The Cowboy's Family Plan

by Duarte, Judy

  In college, Selena had fallen for a graduate student in the biotech program. They’d had something special, or so Selena had thought. She’d even started daydreaming about June weddings.

  Then, when he went home for Christmas break, he met up with his first love, and their high school romance had blossomed again.

  Selena, of course, had been heartbroken and had vowed never to get involved with a man who still pined over a lost lover—and that would certainly include late wives.

  Of course, sharing a cup of coffee and killing an hour or so before bedtime wasn’t even close to having a date or “getting involved.”

  “It’s a nice evening for walking,” Alex said, as they made their way across the parking lot and to the street.

  Selena looked up at a nearly full moon and an array of bright, twinkling stars. “You’re right.”

  When was the last time she’d taken time to gaze at the evening sky, let alone noticed the natural beauty in nature?

  She couldn’t remember. She’d been so caught up in her practice that she’d spent her days and nights either holed up at the medical center or at home. But she was trying to change that—first with the membership at the wellness center and maybe even with her agreement to walk to the coffee shop this evening with Alex Connor.

  As they stepped onto the sidewalk and turned to the right on a side street that ran along the busier county road, she realized that Alex walked with a limp.

  “Maybe we should have driven,” she said.

  “It’s only a couple of blocks.”

  They continued in silence until Alex asked, “What made you want to be a doctor?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve always had an interest in medicine. And science and math were my favorite subjects when I was in high school, so it seemed like a natural career choice to make.”

  Her efforts had also pleased her parents, something that was important to a girl who was the middle child in a family with seven siblings. And those same efforts had proven to be invaluable because she’d been offered a full-ride scholarship at almost every college to which she’d applied.

  “Why did you choose obstetrics?” Alex asked.

  Because she’d loved babies ever since the time her mother had first laid her newborn brother in her chubby little arms. But because she’d always thought her reason for choosing obstetrics wasn’t all that impressive, she gave him her standard response when people asked the same question. “I found the birth process fascinating.”

  At least she’d found it fascinating when she’d envisioned experiencing it herself once or twice.

  But enough about her. The conversation and the questions were getting way too personal for comfort, and she was ready for a change in subject.

  She was tempted to start by turning his original question right back on him and ask, What made you want to be a cowboy?

  But maybe she’d been wrong about him. Maybe there was more to Alex than a Stetson and boots.

  The Aggie T-shirt he was wearing suggested he might have attended college. And he hadn’t blinked about the cost of having a woman carry those embryos for him.

  Maybe she’d been right. Maybe he was a rancher. After all, he’d mentioned that he lived outside of town.

  Either way, if Jim Ragsdale had approached him about the hippotherapy program, his background with horses had to be pretty impressive. So he was more than the average cowboy.

  Before she could ask what line of work he was in, he pointed to the red-and-white-striped awning over the entrance of the coffee shop he’d been talking about. “There it is. Katie’s Country Café.”

  Even though the diner was located within sight of those who traveled along the nearby county road, it didn’t appear to be too busy this evening.

  As they neared the entry, a pregnant brunette who’d parked her weathered sedan in one of several spaces in front opened the rear passenger door and removed a preschool-age girl from her car seat. Then she waited for an older boy to climb from the car.

  The mother and children walked into the diner, just in front of Selena and Alex. The boy, who was about seven or eight, spotted the refrigerator display case that held a variety of pies and cakes.

  “Look,” the boy said to his sister as he pointed to the goodies. “Maybe we can have dessert, Kimmie.”

  “Grandma will have cookies for us when we get to her house,” the pregnant woman said. “So we’ll just grab a quick bite to eat here.”

  As they all waited to be seated, a waitress serving slices of chocolate cake to an elderly couple in one of the booths in back said, “Y’all can choose any table you like.”

  The mother reached for her daughter’s hand, then gasped and looked down at her feet, where her amniotic fluid had formed a puddle. “Uh-oh.”

  The little girl pointed to the wet spot and asked, “Mommy, did you potty in your pants?”

  “No, sweetie. I...” The woman, her cheeks flushed, her eyes wide, glanced at Selena, her embarrassment and apprehension obvious. “My water broke.”

  It certainly had. And she just stood there, clearly perplexed.

  “Can I call someone for you?” Selena asked, thinking the woman’s husband ought to be notified.

  “My mother, but that’s not going to do me much good now.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because she doesn’t drive at night. The kids and I were on our way to pick her up and take her back home with us so she could help out when the baby came, but...”

  “But what?” Selena prodded.

  The woman paled and bit down on her bottom lip. “This wasn’t supposed to happen. I’m not due for another five or six weeks.”

  Selena turned to Alex, who’d taken a step back and was watching the drama unfold with an expression that said he was out of his league when it came to this sort of thing.

  About that time, the waitress made her way to the front of the diner with a mop. “Here, sweetie. I’ll get this cleaned up for you.”

