Author's Note : Based on the television series "The Young Riders", created by Ed Spielman, produced by Ogiens/Kane in association with MGM/UA television. For entertainment purposes only, no infringement of copyright is intended.
"OOOOHHHHHHHHH" The contractions were getting so close together and Lou knew it was only a matter of minutes before her baby would be born. She no longer had the strength to yell at Cody in an attempt to bring him back to conciousness, so she just prayed silently to herself Please Cody, I need your help now more than ever!
As Cody lay on the hard wooden floor, he began to come around, oblivious to what was happening around him. "aaahhhh" he moaned as he felt what was going to be a large bump on his forehead.
"Cody!!! It's about time you got up,the baby is coming, and it's not going to wait any longer !" came the panicked scream from Lou. "So either you get yourself over here or I swear I'll kill you!!"
Lou couldn't help in raising her voice to the 'weak in the knees Cody'. "Its nice of you to whisper sweet nothings in my ear Lou! So just hold your horses I'm gettin' up!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Lou's eyes met Cody's in hopes that she could gain focus.
In the meantime Cody had never moved faster in his life...with the exception, of course, of his fall to the floor.
Kid sure has a lot of explaining to do Cody thought to himself.
"It's okay honey, I'm here now."
"Well, just do me a favor Cody...don't ever pass out on me again!!"
She tried her best to threaten him, but he was getting used to her malicious tone by now.
"I'll do my best Lou, in the meantime I'm going to see how you are coming along."
Lord... if your listen' right now, please don't let me pass out again! She will never let me live it down."
"Lou!!!! I can see the head!"
"That's great Cody...but that means the shoulders are next and that means PAIN!!!!!!"
"Well Lou, you got that right...shoulders came next that is. The pain thing I don't know much about."
"Oh don't worry Cody you'll get your chance!!!"
Cody looked at Lou in hopes that she in some way was kiddin. He couldn't think of anything that looks half as painful as childbirth.
"Okay Lou PULL, PULL!!!"
"Cody, Unless you want me to pull your hair again, I suggest you tell me to PUSH." "Oh, well, I was just testing you Lou...PUSH!!!"
With one last push the baby was out. "Lou!!! Its a baby boy!!!! A beautiful baby boy"
Lou's face lit up with joy as she heard the first cries of her newborn son. She just regreted that the Kid hadn't been there to see his son be born. "Oh Cody!!! May I see him?" Cody finished cleaning the newborn off and wrapped him in fresh towels. "Here you go little Billy, meet your mama." He said as he handed the baby to Lou. She didn't seem to hear Cody pitch the idea of the name for the baby. Instead, she just kept her eyes on her beautiful, and tiny son.
"He kinda looks like Ike, don't he?" Inquired Cody. Lou couldn't help but laugh at the thought. "Yes, I guess so!!"
She also added with a beam in her eyes, "He sure has Kid's eyes though....and look at that little nose!" Lou was beginning to feel all the excitement of being a mother for the first time. Cody on the other hand was basking in his own glory. Yes, once again, William F. Cody to the rescue!!!
"Cody!!!" Lou had repeated his names four times before he came out of his own world of arrogance.
"I heard you Lou...I just wanted you to say my name so you could get used to the idea of it." He couldn't resist saying. "I tell you what Cody, I'll mention it to Kid when he gets back, alright? In the time being, would you like to hold him?"
Lou gently handed him over to Cody, who at the time was hesitant in taking the little critter.
"Just think Cody one day you will be holding one of your own." Lou said with a smile.
"He's so tiny...and look at his little feet. He's a runt just like you Lou!!!" Ooops, by the look on her face...I don't think I should have said that!
"Cody! If I wasn't so tired right now I would..." She couldn't help but stop to look at how Cody was holding the baby. It was like he was a natural at it. It was no use anyway trying to speak to Cody because he was in a state of happiness himself.
Seeing that the baby was sound asleep and in good hands she started to lay back and try to rest...however something wasn't right.
When Lou began to lay back, she felt what was like another contraction."Uh, Cody..."
Cody was sitting in the rocking chair by the window tending to the little one. "Oh Suzannah, oh don't you cry for me...I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee."
Cody I don't want to spoil your fun or anything but...somethin' ain't right.
Cody knew by the look on Lou's face that she was in discomfort. He quickly wrapped the baby up and gently put the baby into its crib. When he got to Lou's bedside her complexion had went from rosy to a pale yellow. "Lou whats wrong?" He said in deep concern.
"I'm not sure!" She replied as she grasped her abdomen.
"Alright, just take in deep breaths okay. I'm going to go dampen some more towels to place on your neck."
Cody stood by for a few seconds to watch her. It was just like when she had the contractions before. Each one was building in intensity.
"Well, it looks like Kid is going to have double trouble when he gets home...and that ain't no lie!"
Cody said trying to brighten Lou's spirits.
"Just remember to remind me to kill him when he gets back!!"
"I sure will you just hang tight while I go and get those towels....I'll be right back." Cody said as he ran out the door.
"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere!!"
Cody ran out of the old white house and quickly rushed to the well to get the water. It was a hot day, and the sun was beating down on his face. As he was finishing with the water he looked up into the horizon to see a wagon headed towards the house. He had to squint in order to better visualize the object. It had appeared to be a wagon carrying two people. It was going at a moderate speed so Cody didn't bother thinking it to be of importance. Yet as the wagon grew closer he saw something that was very familiar about the driver.
Rachel? "Rachel!!!!!" Cody screamed from the top of his lungs. He raised his arms in hoping she would speed up the wagon.
As the wagon stopped at a hault, Rachel stepped off of the wagon and immediately dedected that something was wrong.
"Cody, what's the matter?" Rachel said with deep concern.
