“Mmmm… That was nice,” she said. “See, I told you I wouldn’t break.”
Lying in his arms, she said, “I would like for you to give me a baby. I want to be a mother. What do you think?”
“I like the idea,” he said. “I will have to do some work to the cabin. We’ll need to add some more space.”
The next day…
“Do you still have Patrick’s baby things around?” she asked Patrick’s mother.
“I suppose they’re in the barn, but I doubt they’re usable. You’re not… Are you?” she asked.
“I don’t think so, at least not yet, but I want to be. I want to have a little boy, just like Patrick,” she said.
“Heaven help us,” his mother said. She laughed, “He was a good baby and a good little boy.” She sighed wistfully, “It would be nice to have a baby around again.”
“I think so too,” Katerina said.
“I’ve been thinking about your injury. Would you consider staying here until the doctor checks you out?”
“Mama, that would be two weeks. I don’t want to be a burden for you and the girls,” Katerina said.
“Child, you could never be a burden. It’s a pleasure just having you around. The bonus to that is Patrick would be around too. If that’s your only objection, then it’s a done deal.”
Katerina said, “Patrick asked me if I wanted to be the one to tell you I didn’t think it was necessary to stay here. He said he wouldn’t want to be the one.”
“Patrick was always the smart one of the bunch,” his mother said laughing. “Now can we put the issue of your staying here until the doctor releases you aside?”
“Yes, we can, and thank you,” Katerina said.
Two weeks later…
Doctor Carmichael pronounced Katerina to be on the road to recovery. “You can resume normal activities, but I must caution you to be careful. We don’t know much at all about the lasting effects of a concussion. Symptoms may return, or they may not. We simply don’t know. The theory is a concussion is the result of the brain being shaken violently. The operative word is ‘theory’. If symptoms return and last for an extended period of time, come see me. Frankly, I don’t know what I could do, but at least we can check your vital signs.
“Now, go and be well,” he said.
On the way home, Katerina said, “Resume normal activities means I can go back to my classroom, right?”
“Aw honey, I don’t know. I don’t like the idea of your being out traveling alone,” Patrick said.
“Now you said it looked as if a wheel hit a rut and threw me out of the wagon. My being alone or with you wouldn’t have made any difference. I might still have been thrown out,” she said.
“I don’t want to argue with you, so I won’t. I’ll just say I’ve never seen it happen before. I’m sure more experience handling the reins would help, though,” he said.
“And how do I get more experience? By driving, right?” she asked.
“Yes, but with me in the wagon with you,” he said. I’m not going to win this one, he thought.
“I’ll make you a deal,” she promised. “Let me handle the reins when we go anywhere, for a while, and I’ll wait a little longer.”
It was the best he could hope for, so he said, “It’s a deal. I just had one other thought. When you are controlling the horse, pay attention to what is in front of you. You have to help her.”
“Did I tell you how much I love you?” she asked.
“Not today,” he said. “Your getting hurt drove home to me how important you are to me. It’s my job to keep you safe and it’s a job I’m taking seriously. Having said that, I love you too.”
“We are blessed, aren’t we?” she asked.
“Yes, we are…”
Chapter 19: The Road To Recovery
Once she received the doctor’s blessing, Katerina and Patrick’s life returned to some semblance of normality.
Several cooking lessons from the Murphy women were of benefit to Katerina and to Patrick. She was much more comfortable in the kitchen and preparing meals for her husband. Mama Murphy had donated a goodly number of jars of her canned vegetables, along with instructions for preparation.
Back in her classroom, Katerina found her students had missed her and her teaching techniques and she was warmly welcomed back.
On Patrick’s admonition, she now paid more attention to the road in front of her on the way to and from school and encountered no obstacles that posed a threat to her well being.
Six months later…
Spring had come to the Willamette Valley. With Patrick’s assistance, Katerina now had a garden and had spotted several shoots of her plants emerging from the cultivated soil. She was so thrilled, she took Patrick to show him.
Patrick had returned to the kitchen for his breakfast after his morning’s feeding and milking chores. Katerina had prepared bacon and several of the eggs she had gathered the previous day. She put the plate in front of Patrick and sat at the table with him.
“You’ve already eaten?” he asked.
“No, my stomach is a little queasy this morning and I’m going to hold off for a while. Oops,” she said and bolted from the table heading for the back door. Barely making it to the edge of the porch before she hurled the contents of her stomach over the edge. She continued retching, but there was nothing left to heave.
A concerned Patrick came to the door. “What’s the matter, Honey? You look a little green around the gills,” he said.
“I don’t know. It came on all of a sudden, I didn’t think I was going to make it to the porch,” she said.
