CHAPTER 11
Jemma was thankful for Molly's help as the little girl hurried to set the kitchen table for breakfast while she finished placing the food on the table as she waited for Aaron to join them. Pouring a glass of milk for the child, she issued;
"Molly, you go ahead and eat, I think Uncle Aaron is making sure he has everything he needs for his trip."
Nodding as Jemma fixed the girl's plate, Molly looked up;
"Aunt Jemma, will Uncle Aaron be away all day and all night?"
Sighing heavily at the prospect, Jemma nodded;
"It certainly seems as if that will be the case, sweetie. He and Uncle Jason have to talk to a man about a contract for some lumber so they're going to Tacoma this morning, to meet with the man, but there's just no telling how long it will take and they want to check into some new equipment for the mill and the logging camp. So, more than likely they're going to stay in Tacoma and come back just as soon as they're finished."
Noticing a knowing smile on the little girl's face Jemma wasn't surprised when she stated, rather than asked;
"You don't want Uncle Aaron to stay away from home that long; do you, Aunt Jemma?"
Unable to keep from shaking her head as she offered a slight laugh as she asked ruefully;
"Is it that obvious, Molly?"
Nodding as she took a bite of her biscuit, she confirmed;
"Yes, ma'am. You're trying not to act all sad but I can tell that you're really gonna miss him."
Placing a kiss on the top of the girl's head, Jemma ventured;
"You really are a very smart little girl, Molly. But, I need you to do me a favor and not mention that to Uncle Aaron, I don't want him to know just how much I wish he weren't going; okay?"
Nodding as she drank her milk, finishing her breakfast, Molly turned to ask;
"Do you need me to help you with Jacob and Amie, Aunt Jemma?"
Curious, Jemma questioned;
"Is there something on your mind, Molly?"
Nodding eagerly, she explained;
"Well, since Christopher isn't going to the camp today, me and him were hoping we could go fishing if you don't need me to help ya today."
Pushing her hair over her shoulder, Jemma waved towards the door;
"Go look in the barn; I just so happen to know that Uncle Aaron has a bunch of fishing poles out there. You and Christopher go have fun, but you check in here since Aunt Julie is coming to spend the day with us, you be careful and no going any farther on the river bank then Uncle Jason and Aunt Julie's house. And NO SWIMMING! At least not unless one of us is with you"
Making a crossing motion over her heart before holding her hand up, the little girl vowed;
"I promise, Aunt Jemma."
Reaching up to hug her neck before kissing her cheek, Molly offered;
"Thank you, Aunt Jemma. Will you tell Uncle Aaron I said bye?"
Making her way to to the twin's bassinets, Jemma nodded as she took Jacob in her arms;
"Of course, Molly. Come check in with Aunt Julie and I in just a little while and there just might be a surprise for you two; okay?"
Shaking her head in amusement, Jemma watched as the little girl nodded before scampering out the door. Turning her attention back to her child, Jemma opened the neckline of her dress and made quick work of nursing her son, giggling slightly, Jemma ventured;
"You know something, my little heart? You are definitely your father's son, you have a voracious appetite."
Once she had finished with his feeding and burping, she gave him a few minutes before changing him and making certain that he was comfortable to settle him back in his bassinet, something that he would be outgrowing soon enough judging by just how much of the space he seemed to be filling. Amused, Jemma cooed;
"You are most DEFINITELY going to take after your daddy and your uncles, you are just growing by leaps and bounds. Pretty soon you won't even fit in your bassinet anymore."
Offering him one of the wooden rattles that Harve had carved when the twins were first born, Jemma made certain he was entertained before turning her attention to her daughter, something that found her frowning slightly as she realized that Amie had not even uttered a cry of protest while waiting her turn, something a little unusual for the infant. Taking her child in her arms, Jemma studied her daughter carefully as she wondered aloud;
"Are you alright, little one? It's certainly not like you to be so quiet, especially not when it's time for you to be fed, and definitely not when you haven't had your Daddy's attention yet."
Given that the infant was awake, Jemma studied her eyes and noticed that she seemed somewhat lethargic as if she didn't feel well. Placing a kiss on her forehead to comfort her little girl, Jemma's eyes narrowed slightly as she realized that she felt somewhat warm. Shaking her head, she ventured;
"Well, let's see if maybe once you're fed, you feel a bit better, baby girl."
Jemma found herself somewhat frustrated with her attempts at trying to nurse her daughter, especially considering that she would only nurse for a minute or two before refusing to take anything more. She tried changing sides, thinking that might possibly be the problem for whatever reason, however, she soon realized, especially when Amie spit up the little bit of milk she had taken, that the issue wasn't which side she was feeding from, but that her daughter simply had no desire to feed. Worriedly, Jemma pondered;
"That's not like you at all, baby You usually nurse as well as your brother does."
Sighing in frustration and worry as she lifted her child to her shoulder, Jemma burped the infant to help make certain to eliminate the possibility of a later problem. Finally, she heard a tiny gurgle. She had just finished changing her diaper when Aaron entered the kitchen to eagerly place a kiss on his wife's upturned mouth before she offered;
"Your breakfast is on the table, love."
Nodding as he looked at his children, the love and adoration he felt for them more than evident as his mouth curled in a proud, loving smile;
"And just how are my big boy and Daddy's little girl this morning?"
Lifting Jacob from his bassinet, Aaron shook his head in amazement;
"I swear, Jacob, you are growing like a little weed."
Unable to prevent herself from offering her husband a smile full of love and happiness at the sight he made holding their son, Jemma ventured;
"That's because he takes after his daddy, darling. I see him being tall with broad shoulders, dark hair, dark eyes, and handsome as sin."
Laughing as his wife's assessment of his appearance, Aaron settled Jacob back into his bassinet before turning to shake his head;
"My pride and my vanity thank you for that, sweetheart, but I think that you're just a bit biased in your opinion."
Still holding Amie, she hurried to pour him a cup of coffee before denying;
"No, I am not biased. I simply tell it like it is, my love. Besides, our babies couldn't possibly be as beautiful as they are if it weren't for your good looks you know."
Heaping his plate full, Aaron reminded;
"I only contributed fifty percent to that equation, Jemma love, you DEFINITELY helped ensure that our children would be the two prettiest babies in Seattle."
