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"Easy son, we don't need you fallin' out too." Coon told him.
"I guess you're right. Look, I never been through this before." He hollered.
"Go hold her hand and tell her how much you love her." Ferg encouraged him. "I've been told that helps more than anything."
"Yeah, oh yeah." Matt nodded.
Matt sat on the opposite side of her, so he wouldn't get in Colb
y's way. He handed him a wet rag. "Wipe her face off and on."
Matt nodded.
He turned to look into her warm brown eyes, "I wish I could carry the pain for you."
She smiled, "No you don't. I wouldn't want to see a grown man cry."
He started to laugh but she had another pain and squeezed his hand hard. "I love you, honey…. more than I can say."
"I know…" she barely whispered as the pain began to subside.
Night came, and the pains got worse. Colby was able to turn the baby and by morning it was born. It was a boy, with lots of black hair, Colby announced. He cleaned the baby and wrapped it in a blanket she had cut up just for the baby.
"You did it, honey." Matt cried as Colby handed him the baby.
"No, we did it!" she squeezed his hand once more.
Everyone laughed. Matt sat beside her now, holding the baby in his arms and letting Snow Bird see him. "Woman, behold your son."
She smiled, the baby squirmed in Matt's arms.
Everyone crowded around to look at the newborn. He was all pink and beautiful.
"He's beautiful," Matt told her as he handed her the baby. He kissed him on the cheek.
She cuddled him against her chest and he sucked his thumb with vigor.
It was a night of reflection and celebration, and Ferg brought out a bottle of whiskey to celebrate the birth of Matt's first child.
Matt didn't leave Snow Bird's side.
Doolin cooked supper that night and brought Matt and Snow Bird a plate. He glanced at the baby and laughed, "I'd have brought him a steak if he had any chompers."
Snow Bird laughed.
Coon who sat reflectively by the fire, his face more serious finally smiled sadly as he glanced at Ferg and the boys, "Strange how life works."
"What do you mean?" Ferg asked.
"One soul dies, another is born. It's like the very earth refreshing itself." Coon explained.
"Never thought of it that way, Coon, but I reckon you are right about that. Life does have a way of going on, and that babe is here to remind us of it." Ferg said quietly.
Coon nodded. "I'll miss Raz, a lot. But we are still a family, and we have to go on now."
"I expect you are right about that Coon." Ferg agreed, the others nodded.
"Won't be the same without Raz to tell some jokes."
