Brotherhood of Fire

by N. C. Reed

  “They're made with sheet metal,” he told her, rapping his knuckles against one of the machines. “You can strip that away to cover pulleys and gears and what have you. Two for one,” he smiled.

  “Yeah,” Leanne nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah that might just work. Thanks, cuz!” she smiled brightly at him and ran to talk to Jake.

  “Welcome Pippy!” he called back.

  “I hate you!” he heard as his cousin replied over her shoulder even as she ran inside, Gordy's laughter chasing her. He turned to help unload the rest only to find himself facing his older sister.

  -

  Abigail Sanders had watched with ever increasing anger as her brother participated in everything that she felt she should be a part of. Seeing him laugh at a retreating Leanne had been the last straw and she abandoned her duties as a child sitter to stalk outside. She reached her brother just as he called out to their younger cousin.

  “Welcome Pippy!”

  “How is it that you get to go and help with things like this while I'm stuck babysitting?” she demanded as soon as he turned around. Clearly caught by surprise, Gordy winced at Abby's loud voice.

  “I dunno,” he shrugged in reply. “I don't make those decisions, Abs. I do what I'm told and that's it.”

  “Like a good little soldier?” Abby tried to anger him.

  “Like someone trying to do his part,” Gordy's reply was affable rather than angry. “I ain't got nothing to prove, Abby. I ain't trying to impress nobody, either. I'm just trying to do what's asked of me, whether it's herd cows or make trips like this. That's all.”

  “I still want to know why you get to go and I don't,” Abigail kept trying.

  “Because he follows orders,” Jose Juarez's voice was right behind her and she jumped, turning to face him.

  “He does what he's told and does it well,” Jose repeated when she was facing him. “He doesn't argue, he doesn't go off on his own and he's dependable. That's why he goes.”

  “You're saying I'm not?” Abby demanded.

  “Your record speaks for itself, Miss Sanders,” the older man replied. “Now if you 'll excuse me, we still have to unload all this.” Without another word, Jose moved to help the others finish off-loading the flatbed, leaving a still fuming Abby standing alone. As the cold began to remind her that she had left her coat inside, she turned and tromped back to the farmhouse and the children she was supposed to be watching.

  She was about half-way there when the yelling started.

  -

  Christina Caudell had never had a child. She had never been pregnant before, either. But she was smart, and she had listened to every piece of advice given her by other women who had birthed a child. She had read everything she could about not only being pregnant but about what to expect when her child decided to make his or her appearance into the world.

  She felt like she knew what to expect and was as prepared as she could be, having never experienced it before. She told herself she was ready, and as her misery grew she told herself that she couldn't wait for Baby Caudell to arrive.

  That was before she tried to lever herself up from a rocking chair to go to the bathroom.

  At first, she thought she had wet herself. Mortified at the thought she had managed to get on her feet anyway, trying to avoid getting anything on the cushion beneath her. But when she checked she realized that the cushion was already soaked through. It took her a few seconds to realize what had happened.

  “Oh boy,” she had breathed, right before the first pain had hit.

  “AHHHH!” she had doubled over as a contraction hit, forcing her to grab her swollen belly in reflex.

  “Christina?” Samantha asked, alarmed by the woman's sudden cry. “Are you okay?” she hurried to her.

  “I don't think so,” Christina gasped, shaking her head. “I think my baby has decided to make an appearance, Sam,” she grinned weakly. Samantha looked at her for a few seconds before her eyes widened.

  “Ohmigod,” the younger woman almost whispered. “Ohmigod!”

  “Please calm down,” Christina urged. “I'm the one who is supposed to be panicking here.”

  “Oh my God, what do I do!” Samantha didn't appear to have heard.

  “Call Tandi on the radio,” Christina told her. “Tell him I need him right away. He will take care of the res-,AHHHHH!” she doubled over again. “AHH, I don. . . don't think that was s. . .supposed to happen,” she said through clenched teeth. Samantha ran to the radio sitting on the kitchen counter.

  “Mister Tandi!” she called into the radio. “Mister Tandi can you hear me!” she waited for a reply.

