All The Blue of Heaven (Colors of Faith)

by Carmichael, Virginia

  Thomas felt the strain in his shoulders ease a bit. “Thank you.”

  “Not at all. She’s a sweet little thing. Always pestering me for a ride.” Cole shook his hand a chuckled.

  Thomas clapped the man on the shoulder and turned back to the row of waiting animals. His leg was already aching. He didn’t see how he was going to work a steady ten hours with barely a break. Maybe it was the cold weather. They said there was a storm coming, although the sky was crystal clear. And after, he would go to visit Allie. The thought warmed him from the inside out.

  It was good to be home. He hobbled to Mateo’s side and held open his hand.

  “Let’s get started, my friend. Before the horses decide they have better places to be.”

  His assistant dropped a long wooden stethoscope into his boss’s hand and nodded. “With pleasure.”

  ***

  Allie turned in surprise as Mary ushered Thomas into the sitting room. The shoulders of his dark wool coat were dotted with snowflakes. She dropped the sketch book she was holding, and dusted off her hands. “Everyone has gone to tea with Mrs. Oliver. I was just... I wanted some time alone.” She felt her cheeks heat at the way his eyes roved over the sketch paper strewn about the couch, resting for a moment on the dark powder that clung to her fingers.

  “Mr. Dean wanted to try out my automobile. Half an hour of tutoring and he is almost ready to buy his own.” He glanced around the room. “I asked him to leave me here while he took another tour of the neighborhood. My stomach can only stand so much.”

  Allie giggled, imaging Sarah’s husband starting and stopping up and down each street. “Will the snow be any trouble? They say it is going to be our first big storm.”

  “I trust he will return very soon.” He cocked his head, gaze fixed on her pages. “Will your mother be angry if she finds you drawing?” His voice was cool, those deep brown eyes were soft and warm.

  “Probably.” Allie didn’t mean to sound rebellious. “But I was wrong―” She had trouble finding the words. “Wrong to reject a gift.” She shrugged, wondering if she was making any sense at all. The only thing clear at this point was that God had given her a talent, and it was a sin to deny it.

  She was surprised to hear him laugh, a deep chuckle that made something stir near her heart. “That’s my girl,” he whispered, his eyes bright with joy.

  She swallowed. “I understand now. There was no success that could make me more worthy of the gift. And no failure that could take it away.”

  “What you said to me at the pond, about wearing my wealth like a badge―” His expression turned somber , but he held her gaze.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have.”

  “No, you were right. I thought I could make you love me more, if you saw how much I had earned, how well I was doing. But love doesn’t work that way, does it?”

  She shook her head, unable to speak.

  “True love, the best kind of love, just is. And I was wrong to think you would love me better for anything as small as money.”

  Allie’s breath caught in her throat as she looked into his eyes. He took a step forward and her feverish mind noted how the snow on his coat had melted into shimmering droplets.

  “The only question left, the only one that matters, is if you love me.”

  “Oh, Thomas.” She wanted to paint him, now, with that look of hope in his eyes. She reached up a hand to his face. She had never stopped loving him. Rich or poor, educated or not, a carriage man’s son or a city leader. He was her Thomas.

  A pounding at the front door sounded through the long hallway.

  “Mr. McGovern has come to pay another visit?” Thomas asked.

  Allie followed him into the hallway, and gasped as Mary opened the door. There stood a young man with snow covering his bare head, face wild with panic and holding up a beautiful and very pregnant girl as she slumped against the door frame.

  “Mr. Bradford,” the young man said in a hoarse croak. “Help us! There is no doctor to be found and it is time!”

  After a stunned silence, they both started forward, arms outstretched. “To the sitting room,” Allie said. The young woman’s breath came as a ragged gasps as they settled her on the couch.

  “Miss Hathaway, I am sorry to disturb.” Mateo held his hands out, palms up. “I knew Mr. Bradford would be able to help. His mother said he come here.”

  Allie nodded, her mind whirling. “Our doctor is close, just two miles from the bridge.”

