The Way Station
Campfire Tales
Chapter II
By Anna Murphy
The next few months were more trying for everyone though. Cody officially left the bunkhouse for the army shortly after that night. There were fewer runs and it made even less sense to him to be there if he wasn't even going to be at the station when a run came through. Buck on the other hand wrestled with what to do once the Pony Express would end. He finally made the only choice he felt he could, difficult though it was. He decided to return to the Lakota Nation realizing that he would be of some good to them as a brave instead of a half breed in the white world. Kid and Lou hung onto the Pony Express as long as they could, but within a couple of months they finally did get a place of their own about a mile outside of Rock Creek, but close to the way station. Teaspoon returned to Texas as he had always planned to when the fighting began to heat up. Rachel, not knowing what to do, remained at the Rock Creek station and kept teaching.
Almost five years after their child was born, things were quiet in Lou and Kid's lives.
"Grandpa, do you want the new baby to be a boy or a girl?" asked the little girl sitting at the kitchen table.
"I'd like either, just the way I liked you when you were born," the little girl's grandfather replied.
"I want a little sister," she declared, "Mommy, could I have a sister? I've been good."
"I know you have, Abby. But we won't know until the baby is born whether it's a boy or a girl," Lou said smiling at her daughter.
"This girl is becoming more like you everyday," Teaspoon said patting his granddaughter on the back in pride.
"Are you sure that's a good thing? She's only four, Teaspoon. I was much older than that when I started making trouble for you."
"I think I can keep this lady in line for a couple more years," Teaspoon said laughing at the idea that just a few years ago the woman he'd thought was a boy was now married, had a wonderful child, and was expecting another one.
"Mornin'," Kid said coming into the kitchen from the corral. "How's my baby girl?"
"I'm not a baby! A baby is what Mommy is having. I'm a big girl now."
"I'm so sorry. I forgot!" Kid said joking with his daughter.
"I want Mommy to have a girl. I want a sister," Abby declared to her father.
"We'll see what we can do," Kid replied smiling happily down at his daughter.
"Don't give her any false hopes," Lou scolded him.
"Who, me?"
"Yes, you." Lou said kissing her husband.
It always amazed Lou how things had turned out for them. Abby had arrived just when she was expected, in early November nearly five years before. Teaspoon had stayed in Rock Creek long enough to see she was healthy and Lou and Kid were settled into their home. A few days later he left for Texas. Rachel practically moved into their house while Abby was an infant. Neither Lou nor the Kid knew exactly how to take care of her. She helped them through the first couple of months and once they had the hang of parenthood she left them to be their own family.
While this went on in Rock Creek, things were difficult for Teaspoon. In the first battle he fought in, he took a bullet in his leg and was left with trouble walking after it had been removed. While he was recovering he met and fell in love with a nurse who had been taking care of other wounded soldiers. They were married soon after their first meeting, but a year later they agreed it wasn't going to work and Teaspoon headed back to Rock Creek just before Abby's second birthday. Lou and the Kid were so glad he had come back into their lives they insisted he stay with them. At first he was reluctant to barge in on their life, but when he saw how big Abby was getting he missed the fact that he never had any children of his own. She quickly became the light of his life and he loved every minute of it.
While never far from their minds, Lou and Kid's friends had all gone their separate ways. Cody tried to write to them as often as possible. Mostly to inform them of his escapades with the army, though he also wanted to hear the stories Lou and the Kid had to tell him about Abby. He loved their girl and visited when he was nearby and could get away from his duties. Buck stayed with the Lakota constantly, fighting the losing battles to keep their territory safe. He would visit Lou and the Kid as often as was possible. Sometimes not seeing them for a year and sometimes being able to stay with them for a month at a time.
Letters from Jimmy were very few and far between. He never wrote to Lou or the Kid directly. He always wrote to Rachel and asked to relay messages to them. Lou would write to him constantly, hoping he had stayed in one place long enough to hear from her and respond to her pleads that he come see them and his niece.
