A Baby And A Wedding (5 page)

Emily scooted her bare legs over the side of the bed in her baby doll pajamas and shivered; she really needed to sleep in something a little warmer. She started to walk, but stopped at the foot of the bed as her muscles contracted around her belly, squeezing more tightly. Emily grabbed the bed post and leaned against it. After exhaling, she rubbed her stomach until the squeezing lessened and finally released its hold. She let out a deep breath.

Striding over to the closed door, Emily pulled it open, but stopped at the top of the stairs when she heard two male voices below. Stepping back into the bedroom, she headed into the ensuite bathroom and snatched her pink satin robe off the back of the door. It was thin, but at least it was sort of decent. Pulling it on, she belted it over the place where her waist used to be. The material barely covered her now.

Emily started down the stairs barefoot, clutching the front of the robe closed. As the steps squeaked, she heard chairs scrape back in the kitchen. Brad appeared at the bottom of the stairs, with Jed lingering just behind him. Emily stopped halfway down just as she felt her muscles contract more tightly to the point that she couldn’t think clearly, except to focus on the pain that stole her breath away. Somewhere in the distance she heard boots pounding on the wooden stairs. Brad’s supportive arm slid around her.

“Em, are you in labor?”

Emily heard him say the words, but she couldn’t speak, not yet. She waited until the pain broke its hold and the pressure released from around her belly. Then she nodded. “I just woke up. I’ve had two, not that far apart, but they are strong.”

Brad helped her down the remaining steps and to the rocking chair in the corner of the living room. “Sit down.”

Jed hovered in the archway, dressed in faded blue jeans and a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His wavy, brown hair was creased from the cowboy hat he always wore.

Emily pulled the two ends of her housecoat together as they parted when she sat down, exposing her bare thighs. Jed looked away. Brad grabbed a blanket that had been tossed over the sofa and draped it over her legs. He hunkered down in front of her.

“I don’t think they’re that far apart,” she said, noticing the concern in Brad’s eyes.

He glanced behind him to Jed. “Your timing is good. Could you look after the kids if we have to go?”

Brad’s brother didn’t answer right away. Emily remembered the day before the wedding that didn’t happen all those months ago, and how Neil had been the one who played with Katy. Jed had hung in the background.

“You know I will,” he answered, rubbing his jaw and glancing at the staircase. “The kids will be fine.”

Emily felt the pull and twinge of another contraction, which tightened suddenly, leaving her struggling for breath. It went on and on this time. Brad held her hand, but Emily couldn’t help the groan that escaped as she leaned forward.

“Don’t fight it, Em,” he urged her. “Come on, breathe.”

She heard him, but felt herself drowning as she held her breath, until she finally felt the wave of pain release. Then she took another breath as the ache pulsed down her thighs and finally subsided.

“That’s pretty close, Em. I’m calling the doc.”

Emily thought Brad sounded annoyed when he spoke; a man who’d already decided. Jed uttered something in a low voice as Brad grabbed the cordless phone in the kitchen. Emily couldn’t hear, but both brothers glanced back at her. Brad shook his head in a way that showed he was upset. He hustled to the fridge where she kept Dr. Montgomery’s card with her contact number.

Emily listened to him dial the phone and talk to someone, right before the pain hit again. Strong and long, it took her breath away, and she clutched the arm of the chair. Then she heard Brad speaking. He was standing right beside her, holding her hand.

“She’s having another contraction,” Brad said into the phone. “Her last was about a minute ago. Okay, we’ll meet you there.”

He’d hung up by the time the contraction passed.

“We’re going to the hospital now,” he said. “Dr. Montgomery is going to meet us there.”

“I’m not going like this,” Emily protested. “I’m not decent. I need some clothes.”

Brad headed toward the stairs at a run and shouted over his shoulders, “I’ll get your clothes. Jed, go and warm the truck, and pull it up to the door.”

