The Coming Storm (40 page)
“You’ve had a hand in helping with Koko’s children and Faith’s. I doubt very seriously you’ll have any trouble with our babies. I do have a suggestion, however. This place is growing fast. The cattle and horses are bringing us a nice income, and there’s no reason it won’t continue to get better.
“The boys and I have plans to finish the construction on the remaining unfinished portions of the house over the next few months. It’s going to be larger than ever, and I think we ought to consider getting a regular housekeeper and maybe a cook and a couple of other girls to help out.”
“Do you really think we need that kind of help? I mean, Koko and I are pretty capable.”
“I know you are, but Koko wants to school little James, and that takes a good deal of time. These children will need more and more schooling. I think we may even have to form our own school right here on the ranch. After all, I doubt other schools are going to take in Indian or black children.”
“Charity has already offered to do this,” Dianne said, her fears passing away as her excitement grew. “She believes she can teach the children everything they’ll need for their primary work. We’ll just need to get some primers and other books for her to use.”
Cole nodded. “I should have known you’d have this all worked out.”
“Well, with Ben running the church in their cabin, it seems natural that Charity could run a school.”
“That’s another thing we need to think about. With all the folks in the valley now, we really should build a church. Maybe somewhere to the north.”
“That’d be nice,” Dianne agreed. “I’ve always invited the other families when we’re at roundup, but driving all the way here from their ranches isn’t all that convenient.”
Cole pulled her close and sighed. “Not much in this country is convenient, but we’ll make it work. Because that’s what taming the land is all about. We’ll make this work too. I think we need to look at all the good around us. We have some good neighbors, new doctors, and stores. It’s a whole lot easier to get supplies ordered with the telegraph system in place and freight roads so easy to pass over. With the train running regularly across the country and talk of new tracks being put in across Montana, well, we should see things become a little easier every day.”
“But the Blackfoot won’t,” she sighed, laying her cheek against his chest. “None of the Indians will see an easier day, and that breaks my heart.”
“I know,” Cole whispered, “but all we can do is trust God for the outcome. He’s already seen the future—He knows what’s coming. He knows.”
D
IANNE EXPERIENCED THE FIRST PAINS OF LABOR EARLY ON
the morning of December 22. She hadn’t really known what to expect. Koko had told her how it felt, as had Faith, but Dianne’s labor seemed completely different. An ache in her lower back woke her that morning, but it wasn’t all that different from the other backaches she’d known during the latter months of her pregnancy.
“You’re moving kind of slow today,” Cole said as he dressed.
“I’m stiff and sore. This baby is no doubt eager to be born.” She massaged the small of her back and sighed.
Cole came and put his arms around Dianne. Leaning down, he whispered against her ear, “I’m eager too. I think this is the best Christmas present we’ve ever had.”
Dianne smiled. “Maybe he’ll be born on Christmas.”
“Maybe
she
will be,” Cole countered.
They laughed at their little game. For weeks they’d pondered and explored each possibility, always concluding that no matter what God gave them, they’d be happy and blessed by this new life.
Dianne began to dress, feeling great frustration in her inability to do the simple tasks that used to be easy. “I tire so quickly. It just doesn’t seem fair. I can stay in the saddle nearly as long as Gus. I can rope and shoot, work the roundup . . . but carrying another human being is just a little more than I seem capable of.”
Cole finished with his own clothes and came to Dianne. “Here, let me help. What can I do?” She pointed to her gown and he immediately took it in hand.
“I’m the size of Dolly,” she bemoaned.
“No you aren’t,” Cole chided as he helped her into the dress. “You’re beautiful, and soon you’ll back to your old size and feel more like yourself. In the meanwhile, every time I look at you, I’m just reminded of how much I love you.”
Dianne turned in his arms. He seemed to understand her need for reassurance, and she loved him for it. He kissed her gently on the forehead and then the lips. Dianne melted against him in the warmth and contentment of true love.
“Thank you for helping me,” she said, doing her best to ignore the nagging pain in her back.
Later that morning Dianne stood by the kitchen table, helping Koko prepare a wild turkey for the smokehouse. She rubbed at the powerful ache in her back until finally Koko commented.