  “But Nathan has my car and your carriage is out. I will go and fetch him.” Thomas started for the door. His limp was so pronounced that it made her cringe to see him struggle to cross the floor.

  “Mr. Bradford, let Mateo go. Time is of the essence.” She gave him quick instructions and Mateo was gone before Thomas could argue. The door slammed shut with a bang.

  Allie’s hands shook so violently that she had a hard time grasping Josefina’s skirts.

  “I’m going to remove your boots,” she said, working to undo the slim laces. She slipped off one high topped leather boot just in time for another pain to grip Josefina. She writhed, one foot struck out and caught Allie on the chin.

  “Ow!” She recoiled, and assessed the damage from a safer position.

  “Allie?” Thomas peered over Josefina’s twisting form to Allie.

  “Sure glad I got that boot off before she kicked me,” Allie muttered. She waited until the pain abated, then grasped Josefina’s left foot. “I’m untying your other boot,” she called, hoping this would keep her chin from another bruising blow.

  A glance at Thomas’s face and Allie wondered silently whether he would have preferred to run ten miles in pain. A bead of sweat slid down his temple.

  “As a veterinarian, this should not be too difficult for you,” she said lightly.

  His short bark of laughter startled her out of her focused massage. “Right. A horse in a stable and a young woman―” he spread his hands and gestured mutely. “―on the couch. But you have experience!” Thomas seemed to grasp this with all the strength of a drowning man clinging to driftwood. As a fresh pain gripped the woman, Thomas knelt at Josefina’s head and tried to brush the hair from her forehead.

  Josefina’s eyes widened and her body stiffened. She clutched wildly at the pillows, legs straightening and contracting. Her moans turned to shrieks of pain and fear. Allie tried to speak to her over the sound of the poor woman’s suffering but Josefina was deaf to any comfort. Her eyes rolled in her head, desperation etched so clearly in her face that Allie’s heart twisted.

  A memory of having her bandages changed flashed into Allie’s mind. One certain doctor would come to talk to her as the nurses worked. She never remembered a word he’d spoken; the pain was all-consuming.

  She waited until the force of the contraction had passed and her screams for the doctor abated before she grasped Josefina’s hands. “Listen to me! Open your eyes!”

  The young woman was drenched in sweat but she pried open her eyes in response.

  “Women have done this for thousands of years. We are here, Mr. Bradford and I, to help you. He’s been to medical school. Do you understand?” It was medical school for horses, but still.

  “I need you to take a deep breath. We’re going to move to the bedroom across the hall.” Mama will never forgive me for ruining the bedding but I will never forgive myself if this poor girl has that baby on the settee.

  Josefina shook her head, moaning. “I cannot. Leave me here.”

  “I will give you my hands and Mr. Bradford will hold you under the arms. We will go very slowly.” As if it had been all decided, Allie grasped Josefina’s hands more firmly and nodded to Thomas. He set his jaw and gently slipped his arms under Josefina.

  “Slowly now,” she murmured. If they could just make it before the next pain hit. Allie mentally gauged the distance and despaired. The pains came so close together, it was very likely they would have to stop somewhere.

  Josefina was surprisingly light and s
he balanced between them on her stocking feet. A low moan issued from her as she took a step. Thomas carefully guided her from behind as they moved toward the empty guestroom with a shuffling sort of dance.

  Only feet from the doorway, Josefina straightened up with a jerk and her face constricted. “Oh, oh, oh!” she cried and gripped Allie’s fingers. “No further!”

  Panic flooded her features and Allie move to wrap her arms around her, to steady her in the narrow hallway.

  Thomas gritted out, “Stand back.” Allie jumped away just as he swung Josefina up in his arms and crossed the bedroom. His limp was pronounced as he strode toward the bed but he did not stop. He deposited her so gently that the bed hardly moved, but Allie couldn’t tell if Josefina even knew she was lying down.

  “Leg! My― leg!” she gasped and thrashed against the green quilt. Allie leaped to her side and ran her hand down one leg, then the other. On her right side, the calf was hard and the leg was stiff.

  “Just a cramp,” she soothed. She rubbed the muscle and felt it soften. Soon the pain eased and Josefina lay panting.

