A Story of Love
by Janet
Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the TV program
"Big Valley" are the creations of Four Star/Republic Pictures and
have been used without permission. No
copyright infringement is intended by the author. The ideas expressed in this story are copyrighted to the author.
“I wish the baby would come on,” Victoria Barkley said as
she sat in her chair in the living room of the Barkley mansion. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to take
much more of the kicking this one it doing. After nearly nine months of this
I’m getting very tired. I can’t rest
anymore because it wants to let me know it’s ready to be born.”
“The baby is not anymore feisty than Jarrod or Nick was,”
Tom Barkley replied as he looked up from reading the newspaper. “I remember you saying the same thing about
both of them. It won’t be that much longer and you’ll have a wonderful new life
to care for.”
“Then you think it’s going to be a boy,” she told
him. “I believe I would like to have a
daughter. We already have two boys,
Jarrod, age twelve and a half, and Nick, age eight. I know that Jarrod will be a huge help to me as the time nears
for the birth of this baby. He’s good with his brother and I believe that he
will be able to help me feed, bathe and change this one. He didn’t get to see the day Nick was born
because he was so sick with pneumonia.
In fact, he didn’t even know that he had a brother until a week later
when he was well enough to see him for the first time. We didn’t even name Nick until Jarrod was
able to see him.”
“Why would you say that it’s going to be a girl?” he asked
looking right at her face. “It’s not
like you to want something that bad.
Are you disappointed with the boys? Yes, I remember the year Jarrod was
sick. I had to take complete care of
him and it wasn’t that easy either. I
know we waited to name him because we wanted him to be part of the entire
thing. He loved his brother too. I remember his face when he first saw
Nick. He was completely overwhelmed
with a new brother.”
“No of course not,” she answered shaking her head. “Jarrod has been a complete joy to raise and
so has Nick except for his loud voice that rattles the windows. It’s just that I’ve always wanted a little
girl and I’m just hoping that I will get my wish. I also remember what Jarrod
said to Nick that day too.”
“I hope you do too,” he said smiling. “You know it would be special to have a
girl. She would be spoiled by her two
brothers as well as by me and she would also be protected. If we happened to have a girl what you name
her? He said that he would always be there for him and take care of him no
matter what. And when Nick grabbed onto
his finger, Jarrod told him to hold on tight and never let go. I remember like
it was yesterday.”
“I didn’t think you cared about having a daughter Tom,”
she replied shaking her head. “You’ve
always thought the world of the boys especially Nick who will follow in your
footsteps. But you have other ideas
about Jarrod’s future don’t you? As for a name I don’t know right off. Maybe Ann or Rose. I’m just not sure yet. Yes I remember those words like it was
yesterday. I’m also thankful that
Jarrod survived the pneumonia. We
almost lost him then too. And I don’t
think I could have enjoyed Nick’s birth knowing that I had lost a child.”
“I do,” he told her.
“I’ve always wanted a little girl but when we had the boys I was so
happy. They are both going to be fine
men and are going to carry on the Barkley name. As for Jarrod, I don’t know what he wants to do. He’s not really told us and frankly I would
love to know what his likes are. I know just how close we came to losing Jarrod
during that year. But thank God we
didn’t and now he’s a young man with a bright future ahead of him.”
“You know what he likes,” she said looking at him with an
expression of anger on her face. “You
don’t believe that he could like books and learning. You would rather have him out in the pastures working him than
listening to what he wants to do. Tom, he’s not a rancher. He’s a boy who uses his mind and thinks
before he acts. I admire him for what
he has accomplished in school. He’s at
the top of his class. But he will never have that much to do with this
ranch. I know that and I hope you
realize that too. He’s headed in a
different direction. A direction I hope
that he will excel in no matter what it is.”
“I’ve never done no such a thing,” he replied turning a
shade of red. “Jarrod is a different
boy from Nick. I’ve known since he was
two years old that he was deathly afraid of horses so that told me that he
would never work this ranch. That
doesn’t mean I’m not proud of him too.
