Chapter 272 – Fears Surface
Saturday morning dawned rainy and overcast. A loud clap of thunder and Abigail woke in a panic. Frank was quickly awake and trying to calm Abigail down and figure out what happened.
"It is okay." Frank kept repeating as Abigail sobbed and shook in his arms.
It took a while until Frank finally learned the loud clap of thunder that rattled the windows was similar to the sound that Abigail had heard in the row house the day of the mine explosion. Frank continued to hold her and let her work through the emotions she was feeling. He felt bad that he couldn't do more than hold her and reassure her that he was right there and was fine. He had learned that it was usually best if the person actually experienced the emotions and released them, instead of keeping them all in.
"I am sorry." Abigail said, as she finally calmed down.
"It is okay." Frank said. "Feelings and memories, good or bad, are not wrong. I am fine. You are fine. The kids are fine. Everything is okay."
"I suppose." Abigail said.
She laid back down, facing her husband.
"I am sorry." Abigail said, again. "I don't know why I reacted the way I did. I have obviously heard thunder in the last fourteen months."
"It is okay." Frank said, kissing Abigail's forehead.
"Would you be upset if I just wanted to go home?" Abigail asked.
"No." Frank said. "If that is what you want. It is barely first light. So how about we get a few more hours of sleep and then make a decision about what to do."
"Okay." Abigail said. "Between the weird dream and the thunder, I don't know if I can actually go back to sleep."
"Why don't you turn around." Frank said. "I will hold you and you tell me about the dream."
Frank held his arms open. Abigail snuggled down into her husband's chest with his arms wrapped around her. Frank held her, hoping to make her feel safe and protected.
"I don't know how much I can tell you." Abigail said. "Let me ask you this – do you remember any of the conversation last night as you drifted off to sleep and told me to 'trust God and it will be fine'?"
"Sorry." Frank said. "No, I don't. It does sound like something I would say."
"We were almost asleep and I bolted upright." Abigail said. "I had such a strikingly real vision. You asked me what was wrong and I said nothing. Then you told me to trust God and promptly drifted off to sleep. I ended up laying back down, but it took me a while to fall asleep and then when I did, I had this weird dream."
"So what was this vision?" Frank asked. "And is it part of the weird dream?"
"Yeah." Abigail said. "They are connected. The dream was about a doctor who arrived in town and then I helped him deliver five babies in the next year."
"Tell me about it." Frank said.
"I honestly can't tell you who the mother's are." Abigail said. "But I will tell you what is clear. The first baby is a little boy who has trouble breathing and the doctor saves him. Next it was a set of twins – two little boys. They are born during a snowstorm. After that it was a little girl on Valentine's day and the last little one came just in time to interrupt Easter services. I can't tell you if the last one is a boy or girl because I woke up before I saw."
"Well." Frank said. "Maybe write it all down with today's date and we will have to see what happens. Either way it sounds like it is going to be a busy year for Hope Valley."
Frank kissed Abigail's neck.
"And you are sure you don't know who the mother's are?" Frank said, between kisses to Abigail's shoulder.
"Nope." Abigail said. "Couldn't tell you, but for some reason, I feel connected to all of the babies in a way I can't describe."
"Umm." Frank said, still kissing Abigail's exposed skin. "Sounds like I should brush up on Christenings."
"Yeah, maybe." Abigail said.
Frank continued to kiss and tease Abigail with his wandering hand. They slowly climb the mountain before falling over the edge together again. As they catch their breaths again, they both fall asleep thinking about five new little arrivals in Hope Valley.
Wynn woke up to the sound of his wife being sick. He got out of bed and found his wife sitting on the cool tile floor of the water closet.
"That is it." Wynn said. "I am calling the doctor."
"Dear …." Elizabeth Rose said.
She couldn't say anything else as she got sick again. Wynn went to the phone and called down to the desk. He asked them to call the doctor and send up some ginger tea and crackers. Wynn made sure that the door to the kids room was shut and then went back to his wife.
"The doctor is on his way." Wynn said. "I am worried about you. You have been pale and not feeling well for a week. Now you have been sick. I also ordered ginger tea and crackers for you. I don't know if they will arrive before the doctor."
"Can you help me back to bed?" Elizabeth Rose asked.
Wynn helped his wife back to bed and then went to wait for the doctor. Wynn sat there and prayed while he waited. It felt like forever, but in reality it was only about twenty minutes when there was a knock on the door. When Wynn answered, he wasn't surprised it was the doctor and the steward there with his order. He welcomed the doctor in and thanked the steward, taking the cart.
"Thank you for coming." Wynn said.
"Where is the patient?" The doctor asked.
"It is my wife." Wynn said. "She has been pale and not feeling well for over a week. She said it was her monthly and I let it be. Yesterday, she had no appetite and spent the better part of the afternoon curled up in bed with the hot water bottle. Then this morning she was vomiting. She hasn't had a fever as far as I know. I haven't seen her like this and we have been married for twenty-nine years. I delivered our first child who was stillborn and I never saw her like this. We have been in Hope Valley for more than the last month. We are on our way back to Hamilton and stopped her for a few days."
"And how old is your wife?" The doctor asked.
"Forty-six." Wynn said. "It was just her birthday a few weeks ago."
"Let me examine her." The doctor said. "But it could be as simple as traveling and her age."
Wynn nodded, but wasn't sure. He showed the doctor to the bedroom. He went over to his wife and touched her cheek.
"Elizabeth." Wynn said. "The doctor is here."
She opened her eyes and sat up a little.
"Ma'am." The doctor said. "I am Dr Burns. Can I examine you? I have spoken to your husband."
