Chapter 10

August to September 1875

It was wonderful having so much help. With two babies I was often exhausted keeping up with diaper changes, nursing, cuddling but Madeline and even Erik made it easier. The children wanted to help too, so Madeline would let them help when she would change a diaper, and sometimes if they were sitting in a chair, we would let them hold one of the babies.

Three weeks after the babies were born I walked into the nursery. Erik had a silly little grin on his mouth as he cuddled his daughter. He was holding her in his arm and she had one tiny hand holding his finger while he made little cooing noises. I stood watching for a minute, he was so gentle with his children. I went over and put my arm around his waist. He smiled down at me.

"I told you, a little angel just like her mother." He said.

"I was right too you know. Can't forget your son." I said grinning.

"I would never do that." Just then, our daughter announced that she was hungry yet again. Erik handed her to me and I sat down in the chair and held her to my breast. Erik dropped down to his knee and gently brushed her cheek with his finger as she nursed. He put his arm around my shoulders and kissed my cheek then smiled as he watched her. Our son chose that moment to announce he wanted a diaper change. With a sigh, Erik stood up and went to change his son. I sat rocking gently back and forth watching him. He had just unpinned the diaper and was reaching for a clean one when he suddenly jumped back swearing. I could not help it I just broke out laughing. Our son had just anointed Erik, initiating him into the roll of fatherhood. He stood shaking his hand for a moment, glaring at me and quickly grabbed a clean diaper and finished the job, then washed his hand grumbling all the time.

"I'm sorry darling I just couldn't help it. The look on your face." I still chuckled. He scowled at me and then I saw the corners of his mouth twitch and his good eye crinkle as he tried to keep from smiling but he couldn't help it and soon he was laughing too. He brought Nathaniel to me and we exchanged babies. It was getting easier. He put Carrie to his shoulder and burped her then he pulled the other chair over next to me and sat down. Softly he started singing to her. She wiggled a bit and soon fell asleep. He sat rocking her until his son was finished nursing and then got up and laid her gently in her bassinet and came and took our son, singing to him as well. Finally, they were both asleep and we stood watching them. Erik wrapped his arms around me and rubbed his cheek against the top of my head his hand came up and started caressing my neck and playing with a wayward curl.

"Where are the children?" he asked softly.

"Madeline took them into town with her to do the marketing." He was quiet, yet I could feel the tension in his body. I craned my head up to look at him. He was biting his lower lip, a slight frown between his eyes and an unspoken question written on his face. I turned to him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Yes." I whispered as I softly kissed him. He slowly unbuttoned my dress and pulled it off my shoulders, kissing them softly. I stepped out of my dress, my chemise and drawers soon followedand he picked me up and carried me to the bed. His clothes soon joined mine on the floor and he lay next to me rediscovering my body.

"I've missed this angel." He said with a devilish grin. "You have turned me into a greedy beast. I was becoming jealous of our babes, their mouths where mine belong." He said as his lips brushed the tip of my breast, gently sucking. His hand slid down, caressing my stomach, slowly downward, repossessing my body with his touch, until he had me writhing. Then he joined with me ever so carefully, afraid that he might hurt still tender flesh. With great restraint, he slowly moved his hips rocking gently at first but with increasing urgency. Our starved flesh eager for each other, burning for each other until we lay limply in each other arms, one of his hands playing with a curl behind my ear, the other softly stroking my arm, he tenderly kissed my temple.

"I can't believe that less than two years ago I was all alone, wishing for death. Now I have a wife who is the angel of my heart, two adopted children that opened my eyes to possibilities and two wonderful babes created from our love. A love I never thought possible. Sometimes I think it's all a dream and I'll wake up and it'll all be gone." He whispered. I nuzzled my head against him and put my arm across his chest.

"I'm not going anywhere. I told you once that I would stay until you asked me to leave." I murmured as I softly ran kisses down his chest. He gently cupped my face, looking into my eyes intently.

"That request will never happen. I don't know what I would do if you were to ever leave me angel." and he pulled me to him desperately, squeezing me in a tight embrace, frantically raining small kisses down the side of my face and to my mouth. Running his tongue lightly across my lips and then kissing deeper, ever more insistent.

Later, we were awakened by two sets of shrill lungs screaming. Erik looked at me.

"Which do you want to take, him or her?" He said as he smiled.

"Shall we toss a coin?" I teased. He just grunted as he got up and put his robe on. I got up and followed suit.