Chapter Eleven

A week later, the beginning of September was in progress, and Grace came knocking at the clinic door. Michaela looked up from her patient's chart. Yes, she had one patient, and that only patient at the moment was Lydia. Most people were healthy, but the few who were in need of medical services preferred to go to Jake Slicker. She only hoped that their problems weren't too serious, though there was no way she could force them to come to her.

"Come in!" she called. Grace smiled as she stepped in with a tray balanced on one hand. She grabbed the other side of the tray and shut the door with her foot. "Hello, Grace!"

"Dr. Mike," Grace replied with a smile. "Big day."

"Why's that?" Michaela wondered.

"Stage is comin' in," she replied. "S'posed to be bringin' that doc Sully wired for." Michaela looked at the calendar, and her heart skipped a beat.

"That is today," she whispered. "Dr. Bernard wired and said he might not make it."

"I'm sure he will. I think I know what he's gonna say," Grace said with a knowing grin. Michaela cleared her throat.

"No. It's not that. I'm certain of that," Michaela said quietly. She smiled thankfully when Grace placed the tray of food in front of her. The smell was wonderful, but it upset her stomach to no ends, and Grace noticed it.

"Thought ya liked my meatloaf."

"Oh, I do," Michaela said with a nod. "I'm not feeling well today." Grace cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

"Deny it all ya want, Dr. Mike, but I still say you're pregnant." Michaela sighed heavily.

"What do I owe you for this?"

"Nothin'. It's on the house," Grace said with a smile. She gave Michaela a wink before she left the clinic, and Michaela placed her hand upon her belly.

"It's not possible. My baby's gone." She felt the sadness rising again, and just before the tears ebbed, Sully walked in with Katie in one arm. She hid her sadness, though Sully could still see it, and she stood up. "You're back!"

"Yep. Things went better than I thought out at the house, and I think we're ready to move in." Michaela breathed a sigh of relief. She did love living in town, but after seeing the beautiful home Sully had built for their family, she was more than ready to move in.

"Good," she said with a happy smile, as she gave him a tender kiss. Katie made a noise, and Michaela grinned, taking her into her arms. She had become increasingly attached to the little one, and she and Sully had already discussed adoption. They'd even placed advertisements in several newspapers from Colorado Springs to Topeka. In the past few days, there had been no response, and in three weeks, if nobody contested their wish to adopt, they would go ahead with the process and order the papers. They knew it was fast, but it was what they wanted. Katie was their daughter in their hearts and souls, and it was time to make it official.

"How ya feelin'?" Sully asked as Michaela placed the baby down in the bassinet Sully had fashioned for her.

"The same," she replied quietly. "The herbs Cloud Dancing gave me have helped some. He knows something, Sully." Sully nodded.

"He's seeking guidance from the Spirits," he replied. "I think he knows somethin' too." Sully pulled Michaela close. "But we'll know for sure when Dr. Bernard gets here." Michaela nodded nervously, and Sully felt her tremble. "Everything's gonna be all right."

"I'm glad you're so sure," Michaela replied, giving him a quick kiss. She noticed Sully hesitating and furrowed her brows. "What's the matter?" Sully took her hands in his.

"Remember me tellin' ya 'bout the sweat lodge ritual Cloud Dancin' guided me through?" Michaela nodded.

"Yes," she replied. "It was after you broke your ankle, and you were getting through the loss of your parents."

"And bein' without you," he replied. He kissed her hand softly. She responded with a smile. "Cloud Dancin' thinks maybe that's what ya need."

"Me?" Sully nodded. "Why?"

"Well, you've been through so much, and the Cheyenne believe that in order to heal, you must heal the whole person. You've been feelin' sick, and maybe it's cause somethin's off-balance. What David tried to do…and with the baby and all…"

"Sully, I know you're trying to help," Michaela said stiffly, pulling away and walking across the room, "but this is something I should deal with on my own."

"No it ain't," Sully replied, moving toward her. "We're married, and we're together through hell and high water, ya know. I ain't gonna let ya go through this alone." Michaela felt the tears ebbing again, and she sighed heavily.

"I'm not ready yet, Sully. I know what David did to me is the past. I know the baby's the past, but I can't stop from thinking about it."

"Ya ain't s'posed to. I didn't stop thinkin' 'bout my ma and pa, did I?"

