IN THE ARMS OF A STRANGER
Chapter Sixteen

Three Months Later

Rose sighed in discomfort as she pushed herself out of the chair. She couldn't wait until the baby was born. Its weight was wearing on her back, and she could barely get around. The doctor said it was due any day now, just to be patient and prepared to call him when the first labor pain began.

"Hey, Rose." Jack entered the house, off from work for the day. He'd been getting off early since Rose's due date was approaching. He wanted to be there when the child was born.

"Hello." Rose smiled pleasantly as he kissed her cheek.

"I got a letter from Fabri. Kate's pregnant. Can you believe it? Five months along."

"It took him long enough to write us." Rose sniffed.

"That's because he's been working overtime. He has to make a living for his family and still become a millionaire somehow." Jack laughed. "Oh, Rose, this is great. Fabri and me are about to become fathers at just about the same time. I told him he should move his family out here to Chippewa Falls. The atmosphere is a lot better for a baby than New York is."

"Of course," Rose agreed, moving into the kitchen. "So, Jack, what do you want for lunch?"

"Rose, don't worry about making my lunch. I'll make my own. Just you worry about getting plenty of rest for when that baby comes. The doctor said it'll be any day now."

"I know, Jack, but I like making you lunch. It's one of the highlights of my day." Rose allowed Jack to lead her to a chair. "But since you insist..."

Jack laughed. "You know you have no choice."

There was a knock on the kitchen door. Jack opened it to reveal Susan and Cal, dripping wet from the raging storm outside.

"You again?" Rose glared at Cal. "What do you want?"

"I followed Susan here. She has some important news for you two." Cal turned to Susan.

"What is it, Susan?" Jack asked, concerned, noticing the fear in her eyes.

"A twister has touched down in Evanston and word has it that the storm is heading here," Susan explained. "I think all of us should get to the storm cellar right away."

"A twister?" Rose asked, confused. Being from Philadelphia, she didn't know what the term meant. Neither did Cal.

"It's a storm, Rose. A very dangerous storm. If you're caught in it, chances are you'll either be killed or end up way on the other side of the county," Jack explained. "They're not really as common here in Wisconsin as they are in places like Kansas and Oklahoma, but we do have them."

"This is absurd." Cal shook his head. "It's not even dark out yet." He opened the curtain, and Rose gasped. It was as black as night outside and lightning was ravaging the sky. Rose gasped in fright, the house shaking as lightning hit the ground.

"These storms move fast." Jack pulled Rose out of the chair. "Come on. We have to hurry."

Susan and Cal were first out of the kitchen door, heading to the back of the house where the storm cellar was located. Jack held the door open for Rose, but she stopped.

"Rose, come on," Jack urged. "It's all right. I won't let anything happen to you."

"The wind is so strong." Rose felt hot tears well up in her eyes.

Jack remained calm and took her hand. "Keep hold of my hand, Rose. Okay? I'll get ya through this."

Rose looked into Jack's eyes, and her fear dimmed a little. Nodding, she forced herself to allow herself to be pulled outside into the forceful wind. She gasped in pain as her backache from earlier that morning worsened.

"It's okay, Rose," Jack reassured her. "Just keep hold of my hand."

Cal and Susan were the first into the storm cellar once Jack opened it. Jack was about to let Rose go first when she screamed with pain as a sharp pain grabbed her abdomen and her water broke.

"Rose!" Jack kept hold of her hand.

"I think this is it, Jack!" Rose cried in pain. Picking her up and closing the cellar door tightly behind him, Jack carried her down into the cellar and laid her on a soft pile of hay. He worked to make her as comfortable as possible.

"We have to get the doctor." Cal frantically looked around the cellar.

"We can't. If you haven't noticed, there's a killer storm raging out there!" Susan shouted. "Plus, her water broke, so the baby's going to be here by time the doctor gets here. We're going to have to deliver this baby ourselves. Jack, I think it'd be wise if you and I stay and hold Rose's hands. Cal...you're going to have to be the one to deliver this baby."

"What?" Cal was in shock at this assignment. "But I don't know anything about delivering babies! Why can't you do it?"

"Because Rose needs all the support up here she can get, and she doesn't trust you enough to let you hold her hand. So you're going to have to be the one to deliver the kid. Now, stop whining and get to work."

Rose screamed as another pain grabbed her, just as thunder shook the small room. "Jack, I'm scared!" Rose cried.

