“Tomorrow I can take you to her.” Hunter says quietly looking at Alex. “Let’s get some dinner and get you settled.” Alex takes the hint to drop it, and moves inside.
As he leaves the new friends to go back upstairs, Hunter hears Alex say, “I told you he could help you, Rena.” With a mind full of questions, Hunter wonders how Elina will feel about this development. There is more to Varena’s story and he intends to get the rest of it out of her.
“Are you okay with this dad?” Alex asks, from the doorway of the guest bedroom.
“I need answers but she has been through enough today” Hunter tells his son. Varena makes her way upstairs with Rusty by her side. As she looks quietly around the living room, she chooses a seat in the corner of the living room, trying to be invisible. Rusty sits on her feet, as if protecting her. Ruffling her ears, Varena giggles when Rusty licks her face.
“Oh, you are so sweet. Yes, you are” she says talking to Rusty. Looking up she finds them both staring at her and fear crosses her face. She startles the dog when she jumps up saying, “I’m sorry. Should I leave her alone?”
“Are you kidding, she eats it up,” Alex says with a laugh. “I will take her out for a run.” Excited Rusty follows Alex to the door and they race off.
Varena rubs her stomach, feels, the baby move and smiles. “You are lucky to have such a wonderful family.”
Hunter feels her fear and knows what she needs. “How would you like a bath?” Startled, she looks at his smiling face and he tells her, “My wife loved her baths. We have an enormous tub; I bet you have never seen anything like it… It will do you a world of good.”
He heads upstairs and waits for her to follow. Hesitantly, she follows him and waits while he gets towels. The master suite has a wall of windows opening to the outside world. Standing in the bedroom area, Varena can see the beauty of the woods behind the house. She doesn’t feel so confined with all the windows.
“It’s just beautiful” she says watching the sunset. “Your wife is gone?” she asks quietly seeing a picture on the wall.
“Yes, she died years ago. Thankfully, I have Alex” he tells her.
As she looks closely at the man in front of her, she needs him to understand. “All of my people are gone, except this baby. I will keep it safe, Hunter.”
Understanding her need to protect her child, he smiles. “We will help you, if you let us.” He heads into the bathroom; turns on the lights and starts the tub. The room fills with steam and he puts out shampoo, soap and towels. She stands, quietly watching. He places a flannel shirt of his and sweat pants that belong to Alex on the towels, he turns to find her staring at him.
“You are being so kind, Hunter. I promise to answer your questions. How will I ever thank you?”
“Take care of yourself and that little one, Varena. That will be a good start.” As he notices she locks the door and waits until he hears her moan of pleasure. He smiles as he heads downstairs and starts dinner.
Varena soaks in the tub and looks at her stomach in awe. She is growing larger every day. As she runs soap over her body, she stands to rinse and sees her naked body in the mirror. Her body is changing quickly. The round beauty of her body takes away her breath.
“We are free!” she thinks and sinks back into the water. She weeps for everything she has lost, and the gift of new life she is now responsible for. “Thank you,” she prays. Scrubbing her hair and face she tries to wash away the memories of a lifetime. After a good rinse, Varena towel dries and dresses quickly smelling food in the air. She tries on the flannel shirt and sweat pants, then pulls on a plush pair of thick socks and laughs at how ridiculous she looks. She runs a comb through her long, brown hair, shakes out the curls, and moves downstairs and sees the two of them working side by side in the kitchen. She walks to the bar, and watches quietly.
Alex smiles when he turns to look at her, “You look comfortable.”
She blushes, “You mean ridiculous.”
“Hardly, Varena” Hunter says “You have the beautiful glow of a woman carrying new life. When is your baby due?”
Her smile fades. “I don’t know. A few weeks I think.”
A frown appears on Hunter’s face, “Have you been to a doctor?”
“I was seen by the birthing woman,” she tells them laughingly and moves around to a stool. With a quick toss of her hair she continues, “They said the baby was due in a few weeks, and if I am lucky I would live long enough to see it take its first breath.”
Alex drops the bowl he is drying on the counter, causing her to jump in fear. “I’m sorry; I am not used to being with people. Forgive me,” she asks with her arms around her belly protectively.
“You will not die, Varena,” Alex tells her. “Will she, dad?” Now agitated Alex states, “You’re a medicine man, you can help her.”
Hunter looks at her. He sighs because he knows what happens when his son brings home a pet. Glancing at Rusty laying at her feet, he smiles. “You have no idea what you have gotten yourself into, Varena,” he tells her.
Alex walks off, upset, and she watches him go. “I am no one’s pet” she responds softly looking back at Hunter.
“I didn’t say that. I thought it,” Hunter responds to her. As he walks around the counter, he stands in front of her by the bar and looks into her hazel eyes. “What other gifts do you possess?”
With defiance in her eyes, she
