Westward Moon (20 page)

“C’mon, Jack.  Get this done!  We’ve got other stuff to do, you know,” Dean said.

Seth looked at him as if he’d lost his mind.  “Shut up, Dean.”

“You shut up.  I know what I’m doin’,” Dean responded.  “Let’s go, Jack!”

Jack didn’t take his attention off Panther as he said, “I’m a little busy here, Pa.  I’m workin’ on it.”

“Well work a little faster, will ya?” Dean said.

“Would you like to do this?” Jack retorted as Panther laughed. 

“Sure,” Dean said.  “Give me your knife and I’ll show you how it’s done.”

“No!  I’m handling this,” Jack said as he feinted.

Panther blocked his blow and struck one of his own.

Dean winced but said, “Doesn’t look like you’re handling it very well.”

Anger at his father added to the anger he already felt.  He channeled it and slashed a gash in one of Panther’s biceps.  More blood ran red and Jack snarled in satisfaction. 

“Good, Jack.  Now kill him off!  Quit wasting time!” Dean said in his angriest voice.

Panther laughed again.  “Your father even sees how inferior to me you are.”

Jack didn’t answer.  He dodged in and hooked a hand around Panther’s ankle and yanked.  The brave went down and Jack leaped on him.  Panther grabbed Jack’s wrist and twisted it hard.  Jack’s knife went flying and the group of onlookers gasped.  Jack knew his situation was indeed desperate without that knife and that it was time to get creative. 

Rather than jumping clear, Jack clamped his legs around Panther’s midsection and squeezed as hard as possible.  Panther felt a couple of ribs give way and grunted in pain.  He drove his knife into Jack’s thigh.  Though Jack cried out in pain, he didn’t release Panther.

Dean screamed at Jack, “Finish him, Jack!”

Jack was tired of hearing his father yell at him.  He grabbed Panther’s arm, yanked on it to get the knife out of his leg and then used Panther’s resistance to him to help him sink the knife into Panther’s chest.  When Jack felt it hit the hilt, he twisted the knife to cause maximum damage.  He heard Panther’s breath begin to gurgle in his chest and let out a victory trill that sent chills down the spines’ of his family.

He ripped the knife from Panther’s body.  Jack was beyond thinking at this point.  Pulling Panther’s head up by the hair, he was poised to scalp the hated brave when he heard Dean say, “Don’t!  Don’t do that, Jack!”

Jack looked over at his father and saw that his father held his mother who had her face buried in Dean’s chest.

“Please don’t, Jack,” Dean said.  “He’s dead, son.  That’s enough.”

Jack seemed to return to himself and dropped Panther’s head.  Slowly he got up, tried to walk and fell.  Suddenly, Lakota braves ran from the woods and at first the Samuels family thought they were more warriors coming to kill them.  Then they recognized He Who Runs and the rest of their Lakota family.

The brave who’d been holding Maddie threw her to the ground and Seth immediately helped her up as Dean began shoving everyone into the cookhouse.  Mike avoided his father and ran to Jack.  He took off his belt and pushed Jack to the ground. 

“Hold still,” Mike said as he wrapped his belt around the top of Jack’s thigh and tightened it as hard as he possibly could.

Jack grimaced in pain as Mike secured it in place.  “C’mon!  We gotta get to the cookhouse!” Mike said as he started helping Jack up.

Dean came out of the cookhouse to help them.  Once they had Jack inside, Mike slipped back out the door.  Reckless saw his cousin and acted as a buffer when Mike signed to him that he needed to get to the house.  Mike scrambled inside and ran to the twin’s room.  J.R. sat on the floor with the baby.

“Where’s Katie?” he asked J.R.

“She went with D.J.,” J.R. said.

Mike was highly annoyed that his little sister had disobeyed him, but didn’t have time right then to worry about it.  He said, “Do not come out of there J.R.” and closed the door to the twins’ room.

He found his mother’s sewing box, fished out what he needed, and then went into the kitchen.  He opened the kitchen cupboard where he knew Dean kept whiskey and got it down.  Then Mike pulled out a clean sharp knife from a drawer and left the house.  Reckless had waited for him.  Mike spoke in his ear and then Reckless covered him again as he raced to the cookhouse.  He entered the cookhouse and shut and locked the door as the fight raged on outside.

