Chapter 30

30

L orinda followed Dr. Winston to the front door. "Thank you for coming to check on Miriam."

He settled his hat on his head and picked up his medical bag. "You're doing a good job, Mrs. Vine, helping her to regain some of her strength. But she's not out of the woods yet."

"She's been sitting up for over half an hour now." Lorinda hoped it was an indication Miriam was getting stronger.

"I'll be back out here in a couple of days...unless the baby comes sooner." He headed outside.

Lorinda closed the door behind him, then leaned against it. Memories of when Lorinda's own son was born were still fresh in her mind. It was hard. It hurt so much, and she'd been much stronger than Miriam was. Dear Lord, please help Miriam regain her strength before the baby decides to make an appearance. If she didn't, Lorinda wondered how Miriam would be able to push the baby out.

When she went back into the bedroom where Miriam sat in the rocking chair, the woman raised her head and glanced at her. "Mrs. Vine, I really need to talk to you and Fr—Mr. Vine this evening."

"Okay." Lorinda wondered what she might want to talk about. Her voice sounded so serious. Hopefully, she just wanted to ask for their help. Surely, she didn't want to rekindle her romance with Franklin now that he was married to someone else.

Lorinda went to where clean sheets were stacked on the bureau. "I'm going to change your bed and help you get cleaned up and in a fresh gown if you're not too tired."

"That would be nice." Miriam's hands clutched the arms of the rocker so hard, her knuckles paled in the sunlight streaming through the window.

While Lorinda changed the linens on the bed, she kept up a cheerful conversation despite the doubts whirling in her mind. The other woman only nodded or uttered a word or two. Lorinda often glanced at her. Even though she seemed to be wilting in the sunlight like flowers that hadn't had enough water, she was still beautiful. Lorinda could understand why Franklin had been drawn to a woman with dark hair that still had waves in it even though she was not very healthy right now. Those ice blue eyes were unusual for someone with midnight black hair. Quite a contrast to Lorinda's blonde hair and pale skin. Maybe Franklin preferred brunettes.

Lorinda hurried as fast as she could. After she fluffed the last pillow and folded the covers back, she set the pitcher of warm water and the empty bowl on the floor beside the rocker. She grabbed a washcloth and a towel from the bureau, then knelt beside their guest and gently washed her face and hands.

"Let's slip that gown off, so I can finish cleaning you up."

Miriam leaned forward and allowed Lorinda to do what she said, but she didn't help in any way. Her patient's strength and awareness faded. Alarm filled Lorinda. She had to get the woman back in bed as soon as possible.

After Lorinda finished, she held her crooked elbow out to their guest, and Miriam had a hard time rising from the cushions of the rocker. She grasped Lorinda's arm with her fingernails and desperation and the grip was so hard it made her wince, but Lorinda didn't let on it was hurting. Slowly, they made their way across the room. After Miriam sat on the side of the bed, Lorinda helped hoist her legs under the covers.

Their patient settled into the softness with a sigh and closed her eyes. She immediately fell into a deep sleep. Lorinda's heart ached for the woman who had been through so much. Yes, she made wrong decisions, but she'd suffered almost as much heartache as Lorinda had while she still lived with her father and uncle.

She pulled the rocking chair beside the bed and dropped into it. While watching their patient, she lifted prayers for the woman and the baby she carried. As she opened her eyes, she noticed the movement of the baby under the covers. At least, the wee one was still all right...for now.

Franklin carefully opened and closed the door when he came in for the noon meal. He hung up his hat and coat and tiptoed down the hallway to the room where Miriam was staying. Through the open doorway, he saw his wife sitting beside the bed with her head bowed and her eyes closed. She had to be praying for his former fiancée. Lorinda was such a special woman. Who else would take in the former woman in her husband's life and care for her so deeply? He wished there was some way he could let her know just how much he admired her. Maybe soon .

He went on down the hallway to the kitchen where Mrs. Oleson was talking to Michael.

