To Love and to Cherish (36 page)

Josiah scooted back so fast, he fell and landed on his behind. “Whoa, girl, too much excitement?”

Ignoring him, Emma patted Rebecca’s shoulder. “No wonder. Being chased by a coyote! I don’t feel so good myself.”

Thomas hobbled toward them. “Rebecca! Rebecca!”

Rebecca broke away from Emma.
“Daed!”
She limped toward the middle of the clearing where Thomas stopped. “Daed, the coyote, I think it’s dead!”

She stumbled and fell to her knees. “I can’t feel my feet.” She sounded surprised. “My ankle doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Thomas worked to get to her. His limp was every bit as bad as hers. He staggered to within reach, then dropped to his knees in the snow. His arm went around his daughter, but his pain-filled gaze fixed on Emma. “Danki.” His hoarse voice held tightly tethered emotion. “Danki.”

“It’s a wonder I hit him, my hands were shaking so badly.” Emma tottered toward them. “Let me help you up. We need to get you both to the school.”

“Home. I want to go home!” Rebecca whimpered. “I’m tired.”

“The school’s closer.”

“I’ll carry her.” Josiah hoisted Rebecca into his arms. “Whew, girl, you don’t smell so good. Emma, you help Thomas.”

Josiah seemed unaware of the powerful emotion those words produced in Emma. Did Thomas notice? Did he feel the same way? She didn’t dare ask, not in front of her brother.

Thomas held out a hand. “Help me up?”

Maybe he’d given her the answer, in his own, simple way. A lump the size of Kansas in her throat, Emma tugged him to his feet.

No one spoke, their energy drained by the sheer effort to make progress against a north wind that whipped the snow flurries like tiny pinpricks in their frozen faces. Emma picked her foot up, set it down.
One more step. One more step. One more step
.

Emma fought the urge to wail when the schoolhouse finally came into view. They staggered up the steps and through the door. Josiah deposited Rebecca on the floor close to the fire. “Are you sure you’re only six?” He tugged her coat up around her chin. “You’re pretty heavy.”

“I don’t feel good.” She rolled on her side and tucked her knees up toward her stomach. “I might have to…”

“I’ll get the blankets from the sleigh.” Josiah darted toward the door.

If her face weren’t frozen Emma might have smiled at her brother’s queasiness. She slapped the kettle on the stove and opened its door long enough to poke at the wood. The blazing heat seared her face. It felt good. She couldn’t quit shaking.

“Here.” Josiah thrust the blankets at her. Her bruised shoulder ached when she reached out to accept them. Josiah didn’t immediately let go. “You look peaked. Are you sick, too?”

She took the blankets from him. “I’m fine.”

“Good. I’ll round up the other men and send them home. It’s getting late.”

“You don’t know anything about Leah and the baby?”

“Aenti Louise had Catherine and Annie heating water and getting out more quilts when I left. They were all in Leah’s bedroom. I could hear her moaning.” He ducked his head, but Emma saw the worry on his face. “Luke was probably already half way to Bliss Creek. He lit out on the horse like somebody was chasing him.”

Not somebody, but the thought that his baby was in jeopardy. And his Leah. “Go home now, in case they need you.”

“What about you?”

“We’ll get Rebecca warmed up and then we’ll be right behind you.”

“I’m not sure it’s right that I should leave you alone with Thomas.”
Josiah jerked his head toward him. Thomas knelt next to Rebecca, rubbing her feet, his big, calloused hands dark against her white toes. “What will Luke think?”

“Luke has his own problems right now. Thomas is hurt and Rebecca is sick. My virtue is safe.” Using a potholder, Emma poured water over a tea bag and set the kettle back on the stove. She picked up a bottle of honey. “Can you stop at Thomas’s house and let his parents know Rebecca’s been found? I think he should take her to our house since the doctor will be there. They’ll be worried if he doesn’t bring her home.”

“I’ll take care of it.” Josiah grinned. “Good shot, by the way. You can come hunting with me anytime.”

“I think I’ll leave the hunting to the men.” Emma couldn’t control the shudder that shook her body. She added honey to the tea, letting its rich, sweet scent calm her. “Better hurry. Thomas’s parents will be worried.”

Josiah headed for the door. After he opened it, he looked back. “See you at home as quickly as possible.”

He sounded so much like Luke, Emma almost smiled. Almost. “Go.”

“Going!”

He slapped on his gloves and disappeared through the door.