  “Miss Hathaway.” Thomas motioned for her to join him near the door. “Her dress, it might be too constrictive. I cannot―” He glanced back the young woman.

  “Of course, I know where another gown is.” Allie dashed out the door and up the dark mahogany staircase.. She searched the depths of the trunk and snatched it an old nightgown, soft and billowy. She returned and found Thomas smoothing Josefina’s brow as the end of another pain faded away.

  He exited quickly and Allie coaxed Josefina out of her stiff shirt front. The chemise underneath was soft but soaked with sweat. Allie gently removed it and slipped the gown over her head. The full skirt was buttoned in the back and she was forced to wait through another contraction before attempting to remove it. Then the slip, and finally she could slide the long gown over Josefina’s quivering limbs.

  “Mr. Bradford?” Allie called out. He popped his head in the doorway and she said, “We need water on to boil, some clean cloths, and scissors.” He nodded and disappeared.

  “Here, rest against me.” Allie slipped an arm around Josefina’s shoulders.

  “I want Mateo,” she whispered, tears streaming from her eyes.

  “I know. He’s on his way to the doctor,” Allie reassured her.

  “And I want to go home. I want to be in my own bed.” Again, the soft sound of her voice was accompanied by fresh tears.

  “I know.” Allie forced herself to remain calm. Where was Mateo? As quickly as this was going, she feared he would not bring the doctor in time.

  “Oh, oh!” Again her pains returned. Allie did her best to keep Josefina calm, but it seemed that her fear was overshadowing anything Allie could do to help.

  It seemed eons before the pain faded away again. Allie smoothed back the limp hair from the young woman’s forehead.

  “Have you made some little clothes?”

  “Yes, two gowns and two caps... with ribbons... around the―” The rest was lost in a rising wail. Allie felt fear trickle down her spine. The sound Josefina made was deeper, more guttural than before. She glanced at the door and relief washed over her when Thomas peered in, eyes dark with concern.

  “The kitchen fire was low.” He spoke quietly but Allie heard him clearly under the poor woman’s agony.

  “I think it’s very soon,” she said.

  “Don’t leave me!” The young woman bit out, her eyes wild with fear. Allie sent him a look of pleading and he nodded, motioning for her to slip out from under Josefina’s shoulders. He carefully took her place, powerful hands gently stroking her arms.

  Allie crept down to the foot of the bed and stood, undecided. She had to see in order to help. But how could she preserve Josefina’s modesty? She snatched a light blanket from the trunk near the bed and draped it over her the laboring woman’s knees.

  “I’m going to lift the gown now.” She couldn’t tell if she was heard over the deep moans but proceeded, and was met with a miraculous sight.

  “Oh, he’s almost here!” Allie gasped, dropping to her knees at the end of the bed where she could be in position to catch the baby as he emerged.

  Josefina’s eyes were closed tight, her head swiveled from side to side on the pillow. Her groans grew in volume as the contractions hit with fresh intensity.

  Allie peeked and saw the baby did not move during the contraction. She desperately tried to remember what to do. It seemed her time with the midwife was so long ago.

  “You’re doing wonderfully,” she called to Josefina. The only answer was a wail that ended in a high-pitched shriek. Allie glanced up at Thomas and he shook his head very slightly. Josefina was near total panic, she wasn’t going to be able to push through the pains.

  As soon as there was a small break, Allie rubbed Josefina’s calves and said, “I know you’re tired. You’re almost done. He’s so close.”

  The young woman moaned but opened her eyes very slightly as Thomas wiped her brow with a soft cloth. “No more. I want to go home,” she whispered.

  Allie fought back a laugh. It was a little late to change her mind. This baby was coming whether anybody liked it or not. “Almost done, I promise. You have to push with this next pain.”

  Her legs stiffened and her body lurched against the mattress. “I can’t―” she started to say before her words were lost in a rising scream.

  Allie peeked beneath the blanket. The baby’s head should be slowly emerging. “You have to push, Josefina! Push!”

  Thomas rubbed the young mother’s shoulders and murmured in her ear, but her panic was all-consuming. Her screams echoed around the small bedroom.

