“It’s a girl! You have a beautiful daughter!” He lay his bundle onto the towel and reached for the knife to cut the cord, which he then neatly tied off with the twine. “You will have a lovely, tiny belly button, just like your mother.”
“You said you wouldn’t look!”
“I was a 14 year old boy. Of course I looked.”
He handed Mary her daughter so she could check fingers and toes and then reached to pick her up again.
“Let me just wash her up a bit and I’ll give her right back. Meanwhile, see if you can deliver the afterbirth for me, and then we can get you cleaned up a bit, too.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ― I’ll Be Home For Christmas
When all of the details had been attended to and Mary had washed up, she consented to being carried, baby at breast under the blankets, to the bed in the next room. The puppies were now snuggled, suckling, on a blanket next to the stove. Serena had decided to move them, one at a time, to the bed she’d used for the last few days.
“Now you see why I didn’t want to deliver in bed. Even Serena chose the barn.”
“Well, it would have put a hurt on my supply of clean linens, but you’re worth it! What are you going to name your little princess?”
“Christmas Noelle. Probably Crissy when she’s being good.” She gave him a sidelong glance. “Were you expecting another Charlotte or Charlene?”
Charles could feel himself blushing. “No and I didn’t realize the mothers had done that until the men started teasing me. I guess I can thank Reg for that little detail, too? And I think Christmas Noelle is a splendid name!”
“Her grandmother Roberts was named Noelle—for the same reason. I guess Christmas births run in the family!”
“Well, let’s see, including the six puppies, I make it a total of eight today! I don’t know about you,” he continued, “but all these babies eating is making me hungry! I’m afraid it just going to be biscuits and beans with some steak. I haven’t gotten any hens yet for eggs. And I ate all the ones I was given. But,” he winked at her, “at least we’ll have pie for dessert.”
“Kind of makes me sorry we didn’t make it as far as the Kenners’! Although I think a slice of your pie might be almost as good as Suzanne’s turkey dinner.”
“Well now that the blizzard has let up some, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a search party or two looking for you.”
“I can’t believe how fast it blew up like that! It had barely started when I left the barn and before I knew it the wind was whipping and snow falling so fast I couldn’t see! Thank the good Lord that Dusty knew his way home!”
“With all the years that Robert had him, you’d think he’d feel your barn was home.”
“Well you must have spoiled him something fierce, because he has always headed here if he had his head.”
Charles laughed. “That just sound funny: headed/head.”
Mary was laughing, too. “Yes, I heard it as it came out of my mouth.”
Charles was dipping more water into the kettle when they heard a bark from outside which Serena promptly answered, shaking loose the pups and standing up protectively. Hurrying over to the door, Charles let in Tom and Nick.
Tom glanced around the room, seeing Mary snuggled in the bed.
“Oh, thank the Lord that you are here! When you hadn’t arrived by the time the snow started falling, Dorothy got a bit worried, but figured you’d stayed with the Stockwells. Then Alvin stopped by to say that Sasha had given birth and Becky was in the barn but not Dusty, and told us about Henry’s brother-in-law. That’s when the real worrying started.”
Nick piped up. “But when Alvin said Dusty was gone, we guessed he’d be here, so this is where we started. And besides, we were a might concerned about you, too, Unca Charles!”
“Thoughtful of you,” muttered Charles. “We’re both here and safe. Do you want to put the horses in the barn and join us for a spell?”
Christmas Noelle chose that moment to announce her presence with a small mewling cry.
The Kenner men turned to stare at Mary, who’d raised the infant to her shoulder for a burp.
“Please be sure to let Harmony and Melody know their Christmas wishes have come true and they have a girl cousin!”
Nick crept over, a look of awe on his face.
“She’s so tiny!”
He reached out a hand and gently touched her back, stroking softly.
“She’s as fine as a puppy!” he declared, looking at Mary.
Charles cleared his throat. “I guess you didn’t notice we have them, too?”
Tom’s collie, McFee, had come in and approached Serena very cautiously, sliding forward on his belly until he was in easy sniffing range. She had stood her ground and then took a step forward, touching noses. She relaxed her stance and returned to her puppies who were fumbling blindly for their mother, while McFee settled himself in front of the stove in an alert guard dog pose, as if protecting his own young. And, looking at the long fur on some of the pups, perhaps he was!
Now all eyes were trained on the dogs, but as Nick made a move in their direction, Serena glared at him and gave a low growl. Nick laughed and tried counting from where he stood.
“Six!” he declared, turning hopeful eyes on Charles.
Charles nodded. “As long as it’s okay with your Ma and Pa!”
“I’ll talk with her,” Tom assured his son.
“But you’re going to want to wait a few weeks to try to select one. You have two people ahead of you.” And, answering Nick’s questioning look, he continued, “Me and your Aunt Mary.
“I was thinking of offering Reggie one, too,” he said softly to Tom.