"I know, Rose, I know." Jack positioned himself behind her and pulled her into his arms. "It's okay, Rose. Just breathe. I'm right here."

"Breathe, Rose. Breathe," Susan directed.

Suddenly, the sound of a distant freight train was heard up above.

"What's that?" Rose was afraid to ask.

"The twister. It must be nearby." Jack tightened his embrace around his wife. "Don't worry, Rose. We're safe down here."

"I see the head!" Cal shouted, looking up at Susan.

"Okay, Rose. It's time to push." Susan squeezed her hand. "Come on. You can do it."

"I can't. I have no strength left!" Rose cried.

"Yes, you can, Rose. I know you can." Jack brushed her hair away from her face and held her closer as thunder shook the cellar once again.

"Push, Rose!" Susan yelled.

Counting to three and gathering up what strength she had left, Rose pushed, and sighed in relief as a little cry filled the room.

"It's a girl, Rose! It's a beautiful baby girl!" Cal exclaimed.

"We have a daughter." Jack smiled down at her.

"She's beautiful, Rose." Cal handed the baby to her mother. Rose looked down at her baby with all the love a mother could give a child.

"Hey, everyone. Listen. The storm's stopped," Susan practically whispered, looking up at the cellar door. She was right. All was quiet outside.

"Shall I go up and look?" Cal offered.

"If you want," Jack said, not wanting to leave Rose, or else he'd go himself.

"I'll go with you." Susan got up. "Leave the new parents alone with their daughter."

When Cal and Susan looked outside, the sky was a bright blue with a few thin wisps of clouds floating in the sky. On the horizon, they could spot the wreckage of the town, but as far as they could see, the Dawson farm was still standing unharmed.

"Well, the house is still standing, but I don't know about the rest of the town." Susan sighed, coming back in. "One thing's for sure. We're going to have to get Dr. Calvert here as soon as possible to check on Rose. So, Jack, since your house is still standing, may I suggest you take Rose and the baby back to the house, and Cal and I will go fetch the doctor. We'll be back as soon as we can."

"Be careful out there!" Jack said, getting to his feet to take Rose and the baby in his arms.

"We will."

Two Hours Later

Rose and Jack were up in their room, admiring their now-sleeping baby.

"We still have to name her." Jack smiled. "Have any ideas?"

"I was thinking we could name her after your mother." Rose smiled down at the sleeping baby. "Name her Rebecca."

"Oh, Rose...are you sure? You don't have to if you don't want to." Jack smiled.

"I want to, Jack. I think this baby's going to have it rough enough with me as a mother, but she'll have a fighting chance if she's named after the woman who raised you."

Jack smiled, touched by her decision. "Rose...I love you so much. More than anything." Jack took her in his arms. "And thank you. Thank you for choosing my mother’s name as our daughter's new name."

Rose just smiled up at her husband, lost in his eyes. It was Cal's voice that brought her back to earth.

"We're back with the doctor!" Cal announced, barging into the room.

"Thank goodness we found him. It's a mess out there." Susan came in behind Cal and Dr. Calvert.

"Let me check the new mother and child." Dr Calvert came over to Rose and began to examine both her and the baby. After fifteen minutes, he was done. "Everything's normal. Congratulations on your new baby."

"Thank you, Dr. Calvert." Jack shook his hand. "Be careful out there. I heard the twister's really torn the town up."

"It's not as bad as it seems. Luckily, we had no fatalities." Dr. Calvert grinned. "I would like to see both Rose and the baby next week, just to keep an eye on things."

"Sure thing." Jack nodded.

"Come, Dr. Calvert. I'll show you out." Susan left the room, leaving Cal with Jack and Rose.

"I’d better take Rebecca here to the nursery." Jack took the baby from Rose. "I'll be back."

"All right, Jack." Rose nodded. Her gaze fell on Cal once Jack had left the room.

Silence filled the room for three minutes before Rose broke the silence. "I guess I owe you a thank you for bringing my baby into the world."

"It's the least I could do after putting you through hell and back the past couple of years." Cal shrugged. "I really am sorry, Rose."

"I think I know that now, Mr. Hockley...Cal. And I accept your apology...I forgive you." Rose sighed.

Cal grinned happily. He had finally gotten what he wanted, after all this time. Grinning widely, Cal left the room and went downstairs to join Susan.

Chapter Seventeen
Stories