Winter's Refuge

Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Two

JED 'KID' CURRY

Chrissy was on the floor in the kitchen in the middle of a pain. It was too soon for the babies to come. Not three days like Angie had been. It was five or six weeks too early. Her scream was contained. I doubt anyone else in the house had heard it. She pushed me away as soon as the pain passed.

"Where's Auntie?" I asked, as she walked and sat on the couch in the livin' room. Leanin' back and rubbin' her belly.

"Went home to rest."

I looked at Rocky, but he was already runnin' out the back door to get her into the drivin' rain.

"Angie?"

"Her bedroom nursing Nettie and helping the twins with their homework," Chrissy answered breathlessly.

"Angie, Michael, Martha," I yelled, hoping they'd hear. Heyes had the walls built thick in his extension so him and Angie could have privacy.

"Upstairs," Chrissy said, quiet now that the pain passed. "Upstairs, now!" she ordered.

So, I picked her up in my arms as gently as could. She put her arm around my neck and leaned her head on my shoulder. Climbin' slowly, I cautiously put two feet on each and every stair.

"Jed, hurry!"

The urgency in her voice made me hurry, even darin' to skip stairs as I ran up the remainin' steps. As I started down the hall toward our room, I felt her body tighten in my grip.

"Jed, down now."

I felt helpless as the pain hit her right there in the corridor. I know she tried to contain her scream because I was standin' there. When it was over, lookin' down, she reached for my arm. "Bed now."

She started to pull at the blankets on the bed.

"I'll do that. How do you want them?"

"Floor."

When I'd done that, I picked her up and put her on the bed, half sittin' up against the pillows.

"More pillows," she demanded.

I could hear Auntie with her cane comin' up the stairs slowly. Placin' the cane and both feet on each step before continuin'. And I heard Rocky's voice helpin' her. She started issuin' orders as soon as she entered the room.

"Rocky, go downstairs and first help Angie up those stairs. Slowly, very slowly. Have her bring the baby up here. And then I need you to keep two stewpots of water at a boil until I tell you to bring it up."

"Mama?"

Martha and Michael were at the door, eyes wide lookin' scared and helpless.

"She's alright child, just havin' a baby," answered Auntie, as she opened the bottom drawer of our dresser and pulled out a stack of clean towels and rags. I don't know when Chrissy put them there.

I went and knelt in front of our oldest kids and hugged them. "It's alright. Rocky's goin' take you and the little girls to the Ortiz house. Miss Hortencia will take good care of you. Rocky, come back when they're settled." Hortencia was havin' a rough pregnancy and barely left her house.

"Martha can stay. We might need an extra set of hands," Auntie said, fussin' over Chrissy as she had another pain.

When it was done, Chrissy held out her arms and the twins ran to her hugs. "Martha only stay if you want to."

"I want to help Mama," she answered, even though I saw a fear in her eyes. They've always been elsewhere when babies were born here at Phoenix. But she was eight now and Auntie was right. We will probably need extra hands with twins comin'.

Michael felt left out. "I want to help, too," he said, almost whinin'.

Chrissy always seems to know what to say to our kids to make them feel loved and wanted. "Michael, need you to take care of Joy and Ruth Ann at the Flores house. Do what you can to help Miss Hortencia. You know she's with child, too.

"Where's Arnie?" I asked Rocky before he left with the kids.

He looked down so I knew I wasn't goin' like the answer. "He went to Three Birds to fetch Dr. Arden."

"He did what? In this weather? That road is a flowin' river of mud. He's not that stupid to try to ride through that," I yelled at Rocky what I wanted to yell at Arnie.

Shufflin' from foot to foot he added, "He wanted to help. Took your Winter's Glory, sir." Rocky refused to look at me.

I was about to yell more, but Chrissy finished the conversation. "Good. Winter's Glory strong like Jed. Strongest horse at Phoenix. Arnie will get to doctor."

She had changed my thoughts and I added, "Hope they have the sense to stay in Three Birds until this eases up, at least some. When you come back, keep that water boiling."

