by Barbara Goss
As he rode home, his arms ached to hold her again. She’d now be sleeping with him, every night, for the rest of their lives. Maybe he’d take her out for dinner, unless Dora had cooked something special. He wanted to do something to make her happy. Wasn't that what love was all about?
He took care of his horse quickly and then scurried into the house, but she wasn’t in the kitchen or the sitting room. Perhaps she was in the bedroom, arranging her things. He raced up to their room to find that her things were all there, neatly arranged, but Anna was nowhere to be seen.
Then Billy hit his head with his hand. She’d mentioned something to him about shopping with Julia. They just hadn't come back yet. He pulled out his pocket watch. It was now almost four, and they’d left for shopping right after lunch. What could be keeping them?
Just as he began to pace with worry, he heard a buggy rolling down the lane to their house. He ran out to the porch and recognized Julia’s buggy. He waved and breathed a sigh of relief.
He sat down on one of the porch chairs and waited for them to climb out of the buggy and approach the house.
That was when Billy saw Miles. What was going on? They were carrying someone—dear Lord! It was Anna! He rushed to meet them, grabbed her from Miles, and asked, “What happened?”
“Doc Harris says she has a concussion,” Julia said. “It’s a long story, but she sort of fell and hit her head.”
“Sort of?”
Billy didn’t wait for an answer, running into the house with her cradled in his arms, instead. He laid her on their bed. Julia and Miles followed him. “Out!” he yelled. They both backed up into the room that until last night had been Anna’s, across the hall.
Billy closed the bedroom door and went to Anna. He tried to revive her by tapping her cheeks and talking to her. He examined the back of her head and felt a bump about four inches above her neck.
She looked so pale. Thoughts ran wild through his mind. What if she died? What if she awoke with amnesia like his sister had after her bad fall? He felt sick to his stomach. Here, on the very bed where they consummated their marriage last night, his wife lay, pale and unconscious.
He rummaged through the drawers he’d assigned her, and found a linen nightgown. He undressed her gently, everything except for her smalls, and slipped the gown over her head. She was lying on the quilt, so he slid it out from under her and covered her with it. He kissed her forehead and turned to open the door.
Julia and Miles were sitting quietly on Anna’s old bed in the room across the hall.
“Julia? What do I do?” he asked frantically.
“Sit down beside her, because you look as if you’ll pass out yourself, you’re pale as your shirt,” Julia said. She stood and walked to where he was standing in the doorway.
“I’m worried. I love her so much, Julia. What can I do?” he asked again.
“Doc Harris was in the middle of a birthing, but he promised to stop by after. He said to stay patient and calm in the meantime. She's not going to die, Billy.” They both moved to Anna’s bedside.
““How did it happen?”
“Anna and Dora physically attacked the rapist,” Julia said simply.
“What?” Now Billy did sit. He felt the room spinning. “My Anna was near a rapist? Did he touch her?”
“No, but she and Dora clobbered him. He threw out his arms in defense, and knocked them both to the street. Dora’s fine, but Anna bumped her head. I saw her fall, and she fell hard. Dora was able to break her fall with her elbows. She’s bandaging them now.”
“Can I come in?” Miles asked from the doorway.
Billy nodded, and Julia motioned Miles into the room.
“How is she?” Miles said as he approached the bed.
“No change,” Billy said. “I want you both to get down on your knees.” Billy knelt with them. “Dear Heavenly Father, the beautiful wife you sent me needs your help. I need your help because I don’t think I can live without her, now that I love her so much. Please let her be all right. God, I don’t ask for many favors, but this is a big one. Let her be all right, please. In Jesus’s na—”
“Hello?”
All three spun around and stood. “Anna!” they said in unison.
Billy took her hand. “Are you all right, Anna?”
“My head hurts,” she looked around the room. Then a look of dawning showed on her face. “Did that scum get away?” she asked Julia.
“No, Quinn and his workers pinned him down and the constable put him in jail,” Julia said.
Billy kissed her forehead. “Thank God, you’re all right.”
“I’m fine. I’ve been knocked out before. I grew up on the streets, remember?” She looked around again. “Where’s Dora?”
“She’s fine. Her elbows took the brunt of her fall, and she's washing and bandaging them. Michael arrived and is helping her,” Julia said.
Miles patted her hand. “Welcome back, little sister. Now that I know you’re all right, I have to get home to Violet and let her know the monster is in jail.”
“Thank you, Miles,” Anna said.
“I’m going with him since I have the carriage. Take it easy, little sister. We love you!” Julia kissed her forehead, and left the room.
“Billy,” Anna said, “I’m glad they’re gone, because I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Hold on!” he said. He rushed from the room and returned with a bucket, which he placed beside her, just in time. Billy ran out again and came back with several wet cloths. He wiped her face with one, and laid the other on her forehead.
“How do you feel now?” Billy asked nervously.
“Embarrassed,” she said.
“Don’t be. I’m your other half, remember?” he said. “I’ll be right back.” He left with the bucket, and returned moments later, having cleaned the bucket. He placed it near the bed.
He sat and held her hand.
“I’m tired,” she said.