"Here you are, you sweet thing." She gave him a pinch from the rolls she was putting in a basket for their meal.

His son grabbed it with his fist and was hard at work, trying to get it all in his mouth.

"Are you spoiling my son?"

She looked up with a smile. "It's hard to spoil a child before he's a year old. Or at least, that's what I've heard."

"I thought I saw Dr. Winston drive away. What did he say about Miriam?" He leaned against the doorpost and crossed his ankles, trying to look nonchalant.

"I'm not sure." Mrs. Oleson wiped her hands on the towel stuck into the waistband of her apron. "I worked on lunch and took care of our little prince while he was here. Lorinda will be able to tell you what you want to know."

He stood up and stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his trousers. "I saw her as I came by. She was praying for Miriam. I didn't want to disturb her."

"Your Lorinda is a good woman, Franklin. You made the right choice." Mrs. Oleson lifted the lid from one of the pans on the stove and stirred something that smelled very good. "I hope you're hungry."

"I know. It's just that I can't tell her..."

"Tell me what?" Lorinda came through the door and smiled at him.

For a moment, all he could do was study her. Her beauty overwhelmed him, even more so since he saw her praying for Miriam.

Finally, he realized she'd asked him a question. "What did the doctor say about our guest?"

He dropped into the chair on one side of Michael while Mrs. Oleson bustled about setting the food on the table.

Lorinda sat on the other side of their son. Worry creased her forehead. He'd seen that expression on her face before, and it didn't bode well.

"He actually got her up to sit in the rocker while he examined her."

"That's good, isn't it?" The heavy burden for Miriam lifted from Franklin's mind.

"Yes...and no."

Lorinda picked up the saucer with mashed potatoes Mrs. Oleson had fixed for Michael and held a small spoonful in front of the baby. He laughed and slapped his little hands on the table tray, then opened his mouth wide.

Franklin would never get tired of watching the two of them. His family. The family he never expected to have. God had truly blessed him.

"Why no?" The report up to this point had sounded good.

"She's gaining some strength, but she's not out of the woods by any means." Lorinda gave the baby another bite. "When I went back into the room after the doctor left, Miriam didn't look all that strong. I hurried to change the sheets, clean her up, and put her in a fresh gown. But by the time I finished, she could hardly get up even with my help. Now she's sleeping again."

"I saw you praying for her." His soft words were for her ears alone.

She turned troubled eyes toward him. "I'm worried about her and about the baby. I did see it moving around under the covers, but having a baby is very hard work. I'm not sure she's up to it right now. I hope she builds more strength before her time to deliver arrives."

"I hadn't thought of that." Franklin felt helpless. How did other men face the thought of possibly losing their wives during childbirth all the time?

Lorinda laid her hand over one of his on the table. "She wants to talk to us again this evening. I'm not sure why."

He thought Miriam had told them everything they needed to know. Maybe there was more to what had happened to her. For a moment, he wished Marvin Pratt was close-by. He'd like to give the man a strong dose of what for . Selfish scum. He'd ruined a very special woman when he lured her away. Franklin had been able to get over what he'd done to him, but Miriam might never get over it. And, even though she made her own decisions, she really didn't know what she was getting into. A man should protect a woman, not use her and discard her.

But isn't that what I'm doing with Lorinda? Using her?

He was trying to remedy that, and he'd never, ever discard her.

Lorinda checked on Miriam several times during the afternoon, and their patient slept the rest of the day. At least, this allowed Lorinda to catch up on cleaning and spend fun time with Michael.

Not long before suppertime, Mrs. Oleson found Miriam awake and took her food and gave her the medicine. So she was ready when Lorinda and Franklin finished eating supper.

With his hand resting on the small of her back, Franklin escorted her into the room where Miriam was sitting up in bed with pillows behind her.