“He’s pretty responsible, too. I’ll ask their mother. What are your plans for the last two?”
“I’ve already warned Mary I plan to give them to Harmony and Melody as Christmas gifts.”
“Let’s just hope Suzanne and Dorothy are willing, then, or you’re going to have some mighty disappointed youngsters!
“Come on, Nick, let’s head back and let everyone know we’ve found the lost guests, before they send out a search party for us! And congratulations, Mary!”
CHAPTER NINETEEN ― Epilogue
Fortunately for Mary’s rest, the lingering snow and several more inches over the next few days cut down the number of visitors to the Coopers and the Kenners, giving her a chance to rest and recover before being brought back home to her sister’s house, wrapped in blankets and quilts. Christmas was extended a day when Suzanne brought the dinner leftovers over and Charles’ small living shed became crowded with family and friends. The baby items made with love by her nieces, sister, and the Kenner ladies, Suzanne and Emilene, were soon supplemented with gifts from neighbors who dropped by to visit and gossip once the roads were clear again.
Charles had to get used to being referred to as Doc, much to both his chagrin and that of Doc Pedersen, who warned Charles he’d better not plan on stealing any more of his patients. The two men had a laugh over a cup of coffee and piece of pie at the Café when Charles was in town getting supplies.
And Charles remained exceptionally attentive to his latest godchild, the beautiful Christmas Noelle, and her equally beautiful mother, Mary.
With Mary back in the saddle and working with Charles as a partner in managing the active ranching and farming operations, and directing Henry and Jim as overseers, the combined operations were able to share expenses and eliminate duplication, rapidly putting them on break-even status and, with God’s blessing and good weather, they might even show a profit before long. Dorothy’s expert handling of the books and paperwork practically assured that goal, absent drought, disease, or any other natural disaster under which constraints all agricultural operations suffered.
Charles waited a full year plus a week from Robert’s death before he started courting Mary formally. Of course, he’d shown his caring for her in innumerable ways in the interim, but Robert had been his friend, too, and he wanted to honor his c
ourage and bravery as well as the traditions with which he’d grown up.
They were married on Christmas Noelle’s first birthday, to no one’s great surprise, and the following Christmas Mary presented him with twin boys, Charles Thomas Barnett III, called “Trey,” and Christopher Noel Barnett who, when his mother wasn’t three-naming him, went by Butch.
And they lived happily ever after!
The End
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
This is my fifth published novel, although two are currently “out of print” due to the closing of the Kindle Worlds last year. I am presently revising them for reissue but wanted to try my hand at something new in the meantime. I am fascinated with history, so the chance to create a western-themed Christmas story set me to researching the times, geography, and history of Kansas. Among other things, I learned Kansas emancipated women in 1912, well before the 19th Amendment, and that as early as 1861 (statehood!) had laws protecting widows.
As my own inbox is filled with far too many newsletters, I’ve chosen not to write one and instead focus on social media to share my stories. Naturally I’d be tickled red, white, and blue were you to follow me on any of the links below:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ElissaStratiAuthor
Twitter:
Betababe [@AvenueAntiques]
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Elissa-Strati/e/B077GLWD94
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17307510.Elissa_Strati
BookBub:
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/elissa-strati
Oh, you want more? I also write for Sweet Promise Press:
https://sweetpromisepress.com/authors/strati
And I am listed with All Author:
https://allauthor.com/author/elissastrati
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Series creator Cheryl Wright was consistently helpful and gracious, providing guidance with such arcane issues as creating a pre-order, and writing an interesting blurb. Fellow authors Margaret Tanner (who also provided excellent assistance with said blurb—all errors, omissions, or dullness are now entirely on me!) and Angela Lain were also right there offering advice, constructive criticism, and encouragement, as well. Thank you! Thanks also to the other authors in this group, Susan Horsnell, P. Creeden, and RaeAnne Hadley, for your contributions. Additionally, Virginia McKevitt’s stunning covers, each distinctive, provided a unifying theme for the series. In fact “my” cover, as of the date of publication, was in the second round of voting for December’s Best Cover, finishing round one in the top 50! These incredibly talented people have also given an amazing amount of backing, ideas and assistance. Thank you all!
This amazing camaraderie, I have come to find, is not unusual—authors seem to just be warm, creative, and generous folks. Each of you has my undying gratitude.
My friends and family, especially my husband (who is a great proofreader), have continued to abet my desire to pour my thoughts out on paper and its modern substitutes. They have to put up with my everyday whims and requests, and so deserve special recognition for their patience and love. But most of all, you, the reader, make it worthwhile to share my thoughts and dreams as expressed by the characters who whisper in my ear. Thank you.
Christmas Rescue Series
My book, Rescuing Christmas, rests squarely in the middle of this group of western-themed Christmas novels. Here’s where to find the rest of the series:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08121FXK3
Rescuing Christmas Page 7