The same thing happened for three straight mornings. The sight and smell of food early in the day brought on the trips to the back porch. “That settles it,” Patrick said. “We’re going to the doctor today.”
“I can’t today, I have so much to do,” she said.
“There’s nothing you have to do so important, it can’t wait until tomorrow,” he said. “Now get dressed, we’re going to town.”
“Yes, darling,” she acquiesced and left to change for the trip to town.
In Doctor Carmichael’s office, she described her symptoms. “Do you think it might be from the concussion?” she asked.
Doctor Carmichael smiled and shook his head. “I don’t think so,” he said. “Let me check you over and then we’ll talk, but first, this mostly affects you in the morning?”
“Yes, and usually when I’ve fixed Patrick’s breakfast,” she answered.
After his examination was complete, he said, “Let’s get Patrick back in here and we’ll talk about it.”
A concerned Patrick came back into the room. Doctor Carmichael looked at the two of them and asked, “How do you feel about becoming parents?”
Katerina recovered first. “Par… You mean I’m pregnant?” she asked.
“That’s what all of your symptoms seem to indicate. Morning sickness, and tender breasts are both early signs of pregnancy. Congratulations,” he said.
“I feel so silly, not noticing. I’m late and usually as regular as a clock. Thank you very much. I’ve been hoping for this since I came to Oregon.
“We have to stop back by the farm and tell your parents. They are going to be as excited as I am,” she said.
Patrick had a big silly grin plastered on his face. “Wow, I’m going to be a papa,” he said. “I can’t believe it.”
Walking on air, they stopped by the mercantile to pick up some needed supplies and headed home via Patrick’s parents farm.
When they walked into the kitchen, his mother had just taken a pie from the oven and put it on the window sill to cool. “I didn’t realize the aroma from a pie would carry that far,” she said.
“Mama, come sit down,” Patrick said. “Honey, you tell her.”
“We’re pregnant,” she said. “We just came from Doctor Carmichael’s and he said we’re going to have a baby. Can you believe it?”
“Well, thank the good Lord,” sh
e said. At last, I’m going to be a grandma.” She grabbed Katerina’s arms and began dancing around the kitchen with her.
“Mama, be careful,” Patrick said. “You might hurt the baby.”
“Nonsense,” his mother said. “This is a time for rejoicing and it won’t hurt her, I promise.” Grabbing Patrick’s arm, the led them in a jig around the kitchen.
Her husband came into the kitchen. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“We’re going to be grandparents. Katerina is expecting!” his excited wife said.
“Glory be to God,” he said in true Catholic fashion. He grabbed Patrick’s hand and pumped it up and down several times. “Congratulations son. It’s a time to be proud.
“And you, little lady, give me a big hug,” he said to Katerina.
He enveloped her with his strong muscular arms. “You’re a blessing. A good wife to our son, and now the mother-to-be of our grandson.”
“Grandson? Aren’t you jumping the gun a little?” his wife asked.
“No, it's going to be a boy, but a little girl would be all right too,” he said.
“I hope we don’t disappoint you,” Katerina said.
“How could you disappoint us when you are having our first grandchild,” he asked.
Patrick’s mother said, “Do you want to keep this private?”
Katerina said, “Aside from our marriage, this is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I want to share. What about you, honey?”
“I want the world to know,” Patrick said.
“Sunday dinner at our house, this weekend and I’ll ask everyone to be here,” his mother said.
Sundays at the Murphy’s was always a noisy event. The announcement Sunday was no different. As the family gathered around the long table, laden with food, Patrick’s father said, “Katerina has asked if she could return thanks today. Let’s all join hands and bow our heads. Katerina…”
Katerina gave thanks for the food, and for the ongoing warm welcome to the family she continued to receive. She then asked for the food to be blessed, and in closing said, “Lord, bless the life growing within my body. Amen.”
Mary Margaret said, “Did I just hear what I think I heard?”
“Patrick and I are going to have a baby,” Katerina confirmed.
Pandemonium broke out. Congratulations from all present were bestowed, while Patrick stood beside his wife, his arm holding her close.
Chapter 20: News From Columbus
Katerina opened the letter she had picked up the Post Office located in the mercantile in Columbus. She recognized the cramped handwriting of her father. It was the first letter she had since he had acknowledged her safe arrival in Oregon.
“Written in a combination of German and English, it began, “My beloved dotter, I trust everything finds you well and content in your new home. It is with a heavy heart, I take pen in hand to tell you of the passing of your mother. She died peacefully in her sleep on May 25, and was interred in the Lutheran Cemetery, with which you are familiar. The house feels so empty without her presence. I would like to have had you to help through this, but of course it was impossible.”
