The Last Stand (Book 3) (The Repentant Demon Trilogy) (8 page)

*   *   *

Abigail wanted to do nothing but
lay in bed.  This was
one of the common symptoms at the early stages of pregnancy.  She wiped the sleep from her eyes while running to see who was knocking at the door.  Sandra, Jodie, and believe it or not, Ruthie, looking like a watermelon was bulging under her
coat,
had all ridden over on their bicycles.  The group had not brought any of their
vehicles
from Saint Louis, opting to drag cargo trailers behind their RV's rather than tow a vehicle.  But there were bicycles for all family members.

“I feel so guilty,” said Abigail, opening the door, still looking rumpled from her nap. “I am wasting my life away in bed.  Come in, please, and help wake me up.  Even coffee doesn't help, of course
that’s partly
because I can't keep it down.”

“This will pass,” assured Ruthie, “just wait until you get to the mood swings, the leg cramps, the cravings.  But it's all worth it and forgotten once you have that baby in your arms.”

“You are just what I need right now, Ruthie,” she said sincerely.

“We came to talk about Christmas,” said Sandra Edwards, Mike's wife, “and everything else we need to prepare for. Babies, world-wide nuclear war… typical girl talk.”

“Christmas is something I thought I'd just skip this year,” said Abigail, “except for the religious part.  I planned to spend my Christmas Eve praying.  Now that kids are in the picture, I realize we need to do what we can to preserve normalcy
for their sakes
.”

“We've pretty much decided to not give gifts except for the kids,” said Jodie Decker, “but then we realized this is your first Christmas with your new husband.  That's too special to ignore.  So we thought about having a party.”

“Maybe you're right,” said Abigail, “I do want to show him how much I love him.  He deserves something really special.”

“We were thinking,” said Ruthie, “that the kids would open their gifts on Christmas morning under their own trees decorated with ornaments they made themselves.  But it would be nice, under the circumstances, for all of us to get together for Christmas Eve, unless you would rather be alone with Cal.  That would be understandable, so just tell us what you want.”

“I like the idea,” she answered thoughtfully, “a little party.  And it would be really nice to all be together.  We should invite the McFarlands, too.  You won't believe my news about them.  They’re family.”

Abigail explained that Uma was her estranged birth mother, and that they had had a wonderful reunion.  The women listened to the whole story, sharing looks of understanding.  All were women of faith and recognized the hand of God in the whole series of events.  Then the conversation eventually led to Christmas cookie recipes and shared family traditions.

“Well we are relieved you are on board for a get-together,” said Jodie, “because our RV's are way too small for such a gathering—ten adults and four children.  By then it may be five.  We were hoping to have the party here.”

“Of course,” agreed Abigail immediately, “I'd love that.  It's not that roomy here
either
, but we could manage.”

“You don't feel a little invaded?” asked Sandra, “I mean, all of us inviting ourselves over to your house.  That's a lot to deal with considering your condition.  We'll do all the work
though, promise
.”

“My condition has just gotten a lot better,” Abigail said smiling, “
but
what might even be better would be to have it up at the McFarlands.  I'll bet they'd love it.  When we invite them to join us, I'll bet they offer their living room.  It was made for entertaining large groups, and they
are pros at that sort of thing.
”

“I'm hoping the baby comes ahead of time,” explained Ruthie, “but if she decides to be born on Christmas Eve, I might not be able to be there, and Nathan, too, of course.  He's my birthing coach.  But Stephen and Mickey would be able to join the party.”

“What are you going to do about the hospital?” asked Abigail.  “I'm sure you had arrangements already made.  Are you going to go to Pinedale?  Surely not with what we know of what is to happen on Christmas day. 
Will you
use the medical facilities here?”

“Oh,
none of the above
,” answered Ruthie, smiling, “I've had all my children at home.  Of course my midwife was with me, and Sandra also, both times. I think we can manage though,
considering I’ve done it a few times now.”

“She is amazing, Abby,” said Sandra, “Ruthie
gives
birth in her bathtub filled with warm water. The RV doesn't have a tub, only a shower, so we brought a kiddie pool
along
.  I hope it doesn't flood all over the whole floor.”

“My biggest concern is having enough hot water in the trailer,” she said with attempted humor.  “The tank only holds enough for one decent shower at a time, and we'll be carrying it by bucketfuls to the bedroom.  So Rayetta better hurry up or that water isn't going to feel so nice and comfortable when she hits it.”

“So
Nathan
might be busy boiling water just like in the old movies,” laughed Sandra, “The doctor would always tell them to boil water, and I
somehow
suspected it was just to keep people busy and out of his hair.”

“You know, I really don't want to miss the party,” said Ruthie, “and if my body is telling me right, she's not going to wait another nine days.  It's going to be much sooner.”

“If you say so, I believe you,” said Abigail. “Just remember, there are medical professionals available as close as that mountain behind us.  Cal told me there's a fully equipped hospital inside.  I mean, just in case.  And by the way, I have a ton of diapers in my car if you need them.”

“Thanks, but I use cloth diapers,” said Ruthie, “and we have everything ready for her.  Maybe not a lot of pink,
after two boys
, but she'll be clothed.”

