Wings of the Morning

Home > Historical > Wings of the Morning > Page 27
Wings of the Morning Page 27

by Lori Wick


  makes me forget how much tender care you need I'm telling

  you now that I'm here to give you that, and I'm going to be

  more sensitive in the very near future."

  Smokey's heart melted at his words, and Dallas could wait

  no longer to kiss her. He held her tenderly for long moments

  and kissed her with all the love and desire he had kept stored

  inside When Smokey could finally breathe, she nearly laughed

  at the sight behind Dallas.

  "My men are watching." It was literally the whole crew.

  "What do they see?" Dallas asked without turning around

  "A man and woman in love," Smokey told him contentedly.

  "Do they also see a man and woman who are going to

  become husband and wife?"

  Smokey nodded "Yes, but I won't promise not to be overcome

  with fears again."

  "I can deal with that as long as you promise to come to

  me."

  "I promise."

  Dallas kissed her again, and then stared down at her with

  childish wonder in his eyes.

  "He was really your father?"

  Smokey smiled in return. "Really."

  "Wow," Dallas said in deep admiration, before he kissed

  her once again. When he raised his head, it was Smokey's turn.

  "Wow," was all she could get out before he kissed her

  anew.

  271

  fourteen months later

  dallas paced the small confines of the captain's cabin,

  imploring the ceiling in frustration as he moved

  '"Just a quick trip down the coast, Dallas,' she says to me.

  'We haven't seen your folks since the wedding, and I miss

  them,' she says. 'The baby's not due for ages,' were her words."

  He stopped and turned quickly toward the bunk, his

  expression going from frustration to worry until a small moan

  escaped his wife.

  "I'm sorry," he spoke breathlessly as he knelt by the bunk

  and brushed the hair from Smokey's damp face. "I didn't mean

  any of that. I'll never say another sarcastic word as long as I

  live if you'll just wait until we get home to have this baby."

  Smokey panted as the contraction died down. "I can't help

  it, Dallas. He's coming, and I can't help it."

  "She's coming," Dallas automatically corrected her as he

  had done for six months. "We'll be there in less than an hour,"

  he continued pleadingly, as though she could control the

  demands of her body.

  Smokey opened her mouth to tell him she was trying, but

  another contraction hit. Dallas watched his wife's agony as

  the pain of seeing her suffer racked his own body. Smokey

  271

  moaned low in her throat at that moment but said nothing;

  Dallas didn't think he could take any more.

  / don 'tknow the first thing about delivering a baby, Lord.

  Please help us, Dallas began to pray. He continued to pray for

  the next hour.

  Smokey didn't seem any more comfortable, but she was

  wonderful as each pain came and went. An hour later they

  had docked at Kennebunk, but not left the ship. Darsey had

  gone for help. Just when Dallas didn't think he could go on

  much longer, someone knocked on the door and entered He

  breathed a great sigh of relief at the sight of Willa. The older

  woman checked Smokey with swift, practiced movements

  and pronounced her too far along to be moved

  Dallas would have groaned at the news, but there was no

  time. The next 40 minutes passed in a blur for the young

  husband, as Willa coaxed and coached and then presented

  Dallas and Smokey with a large baby boy. He was red and

  screaming and the enamored father thought him beautiful.

  Smokey, in a state of near exhaustion, commented that he

  was rather wrinkly. Willa told her in a huff that he was the

  most beautiful baby on the earth, but Smokey only chuckled

  and closed her eyes.

  Five hours later, after much careful maneuvering, Dallas

  had his wife and son at home. Smokey was tucked up neatly in

  their big bed, and the baby, who had just eaten, was sleeping

  beside her. Dallas sat down gingerly on the bed and looked

  into Smokey's eyes.

  "Have I thanked you for my beautiful son?" Dallas asked

  her.

  "I think you just did," Smokey told him, a tender smile on

  her lips. "Are you terribly disappointed that I got my boy?"

  Dallas grinned "No. We'll have that girl next time."

  272

  Smokey groaned, and Dallas leaned to kiss her.

  "What are we going to name this little person?" Smokey

  asked, even though she had already decided she wanted

  another Dallas.

  "Well, I think it's rather obvious," Dallas told her. Smokey

  sighed with pleasure, knowing he was going to agree with her.

  "This," Dallas spoke as he lifted his sleeping son from the

  crook of Smokey's arm, "is Clancy Knight."

  Smokey's eyes rounded, and her pretty mouth dropped

  open. Dallas, who was kissing his son, grinned in delight over

  the top of his silky head

  "Clancy?" Smokey whispered

  "Of course." Dallas' voice was low as well. "I didn't need to

  know your father to believe that he would have been thrilled

  with his grandson."

  Smokey bit her lip, but tears still filled her eyes.

  "And," Dallas continued, "it won't be long at all before our

  little Clancy understands what a special man his grandfather

  was, and he'll be proud to share his name."

  "Oh, Dallas," Smokey sighed. "I think you're wonderful."

  "Thank you, my love," he said simply, and he placed Clancy

  back in Smokey's arms. "I think you're pretty special yourself."

  Fatigue was swiftly crowding in on Smokey, and she could

  only manage a contented smile before her eyes closed

  Dallas quietly took a chair near the bed and watched his

  family sleep. A letter had come from Sunny, telling Smokey

  that Aggie, who had been working at Bracken for some months,

  had come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Dallas knew

  that Smokey would be thrilled with the news.

  Tate, Jenny, Victoria, and their new little Carol had all

  come with a gift, but hadn't stayed when they'd learned that

  Smokey had just been settled in.

  Dallas had forgotten to tell Smokey any of this, and now

  she was asleep. At the moment, however, none of it seemed to

  matter. God had given them a son so perfect and wonderful

  273

  that Dallas couldn't, as yet, find the words to thank Him. He

  felt tears sting at the back of his throat every time he tried

  As Dallas watched them sleep, he suddenly chuckled to

  himself when he thought about how closely Clancy had come

  to being born at sea, and how fitting it was that he had been

  born aboard theAramis. The laughter quieted when his mind

  unexpectedly turned back to the last weeks, months, and

  years in which he had known Smokey. So much had happened,

  and God's love and provision had been so faithful.

  Smokey's favorite verses from Psalm 139 jumped to mind

  at that moment. Dallas was feeling very tired himself, but

  before he drifted off to sleep in the chair,
these were the

  verses in his heart:

  Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither

  shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into

  heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell,

  behold, thou art there. If/ take the wings of the

  morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the

  sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right

  band shall bold me.

 

 

 


‹ Prev