All the Blue of Heaven (25 page)

           
Only feet from the doorway, Josefina straightened up with a jerk and her face
constricted. “Oh, oh, oh!” she cried and gripped Allie’s fingers. “No further!”

           
Panic flooded her features and Allie move to wrap her arms around her, to
steady her in the narrow hallway.

           
Thomas gritted out, “Stand back.” Allie jumped away just as he swung Josefina
up in his arms and crossed the bedroom. His limp was pronounced as he strode
toward the bed but he did not stop. He deposited her so gently that the bed
hardly moved, but Allie couldn’t tell if Josefina even knew she was lying down.

           
“Leg! My― leg!” she gasped and thrashed against the green quilt. Allie leaped
to her side and ran her hand down one leg, then the other. On her right side,
the calf was hard and the leg was stiff.

           
“Just a cramp,” she soothed. She rubbed the muscle and felt it soften. Soon the
pain eased and Josefina lay panting.

           
“Miss Hathaway.” Thomas motioned for her to join him near the door. “Her dress,
it might be too constrictive. I cannot―” He glanced back the young woman.

           
“Of course, I know where another gown is.” Allie dashed out the door and up the
dark mahogany staircase.. She searched the depths of the trunk and snatched it
an old nightgown, soft and billowy. She returned and found Thomas smoothing
Josefina’s brow as the end of another pain faded away.

           
He exited quickly and Allie coaxed Josefina out of her stiff shirt front. The
chemise underneath was soft but soaked with sweat. Allie gently removed it and
slipped the gown over her head. The full skirt was buttoned in the back and she
was forced to wait through another contraction before attempting to remove it.
Then the slip, and finally she could slide the long gown over Josefina’s
quivering limbs.

           
“Mr. Bradford?” Allie called out. He popped his head in the doorway and she
said, “We need water on to boil, some clean cloths, and scissors.”  He
nodded and disappeared.

           
“Here, rest against me.” Allie slipped an arm around Josefina’s shoulders.

           
“I want Mateo,” she whispered, tears streaming from her eyes.

           
“I know. He’s on his way to the doctor,” Allie reassured her.

           
“And I want to go home. I want to be in my own bed.” Again, the soft sound of
her voice was accompanied by fresh tears.

           
“I know.” Allie forced herself to remain calm. Where was Mateo? As quickly as
this was going, she feared he would not bring the doctor in time.

           
“Oh, oh!” Again her pains returned. Allie did her best to keep Josefina calm, but
it seemed that her fear was overshadowing anything Allie could do to help.

           
It seemed eons before the pain faded away again. Allie smoothed back the limp
hair from the young woman’s forehead.

           
“Have you made some little clothes?”

           
“Yes, two gowns and two caps... with ribbons... around the―” The rest was
lost in a rising wail. Allie felt fear trickle down her spine. The sound
Josefina made was deeper, more guttural than before. She glanced at the door
and relief washed over her when Thomas peered in, eyes dark with concern.

           
“The kitchen fire was low.” He spoke quietly but Allie heard him clearly under
the poor woman’s agony.

           
“I think it’s very soon,” she said.

           
“Don’t leave me!” The young woman bit out, her eyes wild with fear. Allie sent
him a look of pleading and he nodded, motioning for her to slip out from under
Josefina’s shoulders. He carefully took her place, powerful hands gently
stroking her arms.

           
Allie crept down to the foot of the bed and stood, undecided. She had to see in
order to help. But how could she preserve Josefina’s modesty? She snatched a
light blanket from the trunk near the bed and draped it over her the laboring
woman’s knees.

           
“I’m going to lift the gown now.” She couldn’t tell if she was heard over the
deep moans but proceeded, and was met with a miraculous sight.

           
“Oh, he’s almost here!” Allie gasped, dropping to her knees at the end of the
bed where she could be in position to catch the baby as he emerged.

           
Josefina’s eyes were closed tight, her head swiveled from side to side on the
pillow. Her groans grew in volume as the contractions hit with fresh intensity.