“Cloth diapers?” asked Abigail, “I didn't know they still made them.  That is probably much better for the environment.  Even though they are lot more work,
I assume.”

“Oh, they're out there, with a little searching,” said Ruthie.  “Have you ever wondered about what paper underwear must feel like?  I
prefer
soft cotton next to my baby's bottom.”

The preparations inside the cabin continued all day.  They assigned food dishes among them, and discussed making decorations from greenery and pine cones, berries and various findings
from their natural surroundings
. 

Cal came bursting through the door and was happy to find a crowd of chattering, bustling women in his living room.  They had heated up some canned tomato soup and had
fixed
grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch.  He picked up the remnant of an untouched triangular wedge from a plate that
had been lying there all
alone on the kitchen counter.

“Don't eat that, Cal,” warned Abigail, “it's been sitting there for hours.  I was about to start supper.”

He chomped into it anyway.  It had been a long day, and he felt like he was starving
, a condition that continued to plague him.

“Just a snack,” he said, “Anything I can do to help?  You sure seem busy.”

They told him about the party plans.  He said that now he understood what the rest of the group was doing on the hillside lugging trees on bicycles.  The kids were having a great time playing in the snow, and he had been concerned about the predators of which he had heard numerous warnings from various sources, until he saw rifles slung across
both Nathan’s and
Jerry's backs.  He mentioned this to the women, and also told them they had some beautiful trees waiting at home.

“Mike always has a gun on him.” assured Sandra, “And so does Nathan,
nowadays
.  So we felt safe letting the kids go with the men into the wilds of Wyoming. They're getting one for you, too.” she told Cal and Abby.  “And the kids are collecting things to use for decorations.  We probably should have brought some from home, but we just didn't have any room left. We had the feeling that whatever we left behind we'd probably never see again.”

A knock on the door announced the arrival of Mike with the kids.  It wasn't easy dragging trees on bicycles.  Nathan and Jerry had taken theirs to
the
compound, and they had put the Callahan tree on their porch. 

“I think we found some real beauties,” he called, shaking the snow off of him out on the porch. 

“Look what I found,” cried little Claudia, running in all excited, “a bunch of red feathers.  See how pretty they are?”

“Wow, those are amazing,” said her mother, Jodie, “look at that pretty color.  That's so perfect for Christmas.  What do you think we should do with them?”

“We could glue them to sticks and make a star for the top of the tree,” she answered.  Then she became distracted by Angel who was excited that a child had arrived at the house to play with her. 

“Stephen said Abby and Cal were going to put Angel on top of their tree because she looks like a little white angel.  He was just kidding, wasn't he?”

“Your cousin is a real jokester, Claudia,” laughed Ruthie. “I don't think she'd like that at all.  Do you?”

Little Claudia nodded “no”, shaking her honey blonde-colored curls. Abigail thought she was absolutely adorable, and in spite of the drudgery of morning sickness, she began to think about having another baby so that their little guy could have a sister.

“I'm hungry,” she said quietly to her mother, Jodie, spying Cal munching on his cold grilled cheese triangle.

“We've got some fruit with cheese and crackers back at the trailer,” answered Jodie, “That should hold you off until suppertime.  So what do you say we head home on our bikes?”

The group gathered their coats and trudged out into the cold carrying voluminous notes on their holiday plans.

“Let's put the tree in front of the window,” said Abigail, after they were alone. “I'll make popcorn so we can string some garland.  It'll be beautiful.  I haven't trimmed a tree since I was a kid.  Guess I'd better get used to it for Junior's sake and all the future little Callahans.”

She slithered onto his lap and he embraced her tightly, caressing her full body straddling him.  They kissed fervently, realizing they'd missed
having
frequent and
prolonged sessions
of intimacy.  Their lives had suddenly filled up with important matters as well as many more people.  Some of their private time together had been stolen by Abigail's bouts with physical discomforts,
and
though uncomfortable more than serious, it had interrupted their love life.  Feelings quickly became overwhelming as they began touching each other, warming and arousing all the places their hands and lips could find
access to
bare
skin
. 

“How much time do you think we have before someone knocks on the door?” teased Cal.

“Since there is no way of knowing,” answered Abigail, “I think we should go for it, and fast!”

They ran to the bedroom, unbuttoning clothes along the way.  They fell onto the bed together, coupling their bodies almost immediately due to both urgency and intense desire.

In this bedroom episode they did not continue to the point of exhaustion, as they loved so much to do.  But they were satiated, calmed, and nurtured by the physical love they shared.  It had only been an hour since they began, and each had reserved enough energy to greet the McFarlands who were expected for a meal.

“I was planning a nice supper for us all,” she said.  “Thank goodness I got a head start earlier in the day before the snoozies took over my body.  The pork chops are stuffed and in the refrigerator.  All I have to do is put them in the oven with some baking potatoes.  Dessert is a thawed out cheesecake from the freezer.  Uma's bringing some of her famous slaw.  I'm so upset that I've slept half the day away, and even more upset that this keeps happening to me.”