tough times, which I believe the man had done," Archie said, his eyes still on the starry sky as he leaned against a porch rail.

James looked at Archie to continue. Archie paused before continuing.

"Why didn't ya say anything?" Archie asked with vehemence.

"Because Ophelia asked me to wait," James responded sharply back.

Archie turned his eyes to glare at him.

"At what point do ya think a man needs to know such news?" Archie argued.

James met his eyes in a single look.

"If you weren't estranged, you would have been the first to know. Do NOT blame me for YOUR continued bad decisions," James replied with assertion.

Archie glared up at him.

"And to continue into this point, why weren't you in the room with Ophelia once you knew?" James asked with crossed arms.

Archie glared at him.

"Seeing Ophelia in such pain is hard," he said.

"Harder than what she is going through? Harder than caring for you and Colleen in a Typhoid Fever outbreak? Harder than watching a child be mended to surgically? Don't think I don't remember when Nate was brought into our house when he jumped into the haystack. Ophelia is ALWAYS at your side when you need her to be. Seems counterintuitive for you not to be the very RARE times she needs you as well," James glowered.

Archie met his glare.

"Well, I'm back now, they don't need yer protection," Archie said with authority.

James scoffed as he pushed at his gloves to make sure his hands were protected.

"Actually, knowing you're back causes me to worry about them more. Let me make this absolutely clear. I do not take orders from you. I will only stop should Ophelia ask us to, but considering her current state, I don't think that will be likely any time soon. Your wife is going to need your help and care, but if you think it is too much of an ask to be with her during her pain, then you need to go back to Blackfalds with all of your things and start selling off more of your personal items to adapt to your gambling habits, and leave them alone for good by allowing her to divorce you," James said firmly as he looked at Archie. Archie met his gaze back.

"I personally think they are better off without you, but I haven't been able to convince Ophelia of this yet," James let the last word be emphasized.

Archie glared at him.

"Make your decision, but I will always be on Ophelia's side, so will Edith," James said with authority as he mounted one of the spare fort horses and galloped away from the Grant home.

So sorry about the long wait. It was my trip. I didn't get much time to write. Anyway, I hope this chapter was worth the long wait and you enjoy it. As always, thanks for your patience and positive words.