Noticing that she was still holding Amie as opposed to settling her in her bassinet, not to mention how quiet and lethargic his daughter seemed, Aaron asked worriedly;
"Is Amie alright, she just seems a little too quiet this morning, like she doesn't feel well."
Holding their daughter against her chest, Jemma sighed worriedly as she confessed;
"To be honest, darling, I'm really not sure. She seems to have a little bit of a fever, but not a bad one, but what worries me most is that she barely nursed and what she did take in she seemed to spit right back up."
Glancing towards Jacob, who was happily playing in his bassinet with his rattle, Aaron frowned sharply;
"Do you think it's something serious?"
Patting the child's back gently, Jemma shrugged as she admitted;
"I don't know, love. I mean there are a couple of possibilities; she might be a bit colicky, and even though it's a little early, she could be getting a head start on teething, or it could be possible that maybe something in my milk disagreed with her, but if that's the case I would think that Jacob wouldn't be feeling very well either."
Giving a slight shake of her head, Jemma admitted;
"I'm just not sure what it might be, but I'm sure that it will pass."
Before he could venture an opinion, a slight knock sounded on the kitchen door just before Jason and Julie entered as Jason greeted happily;
"Good morning."
Helping himself to a cup of coffee, Jason dropped a kiss on the top of his sister's head before noticing the look on her face as a frown marred his own;
"What's the matter?"
Narrowing his eyes in speculation as he studied his niece, Jason demanded;
"Is there something wrong with Amie? She doesn't look as if she feels very well."
Jemma shook her head, but was unable to hide the concern in her voice;
"She doesn't, but I'm just not sure what could be the problem. I mean, it could be several things; colic, early teething, of something in my milk might have disagreed with her. I just don't know."
Lowering his head, Jason placed his lips against the infant's forehead before crossing his arms over his chest as he studied the child for a moment before pointing out;
"Well, she's a little warm, but not exactly feverish."
Waving his hand towards Jacob's bassinet, Jason questioned;
"What about Jacob?"
Julie, having taken her nephew from his bed, studied the child for a moment before observing;
"He seems just as happy and playful as always."
Finished with his breakfast, Aaron cleared the table and washed up the few dishes, seeking to give Jemma one less chore to worry with, before expounding on his sister's statement as he shook his head;
"No, Jacob seems just fine, it just seems to be Amie that's suffering."
Jason stroked his chin as he searched his memory before recalling;
"It seems to me that I remember you getting a little sick like this when you were just about Amie's age, Pixie. I don't think it's anything serious"
Finished with his chore, Aaron closed the distance between him and his wife and daughter to hold his arms out before offering;
"Here, sweetheart, let me take her for a little bit."
Cuddling his daughter against his chest, Aaron softened his voice as he sought to comfort her;
"It's alright, baby. I just wish Mommy and I knew what was wrong with our baby girl."
Seeing the sad look in his daughter's eyes, Aaron felt a stab in his heart over the idea that one of their children was suffering but neither, he or Jemma, knew any way to help bring that suffering to an end. The frustration over just how helpless he felt deepened even further when Amie lifted her tiny hand out to take hold of his finger before pulling it closer against her chest as if doing so would give her a small amount of comfort. Aaron couldn't help but sigh in frustrated helplessness as he ventured;
"Jemma love, maybe we should send for Dr. Wright?"
Her own helplessness reflected in the look she offered him, Jemma shook her head;
"Honey, Allyn is in Olympia; remember? Lottie went with her to see about some supplies, they won't be back until the day after tomorrow."
Aaron cuddled his daughter closer as he speculated;
"Jason, I don't know if I should be going off and leaving..."
Cutting off the remainder of his statement, Jemma rose from her as she placed her hand comfortingly on their daughter's back before shaking her head;
"No, honey; you and Jason have worked very hard to get this contract, you need to go close this deal. Besides, we both know that this won't be the last time that one of our children falls ill. I don't think that it's anything serious, but it's the first time that either of them has been under the weather and neither you or I like that fact."
Tilting her head slightly as she studied their daughter's small, cherubic face, Jemma noticed that the usual sparkle in Amie's eyes, which were such a combination of both parents, seemed dimmed; a clear indication of the infant's dampened spirits. Lifting her hand to brush a lock of hair that had fallen across his forehead back into place, Jemma met her husband's look of concern with one that, she hoped, conveyed her confidence;
"Darling, we'll be alright, I'm sure that this will pass and in the meantime, I'll just give her a bit of extra attention and keep a very close eye on her."
Casting a hopeful glance towards her sister in law, she ventured;
"Julie had planned on spending the day with us anyway, so I'm sure she won't mind helping me with Jacob so I can focus a little more attention on Jacob."
Smiling warmly as she placed a kiss on her nephew's forehead as he cooed and giggled in her arms, Julie shook her head;
"Of course I wouldn't mind. As a matter of fact, if you don't mind, maybe Christopher and I will just spend the night and we can have a slumber party."
Bringing her eyes back to meet his, Jemma shrugged slightly;
"See, we're probably worrying for nothing. When you get home we'll probably laugh at just how silly we'll feel for having worried so much."
Looking down into their daughter's face, Aaron weighed his wife's words before lowering his head to place his lips against the baby's small brow. His slight scowl reflecting his displeasure with his decision, he nodded;
"Alright, sweetheart, you and Jason are right, she's a bit warm but not exactly feverish. I'll go ahead and go with him to Tacoma. But, and I mean this Jemma Elysia, if she gets any worse then what you might expect, you send a wire and, whether the deal is done or not and whether Jason comes back with me or not, I'm heading straight back here; understand?"
Placing her hand on his cheek and meeting the intensity of the look in his eyes with a look that left no room for doubt as to just how seriously she took the matter, Jemma nodded;
"Honey, I promise you, if she should get worse then what we think is normal that I will send a wire, but I'm sure that she'll be alright. Now, are you packed so that you two can get going? The sooner you're off the sooner you're back."
Jerking his head in the direction of the doorway, Aaron advised;
"My bag's by the stairs."
Deciding to give him a few more minutes with his family, Jason offered;
"I'll get it for you, Aaron. Is your horse saddled?"
Shaking his head, he explained;
"No, not yet, I'll take care of it in a second."
Cuffing his brother in law's shoulder, Jason shook his head;
"That's alright, I'll take care of it for you so you can have a few extra minutes with Pixie and the babies."
