My ShadowMy Love

by Sharon Horton

  “We’ll get back to you on that one, Grandpa,” Rick said, glancing at Cassie.

  “Whatever you say, Daddy,” Blake grinned, then looked serious. “Since the phones are still out, I’ll hike back down the hill and find someone to start clearing the roads so we can get Cass and the baby to the hospital. It’s going to take awhile, though, it’s a mess out there.” Handing the baby back to Cassie, he left.

  Rick waited for Blake to leave before speaking. “I’ll be right back. No dancing, got it?” Kissing her forehead, Rick left the room.

  He returned a few minutes later with the cradle.

  As Rick placed the cradle near the bed, Cassie watched him quietly, but with a question on her mind. “Did you ask Dad to call our friends?” she asked hesitantly, not knowing which answer she wanted to hear most, yes or no.

  Straightening, Rick shook his head. “No. I kind of want to keep this moment for ourselves a while. We’ll call them from the hospital. Let’s keep it for the two of us, no one else. Your father doesn’t count.” He frowned slightly at his unintended jab at Blake. “I didn’t mean it that way, I just meant—”

  “I know what you meant. And I agree with you about this being special for both of us right now. Actually I guess we should say the three of us. She’s involved too.”

  “She.” Rick smiled. “We need to name her now that we’ve held her, you know.”

  “That’s a good idea, Daddy,” a voice said.

  Startled, Rick and Cassie looked up to find Martin smiling from ear to ear. Behind him stood Rufus Muldoon, the doctor known as Doc.

  “Look who I found walking up the drive,” Blake said reaching the top of the stairs.

  “I tried calling last night,” Martin explained. “And when I still couldn’t get through this morning—”

  “He panicked and called me,” Rufus finished, crossing the small room. Gathering the baby in his arms, he did a quick check of her before turning. “Here, Rick, hold your no-name daughter while I check her mother.” Handing the baby carefully to Rick, Rufus turned to Cassie. “How are you, honey?”

  “How’s my baby?” Cassie asked, trying to sound calm for Rick’s sake.

  “From what I can see, she’s fine,” Rufus answered. “I’ll check her better in a few minutes. I know she’s early, but don’t worry. And really, sweetheart, she isn’t that early in baby terms. They sometimes know what’s better for them than any doctor on Earth. Anyway, this early arriver looks perfect.”

  “But she was early,” Cassie insisted. Rufus saying all was well and her believing it were two different things. Too much had happened to Cassie while pregnant to allow an easy answer.

  “A lot of babies come early, Cassie,” Rufus assured. A moment later the baby started to cry, causing Rick’s and Cassie’s brows to crease. Rufus only smiled at them.

  “Here,” Blake said, handing Rick a small bottle with clear liquid. “She must be a hungry girl, give her this.” Noting Rick’s unasked question, he answered, “It’s glucose water. It’ll fill her little tummy.”

  Rick held the bottle up to the light then looked at Blake. “You always carry bottles of sugar water in your pocket, Dahlgren?” His tone bordered sarcasm. His feelings about Blake’s leaving Cassie hadn’t been forgotten.

  “No, Rick, I don’t,” Blake said softly. “I was bringing baby things back with me anyway. Maybe I didn’t plan on this baby coming today, but I was prepared. I have a lot of supplies ready for this one’s arrival.” Turning to Cassie, he sighed. “And on that note I want to say now I’m so sorry for leaving you here alone, sweetheart. I’m sorry to you too, Rick,” he added, staring the other man in the eye.

  “It’s all right, Maggie needed to be with her sister.” Cassie tried to alleviate the tension. “And if you crashed in the storm, I’d never forgive myself.”

  “And what about you, Cassiopeia?” Blake whispered. “If something had happened to you I never would forgive myself. At the very least I should have returned last night.”

  Cassie sighed and looked at Rick. His jaw twitched and though she understood his anger, she also hadn’t wanted Blake to risk his life by flying in the storm. “Yeah, and maybe you’d have been killed if you had.”

  “Enough,” Rick interrupted a little too loudly. The little girl in his arms started crying again. “Shhh,” he said softly and held the bottle to her mouth. As she began drinking, he looked at Cassie. “Do you want to be the first one to feed her?”

  Smiling, Cassie shook her head. “I will be the first one to feed her. You’re just giving her a drink of water.”

  Her answer almost seemed to embarrass Rick when he understood her meaning.

  The atmosphere was too quiet. Rufus cleared his throat, “All right, everyone out. I need to check our mother here.”

  “I’ll go find that road crew and call for an ambulance,” Blake said. “I’ll see you soon, Cassiopeia. And Rick, I really am sorry. I was wrong for leaving her.” No answer came from Rick, but he did take Blake’s hand when it was offered. Just as he was descending the stairs, Blake laughed. “Maybe I’ll pick up some cigars.”

  After Rufus examined Cassie he turned to Rick. “You do good work, Dr. Jarrett. Both your ladies are in excellent shape.” Rick nodded, but said nothing. Rufus then pointed to the baby asleep in Rick’s arms. “You two have a beautiful, healthy child—enjoy her. She’ll sleep for a while, so I think it would be a good idea for both of you to get some rest as well. Once she wakes up, you’ll be parents, full-time.” Orders given, Rufus left the tower room.

  Finally alone with his family Rick placed his daughter in the cradle and lay down next to his wife. Together they watched their nameless sleeping beauty.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The softest noises are usually the loudest, Rick thought, opening his eyes to the quiet rustling sound next to him. Turning his head slightly he observed his daughter moving inside the cradle. Her little foot sticking outside the blanket brought a broad smile to his face. He turned to find Cassie smiling at him.

  “I’m a thorn between two roses,” he whispered, moving to kiss his wife. “How you doin’?”