  “Let go of the button, Sam,” Christina urged.

  “Sorry!” the younger woman released the mike.

  “-lo? This is Tandi, who is this?” she heard at once.

  “Mister Tandi this is Samantha Walters,” Sam replied. “Christina needs you right away, Mister Tandi. I. . .it looks like her water has broken!”

  “Okay, I'm on it,” the calm voice helped Sam calm down some as well. “Help her stay calm until we can get there. We 'll be just a minute, okay? Tell Christina we 'll be taking her to the clinic.”

  “Okay,” Samantha replied. She hurried back to Christina's side.

  “They're coming,” she said. “They're going to take you to the clinic. Abby!” she turned her head to call out. “Abby, where are you?”

  No answer.

  “Abby, dammit, we need your help, where are you!” Samantha called again. “Let. . .let me help you to the kitchen, Christina,” she looked back to where Christina was already sweating. “You can sit down, but it will be better than sitting in here. The straight back chairs in there will support you better.”

  “Okay,” Christina gasped out. “You 'll have to help me,” she nodded. “I don't think I can do it.”

  “I'm right here, I promise,” Samantha told her. “Lean on me all you need to,” the smaller woman urged. “Here we go. Abby! We need your help, Abby!” she called again. Still no reply.

  “Your friend is not dependable, is she?” Christina tried to smile.

  “She used to be,” Samantha replied. “I don't know what's happened with her. I think. . .I think this started with me being caught in town,” she said sadly. “As bad as things there were, I'm. . .I almost wish no one had come,” she admitted. “If she hadn't come after me and then the others come for her, then your friend would still be alive.”

  “But where would you be?” Christina asked.

  “I…I don't know,” Samantha answered. “I might be dead or. . .well,” she didn't finish.

  “I promise you that Bear would rather be gone than allow that to happen to you,” Christina patted her hand. “He was that kind of man. All of them are, Samantha.”

  “I had the biggest crush on Clay,” Samantha confided suddenly. “It seems like years ago now, but. . .it was only a few months ago. He was the most interesting man I'd seen around in a while.”

  “He is that,” Christina smiled as Sam pulled her toward the kitchen. “Sorry it didn't work out.”

  “It's for the best,” Samantha shrugged. “I don't. . .I mean he really wasn't interested, you know?” she grunted slightly as more of Christina's weight settled on her. “He was very nice about it, though.”

  “I imagine he would be,” Christina nodded. “And if he had taken you up on it, you wouldn't have noticed Chip, would you?” she smiled.

  “Chip?” Samantha was puzzled.

  “Gordy,” Christina clarified. “His call sign. Nickname,” she clarified again when Samantha's look of puzzlement didn’t go away.

  “Oh,” Sam's face reddened a bit. “Well, yes,” she nodded. “He. . .he's a few years younger than I am, but. . .”

  “He's very mature for his age,” Christina pointed out.

  “Yes, he is,” Sam nodded as they came to the table. “He. . .he. . .” Samantha struggled to get the chair away from the table while still keeping one arm around Christina's waist.

 
; “He saved you,” Christina helped her. “I know. Makes him look much different, doesn't it?”

  “Yeah,” Sam nodded. “But. . .is it because of who he is, or just because he carried me out of that snake den when I couldn't walk?” she asked.

  “If you're still asking that question then it means you're not being swayed by his part in saving you, Sam,” Christina promised. “Now you just have to decide if you like him enough to try and get to know him a little better.” She sat heavily on the kitchen chair, gasping for breath.

  “Abby!” Sam called again back into the house. She could hear the children still playing in the living room and since there was no screaming assumed they were okay. Sam was torn between staying with Christina, who might need her, and checking on the children who were her primary responsibility.

  “Abby, where in the hell are you!” she screamed finally.

  The door tore open just then and an angry Abigail stomped inside.

  “What are you yelling about?” she demanded.

  “What the hell were you doing outside?” Sam demanded in response. “You're supposed to be helping me!”

  “I had something to do,” Abby replied crossly. “What's in your bonnet?”