Nodding his thanks, Aaron turned his focus back to his daughter before scowling slightly as he admitted his reluctance;
"Jemma love, I still don't like the idea of going off to Tacoma and leaving you by yourself with our two children and one of them sick."
Feigning a look of insult, Julie voiced;
"Wait a minute, what do you mean; 'by herself', I'll be here to help her you know?"
Casting a wry look at his sister, Aaron retorted;
"For which I'm grateful, but.."
Understanding his frustration with the situation, Julie patted her brother's arm in sympathy;
"I know, big brother, having Mommy and Aunt Julie isn't quite the same as having Mommy and Daddy when you're sick."
Hugging his daughter to him, and ignoring his sister's presence, Aaron offered softly;
"I'm sorry, princess, but Daddy has to go take care of some business. But I know that Mommy will take good care of our baby girl and I promise that I'll be home just as soon as possible, baby."
Jemma couldn't help but feel touched as she noticed the look of sadness in her husband's eyes as he placed their daughter in her arms and Amie continued holding tightly to his finger as if trying to prevent him from leaving. Bringing her lips close to their daughter's ear, she explained quietly;
"I know, little one, but Daddy will be back before you know it."
As if understanding her mother's words, Amie reluctantly released her hold on her father's finger before turning her head to lay it against Jemma's chest as she sighed in an almost petulant manner. Despite the situation, Jemma couldn't help but point out in slight amusement;
"Stop looking so glum, honey. Besides, take it as a compliment, she's going to miss her daddy."
Hearing Jason's approach at the door, Aaron turned and took his son in his arms as he consoled;
"Don't worry, son, I promise I haven't forgotten you, you know Daddy loves you very much. You be a good boy for Mommy and Aunt Julie and I'll try to bring you and your sister back a surprise."
Placing a kiss on his son's head, Aaron cuddled him close for a minute before relinquishing him into Julie's waiting arms. Placing his arm around his wife' s shoulders as Jason opened the door, Aaron nodded as he grabbed his coat and gloves from the counter;
"I'm coming."
Placing his hands on her shoulders to turn her towards him, Aaron looked down into her eyes as he reminded;
"Don't forget, you promised, if she gets any worse you have Ben wire me in Tacoma."
Heaving a sigh of irritation tinged with amusement, Jemma nodded;
"I promise."
Lowering his voice slightly, he issued;
"And definitely remember,"
Leaning closer, careful of the baby, Aaron brought his lips against hers in a kiss that conveyed his love, longing, and the fact of just how much he would miss her while he was away. Lifting his head, he continued;
"That I happen to love you and these two little blessings more than anything else in the world."
Caressing the back of his daughter's head with his hand, he placed a kiss on her small cheek before issuing;
"And you, little miss princess, you get better before Daddy gets home and you be good for Mommy."
Jason seeing that they were ready, gave Julie a sound kiss as he vowed;
"I'll be home as quickly as possible and you know I love you, and you should know how much I'll miss you."
Grazing the top of his nephew's small head, he gazed at he infant fondly;
"And you, young man, take care of your mother and your Aunt Julie for your father and me."
Hurrying to the door, he stopped to drop a kiss on his niece's head, before bidding;
"And you, little miss Amie Lee, you get better. It's not nice to make your Mommy and Daddy worry so much.,"
Jemma couldn't help but smile as she shook her head at her brother's use of the nickname he had taken to using for her daughter as he leaned down to kiss her cheek before promising;
"Don't worry, Pixie, I'll make sure your husband returns, safe and sound."
Hurrying out the door and mounting his horse, Jason called;
"Come on, Aaron"
Shrugging into his jacket, Aaron nodded as he followed in Jason's wake, stopping just long enough to brush a kiss against his wife's lips;
"I love you, sweetheart and I'll be home as quick as I can."
Watching as he swung up into the saddle, Jemma stood at the door until they rode out of sight Julie couldn't miss the longing evident in her sister in law's demeanor as she sighed forlornly when she closed the door;
"I know, it's not as if they'll be gone very long but I miss Jason terribly and he's only been gone a few minutes."
Nodding, Jemma agreed;
"I know, this is the first time that Aaron and I have been apart since we were married."
Shrugging, she pushed the thoughts aside as she shifted her focus;
"Well, I did promise Molly and Christopher a surprise. And,"
Glancing down and noticing that Amie had fallen asleep, she ventured;
"Since little one has fallen asleep and Jacob looks as if he's about to follow
her example, why don't we put them in their beds and bake some cookies."
Nodding eagerly as she situated her nephew, Julie couldn't help but laugh a bit;
"I'm not sure who'll enjoy them more; you and I, or the children."
Carefully, Jemma laid her daughter in her bassinet before speculating;
"I'm sure it will be a tie."
Satisfied that the babies were settled, the two women set about their work, unaware of just what was laying ahead before their husbands returned.
Later that evening Julie took a sip of her milk as she nibbled at one of the warm cookies that Jemma had just placed on the table. Choosing her words carefully, Julie began carefully;
"Jemma, could I ask you about something?"
Somewhat distracted as she was preparing another pan of cookies for the oven, Jemma simply nodded as she offered;
"I don't see why not, Julie."
Rising from her chair to lean against the counter, to face her sister in law, Julie launched in before she lost her nerve;
"Jemma, I know that what he said was horrible, but don't you think that it's time that you and Josh sit down and have a discussion about what happened at the wedding? I mean, that was almost three weeks ago and you two are still 'distant'. Joshua is absolutely miserable and I know you well enough to know that you can't possibly be happy with the situation, not as much as you love your brothers; ALL of your brothers."
Julie quickly realized that she was about to become the object of something that she had hoped to never have centered on her; Jemma's displeasure. Any doubts that she might have had to the contrary were soon dashed as the usual warmth that made her emerald eyes sparkle, was replaced by shards of ice, making Julie shiver with the intensity of Jemma's gaze. She knew that she was about to receive a scathing response to her questions as her sister in law moved in a precise and measured manner as she finished her task of placing the pan of cookies in the oven to bake before turning to face her. Pinning her sister in law with her eyes, Jemma crossed her arms over her middle as she stated her position on the matter;
"Julie, before I say what I'm about to say, I want you to know something. I love you dearly, not just because you're my husband's sister, and not just because you're my brother's wife, but because I think of you as a sister and a best friend. Now, having said that I am going to say this and that is the last I will say about the matter unless I decide otherwise. Outside of Lottie, Josh was the first to realize that Aaron and I were in love and I have no doubt that it was because, as well as Jason and Jeremy know me, and as close as I am to them both, Josh and I have always been just a little bit closer and he knows me just a little bit better. I suppose that's because I spent more time with Josh then what I did with Jason and Jeremy."