"No," she replied. "But what is this ritual going to do for me?"

"I didn't think it'd work either," Sully replied, "but when I was in there, I saw everything good in my life. I saw you, I saw Colorado Springs. I even saw Boston. But, I saw that ya needed me too, and I willed myself to heal so I could come to ya. It showed me that life ain't all 'bout the bad things, but there's so much more to it than that. You're my life now, and I wouldn't have it any other way." Michaela breathed softly, and she responded to him with a loving kiss.

"I'm grateful for that," she whispered. She looked up into his eyes, blinking her tears away. "Sully? If I do this, will you be there with me?"

"If ya want me, I'll be there."

"Promise?"

"I promise," he said with a smile. Michaela grinned and nodded her head.

"It's something I think I'd like to experience," she replied. "I'm not sure how much it's going to…" He shushed her with a kiss.

"You'd be surprised," he replied. Michaela sighed softly and pressed a kiss to her husband's lips. She was about to pull away, but he pulled her in closer. She moaned against his mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck. He picked her up a little, bringing her feet off the ground, and the kiss grew deeper and full of need. They had filled their nights with soft caresses and gentle demonstrations of love, but they hadn't become fully intimate since before Denver. "Is it too soon?" He was breathless, and Michaela moaned softly as his arms pulled her closer.

"No," she whispered. "It's not too soon." He captured her mouth with his again, and he moaned softly, feeling her tongue against his. When he pulled back, he brushed the hair out of her face and smiled. He glanced toward the clock.

"Ya think we have time?" Michaela looked over, and she gasped.

"No! The stagecoach will be here any minute!" Sully reluctantly put her down, and she gave him a sheepish kiss. She started to turn away, but he pulled her back, crushing his lips into hers. She giggled, and she gave into the kiss, deepening it and leaving them both gasping for breath. "I really…have…to go…meet…the stage," she said between kisses. Sully finally let her go, and he grinned, watching her walk away with a smile. Katie made a noise, and he moved over to the bassinet.

"What's the matter, Kates? Mama will be right back." Albert came walking down the stairs from his and Lydia's room. Sully looked over and greeted his friend with a nod. "Albert. You're up late."

"I haven't been sleeping well lately," Albert said quietly.

"Is it Lydia?"

"No. She's sleeping through the night, even with the baby kicking her." Sully chuckled.

"Well, you're probably just nervous 'bout becomin' a pa." He couldn't help but let his voice falter at the thought. Albert shrugged.

"I suppose that's it." Sully studied Albert carefully for a moment.

"Maybe it ain't. What's goin' on?"

"Nothing. I'm just tired," Albert replied. He sighed heavily and moved toward the door. He couldn't tell anybody when he couldn't even tell his own wife that he had been married before. He felt guiltier as the days wore on, and he knew that he was only making it worse by not telling her. "I'm going to get some fresh air." He left quickly, and Sully stared toward the closed door. He looked down at Katie.

"Wanna go for a walk, Kates?" She gurgled and sneezed, and Sully chuckled.

"I'll take that as a 'yes.'" He picked her up, bundled her up in a blanket and left the clinic quickly.

Julianna breathed a sigh of relief as she sat upon the bumpy stagecoach across from a kind, older gentleman who seemed to be of a distinguished class. She could tell he was a doctor from the bag he was carrying, and she felt safe. She'd boarded the stagecoach that morning, and she hadn't looked back. She hadn't spoken with Andrew since they'd boarded the train a week ago. Every time he looked at her over the week, he seemed to not know her. Now, he was somewhere in Denver, and she almost missed him.

"A writer, I see?" the older man said as he glanced over at Julianna.

"What?" She looked down at the pen and journal in her lap. "Oh. Yes."

"Dr. William Bernard," he said, extending his hand to her.

"Julianna Garavaldi," she said quietly.

"You boarded in Denver with me," he said. "You got off of the train?"

"Yes. I'm from New York, originally, but I'm taking an extended vacation to finish my novel."

"That's healthy," the doctor said with a smile. Julianna smiled and looked out the window. "We're almost there. You seem anxious to put your feet on the ground." Julianna nodded quietly.

"Yes. I am." In a few minutes, she would be in Colorado Springs, and she could start relaxing. Perhaps she would forget about Mr. Strauss, but she highly doubted it.