After all was said and done, Rachel, Teaspoon, Lou and the Kid had all weathered the war fairly well. Kid and Lou had avoided the subject nearly entirely in front of Abby. In fact, they said very little about it in front of each other. They both knew where the other stood on things and only wanted to keep their child safe from the horrors of war. They had begun a horse trading business and had some land of their own. Now, with just a month left before their next child was to be born, life seemed to be as peaceful as it could be for them. That night though, things inevitably began to change.
It was past midnight, but Lou was wide awake, sitting in the rocking chair they had placed next to the window in their room. She was praying for a breeze that humid June night and rubbing her stomach while her unborn baby kicked at her harder than it had ever done before.
"Hey, are you OK?" Kid whispered, kneeling next to the chair.
"I'm fine. It's too hot to sleep and the baby's been kicking hard."
"You're sure you're all right?" Kid asked putting his hand on her stomach to reassure himself the baby was safe.
"Kid, we went through this when I was expecting Abby," Lou said smiling at her husband, placing her hand on top of his. Every night from the day Lou announced her first pregnancy Kid had placed his hand on her stomach when he thought she was asleep. The habit had returned six months before when Lou told him she was going to have another baby. As strange as she found it at first, over time, Lou learned to love the attention Kid would give his unborn children. It showed her that he would take care, not only of her, but of anyone else who came into their lives.
"I know. I can't help it. I worry about you two."
"Kid, the doctor said I'm fine and the baby is too. It's just like with Abby."
"Have you thought any more about names?" Kid asked taking the focus off his over-protective habit.
"Not a whole lot. I've been too tired to give it any thought lately," Lou said cringing at the memory of the one awful argument they'd had over Abby's name. They couldn't agree on a name for a boy. Lou had finally pushed the question of what Kid's real name was. If Abby had been a boy, Lou wanted to name him after the Kid. Days of pushing had led to a very loud argument about six months into Lou's pregnancy. After that neither one mentioned names again until the day Abby arrived. They still didn't know what to name her until they took Rachel's suggestion of her grandmother's name, Abigail. Louise was chosen, for obvious reasons, as her middle name.
"Lou, I know what happened last time, but we really should talk about it."
"How about tomorrow? We've still got a month left. Go to bed, I'll be there as soon as the baby understands night time is for sleeping," Lou said gently.
"OK, we'll talk about it when I get back from town tomorrow. I need to get some supplies," Kid said heading back to bed. Lou followed nearly half an hour later when she realized the baby would not go to sleep any time soon that night.
Kid was off bright and early the next day and Rachel came to visit shortly after he left.
"How are you feeling?" Rachel asked as she and Lou sat down to talk.
"I'm fine. I just don't remember being this big when I was carrying Abby."
"I don't know, you look pretty much the same to me. Of course, Abby was a surprise. Your body wasn't ready for her. Now you're more used to it," Rachel said trying to reassure Lou.
Abby wandered into the living room where her mother and aunt were talking and placed herself on Rachel's lap. "Aunt Rachel, will the baby be a boy or girl?"
"Abby, don't bother your aunt," Lou said gently to her daughter, to Rachel she said, "She's been asking everyone that for days."
"That's all right, Louise. It's her first sibling. She's only curious. Abby, why don't you go give this your Mommy?" Rachel asked handing Abby a small package which she proudly presented to her mother.
"What's this?" Lou asked opening the package.
"It's for the baby."
"Thank you, Rachel. This is beautiful," Lou said as she unwrapped the package and saw a small blanket.
"Auntie Rachel, you didn't answer my question," Abby insisted, replacing herself on her aunt's lap.
"I'm sorry honey. I think the baby will be whatever it wants to be," Rachel replied, hoping her niece would accept the answer she had given. Abby seemed satisfied by this answer and moved her attention to something else in Rachel's bag.
"It looks like you found your present," Rachel said as Abby laid her eyes on the other package poking out of her bag.
"This is for me?" Abby asked pulling out the package.
"Yes it is. The baby isn't the only thing growing around here," Rachel said poking Abby lightly in the ribs.
"Rachel, that's so nice!" Lou said once Abby had produced a new dress made just for her.
"Thank you," Abby said hugging her aunt.
"You're welcome."
