Love and Glory: The Coltrane Saga, Book 3 (55 page)

Chapter Thirty-One

Travis sat in Dr. Watkins’ office, sipping the strong coffee someone had brought him earlier. How damn much longer was it going to take? They had taken Marilee into the hospital over three hours ago.

He looked at the clock again. Fifteen more minutes and, by God, he was going out there to find out what the hell was going on.

The desk clerk at the hotel had taken John to his wife to look after. Travis had been adamant—John was not to go to the hospital. Kitty had come to the hospital with Dr. Watkins and Marilee, carefully avoiding Travis’ eyes all the while.

The sound of footsteps made him leap to open the door. Dr. Watkins came in and Travis recoiled at his blood-stained white coat. Marilee’s blood!

The doctor waved away his questions and hurried inside the room, closing the door behind them. Sitting behind his desk and urging Travis to sit down, he took a deep breath and said, “All right, Captain Coltrane, I’m going to tell you as much as I can at this point. Your wife is still alive. The bleeding has stopped. She is stable for the moment.”

“The baby?” Travis croaked.

Dr. Watkins shook his head. “She is not even in labor.”
 

“Then why in hell was she bleeding to death?” Travis yelled. “What is going on?”

“I believe that the afterbirth has been separated from where it is supposed to be attached inside her body. That is the reason for the bleeding. As I said, the bleeding has stopped.”

“Can’t you give me some idea of how long it’s going to be this way?”

“The baby isn’t due for another six weeks. I only hope she can carry it that long. I just can’t say. I’m afraid doctors don’t know much about this type of situation, Coltrane. I wish I could tell you more. Hell, I wish I could
do
more.”

“Is she in any pain?”

“No, none. When I left her, she was sleeping. You can see her in a little while.”

Travis rubbed his forehead, wondering what in hell to ask next that the doctor could answer. “The baby,” he said suddenly. “If you went ahead and took the baby, then she would be all right, wouldn’t she?”

The doctor’s brown eyes darkened. “They might both die. We would have to take the baby surgically, and it is a very dangerous operation. I would rather she go into labor prematurely and deliver. As much blood as she had already lost, she would surely die if I operated.” He shook his head firmly, folded his hands before him in a gesture of finality. “No. I won’t do it. I’m going to wait and see what happens.”

He cleared his throat and stared at Travis for a moment, pondering. “Why were you in such a frenzy to see Stella this morning, Coltrane?”

Travis shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Hell, yes, it does matter!” Dr. Watkins slammed both fists on his desk and stood up, glaring at him. “I have seen to it that that girl is going to fulfill her greatest desire. She will be a real doctor.”

Travis stared up at Dr. Watkins, afraid of what was coming.

“I have made arrangements for her to study at the finest medical school in Europe, with the finest doctors. When she returns to America she will not only be a fully qualified doctor, she will also be a surgeon.”

Travis refused to react, to show his feelings even to himself. It was best that she leave, he knew that. And Watkins was right. She would make a great doctor. For her sake, for
all
their sakes, Travis was glad she was going.

“She must never know about you, or about your son,” Dr. Watkins said in a strained voice, sitting down carefully, trying to gauge his reaction. “You cannot stand in her way. You cannot deny her this wonderful future.”

Travis snapped, “Why are you telling me all this now? I’ve got enough on my mind—”

“Because of this morning!” Dr. Watkins shot back. “Because I think you are still in love with her, and I won’t have you hurting her.”

“Doc,” Travis grinned ruefully, “what’s going to happen to Kitty when she remembers one day? Do you think she will just pretend her son and I don’t exist?”

Dr. Watkins shook his head. “Maybe she’ll never remember. If she does, I hope she will turn away from the past. Just don’t stand in her way now. Let her get the training she needs,” he added in a warning tone, his eyes fixed on Travis’ face.

Travis leaned back and closed his eyes. “I just hope she’s leaving soon. The sooner the better—for all of us.”

“She leaves tomorrow.”