Maddie asked him, “Where are the children, Mike?”

“Safe in the house.  Reckless is guarding them.  They’ll be ok.”  He felt that his partial lie was necessary to keep everyone as calm as possible.

He took his supplies over to where Jack lay on the floor.  His brother looked up at him.  “What’re you gonna do, Mike?” Jack asked.

“Save your hide,” Mike said with a smile.  “Uncle Seth, please knock him out.”

“What?” Seth said.

“Knock him out.  I need him unconscious and I don’t have time to brew the right medicine.  Knock him out.”

“Sorry, Jack,” Seth said and punched his nephew in the jaw.

Jack’s eyes rolled back and his head lolled to the side.  Sparrow sat down next to him and held his hand even though he wouldn’t know it.  It made her feel better to be close to him.  This was the second time he’d gotten hurt because of her and remorse washed over her.  Only this time, she vowed to make it up to him every single day by making him as happy as she possibly could.

Mike cut away Jack’s pant leg and was disheartened by the amount of blood on it and the floor.  He said, “If you’re squeamish, look away now.”  Then he started the job ahead of him.  He used the whiskey to clean the wound.  He tried to examine the wound a little more closely, but it was bleeding too much.  Briefly he closed his eyes to see the proper suturing technique in his mind again.  He opened them and started stitching.

             
Five weeks later, Sparrow stood looking around the yard and other buildings on the Samuels ranch.  She could still see the scenes from the bloody battle in her mind.  It would be forever burned into her mind.  Watching Jack fight for his family had been horrible because there had been nothing she could do to help him. 

              Reckless had given the all clear signal and they’d emerged from the cookhouse.

Seth and Dean had both been angry that they hadn’t had any guns at the time so they had been just as powerless as Sparrow in assisting.  Although Mike had gotten in trouble for sending the twins to the camp, his parents knew he would never have done it had the situation not been so critical.  Jack’s leg wound had healed well thanks to the quick action of his brother. 

              Jack came out of the cookhouse and saw Sparrow just standing there.  He smiled at the sight of her big belly and bare feet.  His fiancée was having trouble wearing shoes or even moccasins because her feet were so swollen.  Even rubbing her feet didn’t help at this point.  He walked over to her and put an arm around her.  “What are you doin’?” he asked as he placed a kiss on her cheek.

              “Just thinking.”

              “About what?” Jack asked.

              “That day.  Is it wrong that I’m happy you killed him?” Sparrow said.

              “If it is, then I’m wrong, too,” Jack said.  “I’ve done a lot of killing the past six months, but I’m not sorry about it.  I’ll have to answer for that someday, but I can’t lie about it.  I’m not sure what we’re going to tell our child about him one day.  They’re bound to hear it somewhere, but I’d rather it come from us.”

              Sparrow’s voice was strong as she said, “We will tell our child that he was an evil man who just happened to be the man who sired them, but that you are his or her father.  Their pa.  That is what we will say.”

              Jack smiled as he recognized Marcus’ words.  “I think that’s the best way to explain it.”

              Sparrow and Jack had decided to wait until he was better and after the baby was born to get married.  It wasn’t an idea situation, but there wasn’t much to be done about it except to move forward.  Neither of them wanted a rushed wedding.  They wanted to give that most important day the full attention it deserved.

              “I have to get going to work.  Are you gonna be ok?” Jack asked as he looked down into the face he loved so much.

              “Yes.  I will be fine.  I will sit on the sofa and eat and play with Kayla,” Sparrow said with a laugh.  It was the same thing she did every day now. 

              “And sleep.  Don’t forget to have a nap,” Jack said.

              “I won’t have a choice,” she said.  “Go, deputy.  I’m fine.”

              “Ok,” Jack said and kissed her.

              Sparrow was restless all that day.  There was no getting comfortable and late July was unbearably hot.  Sitting under the trees was the best place other than the stream to cool off, but even the shade there didn’t help much.  It was dry and they needed rain badly.  She wondered around the property despite Tessa attempting to keep her closer to the house.

              Their baby kicked and moved around and Sparrow kept telling it that it could come at any time.  They were ready for their little one.  The nursery was set up.  The women in the family and their friends had given them baby clothes that their children had outgrown.  Sparrow’s Lakota family had also made Lakota clothing for the baby and He Who Runs had made them a beautiful cradleboard.