  “Christina is in labor and I had to help her in here, so without you there's no one watching the children,” Samantha grated through clenched teeth. “You could at least have told us you were leaving.”

  “I don't work for you, Sam,” Abigail shot back, arms crossed. “And the children are fine. They're just playing.” Just then the door was slammed open again as Tandi came rushing in followed by Kaitlin and Nate Caudell.

  “Why aren't you watching the children?” Kaitlin demanded at once, seeing Abigail. “Sam is obviously the one helping Chris.”

  “I don't answer to you,” Abby informed the nurse coldly.

  “Get out,” the words surprised her. Kaitlin's face was red as she moved into Abby's personal space. “Get out and don't set foot in here again. I don't want you anywhere near my child, or any of the other children in this house. And that's the last warning I 'll give you. If I see you anywhere around them again, I 'll kill you.”

  “Easy now,” Jose Juarez had entered while they were talking and gently took Kaitlin's arm. “Chris needs you right now, Kaity.” Without a word, but with one more venom filled glance at Abigail, Kaitlin went to her sister-in-law's side.

  “Time for you to go home, Missy,” Jose informed Abigail coldly. “And don't bother coming back. It's obvious you can't be trusted to watch the children, either. Get out and don't return.”

  “Fine with me,” Abby almost snarled. “Let's go, Sam.”

  “Are you completely retarded?” Samantha's words rocked Abigail back on her feet.

  “What?”

  “Good God, Abby, look around you!” Samantha's voice rose. “Christina having a baby, a house full of children we're responsible for, and you want me to leave? Are you stupid?”

  “Looks like your friend is much more responsible than you are, chica,” Martina Sanchez walked in from the cold. She said nothing else as she moved at once to see if she could help with Christina.

  “Time for you to go,” Jose repeated. “Don't let the door hit you.”

  Still shocked from Sam's outburst, Abigail slowly made her way outside. The cold bit into her and she pulled her coat shut. Her mind unfocused, she started for home.

  All of this was her Uncle Clay's fault. If he hadn't assigned her to something so stupid as watching children she could be helping. She could do so many things! Why wasn't she being used for that!

  Because of her Uncle Clay. His attitude toward her had influenced everyone, she told herself. It was his influence that made people treat her this way. She hadn't done anything to deserve this. Maybe she had acted foolishly when she went to save her friend, but-

  And Sam! Where did she get off talking to Abby like that! If not for her, Sam would be no telling where right now! Sam owed her! She should be more loyal, Abby decided.

  “She owes it to me,” Abby muttered out loud. “How ungrateful.”

  She continued for home, her mind racing.

  -

  “Easy baby, you can do it,” Nate soothed as he gripped his wife's hand.

  “Of course, I can (huff huff) do it, you (huff) idiot! I don't ha-(huff) have a-(huff) choice!” Christina managed to get out.

  She was on the hospital bed in the clinic under a tent of sheets. She had now been in labor for four hours. Four pain and stress filled hours. She was hungry, she was tired, she felt like hell and she hurt. Oh my God did she hurt.

  “You,” she looked at Nate suddenly. “Don't you ever -(huff)- touch me ag-(huff)-ain,” she gasped out. “I mean if you even l-(huff)-ook at me funny, I-(huff, huff)-will kill you!”

  “Now baby, you don't mean that,” Nate stroked her hair as she mashed his hand.

  “Oh, I me-ahhHHH!” she was cut off in mid-rant as a contraction hit her.

  “We're at nine,” Patricia said suddenly. “Christina it's not going to be long at this rate. You're doing good, honey. I know it hurts, I've been through it twice. Just try and stay as calm as you can and you 'll be fine.”

  “I'm calm,” Christina nodded. “And from now on I'm celibate!” she almost screamed in Nate's face.

  “This isn't the time to be making life changing decisions, Christina,” Nate told her. “Decisions made under pressure tend to be wrong and cause more trouble than normal. Just relax and le-”

  “Relax!” Christina screeched. “You try pushing something the size of a basketball through an opening the size of a radish and see how damn calm you are you bastard! If you ever try to touch me again I swear I 'll make a eunuch out of you!”

  “Damn,” Tandi muttered softly.

