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Bear Valley Ranch By Lady Gwynedd
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6104633/1/
Chapter One: The Baby
She did not know he was watching her as she sat in the grassy field under a
beautiful cerulean Colorado sky. She had Boy, Abraham rather, at her knee
reading a picture book with him. She had developed a soft spot for Abraham, her
housekeeper's son. She said she bought the book for their library but her
husband knew she bought it for the little boy. Her soft heart and generous nature
were his joy.
Edward was in the paddock, supposedly working with the filly but after he got the
bit on her, he decided he'd let her get used to it for a while before he'd try the
saddle again. He had attempted to saddle her before much to her displeasure.
She was an ornery jade; too smart for her own equine use. But his horse-work
was all a ruse anyway so he could watch the most beautiful woman in the world
without her knowing. He had to make sure she didn't know. She had been teasing
him about his over protectiveness, so now he made sure to be more circumspect
and stealthy.
Evidently, they finished the book and Bella got unsteadily to her feet. Edward was
pleased to note, even as young as he was, little Abraham helped her up. She
smiled her thanks and the little boy dashed off; running up the hill to find his Pa,
Edward would wager.
She stood there stretching for a moment, hands at the small of her back, eyes
shut, face turned to the warm sun overhead. After a few moments, she put her
hands over her ripened belly and he could hear her giggle from where he was
standing. Evidently, their child was doing his usual acrobatics within. He kept
them up at nights sometimes with his twisting and turning. In the privacy of their
bedroom, Edward loved to put his hands on Bella's gravid belly and feel the child,
his child, moving within. He knew what the Bible meant when it spoke of joys
filling, tamped down, and over flowing. The whole process of conceiving and
begetting was a wondrous thing, Edward was thinking. To think that out of their
love, a small part of her and an even smaller part of him combined to make
another being. It was a miracle when he thought of it. It overwhelmed him.
Bella had done well with her pregnancy, as she had always assured him she
would. She did not suffer much with the morning sickness as long as no one
presented her with a cup of coffee. Even the smell of it would send her dashing
for the outhouse. He was all for banning its use on the ranch during the interim
regardless of the dissatisfaction of his employees but Bella talked him out of it.
She always could talk him out of anything. He smiled fondly at the memory.
Bella happened to look in his direction and caught him at his spying. She laughed
again and shook her head as she gathered her blanket and book and then walked
over to where he was standing.
"Edward... Love... I am fine. There is no reason for you to stalk me like you
would a deer."
Grinning he swung himself over the fence to take the blanket and book from her,
"I can't help myself. You are so dear to me." He chuckled at his own joke but
then went on, "You look tired, Bella, perhaps you should lie down?"
"Edward, I've done nothing but rest by your command ever since Mrs. Dowling
said the baby could come any day. I assure you, I feel fine. I want to work. I
want to be useful."
"I didn't command that you rest," he said sheepishly.
She placed her hand tenderly on his chest above his heart. How could she help
but not to love this man? "No, Edward, you never command – you just request
and then worry yourself into a tizzy if I don't comply. I do not like seeing you so
distressed, Edward. What are you going to do when the baby actually comes? You
know how that can be. You are going to drive yourself crazy with worry and fear.
Indeed, Edward, I may just banish you to the Lazy B until it is all over."
"No! Bella, please, I will try to be easier. Don't send me away from your side. I
feel very protective of you."
"I do know that, Edward, and I love you for it but you are making me fret with
your worries."
Edward realized that he truly needed to gather his self-discipline or he would do
the opposite of what he intended. The one thing he did know for sure is that he
didn't have the strength to stay away from her anymore.
"I will do better, Bella."
Smiling, she took his arm and he walked with her up to the cookhouse. He knew
better than to suggest that she rest again knowing that he had lost that particular
battle but he would insist that she sit while she worked in the kitchen.
Juan Carlos grinned as they walked through the door, "Hola, Mamacita! Como
esta?"
"Muy bien, Juan Carlos, pero mi esposo es loco."
Juan Carlos burst out laughing, "Si, mi amiga. Es muy loco."
Edward frowned. He knew Latin, Greek, and German but never studied the
romance languages. He felt a little out of place. Evidently, Juan Carlos had been
teaching his wife Spanish while she worked with him in the kitchen. "I know you
two are talking about me."
Bella blinked her eyes, "Now Edward, whatever gave you that idea?"
"I think Juan Carlos's guffaws gave it away."
She smiled and not caring that Juan Carlos was watching, reached up on her tip
toes and kissed Edward on his lips, "I love you so much, silly man. Now Edward,
you go and work that filly of yours. I will stay here under Juan Carlos' care and
do nothing but sit. I will be fine."
Edward sighed, his worry creases appearing between his eyebrows, "If you need
me, Bella, I will be down at the paddock."
"I will be fine, Edward. Don't worry yourself."
He nodded and reluctantly left the kitchen. As soon as he was gone, Bella turned
to Juan Carlos and said, "Could you please, very discretely, go into the house and
tell Mrs. Dowling that I've been having pains this whole afternoon. I am thinking
that the time has come but don't you make a scene of it or Edward will come
back and be…well, Edward. As much as I love him, it would be hard to focus on
the task at hand."
"Si, Senora. I will go quickly."
He left and returned almost immediately with the midwife. Though married to a
local rancher, Mrs. Dowling had delivered most of the offspring in the
neighborhood for twenty years. She was warm, intelligent and caring and made
sure to keep up on her vocation by corresponding with other midwives in the
country, sharing ideas and techniques. When a mother was nearing her time,
Mrs. Dowling would move in with her if possible to make sure all was in good
stead for the birth. Bella couldn't be in better hands.
