Jasper Jacks

by Ciana Stone

  “You stay where you are. We’ve got this,” Charli said and looked at Etta. “Right?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Etta’s experience with children was nil, but she managed to get Tommy fed, changed, and back into the playpen, along with Josie. Savannah’s contractions were a good half hour apart, which was a relief to Etta. Maybe this darn storm would pass before labor progressed too far.

  She convinced Deacon to make a plate from what Charli and Savannah had brought and after he ate, they all sat in the great room, listening to the storm outside and the children inside.

  Within two hours things changed. The volume of the wind increased and so did Savannah’s contractions. Etta had been putting it off, but now she had no choice.

  “Savannah, I really need to check and see how far you’re dilated.”

  “Here?”

  “Deacon can leave for a few minutes.”

  Deacon was already out of his chair. “I’ll put on a pot of coffee.”

  “I’ll help,” Charli offered and started to follow him out, but stopped when Etta called out. “Charli, could you look in the master bathroom under the sink? I have a box of gloves there.”

  “Sure.”

  Etta turned her attention to Savannah. “Do you have Vaseline or anything like that in your diaper bag?”

  “I think so.”

  “Great. I’m going to go look and wash up. Be right back.”

  She hurried to take care of the tasks and returned to the couch where Savannah waited. Charli was standing behind the couch holding the box of gloves. Etta plucked out two and put them on.

  Upon checking, her heart sank. Savannah was farther along than she’d anticipated. And her contractions were coming closer. “We need to start timing the contractions.”

  “I’ll do it,” Charli volunteered.

  “Okay, we need to keep track of how long they last and how far apart.”

  “Got it.”

  “Good. Savannah, I’m going to get some sheets to put beneath you if you don’t mind.”

  “You don’t think I’m going to deliver now do you?”

  “No, it’s just to keep things as sterile as possible.” Etta peeled off her gloves and went into the kitchen to throw them away.

  “Well?” Deacon asked.

  “If this storm doesn’t let up we’re going to be delivering a baby.”

  “Have you ever done that?”

  “No. Have you?”

  “Once.”

  “Okay, you’re it.”

  “I don’t think so. You’re the doctor.”

  “Who’s never delivered a baby.”

  “The mother does all the work.”

  “True. Let’s just hope the storm passes fast and we can get her to the hospital.”

  “Mason’s probably about out of his mind.”

  Etta nodded. Deacon was probably right. Mason had to be worried sick, but not as sick as he would be if he knew Savannah was in labor. With a quick prayer that this night would end with Savannah and the baby both healthy and whole, she hurried to get things set up just in case the storm didn’t pass in time to go to the hospital.

  Two hours later, Etta pulled Deacon off to the side. “We’re going to have to deliver this baby.”

  “We?”

  “Yes, we. I’m going to need help, Deac.”

  “Fine. What do you want me to do?”

  “Wash up and put on some gloves. I’m going to tell Savannah.”

  “Fine.”

  Etta went back to kneel beside Savannah. “Okay, here’s where we are. You’re ready to deliver. I’ve never done this before on my own, but I’ve assisted and understand it. Deacon has delivered a baby before, so he has practical experience and I believe that between the three of us, we can get this baby safely delivered into your arms.”

  “Do whatever you need to do. I just want my baby safe and healthy.”

  “That’s what we all want. Now, since we don’t have a table, I’m going to have to ask you to move into another position. But first, I think we should move the playpen and the kids into the back room where it’s quiet.”

  Amazingly, both of the toddlers stayed asleep throughout the process. Once that task was accomplished, Etta turned her attention back to Savannah and with Charli’s help, got Savannah into a squat. Charli sat on the couch behind Savannah, helping to support her. It was only minutes before the baby crowned.

  Deacon crouched down in front of Savannah. “I’ll catch the baby and hand it to Etta. You just push.”

  Savannah nodded. A moment later, she screamed.

  “On the next contraction, give a bigger push,” Etta encouraged.

  Five minutes later, Deacon placed a baby girl into Etta’s waiting hands. The child was wailing before Etta’d even started to clean out her mouth and nose. Deacon handed Etta a clean bath towel from a stack she’d placed on the sofa.

  Etta quickly wrapped the baby, handed her to Deacon, and changed places with him as the afterbirth was expelled. She made sure there was no abnormal bleeding and then with Charli’s help, got Savannah moved onto the sofa.

  When Deacon placed the baby in Savannah’s lap, tears gathered in Etta’s eyes at the expression on Savannah’s face. It was one of the most beautiful moments she’d ever witnessed.

  “Do you hear that?” Charli asked.

  Etta looked at her in confusion and suddenly realized that the storm had stopped. “It’s over. The storm has passed. Where’s Deacon?”

  “Right here.” Deacon walked back into the room. “Just checking on the kids. Those little tots slept through the whole thing.”

  It was probably just a needed release from the stress of the night, but they all laughed. A sudden banging on the door had everyone falling silent.

  “Etta? Is anyone in there?”

  “Mason,” Savannah said.

  Etta ran to open the door. It took Mason all of a second to spot Savannah on the couch holding a baby. It took less than that for him to be beside her, wrapping her and the baby in his arms.

