Part 8 (1/2)
”Rose,”Logansaid. ”Her name was Rose.”
Lacey stroked her baby's slightly sticky head. ”Margaret Rose, then. What do you think?”
She had never seen his eyes look so soft-or so very dark. ”Yes,” he said. ”All right. Margaret Rose.”
”Rosie, for short.”
”Rosie it is.” He put down his index finger. It brushed Lacey's bare breast and then Rosie's wrinkled red
fist. Tiny perfect fingers opened-and closed, holding on.
”She's strong,”Logansaid in a voice low with emotion. ”Strong and healthy. Lace, you did a h.e.l.l of a job.” ”Praise? From you-directed at me? Are you feeling all right?” ”I don't think I've ever felt better in my life.” The words were there, in her heart, rising up, undeniable. She didn't know why she'd ever cared to deny them. Why she'd ever thought it wise to hide the truth from him.
All her old fears and hesitations, her need to guard her independence and protect her woman's pride, seemed foolish now. She didn't need to deny her love anymore, not after what she'd just been
through-what all three of them had been through: she andLoganand this tiny miraclewho lay rooting ather breast, clutchingLogan's index finger, making soft, mewling sounds. ”I love you, Logan,” she whispered. His eyes grew softer still. He started to speak. She put her hand to his lips. ”Shh. It's okay. It's just... I wanted you to know. I've known for nine months. It's been my big secret. But it seems kind of silly now, after this, to go on keeping it. It seems like the best thing just to let you know.”
He nodded, and pressed his lips to her temple. They sighed together and their daughter gave a small,
impatient cry.
A few minutes later, the ambulance pulled up in the yard.
Chapter 6.
Dr. Pruitt arrived with the ambulance. He clamped and cut the umbilical cord. Then he supervised as Lacey pushed out the afterbirth. He performed a formal post-natal exam and weighed the baby: seven pounds, two ounces. He also examined Lacey.
When he was done, he confirmed what everyone already knew: mother and daughter were doing just fine. He said he saw no need for a hospital visit, especially when he learned that the baby's father was a doctor and would be in close attendance over the next twenty-four hours.
The ambulance drove away less than an hour after it had arrived, at a little after three in the morning. Tess suggested a move to the main house, but Lacey vetoed that. She hadLoganto look after her and Rosie. And the little cabin somehow seemed like home now. She wanted to stay there, for the next few days at least, just the three of them.
And then ... well, she'd worry about that when the time came.
Tess called Zach on the cell phone and instructed him to pile all the baby equipment into the pickup and bring it on over.
”We're keeping everyone awake tonight,” Lacey said ruefully, after Tess had hung up.
Tess waved a hand. ”We are ranchers,” she said. ”We're used to being up all hours of the night.”
Lacey andLogantook Rosie to the bathroom.Loganheld the baby while Lacey showered and changed into a nightgown that b.u.t.toned down the front. Then Lacey rested, sitting on the rug with the commode to lean against, as Logan gave Rosie her first bath-which amounted to a few gentle strokes with a warm washcloth.
When they got back to the main room, Tess had changed the sheets again and put up the curtain that made the sleeping nook into its own private s.p.a.ce. Lacey climbed gratefully onto the bed and drank two gla.s.ses of cool water asLogan, over at the daybed, put on Rosie's first diaper. Tess helped Lacey to get comfortable. ThenLoganlaid their daughter beside her. The baby rooted at her breast. This time, the little darling actually managed to latch on.
”Let her nurse for five minutes or so on that side,” Tess said. ”They we'll try the other one.”
By the time Logan and Tess tiptoed out, Lacey was as deep in sleep as Rosie. She didn't even hear them bring in all the baby things.
Lacey woke when Rosie did, about three hours after she'd fallen asleep.
She looked down at the fuzzy, misshapen little head of her daughter and groused, ”You aren't going to turn out to be a day person like your father, are you?”
Rosie opened her tiny mouth-first for a big yawn, and right after that, to let out a wail.
The curtain slid back andLoganwas there, looking tired and rumpled and absolutely wonderful. ”Good morning.”
Lacey gave him a smile with all of her newly revealed love in it. ”This baby is hungry.”
”That's the way babies are. What about you?”
”I'm starved. But I think she's going to insist on eating first. Let's try it in the rocker this time.”
It was quite an experience, getting out of that bed. Lacey's body felt as if she'd done something horrible
to it-like go through childbirth. Her uterus was still cramping, everything lower down ached from all that pus.h.i.+ng-and the last thing she ever wanted to do again was to stand up straight.
Loganchuckled. ”I hope you don't feel as bad as you look.”
She moaned and muttered under her breath, ”Men. And all they'll never have to suffer...”
”I do sympathize.”
”Why doesn't that help?”
She left him to comfort the squalling Rosie as she hobbled outside to the bathroom, where she used the facilities, changed her menstrual pad and then forced herself to straighten her spine. Every overworked muscle protested. But she did it. And she stayed upright all the way back to the main room.
Loganbuilt up last night's fire and got started on the breakfast as Lacey and Rosie practiced nursing. Bythe time she'd changed the baby-on the bureau/changing table that Zach had brought over while shewas sleeping-Loganwas cracking eggs into a pan.
”How many?” he asked.
”Four.”
He laughed. ”I see you've gotten over your aversion to eggs.”
”And toast, please. And juice and some of that applesauce that's up in the cupboard. And maybe, after
that, a big bowl of cereal...” * * * Tess and Edna arrived at a little after ten. By then, Rosie had been through three diaper changes and two more short nursing sessions. Between the feeding and the changing, Lacey faded in and out of a drowsy half-sleep. She felt sore and tired and utterly content, with her baby in her arms andLoganto take care of them both. Tess and Edna told Lacey she was not to get up. She ignored them and pulled on her robe. ”I need to move around a little.” She tried not to groan as she pulled herself straight for the walk across the floor to the rocking chair.