Emma focused on her two patients. Thomas had his hand on Rebecca’s forehead. “She’s burning up.” He leaned back on his haunches. “She needs a doctor.”

So it wasn’t excitement from the pageant that made Rebecca feel sick. Emma handed him the tea. “This will warm you. Rebecca might not be able to keep it down. The Dodd children had the flu this week so she’s been exposed to it. All the children have. That may account for the fever and the vomiting.” She brushed hair from Rebecca’s damp, warm face. “Luke is bringing Doctor Miller to our house right now. We should get her there.”

“Bank the fire.” Thomas struggled to his feet. Tea slopped on his hand. He didn’t seem to notice. “I’ll get her into the buggy.”

“I can carry her.”

“You? You barely weigh more than a sparrow yourself.”

“I’m more like a mother hen than a sparrow. I can help you. Just give me a minute and we’ll do it together.”

“I like the sound of that.” His voice cracked. “The together part.”

“We’ll see.” She touched Rebecca’s fevered forehead again. She felt so hot. The little girl moaned. Fear rippled through Emma. “We need to get her home.”

Home. Help.

E
mma rushed down the hallway toward Luke and Leah’s bedroom. Thomas was taking care of Rebecca. Someone needed to take care of him, with his bleeding head and injured hip. The doctor must look at them both. Soon. Surely the baby had arrived by now. She slowed, taking in the tableau in front of her. Annie sat on the hallway floor, her back against the wall, hands over her ears, a look of desperation on her face. Luke paced in front of the closed door. Emma halted a few feet away. “Where’s Doctor Miller? Isn’t the baby here yet? We found Rebecca, but she’s sick. She needs him. And Thomas fell. He hurt his hip.”

Annie threw her hands up in the air. “I don’t know if the baby is here or not. They asked for more water and more towels and then sent me away.” She wrapped her arms around her bent knees. “I heard a baby cry, but Leah’s still yelling. If the baby is here, why is she still yelling?”

“Doctor Miller’s hurting her,” Luke muttered. His hair stuck up all over his head like he’d been pulling on it and the bottom of his shirt had snagged on his suspenders, leaving it half in and half out. “He’s hurting her. I should’ve gone for the midwife.”

“Aenti Louise is a midwife.” Emma hurried over to Luke. “If she says Leah needs a doctor for this breech birthing, then that’s what she needs. Doctor Miller’s helping, not hurting.”

He shook his head. “It’s never taken this long before. The boys were quick.”

“They must not have been breech.” Emma remembered another night like this. Six years ago. Lillie and Mary. Lillie came first, according to Mudder. She was a little bigger and a little stronger than her younger sister Mary, who came five minutes later. “You don’t think…”

“Think what?”

“Twins. It could be twins. Leah has twin brothers. Twins happen in both our families. Maybe that’s it.”

“Two babies?” Annie screeched and slapped her hands to her cheeks. “Two babies? Do you think?”

Luke stopped pacing. Stunned surprise replaced the exhausted look on his face. “Twins?” He pulled on his suspenders and let them snap against his chest. “You think it could be?”

“It could be!” Reenergized by the thought, Emma knocked on the door, two quick raps. “I hope Aenti Louise can take care of Leah for a few minutes—”

Squalls poured from the bedroom. Loud and strong even through the closed door.

Luke stopped pacing.

Emma dropped her hand. Doctor Miller and Aenti Louise might be very busy right now. But Rebecca needed help. “I don’t know what to do. Rebecca has a high fever and she’s vomiting.”

A creaking sound made her turn back. The door had opened. Aenti Louise stuck her head out. “Where are those towels?”

“Here!” Catherine streaked down the hall, a stack in her arms. Aenti Louise held out her hands and Catherine reached in front of Emma. “Here’s everything we have left that’s clean.”

“Aenti, Rebecca needs help. Can you—”

“Doctor Miller has done the hard part here, what with delivering twins and all.” She cackled like a satisfied mother bird. “I’ll send him out. Luke, you best get up to the attic for the other cradle.”

Aenti Louise shut the door in Emma’s face.

Twins. Double the trouble, double the joy. Emma glanced at Luke.
He had a silly look on his face. “The attic. Twins. Boys or girls? She didn’t say if they’re boys or girls.” The grin disappeared. “She didn’t say if they were healthy.”

“She wouldn’t have been standing there talking to us if they weren’t.” Emma couldn’t contain a small chuckle. Luke looked so different from the stern head of the family he’d become since the accident. “She wouldn’t be sending Doctor Miller out if they weren’t. Maybe you’d better sit down.”

