Tracie Peterson - Dawns Prelude

Lydia moaned and doubled over. "I can't walk. I can't move. It hurts too much."

"Stay here," Zerelda instructed.

In record time she had turned the mattress and thrown down a clean sheet. Next she took up several towels and placed these atop the sheet. Then without warning, she all but carried Lydia to the bed and helped her to lie down.

"Let's see what kind of progress you've made." She quickly went to check on the baby's position. "Goodness and mercy," Zcrclda declared. "The baby's head has crowned. You're just about to deliver."

Unable to keep from crying out, Lydia gripped a handful of the towels and felt the urge to push. "Can't… can't you… pull him out?"

Zcrclda laughed. "So it's a boy, is it?" She shook her head. "He has to come naturally-it's best for both of you. Look, I need to Oct my birthing hag. It's in my room. You'll be alone for only it minute. If you have to push, go right ahead, but don't get up."

Lydia wanted to laugh. Get up? She could hardly manage to breathe against the pain, much less move. True to her word, Zcrclda was hack just as the next contraction hit. Lydia screamed as the pain escalated.

"Here he comes," Zerelda said, taking up her position.

The urge to push hard hit Lydia, and she found herself bearing down with a strength she hadn't known possible. She felt the baby slip from her body and marveled at the way the pain ended. Closing her eyes, Lydia felt a rush of blackness engulf her.

There was a gentle tapping on her face and the sound of something else as Lydia came to. She looked up to find Zcrclda looking down at her, beaming from ear to ear.

"Can't you hear your son crying? He doesn't like it that his mama chooses his birthday to try and sleep."

"A son?" Lydia smiled wearily. "I knew it was a boy"

"What are you going to call him?"

" Dalton. Its a name Kjell and I both like."

Zcrclda placed the tiny baby in Lydia 's arms. "It sounds strong. Here you go, Dalton. Meet your mama."

Lydia looked into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. The darkhaired infant gazed up at her with his tearful expression and began to cry anew. Instinct took over, and Lydia bounced him gently in her arms.

She thought of the other children she'd lost and of Floyd. This child had been conceived in violence, without any love whatsoever. His father had been a cruel and vicious man, but Kjell his papa would love him completely Of this Lydia was sure.

"There, there, little one. Everything will be all right."

The baby calmed at her voice and turned his face to her breast. Zerelda laughed. "He's looking for a meal, Liddie. You'd best help him out."

Lydia remembered what Zerelda had told her of breastfeeding. She carefully eased the nightgown out of the way and directed Dalton 's rooting. When he latched on, Lydia jumped in surprise. She looked up at Zerelda and found her aunt watching in amazement and awe.

"What a strange sensation," she said, shaking her head.

Zerelda smiled and leaned down to kiss Lydia on the forehead. "What a gift you've created. You did a good thing here, Liddie. You could have chosen to hate the child because of his father, but you didn't. I'm proud of you for that."

"He can't be faulted for Floyd's actions," Lydia said, still fascinated by this new life. "I was just thinking of all the other babies I lost. I can't imagine what it would be like to have them all here now." She gently ran her fingers along the baby's head. "He's just so precious."

Kjell made his way home at ten-thirty, nervous that something was amiss. All morning, he'd been unable to keep his thoughts from Lydia and home. To ease his mind and get any work done, he would have to see for himself that all was well. Lydia would think him silly, but he'd just tell her he'd come home for lunch. Never mind that the morning was only half over.

He brought the wagon to a stop just outside the main house. With the brake set, he hounded out off the seat and hurried up the porch steps. The house was strangely quiet. There was no sign of Zee. He went into the kitchen and noted that nothing was cooking. A mixing bowl and a variety of ingredients sat on the counter. It was as if something had happened to take Zee away from her work rather abruptly.

A strange sensation came over him. What if Gray had shown up? What if something had happened?

"Zee? Liddie?" he called out. He made his way to the large living room but found it empty.

"Zee! Lydia!" The urgency to see them heightened. Returning to the front door, he noted that their coats and boots were there waiting. They hadn't gone out, or if they had, they hadn't worn these things.

He raced up the stairs just as Zee appeared at the top. "Where's Liddie? Is she okay? Why didn't you answer me when I hollered?"

Zee grinned. "Calm down. Liddie's in bed and doing quite well. I believe she'd like to see you."

"I've been half sick with worry. All morning I had a feeling something wasn't right, and when I got home and found the place seemingly deserted… well… I guess…" He let the words go unsaid and drew a deep breath. "But she's all right."

"Why don't you go see for yourself? I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

He looked at her a moment and saw the twinkle in her eyes. "The baby?"

Zerelda laughed. "Go on."

When Zee opened the door and pushed him through, he found himself staring openmouthed at the sight of Lydia nursing an infant.

"It's a boy, Kjell," Lydia said with a weary smile. "Oh, I'm glad you came. I prayed for you to come."

He sat down beside her on the bed and shook his head in wonder. "I couldn't stop thinking about you. Every time I tried to focus on my tasks at hand, my mind kept going back to you. I thought maybe something was wrong. I feared that… Well, never mind what I feared. Oh, Liddie," he sighed and leaned down to kiss her lips.

There was such joy in her expression as he pulled away, Kjell thought his heart might well burst from the happiness he felt. He examined the baby, who by now had fallen asleep. "He's so little."

"Zerelda says he's a good size. He's healthy and has all of his fingers and toes," Lydia said, laughing. "I know the latter because I counted them myself."

Kjell chuckled. "I would have loved him even if he'd been missing some of each."

"I'll go prepare something for us to eat," Zerelda suddenly announced. "Liddie never got any breakfast. She woke up in labor, and things progressed fast. I think some nourishment would be good for all of us."

After she'd gone, Kjell stretched out on the bed beside Liddie, careful to keep his hoots over the side. He pulled her into his arms and held her for a long while. "I love you, Liddie. I love you so very much."

"I know you do. I can feel that love in ways that I never knew before marrying you," Lydia replied softly. "I never even knew what it was to really love another until you came into my life. I find that I care for you more and more every day… and sometimes it really frightens me."

Kjell lifted her face to his. "Don't be afraid. God is our Father and the keeper of our days. We needn't fear."

She nodded and stretched to press her lips to his mouth. Kjell lost himself in the moment and kissed her with a passion that he'd not expected. It seemed to surprise Lydia, as well. Shaking her head, she grinned. "You are very good at that."

He laughed. "I intend to get much better with practice."

Marston Gray had let word get around of his departure for home. He had left the company of the priest and chosen instead to take up residence in a small shack, well away from the town proper. The Sidorovs had found the place, and with Marston's money, they had purchased it. It had set him hack fifty dollars, but he still had plenty of the cash he'd brought to Alaska, at least enough to see to his plans for Lydia and the child.