“You will have it again, Bronnah.”
“I hope so. Good night.”
Chapter 5
“How many this time,” Harris asks three weeks later over dinner at the ranch.
“We lost three cars this week. All the supplies and some of the beef,” Dalton answers.
“Things are escalating, Dalton. How many times has this happened?” Chase asks his brother.
"I'm beginning to lose count. If this continues, we will lose our orders. Damn! This doesn't just impact us, but all the other ranchers and merchants who utilize the trains to move their goods," Dalton states leaning back from the table.
“You can’t blame them for being afraid. No one should be scalped and left to die or bleed to death. That’s if, you aren’t a woman. Not only are they afraid of an attack by Indians but by train robbers as well. The next delivery is our most important one,” Steele reminds Chase.
“Why is that?” Chase asks, sipping on his coffee.
“It will be our first delivery of the refrigerated cars for the overseas market,” Dane announces with pride.
Chase sits back and smiles at his brothers. “I’ll be damned. You did it, Dalton?”
“Was there ever any doubt?” Cassandra states, waddling into the room.
“Get off your feet woman,” Dalton orders and jumps up to guide his very pregnant wife to a chair.
Steele reaches down snatching his one-year-old nephew into his lap as he runs into the room, causing him to squeal in excitement.
“I would, but your son is getting into everything,” Cassie snaps in frustration. “Besides, they aren’t coming for another month.”
"They?" Four voices say in unison. Cassie laughs and pats her huge belly. "I think so," she murmurs as she sits back in her chair with a groan of relief.
"You think so, or you know?" Dalton asks squatting down in front of her to look in her eyes. Cassandra has the gift of second sight, and it has saved their lives in the past.
“I saw them, three perfect little babies,” she whispers.
Dalton leaps up, “Three!”
“Three,” she echoes with tears. “This is all your fault,” she bursts into tears. “With your five nonsense! Dalton, we can’t have triplets!”
Grandma Jenny storms into the living room from the kitchen. “Why is Cassie crying? What did you boys do to upset her?”
“Not us, Granny, this is all Dalton,” Chase laughs.
“Damn right. Three. Granny we’re having triplets!” Dalton laughs and puffs up with pride. Cassie laughs through her tears.
“Oh, my!” Granny sits by Cassie and gives her a kerchief. “What a miracle,” she exclaims grinning.
“Look at him strutting around like a rooster. We’ll never hear the end of this!” Steele murmurs, handing Chase his nephew.
Dane laughs as he watches his family and goes to tell his wife the good news. Granny follows, to plan and prepare for three newborns!
Dalton kneels in front of his wife and kisses her soundly. “Everything is going to be fine, don’t worry,” he pleads.
“Don’t worry? Four children under two, Dalton Rivers,” she sniffs and holds up four fingers.
"No," Dalton grips her hand gently, "Five is the lucky number. The number is five," Dalton grins at her look of outrage.
“You are never touching me again,” she hisses into his ear.
"That's not what you said last night," he teases only to roar with laughter when she blushes and shoves him. Struggling to her swollen feet, she gets up and waddles away, ignoring the laughing men behind her. Stopping at the door, she turns back.
"Hey Cowboy." She waits for him to look at her and grins a wicked smile, "Triplet girls." Her reward is to watch the color fade from his face.
“What?” he asks huskily.
His brothers roll with laughter as she waddles away patting her belly with a smug look of satisfaction. Dalton stumbles to the couch and looks at his son, in Chase’s arms. “I can’t leave now.”
"Of course not," Chase states. "I'll escort the next shipment. We'll make sure this one gets through, and you will stay close to home with your family."
“Thank you, Chase. I’m glad you’re home. I wish you’d consider staying this time. I could use the help.”
“I’m glad I didn’t miss this. I’ve been thinking about a change of pace for a while.” He tosses his nephew lightly into the air. A giggle erupts from the chubby cherub, and they all laugh. “You could use more security here.”
“Absolutely.” Dalton turns to go, mumbling, “Three girls,” he is reeling from the shock.
“Daughters are special,” Steele states thinking about his daughter, Violet.
"Daughters! Surely I am a blessed man?" Dalton hurries to check on Cassie.
"Let's go outside buddy," Chase exclaims and takes his nephew out to the front porch. The sun is setting, and he sits quietly with him in a rocker. Soon the small blonde head is nodding off, and he holds him, content to be part of this family.
“It’s good to be home.”
Chapter 6
The following five days pass quickly for Bronnah. Once the Captain discovered they were nurses, he asked for help when the doctor took too ill and could not work. Cholera was rushing through the steerage class. Vomiting and diarrhea were rampant amongst the poor, especially in such dire conditions.
This morning she delivered a baby boy for a second-class couple and returned to her cabin exhausted. Lizzy spent every second with Jules Verne. They danced, played games, ate together and laughed. If the permanent smile on her face didn't give her away, the blush on her cheeks at the mention of his name would.
A knock at the cabin door has Bronnah sitting up quickly from a quick rest. “Coming,” she calls and glances in the mirror to fix her hair before answering.
"Please, can you come?" Mary, one of the twins