  “It's normal,” Patricia assured him. “I called Robert everything but a child of God,” she chuckled softly. “And threatened him in the same manner, too.”

  “Uh huh,” Tandi was still wary.

  “Chris, honey, that ain't no way to talk to you loving and dedicated husband, now is it?” Nate crooned. It was a side of him that Tandi hadn't seen before and found himself wishing he could record it.

  “Don't honey me,” Christina snarled.

  “But I thought you liked it when I called you honey!” Nate complained.

  Kaitlin smiled at her brother's antics. He was keeping Christina distracted from the pain, helping her cope. She was sure he was paying for it since Christina's grip would be pretty strong on his fingers, but her brother was a good man and took his responsibilities seriously. She remembered her own son being born, and Nate being there to help her with it since her bastard of a boyfriend had run off after learning she was pregnant.

  Nate would never do that to Christina. She was proud of him.

  “Now honey, don't. . .Chris, I need that hand, sweetie,” she heard Nate say and then heard Patricia snort in amusement at Nate's attempt to placate his wife.

  “Chris, baby, that hurts, now.”

  “I'm hurting so you can hurt too!” Christina growled. “I hate youuuUUUUU!” the last word became a scream as yet another pain struck her. “Oh, I am going to kill you as soon as I can get up from here!”

  “Now, now, let's not be hasty in saying such things,” Nate sounded as if he was rattled.

  “I've been thinking about it for a while now,” she promised him.

  “Chris, honeybuns, don't say things like that!”

  “ARRGGHHH!”

  -

  “Thank you for all you've done, Samantha,” Martina Sanchez said as the two sat for a moment in the living room.

  “It's been my pleasure, ma'am,” Sam smiled at her. “I'm so sorry about Abby,” she added. “I have no idea what's come over her. She was never like this before, I swear it.”

  “Some people cannot handle stress and strain,” Martina shrugged.

  “Do you still want me to come and help with the children?” Sam asked hesitantly.

  “Do you want to?”
Martina asked simply.

  “Oh, yes!” Sam assured her. “I love them dearly. I would miss them if I couldn't see them.”

  “They would miss you as well, Miss Walters,” Martina smiled. “And yes, we would be most pleased to have you continue to watch them. Your friend however is no longer welcome in this house.”

  “At the rate she's going, Abby isn't going to be welcome anywhere before long,” Sam sighed. She stood abruptly.

  “I'm going to the clinic and check on Christina before I go home. Good night Miss Sanchez.”

  “Good night Miss Walters. I will see you tomorrow.”

  Sam made her way across the distance to the clinic, enjoying the abrupt silence of no children. She really did like them and enjoy being around them, but it was nice to have some quiet, too. So engrossed was she that she didn't see the dark figure until she almost ran into it. Startled, she screeched and jumped backwards, stumbling a bit. Just before she would have fallen and hit the ground, strong hands grabbed her shoulders and steadied her.

  “Easy there,” Gordy said gently. “You're okay.”

  Sam looked up at him, decked out in gear to do the ground watch. He looked every inch the soldier. Or. . .

  “Thank you,” Sam smiled. “I didn't see you. I'm sorry.”

  “Wouldn't be doing a good job if you saw me,” Gordy laughed softly. “It's no problem, I promise. And I don't know of a guy anywhere that doesn't like to have a pretty girl run into him.”

  Sam was grateful for the near darkness as her face flushed red.

  “Thank you,” she managed not to stammer. “You're very sweet,” she couldn't help but add.

  “Ah, don't you believe it,” Gordy told her. “I'm nothing of the sort. Going to the clinic?”

  “Yes,” Sam nodded, thankful for the change of subject.

  “I was in there a bit ago,” he nodded. “Loud. I did hear Mom tell her she's getting close. No idea how much, though. Come on and I 'll walk with you the rest of the way before I make the round,” he offered her his arm. She instantly wrapped her own around it.

  “Thank you, kind sir,” she laughed very lightly.

  “You are quite welcome good lady,” Gordy smiled. They walked in silence to the door of the building and Gordy put his hand on the door latch.