Page 114 of Texas Glory
“Ma? Ma?” Maggie said weakly, tears welling in her eyes as she reached for her mother. Austin snatched her into his arms, the blood draining from his face.
Amelia’s breathing began to even out. She glanced around the stunned crowd, her smile quivering, her hand pressed below her throat. “I’m sorry, but we’re going to have to go home now.”
Houston stared at her incredulously. “Are you having the baby?”
“I think so. We need to go home.”
“The hell with that,” Houston said as he scooped her into his arms. He looked at Dallas. “Which room?”
“Dee’s room. The corner room.”
“I don’t want to have the baby here,” Amelia said.
“Too damn bad,” Houston said gruffly. “Austin, fetch Dr. Freeman.”
Houston swept into the house, his protesting wife in his arms. Austin handed Maggie off to Dallas.
“Hell,” Austin grumbled. “December. Could she have picked a worse month? I refuse to call any relation of mine Something December.”
“Just go get the doctor, and we’ll worry about what we’re gonna call the baby later,” Dallas told him.
Without another word, Austin ran toward the barn. Dallas touched his finger to Maggie’s nose. “Your ma’s gonna be all right.”
“Promise?” she asked in a shaky voice.
“Give you my word.” He looked at Cordelia. “Houston can probably manage until the doctor gets here, but why don’t you go see if they need anything? We’ll put Shawnee in the barn, then we’ll come inside.”
She gave him a shaky nod and walked into the house, praying that everything would be all right. Outside her room, she took a deep breath of fortitude before opening the door.
Houston had a fire burning low in the hearth, the drapes pulled back on the windows, and his wife lying in the bed. Her outer clothing was draped over a chair.
Cordelia gave them both a tremulous smile. “Would you like to borrow a nightgown?”
“Yes,” he said.
“No,” she said.
With a sadness in her eyes, Amelia held her hand toward Cordelia. Cordelia rushed across the room and wrapped both her hands around Amelia’s.
“I’m so sorry,” Amelia said. “I’ve been having little twinges all day, but I thought they’d pass. I know this is hard on you. I didn’t want to have my baby here.”
Cordelia brushed a wisp of blond hair from Amelia’s brow. “Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t stop having babies just because I can’t have them. Let me get you a nightgown. It’ll probably swallow you up, but you’ll be more comfortable.”
Amelia nodded slightly in acquiescence. Cordelia walked to the bureau. She heard a gasp and spun around.
Amelia’s face was contorted in pain, her hand squeezing Houston’s, her breathing ragged. “Try and relax,” he said in a soothing voice.
“You try and relax,” she snapped. She fell against the pillows, breathing heavily. She smiled at her husband. “Don’t take anything I say from this room.” She released a long slow breath. “This baby is going to be here too quickly.”
Too quickly turned out to be not soon enough as far as Cordelia was concerned. She felt as though the hours dragged by while she helped Dr. Freeman, wiping Amelia’s brow, holding her hand, reassuring her that everything would be all right—until she heard that first lustful cry a few minutes after midnight. Tears filled Cordelia’s eyes as Dr. Freeman placed the baby in Amelia’s arms.
“Oh, isn’t she beautiful?” Amelia asked in a hushed voice.
Cordelia patted the glistening sheen of sweat from Amelia’s throat. “Yes, she is.”
Amelia looked at her. “Go get Houston.”
“Not yet, girl,” Dr. Freeman said. “We’re not through yet. Don’t know why it is you women think we’re finished the minute you’re holding that baby.”
