by Al Lacy
The baby’s cries diminished to whimpers, and soon she went silent.
Dr. Dane drew up and said, “I’ll check her over now, honey.”
Tharyn nodded. “I estimate her at pretty close to six pounds.”
The doctor picked the baby up in his hands and did a slight bouncing motion thoughtfully. “I agree. Just about six pounds.”
Tharyn looked on as her husband carefully examined the baby and listened to her heart and lungs with his stethoscope. Smiling, he took the earphones from his ears, let the stethoscope dangle around his neck, and said, “She’s perfect.”
Tharyn smiled. “Praise the Lord. I’ll take her to her mommy now.”
Dr. Dane said, “I’ll wash my hands, then go tell Jack that he has a fine baby girl.” With that, he hurried to the wash basin.
Tharyn wrapped the tiny one in a small pink flannel blanket, then picked her up, held her close, and crooned in a half-whisper, “Welcome to the world, precious little girl. Someday soon I hope I’ll have a sweet little girl just like you.” A faraway look stole across her face as she stood there for a long moment, gazing at the newborn babe.
The sound of Dane going through the office door met Tharyn’s ears.
Mentally shaking herself, she thought, What am I doing, dreaming of my own future child while this baby’s mother is waiting eagerly to hold her!
She turned and walked briskly back to the curtained section where Sally lay, covered by a sheet with her head propped up on two pillows, a look of anticipation on her happy face.
Tears instantly filled the new mother’s eyes as she took the baby into her arms from a smiling Tharyn, who said, “Dr. Dane checked her over, Sally, even her heart and lungs. She’s just fine, and in perfect health.”
Sally raised her eyes heavenward. “Thank You, Lord Jesus!” Then gazing at the tiny face, she said, “Hello, Lydia Marie Miller. I’m your mommy.” She kissed the chubby little cheeks and cuddled the infant close to her heart.
Tharyn smiled down at Sally. “Doctor and I estimate she weighs just about six pounds.”
Sally kissed the top of the baby’s fuzzy little head. “Why, that’s just right for a little girl.”
Then unwrapping the blanket, the joyful mother examined her precious baby. Caressing Lydia Marie’s dark hair and her rosy cheeks, Sally took one of the tiny hands into her own hand, and the baby curled her tiny fingers around her mother’s thumb.
“Aw-w-w, isn’t that sweet?” said Tharyn.
“It sure is.” Sally kissed all ten fingers and all ten toes, then did a thorough check of her daughter.
When the inspection was completed and Sally was satisfied that everything about her firstborn baby was in working order, she rewrapped the blanket closely around her and cuddled her in loving arms. Little Lydia snuggled her head close to her mommy, stuck her thumb into her rosebud mouth, and closed her eyes.
At that moment, a smiling Jack Miller came through the office door with Dr. Dane on his heels. Quickly, Jack moved into the curtained section and stepped up beside the table. Dr. Dane eased up close to Tharyn, and took her hand in his.
Still smiling, Jack gazed at his little daughter for a moment, then bent down and kissed a chubby cheek. He then kissed Sally’s forehead and said, “Isn’t she just beautiful?”
“She sure is!” agreed Sally.
“She looks like her mommy.”
“You really think so?”
“Oh, yes. And Dr. Logan says she’s perfect.”
“Yes. Praise the Lord.”
Jack’s voice was soft and slightly hushed as he added, “Thank you, sweetheart, for our wonderful little girl. She’s a precious, awesome miracle from God, and a priceless gift from Him, too.”
Sally smiled. “Well, Daddy, you’re welcome. And, yes, she is a precious, awesome miracle and a priceless gift. I don’t understand how anyone could look at a newborn baby and say there is no God.”
“That’s for sure.” Jack tenderly ran his rough, calloused fingers over his little daughter’s soft, round cheeks. Tears glistened in his eyes. “Little Lydia Marie will be raised with much love and care, and we’ll teach her that the Lord loves her, too.”
“Yes we will. And every day when I feed her and bathe her, I’ll tell her the story of Jesus and the cross.”
Jack nodded and wiped tears from his cheeks as he took in the wonder and responsibility of it all.