“Are you hurting?”
Dianne nodded. “Usually the stiffness leaves by now, but this is much stronger.”
Koko clapped her hands and Suzy, sitting in a chair next to the table, did likewise. “It’s the baby,” Koko declared.
“The baby? You mean I’m having him now?” Dianne asked in horror.
“You are probably in labor. Back labor. My mother spoke of having it with my brother. I’ve never experienced it, but she said most all of her pain started in her back and was strongest there.”
“I don’t feel bad otherwise,” Dianne said, getting excited at the prospect of finally delivering her child.
“We will just prepare for the arrival and wait until the pains are stronger. Oh, Dianne, I’m so very happy this day has come.” Koko hugged her close and giggled. “It’s so exciting—like knowing a secret.”
Dianne couldn’t help but giggle in turn. She felt like a little girl on Christmas Day. Well, it was three days before, but it felt the same.
By afternoon, Dianne was notably miserable. The baby had pushed low, making her uncomfortable standing or sitting. Koko wanted her to go to bed, but Dianne knew she’d have plenty of time there. By evening, however, she was reconsidering. When Cole returned from working with a couple of green-broke geldings and heard what was going on, he gave his wife no choice.
“You’re going to bed,” he declared and lifted her into his arms.
When Koko finally decided to check Dianne’s progress she wasn’t at all pleased. “The baby is breech,” she concluded.
“Can we turn him?” Dianne questioned, already used to referring to the child as male.
“I don’t think so. Not now. He’s too low,” Koko said, sitting beside Dianne on the bed. “Breech deliveries are never easy.”
“What should we do?”
“I think it would be good to have a doctor. Dr. Bufford isn’t so far away. We could send one of the men for him. I think he’d come without reservation because it’s you.”
Dianne suddenly felt afraid. Afraid for her baby—afraid for herself. “Do whatever you think is best.” Just then a deep, immobilizing pain spread from her back to her abdomen. Dianne couldn’t help but moan out loud and double to her side. “Whatever you do, you’d better be quick. I don’t know how much longer this little guy’s going to wait.”
Koko stood and nodded. “I’ll get Charity or Faith to come and sit with you. I’ll talk to Cole and let him know what’s happening. He may even want to sit with you himself.”
“Cole knows exactly where Bufford’s place is. He may want to ride for him. If he does . . . tell him . . . I’ll be fine and that it’s all right . . . for him to go,” Dianne said, panting against the pain.
“I’ll tell him.”
Koko left the room and suddenly Dianne felt very alone.
Oh, Lord,
she prayed,
I’m so afraid. Please save me and my baby. Please don’t let us die
. She hated feeling so fearful—so alone. She knew her family was all around her—knew that God was with her as well.
“What’s this I hear?” Cole asked, coming into the room and quickly crossing to her side. “Is my son giving you a hard time?”
“So you finally are ready to concede that it’s a boy?” Dianne questioned, trying to sound jovial so as not to worry her husband. “I’m ready to do whatever it takes to get that baby born.
Including going for Dr. Bufford. Are you sure you don’t want me to send someone else?”
“I’d love for you to be here, but I also know it’s going to be hard to find his place in the dark. You know your way around here better than most. I trust you to bring him,” Dianne answered, the pain subsiding.
“Then that’s what I’ll do.” He kissed her on the forehead.
“Dianne?”
She looked up to meet his eyes. “Yes?”
“I love you. Remember that and take strength from it. I love you more than life itself, and I am absolutely confident that everything will be all right.”
She saw the truth of it in his face. He did believe, and because he did, she began to trust it to be true as well. “I love you too,” she said as another pain came upon her. “Please hurry.”
Koko came into the room just as Cole exited. Faith was close on her heels and came around the bed to take hold of Dianne’s hand.
“So it’s to be like this,” she said with a smile. “The best things in life come hard, don’t they?”
Dianne knew Faith understood the fear and the thoughts that poured through her mind. “Cole says everything will be all right.”
Faith nodded. “I feel the same. Charity too. We’ve been praying and we both have a great peace. You just rest in His care, Dianne. This is going to be a wonderful day.”