The letter rambled, and was clearly from a person lost and reaching out in his loneliness. It told of the decline in business following the close of the Army Post and prison. He closed, professing his love for her.
She handed the letter to Patrick, who read it silently. “You have no other family there do you?”
She shook her head silently. “All of our relatives were left behind in Germany when he and Mama came to America.”
“If there is nothing to keep him in Columbus except for his shop, why doesn’t he move here? A cobbler could have a thriving business here. He could stay with us until he gets established,” he said.
“Patrick, I won’t ask you to do that. It wouldn’t work. He has the shop and all of his things,” she said.
“Honey, there isn’t a shoemaker in Oregon City. It’s not as big as Columbus, but it would be a good living. Also, remember the package he gave you, and you were going to save it to be a surprise and pay for a trip out here? Wouldn’t this be a great time for that? He could be here when his grandson is born.”
“Now, you sound like your father. We don’t know it will be a boy,” she said, logically.
“We don’t know it won’t. And, even if we have a girl, look at the way his daughter turned out. I’d settle for another Katerina. Let’s do it!” he said.
“I’ll write and ask him, and tell him how wonderful it would be to have him close when his grandchild arrives. Maybe he could sell his business. If not, pack his equipment and ship it here.”
“Thank you, Patrick. Thank you. I don’t know what I did to deserve such a thoughtful husband,” she said.
“Other than being the most beautiful girl in the whole state of Oregon?” he said. “You deserve all I can give you and you haven’t asked for a single thing since we got here. Katerina Murphy? You are one special girl.”
After several exchanges of letters, Karl Hauser agreed to come for a visit. He had decided to close his shop. In the last letter Katerina sent, she said, “Papa, I will make all of the arrangements. Pack all of your equipment and take it to the railroad and give them our address. They will take care of the rest.” She included his prepaid ticket, and explained how Pullman cars work and what is covered. “The porter cleans up and makes the bed. You don’t do anything except enjoy the scenery. In Chicago, you will need to switch trains. Ask the conductor to help you get to the right train, and all you have to do is carry the small bag you have in the Pullman car with you. The train people will move your baggage and equipment to the right train. Trust me, it works.
“You are not going to believe this, but they fix your food right on the train. It is all taken care of. Ask the porter to show you where the dining car is. Papa, it is a wonderful trip and after you have worked so hard all of your life, you deserve every bit of it. Patrick and I will meet you at the station.
“Just think, when you get here, you will have traveled the entire width of America counting your trip to Columbus when you and Mama immigrated. I can hardly stand it waiting until the Friday when we meet you at the train. You’re going to love it here as much as I do, Papa. Your loving daughter, Katerina.”
The train station, Oregon City…
The lonely, lost looking man stepped from the train in Oregon City. It was a bright, clear day and you could see forever. He looked around, but didn’t know what to do. Then came the most beautiful sound in the world.
It was the wonderfully melodious voice of his daughter. “Papa, here we are. Over here.” She ran to him so hard, she nearly knocked him down. She hugged him so tightly, he feared he would be unable to breathe.
“Liebchen. My Liebchen. I thought I would never see you again,” he said. Step back and let me look at you.
“Ach, you are as beautiful as ever. More beautiful if that is possible.”
“Papa, you remember Patrick, don’t you?”
“The man who took you from me. Yes, I remember Patrick. How are you, my son?”
“I am well. Your daughter takes good care of me.”
“I would guess you take good care of each other. She is more beautiful than ever, don’t you think, Patrick?”
“I do. You tell him honey,” Patrick said.
“Tell me what?” Karl said.
“Papa, Patrick and I are going to have a baby. Isn’t it wonderful. And now you’re going to be here. It makes everything perfect.”
“A baby?” He looked at Patrick. “It is true, Patrick?” My Katerina is going to have a baby?”
“Yes, she is. If you look at her from the side, she’s beginning to show a little,” Patrick said.
“So much, all at once. It is too much for an old man.”
“Nonsense, Papa. You’re not an old man. Oregon is going to rebuild your spirit. You will feel better than you have in years. Now, go with Patrick and he will get your things. I will bring th
e wagon over.”
“My Liebchen drives a horse? It is truly too much,” Karl said.
Chapter 21: An Uneventful Pregnancy
The glow in her cheeks confirmed what the doctor told her. “You are the image of good health,” Dr. Carmichael told Katerina at her three month checkup. “What ever it is you’re doing, keep it up and you will have no problems.”
“Patrick will be glad to hear that. He’s a worry wart,” she said.
In Search Of Love: The Story of A Mail Order Bride (Mail Order Bride Series) Page 9