Sally and Jack continued making over their little gift from God.
As Dane and Tharyn held hands and observed the beautiful scene before them, Dane felt Tharyn’s hand trembling, and looked down at her.
He whispered, “Honey, are you all right?”
Tharyn looked up at him through a wall of tears. “I’m all right,” she whispered back. “I’m fine. I’m just happy for Sally and Jack.”
Dane thought there was more to it than she was telling him, but accepted it for the moment. He looked at the happy father. “Jack, I’d like to keep Sally and Lydia Marie here for another three hours, just to observe both of them and make absolutely sure they’re all right.”
Jack nodded. “Sure, Doctor. I’ll be back after my lunch break at work, and if all is well, I’ll take them home then.”
Patients came and went all morning. In between, either Dr. Dane or Tharyn checked on Sally and little Lydia Marie.
When Dr. Dane and his wife were finally alone just before noon, he stood over her as she sat at her desk and said, “Sweet stuff, I believe I know you well enough to figure out when you’re not being totally honest with me.”
Tharyn raised her gaze to him with a look of mock astonishment in her sky-blue eyes. “Why, Dr. Logan, sir, what are you talking about? Me not be totally honest with my precious husband? How silly!”
He leaned down, putting the palms of his hands on the desktop, and looked her square in the eye. “Earlier this morning, when we were observing the Millers as they were making over little Lydia Marie, I saw those big tears in your eyes and asked if you were all right. You said you were. That you were just happy for Sally and Jack. Remember?”
Tharyn nodded, her eyes filling up with a sheen of tears. “Well, I was telling you the truth. I was happy for Sally and Jack.”
Dane stood erect again. “I’m not doubting that, honey, but there was more to it than just being happy for the new parents. There was something else.”
“Oh, Dane, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. We’ve just been so busy, I haven’t had a moment to bring it up. Dr. Fraser—”
“I’ll let you tell me about the Dr. Fraser thing later. Right now I want to know what else you were crying about when I asked if you were all right.”
Tharyn took a handkerchief out of a desk drawer and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Darling, what makes you think I was crying about something else?”
He gave her a mock frown. “Like I just said, sweetheart. I know you well enough to figure out when you’re not being totally honest with me.” He bent down and put the palms of his hands on the desktop again. “Come on. Out with it.”
Tharyn cleared her throat gently and smiled at him. “Think you’re pretty smart, don’t you?”
Dane grinned. “Smart has nothing to do with it. I just know my wife. Come on. What is it?”
Tharyn cleared her throat again. “Well, I … ah … was simply thinking about—about the wonderful day in the future when I would give birth to our first child.” She choked up and swallowed hard. “Darling, helping Sally give birth to little Lydia Marie just—well, just made the motherly instincts work feverishly in me.”
Dane leaned farther over the desk and met her gaze head-on. “Do you want to advance our previous plan to wait for a couple of years before we start our family? Do you want to start sooner?”
Tharyn swallowed with difficulty again. “The prospective mother part of me wants to hold my own child in my arms right now … but the wife part of me, which includes the nurse-receptionist part, is saying that we should wait the two
years that we agreed upon before we got married. If I gave in to the motherly instincts, I’d say let’s have a baby as soon as possible. But if we followed my motherly instincts, you’d have to hire another nurse-receptionist sooner than we have planned.”
Dane moved around the desk, bent down and kissed her tenderly, then said, “Honey, that’s no problem. How about we pray about this in the days ahead and ask the Lord to guide us as to when we should start our family?”
“Okay. I only want God’s will in the matter. I’m twenty-three years old, and most married women my age already have at least two children. But if the Lord makes it clear that He wants me to wait a couple of years, I can accept that and be perfectly happy.”
Dane chuckled. “I’ll have to tell you that it has passed through my mind several times lately. I’m two years older than you. And most twenty-five-year-old married men are the fathers of at least two, if not three children. I guess it’s the fatherly instinct talking to me. Let’s really pray hard about it and see how the Lord leads us.”