You like to start something over him all the time. I love my sons equally and you should know
that by now. I look at it this way. Jarrod
will go a long way in his life and will accomplish a lot. I don’t know what he will do but it will be
something that he enjoys and is good at.
Nick will be right here at my side helping me to handle this ranch. I only hope that Jarrod won’t stray too far
from here because he knows he has a home here.”
“No need to get angry,” she told him smiling. “I was just reminding you that Jarrod is
going to branch out away from this ranch.
He told me the other day he might want to go into medicine like Dr. Merrar
or become a professor at a university back east. I want him to be happy with
whatever he chooses to do in life. And
I am going to be behind him in whatever he does. I hope you will too.”
“Back east!” he cried shaking his head. “I don’t want him moving that far away. I would like for him to stay closer to
Stockton. But I guess that’s his choice
to make. I will be proud of him too but it’s his decision to make. I know that and I’m not going to stand in
his way no matter if he wants to go three thousand miles away to do it.”
“Yes it is,” she said nodding. “In the meantime, I’m going to use his help as well as Nick’s to
help me with this baby. Neither one of them are going anywhere for a
while. And I want them to be a big part
of the birth of this baby.”
“I agree,” he replied smiling again. “You know whatever this baby turns out to be
it will be loved. And it will have two wonderful brothers who will guide it and
help it grow.”
“That is for sure,” she told him also smiling. “I think I’ll lie down. My back is starting to hurt again.”
“Do you need anything for it?” he asked remembering that
the doctor had given her some pain medicine to help. “The doctor said you could
take some pain medicine if it got too bad.”
“No,” she answered as she stood up. “I think lying down will help.”
Victoria retired to their room where she climbed into
bed. As she laid there she wondered if
their wish would come true.
“Jarrod,” Nick said as he sat in his brother’s room, “I
hope mother doesn’t find out I’m in here.
She’s going to be mad cause I’m not in bed like I’m supposed to be. But
I had to talk to you. It’s very
important and it can’t wait.”
“Quit worrying,” he replied looking over at Nick. “Mother went to bed a few minutes ago. I
heard her go into her room. She won’t
even know it. Besides you wanted to
talk about something. What?”
“I was wondering about the new baby,” Nick told him. “What do you want it to be? I’ve been doing
a lot of thinking about the baby and I’m not so sure I like the idea of having
a new brother in the family. I like it
just the way it is, the two of us.”
“I don’t know,” he said shaking his head. “It don’t really matter to me. I just want mother and father to be happy
that’s all. How can you say something like that? You know that mother and father have wanted another child for a
long time. Why do you think it’s going
to be a boy? It could be a girl you
know.”
“But what about us?” Nick asked standing up and
pacing. “We might not like it. I’ve
never been around a baby before and I don’t know what to do.”
“I don’t understand what you mean,” he answered looking
closely at Nick. “How can we not like a
little baby? I remember the first time
I saw you. You weren’t the prettiest
thing to look at but the way you looked at me I knew you were special. We’ve been close ever since. The new baby will be the same. Nick, stop
worrying. Mother will be there to take
care of it. We just need to help her
all we can.”
“I hope so,” Nick said shaking his head. “I hope we don’t get ignored because of
it. Something new always takes over
something older. My friend Zack had a new brother and his parents completely
stopped loving him.”
“Nick,” he replied standing up and facing his brother,
“will you stop worrying about the baby?
I know whatever it is it’s going to be loved by all of us. Zack didn’t
do that either. His parents love him
just as much as they do his brother Clint.
He just thinks they don’t love him.
You know that mother and father will never stop loving us.”
“Yeah,” Nick told him smiling. “You’re right of course.
I guess Zack did over react about Clint. You didn’t answer my
question. What do you want?”
“I don’t know,” he said shrugging. “It really doesn’t matter to me. I do know that mother hopes it is a girl.