The Denver hospital was quiet on this afternoon, and as David stepped in, he expected to feel her presence there, but he didn't. He only felt the stiff chill of imminent death and the pain of the grieving families that sat with their ill husbands, wives, mothers, fathers and children. The power of sorrow that he felt as he walked down the corridors shook him to his core.

Penelope noticed him walking down the hall, and she shivered at his presence. He was tall and dark and obviously there with a purpose. He looked like he knew exactly what he was doing but was so uncertain about it.

"Excuse me, Sir. May I help you?"

"Perhaps," he said, his voice scratchy as if he hadn't spoken in a long time. "I'm looking for someone. A woman. Dr. Michaela Quinn. I'm a friend of hers, and she told me she was traveling this way. Have you heard or seen from her?"

"Oh! Yes, she's such a lovely woman," Penelope said with a smile. David smiled back, but something darker ebbed just beneath the surface. "She was here just a couple of weeks ago. You heard about the train accident?" David looked startled, but he nodded his head.

"Train accident. Yes…I heard, but I didn't know she was on it." Penelope shivered.

"Yes, but she and her husband are fine now, and they were going on to Colorado Springs," she explained. David held back the urge to cringe when he heard 'and her husband,' and he smiled.

"Good. I think I'll go there now and surprise them. They weren't expecting me for another week. Thank you Miss." Penelope nodded and went on her way, not thinking that she'd just done something terrible without even knowing it.

"Matthew? Where're we at?" Brian asked as the rickety wagon they'd acquired rattled into town.

"Just outside the border," he announced. "You okay?"

"Yup," Brian replied. "Colleen's sleepin'."

"Let her sleep," Matthew replied. "You look 'round for a penny, and if ya find one, get a newspaper."

"Why?" Brian asked.

"'Cause it's nice to keep up on the news. Maybe there's somethin' bout the fella that killed Pa." Brian sighed.

"Well, where you goin'?"

"I'm gonna see 'bout getting us somethin' for lunch."

"Can't we go fishin'?"

"Map says there ain't no good fishin' spots' round for at least three miles, and we ain't had nothin' to eat since yesterday."

"I can wait," Brian said, trying to be tough, but his stomach ratted him out. Matthew chuckled, and he shook his head.

"Do as I said. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Kay," Brian replied, biting on his thumbnail. Matthew was certain it was becoming a habit. "I'll find a penny. I promise."

"You do that, little brother." Matthew walked off, and Brian jumped down into the dusty soil. He didn't mind getting his shoes or his trousers dirty, but he knew his ma would holler at him if he got all dirty. But then he remembered that his ma was in Heaven. Did that mean he could do anything he wanted? He looked up to the sky and smiled a little.

"I'll be good, Ma. I promise." Colleen began to stir in the back of the wagon, and she shot up quickly when she realized they were stopped.

"Matthew? Brian!"

"I'm here, Colleen," Brian said quickly, rushing toward the back of the wagon so she could see him. "Matthew went to get lunch."

"What're you doin'?"

"I'm findin' pennies."

"What for?"

"'Ta get a newspaper," he replied. Colleen yawned and brushed her blonde hair out of her eyes, pulling it back and removing her bonnet.

"I'll help ya." She jumped out of the back of the wagon and began to help Brian search for pennies in the dirt. Passers-by looked at them as if they'd never seen two children scrounging around in the dirt before. Brian looked down when he saw the negative looks people were giving them. Colleen patted his arm. "Don't pay no attention to 'em, Brian. They don't know what we been through." She took his hand, and they walked off to look for pennies someplace else.

Meanwhile, Matthew's stomach growled as he smelled the whiff of stew cooking and cornbread baking. His mouth watered, and he wondered how he could begin to pay for it. He had nothing to offer as payment except…except! He felt in his pocket, and he brought the simple band into the palm of his hand. It was his mother's. It was the one thing Ethan hadn't pawned off or gambled away. He had sworn to himself that he'd never give it away, because it was a part of his mother, but he never thought his little brother and sister would be starving either. He was living the worst scenario, and in his heart, he knew that Charlotte wouldn't frown upon him using it to feed the family.

He looked toward the local saloon, a run of the mill, rickety old building that stood at the corner near the café and the barbershop. He could see the smoke from cheap cigars swirling out of the swinging doors, and he could hear, loud, out-of-tune piano music following the stumbling drunks with scantily clad women on each arm out into the street.

