Fate's Intervention
Page 30
“Well,” Matthew grinned mischievously, “we got married at the same time, so why not have our babies at the same time, right?”
“Right,” the doctor said unenthusiastically. “Next time, try to remember that this old doctor needs a break between deliveries as well, will you?”
“Yes, doctor,” both men answered obediently, “but you will let us know . . . ,”
“Yes, of course. I’ll let you both know the moment the baby is born – both of them,” the doctor sighed, then turned and left the room.
“They will be okay, gentlemen,” Peter assured for the hundredth time. “Women have been giving birth for centuries without incident.”
“Yeah, but those weren’t our women,” Matthew muttered, and returned to his pacing.
“Well,” Peter said, “rest assured that your women are strong enough to handle it.”
A loud wail rent the air half hour later, causing both men to wince.
“Dear Lord in Heaven,” Robert groaned, “which one was that?”
“I don’t know, and I’m not sure I want to know,” Matthew groaned as well. “It must be a mighty powerful hurt she’s in.”
A second wail tore another piece of their hearts out and had shivers running down their spines. “Well, whichever the first one was, the second one sounds equally wounded,” Robert moaned. “God, I feel so helpless. Isn’t there anything that we can do to help ease their pain?”
“No, but I’m sure it helps them to know that you both are suffering right along with them,” Peter said, and grinned at the look that he received from both men. “If it will ease your distress any, I will tell you that sound generally signals the imminent arrival of infants.”
Two wails tore the peace from the air simultaneously. They heard footsteps running back and forth on the upper landing, followed by a door slamming, then footsteps and another door slamming. This went on for what seemed an eternity.
“The poor doctor certainly has his hands full,” Peter laughed softly. “I remember when Marcelle was born. The doctor stayed by my Caroline’s side the whole time, and that was a strain on him. I don’t envy him trying to deliver two babies in two different rooms. Not at his age. Well, at least Lilith is there with him.”
“Imagine if it had been two different houses,” Matthew laughed.
“I guess it’s a good thing our house isn’t finished yet, or the poor doctor may have had a heart attack trying to hoof it from here to across town and back.”
“Good Lord, give my darling strength,” Matthew moaned when another cry pierced their hearts.
Shortly after, another sound filled their ears – the cry of a newborn screaming for its mother. Not two minutes later, another wail rent the air, followed by the sound of another newborn.
“Wonder which one was born first?” Peter asked, laughing as both men tore out of the room and bounded up the stairs. The doctor and Lilith intercepted them before they could barge into the rooms.
“Your wives are resting, gentlemen,” the doctor said softly. “They both fell asleep immediately after the deliveries.”
“So, they are okay, then?” Robert asked barely above a whisper.
“Yes, they are both fine,” the doctor smiled. “They will need to stay in bed for the next week to recover, but after that I don’t foresee any complications.”
“What about our babies?” Matthew inquired.
“Well, let’s see,” Lilith grinned. “Would sons or daughters make you happy?”
“Now is not the time, Mother,” Matthew growled, “Are our babies okay?”
“Well, Son,” Lilith smiled widely, “your son is going to be just fine. I can assure you he has all his fingers and toes, and a healthy set of lungs. Before you jump on me too, Robert, I think you should know that your daughter is just as equally strong and healthy, but a touch more in the beautiful department.”
“I have a son,” Matthew murmured in awe.
“I have a daughter,” Robert murmured at the same time. Then both of them burst into joyous laughter, hugging each other and dancing a jig around the upper landing.
“Matthew?” A weak voice called from one of the rooms.
“Robert?” Another voice called softly from the other room.
“Well, since you’ve managed to wake them up, would you gentlemen care to see them now?” The doctor asked.
“Hell, yes!” They both exclaimed. The two men disappeared into their wives rooms just as Peter made it to the top landing.
“Well?” He demanded, when no one immediately filled him in.
“Well, what?” Lilith teased.
“Not now, Woman,” Peter growled.
“You’re so cute when you’re riled,” Lilith laughed softly.
“And you are within a hairs breadth of seeing just how riled I am,” Peter responded.
“Well, in that case, you’d leave your granddaughter and grandson without a grandmother.”
“A boy and a girl?” Peter said in awe.
“We’ve got our work cut out for us, that’s for certain,” Lilith sighed dramatically.
“We?”
“Well, my family is here now,” Lilith said shyly. “That is, if you’ll have me, Peter.”
“Welcome to the family, love,” Peter smiled, and put an arm around her shoulders. “Now let’s go see our grandchildren, and let our children know we’re going to have another gown to sew before long – that is, if you’ll have me.”
“Is that a proposal, Peter?”
“Without a doubt, Lilith.”
“Well, when we do finally wed,” Lilith said, “do you think we might be able to find a different preacher? There’s something terribly wrong with the man that did our children’s vows.”
“Without a doubt. Remind me to ask Matthew about that one of these days,” Peter said, steering Lilith in Marcelle’s room.
EPILOGUE
Three Years Later
“You go get them,” Marcelle said, unwilling to move from her place on the porch swing.
“It’s harder for me to get out of this rocker than for you to get out of that swing,” Carol Ann argued.
“Children, come back over here!” Marcelle called. “Do you think that will work?”
“It looks like it. They’ve stopped running. Is it just me, or is this one of the hottest summers we’ve ever had?” Carol Ann moaned, increasing the motion of her fan.
“It’s definitely hot,” Marcelle agreed, her fan picking up speed as well. “Oh, no, they’re running away again.”
“Well, I simply feel too heavy to go hoofing after them,” Carol Ann said, rubbing her swollen abdomen.
“What? You think I’ve delivered my baby already and can be jumping up and running around after two active two-year-olds? Or have you forgotten that we’re both in our eighth month of pregnancy.”
“We really need to talk to our husbands about getting us pregnant at the same time,” Carol Ann griped. “It makes it darned inconvenient.”
“Next time they take a notion to have sex, we’ll just bring that up,” Marcelle laughed. “Tanner, Charlotte! You get back over here this instant!”
“I think it’s time to bring in the troops,” Carol Ann said, grinning when the children disappeared into the cornfield. Marcelle laughed.
“Robert!” Carol Ann yelled.
“Matthew!” Marcelle yelled simultaneously.
Both men came running around the corner of the house at the same time, dusty from working with the foals. One look at their wives however, eased their concern.
“Children run off again?” Robert asked, laughing.
Both women nodded their heads dejectedly, their eyes wide with pleading.
“Come on, Robert,” Matthew laughed, slapping Robert on the shoulder. “Let’s go fetch our kids.”
“Think maybe if we tied a rope around them, that our womenfolk might let us finish our work?” Robert said, following Matthew toward the cornfield.
“That’s an idea. Definitely some
thing worth considering.”
Marcelle watched them walk away, her hand rubbing her belly. A smile of contentment on her face.
“What’s all that yelling about?” Lilith asked, exiting the house. She saw Matthew and Robert heading toward the cornfield and smiled. “Kids run off again?”
“Yes,” Carol Ann laughed.
“Those two surely are a handful,” Lilith smiled, drying her hands on her apron. “Well, it’s back to the kitchen for me.”
“Sure you don’t need any help?” Marcelle asked.
“Sweetheart, you’d only get in the way.”
Marcelle watched her husband and Robert leading two sour-faced kids from the fields and laughed. Life couldn’t be better, she thought, unless of course the weather cooled down a bit. Just then, thunder cracked and she laughed.
Perfect.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Barbara Woster is an educator, editor, and an author. She resides in Oregon with her husband, Tim. They have eight children between them. It is her children who inspired her to write, and it is to them that all of her books are dedicated, with much love.