Taking a deep steadying breath, Jemma continued her explanation;
"Julie, Aaron and I could have been married two years sooner than what we did had I been willing to risk the rumors that I sold myself into marriage over that stupid bet, but I wasn't. You see, even though I know they loved each other, Mother and Father's marriage had been an arranged one and I had heard whispers that Mother 'sold herself' into marriage."
Shaking her head vehemently, Jemma confided;
"I didn't want my children to ever hear that and feel the way I have at times, nor did I ever want Aaron to doubt that I married him for love or that he married me for the same reason. Josh accused me of 'selling' myself into marriage; I married my husband for love and no other reason."
Waving her hand towards the bassinets, Julie couldn't help but notice a tear sliding down her face as she elaborated further;
"The comment he made regarding the children that Aaron and I were blessed with through our love for each other, Josh made it sound as if they are nothing but the by-product of a lewd and tawdry act."
Spreading her hands in a pleading manner, Jemma begged;
"Can you understand now, WHY I feel the way I feel about what he said. He knew how I felt about the idea of anyone thinking that I 'sold' myself into marriage with Aaron, but even that I would have overlooked. But what I CANNOT overlook is Josh making it seem as my babies were a punishment rather than a blessing."
Before Julie could have a chance to react or respond the door burst open as Molly and Christopher rushed in, breathing heavily as Molly greeted;
"We're back, Aunt Jemma, we didn't catch nothing, a whole day wasted. Can we have our surprise now?"
Placing her hands on her hips, Jemma demanded;
"Did you two have fun?"
At their nods of agreement, she ventured;
"Well, then it wasn't a day wasted; now was it?"
Shaking their heads, Christopher offered;
"No ma'am, it sure wasn't
Laughing at their enthusiasm, Jemma motioned towards the table;
"You two go ahead and sit down and we'll have supper, and then you can have some cookies and milk; alright?"
Motioning towards the bassinet, Molly offered;
"Aunt Jemma, can I check on Jacob and Amie?"
Ladling the stew into four bowls for her, Julie, and the children, Jemma thought nothing of nodding her permission to Molly, certain that everything was fine. Even though Amie still seemed peaked she wasn't any worse then what she had been that morning; however, her confidence soon turned to panic as Molly's brow wrinkled in concern as Christopher demanded, his voice full of confusion;
"How come Amie looks so funny? It's like she's sorta blue and she's breathing real funny too."
Whirling to face the children, her eyes meeting Julie's as both widened in fear, the bowl in her hand fell to the floor, the contents splattering the floor as the dish shattered. Crossing the space to her children Jemma had her daughter in her arms in the blink of an eye as she examined the infant. Julie knew that her sister in law was trying to remain calm but there was no mistaking the panic in Jemma's voice as she begged;
"Amie, Amie, baby girl!"
Rushing to her sister in law's side, Julie could see that her niece wasn't getting the air she needed a fact evident by her pallor, not to mention the rasping, crackling quality to the child's sharp, shallow breaths. Her own fear showing, Julie demanded;
"Jemma, what could have happened.?"
Ignoring her sister in law's question for the moment, Jemma held her child with one arm before using her free hand to open her daughter's small mouth to see if there was an obstruction before shifting the infant to lay over her arm as she began gently patting her daughter's back as she pleaded;
"Amie, sweetheart, please cough for Mommy, just cough."
Hearing a slight sound that was a combination of a mewl and a gurgle, Julie snatched a napkin from the table to hold it under her niece's small mouth as the linen was stained with a sticky yellow substance with traces of a greenish-brown color. Both women's eyes reflected their fear as Jemma placed her hand against her daughter's brow before shifting her to place her lips in the same spot. Pushing her fear back down, she offered quietly;
"She's burning up."
Disbelief reflected in her eyes, Julie spread her hands in a pleading gesture, hoping she had misheard;
"But how? She was just fine when we put them down for their naps and she even nursed better the last time, she had no fever."
Her fear for her child making her answer clipped, Jemma observed;
"Well, she has one now. I think she has pneumonia."
Despite their youth, Christopher and Molly understood the implications of their aunt's statement as they turned to look at each other in concern before volunteering;
"Aunt Jemma what can we do to help?"
Despite the cyclone of thoughts spinning through her mind at the moment as she searched for a way to help her child, Jemma found one thought a constant companion; how very much she wished Aaron was here. Searching her memory for anything that might help her child, Jemma ordered;
"Alright, we need some wood, a lot of it, for the stove. I need some boiling water and I need a lot of it."
Hurrying to the stove, Julie used what wood was left in the box to stoke the fire before she began filling pots with water from the hand pump before setting them on the stovetop. Jemma nodded her gratefulness before turning to Molly to issue;
"Sweetie, I need towels and I need blankets for Amie."
Christopher rushed to volunteer;
"I'll get the wood, Aunt Jemma."
Despite being able to get her daughter to cough up a small amount of the infectious fluid, Jemma knew that laying her back in her bed wasn't an option, not if she wanted her child to survive. Bearing that thought in mind, she held her daughter upright, close to her chest as she prayed;
"Please, baby, help Mommy to help you to feel better. Just hang on and we'll get through this together."
Julie found herself focusing intently on her task at hand as she tried to prevent her tears from falling as she heard Jemma begging her daughter to get well. She soon found her concern for her niece changing to concern for what was about to occur as the door burst open with Christopher, his arms loaded with firewood rushing in, followed closely by Josh, his arms just as full and his face full of worry, having obviously been advised by Christopher of the situation. Julie could only wonder at what was about to take place as she saw Jemma turn, her eyes widening at the sight of her brother, as she stood, silent.
Jason breathed a sigh of relief as he lifted his glass to his lips before letting the liquid burn a smooth trail as it slid down his throat to warm his belly. Glancing to his companion he shook his head in frustration as he noticed Aaron's barely touched libation, still in his grasp, as well as the decided scowl that he wore. Motioning towards the glass, in his brother in law's grip, Jason chastised;
"For Heaven's sake, Aaron, enjoy your drink. Here we've settled one of the biggest deals that we've had a chance at in a while and you're sitting there as if the grim reaper were your traveling companion, rather than your gregarious and pleasant brother in law. We should be celebrating our victory, man."
