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Chapter 14

The next two weeks were full of awkwardness. John attempted to speak to Anna and return to who they were before the almost kiss, but she kept her words curt and to the point. She no longer met his eyes. He hated that life had changed overnight between the two of them.

But he didn't want to force anything on her. He hoped that overtime they would become close again. He found he missed her during the day, even when he was right next to her.

Tonight, he couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned. His thoughts were on Anna. He cared so much about her. Yet, he knew it was important to give her the space she needed. He couldn't push her.

He heard a crash from her bedroom and he was quick to sit up. Grabbing his cane from beside his bed, he stood and made his way to her room.

He went to knock, but heard Anna let out a loud, painful moan. Hearing that, he pushed open the door to find Anna turned away from him with her hands against the dresser, clutched over. The back of her gown was soaked through.

"Anna!" He rushed to her side. She glanced up at him and he could see there were tears in her eyes.

"The…the baby is coming."

"Alright," he said, bringing his hand to her back and giving it a strong rub in hopes of soothing some of the pain ripping through her. "I'll run down to get the midwife and have them call Dr. Clarkson."

But Anna grabbed his hand and held it firmly.

"Please, please don't leave me," she pleaded, another strong contraction came through her and she closed her eyes, additional moans leaving her lips.

"I will be right back. The midwife…"

"No, the baby is coming. This is all happening too fast! Please don't leave me!" Her eyes met his and he could see they were clouded in fear. All he could do was nod.

"I won't leave you," he promised her.

Anna was shaking. She remained standing, but leaned forward, panting through another contraction.

John felt helpless, yet he knew he had to do something. He glanced around the room and saw that Anna already had some clean towels by her bed. She must have prepared in advance for the baby's arrival. John grabbed one of the towels and rested his hand on Anna's back.

"It's….the baby is coming!" Anna nearly screamed. John's eyes widened. He bent down and Anna lifted the hem of her gown, her body trembling with the pain. In an instant, John caught a baby in his hands, wrapping it up into a blanket. He recalled Vera's birth. He hadn't been in the room, but he remembered it took hours and hours. This was not what he had been expecting.

Anna collapsed against the dresser and John lifted the baby up, careful with the cord. The little baby's eyes opened to look at him and his heart raced in his chest.

"How….how…" Anna was trying to speak, but she was so tired.

"It's a girl," John just happily told her. "A beautiful girl."

Anna let out a happy sob and John handed her the baby. Then he led her to the bed.

"I'm going to go and get the midwife to assist with the afterbirth and make sure you both are doing well."

John went as quickly as he could to the midwife's house. She lived only a few doors over and was thankfully awake when he arrived. She had just gotten back from delivering another baby. When they got back to the cottage, she told John she had it and to go downstairs and make Anna some tea, as well as warm up some water. He did as he was told and waited patiently to hear how Anna and the baby were doing.

He was in a bit of shock. He never thought he would deliver a baby, but here he was, delivering a pink, warm, beautiful baby girl. He had been right, a little chuckle left his lips. It was a girl.

A while later the midwife came down and nodded.

"Mother and baby are doing well. Anna asked if you'd come up and see them."

John didn't need to be told more than once. He had been bursting to see them since the moment he left them.

When he reached Anna's door, he knocked.

"Come in," Anna's voice was warm, but tired. He opened the door and saw Anna cleaned up and resting in her bed with the baby bundled up in her arms. He walked over and sat down beside her. She wore a thrilled smile on her face, despite her exhaustion. "It seems you were right. It is a girl." Anna lifted the baby up and placed her into John's arms. "Meet Louisa"

John happily took the baby and held her close to his chest. His own eyes watered. She was perfect.

"Hello, Louisa," he murmured, rubbing her cheek with the back of his finger. "She looks like you."

"Does she?" Anna asked, glancing over and into his arms. "I think she just looks like a baby." Her head then rested against John's arm and her eyes fluttered closed. He didn't dare move. She needed her rest. The baby also seemed tired and within a moment her own eyes were closed, as she slept contently in his arms.