           
Allie peeked and saw the baby did not move during the contraction. She
desperately tried to remember what to do. It seemed her time with the midwife
was so long ago.

           
“You’re doing wonderfully,” she called to Josefina. The only answer was a wail
that ended in a high-pitched shriek. Allie glanced up at Thomas and he shook
his head very slightly. Josefina was near total panic, she wasn’t going to be
able to push through the pains.

           
As soon as there was a small break, Allie rubbed Josefina’s calves and said, “I
know you’re tired. You’re almost done. He’s so close.”

           
The young woman moaned but opened her eyes very slightly as Thomas wiped her
brow with a soft cloth. “No more. I want to go home,” she whispered.

           
Allie fought back a laugh. It was a little late to change her mind. This baby
was coming whether anybody liked it or not. “Almost done, I promise. You have
to push with this next pain.”

           
Her legs stiffened and her body lurched against the mattress. “I can’t―”
she started to say before her words were lost in a rising scream.

           
Allie peeked beneath the blanket. The baby’s head should be slowly emerging.
“You have to push, Josefina! Push!”

           
Thomas rubbed the young mother’s shoulders and murmured in her ear, but her
panic was all-consuming. Her screams echoed around the small bedroom.

           
Allie felt sweat drip down the back of her neck and wished for the tenth time
that the doctor would arrive. The midwife had made it seem so easy. But they
had usually been experienced mothers. They seemed to work in unison, like a
team. There was no teamwork here, no order, only fear and chaos. She looked up
at Thomas and saw by the tight set of his lips that he knew Josefina was in
trouble.

           
He dropped his head and began to sing. A deep, lilting melody battled with the
sounds of her agony. As her pain subsided again, she opened her eyes. Gasping
for breath, she lay quietly, staring up at the ceiling. Her face was covered
with a sheen of sweat, her skin was white.

           
Allie felt the song wrap itself around them, the words secondary to the tune.
After a few moments she realized it was her favorite hymn. Thomas never
faltered, his voice was strong and steady.

           
Josefina licked her cracked lips and began to hum, softly, with him. “Be Thou
my battle shield, sword for the fight.” Her expression tightened, and she
gripped Thomas’s hand as a wave of pain washed over her. But it was different
now.

           
Thomas continued to sing, and Josefina looked to Allie, her eyes wide.

           
“Push,” Allie commanded.

           
“Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight,” he sang. One hand smoothed the hair from
her forehead and the other was nearly white where Josefina was gripping it.

           
Josefina bore down and Allie felt a thrill streak through her body when the
baby’s head slipped gently into her hands. She turned his little face and
called out, “Another push, he’s almost
here!”       

           
“Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise...” Thomas seemed to be giving her
strength through the ancient Irish tune.

           
Josefina took a deep breath and pushed, face contorted, body trembling. Allie
eased out one tiny shoulder, then the other, and the rest of the miracle
followed in an instant.

           
“Beautiful, just beautiful,” she cried. “And he’s a girl!” Thomas laughed aloud
and Josefina smiled weakly, straining to see. Allie cleared the baby’s mouth
and rubbed her back as she started to cry, sounding very much like a small
kitten. She wiped the slippery, flailing infant with a clean cloth and reached
for a piece of twine. Carefully tying the cord, she cut it with shaking hands.

           
“You did everything wonderfully. Perfectly done,” Thomas murmured, gently
laying Josefina against the pillows and offering her a water glass. Josefina
took a sip, and smiled tremulously.

           
Allie handed the little bundle up to Thomas, who handed her to the new mother.

           
Moments later, the doctor strode into the room, shoulders covered with snow and
hat askew. “Missed all the excitement, eh? And now you’ll be after my job, Mr.
Bradford!”

           
“I wasn’t able to do much more than hold her hand. But you’ll have to watch out
for Miss. Hathaway, surely.” Thomas winked at her and let himself out the door.

           
“You’ve done a fine job, very fine. I’ll finish up here. You go let her husband
know there are two beautiful ladies waiting to see him in a few minutes.” He
chuckled into his bushy beard and stripped off his coat.