Lorinda had a hard time keeping her mind on their patient. Franklin didn't often touch her in that possessive way. She wondered if he realized what he was doing, or was it just instinct? She was very aware of the presence of his warm palm touching her gently. So much heat spread through her she had a hard time catching her breath. Oh, how she wanted to tell him what he was doing to her. That marriage promise felt like a ball and chain hampering her every step. She wished she had the magic key to open the lock. She finally took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

"Are you all right?" Franklin's words, whispered into her ear, caused her to stiffen.

She nodded, then moved closer to Miriam. "How do you feel now? Are you rested?" She dropped into the rocking chair, and Franklin stood close beside her.

"I am." Miriam smiled at both of them. "This morning must have tired me out more than I thought. I slept almost all day."

Lorinda patted her on her clasped hands. "I know. I checked on you several times."

"You're so good to me...I don't know that I would be if our roles were reversed."

That idea hadn't even entered Lorinda's mind. Thank goodness, they weren't.

Franklin cleared his throat. "You did say you wanted to talk to us again, didn't you?"

Miriam gazed toward the window, and a faraway look came into her eyes. "I've had a lot of time to think." She turned toward both of them. "I want you to promise me something."

Franklin frowned, and Lorinda leaned toward the other woman. "What?" She knew she couldn't make a promise unless she knew what it was.

"If anything happens to me, please promise you'll keep my baby."

Why would she even ask such a thing? Then another thought crept into Lorinda's head. It could be a way for her to be a mother to more than one child and have someone else who could love her unconditionally as Michael did.

"Nothing's going to happen to you." She sounded as serious as she could. "We're here, and the doctor will keep checking on you."

Miriam started wringing her hands. "You don't understand. I know I'm not going to make it, but I want a secure future for my baby. And I don't want Marvin to have the child."

"Why not?" Franklin sounded almost angry.

Lorinda glanced up at him. Something was really bothering him.

"Marvin never wanted me to have a baby. That's why he deserted me when I told him. I'm afraid he'll finally figure out where I've come for help. If he does, he'll want the baby just to spite you, Franklin." A single tear slid down one cheek. "I don't want to even imagine how he would treat the baby. Please promise me. I would feel that my baby would be safe if you'll do that."

Lorinda's heart went out to the woman. Maybe she was right. She didn't seem strong enough to birth a child. Maybe it's a girl, and she and Franklin would have one of each to raise.

Franklin hunkered down beside the bed. "Miriam, there are legalities to consider. We can't just say the mother gave us the baby. We'll need some kind of documentation. Would you like me to get a lawyer out here?"

A look of horror passed over Miriam's face. "No. Marvin might find out sooner if you do that. Can't I just write out my wishes, and you can have two trusted employees sign it as witnesses? Wouldn't that work?"

Franklin stood back up and pondered her question. Miriam and Lorinda waited in silence. He paced to the other side of the room and back.

"I've known of wills being done that way. I don't know why it wouldn't work with this situation."

"Thank you." Miriam wilted deeper into the bed. "Let's do it right now."

Franklin left to get paper and the new Waterman fountain pen from his office. When he returned, Lorinda watched as he and Miriam worked out the wording for the document. Miriam wrote it out in her own handwriting, then signed it.

"I don't want Lorinda and me to be the witnesses, because it might look as if we coerced you to write and sign this paper. I'll go get Rusty and Mrs. Oleson to witness your signature. Both of them know when to keep a confidence." He left the room.

Lorinda knelt beside the bed and took Miriam's hands in her own. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Another tear made its way down Miriam's cheek. She released one of Lorinda's hands and brushed it away. "I have to. I can't rest easy until I know my baby is safe from Marvin. That man is vile and unscrupulous." Her voice broke on the last word. "Oh, I wish I'd never met him."

Lorinda wished Miriam hadn't either. But if all of that hadn't happened, she might never have met Franklin.

Hopefully, all they had just done wouldn't be needed. At least, she could pray for Miriam to be able to have her child and take care of him or her.