They remained that way for a few moments, before the midwife came back into the room. She helped adjust Anna on the bed and then took the baby from John, placing her into the cot by the bed.

"You should get some rest, Mr. Bates," the midwife told him. "They'll likely be asleep for a little while and you are now a father of two children. You have to sleep when you can."

John's heart cracked slightly at that statement. His eyes fell to Anna and Louisa, disheartened. He would be losing them in just a few months.

"Thank you," he quietly told her, before going off to bed.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"She's a beautiful lass," Mrs. Hughes said. She had dropped by after she heard the baby had been born the night before. Louisa was asleep in the Moses basket on the floor by her feet, as John made Declan something for lunch and Anna slept upstairs.

"I'm already quite taken to her," John replied with a smile. He placed Declan's plate in front of him and then sat down next to Mrs. Hughes. The baby began to fuss and John lifted her up into his arms, bouncing her gently. "Shh, let's let your mum sleep. She had a long night." He kissed her crown.

"Ah, seems you're in love, Mr. Bates," Mrs. Hughes observed with a twinkle in her eye. "Never thought you'd have a little girl, did you? I have a feeling you will spoil her rotten."

John just shook his head and was pleased when Louisa calmed. She remained awake though and her bright blue eyes just stared up at him.

"She's a doll," he stated.

"Well, it's easy to love a little one when you love its Mama."

John's lips fell into a straight line and he sighed.

"I can't love her, Mrs. Hughes. She isn't mine to love. We made a deal. In a few months, she and Louisa will travel to America."

Mrs. Hughes frowned.

"Why don't you just ask her to stay? How do you know unless you ask her?"

"I won't guilt her into anything she doesn't want."

"But you won't know…"

"Mrs. Hughes, I appreciate your kindness, but this is how it must be." Louisa began to fuss again and John stood. "Now, if you'll forgive me, I need to take Louisa upstairs to Anna to eat. Could you please watch Declan?"

"Yes, of course."

John walked the baby upstairs, trying not to let his emotions show. He was already taken to this little girl in his arms. Would he really be able to tell her and her mother goodbye? The thought broke his heart.

Shaking the thoughts away, John opened Anna's door and saw that she was still sleeping. He hated to wake her, but the baby needed to eat. He went to Anna's side and gently nudged her shoulder. Slowly, her eyes opened.

"I'm sorry to wake you, but Louisa is hungry."

Anna gave him a sleepy smile, taking the baby from his arms.

"Thank you," she said to him, reaching her hand out to wrap around his. "You helped me last night and I had been so scared, but you brought Louisa into this world without even flinching."

"I am just glad I came into your room in time." At that, Anna chuckled.

"Me too."

"Mrs. Hughes is here, would you like me to send her up after you've nursed Louisa?"

Anna pondered this for a moment before nodding her head, "Yes, I'd love to see her. Thank you again, John."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

That night after Anna nursed Louisa, she walked downstairs to make her nighttime tea. She had been in bed most of the day, but she was growing tired of being in bed. Reaching the bottom stair, she saw John sitting on the settee and reading one of his books.

"That better not be our book, Mr. Bates," she teased. He looked up over his book and smiled.

"It's not. Should you be out of bed?"

"I'm perfectly capable of walking. I just wanted some tea, but now that I see you're awake, could we do another chapter of our story?" John brightened at her question.

"Of course we can."

Anna made her tea and found that she had to sit while she waited for the water to boil. While she was feeling better than she had that morning, it seemed it would still take her a little while before she was completely back to her usual self.

Once the tea was ready, she walked over to the settee to sit next to John, glad the awkwardness around them had faded. It helped that he had delivered her baby girl. Something like that could bond you to a person for life.

"Just half a chapter," Anna said, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. "I am still very tired."

"We could wait…"

"No," Anna insisted. "I had missed this."

"Me too." John's eyes lingered on her for a moment, before he cleared his throat. Then he opened the book and began to read.

TBC...