"Yes." Elizabeth Rose said. "As long as my husband can stay in the room. We have no secrets and he is a Mountie."
"Very well." Dr Burns said.
Wynn took a seat in the chair. Dr Burns went over and did a quick exam of Elizabeth. He took her temperature, got her blood pressure and took her pulse. He asked her a few more questions, but seemed to dismiss what she said. Finally, he put his things back in his bag. He looked between Elizabeth Rose and Wynn.
"I am pretty sure it is just from traveling." Dr Burns said. "Ginger tea and crackers. Maybe try holding off traveling until her stomach settles. A woman's body can change as she ages and she can experience symptoms differently and things that didn't bother her before, could now be a problem. I suggest that you get used to it, you are not as young as you used to be. A heavy travel schedule might not be possible anymore. It could also be the different foods and things you eat while traveling. If things continue, I might suggest a follow up with your regular doctor."
"Thank you for coming out." Elizabeth Rose said. "My husband worries."
"No problem." Dr Burns said. "Most men can't handle when their wife is sick. It is even worse when they think they have a little medical knowledge. I suggest that you rest and scale back on the amount of travel you undertake. I will see myself out."
Dr Burns left and Wynn looked at Elizabeth Rose.
"Sorry." Wynn said.
"No." Elizabeth Rose said. "You have a right to worry. That man was a down right condescending ass. I think he might have been the one to misdiagnose Becky."
"Do you want me to call someone else?" Wynn asked. "Or maybe take you to the hospital?"
"No, Dear." Elizabeth Rose said. "He might have been an ass about it, but it very well could be the change of life. I promise if things don't get better, I will call and make an appointment with Dr Kelly."
"Thank you." Wynn said. "I will bring you some tea and crackers."
"No, I will get up." Elizabeth Rose said.
Wynn helped Elizabeth Rose out of bed.
"Lay back down." She said. "It is raining and I have a feeling it is going to continue, so it will be a long day."
"Okay." Wynn said.
Elizabeth Rose went to the sitting room and Wynn crawled back into bed. Thirty minutes later Elizabeth Rose crawled back into bed with her husband. She was feeling a little better. She knew that it was going to be a long trip home if her stomach continued to act up, but she said a quick prayer and received a peace that it was nothing to worry about.
Several hours later, Dee woke his parents.
"What time is it?" Wynn asked, opening his eyes.
"It is after nine." Dee said. "Becky and Cody have had breakfast and are currently in the lobby just to get out of the room for a bit."
"Okay." Wynn said. "Give me a minute."
Dee stepped out and five minutes later his father came out dressed. Wynn pulled the doors to the bedroom shut.
"What are your plans?" Wynn asked.
"I have been up since four." Dee said. "I have had breakfast, been to headquarters and finished the reports from yesterday. I have also spoken to headquarters in Hamilton. I have made travel arrangements for the Hogans heading back to Hope Valley on the twelve-thirty train. We are scheduled to board an eastbound train at three."
"Thank you." Wynn said.
"How is Mom?" Dee asked.
"She still isn't feeling well." Wynn said. "I would like to stay a few days, but I think she might protest, especially after I called the doctor already this morning."
"I do have a private compartment for you both." Dee said. "So she can rest on the train. Sounds like you only have to pick up information in Regina and Fort Garry, so not a few days each. Even if we stay overnight at each, we will be home by mid-week."
"Alright." Wynn said. "What do the skies look like?"
"Rainy all day." Dee said. "Becky mentioned something about staying here and taking it easy. She admitted overdoing it yesterday. I assume Frank and Abigail wouldn't mind a quiet day to themselves in their room."
"I would like to stay close." Wynn said. "Especially with your mother not feeling well."
"I was going to run some errands." Dee said. "Nothing major, but I could take Cody with me."
"That might work." Wynn said. "Stay in touch. Maybe supper at the Irish place, if your mother is up to it. I know I took them there for lunch yesterday, but it is good food."
"Sounds good." Dee said. "I will send Becky back up and then take Cody with me. Take it easy and maybe call Frank and Abigail with the plan."
Wynn nodded and saw his son out. He checked on his wife and then ordered some coffee and muffins. He started on the large stack of paperwork that he had picked up the day before. Becky returned and grabbed a sketchbook and sat with her feet up.
Twenty minutes after Dee left, Frank called up to Wynn to see what the plan for the day was. Wynn let him know that Dee had taken Cody to run a bunch of errands and that Becky was sitting with her feet up with a sketchbook. He also shared about how Elizabeth Rose still wasn't feeling well and they had called the doctor earlier that morning. Wynn shared what the plan for supper was if Elizabeth Rose was feeling up to it.
Frank said he would pray for Elizabeth Rose, but did also agree that a quiet day at the hotel sounded good. Wynn chuckled. He knew what Frank was thinking, but at the same time he felt for the man. Wynn knew they would have very little privacy and time alone when they returned to Hope Valley. As much as Wynn had enjoyed spending that extra alone time with his wife, he knew that even their time together was going to be limited as they returned back to work and a normal routine.
Frank hung up the phone and went back to his wife.
"Elizabeth Rose still doesn't feel well." Frank said. "Wynn and Becky are taking it easy. Dee took Cody out to run some errands. Did you still want to go back?"
"We can stay." Abigail said. "Another day just the two of us sounds pretty good."
"I was thinking the same thing." Frank said.
Frank leaned over and kissed his wife. At the same time he ran his hand up her leg and brought it to rest on her rib cage right under her breast. Abigail gasped and responded by reaching out for her husband. They would spend the better part of the day loving each other and talking, barely leaving their bed.