Matthew swallowed hard, preparing himself for the stench of cigars, watered-down whiskey and sin. He glanced back to see his little brother and sister digging in the dirt, and it broke his heart. He'd have none of that anymore. He'd sworn to himself that he'd never gamble, but this was for his family. He had to feed them. Gambling could leave him out on the street with nothing lost except his mother's wedding ring and his dignity and self-respect, or it could leave him with a few dollars to feed himself, Colleen and Brian. Perhaps he'd get to keep the ring. He could only hope. He had to take that risk, because if worse came to worse, they would have to find another way.

He brought the ring to his lips and kissed it. He took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Ma. This is what I gotta do. I know you'd understand." His weakened boots pressed into the dirt, as he walked across town and up onto the porch of the saloon.

When he stepped in, a few saloon girls looked his way, eyeing him. He had no money to offer them, but they'd been taught long ago that every man who walked through that door had money and a purpose. That purpose was usually to drink his conscience away and spend the day throwing his money at cheap women who had one thing to offer. They'd been taught they were cheap and only good for one thing, and thought most of them believed otherwise, they pretended to be worthless in order to get paid. He felt bad for them, really, because they were there for the same reason he was. They needed to make a little money to survive and probably to feed their families, if they had family anyway.

"Hey there, handsome," one girl with particularly red hair and green eyes said, waltzing over to link her arm through his. She had no idea that he was a fifteen year old boy, but she didn't seem to care. She smelled of cheap cigars and watered-down whiskey, just like the air that had followed out with the drunken low lives that had stumbled out with a woman on each arm. "Ya here for some entertainment?" Matthew clenched his jaw.

"No Ma'am," he replied, taking off his hat and squeezing Charlotte's ring tightly in his fist. "Just lookin' to play a round of poker."

"What you got to bet?" came the gravelly voice of a man with short gray hair, dark beady eyes and a nasty scar running from his ear to his neck.

"Oh, C'mon Eddie," one of the girls said, sitting down in his lap. "He looks like he's good for the money." Matthew's eyes never broke contact with the older man's though he couldn't help but notice how his thick hand slapped the girl's behind and gave it a hearty squeeze. It made Matthew's stomach turn when she giggled and pretended to like it.

"Name's Ed," the guy said. "Have a seat. We're just startin' a new round. What you got to bet?" Matthew choked back a sigh and roughly placed the ring down onto the peeling poker table. Ed pushed the girl off his lap, and she fell on her rear and proceeded to laugh it off before moving to another man's lap, receiving practically the same treatment as before. "Ya don't look old 'nuff."

"I'm of age, Sir," Matthew lied. The man let out a coughing, choking laugh.

"What's with that 'Sir," hogwash?" The other men laughed and puffed on their cigars. "Let's play."

Julianna helped herself out of the stagecoach and felt the stares of some of the town's bachelors, as well as some of the married men, she was sure. She held back the urge to roll her eyes, and she accepted her luggage gratefully. She made her way onto the porch of the general store, and she took in the sights and sounds around her.

"Welcome to Colorado Springs, Ma'am," said an older gentleman. "I'm Loren Bray. I own this here store." Julianna smiled a little.

"Could you direct me to the boarding house?" Loren stiffened up. This woman was obviously not from around here.

"We ain't got one, Ma'am, but if ya talk to the doc…the clinic was the boardin' house a while back."

"Could you tell me where to find him, please?"

"She," Loren stressed, "is right over there with that older fella." Julianna spotted Dr. Bernard with a beautiful young woman.

"Thank you," she said quickly. She left her luggage with Loren and hurried over to Michaela. "Excuse me, Miss." Michaela turned around, smiling warmly, and Julianna wondered if she was always this friendly.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, I was asking…that older gentleman over there about a room for rent," Julianna said quickly, motioning in Loren's general direction. "He said the doctor owns what used to be the boarding house."

"I do," Michaela said with a smile. "I still have a few extra rooms I could let out until business picks up, so you're more than welcome to one of them."

"Oh, that would be wonderful. How much?"

"Two-bits a week?" Michaela suggested, not sure of the going rates for situations like this. Julianna nodded.

