Heart of Texas Vol. 3 (37 page)

Amy glanced at the beautifully wrapped box. “Another shower gift? Dovie, people have been so generous already. I don't know how to thank everyone.”

“This isn't a shower gift,” Dovie said. “It's from Wade.”

At the mention of his name, Amy's head went back as if hearing it brought her pain. “Wade?” she whispered.

“He was in last week—before the fight—and bought it for you.”

“But he…”

“He asked me to give it to you after the baby was born.”

Amy frowned, obviously wondering why Dovie had brought it to her now.

Dovie shrugged. “I thought you might want to open it.”

Amy looked at the box for a long time without moving toward it.

“I'll be back before you know it,” Dovie said, suddenly excited by this little adventure. She felt that Amy knew her own limitations; if she wanted to visit Bitter End, then far be it from Dovie to stop her.

A
MY LEFT THE PACKAGE SITTING
exactly where Dovie had left it. But not for long. She couldn't resist knowing what he'd bought, or why Dovie had felt compelled to give it to her now.

She fingered the large pink bow. Dovie had specifically said Wade had purchased the gift for
her.
Not for the baby, but for her.

The look in Dovie's eyes had told Amy something else, too. The gift had been purchased with love. Amy didn't know how to deal with the kind of love she'd found in Promise; it was all so unfamiliar. Frank and Dovie had been incredibly generous and kind. Caroline had become a good friend, and Ellie, in addition to giving her a job, was her friend, too. Dr. Jane had been wonderful, encouraging her, befriending her.

And Wade…

She tried to squeeze out the memory of the hurt she'd seen in his eyes when she said she wouldn't marry him.

She placed the box on her lap and carefully removed the ribbon. When she'd finished peeling away the paper, she set the box on the table, again. She hesitated, afraid that if she opened it, she'd be overwhelmed by a rush of emotion and pain. She hadn't seen Wade since the day of the fight and sincerely doubted she would. He might eventually come to visit her and see the baby, but Amy didn't expect to have more than casual contact with him following Sarah's birth. It hit her then how very much she was going to miss him. How very much she already did. This sudden need to do something, to get out and explore the ghost town, was a symptom of how she'd been feeling since she'd broken off their relationship. Restless, dispirited, lonely. Dovie was right; it was ridiculous to visit the town now, but that wasn't stopping her.

Finally Amy could stand it no longer and lifted the lid.

She gasped.

The robe was stunning, beautiful beyond anything she'd ever owned. She put the lid aside and reached for the robe and held it against her. Burying her face in it, she felt surrounded by Wade's love.

She heard Dovie's car just then, surprised it had taken her so little time. Amy glanced out the window and, sure enough, saw Dovie parked in her driveway. She waved, grabbed a sweater and hurried out the front door, map in hand.

“You ready?” she asked.

“Ready, willing and able,” Dovie said with a conspiratorial grin.

Dovie drove while Amy navigated. The instructions were clear and it wasn't difficult to find the spot where Nell said to turn off the highway. The terrain was rough after that, but Dovie drove slowly and cautiously, winding around one hill and then another for what seemed forever.

Luckily a number of other cars had followed the same route in recent months, and their tires had worn a narrow path in the hard ground. It seemed incredible to Amy that anyone had ever found this place. They followed the route as far as it took them and stopped by a high limestone ledge.

“This is where the path ends,” Dovie said.

Amy continued to study the map. “Nell says we'll need to go on foot from here.”

“Down there?” Dovie questioned, sounding unsure.

“Yup,” Amy confirmed. She opened the car door and climbed out, then walked to the edge of the limestone outcropping. Nestled in a small valley below was Bitter End. She saw stone and wood structures lining both sides of a main street. A church with a burned-out steeple and fenced graveyard stood at the other end. A corral and livery stable. A two-story hotel. From this distance, the buildings looked intact, as though the years had stood still. Amy sucked in her breath and glanced over her shoulder for Dovie. The older woman came to stand beside her.

“My goodness,” she whispered.

The sight was oddly impressive, Amy had to admit. “Let's go see it up close,” she said, reaching for Dovie's hand.

Dovie hesitated, studying the rock-strewn descent. “Amy, do you really think we should?”

“I haven't come this far to stop now.”

“I know. Should you be climbing down this bluff in your condition?”

“Probably not.”

“But you're going to do it, anyway?”

Amy nodded. “We'll help each other.”

“If you' resure,” Dovie said and slipped her arm through Amy's.

The trek down wasn't easy. Not with Amy this close to her due date, and Dovie unaccustomed to this type of activity. But they took it slow and easy. Still, by the time they reached the town, both were breathless from exertion and excitement.

“Wow. We're really here,” Amy said, taking her first tentative steps into the town.

Dovie's grip tightened on Amy's arm. “Frank would have a conniption if he could see us.”

“Let's check it out,” Amy said.

“I don't think it's safe to actually go inside any of the buildings, do you?”

“The stone ones look pretty solid,” Amy said, surveying the street. This was an absolutely remarkable experience. She couldn't believe she was actually in Bitter End…and only wished Wade was here, too.

Together they explored from one end of town to the other. They identified the old tree and after some investigation found the word
cursed,
which had been carved into the wood more than a century ago.

“This takes my breath away,” Amy said, marveling anew as she traced the letters with her fingertip.

Dovie explained the curse. “I don't think anyone would have understood how this all came about if it wasn't for Nell and Travis. They were the ones to unravel the mystery.”