ASJ*****ASJ

I feel helpless but I keep doin' as Auntie tells me. Right now, she wants me to burp Nettie so Angie can help. After burpin, Nettie I laid her down in Ruth Ann's crib, She went right to sleep. Martha found Chrissy's old Black Beauty book and took a position in a chair on the far side of the bed. She started from the beginnin'.

Chrissy looked over at her. "Good. Read."

But nothin' much seems to be happenin' except Chrissy screams in pain every once in a while and Angie announces how long it is between screams. The time is gettin' shorter. Angie rubs Chrissy's back and legs and feet and her back again. But Chrissy don't want me near her right now. Maybe that's why the fathers wait in another room.

To give Martha a break, I took the book and started readin'. I've heard Chrissy read this book so many times I know a lot of it by heart. Time is passin' so slowly. When I first heard Chrissy scream, I thought the babies were comin' right away. But we're still waitin'. I thought about Mary, who had Kenny before Aiden even arrived. But she wasn't havin' twins and Aiden ain't gonna be here to help my Chrissy.

Auntie bustled here and there and said calmin' words of reassurance, but the clock ticked on, and Chrissy's pains were closer and closer together. Angie and Auntie huddled in the corner and talked in low tones that Chrissy couldn't hear. But I could. They were worried. They didn't know what to do. They talked about the first baby bein' breech. Don't know what that means, but it doesn't sound good.

Auntie went to the bed and waited until Chrissy stopped screamin'. The ladies had given her a towel to bite down on. I remember once bitin' on a piece of wood while Preacher cut a bullet out of me. Didn't help with the pain but gave me something to think about.

Auntie bent over the bed. "I'm going to try and feel the baby through your belly, Chrissy. Let me know if I'm hurting you."

My wife first clenched the towel in her teeth then let it fall as she screamed louder in pain. The screams were barely distinguishable from one another.

"How can I help? I need to help," I demanded.

Angie pulled me aside. "Jed, the calmer you are, the calmer your wife will be. Go sit on the other side and hold her hand."

Breathin' deeply, I did as she suggested I sat down just as Chrissy cried out in pain again. Auntie felt her belly. "Not really sure what I'm feeling for," she confessed.

"Mr. Curry, come down here. The doctor's here." Rocky's voice sounded amazed and relieved.

I hurried down the stairs as a very wet Dr. Aiden Arden hurried through the front door. Water was dripping from every part of him and off the brim of his hat. He dropped his soaked through coat on the floor inside the front door and his hat followed.

Chrissy screamed.

I looked outside. It was rainin' as hard as ever and Winter's Glory was standin' there. "Rocky, get Winter's Glory into the stable and take care of him," I said.

I looked at Aiden, "Arnie?"

"Stayed in Three Birds. He'll bring Denise in the buggy as roon as the weather clears." Aiden had stripped off his wet vest and shirt that were sticking to his body. Rode your horse our here…magnificent animal." Swiftly, he went to the stairs. "Jed, I need a dry shirt and pants and maybe a second shirt to put over the first. Get them," Aiden ordered. He spoke quickly as he left his shoes at the bottom of the stairs. "You," he pointed at Rocky. "Bring low bowls for the alcohol wash as soon as you finish with the horse."

Thinkin' my clothes would be too big, I ran toward Heyes bedroom but remembered somethin' as I passed the guest room, my old bedroom. There in the closet were the clothes from my saddle bag that Lom had stored when I went to prison. I grabbed two of the shirts and a pair of jeans. And heard Chrissy scream again.

I took the steps two at a time but stood at the door of our bedroom. I could tell things had changed. The bowl under the pitcher was full of alcohol and some of Aiden's medical tools. But right now I could tell a baby was comin'.

"No, no, no," Aiden said. From the sadness in his voice, I knew what was happenin', but refused to believe it.

"My baby?" yelled Chrissy through her pain.

Aiden shook his head. I entered but stayed away from the bed. The doctor noticed me. "Jed, get your daughter out of here!" he said, still helpin' Chrissy.

"I want to stay!" Martha demanded.

And just then a still baby slid out into Aiden's hands. Frantically, Aiden tried to revive the baby with no success. I could see tears in Aiden's eyes as he cradled the body in his arms. I couldn't stop my tears as Martha hid her face into me.