Lifting the glass to drain it before slamming it back on the bar, Aaron's eyes slid sideways to glare;
"There, Jason, I finished my damn drink; are you happy now?"
Placing his hand on the man's shoulder, Jason ventured;
"Aaron, I'm sure that everything is fine, I mean, didn't Pixie promise that, if Amie got any worse, she would send you a wire?"
Nodding as he sighed in resignation, Aaron argued;
"Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm worried."
Lowering his voice as he faced his brother in law, Aaron confided;
"Jason, I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong."
Glancing out the saloon window and seeing the darkening sky, Jason offered;
"It'll be late when we get back, but if it would put your mind at ease, we could go ahead and check out of the hotel and head back to Seattle."
Reaching in his pocket to place the necessary coins on the bar, Aaron instructed;
"Keep the change."
just before leading the way out of the saloon to hurry in the direction of their hotel.
Once he had deposited the load of wood that had filled his arms into the wood box next to the stove, Josh turned to face his sister as he stated without preamble;
"Mad at me or not, Pixie, I'm not going to let your anger at my stupidity stop you from accepting my help. I love you and I love my niece and nephew and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you push me away when you need me the most. And right now, baby sister, you need my help, or more precisely, your daughter needs my help and you're going to accept it."
Closing her eyes for a moment, Jemma opened them to nod as she offered;
"Thank you."
Approaching his sister and niece, Josh gently took Amie in his arms as he examined her closely before nodding;
"You were right, Pixie, she has pneumonia."
Shocked, Julie demanded;
"How can you be so certain, Joshua?"
Motioning towards Jemma, Josh explained;
"Because, when she was just about the same age as Amie, Jemma came down with it and I remember Mother saying that she had pneumonia, especially since I helped Mother take care of her."
Her eyes betraying her fear, Jemma begged softly;
"Joshua?"
Seeing the fright, something unusual for her, in his sister's eyes, Josh placed his hand on her shoulder to give it an encouraging squeeze;
"You're still here, Pixie. Don't worry, we're going to do everything we know to do."
Motioning towards Jacob's bassinet, Josh ordered;
"When was the last time you fed the two of them?"
Shrugging slightly, she speculated;
"I think a couple of hours or so ago, she wasn't feeling well this morning but she seemed to be alright until just a short time ago."
Nodding his understanding, Josh offered;
"That's how it happened with you too. Right now, I want you to take Jacob upstairs and take care of feeding him and getting him settled. I think you should leave him upstairs because having him around Amie right now isn't a very good idea. Go on now, Pixie."
Joshua could see that she was at a loss and grateful that she complied with his suggestion as she took her son from his bed and hurried upstairs to settle the child. Once he was sure that she was out of hearing range, Josh turned to his sister in law;
"Julie, were Jason and Aaron planning on staying in Tacoma or coming right back?"
Giving a slight shake of her head, Julie explained;
"They really didn't say because it depended on whether they could get everything done as early as they wanted to. I know Aaron said he wanted to get back as soon as possible since Amie didn't seem to be feeling very well, but I don't know for sure."
Turning to Christopher, Josh ordered;
"Christopher, can you do something important for me, please?"
Nodding, the boy promised;
"Yes, sir. I can do it, Uncle Josh."
Placing his hand on the boy's shoulder, Josh instructed;
"Go tell Mr. Perkins to send a wire to Tacoma for Uncle Aaron. Tell him to ask him to come home right away that Amie's very sick."
Watching as the boy bolted out the door, Julie crossed her arms in consideration before demanding;
"Josh, not that I don't agree, but why are you sending a wire to Aaron?"
Nodding his head in the direction of the nursery, Josh explained his reasoning;
"Because, Julie, Pixie may well be one of the most stubborn, strong-willed, and determined women you'd ever hope to meet, but right now, she's scared and, to be honest, she has good reason to be."
Studying his niece, his face reflecting his own fear and concern, Josh confided;
"Amie is very sick and I'm hoping and praying that we can pull her through this, especially since we don't have Allyn or Lottie's help to draw on. Not to mention, I'm willing to bet that, given he didn't want to leave, to begin with, Aaron made my sister promise to wire him if Amie got worse, didn't he?"
Nodding, Julie admitted;
"Yes."
Sighing in resignation, Josh observed;
"Face it, Julie, Amie needs her parents, BOTH of her parents."
Julie could see just how serious the situation was and knew that, if they had not wired her brother, Hell would hath no fury like Aaron Stempel when he returned and learned just how serious the situation with his daughter was. Turning back to the stove to keep the water boiling, Julie silently prayed that this would all just be a horrible memory and that Amie would be just fine.
Jason found himself almost running to keep up with Aaron's long, strides as he followed in his wake as they made their way back to their hotel. Breathing a sigh of relief as Aaron stopped at the front desk to ring the bell to summon the desk clerk. Hurrying from the small office, the small, elderly gentleman's eyes widened, recognizing Aaron. Reaching into the message box, he offered;
"Oh, Mr. Stempel, a wire just arrived for you a few minutes ago, sir."
Taking the missive, Aaron ripped into it, already guessing the contents, to scan it quickly before crumpling it in his hand as he swore;
"Damn!"
Facing the clerk, he ordered sharply;
"Mr. Bolt and I are checking out; immediately, please get our bill ready while we get our bags."
Jason noticed the look of curiosity on the man's face as he shook his head;
"That's not exactly like Mr. Stempel, I mean, he's never been the glib sort. But, he's always been pleasant and polite enough."
Retrieving the crumpled message from where Aaron had dropped it on the counter, and, after smoothing out the wrinkles, Jason read the words and knew that, if his own heart was lurching in worry and fear, Aaron's must be about to burst through his chest. Facing the clerk, he offered;
"You'll have to overlook him, we'll be back in a moment to pay our bill."
Concern etching the clerk's features, he offered;
"Mr. Bolt, wouldn't it be better if you and Mr. Stempel waited until morning and got a fresh start? I mean, you're going to have to ride in the dark if you're returning to Seattle."
Nodding, Jason agreed;
"You're quite right, we will, but I'm afraid we have no choice."
Handling the wire to the man, he asked;
"Please dispose of that."