“All right, darling. That’s exactly what we’ll do. Well, we’d better eat lunch before we have to miss it because those patients with appointments start coming through that door.”
They sat at a small table in the waiting area. After Dane prayed over the food and spent two or three minutes seeking the Lord’s guidance as to when they should start their family, they ate the box lunch Tharyn had prepared before coming to the office that morning.
Just as they were finishing, the front door opened, and Jack Miller came in with a bright beam on his face. “Well, how’s my wife and my new little daughter?”
Dr. Dane rose from the table, smacking his lips, and said with a wide smile, “They’re doing just fine, Jack.”
Tharyn also rose to her feet. “We gave Sally some lunch before we came in here to eat lunch, ourselves. Your little Lydia Marie was getting her lunch when we left them.”
Jack’s eyebrows arched. “She’s nursing already?”
Tharyn laughed. “You men! Don’t you understand that it doesn’t take a baby long to know he or she is hungry? When their mother offers nourishment, they know exactly how to take it.”
Jack looked at the doctor. “Would you know that if you weren’t a physician?”
“Probably not.”
Tharyn headed for the door to the back room, saying, “I’ll check on Sally and the baby. I’ll let you know if they’re ready to go home.”
When Tharyn entered the small curtained section, she found Sally holding little Lydia Marie in her arms. The baby was asleep.
Sally smiled. “She seems satisfied with the woman the Lord chose to be her mother.”
“Well, that’s good. Jack’s here, wanting to take his family home. You feeling okay?”
“Yes. A bit weary, of course, but I’m sure that goes with the territory.”
“That’s what they tell me. You sit tight. Doctor will want to check on both of you one more time. If he’s convinced that both of you are all right, he’ll let Jack take you home.”
Tharyn returned to the office and found the two men standing near the door, talking. When they turned and looked at her, she said, “Lydia Marie is now sleeping on a full tummy. Sally says other than being a bit weary, she’s fine.”
Dr. Dane looked at Jack. “I want to check both of them one more time, and if all is still well, you can take them home. Sit down here in the waiting area, and I’ll be back shortly.”
Jack watched doctor and nurse hurry through the door to the back room and sighed. “Thank You again, Lord, for my precious little Lydia Marie.”
Less than fifteen minutes had passed when Dr. Dane appeared at the door and said, “Okay, Jack. Mother and child are ready to go home.”
Jack and the doctor made their way to the curtained section. When Jack stepped into the small area, he found Sally sitting up on the examining table in her maternity dress. The baby was wrapped in a small blanket, and was in Tharyn’s arms.
Tharyn cuddled the baby and said, “Jack, you’ll need to carry Sally out to the wagon. She’s too weak to walk yet. I’ll carry Lydia Marie.”
Dr. Dane smiled to himself while he observed the look in Tharyn’s eyes as she held the baby.
“Sure, I’ll carry Sally,” said Jack as he smiled at his wife, then moved up to his little daughter, whose eyes were still drowsy. He kissed her chubby cheek. “Daddy loves you, sweetheart.”
Then he turned to Sally, kissed her cheek also, and said, “I love you, too. Thank you for giving me such a beautiful little girl. And she looks even more like you than she did the first time I saw her.”
Sally chuckled. “That makes me proud.”
Jack lifted her in his arms. “It should. Well, Lydia Marie’s mommy, let’s take our precious little girl home.”
Dr. Dane walked ahead of Jack as he carried Sally toward the door, and Tharyn followed with the newborn baby in her arms. They passed through the office, and when they moved outside, two couples who were members of their church came walking along the boardwalk together.
One of the women said excitedly, “Look! Sally’s had her baby!”
All four moved up close as Dr. Dane was helping Jack place Sally on the buggy seat.
One of the husbands said, “Looks like mother and baby are going home. What have we got here, Mrs. Logan? A little girl?”
“Yes,” said Tharyn, smiling. “Her name is Lydia Marie.”
The two women crowded up close to Tharyn, both of them saying how beautiful the baby was.
“Does Pastor Shane know your baby’s been born?” asked the man who had not yet spoken.