Luke leaned against the wall and slid down until he sat, legs sprawled in front of him. “Maybe you’re right.”

Doctor Miller slipped from Leah’s room. “Where’s Rebecca?”

Emma led the way to Mary and Lillie’s room. She’d moved them to her own room, too embarrassed to think of Thomas passing through that doorway. Nor could he be separated from his child. Now he leaned over Rebecca, a wet washrag in one hand.

“How is she?” Emma’s whisper barely pierced the silence. “I’ve brought Doctor Miller.”

“The same.” He laid the washcloth on her forehead. “Burning up.”

Doctor Miller set his bag on the bed. “Rebecca, dear, you’ve grown since you came in with that sore throat. Let’s take a look. Emma, why don’t you give us a few minutes?”

“No.” Thomas held up a hand. “She can stay. If you don’t mind, I’d like her to stay.”

Doctor Miller’s examination was quick. He laid his stethoscope in his bag and pulled off his gloves. “We’ve had a bad strain of the flu racing through town for the last week. Looks like Rebecca has it. We need to get her fever down.” Frowning, he glanced from Thomas to Emma. “I can give her tamiflu, but we also need to immerse her in lukewarm water—not cold, warm. I know you don’t have hot running water, but—”

“We’ll heat water and add it to the tub where we take our baths.” Emma moved toward the door as she talked. “If you’ll bring her downstairs in a few minutes, I’ll hook up the hose and get the water running.”

She ran down the stairs, not waiting to see if they followed. Despite exhaustion that seeped into her bones, making them heavier than she could ever have imagined, she whipped through the house to the laundry room. She grabbed the hose from its hook and attached one end to the faucet, then ran it over to the tub that doubled for laundry and baths.

“Can I help?’ Annie stood in the doorway, her hands twisted together in front of her. “What can I do?”

“Put the pots and pans back on the stove—start heating water. The doctor says we need to put Rebecca in lukewarm water to bring her fever down.”

“More hot water!” Annie whirled and trotted into the kitchen. “We can both carry.”

Without talking they worked side by side, carrying the pans of hot water to the tub, letting it mix with the cold water until it reached a temperature Emma felt Rebecca could tolerate. “Go tell them to bring her down. Tell them to hurry before the water starts to cool.”

Within minutes, Annie was back. Doctor Miller carried Rebecca, wrapped in a blanket that trailed after him. Thomas hobbled along behind him.

“Give her to me.” Emma took the girl from the doctor’s arms. Rebecca laid her head on Emma’s shoulder. Emma nodded at the men. “You’d best wait in the kitchen.”

Doctor Miller opened his mouth, but Thomas spoke first. “I’ll put more wood on the fire so it won’t be cold when you bring her out. We’ll be right there, if you—if she needs anything.”

Looking reluctant, Doctor Miller stepped out with Thomas. Emma quickly undressed Rebecca, keeping the blanket tucked around her as much as possible. She tested the water, not cold, but not hot. “Here we go, Rebecca. You didn’t know it was bath night, did you?”

She gently lowered her into the water. Rebecca’s sudden intake of air told Emma her fever made the water seem colder than it was. “I don’t like this,” she whimpered. “I want to get out.”

“It’s just for a little while.” Emma eased onto a stool next to the tub
and began to trail water over Rebecca’s shoulders and pat her face with wet hands. “Doesn’t that feel good? Don’t you feel a little better?”

Rebecca sighed. “I guess. A little.”

“It’s nice, isn’t it? You just relax and I’ll wash you up a little, how about that?”

Rebecca’s eyelids drooped. “I’m really tired. I might want to go to sleep.”

The medicine Doctor Miller had given was finally having an effect. Emma continued to smooth the water over the girl’s shoulders and neck, over and over again, until her arms ached. She touched Rebecca’s forehead. Cooler? Maybe. So was the water. “I think we’re done here.”

She lifted Rebecca from the tub, dried her off as quickly as possible, and tugged one of Annie’s old flannel nightgowns on her. “It’s too big, but the twins’ clothes are too little, so we’ll just have to make do.”

Rebecca didn’t answer. Her soft, regular breathing said she’d already slipped off to sleep. A deep sense of relief rolled over Emma. Rebecca would be all right. She hugged the girl to her chest. Emotion threatened to choke her. Thomas’s child would survive, and she’d helped make that possible. They were forever yoked by the experience.

She sniffed and wiped at her face with the back of one free hand. This must be what being a mother felt like.