18. Maverick

18

Maverick

I sat in the chair, holding my sweet baby boy. He was beautiful. I called my brothers and Sarra, and they said they would come as soon as the weather cleared.

River stayed for three days and left this morning. I was surprised by how much he knew about babies. When I commented on it, he said his sister had seven kids, and he learned everything about babies from babysitting.

I felt so much love for this baby and for Rebecca, who was sleeping in the bed. Every time I looked into Matthew's eyes, I felt tears welling up. It took a lot to hold them back so I wouldn't embarrass myself in front of River or Rebecca.

Matthew opened his eyes and stared at me for a long moment. I bent down and kissed his forehead as he held my little finger. "Daddy loves you so much. I'll tell you every day how much I love you."

"Is he hungry?" Rebecca asked, her voice soft.

"He should be. You know how much he loves to eat," I said, carrying him over to her.

He latched onto her breast so fast we both laughed. He definitely loved his milk.

"What time is it?" Rebecca asked.

"It's dinner time. I made stew. After you feed Matthew, I'll get you some. I set up this little table here so we can eat together, and you can sit in this comfy chair."

"I could've gotten up and made dinner. You've been doing everything."

"Now that I'm not working in the fields, there isn't much to do. All I do is feed and water the animals." A knock came at the door, and I answered it. A tiny woman stood there.

"I'm Lily. I'm so sorry I wasn't here for Rebecca," she said.

I reached out and shook her hand, pulling her inside out of the cold. "You were busy helping someone else. I delivered our son, with some guidance from my friend. River was a medic in the Army Special Forces. Rebecca's feeding the baby now. I made stew for dinner—care to join us?"

"Yes, I'll go see Rebecca, and then I'll help you," Lily said.

"You visit with Rebecca, and I'll take care of everything else," I replied.

"I wasn't always Amish," Lily said as she headed toward Rebecca's room. "I met my husband when he came into the clinic where I worked. We fell in love at first sight. He wouldn't have married me if I hadn't become Amish. I was surprised Rebecca married you without asking you to convert."

"Rebecca loves me as much as I love her. She didn't ask me to become Amish, and I didn't ask her to leave her community."

"You two must have a strong love. I hope it lasts another sixty years," she said with a smile.

"We'll always be together. From now on, I won't take jobs after she's six months pregnant. Rebecca's in the downstairs bedroom."

Lily smiled and went to visit Rebecca. I sliced some bread and set out bowls. I brought another chair into the room for Lily and returned with the tray.

"This looks delicious," Lily said.

"Maverick is a great cook. And oh, you made tea—I bet it's wonderful," Rebecca added.

"The baby is beautiful. Maybe the next one will be Ella," Lily said with a wink. "Thank you for inviting me for dinner. John and the boys went to his mamm's for dinner."

"I'm glad you could join us," I said.

Lily chuckled. "Me too. You're an excellent cook, and I haven't had sweet tea this good in a long time. Let me help clear the table."

"Sit, I've got it covered," I said, loading the tray.

Spending time with my wife and baby was the best thing that had ever happened to me. My son was incredible. My brothers and Sarra were on their way, and Rebecca hadn't stopped cleaning and organizing.

Some of the snow had melted, making it easier to walk without slipping. When I saw the bruise from Rebecca's fall, I was grateful she had made it back to the house on her own. I spotted a truck pulling up and smiled when I saw my brothers and Sarra. I was surprised to see Reaper with them.

"Did you think I'd let my wife and child come here without me?" Reaper asked with a grin.

"I guess not," I said, laughing. "Now that I know what it's like to have a wife and child, I get it. Speaking of which, let's go see him. He's already smiling."

"Why do parents always think a baby's gas is a smile?" Shane teased. "Was Rebecca disappointed you had a son instead of a daughter?"

"Not at all," I said, taking Sarra's baby from Reaper. "Sweetheart, our company's here."

Rebecca came in from the kitchen, smiling. "I'm so glad you all made it," she said, hugging each of them. Then she held out her hands for Sarra's baby. "Sarra, she looks just like you. She's beautiful."

"Let's go to the kitchen. I made some hot tea, and it's cozy in there. I have treats for you, too. I remembered how much you all loved my baking. Plus, the baby is in the kitchen. You can put your things away later."

"Beau, did River tell you he was here when Rebecca had the baby?" I asked.

"Yes, he told me everything. Thank God he was able to give you a lift. I wouldn't have wanted Rebecca to be here alone. She would've managed, I'm sure, but it's good you made it home."

"I don't know if I would've managed," Rebecca said with a shy smile. "For some reason, I was afraid to stand up, thinking the baby would fall onto the floor."

I smiled, and Rebecca blushed, covering her mouth with her hand.

"I'm just glad they were both here," Sarra said, stepping in to ease Rebecca's embarrassment. She peeked into the baby's bassinet. "He has your dark hair. Does he have your eyes?"

"Yes, he looks just like Maverick," Rebecca said. "He's such a good baby."

"Shane, how's Kai Hamilton doing?" Rebecca asked.

"Kai and the boys are doing great. As soon as she called her mother and told her what happened, her mom showed up that night, crying and hugging her daughter and grandsons. Kai's father passed last year, and her mother didn't know how to reach her."

"That's wonderful," Rebecca said. "I remember Kai telling me her father was so upset she married into the Amish community that he refused to visit, and he wouldn't let her mother visit either."

"Yes, she told me that too. That's why I convinced her to contact her mother. They were so happy, I could hear them both crying on the phone."

"It's good to hear a happy story. Kai is such a lovely person," Rebecca said. "Her husband's family never gave her a chance, even though she worked harder than anyone I know. My mamm used to say Kai could work her fingers to the bone, and they still wouldn't accept her."

"Some people are just like that—impossible to please," Shane said. "I'm glad it had a happy ending."

The baby woke up, and Rebecca took him into the bedroom to feed him. I cut some cinnamon buns for everyone, and by the time Rebecca returned, we were already on our second piece.

"How are the buns?" Rebecca asked.

"They're delicious," Sarra said, feeding her baby a small bite. "Can I write down the recipe to take home?"

"Of course," Rebecca said with a smile. "I'm so glad you all could make it. I hope it's not too hard for you without TV or electricity."

"Not at all. We'll manage for a week. At least the guys can charge their phones if needed. I like the quiet. I grew up without a TV anyway," Sarra said with a chuckle.

"She's always turning it off at home," Reaper added.

"That's why he comes to my place to watch the game," Shane said, laughing.

Rebecca looked over at me. "Do you miss having a TV?"

"No, I've got my laptop. If I want to watch something, I can. I don't miss anything from my old life." I saw the look on her face when I said "old life." "Rebecca, everything I want is right here in our new home."

She smiled as I pulled her into my arms and kissed her. Rebecca was getting used to me showing affection as long as it wasn't in public. With the snow keeping us mostly indoors, she spent her time sewing, while I tended to the animals.

We had such a good time with my family, but as much as I'd miss them, I knew my life was here with Rebecca. This was where I belonged—with the love of my life, and I'd never ask her to leave this place.