“Not yet,” said Jack. “I was going to go to the parsonage and let him know after I got home from work this evening. Right now, I have to get Sally and the baby home so I can go back to work. Rosemary Campbell has already volunteered to help Sally for the first few days after the baby is born.”
“Would you like for us to let Pastor and Peggy know for you?” asked one of the men.
“Sure. I’d appreciate it,” said Jack.
“We’ll go to the parsonage right now.”
Jack thanked them and climbed onto the buggy seat beside Sally.
Dr. Dane looked on as Tharyn moved up to the side of the buggy in order to place the baby in Sally’s arms. Before she did so, Tharyn looked down at the tiny face, kissed Lydia Marie’s forehead, and said, “The Lord has been very good to you, sweet baby. He’s given you parents who know Him as their Saviour, and will raise you in church and by the Word of God.” With that, she kissed the baby again, then handed her to Sally.
Jack looked at the Logans with appreciative eyes. “I want to thank both of you for a job well done. I’ll see you in church on Sunday.”
Sally smiled at them. “Yes. Thank you for taking such good care of Lydia Marie and me. It … ah … will be a few weeks before mother and baby can come to church.”
Dr. Dane said, “Well, just take your time and don’t overdo it. I’ll be by the house in a couple of days to check on both of you. In the meantime, if you need me …”
“We’ll sure let you know,” said Sally.
While the Millers were driving away, Dane put an arm around Tharyn’s shoulders and smiled. “You’re so cute, honey. You’ve got MOTHER written all over you.”
As they were walking back toward the office, Tharyn smiled up at him. “Oh, I do, eh?”
“You sure do.”
“Well, let’s just pray about it in the days ahead—even as you did at lunch—and ask the Lord to guide us as to when we should start our family.”
“Oh, yes!” Dane replied. “I can’t wait to see little Tiglath-pileser Logan!”
“What do you mean? Don’t you know we’re going to have a girl first? Get ready to see little Secacah Marie Logan!”
Dane raised his eyebrows, a grin curling his lips. “Oh, Secacah Marie, huh?”
“Sure, then she and little Lydia Marie can have fun together, each having the same middle name!”
>
Dane shook his head. “Now, look here, Mrs. Logan, I—”
“Hey, Dr. Logan!” came a voice well-known to both. “Glad to see you back from Fort Junction.”
Dane and Tharyn turned around to see Marshal Jake Merrell and Deputy Len Kurtz coming toward them on the boardwalk.
“Well, if it isn’t Central City’s finest!” Dr. Dane said. “Hello, Marshal. Hello, Deputy.”
Merrell said, “Doctor, when I ran into you up there in the high country, you told me to talk to Len about the announcement Pastor Shane had given to the whole church on Sunday concerning Melinda Kenyon and Chief Tando. You really jolted me when you said Melinda wasn’t dead, and that Chief Tando was no longer the enemy of white men. Well, Len told me what Pastor had said. Praise the Lord that Melinda is alive! And praise the Lord that Chief Tando has had a change of heart! So tell us … how did it go at the signing of the peace treaty at Fort Junction?”
“It went very well.”
“Great!” said Len. “I’d like to hear all the details.”
Dr. Dane grinned. “Well, as soon as we can get some time together, I’ll tell you the whole story.”
“I know you’re a busy man,” said Merrell, “but you feel free to come by my office anytime you can.”
“I’ll do it. Oh, and how’s it going with Earl? I assume you got Dr. Fraser over to the jail to look at his eye.”
“That’s what I was going to say to you a little while ago about Dr. Fraser, honey,” Tharyn said. “I was going to tell you that he had treated Earl’s eye, and said there was no permanent damage.”
Merrell said, “Doc Fraser came to check on Earl this morning, and confirmed that there is no permanent damage to his eye. He told Len and me that you got back from Fort Junction yesterday. Said he was having some trouble with his back, so after he checked Earl, he was going home.”
Dr. Dane nodded. “So how long are you going to keep Earl in jail?”
“A month. I think that’ll teach him never to smack Dora around again. She has neighbors taking care of her and their little boy.”
Dr. Dane grinned. “Seems to me the beating you gave him will help him to think it over, too.”