The Montana Doctor's Love (New Montana Brides Book 8) (7 page)

Chapter fifteen

I’m With Child

It was the third day in a row. The sight of the breakfast Thelma put in front of Mary Louise put her stomach in turmoil. She put her hand over her mouth and hurried to the back porch. She leaned over the railing and emptied her stomach. She kept heaving, The need was so urgent, she hadn’t closed the door.

The sound of the retching brought Elizabeth to the door. “Are you all right?” she asked. The heaving subsided gradually.

“I think it’s passed now,” Mary Louise said. “Finally.”

“What happened?” Elizabeth asked.

“I kissed Patrick and Emily goodbye and went into the kitchen. The aroma of the bacon frying got to me. I barely made it out here.”

“Is it what I think it is?” Elizabeth asked.

“I believe so. This is the third day in a row. The sight of food in the morning is enough to start it. I’m a week late this month, but my time of the month has never been that regular.”

“That doctor husband of yours hasn’t noticed?” Elizabeth asked.

“Not yet. I haven’t said anything about it because I wasn’t sure. This pretty much convinces me. I’m with child.”

“How do you feel about it?” Elizabeth asked.

“I want Patrick’s baby more than anything. We’ve talked about it quite a bit. He loves Emily, but I know he wants children of his own, and we both want a large family.”

“It would really be nice to have a grandbaby to spoil,” Elizabeth said.” I was beginning to give up, but when you two got married, it revived my hopes.

“When are you going to tell him?

“Now that I’m pretty sure, I’ll tell him tonight,” Mary Louise said,

Before dinner…

“I threw up this morning,” Mary Louise said.

“Are you coming down with something?” he asked.

“I don’t think so,” she said. “It was the third time this week.”

He felt her forehead. “You don’t feel as if you have a fever.”

“I’m also late,” she said.

“It dawned on him. You think you might be… “

“I believe I’m with child. I have all of the symptoms. Morning sickness, I’m a week or so late, and my breasts are tender.”

“You don’t think I might have caused that?” he asked, with a smile.

“Maybe a little, but I think you caused all of them. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I am?” she asked.

“It would. Just think, after all of those years we wasted apart, we’re going to have a baby. I can hardly believe it.”

“Have you told anyone?” he asked.

“Your mother guessed it this morning after seeing me with my head over the railing.”

“We’re going to have a baby. Do you want a boy or girl?” he asked.

“It doesn’t matter to me, as long as it’s healthy,” she said.

“Me either,” he said. “Although it would be nice to have another Mary Louise running around the house.”

“I wouldn’t mind having a little Patrick,” she said. “Then we would have a doctor to take care of us when we’re old and feeble.”

“That’s a good point,” he said.

“Let’s wait until dinner to tell everyone. I don’t think Mom will say anything?”

“You think she would keep something like that from your Dad?” she asked.

“She would if she thought you didn’t want everyone to know. What about Emily? How do you think she’s going to feel about another rival for her mother’s attention?”

Mary Louise said, “I’ll tell her. I will make sure she knows she’s still Mama’s big girl. She’ll be all right.

Dinner…

Mary Louise rapped her glass with the edge of her spoon, to get everyone’s attention. She took Patrick’s hand. “We have some news to share with you.” Everyone looked at her, wondering what the news might be. Elizabeth smiled. She already knew.

“My husband, whom we all know and love, and I are going to have a baby,” she said.

“Well, that is not only news, it’s good news,” Carter said. “So, when is this miracle going to happen?”

“I would say, about thirty-four weeks,” Mary Louise said. “I’ve had morning sickness every day this week.”

“You’re going to have a baby?” Emily asked.

“I’m pretty sure, honey. You’re going to have a baby brother or sister.”

“I want a sister,” Emily said emphatically. “Boys are dumb.”

“Hey, I’m a boy,” Patrick said.

“I was too, a long time ago, Carter said.

“I still want a sister,” Emily repeated.

“Do you want to call your folks tonight or wait and go out?” Patrick asked.

“Let’s call them tonight,” she said. “Maybe it will give them pleasant dreams.”

Mary Louise cranked the phone, and said, “Virginia, would you connect me with the Circle P please. Thank you.

“Mama. Where are you?”

“I’m in the living room, why?” Charlotte said.

“Where’s Papa?”

“He’s here too. Before you ask, Hiram is in the barn,” her mother said.

“Mama, you’re going to be a grandma again!”

“Are you serious?”

