Chapter 21.
The second day of the New Year, a Thursday, dawned cold and overcast. Emily posted the "OPEN" sign in the window but didn't expect any customers now that the holidays were over.
So she settled into her rocking chair with her sewing, a cup of hot tea within reach. It was a good day for tea, she decided, and her thoughts turned to Sarah, wishing her all good things and knowing she would miss her.
Suddenly the door flew open with a great clatter and chime from the bell and Nick entered, Nick style, and announced, "Glory's gonna foal, you wanna come?"
Startled out of her cozy morning, perplexed by her feelings for Nick, and really wanting to watch Glory foal, Emily fled upstairs to pull on her riding breeches, coat, and bonnet without saying a word.
She was tying her bonnet under her chin when she came downstairs. Nick was standing at the counter, drumming his fingers on it.
"Well, good morning to you, too!" he said, smiling and teasing her.
She smiled at him, "I'm sorry, Nick. Good morning. And, yes, I would love to see Glory foal."
Outside, Coco and Blackie stood waiting for their people. Emily buttoned her coat completely and pulled on her gloves. Nick helped her up and into the saddle on Blackie.
They rode in silence, subdued by the winter sky as well as by their own feelings for each other: Emily's confusion of staunch reluctance, affection, and desire and Nick's own confusion of affection, admiration, and impatience.
Once out of town and on the road to the ranch, Nick broke the silence by declaring, "Well, it sure is going to be an interesting year!"
"Oh?" asked Emily.
"Audra and Carl are getting married!" He looked at her. "They announced their engagement New Year's Eve."
"Nick! That's wonderful!" she was genuinely happy for the couple.
"I'm surprised you didn't know," he said. "I thought by now Audra would have told everyone in the valley. She's off to visit friends today, to tell them."
Emily laughed and told him, "Nick, you're my best source for Barkley news. I am very happy for them. Have they set a date?"
"June," Nick said, and added, "I don't remember the exact date but Audra and Mother are all full of plans."
"And you're in favor of this match, yes?" she asked, trying to get a reading on his feelings.
"Absolutely," he said, "though I guess I won't be seeing my little sister quite as much."
If at all, Emily thought. Yes, it was going to be an interesting year at the Barkley Ranch.
When they reached her, Glory was restless, twitching her tail, and beginning to sweat. As her restlessness increased and she began to paw the ground, the hands started moving the other horses out of the stable and away from her. Emily helped them, just as she had helped her brother, Frank, so many times before.
Glory would lie down, then get up again, and then get down again. When her water broke, she laid herself down with her backside pressed to a wall. Emily moved forward to coax her away so to give enough room for the foal to be born. Nick said to leave her to her own devices and Emily argued that Glory might not think to leave room for her foal. Nick pointed out that this was not his first such experience, and Emily shot back that it wasn't her first experience, either.
One of the newer hands, standing nearby remarked, "Oh, y'all sound like an old married couple. Don't know why y'all ain't married already."
Nick's anger flashed as he glared at Emily and said loudly, "Why doncha ask her!" Emily glared back at him, saying nothing. With that, several of the hands drifted quietly out of the stable. Nick and Emily stepped back to let Glory be.
They stood side by side against the wall of the stable, watching Glory struggle.
"Nick," Emily hissed, "I already told you. I'm not ready and I can't have babies," and, for emphasis, she extended her arm towards Glory, who clearly could.
"Well, I am and I don't care!" he hissed back at her.
She turned to face him. "Nick! You may not care now, but what about five, ten, twenty years from now when Jarrod, Heath, and even Audra have all these little Barkleys running around the ranch and you have none?" She was no longer talking in stage whisper, but in a normal tone, pleading.
"And I'm telling you I don't care!" Nick said a little too loudly.
"And I don't believe that! Not for one minute!" Her voice was raised. "You mean to tell me that Nick Barkley, Ruler of the Barkley Empire," she held her arms out expansively, "would be perfectly content to watch Jarrod Junior, or Heath Junior run this ranch and inherit all its holdings? You would be happy about that?"
She was close to tears but was not about to give Nick that power. They watched silently for a moment as the foal's hooves and head appeared and, not taking his eyes from the emerging life, Nick calmly stated, "I don't care."
"And I don't believe that," she replied, with equal calm.
The foal emerged completely and Nick helped to open the sac. Some of the hands returned to see the new life.
Victoria came and joined the group and together they watched for a long time until they saw the foal stand. Then Victoria told Nick and Emily it was time for lunch.