Watching as Jason hurried up the staircase, the clerk turned, curious as to what could be so vital to make the two men so eager to ride through the dark to return to Seattle. He was about to drop the missive into the waste can when his curiosity got the better of him; usually, he didn't intrude into the guests' privacy, but given the two men's unusual behavior, he gave in to temptation and glanced at the paper in his hand and found himself shaking his head in sympathy as he muttered;
"Poor man."
He couldn't help but be amazed how such simple words could have such a large impact, but seeing; BABY GIRL GRAVELY ILL; STOP. NO DOCTOR AVAILABLE; STOP. RETURN HOME, IMMEDIATELY; STOP. Pulling the billing slip from the slot, he wrote; PAID IN FULL as he offered a silent prayer for a baby girl he had never laid eyes on.
Josh loaded the stove to keep the fires burning, glancing towards Julie, he noticed her fanning herself as he offered;
"Why don't you go take a break? I can tend to the water, I know you have to be burning up."
Pushing her sleeves up even further Julie shook her head as she motioned towards the rocking chair, which Josh had insisted on moving into the kitchen for his sister and niece's comfort, to offer;
"She's not taking a break and considering what she's suffering, this is nothing. No, I'll stay here, Molly and Christopher are taking care of Jacob, so the least I can do is keep the water up."
Noticing the sweat dripping from his sister's face, Josh poured a glass of cool lemonade into a glass to press into her hand. Seeing that she was about to resist his offer, he ordered sharply;
"Dammit, Pixie, you're roasting under that quilt. You've got to make sure you take in plenty of fluid, especially considering just how much you're sweating out."
His tone softening, Josh placed his hand on her shoulder;
"Sweetie, you can't help your baby if you don't help yourself."
Nodding her understanding, Jemma lifted her hand out from under the quilt to take the glass before quickly draining it. Realizing just how thirsty she truly was, she pleaded;
"Could I please have some water too?"
Julie quickly pumped some fresh, cool water into a glass and rushed to press it into her sister in law's hand as she offered;
"Here, sweetie."
Reaching for a towel, Julie wiped Jemma's face to try and help cool her off as Jemma placed the glass on the table before offering a wry observation as she touched Julie's hand;
"Ironic, isn't it? You did this to help me bring her and Jacob into this world and now you're doing it again. Only this time, it's to help me keep her in this world with us."
Hearing a slight gurgling sound, Jemma pushed the quilt away as she turned Amie to hold her over her arm as Josh placed a pan of steaming water in front of the infant as her mother began patting her back with gentle force as she encouraged;
"That's my girl, come on, little one, just cough it up and get it out of your lungs, baby."
Julie stood, ready with a cloth to help clear the congestion from her niece's mouth as necessary. When the coughing spasm seemed to pass, Jemma repeated the same pattern that she had been following since the siege to help her child past the crisis had begun. Taking a clean cloth she dipped it into the pan of fresh, cool water that Josh sat on the table and began bathing her daughter in the hopes of helping to ease her discomfort from the fever that didn't seem inclined to release her from its grip. Despite her baby's exhaustion from the ordeal, she offered a slight sigh of contentment as her mother patted her dry before venturing;
"Alright, baby girl, let's see if we can get you to feed just a little, or at least get some water into you."
Noticing the wood box, Josh hurried outside to give his sister privacy as she tried to nurse her child; loading his arms with wood Josh shook his head at his sister's stubbornness. It had soon become apparent that, given Amie's fever, the best course of action was to keep her as warm as possible in the hopes of breaking the fever. However, she needed to remain as upright as possible to prevent her from choking, as well as having the chance to cough up the infection as quickly as possible, when possible. Considering all the factors, Josh wasn't shocked when she had Molly fetch the heavy Winter quilt for her after Josh brought a rocker into the kitchen to settle herself in the chair after bundling herself and Amie in the heavy cover. He wasn't surprised when his offer to take a turn under the cover was met with her stanch refusal, but he was glad that it wasn't out of anger as she explained;
"Thank you, Josh, but no, she needs to know that her Mommy is here for her."
It didn't take long to realize that she was suffering from the stifling heat as her face and neck soon became bathed in perspiration; thankfully, she ignored modesty and, after Jacob's last feeding, returned in the coolest nightgown she could find to combat the scorching heat she was subjecting herself to for her child's sake. Hearing Julie call from inside, Josh knew that his sister had finished feeding Amie and hurried back inside, but not before glancing about, as if searching the dark Seattle night before turning to hurry inside. Dropping the wood into the box beside the stove he began stoking it again before turning, already knowing the answer;
"Pixie, why don't you let me take a turn? I think you could use a break, don't you? Besides, shouldn't you see if maybe Jacob needs to be fed?"
Despite her reluctance to leave her daughter, Jemma knew that she couldn't neglect her son either. Without a word, she handed her daughter to her brother as she rose from the rocker to hurry to the nursery. Although she would never admit it, Jemma was exhausted, between the worry for her daughter, the heat she was subjecting herself to and trying to keep her children nourished, she wondered where she would get the extra strength she knew she would need to keep up the pace. Yet, she knew that, exhausted or not, there was no way that she would give up, or give in until Amie was out of danger. Pulling herself up the staircase to the nursery, she prayed softly;
"Lord, please, PLEASE, make my baby well again. I don't know what we would do without her."
Sighing deeply, she added;
"And, Lord, please, PLEASE, send me the strength I need to get Amie well and to take care of Jacob. Amen."
With that, she hurried to answer her son's beginning cries of hunger.
Jason pushed his horse faster in an attempt to keep up with Aaron before taking matters into his own hands as he pushed enough speed to be able to grasp the reins and bring the horse to a halt as he faced his livid brother in law's temper;
"Dammit, Jason, what the hell do you think you're doing? You know I've got to get back to Seattle as fast as I can."
Nodding, Jason reasoned;
"Yes, we BOTH do, Aaron. But, in case you're not aware of it, our horses need a quick rest as well as some water, and so do we."
Seeing that he was about to argue, Jason's tone softened;
"Aaron, do you think that it's really going to help your daughter or your wife if the horses give out, out here in the middle of nowhere and we're stranded? Do you REALLY want to give Pixie one more thing to worry about? I can almost guarantee that the one comfort she has right now is that she can count on you're being level headed about this so that she can focus on Amie, do you really want to disappoint her?"
