Chapter 164 - Outsider (1/2)

The remainder of Katie's pregnancy passed without much incident. The high from a bowl of potato ch.i.p.s and a badly done rendition of Lord of the Rings lasted for weeks.

The village largely shut down when it snowed but as soon as the storm stopped everyone would be outside with their shovels to clear paths to their homes and businesses. Abby couldn't believe how many people it took to do the work of a single snowplow.

Georgia had been colder than Arizona but it had nothing on these mountains, which were piled high with snow for months. Katie was unfortunate enough to go into labor during the middle of a storm.

Al had to brave the weather by himself to fetch the midwife who lived over a dozen houses down the road from theirs. Thankfully he knew this town like the back of his hand despite being temporarily blinded by the snow and was able to bring her back before anything major happened.

Abby waited with her sister and held her hand when the contractions hurt too much. She was simultaneously tasked with keeping Adam out of the way, which was difficult because he was concerned about his mother.

”The baby's coming out?” he kept asking.

Every time she told him ”yes” he would ask even more questions she didn't always have the answers to, such as ”when will Papa be back?”

She spent the roughly forty-five minutes Al was gone praying he would come back right that second. When he and the midwife blew through the door she was finally able to breathe. Originally she had wanted to be with Katie when she gave birth but it was obvious that she needed her husband right now and somebody had to take care of the toddler.

Abby ended up quietly playing with Adam in his bedroom even though her ears strained to figure out what was going on in Katie's room. Eventually the little boy fell asleep and she was able to go into the delivery room to hold her sister's other hand.

In the middle of the night a screaming dark-haired baby girl made her way into the world. Katie looked absolutely exhausted but had a glow about her all the same as she held her daughter once the midwife cleaned her up.

Al thanked her for her services and let her stay in one of their spare bedrooms until the storm died down a bit. She smiled and said ”may the mountain spirits always bless your child” before leaving them alone.

Having been present for all of the baby name discussions, Abby knew they were down to two potential girls' names. Katie wanted to name a daughter Lily. Al preferred Aza, wanting to match the name with Adam's.

His logic was that she named the last one so it should be his turn. Hers what that she was the one giving birth so she should be in charge. Abby had to agree with her sister as a matter of principle but she thought both names were pretty.

”She does look more like an Aza than a Lily,” Katie agreed begrudgingly. ”But I'm picking the next one.”