“You have a bigger problem than that. They won’t release the child to anyone but his guardian, and that means Abbie,” Cooper explains.
“Damn,” Tucker hisses.
“It’s not a problem, Tucker. I’ll ask Mrs. Combs to watch the baby. The woman has eight grandchildren, she knows what to do with one, and we will go get Mason,” Shep suggests.
“That’s reasonable,” Tucker nods in relief.
“Have you lost your mind?” Abbilene hisses at the three men an hour later.
“Be reasonable, Abbilene!” Tucker insists.
“Tucker, I’ve only had her for an hour!”
Tucker advances on Abbie. “I understand that you…”
“No, I don’t think you’re thinking clearly. I have to get Mason and return to Nebraska quickly to finalize the adoptions.”
“It’s probably for the best, Tucker,” Cooper says and lifts a finger to Tucker before he can interrupt him. “Hear me out.” He moves over to Tucker, “You know they are looking for you and it won’t be long before they find out about Mason. You should go and leave from there to return to Nebraska.”
“I agree,” Abbie says quickly.
“Wyatt and Mrs. Combs should return from the store with your supplies soon. I can go buy tickets for you at the train station,” Shep suggests.
Tucker frowns and looks over at Abbie, holding a wiggly baby. “Alright. We go first thing in the morning.”
Coralie begins to cry, but it is a weak sound, not at all the way a six month should sound. Abbie wraps her in a clean towel, after throwing out her tattered blanket. It was more a rag than a blanket.
Abbie walks over to the fireplace to sit in a chair and rocks her gently in her arms, while Tucker watches.
“Wyatt will be back soon.”
It is another full hour before Mrs. Combs returns with a flustered looking Wyatt and an angry young woman in a nurse’s uniform.
“Right in here, Miss Rose,” Mrs. Combs says and walks in with her arms full of bags. Wyatt and the young woman are carrying packages as well.
“Don’t just stand there gaping. Help us,” Mrs. Combs snaps, and Shep, Tucker, and Cooper jump to help.
“Abbie! I found everything on the list, just wait till you see everything,” Mrs. Combs chatters excitedly. They drop all the packages on the couch, and the room falls quiet.
“Oh, forgive me. Let me introduce, Miss Maggie Rose. The doctor was busy,” Mrs. Combs explains.
“Welcome to my home, Miss Rose,” Shep says and walks over to relieve the tall young woman of her packages.
“Thank you, I think.” She stares at the large handsome man in front of her and steps back.
Shep is enchanted by the beautiful blonde nurse with the startling blue eyes and curvaceous figure.
“We couldn’t get the doctor, he was away,” Wyatt tries to explain, but Maggie turns on him and glares.
“You could’ve just told me there was a baby involved. I specialize in pediatrics,” she walks over to Abbie, and the men move back so she can get a look at her.
“Thank you for coming, Miss Rose,” Abbie says.
“Call me, Maggie,” her eyes soften when she looks at Coralie. “She’s darling,” her eyes darken when Coralie gives a weak cry.
“We’ll pay you for your time, Maggie. I adopted Coralie a few hours ago,” Abbie explains.
“I understand. I will need a place to examine her,” Maggie turns to Wyatt, “Did you grab my bag as well?”
Shep glares at Wyatt, “Grab?”
“We will get the particulars later,” Tucker snaps. “Coralie needs attention, now.” Her frail cries are causing him to feel things he’s never experienced before. Mainly, panic.
“Exactly.” Maggie smiles and holds out a hand to Abbie to help her stand. “Show me the way.”
Wyatt offers Maggie a black leather bag, which she snatches from him before following Abbie, Tucker and Mrs. Combs upstairs to the bedroom.
“Let’s warm up the bedroom, shall we?” Maggie suggests. Tucker hurries to stoke a fire in the stone fireplace.
“Coralie is six months old. I’m afraid that’s all I know,” Abbie says as she lays her on the bed and strips off the blanket for Maggie.
Maggie is all business as she digs through her bag for her stethoscope. “That’s alright. Her body will tell me all I need to know, isn’t that right, little one?” she smiles at Coralie and laughs when she smiles back.
“I’m going to strip her to her cloth diaper. I won’t hurt her. Do you understand?” she asks Abbie who nods yes.
Coralie kicks while she is stripped and smiles up at her.
“Why don’t you go see what treasures Mrs. Combs brought back for your daughter while I examine her.” Maggie squeezes her hand gently, “It won’t take long.”
“No. I want to know what her condition is.”
“I understand.”
Tucker paces on the other side of the bed, watching everything Maggie does to the child. From listening to her heart and lungs to listening to her bowels.
One, by, one, the three men from the living room filter into the room, and Maggie is struck by the care that she sees in this room.
“Why is her head flat on the back?” Tucker asks.
“I’d say that’s from being on her back too much,” Maggie answers with a hint of Irish in her voice.
“Is that bad?” Abbie asks.
“No, in fact, we see it a lot in the orphans. Babies need to build endurance, and that doesn’t happen when they are left in cribs unattended. It will correct, as soon as Coralie is strong enough. I will show you exercises to help strengthen her body.”
Maggie is unexpectedly quick to answer all of their questions. She smiles when Tucker squats on his knees to talk