Heaving a deep sigh of resignation, Aaron swore before reluctantly admitting;
"Alright, Jason, dammit, lets water the horses and fill our canteens and rest a few minutes. But make it count because this is the last stop I make until I'm home, you can do what you want."
Shaking his head at his brother in law's stubborn determination he quickly dismounted his horse and led him to the stream as Aaron followed suit. Filling their canteens before taking a long drink, Jason offered;
"She'll be fine, Aaron. Babies get sick, but I don't doubt that she'll get well."
Jason could see, as Aaron turned to face him, a look of guilt and frustration on the man's face as he shook his head;
"Jason, I knew that Amie wasn't well, but I left anyway, leaving my wife to take care of two babies and one of them sick. As it turned out sicker than what we thought, but still."
Placing his hand on his brother in law's shoulder, Jason offered;
"Aaron, you just said; 'sicker than you thought'. You didn't know that she was going to become so seriously ill. As far as you leaving, what does this contract mean for your family?"
Scowling in disbelief, Aaron ventured;
"You know good and well what it means, Jason. I can improve the equipment for the mill and offer my men a bonus, which helps improve my business. You know that means that I can make sure that my wife and children are well provided for."
Jason nodded;
"That's right, you weren't going to Tacoma for a good time, Aaron, you went to make sure that you helped a town to keep growing and to make sure that your family has a roof over their head and that they can have food on the table."
Seeing that their horses were rested, Jason waved his hand in invitation;
"Now, shall we keep going."
Although he dreaded the answer, Aaron couldn't help but ask the question that had been plaguing the back of his mind since having received the wire;
"Jason, knowing how stubborn she is, I know that she won't let anyone else take care of Amie, but..."
Settling himself in his saddle, Jason leaned forward over the pommel to venture;
"You're wondering just how stubborn she'll be about asking for help?"
At his brother in law's nod, Jason sighed as he admitted;
"You know Pixie as well as I do, Aaron and you also know just how stubborn and determined your wife is, but if you're asking just how determined she will be when it comes to trusting anyone else with your daughter."
Taking his reins in hand, Jason turned the horse before sighing;
"Pixie will willingly run herself into the ground and still find even more strength to keep going for that child's sake before she'd be willing to trust even Florence Nightingale herself to take care of Amie."
Jason kicked his horse into motion as Aaron frowned before shaking his head;
"That's what I'm afraid of"
With that, he patted his horse's neck as he encouraged;
"Come on, Trooper, we've got a lot of ground to cover and not a lot of time to do it in."
With that, he set his horse to motion to cover the distance as fast as possible.
Josh, trying to remain as quiet as possible, gently wiped his sister's drenched face as she tried to doze during a lull in the routine she had developed in caring for her child. Stirring slightly, Josh tried to soothe;
"Go back to sleep, Pixie, she's alright and quiet, get yourself some rest while you can."
Watching as she closed her eyes once more, he laid the cool rag across her forehead before tending the stove and refilling the pots with fresh water to make certain that they were ready for the next round with Amie. Hearing a noise outside and needing to refill the wood box, Josh eased out the back door to investigate and found himself breathing a huge sigh of relief as he welcomed the sight of his brother and brother in law riding hastily towards him. He couldn't help but marvel at the fact that Aaron didn't break his neck as he was out of the saddle and dismounted before his horse even stopped. Although he could see the slight light of shock in the man's eyes, he knew that, under the circumstances, his presence would be the last concern on Aaron's mind as he demanded;
"Where's my wife and daughter?"
Pointing towards the door to the kitchen, Josh put his hand on his brother in law's arm as he informed him;
"Aaron, listen. First of all, Amie has pneumonia, we, or should I say, Pixie, has been sitting up with her since she realized it, she's been doing everything we know to do to deal with it. So far, she's holding her own, which is good."
Narrowing his gaze as he pinned Josh with his eyes Aaron demanded;
"But what is it that you're NOT telling me, Josh?"
Sighing, Josh explained;
"Aaron, Pixie hasn't let me or Julie help her with Amie, not unless she was tending to Jacob. The problem is that she is exhausted, she's stayed under that heavy quilt with the baby to try and break her fever since this began. She only comes out long enough to treat Amie with the steam and to tend to her to make her comfortable, or to tend to Jacob; I've been making sure she gets plenty of fluids to keep her from dehydrating. But, Aaron, she's exhausted, she won't listen to Julie or me, but she might you. She's got to get some rest because if she doesn't then we're going to have another problem."
Realizing where Josh was going with the unspoken statement, Aaron couldn't help but take a deep breath of frustration;
"If she doesn't rest then she can't tend to the twins and if she can't tend them, they'll go hungry."
Nodding, Josh agreed;
"Exactly! I made a pallet on the floor for her trying to compromise, but she refuses to let Amie out of her arms unless it's to nurse Jacob."
Making his mind up to his course of action, Aaron glanced over his shoulder to Jason who motioned towards the door;
"Go do what you need to do and I'll take care of your horse and then I'll bring in another load of wood for the stove."
Offering a slight bow of his head, he offered;
"Thank you, Jason."
Even though she was dozing, actually resting was something beyond Jemma's capability, frightened that she might not hear her child if she got worse, she seemed to hover between semi-conscious and wakefulness. Dimly, she wondered how much longer she could keep up the pace that she was currently running on, but even as she pondered the thought she knew that, no matter what, until her baby was out of danger she had to keep going. Despite her determination and independence, the thought was never far from her heart and mind just how much she wished that Aaron were here to lend her some of his strength and determination, she did not doubt that her husband's indomitable will and strength would ensure their daughter's recovery. Given her exhaustion and state of semi confusion, Jemma failed to hear the door open or close and noticed nothing until she felt the quilt pulled away from her and her daughter. Knowing how vital it was for Amie to be kept warm to help break her fever, Jemma began to feel panic, even in her current state of mind, even more so when she felt her daughter being taken from her arms and she felt herself being lifted from the chair. Her eyes flew open in panic but the fear was soon replaced with relief as her mind registered just who was holding her and just how God had answered her prayer for strength. Throwing her arms around her husband's neck she couldn't help but exclaim;
"Oh thank God!"
Holding her tighter, Aaron offered;
"It's alright, love, I promise it's going to be alright."
Feeling her struggling slightly, he wasn't surprised when she protested;
"Honey put me down, I have to see to Amie."