  “Well, looks like y’all had some excitement,” Grady, who had entered behind Mason, commented.

  “A bit,” Deacon agreed.

  “You okay, babe?” Grady asked as Charli walked over and hugged him.

  “I am.”

  “And they’re okay?” He indicated Savannah and the baby.

  Charli looked to Etta, who answered. “Both appear to be fine, but they should be taken to the hospital to be checked out. Are the roads okay?”

  “Yeah, we made it here without incident. We’ll call for an ambulance.”

  “No cell service and the landline is down as well.”

  “Yeah, there are lines down all over.” Mason said. “It’s okay. I’ll drive them.”

  “I’ll take the kids home with me.” Charli volunteered. “We can watch Tommy so Mason can stay with Savannah.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Grady agreed.

  Ten minutes later, everyone but Deacon and Etta were driving away. Etta looked at Deacon who stood beside her on the porch. “Thank you.”

  “You could have done it alone.”

  “Maybe, but having you here made me feel like it was going to be okay.”

  Deacon smiled and gave her a one-armed hug. “You don’t need me to prop you up, Etta.”

  Etta realized that he was right. She’d survived everything life had thrown at her, losing her parents, losing Gabe, and maybe JJ, as well. She’d hurt and suffered, but none of it had ended her.

  “It’s not the propping up, Deac. I know you’ve done that a lot, and I know I can stand on my own now. But I also know I need you in my life. You’re my family, all I have and while I might survive losing you, I’d never get over it if you know what I mean. I love you.”

  “You’re my family, too.”

  “Yes, I am, and because of that, there’s something I need to tell you.”

  “What?”

  “It’s way past time you decided what you want to do
. For you. Not for me, but for yourself.”

  “Who’s to say I haven’t already?”

  “What does that mean?”

  He smiled and gave her another squeeze. “I need to go check things out. And get some sleep. You should, too. It’s been a long night.”

  “That it has. Okay, see you later.”

  “Yes, you will. Sleep well.”

  “You too.”

  Etta watched him walk away, then turned and went inside. It took a bit of time to get everything tidied up. She put the sheets and towels they’d used in the wash, took a quick shower and fell face down on the bed.

  Chapter Twenty

  A persistent buzzing dragged Etta out of an exhausted sleep. Without opening her eyes, she fumbled around on the nightstand for her phone.

  “Hello?”

  “Etta? Are you all right?” Admiral Angel’s voice carried a note of concern.

  “Fine. Just didn’t get much sleep. What can I do for you, Admiral?”

  “Come back.”

  “Sir?”

  “Active duty. Oversee the psychiatric department at the new training center.”

  “Sir, Mason already made me an offer to be Medical Director or Sanctuary and while I appreciate the offer, I—”

  “Then take it, Etta. Deacon has agreed to come back, full reinstatement with a promotion to run the training center. I have four SEALs willing to leave active duty to become instructors, and Dr. Jonz from Coronado has signed on as well. But I need you, Etta.”

  Etta suspected Angel knew that telling her Deacon was going to be part of it would have an impact. It did. She liked it here on Sanctuary, but wasn’t sure about being in charge of things. Management wasn’t her style.

  Still, it was worth considering. And discussing with Deacon.

  “Can you give me a couple of days to think about it?”

  “I can.”

  “Then I’ll be in touch, and thank you, Admiral.”

  “I’ll look forward to hearing from you soon, Etta.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Etta put the phone back onto the nightstand, got up to go to the bathroom, then went into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. While she waited for it to brew, she padded on bare feet to the front door and opened it, intending to step outside.

  Only someone was sitting on the front steps. Someone who stood and turned toward her.

  “JJ.”

  “Morning, beautiful.”

  That’s when she remembered she was wearing an old t-shirt with the neck cut out so that it hung on one shoulder and brushed the top of her thighs, no underwear, and a pair of ankle socks.

  Not exactly put together, and definitely not expecting to see him standing on her porch. “You’re here.”

  “I am.” He walked to the door and looked at her through the screen.

  “Why?”

  JJ pulled the screen door open. “I told you I was coming back.”

  “For how long?” Etta let him take her hand and tug her out onto the porch.

  “That depends on you.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I’ve been offered a position as an instructor at the new training center.”

  “You’d leave active duty?”

  “Again, that depends on you.”

  She was too chicken to hope and didn’t want to assume for fear of being disappointed. “What does that mean, JJ? What do I have to do with it?”

  “Everything.”

  “Are you being deliberately unclear?”

  He smiled, and she lost her heart to him all over again in that single moment. “Marry me, Etta.”

  “Marry you?”

  “Yes, you know as in I, JJ, take you, Etta, and all that?”

  “Are you serious?”

  “More serious than I’ve ever been about anything.”

  “But—” She could barely believe this was happening. “JJ, you know my track record.”

  “That’s the past and you were with the wrong man. This is now and I’m the right man, Etta. I’m no longer broken and I’m yours for life if you’ll have me.”

  If I’ll have you? That was a dream, and one she was terrified she’d screw up. Despite what she’d told Deacon, there were still demons in the dark who wanted to hurt her. She could battle them, and she felt confident that she’d win, but she didn’t know if they’d ever give up trying to break her down.

