Standing outside the window of the neonatal ward, Bill and Wade looked on as a neonatal nurse went to an incubator and brought a baby to the window for them to see. Bill kept his hand on Wade's back while Wade could barely see the baby through tears. The baby boy's eyes were shut tight and his hands were balled up in clenched fists.
"I don't know what I'm going to do, Bill," Wade said.
"You're going to take care of your son, Wade," he replied.
"I don't know how."
"We'll help you… Rebecca and I," Bill said.
"You've got your own little one on the way," Wade said.
"We'll help you. I mean it," Bill replied.
"I can't believe my Susan is gone. She was only 28," Wade said, crying again.
Bill rubbed his friend's back. "I'm so sorry, Wade," Bill said.
The neonatal nurse put the baby back in the incubator and came out to talk to the men.
"Which one of you is the father?" she asked.
"I am," Wade said through tears.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. Matlock," she said as she touched his arm.
"Thank you, nurse," said Bill.
"Mr. Matlock, do you have a name for your son? I'd like to put his name on his paperwork, wristband, and incubator. Right now, he's Baby Matlock...but, if you don't know yet, that's fine too," she said.
"We talked about it a couple of months ago. Since he's a boy, his name will be Wade Matlock, Jr."
"Do you have a middle name for the paperwork?" she asked.
"We didn't discuss that," he said. He thought for a few moments and then looked at Bill. "How about William?"
"Wade, you don't have to do that," Bill said.
"I want to," Wade said. "And besides, my middle name is Elroy. No boy should be saddled with that," he said as he forced a small smile.
"So, Wade William Matlock?" the nurse asked.
"Yes," Wade said.
"Okay, Mr. Matlock. Since Wade Jr. was a little early, you'll have to wait to take him home for at least 3 weeks. Rest assured, we're going to take good care of him here. This will give you some time to get ready for his homecoming," she said.
"Okay. Thanks," he replied.
"And Mr. Matlock, I truly am sorry," she repeated, touching his arm again.
Wade didn't respond and just looked through the window at his baby boy.
"Wade, I've got to get a hold of Rebecca. Will you wait here? I'll be right back," Bill said.
"Yes," Wade replied.
Bill walked down the hall to the nurses' station and asked to use their phone. He dialed Cattle Annie, because Rebecca was at the house alone, likely still waiting for Susan.
"Cattle Annie?"
"Yes? Bill? Is that you?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied.
"Rebecca called over here this morning wonderin' if I'd heard from you. She called the Matlock place too," she said.
"Something terrible has happened and I need you to keep this to yourself, until I can get home to tell Rebecca myself. I'm going to head home in a few minutes to tell her, but I need you to drop in on her until I get there," he said.
"What's happened Bill, honey?" she asked.
"Susan went into labor this morning, and she died giving birth to their son," he said, not mincing words.
"Oh no! Poor Wade! " She paused. "And that poor baby!" she replied.
"I need you to go over there like you're checking on her. Don't act like anything is wrong. I'll be there soon," he said.
"Okay, Bill. I'll head over right now," she said and then hung up.
Bill went back to check on Wade who was sitting on a bench outside the neonatal ward. His head was leaned back against the wall and he was staring at the ceiling.
"Wade, can I take you home? There's nothing you can do right now, and the baby's in good hands," Bill said.
"I guess. It's not going to be much of a home without Susan," he said.
"It will be in time… with your new son," Bill replied.
Wade dragged himself to his feet and the two men walked out of the hospital.
"Hi, Rebecca, honey," Cattle Annie said cheerily as she entered Rebecca's bedroom.
"Hi, Cattle Annie. Were you going to stay with me today? I thought Susan was," she said and then paused and thought a bit, "Well, maybe that's why I couldn't get her on the phone."
"No. Just checkin' on you after your phone call," Annie said.
"Oh. Well, I wonder what's going on with Susan," she replied.
"Can I get you anything? Have you had breakfast?"
"Actually, Sergei made me breakfast. I could use a glass of milk, though," she said.
"Comin' right up. I'll bring you the morning paper, too. Saw it on your front stoop. We can read the news together," Annie said. She walked downstairs to get Rebecca a glass of milk and then went out the front door to retrieve the paper. She returned quickly to Rebecca.
"Here's your milk, honey," she said.
"Thanks," Rebecca replied and began drinking.
"What section would you like?"
"I'll take the style section," Rebecca replied. "Start with something light and easy."
"I hear ya, honey," Annie replied.
"There are some cute styles in here for summer. Too bad I won't get to wear them," Rebecca said.
"Honey, you'll get your figure back in no time. You'll see," Annie said. "Can you believe this Joe McCarthy fella? Man's a bit hysterical about communism if you ask me. People have a right to believe in and join causes that they want to. I don't think this man's got all what belongs to him, if ya know what I mean," Annie said.
"Yeah. What he's doing doesn't seem very constitutional to me," Rebecca said.
"You should read all these crazy opinions on the opinion page in support of the man. Whole world's gone mad, I tell ya," Annie replied.
"Seems that way at times to me," she said. "Makes me glad to be holed up in here for the duration."
Cattle Annie laughed. "You got that right, honey."
The women conversed about the daily news, opinions, and social events for an hour or so, when Bill came home. He entered the bedroom where the two women were sitting.
"Oh, hi, Bill. Are you home for lunch?" Rebecca asked.
"Yes, dear. I also have some news for you. Cattle Annie, would you excuse us?" Bill asked.
"Sure thing, honey," she said, squeezing his shoulder. Cattle Annie left and went downstairs.
"Rebecca, I have something to tell you," Bill said, sitting on the edge of their bed and holding her hand.
"What is it, Bill? Is it bad news?" she asked.
"Yes. And as hard as it will be for you to hear, try to remain calm," he said.
"You're scaring me, Bill," she said, gripping his hand.
"Rebecca, Susan went into labor this morning," he said.
"O no!" she put her hands to her mouth. "Did she lose the baby?" she asked.
"No. She had a healthy baby boy," he replied.
"Oh, good!" she exclaimed. "What's the bad news, then?" she asked.
"Rebecca, Susan died," he said matter-of-factly. She gasped and he put his arm around her shoulders tight, anticipating her torrent of emotions.
"What?" she asked with a shocked and confused look on her face, tears beginning to fall.
"She's gone, Rebecca," Bill said.
She began crying so hard that it shook her frame and Bill hugged her tight. She cried for what seemed forever, and Bill kept holding her.
"What about Wade?" she asked through sobs.
"I took him home before I came here," Bill said.
"He must be devastated," she said.
"He is," Bill said. "But he has a son now to look after. I will try to keep him focused on that."
"We'll have to take care of them both, now," Rebecca said.
"I planned on it," Bill said as he looked at her and brushed back a lock of her auburn hair. "I can't imagine losing you."
Rebecca hugged him again and cried some more.