Shaking his head, Aaron stated in a tone that brooked no argument;
"No, sweetheart, you don't, I'll tend to Amie. Since I know that I don't have a prayer of getting you to agree to go upstairs to our bedroom, I'm willing to compromise and let
you stay down here as long as you lay down on the pallet Josh and Julie made for you."
Seeing that she was about to argue, Aaron rationalized;
"Jemma love, be sensible. You're exhausted, you've been taking care of Amie, without a break I might add, and I doubt that you've eaten more than what's necessary for you to be able to nurse. Not to mention,"
Nodding towards the floor he reminded;
"You've been subjecting yourself to a lot of heat to try and break her fever. Darlin, you have GOT to get some rest, if you don't you might not be able to nurse Amie or Jacob, is that what you want?"
Despite her state of exhaustion, the thought that her children might suffer from her stubbornness broke through Jemma's haze of confusion and the realization of just what those consequences could be and how they would affect her children, found her shaking her head as tears ran down her face;
"No, I'm sorry, I just wasn't thinking beyond trying to make her well."
Holding her close as she laid her head on his shoulder, Aaron consoled her;
"Jemma darlin, it's alright. But, for right now, you are going to get some rest. I'll take care of Amie, and Jason can help me while you, Julie, and Josh get some rest."
Lifting her head, she ventured;
"But, she needs to take in as much milk..."
Nodding his understanding as he crossed the room to the pallet that Josh had set up for his sister, Aaron put her fears to rest;
"I know, love. I promise, I can handle this and when she needs to nurse I'll bring her to you and help you; alright?"
Laying her head back on his shoulder, she made one last attempt;
"But you must have ridden all night, you're tired too."
Shaking his head as he lowered her to the makeshift pallet, Aaron promised;
"I've gone a lot farther and on much less rest then this, I'll be fine. Now, you, Miss Stubborn, close your eyes and get some REAL rest, sweetheart."
Pushing her hair away from her face, Arron knelt to place a kiss on her forehead as he ordered;
"Stop fighting, love and get some sleep."
Waiting a few moments, he breathed a reserved sigh of relief as she gave in and closed her eyes and, just as he knew would be the case once she was sure that he would be there for her be able to rely on, she was soon sound asleep. Turning back to Josh and Jason, he ventured;
"Alright, I know it's not your place to help me but..."
Shaking his head as he held his niece, Josh declared;
"Yes, it is, we're family and we stick together. I'm fine, I've had a little rest."
Motioning towards his daughter, Aaron speculated;
"I'm guessing her fever hasn't broken yet?"
Josh confirmed his brother in law's theory;
"No, and Pixie had done everything we could think of."
Taking his daughter in his arms, Aaron examined her as he spoke softly;
"I know, baby girl, I know you've had a rough time."
Hearing the gurgling sounds from her, Aaron followed the same course of action that his wife had been following as he placed her over his arm to pat her back as Jason held a steaming pot of water beneath her face to help loosen the fluid from her lungs as Josh wiped whatever she managed to cough up from her mouth. Glancing towards his wife, Aaron decided;
"I know that Jemma has probably been trying to nurse her to keep her strength up as well as to try and keep fluids in her, but she's exhausted and I think Amie could benefit more from some water right now than what she can her mother's milk."
Although they had not needed them before, Aaron found one of the small glass baby bottles that Jemma had insisted would be a good idea, just in case. He couldn't help but remember telling her how he didn't think that would be the case but giving in to humor her. Shaking his head as Jason filled the container with some water, Aaron couldn't help but mutter;
"I'll never doubt her instincts again."
Settling himself in the rocker, Aaron tried to get his daughter to ingest as much of the fluid as he felt was safe for her to take; once he was satisfied with his efforts he cradled her against his chest to pat her back to make sure she burped, knowing the last thing that she needed was to have her stomach acting up. As he was changing her diaper and felt the heat flowing from her bare skin as his hand brushed her nightshirt, a thought suddenly came to mind as he turned to Josh to demand;
"Josh, has Amie had her nightshirt on this whole time?"
His confusion at the question evident in the puzzled look he wore, Josh nodded;
"Yes, she was trying to sweat the fever out of her but didn't want her getting chilled; why?"
Realizing what the missing piece of the puzzle was, Aaron placed his daughter in her uncle's arms as he hurriedly stripped his vest and shirt off before taking his child to remove her nightshirt as he ventured;
"Jemma was right, she needs heat but she wasn't getting enough, or to be more precise, not the right kind of heat."
Comprehending, Jason reminded;
"Josh, don't you remember when Pixie got sick that time and her fever wouldn't break? Remember, she got sick just after Mother passed away, Father tried piling blankets on top of her to sweat the fever out but it wouldn't break."
His eyes widening in recollection, Josh nodded;
"That's right!"
His head swiveling from one to the other, Aaron demanded;
"Well, what did he do?"
Waving his hand towards Aaron, Jason advised;
"Exactly what you're about to do; Father realized that the covers weren't working because what was needed was body heat. He held her just like you're doing, although he did it in front of the fireplace with a quilt, her fever broke within a few hours."
Shaking his head, Aaron ventured;
"I don't want to light a fire in the fireplace, especially since we can get enough heat from the stove."
Once Jason and Josh had moved the rocker closer to the stove, Aaron got as comfortable as possible before settling his daughter against his chest as Jason draped the quilt over them before remarking;
"You know, Aaron, this is going to get pretty hot and pretty uncomfortable, Josh and I can spell you."
Although he had hoped that he would accept the offer, Jason wasn't surprised when his brother in law shook his head before motioning towards where Jemma slept;
"Thank you, Jason but no. Jemma did everything she could until she wore herself to exhaustion; not to mention.."
Placing a kiss on her daughter's warm brow, he lamented;
"There's no one to give our baby girl a break from what she's having to go through. Besides, considering I'd walk through the fires of Hell to make her well again, this should be a picnic."
With that, he leaned back to set the rocker in motion before pleading;
"But I wouldn't be offended if you were to keep some coffee going until this is over."
Despite how long he had known Aaron Stempel, Jason soon found himself silently amused by the fact that; everyone had always considered the man to be predictable. However, the truth of the matter was that Aaron might well be a lot of things, but predictable wasn't on that list. Quietly, he set about setting a pot of coffee to brewing before doffing his own jacket and making himself as comfortable as possible, prepared to do outlast the battle that their family was engaged in to see to Amie's recovery.