One night in bed after their Bible reading, Conner pulled her close. “No more love-making, but I can still hold you in my arms.”
Elsie moved into his arms. She loved snuggling with Conner, but Camille still bothered her. He couldn’t make love to her, and he worked all day with a lovely woman. It was a worry that she couldn’t shake, even though she knew her husband loved her.
“How is Camille working out?” she asked, trying to sound casual.
“She’s slower with learning the names of the instruments, unlike you.” He kissed her forehead. “But she’ll do.”
“She’s very attractive, don’t you think?”
“She’s all right, I guess.”
She heard and felt Conner’s chuckle.
“Are you aware of who she is?”
“Who she is? I’m not sure where you found her. In town, I guess.”
“Yes, I found her in town. She’s the sheriff’s mail-order bride. Can you imagine that? They haven’t married yet because Babcock is waiting for his family to arrive from Pittsburgh. They’re very much in love.”
Elsie felt the tenseness in her body relax, and her heart stopped throbbing so hard. Camille was marrying Joe Babcock.
Conner sat up straight. “Wait, you didn’t think for one moment that I—"
Elsie kissed his lips to silence him. “Of course, I didn’t... well, maybe a little. Here I am, fat as a sow, and Camille’s so pretty and slim.” Elsie pouted. “I feel like an elephant.”
Conner rubbed her belly gently. “You, my gorgeous wife, are carrying precious cargo, and because of that, I think you are the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Elsie was sitting on the settee, knitting a baby sweater when she let out a sudden gasp.
Conner sat on a chair nearby, reading a book. “Are you all right, sweetheart?”
“It’s probably nothing. Sometimes, our child is naughty and kicks me somewhere that hurts... although he—or she—has been quiet all day.” She looked up at Conner in alarm. “You don’t think something is wrong, do you?”
Conner put his book down, moved her ball of yarn, and sat beside her on the settee, rubbing her stomach softly.
She gasped when another cramp-like pain hit her.
“That was a more painful one, wasn’t it? I felt your stomach tighten. I think it’s time.”
“Bertie!” he called. When she appeared from the kitchen, he said, “Let’s go through the drill for real this time.”
Bertie smiled. “I know the drill, and I’m on it.” She fled the room.
Conner had drilled Bertie on exactly what to do when the time came. He picked up his wife and carried her up the stairs. While extremely worried, he tried hard not to show it. Would this be his last moments with Elsie? Then he reminded himself of who was in charge. He prayed to God that he wouldn’t lose Elsie or their baby. He’d gone through it once, and it had been hard enough, but if he lost Elsie... well, since God was in charge, there was not much he could do to change things. He had, however, called Dr. Wadsworth in from Russell to deliver the baby, as he couldn’t bear to do it himself.
Part of the drill he and Bertie had devised was for her to bring up boiling water and sterile cloths along with his medical bag, just in case Wadsworth took too long to get there. Then, she was to run to the hotel and bring the doctor back for the delivery.
As much as he believed in God and His will, he still paced the floor and bit off most of his fingernails. He wanted to ask what was taking so long, but being a doctor who’d brought many babies into the world, he knew it often took hours, especially with the first baby.
Now and then, Bertie would come out of the bedroom to tell him all was well. “She’s a strong one for being so tiny. I haven’t heard her cry out once.” She smiled. “It’s going well. I have to get back in there... Doc says it won’t be much longer.”
Conner knelt on the floor outside of the bedroom and prayed harder than he ever had before. When he heard Elsie groan loudly, he cringed. He wished he could take the pain from her. It didn’t seem fair that the woman had to bear so much pain for both of them to become parents. He’d made a point of holding her hand until Wadsworth had shooed him from the room.
He heard one loud groan from his loving wife that sent a pain through his entire body, then he heard a baby’s cry.
He smiled. He was a father, but was he still a husband?
Conner continued to pace as he waited for someone to come out to let him know if Elsie was all right. He stopped and turned when the bedroom door finally opened and Wadsworth invited him in.
Wadsworth slapped Conner’s back, “Congratulations—you have a healthy son and a strong, brave wife who is recovering remarkably well.”
Conner ran to Elsie, who sat propped up with pillows and holding their son.
“Are you feeling all right?”
“I’m fine, Conner. It wasn’t as bad as I’d feared. I’m ready to try for a daughter, next.”
He leaned over, kissed her, and looked upward. “Thank you, God.”
He gazed at their son in her arms. “He’s beautiful. What should we call him?”
“I think he should be Conner Jr.,” she said.
“Heavens, no,” Conner said. “I disagree. I’ve always hated my name. My father put me through college, and he has a wonderful name.”
“What’s his name?”
“John Beauregard Van Gates, III. It’s the perfect name for him.”
“I disagree with that name,” Elsie said, kissing the baby’s forehead.
Conner grinned. “Of course, you do, but since you bore all the pain, you