"I had a feeling the time had come, Missy. I could tell by the way you were
leaning on your man as you walked up here. Come with me and we'll get you
ready." She competently put her arm around Bella as she spoke and ushered her
out of the door. As she left she called to Juan Carlos, "You, man! Start boiling
water."
"Si, Senora."
As they went into the pass-through that led to the house, Bella asked, "What's
the boiling water for?"
"Nothing. It keeps folk out of my way while I do my work."
Bella chuckled and gasped as another pain hit her.
"See, my girl. It sounds as though you are on your way."
Lauren, who was herself expecting in the late summer, was sewing buttons on a
shirt in the main house. She looked up as they entered, "Is it time?"
"Yes. I think so. Come, give me a hand," Mrs. Dowling ordered.
"But don't tell anyone what is happening yet, Lauren. I don't want Mr. Cullen to
know until it's over," Bella asked.
Understanding looks passed between the ladies as they shut the door to Edward
and Bella's bedroom and began stripping the bed as well as the mother-to-be.
They left Bella with her loose chemise that she had made for her pregnancy but
tore the bed down to the mattress, propped the head of the bed up, then covered
the mattress with a large rubberized pad and an old sheet and a stack of smaller
cloths in the middle of the bed. Bella was directed to lie with her hips centered
upon that.
Mrs. Dowling washed her hands, directed Lauren to do the same and then
examined Bella. "Yes, my dear. You are well on. How long have you felt pain?"
"Since midmorning, I think. I wasn't sure at first."
"Since midmorning? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Because the pains were mild and because I knew the first thing you would do is
put me to bed and then it would be long hours before the baby is born. The wait
would trouble me."
"And it would kill your husband, I am thinking," Mrs. Dowling smiled. She'd never
seen a papa-to-be so fraught with nerves. He was like a mad, broody hen. "You
are wise, Mrs. Cullen."
"No. I just know my husband, God love him… ooohhhh." Bella's face scrunched as
another pain hit.
A few contractions later and her waters burst. The midwife removed the stack of
clothes and efficiently replaced them with clean ones. "Now the work comes, Mrs.
Cullen."
Bella was praying as the pains worsened that she get this over before Edward
returned from the paddock. She wanted to surprise him with his baby before
supper. She hoped he would not be too angry with her for not telling him the
baby was coming.
Ohhhhh. Another strong one hit. Bella was surprised at how painful it was.
"That's all to the good, Mrs. Cullen. Your baby is coming right along.
So, the afternoon hours dwindled and Bella's pain increased porportionately. She
was struggling to contain herself.
After several hours, Mrs. Dowling took note of her extremity and said
reassuringly, "Everything is going well, Mrs. Cullen. You are almost ready to push
but until that happens try to ride the pains out without stiffening like a board.
Everything is well."
There was a sudden knock on the door. Lauren went to answer it to find Juan
Carlos there, "The water. It has been ready."
Mrs. Dowling went to the door, "That is good, Juan Carlos. Just keep it on the
boil. I will call you when I need it."
"Si, Senora," he said and went back to his kitchen.
Bella labored on and on, her pains becoming increasingly worse. "Mrs. Dowling…"
Her voice cracked at the end, "It hurts so badly."
"I know, Precious, t'will be all over soon. Take my hand on the next one and
squeeze." Lauren quietly went to the other side of the bed, and offered her hand
to Bella just as the next pain hit.
"Jesus, Mary, and JOSEPH," Bella swore and tightened the grip on the hands of
both her helpers.
As the pain ebbed she immediately apologized for swearing. "I don't know what
came …" then another pain hit and she cried out, "Oh, DEAR LORD...EDWARD!"
Bella was shocked that she had called her husband's name when she had devised
such a clever scheme to keep him away from her travails. But she could not help
herself.
Oh, but she wanted him now. The Pain had grown until it became an entity in the
room with her, overcoming all her strength little by little and as her strength
waned her fear grew. She wasn't sure she could bear with it any longer. Perhaps
tomorrow she could come back and finish it but right now… She wanted Edward's
arms and Edward's sweet gaze. Edward...
As another pain began, she did recognize one other thing that she was sure of at
this moment. She was NEVER going to have intercourse again.
"OH, EDWARD!" She called again as another pain overtook her, not really
expecting him to appear but truly using his name and his image in her mind as a
talisman against the agony.
Suddenly they could hear boots thundering up the porch steps and the front door
slamming open. "BELLA?" Edward hollered as he ran for their bedroom door.
Mrs. Dowling flew to meet him, "Now, Edward Cullen, you listen here. All is well.
She's just feeling the pains but soon the baby will come and it will be over. I will
not have you upsetting her with any nonsense."
Edward looked desperately into the lined face of the old lady, "What can I do?"
Mrs. Dowling was about to tell him to go away when Bella's voice rose,
"EDWARD, PLEASE!"
Edward pleaded with Mrs. Dowling using only his eyes. He needed to be with
Bella. He knew she needed him as well. Surely Mrs. Dowling could see that.
Slowly, the old woman's heart melted.
"Men don't come into the birthing room."
"Mrs. Dowling, remember that our good Lord himself was delivered by a man; his
earthly father, Joseph. I am sure Joseph was a comfort to Mary as she labored."
"Well, can you behave like Joseph if I let you in?"
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