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“You think she’s going to have it today?”
“I do. I feel it in my gut.” She faced him again. “You don’t mind that I go there and leave you alone for a spell today, do you? Iffen I thought you needed me, I’d stay. But, you said you were feelin’ better, so…”
“No, no. You go ahead. I’m going down to the barn to help clean up the harvester and stuff.”
“You don’t need to do that. Jess said him and the boys would handle it. I really think you should rest. Give your body a chance to recover completely.”
“We’ll see. I might just go down and help for a bit and then maybe I’ll meet you at Rainee’s and see how she’s doing.”
Selina placed the lid on the pot she was stirring and set it off to the side. “Well, I’d better change my clothes and head on over there.”
She was going to change her clothes. That meant she’d only worn the trousers to do chores in. He knew what she was up to. She was wearing dresses because she knew how much it meant to him. Well, if she could give up her stubborn ways, so could he. From now on, he’d try a lot harder to be a better, more understanding husband. He remembered the gift he had for her in his vest pocket. “Wait, before you go. I have something for you.”
She stopped and watched him as he headed over to her. “Hold out your hand.”
He placed the rock on her palm, wondering why he was so nervous all of a sudden.
When she looked down at it, her eyes widened. “Oh, Michael. That’s so purty. What kind of rock is this?”
“An opal. When I saw it, I thought of you and the hidden beauties you spoke of.”
As she examined the pearly white rock her eyes grew wider and her smile broadened. “Just look at them shiny pinks and blues and greens. They sparkle like broken glass in the sun.” She looked up at him and hugged the rock to her chest. “Thank you, Michael. I’ll treasure this for the rest of my life.”
She reached up, kissed his cheek and smiled before heading up the stairs.
Seeing the pleasure that small gesture had given her brought a smile to his face. Sure didn’t take much to please her. And for some reason, that pleased him.
Selina knocked on Rainee’s door and Esther answered it. “I came to see how Rainee is today,” Selina said.
Concern wrinkled the corners of Esther’s eyes.
“Somethin’ the matter?”
“She’s in bed. Says she’s not feeling very well.”
“Is that Selina?” Rainee’s voice sounded from her bedroom. “Send her in, please.”
Selina followed Esther to Rainee’s bedroom and the rich brownish-red four-poster bed with spindly posts and light purple bedding.
“How you feelin’ today. Any better?”
“No. I believe my time is here.” Rainee rubbed her hand over her rounded belly. “I am so glad you are here. I feel much better already.”
“Well, don’t you fret none. Back home I helped Doc birth over a hundred babies.”
Haydon stepped into the room, looking all nervous and worried. “I sent Smokey to get Doc. Do you need anything? Can I do something? Do you need another pillow? Something to drink?”
Selina smiled to herself, knowing things were the same everywhere.
Two hours and lots of contractions later, Selina shooed Haydon out of the room. Doc still hadn’t shown up, but this baby wasn’t waiting for him any longer.
She checked and saw the baby’s head crowning. “Okay, Rainee, push.” The second Selina saw the cord wrapped around the baby’s neck she ordered Rainee to stop pushing. Her cousin had died because of the very same thing. Well, she wouldn’t let Rainee or this baby die. She’d helped Doc back home enough to know what to do now.
“I am not sure I can stop,” Rainee lamented.
“Rainee, you have to,” Selina said calmly. “Draw in a deep breath and listen to me. You have to stop pushin’.”
“What is the matter?” Rainee asked, fear running through her voice.
As much as Selina didn’t want to tell Rainee what the matter was, Rainee needed to know how important it was for her to stop pushing. “The cord is wrapped around the baby’s neck.”
“Dear God, no.”
“Don’t panic. I can unwrap it, but you have to stop pushin’, okay?” She had to get it unwrapped as fast as she could to save not only the baby’s life, but Rainee’s, too.
“Okay. I shall try.” Rainee stopped pushing, her breathing came hard and uneven.
“You’re doin’ good, Rainee. Now, be ready to push as soon as I tell you to, and don’t stop until I say it’s okay, ya hear?”