  The pregnant woman blew out a ragged sigh. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “Who’s your doctor?” Selena asked, reaching into her purse to pull out her cell phone.

  “Martin Staley, but he’s not from around here. He’s in Houston. And my mom...” The woman reached for her lower belly and groaned as another pain gripped her.

  Apparently, her contractions weren’t going to waste any time in starting up. She was clearly going into labor—and before term.

  As the pain subsided, Selena studied the woman. If the boy and girl with her were her natural-born children, she’d given birth before. So if that was the case, her labor could go more quickly than that of a first-time mother.

  “Oh, no,” the woman said, raking a hand through her head. “What do I do? Who do I call?”

  Selena placed a hand on her back, trying to relieve her fear. “I’m a doctor, so you’re not alone. How long was your last labor?”

  “Two and a half hours. It went so fast, I almost didn’t make it to the hospital in time. In fact, that’s why Dr. Staley told me to stick close to home when I got within a month of my due date. But...” She glanced at Selena. “I thought I still had plenty of time. And because my husband left me, I’m going to need help when the baby comes. That’s why I decided to get my mother tonight and take her home with us.”

  “Where does she live?”

  “In Oakville, which is more than two hours away. I should have kept driving, but the kids were hungry. So when I saw the restaurant sign, I decided to stop and get them something to eat.”

  “It’s a good thing you stopped when you did,” Selena said. “Otherwise you would have been on the road when this happened. And Brighton Valley has a medical center a couple of miles from here.”

  The woman groaned and reached for her belly again. “Here comes an
other one. Why are they starting out so close together?”

  Because this baby might come faster than her other two, which meant they couldn’t very well stand here and time her contractions. Besides, there were also a lot of complications that could arise during a preterm labor and delivery, so it was best if she got medical attention as soon as possible.

  Selena turned to Alex. “I’m going to have to drive her to the hospital. Would you mind coming to get me in a little while?”

  Although he still appeared to be a bit stunned by all of this, he straightened and said, “No, not at all. And because the kids are hungry, why don’t I order them something to go? I can bring it with me when I come to pick you up.”

  “That’s a great idea. Thanks, Alex.”

  The woman reached for her purse, which had a safety pin holding one of the straps to the bag. “Here, let me get you some money.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Alex said. “I’ll get it. You’d better get to the hospital.”

  “If you’ll give me your keys,” Selena told the woman, “I’ll take you and the kids there in your car. It’s only a five- or ten-minute drive.”

  “I hate to put you out.”

  “It’s either that or we call an ambulance,” Selena told her.

  The woman reached into her purse and handed over her keys. Then she told the kids to get back in the car.

  “But we’re hungry,” the little girl said.

  “This nice man is going to bring dinner to us.” The woman stroked her belly, resigned to the inevitable.

  “Don’t worry,” Alex said. “I’ll be right behind you guys.”

  Selena sure hoped so. One of the obstetrical residents would be the one to deliver the woman’s baby. So there was no reason for her to hang out once they arrived.

  But then again, someone was going to have to watch the children and figure out a way to get them to grandma’s house. And she wasn’t sure if Alex would be up for a task like that.

  Once they were in the car and on the road, they exchanged names. “I’m Shannon Bedford, and these are my kids, Tommy and Kimberly.”

  “I’m Selena Ramirez. I’m going to need your mother’s name and number.”

  “Speaking of my mom, I’d better call her. Then I’ll give you her contact information.”

  Eight minutes and three painful contractions later, Selena drove the old Ford sedan up to the E.R. entrance and honked her horn to let the staff know she was going to need some help. Within seconds, an orderly had come out to assess the situation.

  “This is Shannon Bedford,” Selena told the man. “She’s going to need a ride up to Obstetrics.”

  “Is she your patient, Dr. Ramirez?” the orderly asked.

  “No, her doctor is in Houston. But she’ll need to be admitted. Her water broke, and she’s in active labor.”

  He nodded, then headed back inside for a wheelchair.

  Selena placed her hand on Shannon’s shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. “Brighton Valley Medical Center has a top-notch obstetrics ward. You’ll be in great hands, so relax.”

  When the orderly returned with the wheelchair, Shannon took a seat as another pain gripped her.

  They’d explained to the children what was happening while they’d been in the car, but little Kimberly was still worried. “Where’s he going to take my mommy?”

  “Upstairs to have the new baby,” Selena said. “But don’t worry, honey. I’ll stay with you and Tommy until the baby is born. And then I’ll make sure you get to your grandma’s house.”

  Selena and the children followed Shannon through the E.R., into an elevator and on to the O.B. floor. They stopped when they reached the waiting room.

  “I’m sure my friend Alex will be arriving with your dinner soon,” Selena said.

  They’d no more than settled into chairs near the television when Alex—thank goodness for reinforcements!—popped his head into the room. “I hope you guys like grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken tenders.”