Emily closed her eyes and pressed her head against the back of the chair. This was not how she had planned the birth. This was supposed to be a joyous time. Having Brad’s baby was everything she’d dreamed of, but not being married left her with an emptiness that seemed more like a blemish on her soul.

Chapter 9

Brad paced the hall at Grays Harbor Community Hospital, checking his cell phone messages, and didn’t miss the frown of the OB nurse as she wandered out of Emily’s labor room. On the way to the hospital, Brad had called his lawyer twice and gotten him out of bed, only to learn that he hadn’t been able to get a judge to sign the papers yet. Emily had heard, of course, and Brad didn’t miss the pain that shadowed her eyes. He knew she wanted this marriage badly.

“Emily’s in labor; I need that signed now,” he told Keith.

Keith answered, “Brad, I know how bad you want this. I’ll do what I can. I’ll be burning some bridges waking up a judge, but I’ll do it for you; you know I’ll do my best.”

Brad then listened to the only message on his phone, which was from Jed: “The kids are sleeping, and Mom, Dad and Neil are on a flight now.”

He phoned Keith once more, but the call went to voicemail. “Keith, Emily’s really progressing. She’s already 6 centimeters. Please tell me you’ve got good news...” Brad stopped talking as he felt a tap on the shoulder.

“Sir, turn off your cell phone or we’re going to have to ask you to leave,” said the plump, blonde nurse. She was staring at Brad in a way that was all business, so he hung up.

He raised his hands in surrender. “All shut off, done.”

The woman seemed satisfied and strode back to the nurses’ station while Brad went back into Emily’s room. She was alone, curled up on her side and gripping the side rail, sucked into a contraction that seemed to go on and on. She didn’t hear him come up behind her.

“It’s okay, Em, just breathe,” he said, rubbing her back. “You’re doing great.”

Emily seemed to relax. The monitor to which she was hooked up showed the contraction tapering off. She rolled over. The head of the bed was raised up, so she was almost sitting. Sweat dampened her forehead and her hospital gown clung to her.

As Brad wiped her forehead with a cloth, Emily gripped his wrist. “Brad, I…”

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I know, Em. It’s okay, we’ll get married right after.”

Tears glistened Emily’s eyes. “It isn’t the same, you know.”

Brad smiled. “I’ll make it right.” He said the words more for her benefit, but it didn’t ease the shadow of despair on her face.

The door pushed open and a short, middle-aged woman with a tomboyish haircut and dark-rimmed glasses strode in. She was wearing tan slacks and a white shirt. “How are you doing, Emily?” asked Dr. Montgomery.

Emily couldn’t answer. She rolled to her side as another contraction hit. Brad sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her lower back.

“We’ll just wait until her contraction passes and then I want to examine her again,” said Dr. Montgomery.

Brad was amazed how long the contraction lasted before it peaked and tapered off.

Emily groaned and began to whimper. “Oh, it hurts.”

“You’re doing great, honey,” he said, rubbing her arm that gripped the rail. He wondered for a moment if she’d bend it under the force of her grasp.

She let out a deep breath. “Is it too late to ask for drugs?”

“Sorry, Emily, you’ve come too far,” replied the doctor. “We only had a small window and it has now closed. You can do it. Okay, Emily, I need you to roll over on your back. I know it’s uncomfortable, but I need to examine you.”

Brad helped Emily to move over, and then scooted down as the doctor lowered the head of the bed.

“Okay, about seven centimeters. It won’t be too much longer.” The doctor patted her patient’s bare leg and raised the head of the bed again. “I know you’re tired Emily, but you really need to get up and walk around. Lying in bed is hard and walking can help to get the labor progressing faster. Brad, help Emily with her breathing. She needs to breathe through the contraction, not hold her breath. You’re just fighting it when you do, and it makes the pain worse.”

Emily didn’t look at Brad, but he knew what she was doing. She was holding onto this baby and waiting for a miracle. “Brad, could you call Keith again. Maybe…”

“Emily, you can’t hold the baby back. I’ve called him, honey. Right now let’s focus on you and the baby. Come on, get up.”