“I’m pretty sure. My husband is a doctor, and doctor’s know about these things. I have to admit, Patrick was pretty surprised. But happy.”

“Hold on, honey.”. To her husband, “Zebulon, Mary Louise and Patrick are going to have a baby.”

Mary Louise heard her father say, “Let me talk to her.”

She could hear the noises of the phone changing hands. Then, “Mary, you’ve made your Papa happy. I think Patrick will make a wonderful Papa. Tell him congratulations for me. You keep us up-to-date, you hear? And you take care of yourself. I’m giving the phone back your mother.”

“I will Papa.” She said.

“Mama, I guess Papa is pleased with the news.”

Charlotte said, “I’d say. He has a smile a mile wide. I can’t tell you how happy we are for you. Give Patrick a hug for us, and tell Elizabeth and Carter hello for us.”

The next day in the office…

“Papa what do you think about midwives?” Patrick asked.

“I think they do a real service,” Carter said. “They deliver at least three-fourths of the babies around here. Some of them have delivered more than I have. The only thing they can’t do is surgery, and it wouldn’t surprise me if one or two of them haven’t done a C-section. Why do you ask?”

“I think I would be more comfortable with Mary Louise having the baby in the hospital. She didn’t have any problems with Emily, but if there was an emergency, I think they could handle it better. I’m going to talk to her about it,” Patrick said.

“I’ll give you the names of a couple of the better midwives, in case you decide to go that way. If you do, then I would suggest she talk to them personally. It’s important she have confidence in whoever she picks.

“Either of these will have a lot more experience than the young doctors at the hospital.”

Chapter Sixteen

The New Addition

“A midwife?” Mary Louise said, when asked about it by Patrick. “I haven’t given it any thought. Your father delivered Hiram but Mama had a midwife for me.”

“I talked to Dad about his feelings for midwives,” Patrick said. “He said a couple of the older ones have delivered more babies than he has. He also suggested you talk to any you consider. Most of the babies on the ranches are delivered by midwives. They have one come in and stay until the mother is ambulatory.

“As for me, I’ve only delivered three since Wash General. It’s a decision I think you should make.”

“The hospital is fine with me. I really hope your mother is there,” she said.

“You couldn’t keep her away with the Cavalry,” Patrick laughed. “Her first grandbaby… She’ll be there.”

Morning sickness came almost daily to Mary Louise for three weeks.

Since she was in school, Emily had not witnessed the sickness until Saturday. Alarmed when she saw her mother retching into the chamber pot, she asked, “Mama, are you all right?”

“I’m fine, honey, I just have an upset stomach. I’ll be okay in a few minutes,” her mother answered.

“Why are you throwing up?”

“A lot of women have this when they’re going to have a baby. I had it with you,” her mother replied.

“You did?”

“I really did. It’s called morning sickness, and it usually happens when I cook or smell food in the morning. It stopped with you after four weeks.”

“Can’t Papa give you some medicine for it?” Emily said, using the name she called Patrick.

“I wish he could, but there’s no medicine for it.” She gargled and rinsed her mouth. “I think it’s gone for now.

Movement…

Mary Louise first felt movement at four months. The movements became visible three weeks later. “Emily, I want to show you something. Get on the bed. She pulled her dress off and lay beside Emily. “Let me have your hand,” she said. “And just relax, let me move your hand.” She moved the hand over her belly. “Did you feel that?”

Emily shook her head, “No.”

“Wait a minute. Let’s try this. Watch real close where I point.” She pointed to a small spot and said “It’s moving. Do you see it?”

Emily nodded her head. “Uh huh, I see it.”

“It’s your little brother’s foot. He’s stretching his legs.”

“I can see it again. I want a little sister. Boys are dumb,” Emily said.

“Jesus decides whether it is a boy or girl, and we love whatever He decides.”

“I hope He decides for a girl.”

“No matter what He decides, you’re going to be a big sister,” her mother said.

Patrick walked into the room. “What are you two doing?”

Tell him what we saw,” Mary Louise said.

“Papa, we saw the baby move his foot. Come see,” Emily said, pointing to her mother’s belly.

He sat on the bed, and was rewarded with movement across her tummy. “I see it,” he said making his voice excited for Emily. “Isn’t that something?”

“Yeah,” Emily said.

“We don’t say yeah, do we?” Mary Louise said.

“Yes,” Emily said.

“She’s getting active isn’t she?” Patrick said.

“See, Mama, Papa wants a little girl,” Emily said, “Huh, Papa?”