“I don’t know if you should go to sleep after a head injury. Try to stay awake until Doc Harris gets here.”
“But I’m so tired,” she said.
Billy bit his lip. Where was the doctor?
“Billy?”
“Yes, sweetheart.”
“Will you still sleep with me tonight?”
He kissed her lips. “Of course. Where else would I sleep but beside my wife?”
She smiled contentedly.
“However, as soon as you recover, you’re in for a good scolding,” he said.
“I figured as much.”
“But it’s because of you and Dora that the rapist is behind bars, so I’ll be a bit easier on you this time,” he said.
“Ah,” he said jumping up. “That must be the doctor knocking. I’ll be right back.”
Doc Harris always preferred to examine his patients alone, to be sure he heard all the vital signs and could concentrate, but when he asked Billy to leave, he refused.
“Sorry, Doc. I’m not leaving her.”
“Very well,” Harris said with a scowl. He took the small oil lamp from the bedside table, lit it, and held it up to her eyes. “Look at me, Anna,” he said. “Hmm…”
“Open your mouth and say ahhh,” he grunted. “Good.”
He then felt her pulse, and listened to her heart. “Excellent.” He asked her to roll onto her side.
Billy jumped to her side and helped her turn.
The doctor examined the bump on her head. “Hmm,” was all he said.
“Did she vomit?” he asked.
“Yes,” Billy said.
“You can turn her on her back again,” Harris said.
“Anna, do you know where you are?”
“Of course, I’m in Bi—our bedroom.”
“Do you know what happened earlier?”
“Yes. Dora and I clobbered the rapist.”
“Excellent,” Doc said.
“I agree,” she said.
Doc straightened. “She’ll be fine,” he said to Billy
. “She just shook up her brain a bit. I want her to stay in bed for a day or two, and after that she can continue as usual.”
“A day or two?” Anna said. “I can’t stay in a bed that long.”
The doctor smiled. “All right, since you seem so spunky, one day in bed—tomorrow, and that’s final.” He turned and left the room.
Billy whispered, “I’ll be right back, Anna.”
Outside of her room, Billy asked, “Are you sure she’s all right?”
“She’s doing better than you are,” Doc said.
“She wants to sleep. Is it all right for her to sleep?”
“Yes, she can sleep.” He laughed. “You’re married to a tough one. For such a tiny little lady, she sure is spirited…and courageous, I might add.” Doc picked up his bag and walked to the door. “I hope I’m in attendance when she has her first baby. She’ll be a pleasure to work with.”
After the doctor left, his words stuck in Billy’s head. Baby? What if she was carrying their child? Was that even possible after only one night? He could have lost them both. He scurried back to her.
“Anna, you really need to stop being so fearless. What if you were with child? You must think before you act, dar—” He stepped closer. She was asleep.
Chapter 15
When Anna awoke, the bright sun was shining in her eyes. “Billy?” she called with her eyes shut tight.
“Hmm,” he said, and turned in his sleep.
“Billy!”
She felt him jolt awake. “What’s wrong? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, but could you close the drapes? My head is pounding, and that brightness hurts my eyes and head.”
He jumped out of bed, closed the drapes, and then crawled back under the quilt. He put his arm around her waist. “Good morning, Mrs. Croft.”
“Good morning, Mr. Croft,” she said. “Did you kiss me yesterday? You promised to kiss me passionately every day.”
“I did. Before I left for work.” He sat up with a jerk. “You remember that, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do now,” she said. “I just want to be sure you are keeping your promises. “
“Shall I do today’s now?” he asked.
“No. Save it for later.”
“Later? Why?”
“So I have something to look forward to.”
“I had hoped I could kiss you passionately more than once a day. I promised that one kiss deal before we were intimate,” he said. “Now that we’re a true husband and wife, I get one anytime I want.”
“Oh, you do, do you?” she said with a chuckle.
“I’m so happy to hear you laugh, and see that you’re on the mend.”
“Can I get up today?” she asked. “I’ll be bored lying in bed all day.”
“The doctor said—”
“You could make me up a bed down on the sofa. That way I could still do my reading and lessons. I could also at least talk to Dora and Violet. And who knows? Maybe Julia will stop by,” she said.
He kissed her forehead. “I think you could just about talk me into anything.”
“I could?”
“Yes,” he said. “Just about…don’t push for more.”
“Do you have to work today?”
“Yes. I have two counseling sessions. One is for a religious concern, and the other is someone with a problem. I won’t be long, though. As soon as I’m finished, I’ll be home.”
He heard the knock on his office door and realized his first appointment had arrived. He straightened the papers on his desk and called for the person to enter. The appointment was made through one of the elders, so he had no hint as to who it might be.
“Michael Green!” he greeted, surprised. Jonas had just left him a note saying someone wanted to commit to God, and would be there today at eleven.
Billy stood and offered him a seat in front of his desk. When Michael was seated, he resumed his seat. “Is what Jonas wrote true? Are you the one who wants to commit?”