              As she walked over to the paddock fence, Sparrow reflected on how blessed she was to have such wonderful family and friends.  But most of all, she was blessed to have a man that loved her and loved the baby.  A baby that was his because he’d fallen in love with her and with it as a result.  Jack wanted the baby to have his last name the same way she would.

              She heard Seth come up behind her.  He rested his forearms on the fence and smiled down at her.  “It’s getting’ close.  You being all antsy proves it.  I haven’t seen a woman yet who didn’t have the baby soon after being so restless.”

              “I hope so.  I am so ready for this baby.  I can’t wait to hold them and watch Jack hold them,” Sparrow said.

              “I hear ya,” Seth said.  “I know that feeling.”

              “Do you think you and Maddie will have more children?” Sparrow said.

              Seth laughed.  “Probably not.  I think we’re happy with what we have.  Of course, you never know.”

              Sparrow said, “We want more.  I want to give Jack a baby of his own.”

              Seth turned to face her.  “This baby is Jack’s, Sparrow.  The same way Marcus was Pa’s.  Blood doesn’t always make family, sweetheart.  You see it all the time here.  Owl ain’t related to any of our children except Marcus’ by blood and yet he’s their uncle just as much as any of us.  The same for Black Fox and He Who Runs.  Wind Spirit, Eagle Woman, and Hannah are their aunts.  Don’t you believe that?”

              “Yes, I do,” she said.

              “Then you have to believe that this baby is Jack’s because he sure does.  He’s already plannin’ on takin’ it fishing whether it’s a boy or girl,” Seth said.

              Sparrow laughed.  “I know.  He says maybe they’ll grow up to be a deputy or sheriff.”

              “Wouldn’t that be somethin’?” Seth said.  “I could see that happening.”

              “Me, too,” Sparrow said. 

              Seth wiped his brow and said, “C’mon.  Let’s get out of this sun and get something to drink.”

              She let him lead her into his house but she was too restless to stay very long. 

              It had been decided that Jack and Sparrow would once again stay in the bunkhouse that used to be Seth’s so that Jack and Sparrow wouldn’t be all alone when she went into labor.  Jack knew he wouldn’t be able to deliver a baby on his own, especially if there was some kind of trouble. 

              A new bunkhouse had been built so that Cam didn’t have to keep bunking in with Ray from time to time.  Dean said they should have thought of that sooner.

              As they lay in bed that night, heat lightning lit up the sky outside.  They had left the door and all three windows open so they could catch whatever breeze might come along.  Sparrow had fallen into a fitful slumber, but Jack couldn’t sleep.  Something told him he needed to be awake. 

              Jack put his hand on the baby and whispered, “Anytime, little one.  Anytime.”

              It kicked as if hearing him and many times Jack believed it did.  Around four a.m., Sparrow awoke with the first contraction.  Despite the pain, she was happy.  Jack kissed her temple and said, “I knew I needed to be alert.”

              Sparrow looked at him as the next contraction hit.  “You haven’t slept?”

              “Nope, but it’s ok.  I’m wide awake.”  He hopped out of bed and said, “Guess I’ll let everyone know it’s that time.”

              “Jack, just sit with me a little.  I do not think that it’s going to be right this minute,” Sparrow said.  She laughed softly.

              Jack pulled a chair over and sat holding her hand.  “I love you,” he said.

              “I love you, too.”  She kissed his hand and pressed her cheek to it. 

              They sat that way for almost an hour before Sparrow asked him to go get his mother. 

              Marcus opened the door to find Mike just ready to knock on it.  “Hi,” he said.  He was just leaving their apartment to go to the clinic.

              “Hi.  Sparrow’s having the baby,” Mike said.  “They’re asking for you.”

              Marcus smiled.  “Ok.  Let me tell your aunt and I’ll be right with you.”

              As Mike sat in the parlor, Aiyana came out of her room.  “I want to go with you,” she said.

              “You’re gonna have to talk to your pa about that,” Mike said with a smile at his cousin.

              Now twelve, Aiyana was developing into a real beauty with her black hair and gray eyes. 

              “Ok, I’m all set.  I don’t know why they need me when they have you,” Marcus said to Mike.