And in a way that would be nice for her.”
“A girl!” Nick cried.
“What on earth does she want a girl for? You can’t be serious
Jarrod. A girl! What would we do with a girl?”
“Keep your voice down,” he said motioning for Nick to be
quiet. “Do you want to wake mother
up? As for a girl, there’s nothing
wrong with a little girl. I think it
would be special to have a sister to look after. I already have a brother younger
than me and it might be nice to have a little sister.”
Look after?” Nick asked looking at Jarrod with an
expression of confusion. “Why would we
have to look after her? She’s a girl
and we’re boys. We don’t have time to look after a girl. They’re too much trouble.”
“That’s not the point,” he answered sitting down on his
bed. “Listen Nick. You have to realize that whatever this baby
is it is going to have to be looked after by all of us. Mother will expect us to help her and I
intend to. Whatever it is I will love
and care for it. And I will hope that you will too.”
“I guess you’re right,” Nick said nodding. “You know if it is a girl she will probably
have a lot of boys calling on her. Maybe not so much at first but later when
she’s older.”
“For a boy of eight,” he replied shaking his head, “you
sure know a lot about what happens with girls. It will be a long time before we
have to worry about boys coming around here calling on her. But it would be nice to have to look out for
her and check out all the boys that did come.”
“I ought to,” Nick told him. “I’ve seen enough of them.
I hope I never have to take one to a dance or anything like that. Yuck! Yeah, and if they get out of line,
I’ll plant them on the ground with my fist.”
“Nick,’ he said smiling, “when you get older you’re going
to change your mind about girls. You’re
going to notice that they aren’t really that bad. And you’re going to want to take one to a dance and show her off
especially if you like her. Why is it that you always want to bust someone who
disagrees with you? You need to be more
open to other’s opinions whether you agree or not. Fighting is not the best thing all the time.”
“How do you know so much?” Nick asked looking at Jarrod’s
face. “Have you got a girlfriend? When
you have to stand up for something you better be prepared to use your fists to
make your point. I’ve seen father do it
on many occasions.”
“I don’t have to answer that,” he answered looking
away. “I am thirteen now and I think
girls are prettier than I used to. Father doesn’t believe no such a thing. He only fights if provoked that’s all. You on the other hand start fights and then
I have to get you out of the mess that comes afterward. You can be a pain sometimes Nick.”
“You do have one,” Nick said laughing. “I don’t believe it. Of all the boys in school I wouldn’t have
dreamed that you would have a girlfriend.
You really surprise me Jarrod. Listen here I don’t have to have you
stand up for me or help me get out of anything. I am perfectly capable of getting out of things myself.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked getting
angry. “I can look at a girl if I want
to. There’s no law against it. Nick,
you are the only one I know that would rather punch someone than find out
what’s really the matter. You don’t
wait to hear what’s wrong first before you sock them and by then its too late.”
“Nope,” Nick answered smiling. “You are so quiet and bashful.
I didn’t think you had the nerve to even speak to a girl. Well at least
I’m not afraid to defend myself unlike you who won’t even raise a hand to
protect yourself. You want to try to
talk it over and by then most of the time you’re on the ground with a black
eye.”
“It wasn’t easy,” he said thinking back. “But after I started talking to her she
turned out to like a lot of the things that I do. It’s amazing what you can learn from talking to someone. At least
I’m not afraid to try to work something out first before I throw a punch. That’s more than I can say for you.”
“What’s her name?” Nick asked wanting to know everything
about the new girl in Jarrod’s life.
“Is she pretty? I’ll show you one of these days what my fist really
feels like if you talk down your nose to me.”
“I don’t have to tell you,” he answered shaking his
head. “It’s for me to know. You
couldn’t beat me on your best day. I
mean that little brother.”
“Oh come on Jarrod,” Nick said looking at Jarrod. “Please tell me. I won’t tell anyone. “If it wasn’t so late I’d show you right now
but I don’t want to wake mother or have father punish me for breaking your
face.”