“It's so…” Amy couldn't think of the right word.

“Barren,” Dovie supplied.

“Exactly.” Nothing grew in Bitter End. The town and everything around it had died. Bitter End had once held such promise…

Her thoughts skidded to a halt. Her relationship with Wade had been filled with promise, too, but that was dead now, too, like this town.
Stop it,
she told herself.
That's a ridiculous comparison.
She was annoyed by her self-indulgence and embarrassed that she'd been so melodramatic. Wade deserved better from her. If only he was here…

As if in protest the baby moved. The pain was fast, sharp, sudden. “Ooh,” she said involuntarily, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

“Amy?” Dovie's voice rose with concern.

“The baby just kicked,” she said, making light of it.

“You're not in labor, are you?”

“No…no. It's three weeks yet. There's nothing to worry about.” No sooner had the words left her mouth than warm liquid gushed from between her legs.

Her water had broken.

“Amy, what's happening?”

She heard the panic in Dovie's voice and reached out to take the other woman's hand. “We have a small problem here,” she admitted in a shaky voice. “It looks like no one told Sarah she wasn't due for another three weeks.”

“Your water broke?” Dovie asked. “Are you in pain?”

“It's not too bad.” Amy was more frightened than anything.

“Let's not panic,” Dovie advised although her voice was shrill with nerves. She carefully led Amy to the rocking chair outside the hotel and sat her down. “Let's think this through.”

“All right,” Amy said, clinging to Dovie's hand.

“Frank. I should call Frank.” She said this as if it were divine inspiration.

“What about Dr. Jane?”

“He can phone her,” Dovie said. “For now, it's more important that you be comfortable and relaxed.”

Amy clasped her abdomen. “I'll be fine as soon as…as soon as this pain passes.” She closed her eyes, taking a deep calming breath. After a moment she opened her eyes again to find Dovie gazing at her, lines of worry between her eyes.

“Frank will have my head,” she muttered as she punched out the number on the small cell phone and waited. It seemed an eternity before Frank answered. Amy watched Dovie's expression as she explained the situation, then saw her eyes widen. She held the phone away from her ear as Frank's voice gained volume.

“You can yell at me later, Frank Hennessey, but right now there are more important concerns.”

The conversation between the two continued, but Amy concentrated on timing her contractions and heard little more of what was said. Dovie started pacing. She'd been off the phone only a minute before it rang, the sound cutting through the still afternoon like a fire alarm. Dovie answered immediately and talked for several minutes.

“That was Dr. Jane,” she said when she finished, “but I lost her. My phone's dead. Frank knows exactly where we are, though. He'll see to everything.”

Amy was in the middle of a contraction and she closed her eyes, counting the seconds the way she'd learned in class.

“Are you all right?” Dovie asked.

“The pains,” Amy whispered.

“They're bad?”

“I didn't think they were supposed to be this intense right away.”

Dovie squatted down beside her. “Not to worry. We'll get you to the hospital in Brewster in no time.”

“I'm not ready! There's so much to do yet,” Amy protested, more confused than frightened. She'd assumed she had three weeks. When she awoke that morning, she'd felt better—physically—than she had in days. But not emotionally. That afternoon she'd experienced almost a compulsion for physical activity. She'd hoped that exploring Bitter End would be an interesting distraction.

Like so much else lately, her adventure had backfired.

“Everything's going to be fine,” Dovie murmured.

“I know. It's just that I shouldn't be here…. Oh, Dovie, how could I have been this foolish?”

“We both were, but everything's going to be fine,” she said again. “Frank's on his way and he'll get you to the hospital in plenty of time.”

“Thank you,” Amy whispered. She closed her eyes to keep her thoughts focused on what was happening to her and the baby. She tried to remember everything she'd learned in the birthing classes, her breathing exercises and the importance of remaining calm and composed. It had all sounded manageable when she was in class; reality was a different matter. She knew she dared not climb back up the steep incline to the car. With her water broken, it could be dangerous for the baby.

Dovie comforted her and counted with her, encouraging her to breathe through contractions.

Finally, what seemed hours later, she heard the sound of someone approaching.

“Thank God,” Dovie said. “It's Frank. And Wade.”

“Wade?” Amy's eyes flew open. “You knew he was coming, didn't you?” she accused.

“Frank couldn't have kept him away,” she said, pleading forgiveness with her eyes. “He was with Frank when I phoned.” Dovie regarded her expectantly as if seeking absolution for not telling her earlier.

“It's all right,” Amy said. In truth she was glad he was there. She was afraid and, heaven help her, she needed him at her side.

Wade raced down the hill and into town well ahead of Frank, slowing down only when he reached the hotel steps. His eyes searched hers, his love visible enough that her chest tightened with pain.

“How are you?” he asked.

She smiled. “I've been better.”

He clasped her hand in his and kissed her fingers. “I'm coming with you to Brewster. Please don't say no, Amy.”

She smiled weakly and nodded. He knelt down in front of her, brushing the hair from her temples.

“Sarah's doing great, I think,” she said, gripping his hand.

“What about you? What's the pain like?”

“Like nothing I can describe.”

A contraction took hold of her just then and she drew in a deep breath and bit her lower lip. “Oh, Wade,” she gasped.

Her hand tensed in his. She didn't mean to be so dependent on him, but now that he was here, she couldn't help it. She needed him. “Count,” she instructed. “Please count.”