Brad slid his arm around Emily, and helped her to the edge of the bed, where her legs dangled over the side.

“I’ll be back to check on you,” said the doctor, slipping out of the room.

Emily had just stood up when the door pushed open and a nurse popped her head inside. “There is a man out here by the name of Keith, who is pretty insistent to see you. Is he family?”

Emily gripped Brad’s arm and then doubled over as another contraction hit hard.

“Yes, get him in here,” he cried, not meaning to shout.

Keith must have been standing right behind the nurse, as he appeared when she opened the door wider. Standing in the doorway, he grimaced when he took in Emily’s condition. He didn’t linger, but waved some papers high in the air. “Signed, sealed and filed.”

At that moment the doctor reappeared in the doorway, behind Keith.

As Emily felt her contraction pass, she asked, “Can we please get married now?”

Brad glanced at Keith. “Can you get a justice of the peace in here now, and what about the marriage licence?”

“I’ll get the hospital chaplain. I’ve the license for you here,” replied his friend, hurrying out the door.

Emily doubled over again as another contraction hit.

Dr. Montgomery looked concerned. “You might not have enough time,” she said. “I don’t think the baby wants to wait. Get her back in bed so that I can check her again.”

Emily cried out as she held onto Brad’s hand.

“She’s nine centimeters now,” said the doctor. “We need to get her ready to push.”

The door opened and a skinny, young man with pimples on his forehead, who looked like he had just graduated from high school, rushed into the room, followed by Keith. The man was dressed in a dark shirt and white collar. When he took in the sight of Emily in active labor, he blushed.

“Are you the couple who want to get married now?” he asked.

Dr. Montgomery ripped open a package, pulled out a surgical gown and pushed up the head of the bed. A nurse entered the room and started to help the doctor prepare things.

Emily screamed out as another contraction ripped through her, and she was becoming incoherent.

It was then that the young minister said, “If she can’t answer, I can’t marry you.”

Chap
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10

Emily rocked herself in the leather glider in the living room, dressed in a lovely, dark blue gown, and holding her two-day-old baby girl. The garment buttoned up the front and was low cut, showing off her generous cleavage. Mary Haske and the family minister sat on the sofa opposite, chatting.

Becky was in the kitchen with Rodney, setting out trays of food on the kitchen table. Brad and his brothers were outside with the kids. While Brad and Neil were dressed in dark suits, Jed was wearing a new pair of blue jeans and a blue plaid shirt. Emily wondered as she watched them through the front window if he actually owned a suit. She listened to the giggles of Katy and Trevor as they were being doted on by their uncles.

The front door opened and the brothers burst in with the two kids, who were laughing and stomping around. Most would frown on the noise, but, when Emily and Brad had arrived home the day before, Becky told them that if they started tiptoeing around the baby and worrying about the noise they were making, they’d both be nervous wrecks, and the child would never get any sleep. Becky also said that, in general, babies found it comforting to sleep in a bustling household that was calm and peaceful. Emily had agreed. It was the child’s father who still needed convincing.

Brad started toward Emily, but stopped when she met the deep love burning in his somber, brown eyes—for her and their child. He took her breath away, this handsome man, dressed in his Sunday best; a custom-tailored suit that hugged his rugged frame. It was no wonder that every woman who had been in church today for their baby girl’s christening had smiled in appreciation at Brad. But he was hers. Emily glanced at the solid, gold band encrusted with diamonds that sparkled every time she gazed down at it. A symbol and his token; she was his wife, and she belonged to him: Mrs. Emily Friessen.

Their wedding was a blur, but what Emily did remember, as the labor wracked her small body with pain, was Brad grabbing the skinny minister by the shirt front and hauling him over to the bed. He told the young man that he had two choices on how he wanted to leave the hospital room: either marry them quickly and walk out, or go out on a stretcher.