“All right,” he replied sitting down in his chair. “Her name is Amelia and she is the prettiest
girl I’ve ever seen. She’s the same age
I am and we met at school. One of these days Nick we’ll just see who is the
best between us.”
“Are you talking about that girl with the blond pigtails
that spits just like a boy?” Nick asked wondering if she was the girl. “She’s all right in my book. You’re on big
brother. I can’t wait to show you up.”
Jarrod just looked at him.
“I most certainly am not,” he answered smiling at his
memory of her. “She has blond hair but
she wears it tied in the back and she has the darkest eyes I’ve ever seen. I
think she is absolutely beautiful.”
“Oh that one,” Nick said smiling. “She’s all right but she can’t spit. And if
a girl can’t spit she just doesn’t interest me in the least.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” he asked
looking at Nick. “I don’t like a girl
because she can spit. I don’t even do
that unless I have to. You are such a child Nick. I am glad I’m so grown up.”
“I bet she likes books and studying,” Nick answered
nodding. “She must if she likes you.
Boring will describe you both.”
“Will you stop insulting me?” he asked angrily. “I’m not a boring person Nick. And neither
is Amelia. I can promise you that.”
“I didn’t say you were whatever that means,” Nick answered
smugly. “I only said that you two were
made for each other.”
The door to Jarrod’s room opened to reveal their father
standing in it. He looked at his sons
with a disappointed look on his face.
“Do you realize what time it is?” Tom asked as he stepped
inside. “You two should have been
asleep an hour ago. It’s a good thing I
decided to make sure your mother was resting and I saw your light. Now both of you get to bed. I’m surprised at
the both of you.”
“Father,” he answered looking up, “I’m sorry sir. We didn’t mean to stay up past our
bedtime. Nick wanted to talk that’s
all. We’ll get in bed right now. I
promise.”
“Yeah,” Nick said as he tried to leave the room.
“Just a minute Nick,” Tom replied as he stopped Nick from
leaving. “What have you two been
discussing?”
“Jarrod has a new girlfriend,” Nick told his father. “He’s making eyes when he talks about her. I
can see how goofy he looks when he talks about her too.”
“Nick,” he said very angry, “that’s the last time I tell
you something in confidence. I should
have known you would run tell the first person you saw. I wish you would just stop bothering me
about everything.”
Jarrod sat down on his bed and looked very hurt. Tom turned Nick around marching him back
into the room.
“Young man,” Tom said as he looked at his younger son,
“you don’t realize how you just hurt your brother. You shouldn’t have told me about the girl. When Jarrod is ready he’ll tell your mother
and me all about her. I know he will.
In the meantime we need to realize that Jarrod is growing up and he is
beginning to like other things. We have
to let him have his own likes. Do you
understand son?”
“I will sir,” he replied looking up at his father. “Her name is Amelia and she is pretty. We
just started talking and found out that we have so many things in common. It was amazing. I’m not going to marry her by no means but she is the first girl
I’ve liked. It’s kind of nice too.”
“I’m glad son,” Tom told him still looking at Nick. “I hope one day to meet her. She sounds like a sweet girl. Don’t you need
to say something to Jarrod?”
“I’m sorry Jarrod,” Nick said knowing his father wasn’t
happy with him right now. “I didn’t
mean to make fun of you. I guess I just wasn’t thinking about your feelings
when I said those things.”
“It’s all right Nick,” he replied smiling. “I can’t stay mad at you for long. That’s just the way you are. And I don’t
think you’re ever going to change.”
“I’m glad you understand,” Nick told him. “I won’t tell anyone else I promise. By the
way it’s all right with me if you have a girlfriend. You deserve to be happy.”
“I believe you,” he said nodding. “Father, how is mother?”
“She’s tired son,” Tom replied sitting down in Jarrod’s
desk chair. “She wants the baby to come
very soon. And I can’t say I blame her.
