"Mother!"
"Alfred, how many times must I tell you," I shouted back, "no yelling in the house."
Jack sat at the table, stifling a grin as the boy walked into the kitchen. "Listen to your mother, Steamer."
"Sure thing, Cowboy."
"Sides," Jack continued, "your ma's in no shape to be dealin with you right now."
I set my hand on my bulging stomach. "Listen to the man, Alfred. Don't aggravate the pregnant woman."
"Trust me; I've learned that the hard way." Specs came through the swinging door, placing a kiss on my cheek.
I rolled my eyes at him. "Where are the boys?"
"Late as usual," Jack murmured.
Suddenly a pain shot through my abdomen and I cried out in pain.
"What is it, Bel?" Specs asked, his voice thick with concern. "The baby?"
I nodded as the pain came again.
Steamer stood beside the table, staring at me wide eyed. "Are you alright, Mother?"
I looked up at Jack, who quickly took control. "She will be fine, Steamer. Now you run along and send the doctor here. Then you go straight to the lodging house and tell the boys that there will be no classes for a few days. Wait there for me to come to get you, ya hear?"
Steamer nodded hesitantly before following Jack's order.
Hours later, I lay in my bed completely exhausted. Specs sat beside me, holding in his arms a bundle wrapped in blankets. Our daughter.
There was a light knock on the door and Jack entered followed by Steamer and Gabriel.
"Look who I found," Jack said as Gabe moved beside the bed and kissed my forehead.
I smiled, resting my head on the pillow behind me.
Steamer sheepishly walked over to Specs and lifted the blanket. He smiled up at me when he saw the baby sleeping soundly. "Who is that?"
"That is your sister, kid," Gabe said, standing over Steamer. "She's beautiful just like her mother."
Specs stood, placing the baby in Gabe's arms before he pulled Steamer up onto his lap. For a moment, Gabe looked awkward, holding the bundle stiffly. He soon relaxed and smiled down at her. "What did you name her?"
"Gabriella," I said weakly, taking Specs' hand.
Gabe's head shot up and I winked at him, smirking slightly.
"Alfred, how many times must I tell you," I shouted back, "no yelling in the house."
Jack sat at the table, stifling a grin as the boy walked into the kitchen. "Listen to your mother, Steamer."
"Sure thing, Cowboy."
"Sides," Jack continued, "your ma's in no shape to be dealin with you right now."
I set my hand on my bulging stomach. "Listen to the man, Alfred. Don't aggravate the pregnant woman."
"Trust me; I've learned that the hard way." Specs came through the swinging door, placing a kiss on my cheek.
I rolled my eyes at him. "Where are the boys?"
"Late as usual," Jack murmured.
Suddenly a pain shot through my abdomen and I cried out in pain.
"What is it, Bel?" Specs asked, his voice thick with concern. "The baby?"
I nodded as the pain came again.
Steamer stood beside the table, staring at me wide eyed. "Are you alright, Mother?"
I looked up at Jack, who quickly took control. "She will be fine, Steamer. Now you run along and send the doctor here. Then you go straight to the lodging house and tell the boys that there will be no classes for a few days. Wait there for me to come to get you, ya hear?"
Steamer nodded hesitantly before following Jack's order.
Hours later, I lay in my bed completely exhausted. Specs sat beside me, holding in his arms a bundle wrapped in blankets. Our daughter.
There was a light knock on the door and Jack entered followed by Steamer and Gabriel.
"Look who I found," Jack said as Gabe moved beside the bed and kissed my forehead.
I smiled, resting my head on the pillow behind me.
Steamer sheepishly walked over to Specs and lifted the blanket. He smiled up at me when he saw the baby sleeping soundly. "Who is that?"
"That is your sister, kid," Gabe said, standing over Steamer. "She's beautiful just like her mother."
Specs stood, placing the baby in Gabe's arms before he pulled Steamer up onto his lap. For a moment, Gabe looked awkward, holding the bundle stiffly. He soon relaxed and smiled down at her. "What did you name her?"
"Gabriella," I said weakly, taking Specs' hand.
Gabe's head shot up and I winked at him, smirking slightly.