There was a long, startled silence, and then Travis got up and walked to the door. “Fine. Now I’m going to the hotel to see my son and tell him to pray for…his mother. I’ll be back in a little while to see how she’s doing. If you need me, you know where to find me.”

John was watching from a window and ran through their second-floor suite, meeting Travis at the door. Flinging himself forward to wrap his arms around his father’s legs, he cried, “Is Mommy going to be all right? Can I go see her?”

Travis scooped him up “I don’t know, son.” He pressed his lips against his forehead and carried the child into the living room. “The doctor is doing all he can for her. We must pray for her. As for you seeing her, I don’t think that’s a good idea right now. She needs a lot of rest.”

“Miz Martin cleaned up,” John explained as Travis set him down. “She cleaned up everything. I offered to help, but she wouldn’t let me.”

“She’s a nice lady,” Travis said absently, suddenly wishing he were anywhere but here. Damn the waiting. He would rather be out at the ranch, or anywhere.

“I liked that other lady, too,” said John, walking to the window to peer out. “Daddy? You know who I’m talking about? The lady with the pretty hair and the funny-colored eyes.”

“That was…” Travis stopped himself, took a deep breath. “Dr. Musgrave.”

“Wasn’t she pretty?” John persisted. “And what color are her eyes? I’ve never seen eyes that color—”

“Lavender,” Travis replied sharply, too sharply. Quickly, he apologized, “I’m sorry, son. I don’t mean to snap. I’m just tired. And worried.”

“Well, you must take a nap,” John announced importantly. “I’ll be here if anybody comes to see you, okay?”

Travis nodded and headed for the bedroom. Throwing himself across the freshly made bed, he squeezed his eyes shut. Damn, he wished John had never seen Kitty. Somehow, he felt his son would always remember the “pretty lady” with the “funny-colored eyes.”

Travis felt himself dropping away and gratefully allowed his weary body to succumb.

“Travis, damn it, wake up!”

He sat straight up, instantly alert. “What the hell’s going on?” he cried. “Is it Marilee?”

“I’m afraid so.” Sam handed him his boots. “Somebody rode out to the site and told me what happened, and I came to town and went straight to the hospital, figuring to find you there. I ran into Doc Watkins. He was just about to send somebody over here for you.”

Travis looked past him to where John stood clinging to the doorway, his small body shuddering with the sobs he so manfully tried to hold back. “John,” he said softly, “I want you to go to Mrs. Martin’s. Now. Don’t argue.”

“Yes, sir,” John sniffed, then turned and disappeared in a clatter of tiny footsteps.

Sam swore under his breath. “Marilee’s started bleeding again. Real bad. The doc says the baby is coming.”

Travis was heading for the door, Sam right behind him. “Travis, is it bad?” he asked as they ran down the stairs. “Is she gonna make it?”

Travis did not answer. He just ran.

Marilee lay very quietly, eyes fixed on the ceiling above. Now and then a pain would squeeze down like a pair of giant, crushing hands, and she would gasp, holding her breath till it passed.

“Don’t fight it, Marilee,” the soft voice at her side commanded. “Go along with the pain. We want you to have this baby now so you will both be all right.”

“The baby will be all right,” Marilee murmured in a thin whisper, her voice barely audible. “God will let my baby live. I know it.”

“You
are both going to live,” the voice beside her said firmly. “You just hang on now.” Marilee smiled at the voice. It brooked no argument.

“Do you want a boy or a girl?” the warm voice asked.

She looked up to see the woman bending over her, saw the violet eyes fringed with the thickest lashes she had ever seen. And the hair. No, there was no mistaking that hair.

“You’re her, aren’t you?” Marilee asked simply, awed yet, somehow, not surprised. Nothing surprised Marilee anymore.

“I’m Dr. Musgrave,” the woman said “I’ve been with you all along.”

Marilee gasped for breath, then whispered. “I think I knew a while ago, but now…I know for sure.”

“Know what?” Kitty smiled and brushed Marilee’s damp chestnut hair back from her pale forehead. “You feel feverish, but don’t fret. It will all be over soon, and you’ll have a fine, healthy baby. A bit small, but we’ll take extra good care of him.”