She’s working too hard trying to get ready for the baby’s birth among
other things.”
“Is it going to be a girl?” Nick asked looking at
Tom. “That’s what we were talking
about. We were deciding what we wanted a girl or a boy. I wanted a boy and Jarrod wanted a girl.”
“I have no idea Nick,” Tom answered smiling. “But I wouldn’t mind if it were. I think it
would be very nice indeed to have a daughter.”
“You!” Nick cried not believing what he was hearing. “I thought for sure you would want another
boy. After all you’re just like me.”
“I already have two sons,” Tom said calmly. “I think it would be nice to have a
girl. She would be the joy of my life.
And she would be loved so much.”
“But what about us?” Nick asked hurt. “Won’t you love us anymore?”
“Of course he will,” he answered nodding. “All father means is that she would be
special because she would be the only girl in the family. That’s all. He won’t stop loving us just because of the
baby.”
“But what about mother?” Nick asked looking to
Jarrod. “Doesn’t she count?”
“She’s not really a girl,” he answered nodding. “She’s our mother but it would make her
happy. It would make her very happy.”
“Why do you say that son?” Tom asked looking toward
Jarrod.
“I’ve seen her when she looks at little girls in town
father,” he answered looking away. “She
has a certain look on her face like she wants to have a daughter. I don’t really blame her since she is the
only female in the house. And I’ve been nothing but trouble since I was
born. I don’t fit in and I don’t get
along with a lot of the other boys. She
needs to be happy. And she needs to have someone other than me to concentrate
on.”
“True,” Tom said nodding.
“Son, you are not a problem. You
are just a very smart boy that’s all.
We don’t care what other people think about us. We all love each other and we are a
family. Nothing or no one will ever
change that fact. You do fit in here.
And you will be a huge help when the new baby comes. Why don’t you want a
sister Nick?”
Jarrod thought about what his father had just said and
finally nodded. He knew in his heart
that his father was right. Sometimes he
just tended to focus on the negative.
“Well,” Nick replied looking first at Jarrod then his
father, “she won’t do things that I like to do. She won’t go fishing or hunting. And she won’t be able to spit
good either.”
“That’s true,” Tom told him. “But she will ride a horse. And she will do other things as she
gets older. You just have to give her time and who knows she just might out do
you son. I want you to help your mother
all you can before and after the baby is born. I mean that. Look at all she does for you.”
“We will father,” he said nodding. “You’re worried about mother aren’t
you? Is there something wrong with
her?”
“I’m not exactly worried,” Tom replied looking at his two
sons. “It’s just that she is getting
more and more tired. The baby is
supposed to be here next week and she is exhausted. I want her to rest more but she won’t do it because she says she
has to take care of us.”
“I see what you mean sir,” he told his father. “We can take care of ourselves. We can dress and put together lunch for
school or rather I can. I can help Nick
with his homework and make sure he does his chores. I don’t want mother to hurt herself because of us.”
“I’m glad you see what I mean Jarrod,” Tom said
smiling. “Your mother will be very
grateful for the help but you just remember not to let on that I’ve said
anything. That way she’ll think it was your idea to do this for her.”
“I won’t sir,” he replied smiling. “You can count on me.”
“Why don’t you want mother to know that you told us?” Nick
asked looking confused.
“Because she will try to do too much,” he answered for his
father. “We want her to take it easy
and rest until the baby comes. If she knows I’ve told you just how tired she
is, she will try to show us that she’s not and over do. I don’t want that to happen.”
“Oh,” Nick said nodding.
“I’ll do what I can to help.”
“Good,” Tom replied standing up. “Now I want you both to get into bed before your mother finds out
you’re up this late.”
The two boys nodded and hurried to get ready to
sleep. Once they were in their beds,
Tom eased into the bedroom and went to sleep himself.
“Tom” she cried as she came awake a week later in the
middle of the night, “wake up. It’s
time.”
“You mean the baby is coming,” he said as he sprang from
the bed. “I’ll get dressed. Is there
anything you need?”