“Yes. I already committed Sunday in church. I said the prayer. I couldn’t come and see you after the sermon, as I'd promised Dora earlier that I’d take her out to dinner right after the service. I did, however, run into Jonas and Ivy at Pete’s, and he offered to give you the message, but Dora doesn’t know about this…at least, not yet.”
“Are you sure? This isn’t just to get Dora to marry you, is it?” Billy asked.
“No. Your sermon touched my heart. I never stopped to think about God sending his only son to die on the cross for a good-for-nothing man like me. Was I going to ignore his sacrifice and continue living as I’d been, or would I embrace what He did for me on the cross, ask for forgiveness, and commit my life to Him? I’m sincere, Reverend Croft.”
Once again, Billy felt that euphoric feeling he'd always felt when he helped bring in a sheep from the flock. Even though he was married and in love, God could still use him—It wasn’t a distraction at all. In fact, if anything, Anna was his helpmate.
He smiled at Michael.
“Let’s pray together, Michael.”
After they’d prayed, Michael asked, “Will you do the honor of marrying me and Dora? Soon!”
“Are you sure she’s the one? I’ve grown fond of Dora and so has my wife, and we don’t want to see her hurt,” Billy said.
“I will love her, and I promise to keep her out of trouble. She’s a spitfire, and she's sure to keep me amused for life as I try to tame her,” he said with a laugh. “I really do love her.”
Julia stopped by to see how her sister-in-law was doing, as did Miles. Anna loved her new family. She’d always wished she'd had a brother or a sister, and now she had one of each.
Later in the day, Violet came for their reading lesson, and Anna realized she had another sister in Violet.
When they’d all left, and Dora was still at the market, she felt lonely. She practiced her reading and wished for Billy to come home. She felt her heart skip a beat when she heard the back door open. In walked a large bouquet of flowers, with Billy’s head behind them, barely visible.
“Oh!” was all she could say.
“This is just a small token to show you how much I love you, and how happy I am that you weren’t hurt more seriously. You scared me out of a good ten years of my life, yesterday,” he said.
“I’m sorry.”
He set the flowers down on the end table and sat beside her as she lay on the sofa. He cupped her face in his hands and said, “Listen to me, wife. The Bible says that if a husband loves his wife as Christ loves the church, that she is obliged to honor and obey. I think I’ve satisfactorily met my criteria. Now it’s your turn,” he said.
“Whatever do you mean?”
“I mean I’d like for you to obey me,” he said gently. “I’m not ordering, mind you. I’m sort of asking, but I won’t take no for an answer.”
“All right, what are you ordering?”
“That you behave, and never, ever try a stunt like that again.”
“But I didn’t plan it, it just happened. It’s in my nature. I grew up on the streets, where there were gangs, and toughies. You had to fight back or lay down and die,” she said. “No one pushes—”
“Listen to me sweetheart: I forbid you to do anything like that, ever again. What if you had been with child?”
Anna quickly felt her belly. “So soon?”
“You never know.”
She smiled. “I’m praying for it, you know.”
Billy laughed. “What am I to do with you?” He sobered. “Promise me you won’t do something like that ever again. If you had been carrying our son or daughter, we could have lost the babe. And even though you aren’t, most likely, carrying a child, I don’t want to lose you. You are my life! Do you have any idea what I went through yesterday? I didn’t know if you’d die on me, or what might happen. I prayed so hard.”
“I promise, Billy.”
He leaned over and kissed her passionately. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him
closer. The kiss became frenzied.
“Can we?” she said, with passionate pout.
“No,” he said firmly, and pulled away and covered her up.
“No? You’re refusing me my wifely privileges? Isn’t that also against the Bible?”
“You’ve been reading the Bible?”
“I have. No more children’s books. I’ve graduated to adult books,” she said. “Sometimes I run into a word I can’t figure out, but I underline it, and when Violet comes, she helps me with those words.”
“I will help, too,” he said. “And I am not refusing you your wifely privileges, I’m looking after your health. I’m not so selfish a man as to make love to my wife when she was unconscious only yesterday.”
“My head hurts a just a little, but it’s so much better,” she pouted.
“Tomorrow, then.”
“That’s such a long time,” she said, as she unbuttoned his shirt and massaged his chest.
“Stop, Anna,” he said, and tried to remove her hand. “You know what that does to me.”
Anna shoved her hand back under his shirt. “Do you know what your nearness does to me, even with a slight headache?”
Billy sighed. “You won’t win this one, Anna. Positively, no.”
Anna sat up, inched onto his lap, and hugged him. “Can you at least hold me?”
“I can do that.”
She snuggled up with her head under his chin, and her arms wrapped around his neck.
His reflexes drew her closer. He looked down at her and she was looking up at him with those big, sad, brown eyes. God help me, he prayed silently. He couldn’t resist this Jezebel of a wife. Before he knew it, he was kissing her passionately, and carrying her up to their room. He could deny her nothing.
Epilogue
Doc Harris rushed into Anna and Billy Croft's bedroom, and for a moment tried to figure out which one of them was in need of medical treatment. Anna was lying on the bed calmly, while Billy was pacing. He looked up at him frantically when he walked into the room.
“What took you so long?” Billy asked. “She’s been in labor for over an hour already.”