              “I’ve never delivered a baby,” Mike said.  “What do I know about it?”

              Marcus laughed.  “There’s always your first.”

              Mike just stared at his uncle, but Aiyana said, “I’ll do it, Pa.”

              “I know you would, but you’re too young.  I know you hate hearing that, but twelve is too young to deliver a baby, Aiyana.  I’m sorry, honey,” Marcus said.

              “Ok, Pa.  But I’m not happy about it,” Aiyana said.

              “Duly noted.  I’ll take you to see the baby tomorrow, ok?” Marcus said.

              “I know how to get there, Pa,” Aiyana said.

              “Not by yourself,” Marcus said.

              Her gray eyes turned stormy.  “You did when you were my age.”

              Marcus knew an argument was imminent and wanted to avoid it.  “Aiyana, I tell you what.  Let’s put this argument aside until after I get back, ok?  Then you can yell at me all you want and tell me what a horrible father I am.  Right now, though, I have to go help Sparrow, ok?”  He gave her a grin and was pleased when she smiled back.

              “Ok, but I’m not going to forget about it,” she said.

              “You never do,” Marcus said.  He kissed her forehead and said, “Let’s go, Mike.”

              Sparrow sat back against Jack and pushed.  At his uncle’s direction, Jack gently pushed down on her stomach to help the baby along.  Sparrow gripped Jack’s arms and groaned in between talking to the baby.  Marcus laughed every time there was a pause between contractions because he’d never heard a woman white or Indian talk to their baby during labor. 

              Tessa also sat with them and held Sparrow’s hand when she reached for her.  Once Marcus had gotten Sparrow and Jack’s permissions, he’d told Mike that he could assist if he wanted.  The boy had refused at first, but little by little he was drawn in.  First he sat on the porch, but when Sparrow let out a loud groan, he moved closer to the door, and then he peeked through the doorway. 

              Then he came into the bunkhouse, but didn’t look at Sparrow.  Then he went over to offer Sparrow his encouragement.  Marcus winked at Tessa and said, “Hey, Mike, make yourself useful and give me that other tea over there.”

              “Is this the one for pain?” Mike asked.

              “Yep.  Actually, just give it to Sparrow, ok?” he said.

              Mike helped her drink it and then said, “Now what?”

              “Now we wait.  Everything is going fine,” Marcus said.

              Sparrow wanted their baby desperately and pushed mightily when the contractions came despite the pain.  Jack had been close by when Mikey and the twins were born, but he’d never actually been in the room or assisted.  It was a completely new experience helping their child come into the world.

              He knew that it wasn’t a common practice for men to do so, but he wouldn’t have missed it for anything.  Jack encouraged, joked, bathed Sparrow’s forehead, and kept her hair away from her face.  Sparrow drew strength from Jack and from the funny things he said about what was going on. 

              About her running conversation with their baby he said, “You know what their Indian name is gonna be?  If it’s a girl, She Who Talks a Lot or He Can’t Keep Mouth Shut if it’s a boy.”

              “Shut up,” she said to Jack.

              “I don’t think that’s a good Indian name at all.  When you tell people their name, they’ll think you’re talkin’ to them and not telling you the name,” he responded to that. 

              When the contractions became constant, Marcus said, “Ok, who’s ready to become parents?”

              Jack raised a hand as though he were in a classroom and said, “I am.”  Then he raised Sparrow’s hand and said, “She is.”

              Sparrow laughed even through her loud cries of pain.  By this time, Mike was fully involved and watched with fascination.  With a last huge push, Daniel Michael Samuels was born.  When Mike went to leave once the baby had arrived, Marcus said, “Where are you going?  You don’t just get to leave now.  We still have work to do.”  He looked at Jack and said, “You on the other hand, go give everyone the good news.”

              Jack gave Sparrow hug from the back and kissed her cheek.  “I love you, beautiful.  Thank you for our son.”

              Tears fell from both their eyes as Jack got off the bed and helped Sparrow lay back.  To his uncle and brother he said, “Hurry it up.  I wanna hold our son.”  Then he went out onto the porch and in typical Jack fashion shouted, “Hey, we got ourselves a boy!”

              Applause and whistling greeted his announcement.  Sparrow laughed and cried at the same time.  Marcus shook his head and laughed.