“Yes,” she replied holding her stomach. “Get the doctor. Hurry Tom. I mean it.”
“I’ll do that in a minute,” he told her as he put on his
pants. “You can’t be left alone while
I’m gone. What if I don’t make it back in time?”
“Who can help?” she asked still in a lot of pain. “We
could get Wally and Jenny. They helped
when Jarrod was born.
“I’ll get Jarrod,” he answered nodding. “He can sit with you until I return. He’s old enough to handle anything that
comes up in the meantime. It’s too far away and time is not our ally here. No.
Jarrod is the best we have.”
“Good,” she said nodding.
“ I guess you’re right. I can
really use his company too while I wait. Hurry.”
Tom quickly dressed and hurried down the hall to Jarrod’s
room.
“Jarrod,” Tom said shaking his son’s shoulders. “Wake up
son.”
Jarrod moaned and finally opened his tired eyes.
“What’s wrong father?” he asked as he rubbed the sleep
from his eyes. “What time is it?”
“I have to get the doctor,” Tom answered helping his son
get up. “You need to stay with your
mother until I return. It’s after two in the morning. Please Jarrod. Your mother needs you.”
“The baby?” he asked as he threw on his clothes. “What do
I do? I’m don’t know how to help
mother. Tell me what I need to do. Help me father.”
“Yes,” Tom answered nodding. “Jarrod, listen to me.
You have to stay calm for your mother’s sake. She needs to know that you will help her in any way. I need you to help me son. Do you
understand?”
Jarrod closed his eyes and inwardly calmed himself. He opened his eyes and nodded at his father.
“I’m ready sir,” he said as he stood up after throwing his
pants on. “I’ll do everything I can to
help her. I promise I will.”
“I know you will,” Tom replied as he and Jarrod left the
room.
Jarrod walked into his parents’ room and was hit with a
terrifying scream. Rushing over to his
mother’s side, he knelt down beside of the bed.
“Mother,” he said as calmly as he could, “I’m here. What do you want me to do?”
Victoria opened her eyes still in a great deal of
discomfort. She looked at her oldest
son.
“I don’t think your father is going to get back in time,”
she said looking at him. “It’s coming
now. It’s not going to wait just like you didn’t wait for the doctor.”
“What do you want me to do?” he asked looking at her for
guidance. “I don’t know how to help you mother.”
“First,” she answered trying to stay as calm as she could,
“I want you to boil some water so we can clean the baby. Second, pull the bedclothes back so you can
see when it starts to emerge. And third
I want you to pray that we can do this.”
“I can’t leave you alone to boil water,” he said standing
up. “I’ll get Nick to help. He can boil water and carry the pot up
here. I’ll be right back.”
“Jarrod,” she replied as he headed out the door, “please
hurry. I don’t think it’s going to be
long.”
Jarrod ran to his brother’s room shaking Nick awake.
“What do you want?” Nick asked sleepily. “Go away.”
“Nick,” he answered still shaking his brother, “wake
up. I need your help. The baby’s coming and father has gone after
the doctor.”
Nick woke up when he heard what Jarrod said. He jumped from the bed throwing on his
pants.
“What do you want me to do?” Nick asked as he finished
dressing.
“I need you to boil some water,” he answered starting to
head toward his mother’s room. “I’ve got to stay with mother and help her with
the baby.”
“Where are you going to be?” Nick asked following him.
“And what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to have to deliver this baby if father and the
doctor don’t hurry,” he answered turning into his mother’s room. “I could
really use some help.”
“You don’t know anything about delivering a baby,” Nick
said as he stood there. “You could make
things worse.”
“I’m all mother has,” he replied angrily. “Now go boil that water. Hurry!”
Nick didn’t wait heading off to do as Jarrod said. Jarrod walked into his mother’s room. He quickly peeled back the bedding only
leaving a sheet over his mother to keep her warm. He stood at the foot of the bed.