  No verbal answer was heard, only a small hmmm as Cassie lifted her head to see her baby. The same little foot also made her smile broadly. Situating on her side, she propped herself on her elbow and stared at her husband. Glancing at his watch, her brow creased.

  “Our daughter’s ten hours old. I think it’s time we name her, don’t you?”

  “Mmm-hmm,” Rick smiled broadly.

  “I’ve been thinking,” Cassie said keeping her eyes lowered. “You know I want to name her for you, right?”

  “And I want to name her for you,” Rick said touching Cassie’s nose with one finger. “I want the one I care for most to be in her name and you, m’dear, are at the top of the list.”

  “I think I’ve done enough already, don’t you?” she laughed. “Anyway, I’ve been trying to think of a way to make us both happy. I want yours, you want mine. How about commingling?”

  “I’m always up for that,” Rick grinned and leaned playfully toward her.

  Cassie laughed. “I meant our names. How about if we use the first sound of your middle name and the last sound of my first name.” Her brow lifted in the hopes that Richard Kellen Jarrett would understand.

  Rick’s forehead creased as he thought of her meaning then lifted in a smile. “Kelsie?”

  “Kelsie.” Cassie confirmed. “You get me and I get you. Both of us combined into one name. You like?”

  “I like,” he said pulling her close. “But we still need a middle name. How about Sass?” he smiled slyly. His suggestion was met with a roll of Cassie’s eyes. “All right, then you come up with something.”

  “I already have,” Cassie said knowingly. “And as soon as Kelsie wakes up, I’ll tell both of you.” Keeping her thoughts to herself, Cassie closed her eyes.

  As Rick stroked her hair they listened to the sounds of little Kelsie moving until another noise fi
ltered in. The distant sound of voices.

  “I think Kelsie’s godparents are here,” he said pointing out the window. “They must have been worried when I left so suddenly.”

  Cassie’s mouth dropped. “I can’t let anyone else see me yet. Look at me, I’m—”

  “Beautiful,” Rick stated firmly.

  “Well in that case,” Cassie said, “let’s go downstairs and greet them, I don’t want everyone trying to squeeze in this little room.”

  Rick agreed and after placing Kelsie in Cassie’s arms, he led both his girls downstairs.

  When the three members of the Jarrett family entered the living room they discovered that not only had Blake returned, but Rufus had been replaced by Kevin. He, too, had become anxious when he couldn’t reach Cassie by phone. A call to the office told him Martin had already left for the house overlooking the river.

  Seeing Cassie and the baby enter the room, Kevin jumped to his feet. “Here, let me help you,” he said, anxiously taking her arm.

  Warmed by Kevin’s action, Rick remained standing until Cassie and the baby were settled on the couch. He then moved to sit next to Cassie and carefully lifted the baby now known as Kelsie into his arms. He still held her when, moments later, Steve and Lori walked into the house.

  The look of shock on their faces amused Rick and he laughed. Slowly they walked to the couch where Lori gave each adult Jarrett a kiss and hug.

  Steve only smiled and looked at his friend. “I’ll be damned,” he whispered. “How’d you know?”

  “I just did,” Rick whispered back not wanting to disturb his once again sleeping daughter. With a quick glance at Cassie, he then looked at each person in the room before finally speaking. “Everyone, my beautiful wife and I would like to introduce you to our beautiful daughter, Kelsie.”

  As Rick explained the meaning behind the name, Lori leaned against Steve and cried. Martin smiled along with Kevin. And though he tried to retain some of his fatherly strength, Blake’s eyes clouded up watching the small bundle in Rick’s arms.

  “Now,” Rick said turning to Cassie, “would you please reveal our daughter’s middle name?”

  With everyone’s full attention, Cassie gazed first at her daughter then at each person in the room.

  It seemed all of these people had taken care of and protected her. Martin, the kind and caring man whom she believed loved Rick as much as she did. Lori, her dear friend, who had known from the start her feelings for Rick. Steve, the wonderful man happy to act as sidekick to Rick, knowing all the while they were equal. Then there was Kevin, the young dreamer, always ready to fight or defend Rick at a moment’s notice. And Blake, her father whom she knew not only accepted Rick, but respected him.

  Finally, Cassie rested her eyes on her husband. Rick, the strong, decent and dedicated man she gave herself to freely and who would never ask more of her than to love him. He had taken care of her too. Still, he had been more than her protector he had been her heart, her love and above all Rick had been Cassie’s…

  “Shadow,” she whispered against him.

  Rick brushed a tear from his eye and placed a kiss on Cassie’s lips. Her beautiful face, radiant with pride and love, smiling up at him and sharing with him a whispered I love you made it seem they were the only two people in the room—until they looked up.

  The camera in Blake’s hands conveyed his unspoken request. In answer, Rick handed Kelsie to Cassie then wrapped his arms around both of them. His feelings of contentment obvious, he acknowledged the waiting photographer.

  Cassie’s expression also held contentment as she once again looked around the room. It had been a long, hard ride and yet she knew this was how her life was meant to be.

  Surrounded by family and friends and cradled between the beauty of her daughter and the loving arms of her husband, Cassie Dahlgren Jarrett looked at the camera and smiled.

  About the Author

  A friend once asked Sharon to try writing a single paragraph. That paragraph led to a novel of over 200,000 words! She's been writing ever since. From her first attempts at writing, and after learning the golden rule—200,000 word novels don’t fly—she settled into the warm and comforting world of Romance. Inspired by those dedicated to serving others and a passionate belief in “love conquers all”, Sharon's books offer stories of bravery, hope and unconditional love.

  Born and raised in Northern California, Sharon now lives on the East Coast where her husband, son, dog, cats and goldfish have learned to overlook her endless quest to blend the hearts and spirits of people who don’t exist—until she creates them with words.

  Sharon welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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