  “We do,” Tommy said, getting up from his chair. “Thanks.”

  “I also brought milk to drink and cookies for dessert,” Alex added, as he placed the bags on a nearby coffee table.

  Selena couldn’t help but grin. The cowboy was proving to be both thoughtful and generous.

  After setting out the food and watching the children take seats on the floor around the coffee table, Alex nodded for Selena to step off to the side. As she did so, he lowered his voice. “How’s their mother doing?”

  “She’s already been admitted and is being examined now.”

  “Is everything going to be okay?”

  “I called her doctor in Houston and let him know what was happening. He said the baby was breech at her last appointment. Unless it’s turned, the delivery will be more complicated. She’s also nearly six weeks early, but Dr. Chin, the resident in charge, is competent. So I’m sure everything will be okay.”

  “What about the kids?” he asked. “What are you going to do with them?”

  “I’ll wait here until Shannon is out of delivery. Then I’ll drive them to Oakville to stay with their grandmother.”

  “Are you taking her car?”

  “No, it was making some weird noises on the way here, so I’d rather take my own. I’ll have to transfer the car seat, though.” The minutes the words were out of her mouth, she realized she’d have to ask Alex to give her a ride back to the wellness center.

  “Okay,” he said. “I’ll just hang out here until you’re ready to go back.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I know.” His gaze locked on hers, and for a moment, she felt as though they were a team.

  Selena couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt like she had someone on her side—a friend, a lover...

  Oh, for Pete’s sake. They might be developing a friendship, but they’d never become lovers.

  Before she could tear her gaze from his and get her mind back on track, Ella Wilkins poked her head into the doorway. “Dr. Ramirez?”

  Selena’s gaze moved from the handsome cowboy who was proving to have a protective streak to the obstetrics nurse who’d just arrived. “Yes, Ella?”

  “Dr. Chin has decided on a C-section and wanted to know if you’d assist.”

  Selena stiffened. “Of course. I’ll be right there.”

  “He’s also put out a call for Dr. Parnell,” Ella added.

  Roger Parnell was a neonatologist, who’d be in charge of the baby when it was born. It was standard procedure in a C-section, but had something unexpected happened?

  Why was Darren Chin asking her to assist?

  Selena turned to Alex, who was no longer smiling.

  “What can I do to help?” he asked.

  “Watch the kids. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  She just hoped she wouldn’t have to bear bad news to Shannon’s children when she returned.

  Chapter Three

  Alex didn’t have any idea what was going on beyond the double doors that led to the obstetrics unit, but he was glad Selena was in there with the kids’ mother.

  He’d always been uneasy in hospital settings, and even more so after Mary’s accident. In fact, when he’d entered the main lobby of the medical center tonight, carrying the takeout food, his gut had clenched and his steps had slowed. The memory of that rainy afternoon he’d rushed to the E.R. to be with his dying wife had slammed into him, knocking him off stride.

  He’d shaken it off the best he could, telling himself he had a job to do, kids to feed. So he’d bypassed the hospital volunteers who guarded the lobby entrance and went right for the elevator. All the while, his heart had pounded like a son of a gun, but he’d pressed on.

  Selena had told him she’d be in t
he waiting room just outside the maternity ward. And that’s right where he’d found her.

  Once he’d entered the small room and seen Selena and the children seated together and watching some animal show on television, his pulse rate had slowed to a normal pace and the painful memory had faded away.

  Selena had looked up and blessed him with a smile that had gone a long way in chasing off the bad memories and promising to create a new one. But before either of them could speak or move, a nurse in scrubs entered the room.

  As soon as Alex heard her say “C-section” and watched Selena’s expression turn somber, all those dark memories he’d held at bay came flooding back.

  Most people came to hospitals to get well, to heal. But some, like Mary, weren’t that lucky. And Alex couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that things weren’t going as expected in delivery.

  Thank God Selena was in there now.

  It was weird, though. He had no personal knowledge of Selena’s medical skill, yet just knowing she was with the pregnant mother provided him with an inexplicable sense of relief. For some reason, he was convinced the mother and her newborn were in good hands.

  When it came time for his babies to be born, he hoped the doctor delivering them was a lot like Selena.

  Alex glanced at the clock on the wall. How long did this sort of thing take? When would Selena come back?

  He wasn’t sure how he’d gotten involved in all of this in the first place. He’d just been at the wrong place at the wrong time, he supposed.

  Either way, he’d do his part by looking after the pregnant woman’s children. Only trouble was, he didn’t have a clue what to do with them, other than to feed them and let them watch television. So he’d just have to wing it.

  At least they seemed to be good kids—quiet, obedient. But what did he know? They were probably scared, just like he was.

  For a guy who was determined to be a father, he sure didn’t know much about raising children. Was he going to have to take some parenting classes, too?