“Honey,” she said looking at him, “I want you to make sure
it comes out head first. If it doesn’t
we have a problem. You don’t have to
pull it out. Just guide it as I do the
pushing. Do you think you can do that?”
“Yes mother,” he replied nodding. “I’ll do my best.”
Nick returned a short time later with the water. Jarrod sat it down on the dresser and went
back to watch. It wasn’t long before he
and Nick could see something poking out.
“Mother,” he said looking up, “it’s coming. I can see the head. I don’t know if I can do
this.”
“Good,” she replied breathing a sigh of relief. “Now just guide it out. Then wash it gently in the water with a
cloth and wrap it in a blanket until the doctor comes to cut it loose from
me. We want to keep it warm.”
“You heard her Nick,” he told his brother. “Get me a blanket.”
Nick went and got a blanket. When he returned Jarrod was holding a small bundle in his
arms. Nick couldn’t tell what it was
because it was wet and slimy looking. He heard the baby cry and knew that it
was all right.
“Here’s the blanket,” Nick said as he handed it to
Jarrod. “What is it?”
“I think it’s a girl,” he replied wrapping it up after
cleaning it up somewhat and still holding it.
“I can’t tell for sure.”
“You did a fine job Jarrod,” she told him. “I’m proud of you.”
“I’m just glad I could help mother,” he said smiling at
the tiny bundle in his arms. “It’s so small.”
Nick pulled a chair over so Jarrod could sit down. They stayed with their mother until Tom and
the doctor rushed in.
“What’s wrong?” Tom asked when he saw the mess in the
room.
“You have a daughter Tom,” she answered smiling up at
him. “Jarrod delivered her.”
Jarrod handed the bundle to the doctor and breathed
heavily. He was exhausted from what he
had done for his mother.
“How is the baby?” Tom asked looking at the doctor. “Is it a girl?”
“She is just fine,” the doctor answered looking up at Tom
after cutting her free from her mother.
“You have a healthy baby girl Tom. Jarrod did a fine job of bringing her
into the world.”
The doctor handed the small bundle to Victoria who took
her new daughter. Tom walked over to
get a good look at his little girl.
“You are to be commended Jarrod and you too Nick,” the
doctor said nodding at them. “You both
did a fine job helping bring your new sister into the world.”
“I didn’t do much,” Nick replied looking at Jarrod. “But Jarrod took care of everything.”
“I only did what mother told me to do,” he told them. “I
was really scared but I wouldn’t let mother know that.”
“You did real fine son,” Tom said smiling at his oldest
son. “Come here and see your new
sister.”
Jarrod and Nick both walked over to the side of the bed
peering at the new addition to their family.
Jarrod smiled at the little life he had brought into the world. She was beautiful to him.
“Mother,” he said smiling, “she’s the prettiest little
girl I’ve ever seen. I want you to know
it was a pleasure helping to bring her into the world.”
“I appreciate that honey,” she replied smiling. “She is
something very special.”
“What’s her name?” Nick asked looking at his sister. “I mean we can’t just call her she all the
time. We have to have a name for her.”
“Your father and I have discussed that,” she answered
looking up at Tom. “We have decided to
name her Audra Rose Barkley. I think that just fits her don’t you?”
“We’re going to call her Audra,” Tom said smiling at his
new daughter. “I know it’s kind of a hard name to say but it’s what we both
decided on.”
“That’s a beautiful name,” he replied looking down at his
sister. “You don’t have to worry about
a thing Audra. I will always make sure
you are protected and taken care of.
You don’t have to worry about a thing. I’ll always be there when you
need me no matter what the time is. I
promise.”
“I will too,” Nick told her too. “I’ll always be there and if anyone bothers you I’ll take care of
them. That’s a promise too.”
“I appreciate that boys,” Tom said smiling. “You will be a big help with your new
sister.”
Jarrod and Nick both smiled at the little sister they
would protect and take care of for the rest of their lives.
THE END