  Allie felt sweat drip down the back of her neck and wished for the tenth time that the doctor would arrive. The midwife had made it seem so easy. But they had usually been experienced mothers. They seemed to work in unison, like a team. There was no teamwork here, no order, only fear and chaos. She looked up at Thomas and saw by the tight set of his lips that he knew Josefina was in trouble.

  He dropped his head and began to sing. A deep, lilting melody battled with the sounds of her agony. As her pain subsided again, she opened her eyes. Gasping for breath, she lay quietly, staring up at the ceiling. Her face was covered with a sheen of sweat, her skin was white.

  Allie felt the song wrap itself around them, the words secondary to the tune. After a few moments she realized it was her favorite hymn. Thomas never faltered, his voice was strong and steady.

  Josefina licked her cracked lips and began to hum, softly, with him. “Be Thou my battle shield, sword for the fight.” Her expression tightened, and she gripped Thomas’s hand as a wave of pain washed over her. But it was different now.

  Thomas continued to sing, and Josefina looked to Allie, her eyes wide.

  “Push,” Allie commanded.

  “Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight,” he sang. One hand smoothed the hair from her forehead and the other was nearly white where Josefina was gripping it.

  Josefina bore down and Allie felt a thrill streak through her body when the baby’s head slipped gently into her hands. She turned his little face and called out, “Another push, he’s almost here!”

  “Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise...” Thomas seemed to be giving her strength through the ancient Irish tune.

  Josefina took a deep breath and pushed, face contorted, body trembling. Allie eased out one tiny shoulder, then the other, and the rest of the miracle followed in an instant.

  “Beautiful, just beautiful,” she cried. “And he’s a girl!” Thomas laughed aloud and Josefina smiled weakly, straining to see. Allie cleared the baby’s mouth and rubbed her back as she started to cry, sounding very much like a small kitten. She wiped the slippery, flailing infant with a clean cloth and reached for a piece of twine. Carefully tying the cord, she cut it with shaking hands.

  “You did everything wonderfully. Perfectly done,” Thomas murmured, gently laying Josefina against the pillows and offering
her a water glass. Josefina took a sip, and smiled tremulously.

  Allie handed the little bundle up to Thomas, who handed her to the new mother.

  Moments later, the doctor strode into the room, shoulders covered with snow and hat askew. “Missed all the excitement, eh? And now you’ll be after my job, Mr. Bradford!”

  “I wasn’t able to do much more than hold her hand. But you’ll have to watch out for Miss. Hathaway, surely.” Thomas winked at her and let himself out the door.

  “You’ve done a fine job, very fine. I’ll finish up here. You go let her husband know there are two beautiful ladies waiting to see him in a few minutes.” He chuckled into his bushy beard and stripped off his coat.

  As she walked unsteadily to the door, Allie glanced back once at the new mother. The lilting tune of the hymn echoed in her mind. Be Thou my battle shield, my sword for the fight. Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight....

  ***

  Allie was surprised to feel so energetic the next morning after all the excitement of the winter storm, and Mateo’s baby arriving. Janey made her tell the tale over and over, moaning dozens of times that she should never have gone to tea with Grandmother Leeds and Mrs. Gibson. Finally, Allie sent her to practice her letters, and slipped out the door. Allie needed to walk, to think. The bright snow twinkled in the sunlight, covering the leaves that had fallen just weeks before. Her legs felt strong as she strode along, boots keeping the ice from touching her ankles. Her thick black coat was lined with fur and she rolled her shoulders against the warmth. For everything there is a season. So very true, so very right.

  She knew better than to overdo, even as healthy as she felt, so after a while Allie turned back toward the house. The walk in the silent woods had been like a balm to her soul. The pond was laced with a fine layer of ice. As she stood there, Allie felt hope rise in her chest. Life had come full circle, like a year of seasons. There was so much to look forward to, so much to plan. She smiled at the memory of Thomas’s expression as she handed the newborn baby to him. Wonder and awe... and yearning. The tiny life held all kinds of possibility.