           
As she walked unsteadily to the door, Allie glanced back once at the new
mother. The lilting tune of the hymn echoed in her mind.
Be Thou my battle
shield, my sword for the fight. Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight....
                       

                       
            ***

           Allie
was surprised to feel so energetic the next morning after all the excitement of
the winter storm, and Mateo’s baby arriving. Janey made her tell the tale over
and over, moaning dozens of times that she should never have gone to tea with
Grandmother Leeds and Mrs. Gibson. Finally, Allie sent her to practice her
letters, and slipped out the door. Allie needed to walk, to think. The bright
snow twinkled in the sunlight, covering the leaves that had fallen just weeks
before. Her legs felt strong as she strode along, boots keeping the ice from
touching her ankles. Her thick black coat was lined with fur and she rolled her
shoulders against the warmth.
For everything there is a season.
So very
true, so very right.

           
She knew better than to overdo, even as healthy as she felt, so after a while
Allie turned back toward the house. The walk in the silent woods had been like
a balm to her soul. The pond was laced with a fine layer of ice. As she stood
there, Allie felt hope rise in her chest. Life had come full circle, like a year
of seasons. There was so much to look forward to, so much to plan. She smiled
at the memory of Thomas’s expression as she handed the newborn baby to him.
Wonder and awe... and yearning. The tiny life held all kinds of possibility.

           
As Allie passed the carriage house, she heard the sound of raised voices. She
paused, listening hard. Cole was a quiet man, raising his two daughters alone
after his wife passed away. There should be no reason for such shouting.

           
She wandered nearer, sucking in a breath when she recognized Thomas’s voice. He
was yelling, his tone panicked. Allie ran, stumbling over her feet.
Janey!
Please, don’t let it be Janey!

           
She grabbed at the wide barn door and struggled to pull it open, her heart
bursting in her chest. She knew already what she would see: Janey’s little body
trampled under the stallion’s hooves. A sob tore her throat as she jerked
against the metal handle, planting her feet in the dirt. She had told her
mother that the horse had no business here, was better suited to pasture or
racing. But her mother was thrilled with a gift from the mayor.

           
Tears streamed down Allie’s face. She pounded her fists on the door and
shrieked at the top of her lungs to be let in.

           
The door slid on its tracks and Thomas appeared, his face telling her
everything she needed to know.

           
Allie slumped against him, her fists to her chest, a deep wail building inside.

           
“She’s all right. She’s right here.”

           
She couldn’t believe his words as he gripped her shoulders, speaking almost
roughly.

           
“Where? Where is she?” Allie struggled to calm herself and blinked into the dim
barn.

he said, his eyes dark.

           
“Here, Auntie.” Janey came forward, her head down, eyes rebellious. “I came to
see the stallion. I just wanted to sit astride him, to go for a ride.” She
glanced up at Thomas, little mouth pursed in disapproval. “Mr. Bradford yelled
at me.”

           
Allie gathered her up, breathing in her little girl smell. “Yes, I heard.” She
never wanted to let go but she pushed her back, hands on her shoulders and
fixed her with a steady gaze. “No one gave you permission to come here. You
must always ask permission.”

           
“But I asked! Over and over, I asked. And everyone said no.”

           
Thomas snorted a laugh behind Allie, and she felt her lips twitch. “Then that
is your answer. No more sneaking off. You could have been hurt.” She felt the
excitement of the moment rush over her and the barn seemed to swim. “Come sit
with me, Janey.”

           
She led the little girl to a bench and sat down, gathering her to one side.
Thomas sat on the other and spoke softly.

           
“Oh, Allie, if I’d lost you again, or Janey...” His voice held all the anguish
of the world in it.

           
“But we’re all together. Just as we should be.” Allie took a breath and closed
her eyes for a moment, shutting out the dusty barn. After everything was said
and done, it didn’t matter how much money Thomas had, or where Allie’s
paintings hung. What mattered was Janey and their love for her, and each other.