"That sounds fair. Thank you Dr…"

"Dr. Michaela Quinn," Michaela replied. "I have an appointment just now, but if you would like to wait…"
"I'll do that. Thank you," Julianna replied. She quickly moved through the crowd to find her luggage again. Michaela turned back to Dr. Bernard.

"Are you ready, Dr. Quinn?"

"Yes. Thank you for coming." Michaela lead him across town to he clinic, and Sully followed behind with Katie in his arms and Wolf at his heels. Sully grabbed Michaela's hand before she went in with Dr. Bernard. She whirled around and looked into his eyes, such hope there now.

"Everything's going to be all right," she breathed, squeezing his hand firmly. She gave him a kiss, a kiss that would linger until time stood still and faded away. "I promise." She kissed Katie's forehead before disappearing inside with Dr. Bernard. Sully quietly sat down on the bench to wait, and Lydia walked up, her hand tucked into Albert's.

"She's in there with him?" Lydia wondered.

"Just now, yeah," he answered. Albert shuffled uncomfortably.

"She's going to be fine, whatever the doctor has to say…"

"You're right. She's fine," Sully replied tensely. At that moment, Albert looked up to see the young woman people had mentioned getting off of the stagecoach. He looked once, twice, no, it couldn't be! He moved off of the porch. Four glances, five…no. No! Her eyes scanned the crowd, but she didn't see him. Six glances…seven.

"Julianna."

"What's that?" Lydia asked, moving to stand next to him. "Are you all right?" Albert looked away from the woman, and such guilt filled his eyes when he looked at Lydia. "Darling, I…"

"Lydia, I need to speak with you."

"What about?" It was too late.

"Albert…" He froze, his entire body growing rigid. Tears flooded his eyes, and Lydia looked confused, but she looked past him and at the new woman who was walking toward them.

"May we help you?" she asked. "Do you know my husband?" Julianna was a little taken aback.

"I'm sorry, maybe I'm mistaken. Albert Johnson?"

"I'm his wife, Lydia," Lydia said with a proud smile. "How do you know Albert?" Albert slowly turned, his heart frozen in fear, his soul quivering in the corner like a frightened child. Julianna looked into Albert's frightened eyes, and she looked into the confused, contemplative ones that settled in Lydia's features. "Albert? Are you going to tell me?" She looked back and forth between the stranger and her husband.

"I…" he started. His voice broke, and his face turned pale.

"Perhaps I should introduce myself," Julianna said quietly. "I'm Julianna Garavaldi from New York. I was…" Albert gave her a look that told her this wasn't the right time or the right place. "I know your husband. He lived in New York for about five years, and we…we were good friends." Lydia sensed the apprehension in the woman's voice. "Albert, I never expected to see you again, but I'm probably just as surprised as you are. I'll give you two some privacy. I need to go to the post anyway." She hurried off, worried that she may have unintentionally ruined another marriage for poor Albert.

"Albert? She's a friend of yours?" Albert was shaking, and he noticed Sully playing with little Katie on the porch. He reached for his wife's hand, but she pulled away.

"Can we talk about this in private?"

"Private? I don't think there is any place around here that is very private," she said, nodding at their surroundings. Albert sighed heavily.

"The church?" Lydia rubbed her stomach curiously. She nodded. Albert reached for her again, but she walked off ahead.

"I promise, Lydia…it's nothing that I…"

"We'll see about that," she replied hotly as they crossed the bridge and moved into the churchyard. "I do hope I'm overreacting, Albert, but you certainly haven't tried to confirm that. That's what worries me." Timothy was walking out the little gray church. "Reverend Johnson? May we have some privacy in your church please?"

"Of course," Timothy replied. "Do you need my help with anything?"

"No. This is something my husband and I need to discuss privately for a moment." She brushed past him and rushed into the church. Albert paused beside Timothy, and the Reverend patted him on the back.

"Whatever it is, Albert, good luck."

Julianna quickly stepped into the dim, dusty telegraph office, where a lanky, kind-looking fellow sat behind the desk.

"Can I help ya?" he asked almost eagerly. She smiled at him.

"Yes. I was wanting to send a telegram to California…I'm not quite sure where, but I think it's San Francisco."

"To who?"

"Mr. Andrew Strauss," she said quietly. "I need some information about him." Horace thought for a moment, and his eyes grew wide.

