Page 560 of Conveniently Wed
Tears trickled down her cheeks as she pulled her hand back. “It’s not your fault, Franklin. I wanted to be a comfort to her if I could.”
He stood. “You’re amazing. I don’t know why God gave you to me.”
Before she could think of anything to say to him, the loudest scream yet rent the air. Soon after, Michael’s whimpers could be heard.
“You stay here, Lorinda. I’ll take care of Michael. The doctor might need your help again.”
As he left the room, his thoughts turned to the situation he and Lorinda were in. How he wanted her to be his wife in every sense of the word, but he wouldn’t force her into anything. He wanted her to come to him of her own free will, because she loved him.What a dreamer I am.
Soon the soft cries of a newborn filled the house. Mrs. Oleson rushed into the parlor and thrust a flannel baby blanket at Lorinda. “Here. Warm this by the fire, then bring it back to me. We have another little boy.” With those words, she immediately returned to the new mother’s room.
Lorinda held the blanket as close to the fire as she could without scorching it, so it didn’t take much time to have the whole thing warm. She folded it and held it close to her chest to keep it from cooling off.
When Lorinda opened the bedroom door, Mrs. Oleson was just finishing cleaning up the baby and pinning the diaper on him, while Dr. Winston continued taking care of his mother. Lorinda unfolded the blanket, and Mrs. Oleson gently laid the baby in it. Lorinda swaddled the little boy and cuddled him close.
He was so tiny. Michael was so big now that it was hard to remember him being this small. He probably wasn’t quite thislittle. And her son was becoming independent. He didn’t want to be cuddled anymore. Automatically, Lorinda began to sway in the age-old method of quieting a baby. The boy’s eyes slid closed, and his breathing evened out.
When the doctor finished with all the cleanup work on Miriam, he turned to Lorinda. “Let’s introduce Miriam to her son.”
The new mother barely opened her eyes when Lorinda placed the precious bundle into her arms. “You have a little boy.” She forced excitement into her tone, hoping to gain the woman’s attention.
After a moment, the new mother looked down at the baby.
“I think he looks a lot like you.” Lorinda tried to engage her in what was happening.
Mrs. Oleson stopped on the other side of the bed, where the baby’s head was nestled in the crook of his mother’s arms. “We need to put the wee one to the breast, Miriam. It will be good for both you and him.”
She gently loosened the swaddling a little and helped hold his little mouth against his mother. It took a few times of encouraging him before he latched onto her. With the first tug, Miriam once again looked at the baby, and her arms settled him closer.
Lorinda almost rejoiced out loud.This is a good thing...but was it? Miriam continued to fade more and more.
Dr. Winston returned from cleaning up. He rolled his shirt sleeves down as he watched his patients. A frown quickly spread across his features, puckering his forehead. He motioned for Lorinda to accompany him into the hallway.
“Mrs. Vine, Miriam is not recovering the way she should. I’ll stay the night by her bedside. Is there somewhere that you can take the baby to sleep?”
“We have a large basket I can place near the fireplace. We can make a bed for him in that.” She left to get the container.
When she returned with the basket, a pillow, and some baby blankets, the doctor stood beside the fireplace holding the little boy. After Lorinda finished making the soft bed, he handed the precious bundle to her and went back to the bedroom with Miriam.
When the doctor reached Miriam’s bedside, Mrs. Oleson left and came into the parlor. She sat beside Lorinda, clasping her hands in her lap.
“I have a bad feeling about Miriam’s chances of survival. Will you be able to nurse our new little baby?”
Lorinda stared at him and smiled. “Of course.” Whatever happened, this little one needed to be loved and cared for. She had plenty of love in her heart for another child.
32
Franklin stood beside the gaping maw of the open grave. Even in his sheepskin and suede coat, he was chilled to the bone...by more than just the icy wind. As he gazed down at the closed pine box that contained the remains of his former fiancée, he grieved more for what had happened to her than for what she’d done to him. He knew he hadn’t loved her enough, and he was sorry she’d made such poor choices. She shouldn’t have ended up in this cemetery at such an early age. And her son would never know his mother.
“Let’s pray.” Pastor Nelson bowed his head, pulling Franklin from his thoughts, and everyone around them followed suit.
When had he moved from pain to forgiveness?When Lorinda became my wife.His thoughts turned toward her. She’d wanted to come to the graveside service, but both of the babies needed her. He wished he could’ve stayed home with her, but he wanted to make sure Miriam’s body received the care she deserved. And he wanted to make sure that no one besides their pastor knew the circumstances of her last few years. He owed her that much.
Yesterday after he’d made arrangements with the undertaker and Pastor Brian, he’d had a talk with his lawyer. The manconfirmed that the paper Miriam had written was legal enough to stand up in court. So he and Lorinda now had two sons, a surprise since he’d figured they’d only have the one.
Lorinda had seemed all right with what happened the night Miriam asked the question and wrote her desires about her son. But he wondered if she really was okay with the results. Had she believed the newborn would become theirs so soon?
At the end of the service, he quickly excused himself and set out toward the ranch, riding Major as fast as he could under the darkening clouds, heavy with snow. How should he approach Lorinda? He already felt he’d taken advantage of her in a way he never imagined. Brian had helped him see the error of his ways, and he’d started trying to court his wife. But was that even right? Would she feel beholden to him and only stay for that reason? He wanted more. For her to love him.