The day went on without any other excitement. Later in the afternoon Rachel and Teaspoon took Abby out to the corral to teach her how to ride. Lou watched them from the kitchen window while cleaning up after lunch. She was about to go out and watch when she felt the baby kick very hard. At least that was what she thought it was until it happened again a minute later. She sat down at the kitchen table and started breathing deeply, hoping that would take the pain away. Fear seized Lou when it finally occurred to her what was going on. She had felt the same kind of pain before, right before she delivered Abby. But this baby wasn't due for another month.
"This can't be happening now," Lou thought over and over as she held her head in her hands.
"Louise, what's wrong?" Rachel asked when she came into the kitchen to see what was keeping Lou.
"I think the baby's coming," Lou told her, her face filled with fear and pain.
"What? It's not due for a month!"
"You think I don't know that?" Lou snapped, near tears.
"Where's the Kid?"
"He went into town this morning to buy supplies."
"All right. I'll have Teaspoon go get the doctor and try to find Kid. You should lie down and try not to worry. I'll take care of Abby," Rachel said running out the door to get Teaspoon.
"Is Mommy all right?" Abby asked while Rachel led her back into the house.
"Mommy's going to be just fine, Abby. She's just not feeling too well right now. The new baby is trying to be born too soon. Now, will you be a big girl and stay right here while I go check on your Mommy?" Rachel asked as she sat Abby down on the couch.
Abby only nodded, looking very worried and upset. Rachel hugged her niece tightly before running upstairs to how Lou was doing. She opened the bedroom door and saw that she wasn't doing well. Lou was covered in sweat, groaning from the intense contractions she was experiencing. Teaspoon found the doctor in town and quickly explained what was happening. Doc Mitchell headed out to the ranch as fast as he could while Teaspoon frantically asked if anyone had seen the Kid.
Everyone said he'd been around town a couple of hours ago, but he had left to trade horses in Blue Creek once he finished in town. Teaspoon headed out to Blue Creek immediately and found Kid about half way there. When he saw Teaspoon coming, Kid nearly fell off his horse. Teaspoon leg usually bothered him so much that riding for a long time was out of the question, so seeing him riding that fast could not be good news. Teaspoon managed to get out half a sentence before the Kid was riding hard toward home to make sure Lou was all right.
He arrived about an hour after Doc Mitchell got there, an hour after his second daughter was born. Lou had tried to somehow slow down her labor pains, but they were coming so fast that the baby's head was nearly out by the time the doctor got there. All he had to do was catch her and clean her off. The baby's screams came as quite a relief to Rachel who decided that Abby, too small to know what was going on, shouldn't be alone. That left Lou on her own to try to make it through the ordeal on her own. The first time Rachel hadn't left her side until it absolutely necessary.
"Are you all right?" Rachel asked poking her head into the bed room once all the screams had subsided and the doctor came downstairs to tell Rachel everything was all right.
"Yeah. I'll be fine," Lou said sitting up in the bed, not taking her eyes off the tiny baby in her arms.
"She's beautiful. She looks so much like the Kid!" Rachel said as she lightly walked over to get a look at the new bundle.
"She sure does. She's got brown eyes, but otherwise, she looks just like him. Where's Abby?"
"I told her I wanted to make sure you were OK before she came in. Do you want to see her?"
"Of course I do! She needs to meet her baby sister."
Rachel went downstairs and told Abby that her mother was fine and she had a new sister. Abby very slowly came into the bedroom, hanging closely to the door. "Abby, do you want to see your sister? It's all right. You can come closer," Lou said encouraging her daughter to look at the baby.
"She's tiny," was the only comment the little girl could come up with once she saw her sister.
"Yes, she is. That's what happens when a baby is born too early. She didn't have enough time to grow before she was born. She's going to grow up to be as big as her sister, though," Lou said while her older daughter was helped onto the bed by Rachel.
"What's her name? Can I name her?" Abby asked.
"Well, your Daddy and I were going to name her, but what do you think is a good name?"
"Rose," Abby declared.
"Rose? Where did that come from?" Rachel asked, surprised at how firm Abby's response was.
"She looks like a little rose. She's all red and tiny."