Auntie had a large towel and Aiden was laying the baby in it when Chrissy yelled, "No. Chrissy hold!"

Auntie shook her head and through her tears she softly managed, "Chrissy, she's…."

"Chrissy know. Want to hold in my arms. Want to kiss her forehead. Then you can have her back."

And that's what happened. Martha broke away from me and kissed the baby's cheek before turnin' back to me. I leaned over and Chrissy held the baby up so I could kiss her goodbye. Then, I did somethin' I haven't done in a long time. I picked Martha up and let her cry into my shoulder.

Auntie bent over to take the baby as Chrissy yelled out again. And I wondered if we were goin' to have to have our hearts torn apart for the second time today.

Aiden had his hands on Chrissy's belly. "Angie, help me here. Jed, with Mrs. Clark busy, I need your help."

"Martha, go downstairs. Aiden, what do you want me to do?"

"Martha can stay. Girl, throw out the alcohol in that basin, wipe it out with a clean towel and refill it…quickly!"

I was impressed. Martha pulled herself together and did as she was told efficiently and quickly. She returned in a few minutes and put things Aiden had used into the basin to disinfect. He had changed into one of my shirts. He didn't seem to notice his wet pants clingin' to him. Martha poured the alcohol over Aiden and Angie's hands and then over her own. I stood by the bed and held my wife's hand.

"Jed," she said mournfully through tears and pains.

I had no words to console her, only my tears to add to hers. Then a hard pain hit, and Aiden said, "Chrissy, I need you to push …NOW!"

And my brave wife did just that again and again.

"Okay, Chrissy, big push now! Miss Angie, come here; I need an extra set of hands."

Chrissy scrunched up her face and pushed and Aiden caught another baby. This one was pink and bloody and movin'. I watched in amazement as Angie cut the cord. Aiden slapped his bottom and he let out a loud wail.

And now I was crying tears of mournin' and thankful joy. I reached down and kissed my wife's sweaty forehead. Angie cleaned the baby just a little before layin' it on her chest.

"A son, Jed, small and from the sound of his voice, healthy."

"Chrissy push again," she yelled.

"You know, it's just the afterbirth," Aiden told her calmly.

"No, need to push."

I wasn't about to ask what that was or what was goin' on. I touched my son's fuzz of light hair when Chrissy screamed again.

Aiden felt her belly. "Maybe, just maybe," he said, and I knew he was thinkin' out loud.

"Jed, take that baby. Miss Angie, I need you again." Aiden was moving quickly and with purpose.

I was afraid Chrissy was dyin'. I took the tiny baby and looked into two very blue trustin' eyes.

"Push, Chrissy, push!" Aiden told her.

She pushed and pushed again…and another head emerged. Aiden repeated his actions and another wail followed.

"A daughter."

"Done now," Chrissy announced, as she reached for the little girl.

"Oh my, two of them!" Auntie exclaimed as she came back into the room.

HEYES

For dinner, Mr. Kolmand took me and Sam to a very fancy restaurant, the kind where you each have a lot of different spoons and forks. Clem taught me and the Kid that we start at the outside utensil and work our way in. I do that now and I see Sam is watching me and doing the same. The rain's lighter but still there. So, we went in Mr. Kolmand's rented buggy.

"Mr. Heyes, I believe your son was well prepared for the test and should have done very well," Kolmand told me. "We'll have the results tomorrow."

I smiled at Sam. "That's good. If he don't get that scholarship thing, we'll find the money to pay for his school. But his ma is sure going to miss him." I winked at Sam. "Me, too. You sure there ain't a school closer that's just as good?"

"Sam asked me that same thing earlier today. I'm only familiar with eastern schools as that's where I grew up. I promised him that I would research the quality of the schools closer to home."

Sam blushed a little and looked down. I didn't say anything, but realized he'd miss us as much as we'd miss him. "Thank you, Mr. Kolmand, for researching that and also for this excellent dinner."

The clouds were clearing on the buggy ride to the hotel and Denver was drying out. Me and Sam planned a day of sightseeing before taking the evening train home tomorrow.

But all that changed when the desk clerk called me over to give me a telegram.