“We will be happy whichever it is. We just want it to be healthy,” Patrick said.

Midwives…

“I’m fine with a midwife, but can they work in a hospital?” Mary Louise asked.

“I hadn’t thought about that. I don’t think they can. I think the hospital will only allow an MD to deliver,” he said. “Let’s just plan on the hospital.”

Four months later…

The phone rang. There was an emergency, and Patrick was needed. at the hospital. He dressed hurriedly, kissed her and said, “It’s a gunshot wound. Two cowboys got in a fight at the Last Chance. No telling how long this will take.”

After he left, Mary Louise tossed and turned. She had a nagging back ache. Unable to get comfortable, she stood, and immediately felt the wetness, and turned on the lamp. Her gown was wet. “Uh oh,” she said. She removed the wet night gown and panties and donned dry ones.

She padded down the hall and knocked on the master bedroom door. She heard movement; the door opened. “My water just broke,” she told Elizabeth. “Patrick had an emergency at the hospital.”

“Have you had any pains?” Elizabeth asked.

“Just a low back pain.”

Elizabeth turned, and said, “Carter.” A little louder—“Carter, Mary Louise has started labor.” They went back to the other bedroom.

“The sheet’s wet, Mary Louise said.

“That’s all right, I’ll change it,” Elizabeth said.

The senior Doctor Palmer came in, all business, now his medical bag in one hand. “Was there any blood?” he asked.

“I don’t think so,” Mary Louise said.

“Lie down and let me check the heartbeat. He moved the stethoscope over her bulging abdomen. “Heartbeat is strong. Let’s get you across the street.”

“I don’t think I can walk that far,” Mary Louise said.

“She’s about to have a baby and we have humor,” he said. “I’ll get the horse hitched and get going.” With Elizabeth’s help, Mary Louise was in the buggy and the three of them began the short drive to the hospital. She awakened Thelma to take care of Emily.

“Are you all right?” Carter asked Mary Louise.

“Yes, I’m between pains right now,” she said.

At the hospital, he called for help getting her inside. A nurse and an orderly came to help. Once inside, she said, “Would you tell Doctor Palmer I’m here.”

“Doctor Palmer’s right here, dear,” the nurse, also a nun, said.

“No, I mean the other Doctor Palmer. My husband.”

“Oh, young Doctor Palmer. I believe he’s in surgery, but I’ll get word to him. He told us his wife was going to have the baby here. “I’m Sister Wolensky. We’ll take good care of you. You just don’t worry about a thing.”

The nurse helped Mary Louise into a hospital gown. Her pains were coming fifteen minutes apart. Carter monitored the fetal heartbeat.

“Does Patrick know,” Mary Louise asked Carter.

“He knows,” Carter answered. “Do you want the hospital doctor to do this, or do you want me? It can get personal. Back in the seventies, I delivered a few where the mother remained clothed.”

“I feel comfortable with you,” she answered. “This baby is too important to turn it over to a new doctor. How many have you delivered anyway?”

“Hundreds, but I’m getting a little long in the tooth for this,. They have new techniques that the young ones will be more knowledgeable about than I am.”

Patrick rushed into the room. “I’m sorry, honey. I couldn’t get here sooner.” He turned to his father, “How is she, Dad?” Is Thelma with Emily? “We didn’t wake her

When we left Emily was asleep,” Elizabeth said.

“She’s doing well. The baby’s heartbeat is strong, her blood pressure is good. Dilation is seven centimeters. I asked if she wanted the hospital doctor or me, and she said she feels more comfortable with us.”

“Mary Louise, don’t push until I tell you to. You will want to but don’t do it. I’ll tell you when. The contractions won’t last, but they’re going to be intense. You might move around and find a more comfortable position. Whatever else you feel like doing, do it, but don’t push.”

“Okay, Papa,” she panted. “Patrick, hold my hand” A contraction hit, and she squeezed his hand… hard.

After an alternating series of pushes, and panting, Carter said, “I see the head, push hard. Once more. One more time. Harder. That’s it. She’s out. I have your daughter, Mary Louise.”

Mary Louise heard the baby wail, she sighed and smiled. One job was done and another was about to begin.

“Patrick, do you want to tie and cut the cord?”

“I do.”

The nurse cleaned the baby and wrapped her in a blanket, and then laid her on Mary Louise’s chest.

“You did well, honey. I’m proud of you,” Patrick said.

She greeted his compliment, with smile and a grimace.