  “But I’m still a little broken, JJ, and maybe I always will be.”

  “Then I’ll spend my life putting you back together and one day you’ll be whole again. My love can heal you, Etta. Please. I love you and I want to share a life with you. I’ll give up anything, or everything. Just please say yes.”

  “Yes.” Her voice seemed to have lost its power, she was so nervous.

  “Yes?”

  “Yes.” All at once it hit her. This was the moment she’d longed for, the man she’d wished for, and the chance at the life she’d dreamed of. She wasn’t going to pass it up.

  JJ pulled her into his arms. His kiss was sweeter than any she’d ever shared, and it promised so much that it made her eyes tear up. When the kiss ended, Etta wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She looked out into the morning light and her heart jumped. For a split second, she thought she saw her dad, standing in the yard, smiling at her.

  JJ drew back and looked at her. “Is everything okay?”

  Etta smiled up at him. “Everything’s perfect.” She looked into the yard again. Her dad was gone. But that was okay. If there was a way for him to know about her life, then he would be smiling because she’d finally found what he wanted for her. Someone to love her and a place to call home.

  She had Deacon, and new friends and a man she adored. For the first time since she was a child, she was truly happy and it was because of the people here. That’s something her dad had taught her. It wasn’t the place that made a home, but the people who populated your life.

  Etta hadn’t expected to ever find that, but it what Sanctuary was. She’d come here to heal others, but maybe she had done as much healing as anyone and in the process she’d found love and she’d found home.

  And there really was no place like home.

  An Excerpt from

  Chapter One

  “A new blacksmith?” Cody stood from where she was stooped behind the bar, taking inventory. “When did Dawson decide to sell?”

  Hannah put the clipboard she held onto the bar. “Apparently when Mrs. Dawson won half a million dollars in a lottery drawing last month and talked him into moving to Arkansas where their son and his family live.”

  “No kidding? Wow, wonder how that news escaped the gossip girls?”

  “Netta and Nellie Mica? You know they don’t have anything to with the Dawson’s. No matter what they say, they’re not nearly as kind and accepting of others as they make out. They’ve never given Lena the time of day and you remember how they were about Lena and Ralph’s son, Robbie. Didn’t matter that he was class valedictorian or a star running back on the football team, or even just a damn good kid. All they could see what that he was biracial.”

  “Yeah, that used to piss me off something fierce.” Cody agreed. “He didn’t deserve that, but then neither did Lena. She’s a good decent woman who’s been good to folks around here. Honest to God, why do we keep letting those old biddies get away with that shit?”

  “We don’t, sister. But there’s nothing we can do about what others allow.”

  “Amen to that. So, tell me what you’ve heard about the new owner.”

  “Actually, they’re kind of interesting. I met them yesterday.” Hannah walked around behind the bar to take a soda from the cooler. “They’re brother and sister, Mathias and Mica Greyhorse. He’s this giant of a guy. Seriously, big. Taller than JD Weathers and he has to be a good six-seven or so and his arms are as big around as my body.”

  Cody gave Hannah the side eye on that statement. “Those are some big arms.”

  “Are
you implying I’m fat?”

  “Let’s just say since you got married, there’s a whole lot more of Hannah to love.”

  “Screw you, skinny.”

  Cody shrugged. “So back to the new owners. Where are they from? Greyhorse sounds Native American.”

  “Well, according to Lena they are. Mathias served in the military. She didn’t say what branch, only that he was special forces. He got out a year ago, and moved back to the res. Their father had just died, and the tribal council took their property.”

  “Well, that was shitty. Why’d they do that?””

  “Because Mrs. Greyhorse was white and whites can’t own property on the reservations.”

  “That really sucks. Couldn’t they just have bypassed the mom and given it to the kids?”

  “I don’t know. All I know is what Lena told me. The mother died within months of the father. Mathias heard about the Dawson place from someone who he served with that knew Robbie. He enlisted after college, remember? Anyway, long story short, he contacted the Dawsons and struck a deal.”

  “Interesting. And they’ve already moved in?”

  “Yeah, Lena and Ralph pretty much packed their clothes and personal belongings into his pickup and headed out. They left the house furnished as well as the blacksmith shop.”

  “Good deal for the new owners. So, what are they like? Aside from Mathias being a giant.”

  “Mica is gorgeous. I can’t tell how old either of them are, but I’d guess late thirties. Anyway, she has lighter skin than a full-blood but still the skin tone of a Native American with these odd gray eyes that have kind of a green tint. She’s probably five-five and is seriously built. I mean curves and muscle. And get this, she makes knives. I mean some amazing ones. They have a display in the shop. The weird part is that she doesn’t fit the part of a metal worker.”

  “What you do mean?”

  “I mean it’s almost like she works to be less well spoken, if that makes sense. Like she’s accustomed to a different lifestyle or – oh, I don’t know, you’ll see what I mean when you meet her.”

  “Which I am definitely going to do.” Cody said. “I’ll stop in, welcome them to town and maybe offer them a meal on the house as a welcome to Cotton Creek.”