The twenty-second blended into the twenty-third of December and it was nearly four in the morning before Cole and Hezekiah Bufford came bounding into the room. Bufford took charge immediately, ordering everyone to go with exception to Koko.
Cole waved to Dianne from the door, but in her state of pain, she didn’t attempt to return the wave. She saw Faith lead Cole away and knew the older woman would be able to say and do the right things to comfort his mind.
“Have you ever helped in a breech birth?” Bufford asked Koko.
“No,” she admitted. “Only with animals.”
“Well, the concept is somewhat the same. You have to get the baby out before the body clamps down on the neck. See, the normal birth allows for the largest part of the body to be delivered first—which is the head. But in a breech birth, the body thinks the baby’s bottom is the biggest thing to come. If I had some forceps, I probably wouldn’t give it much thought, but I can’t boast a pair, so we’ll just have to do this the best we can.”
“You can save him, can’t you?” Dianne asked, tears threatening to spill. She eased up on her elbows to better see his face. The action took all of her strength.
Dr. Bufford smiled. It was one of the only times she’d ever seen the man smile. “I believe I can deliver this child in good order, but you’ll have to be brave and strong, and you’ll have to trust me.”
Dianne fell back against her pillow. “I do trust you, Dr. Bufford.”
Dianne heard her son’s first cries three hours later and knew her trust had been well placed. “Thank you, Father,” she breathed as Koko made the announcement.
“You have a son, and he’s perfectly healthy.”
Dianne nodded sleepily. “I knew it’d be a boy. I just knew it.”
“Congratulations, Mrs. Selby. You did just fine and so did he,” Dr. Bufford declared.
Dianne couldn’t contain a yawn. “Where’s Cole? Somebody needs to let him know.”
“I’ll tell him as soon as I get the baby cleaned up,” Koko said. She crossed the room to Dianne’s dressing table, where they’d already prepared warm water and towels.
Dr. Bufford finished his work, and with the tenderness of a father, he pulled the covers up to warm Dianne’s chilled body. “Are you feeling better now?” he asked.
“I am. Much better. Thank you for coming. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”
Koko brought the baby to Dianne’s arms. “Here he is, Mama. He’s anxious to be with you. You take him, and I’ll go find his papa.”
Dianne looked into her son’s eyes for the first time. They were the darkest blue. He seemed so alert, so interested in seeing her. “Oh my,” Dianne said, shaking her head, “he’s so tiny.” She laughed. “He didn’t feel tiny a few minutes ago, but now he seems so little.”
“I’m guessing around six-and-a-half pounds,” Bufford said.
“If you have a scale around here, you could certainly weigh him and see.”
“I honestly don’t care,” Dianne replied. “I’m just so glad he’s here.”
“I’m glad I could lend a hand.”
“You should probably take a room and sleep for a time,” Dianne said as Dr. Bufford swayed a bit on his feet.
To her surprise he nodded. “I’d like to do just that. It would make me feel better to stick around for a while and just make sure you have no complications.”
Dianne tensed. “Are you afraid something is wrong?”
He shook his head and reached down to place his hand upon her shoulder. “Not at all, my child. It just makes me feel better to watch over my patients for a few hours.”
“Here he is!” Koko announced, bringing a sleepy-eyed Cole into the room.
“Well?” he asked. “Boy or girl?”
Dianne laughed. “You mean to tell me you didn’t let him know about his son?”
“A boy! Yippee!” Cole gave a holler, coming fully awake. “I have a son!”
“I think they could have heard that in Virginia City,” Dianne declared as the baby began to cry. “At least we know there’s nothing wrong with Luke’s ears.”
“Lucas Chadwick Selby,” Cole said, coming to her side. She held the baby up to him and with a hesitant glance in return, Cole reached out to take him. “Kinda little, isn’t he?”
“He’ll grow soon enough,” Koko said, coming to stand beside him. “He’ll be big as his papa before you know it. Out there breaking horses and riding the roundup.”
Dianne yawned and closed her eyes. She could picture Lucas as a small child riding on the back of his own horse. He would look just like a miniature Cole, with cocoa brown hair and dark eyes. No doubt he would love the land, just as his father did. Just as she did.