"It makes sense to me," Lou said laughing a little. "How about Mary Rose? Do you like that?"
"I like Rose better."
"Then we'll call her Rose, but her first name will be Mary. How about that?"
"OK, I like that. Hi little baby Rose," Abby said inspecting the baby's face more closely to make certain it was a proper name for the small baby in her mother's arms.
"Abby, why don't we let your Mommy and Rose get some sleep?" Rachel suggested picking Abby up. "We'll go downstairs and wait for your Daddy." "OK. Bye Mommy, bye baby Rose," Abby said kissing both.
They didn't need to wait very long before the Kid came running through the door.
"Daddy!!! The baby is here and I got to name her!" Abby cried very excitedly when she saw her father run into the house.
"You did?" Kid asked picking up his daughter. "Rachel, what is she talking about?"
"Why don't you let Lou explain that? She's upstairs waiting for you."
Kid walked in on what he thought was the most beautiful thing he'd ever see in his life. Lou was up in bed holding their new baby and singing her to sleep.
"Would you like to meet your baby?" Lou finally asked looking up at him, aware that he was hanging in the doorway, watching the scene.
"Yes, I would," Kid whispered once he was sitting next to his wife. "Hello there. It's a girl?"
"Abby didn't tell you?"
"She did say she named her, but I didn't get much more out of her. Rachel sent me up here before I got any more information."
"Well, Abby did name her. She called her Rose and I gave her the first name Mary, after my mother. Abby thought she looked like a red rose."
"She does. She looks like a little flower," Kid said touching his daughter's small hand.
"I'd let you hold her, but I don't want to let go of her," Lou said softly when she sensed the Kid wanted to get a better look at the bundle.
"That's all right. You don't have to."
"She looks just like you, you know. She has brown eyes, but otherwise, she's just like you," Lou whispered studying the sleeping infant's face.
"We'll see. I wouldn't mind if she looked just a little like you and Abby," Kid said squeezing her shoulder and kissing her gently on the forehead.
"I was wrong last night. This is nothing like when I had Abby. Kid, I'm so sorry this happened," Lou said her eyes filled with tears as she looked down at her baby.
"What are you talking about?"
"If I hadn't been doing chores chores and running after Abby... If I'd listened to Rachel and rested more, Rose wouldn't have come so early..." Lou said, a few tears slipping down her cheek.
"Lou, this wasn't your fault. Don't think like that. This wasn't something either of us could have planned on. It just happens. She's all right though, isn't she?"
"Yes. She's going to be fine. Doc Mitchell said she's small, but as long she puts on weight for the first month he thinks she'll grow like any other baby. He told me the Daniels' baby came this early and look at him. He's running all over the place now," Lou said trying to reassure herself.
"You see? Everything will be fine. There's no way this baby is giving up without a fight. She may look like me, but I think she'll be as stubborn as you, a real fighter," Kid said smiling at his wife.
"You mind if I interrupt this to meet my new granddaughter?" Teaspoon asked. He had waited downstairs while the Kid ran to see Lou and heard the whole story from Rachel and the doctor.
"Come on in," Kid said.
"Abby is very proud of the job she did naming this little girl," Teaspoon said leaning over the bed to see his granddaughter for the first time. "Looks a whole lot like the two of you."
A few minutes later Teaspoon left the new parents alone. Kid finally got to hold Rose when Lou started to fall asleep. He put her into her cradle and sat down in the rocking chair to get some rest. It had been some day and soon he was sleeping too. Rachel had figured they'd need some sleep, so she took care of Abby for the rest of the day and put her to bed that night. Teaspoon insisted Rachel stay in his room and he settled himself down on the couch for the night.
For a small baby, it amazed the Kid how loud his daughter could scream. She woke up a couple of times that night, but Kid managed to get her back to sleep before Lou woke up. He knew she'd be mad about it in the morning, not taking care of Rose, but for then he thought Lou needed rest and the baby only needed to be held. There was a peaceful feeling that fell over the McCloud household that night. Early the next morning though, someone arrived at their front door to disturb that peace a little.
TO BE CONTINUED...the author
The Way Station
Campfire Tales