"Why don't ya just wait a week or two and ask him yourself?"

"Excuse me?" Lydia asked quickly.

"He's comin' here to visit his cousin Lydia. The way she talks, he'll be here 'fore the month is up." Lydia was a bit shocked, but she shook her head.

"Andrew Strauss from California?"

"Yep. I think that's what she said. He's a doctor, and he's comin' to visit her and meet her new husband. He a friend of yours?"

"You could say that," she said, her throat becoming dry. "Thank you, Mr…"

"Bing. Horace Bing, Miss. And you are?"

"Julianna Garavaldi. It's…nice to meet you." She turned and left quickly. He was coming here? He was related to her ex-husband's wife? Could this have been planned out better? She looked up at the sky. Maybe it was a cruel trick. But, she had to admit that the thought of seeing him again thrilled her. She couldn't get over the attraction she felt toward him, and she could still feel it even though they were miles and miles apart. She sighed heavily, and she knew that things were about to get very interesting.

Sully stood when the door to the clinic opened. Dr. Bernard stepped out, and he looked at Sully with surprise.

"Is she okay?"

"She's…she's fine," Dr. Bernard said quietly. "She wants to talk to you, though. She's very confused, though she understands what's going on. Being a doctor, she should." Sully felt his heart leap, but he wasn't sure if it was for joy or not.

"But she's okay? She's gonna be all right?" Dr. Bernard patted him on the shoulder.

"I suggest you talk to her." Sully nodded and rushed past him with Katie in his arms. He shut the door, placed Katie in her bassinet and moved toward the table. Michaela was sitting straight up, tears in her eyes, some already trickling down her cheeks and dampening her blouse.

"God…Michaela? What is it?" He took her hands in his. "Whatever it is, we'll see it through together."

"I…I'm so confused," she breathed. "I just never expected this! She was right, and she doesn't even know me yet."

"Who was right?" Michaela shook her head.

"The miscarriage," Michaela said quietly, "it did happen, but…"

"But what?"

"Sometimes this happens, Sully, and there's no way of knowing until…"

"Sometimes what happens, Michaela? What?" Without further hesitation, she blurted it out.

"I'm pregnant." Sully took a step back, but his hands still held Michaela's. She was clutching them tightly now.

"What? I don't…I don't understand."

"There were…there were twins, Sully. Something happened, and we lost one, but one of them is still inside me; still growing."

"You're still pregnant," Sully said quietly, his mind trying to wrap around the idea. "He's sure?"

"Yes," she replied. Sully thought back.

"He said…he said hope is still inside ya."

"What? Who?"

"Cloud Dancin'. When ya fainted last week. He said hope's still inside ya. He knew." Michaela swallowed hard, and she placed her hand on her stomach.

"I was just trying to accept that I wasn't pregnant anymore, but I still am. It's so…so surreal." She shook her head, blinking the tears away. "I'm not sure what to think or feel…"

"I didn't expect this. I was preparin' for the worst, but…but we don't have to."

"Sully, I'm happy about this, I truly am, but I'm afraid that we might be getting our hopes up. We lost one baby…what if…" Sully pulled her close, kissing her softly, tasting her tears and kissing them away.

"Don't think about bad things," he whispered against her lips, resting his forehead against hers. "Only good." Michaela smiled through her tears, and she nodded. She began to sob, and he pulled her into his arms.

"We've been given another chance, Sully. I'm going to do whatever it takes to make sure we have this baby. Whatever it takes." Their tears mixed together, and they held one another, comforting each other and silently rejoicing. Slowly, their lips met again, and their bodies reacted. He pulled her close, both of their worries and fears scattering to the wind. When their lips broke free from each other's, Michaela looked up into Sully's eyes and choked back a sob. "I need you." The words came from the back of her throat, and his hands entangled in her hair, pulling her back for a passionate kiss. "God, I need you," she moaned again, biting her lower lip. Sully nodded and pulled back, helping his wife off of the exam table. Just as they were about to take one another into their arms, Katie let out a cry. They were breathless, and they couldn't help but laugh. Katie let out another cry, and Michaela kissed her husband softly.

"I need you too," he replied huskily. She grinned knowingly and kissed him once more.

"Later," she promised. With that, she turned to tend to her little girl, amazed that in six short months, she was going to have another one.