Cody looked at Rachel and then cast his eyes on Teaspoon who was the other occupant in the wagon. "Its Lou..." Cody was out of breath and had to rest before he continued on.
"What about Lou, Cody...is she alright?" Teaspoon inquired.
"Cody, whats happend?" Rachel also insisted in knowing.
"Well, Lou has gone into labor a month early...I just delivered her baby about 15 minutes ago....and now unbeknownst to both Kid and Lou there is another one on the way. She's in pain Rachel... I think you need to go up there."
Before he even finished Rachel dashed into the house to be of assistance to Lou.
Teaspoon placed his hand on Cody's shoulder and said, "You done good Cody...I'm proud of ya son!" "Thanks Teaspoon, by the way I thought you two wouldn't be able to make it with the wagon because of the floods.
"Well, as luck would have it, there was one bridge that was spared." Cody had a slight smile on his face, but he was not content in having small chat at the time...
Teaspoon, I've gotta go in there...Lou needs me and I promised her I'd help her through this.
"Well, I suppose you get going then!" With that said Cody ran back into the house.
"OHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Lou continued to scream in agony as she waited for Cody to return. What is taking him so long? Shortly after those thoughts ran through her head she saw Rachel standing at the foot of her bed. "Rachel!!!!"
Rachel went over to hold Louise's hand and then turned to see the little baby that was laying in the crib across the room.
"Hello Louise, its gonna be alright now...I'm here to help you."
"Its so good to see you Rachel...I just wish I was in a different way than this. I thought the rivers were..... "OOHHHHHHHH!!!!" Lou screamed as she clung on to Rachel's hand. "Rachel!!! It hurts!!!"
"Okay Lou, let me see how you are coming along. Didn't the doctor tell you that you were having twins."
"NOOOOO!!!!" She let the contraction go by before she continued with her answer. "We didn't have a clue. Kid is sure going to be surprised when he comes home."
"Okay Lou, you are getting very close now and I want you to push when I tell you." Rachel was so much more confident than Cody was.
Cody had entered the room with the towels and immediately went over to be by Lou's side.
"Just hold on to my hand Lou...don't be afraid to squeeze my hand."
With that said, Rachel told Lou to push hard with her next contraction. And she she did.
"LOU....I would like to feel my hand again."
"I see the head Lou...come on a couple of more pushes and we'll be done."
"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Both screams came simultaneously out of Lou and Cody. At this point Cody was turning a bright shade of green. "Lou your killin' my hand!!!!"
Come on Lou, one more push!!!!" Rachel said in an encouraging manor.
" I can't do it Rachel!"
Yeah Rachel, she can't do it!!! "I know you can Lou...just look over at that beautiful boy over there Lou. How do you think he would have been born into this world if he didn't have a strong ma. So, Lou can you give me one more good push?"
Lou nodded her head and then began to squeeze Cody's hand one last time. "AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
Congratulations Lou!!! You have another beautiful baby boy!!!
The baby's cry could be heard throughout the whole house. Downstairs in the living room, a napping Teaspoon was awakend by the beautiful baby's sound. It brought a bright smile to his face. Cody ran down the stairs and told him the goodnews. "Two healthy baby boys teaspoon!!!" Cody said enthusiastically. Anyone could have sworn he was the proud father of the boys with the way he was carrying on.
"Who would have thought that Lou...being how tiny she was...could give birth to those two beautiful beings!" Cody said in disbelief. "I'm an uncle!!! HA how about that?"
"Yes, you sure are son...Kid would be proud of you the way you took care of Lou. Infact, I'm proud of you too son." Teaspoon pauses to look at Cody and then quickly changes the subject. "Well, I guess that makes me the old grandpa doesn't it?"
Back upstairs Rachel was tending to Lou and her two newborns. "Well maybe now, we can properly catch up!" Lou said with an exhausting smile. "Yes, I would say so. You and Kid have made me so proud. You have really come along way in fixing this old house."
Seeing how tired Lou had become she decided to take the babies downstairs and introduce them to the family.
"You just rest up Lou...it seems this maybe the only time you may have to do that for a while!" Lou smiled at Rachels voice as she was slowly nodding of to sleep.
When Rachel came downstairs all eyes were on her and the two newborns. "Teaspoon, I would like you to meet Kid #1 and Kid#2." Rachel said with a smile while looking down at the two little faces.
"What!!!!??? You mean to tell me that both of their children are going to be named Kid and have numbers after them instead of having a fine name like William?"
Rachel started laughing. "No silly...but if you look closely you can't really tell them apart...and until Kid gets back, Lou doesn't want to name them."
Whew!
"Speaking of Kid, when is he due back from Denver?" Teaspoon inquired.
"Not for almost a week Teaspoon...he just left yesterday."
"Well, I think this calls for despirate measures...there's a proud papa out there who has no knowledge of the birth of his not one but two children." Teaspoon couldn't help but laugh out loud thinking of how Kid is going to respond to seeing the twins.
"Well, I say we send him a telegram." Cody said.
"I think that is a mighty fine idea son. And while were at it we should go all out. Considering this is a special occation...we will try to get ahold of Buck and Jimmy." Teaspoon said as he began to carefully lie back onto the chair that was behind him. In the mean time Cody, I suggest you get going before the son sets.
Cody rolled his eyes as the older gentleman reclined back, put his feet up on the coffee table and tipped his hat down over his eyes.
"Glad to see that somethings never change." Cody jokingly said to Rachel.
"Well, Cody you best get goin'"
"I suppose I should...only one problem though...I have an idea where Buck is, but we haven't heard from Jimmy since after he has left."
As much as I hate to say this Cody, this first "family reunion" may not get to be complete.
To Be Continued.....
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