“You
are
her,” Marilee exclaimed, trying to raise herself for a better look.

“No! No, you don’t!” Kitty pushed her back down. “You are going to lie still if I have to tie you down.”

Another pain rolled over Marilee’s body, and she felt herself contorting, bearing down, screaming for the first time. When it had passed, she slumped against the mattress and struggled to force the words past her parched lips. “It’s you. I knew. I knew when he called out your name in his sleep that you had to be alive.”

Kitty’s hands fluttered over the woman, tucking the sheet around her. “Stop talking. You need your strength to get this baby born.”

Another pain bore down. Marilee screamed over and over. Kitty cried above her voice, “The baby is almost here. Bear down, Marilee!”

Marilee’s world had shrunk to just this room, then to just this bed. A great black cloud sought to engulf her, but she held on. An hour later, or perhaps it was only a few minutes later, she heard a faint cry. “A little girl, Marilee!” Kitty cried jubilantly. “A beautiful little girl. Oh, she’s gorgeous!”

“What on earth!” Dr. Watkins entered the room, eyes bulging. “Lord, she’s had her baby!”

“Yes, and it’s a perfect little girl. Wait. Let me take care of the cord. There. See?” Kitty held up the baby for Marilee to look at.

Marilee tried to lift her arms but found she could not. Kitty moved forward, holding the baby close.

“My husband,” Marilee cried suddenly, her eyes riveted to the baby. “Please. I must see him.”

“Not now,” Dr. Watkins said crisply. “We’ve still got some work to do.”

“Now!” she screamed with the little strength she had left. “Now! Please! There’s no time!”

Dr. Watkins exchanged a worried glance with Kitty, who nodded. “I’ll stay with her,” she whispered. “You send for him.”

“You shouldn’t be talking,” Kitty chided gently. “Rest. It will all be over soon. You will pass the afterbirth, feel a few more pains, and then you will sleep and wake up to your beautiful new daughter. And your husband.”

Turning to Nurse Cannon, who had been sent into the room by Dr. Watkins, she silently handed her the baby. Nurse Cannon was smiling happily as she left the room, cuddling the baby close to her.

A moment later Travis bolted into the room, hurrying to lean across Marilee and gaze down into her white face. “You’re going to be all right,” he said quickly, raggedly. “We’ve got a little girl, and you’re both going to be fine.”

“No,” Marilee was quite calm, her face beginning to take on a serene, Madonna-like expression. “You and Kitty are going to be fine.”

“Kitty?” he echoed, swaying as though thunderstruck.

“You know, Travis. She knows, too, my beloved.” Her gaze went to Kitty, who was openly crying now. “She knows who she is…who you are…”

“And I”—she paused to gasp, feeling the worst pain yet building within—“I knew when I saw her. I knew I had to have the baby and…leave you.”

Travis realized what she was saying. Marilee wanted to get out of the way so they could be together. “This is crazy,” he cried furiously, almost wanting to grab her as if he could shake some sense into her dying body that way. “Now stop talking and rest, Marilee. You don’t know what you’re saying.”

Weakly she lifted her hand to touch his dear cheek. “Remember what I told you, darling?” The pain was growing, taking over her body, squeezing her chest, and making it hard to breathe, but gathering everything left within she forced herself to continue. “Remember I told you, that no moment lasts forever.”

“And you,” she swallowed, “you said to make more moments. Make them, my beloved…make them with the only woman you ever truly loved…”

The pain consumed her and the blood came in a fierce gush. This time they could not stop it. Travis flinched at the sight of it all, and turned away in soul-wrenching agony as he saw Marilee’s sightless eyes lock in a gaze of eternity upon his face.

The next moments were a blur. He beat his head and fists against the wall, crying “No-no-no” over and over until he felt his own blood begin to ooze from his forehead and the torn flesh across his knuckles. Strong hands were pulling at him, wrenching him from his self-destruction. They dragged him to the hall, then into another room, and held a bottle of whiskey to his lips. He drank. Swallowed. Drank some more. And through the maze he saw Sam’s tear-streaked face staring down at him in sorrow and pity.