A Man of His Word (39 page)

Her stomach lurched as the baby moved again, and she shifted in her chair. Then a squeezing pain seared across her abdomen. The pains had started yesterday, but they had been sporadic, more uncomfortable than anything else. But this pain was different, more intense. She glanced at her
mami
and
daed
, who were watching the service and beaming at the bride and groom. She didn’t want to do anything to disturb their happiness, or her brother’s wedding.

Over the past couple weeks she had been engrossed in wedding details, helping her mother and Sarah prepare for today. Yet she had taken time to rest, to read the Bible, and especially to pray.

She still didn’t know what to do about Gabriel. She had felt God nudging her to talk to him, but her fear held her back. The few times she had seen him, he had kept his distance, honoring her wishes. She had seen him walk into the Detweilers’ home earlier that day, but he had ignored her, instead walking up to Tobias and offering his congratulations right before the ceremony.

He looked so striking in his dark trousers, crisp white shirt, and black vest. He’d removed his black hat, revealing thick locks of chestnut-colored hair. Then he laughed, his smile illuminating his entire face, causing her breath to catch in her throat. An intense longing rose within her, one she had never experienced before, not even with Levi. When he turned from her brother, she inexplicably wished he would make his way to her, just so she could be near him. But he didn’t give her a glance as he walked to the back of the room and sat down next to his
daed
.

The bishop pronounced Tobias and Rachel husband and wife, and the two of them turned and faced the congregation. Her brother nearly glowed as he looked down at his beautiful bride, her hand resting lightly on the crook of his arm, a radiant smile lighting up her face. Moriah said a quick prayer of blessing for their union, then another sharp pain stabbed at her midsection. Glancing at her belly, she saw it tighten beneath her gray dress. She winced and looked around, glad no one noticed her discomfort.

Everyone stood and started talking, anticipating the delicious meal to come. Moriah started to rise, but was assaulted by another pain, longer in duration and nearly taking her breath away. When it subsided, she tried to get up again, her protruding belly making her feel awkward and unbalanced, until she felt someone take her elbow and gently help her up.

“
Danki
,” she said, then looked up and gasped.

“You’re welcome.” Gabriel let go of her arm. “I hope you don’t mind, but you looked like you were having a bit of trouble there. Are you feeling all right?”

His kindness amazed her. Even after she had hurt him so deeply, he still cared. “
Ya
,” she said. “I’m fine. The baby is very active today.”

“How close are you to delivery?”

“A little over a week, according to Rebekkah.”

“I’m excited to meet my new niece or nephew.” Doubt crept into his face. “If that’s okay with you.”

“Of course you can, Gabriel. I would never keep you from seeing the
boppli
.”

Relief washed over his features. “
Danki.
”

His gentleness increased her remorse. She really had been horrible to make him doubt whether he would be a part of Levi’s baby’s life. She remembered those dark hours when she thought she had been protecting herself from pain. In reality she had not only perpetuated it, but she had spread it on Gabriel too. She had to let him know how sorry she was. “Gabriel, I—”

Her hand went to her belly as another burning wave tore through her. Fortunately this one had been brief, but it had brought tears to her eyes.

“Moriah, something’s wrong.” Gabriel moved closer to her. “Let me get your
mami
.”

“
Nee
, she’s busy with the meal. I’ll be all right.”

“I don’t think so. You’re as white as a sheet.”

Perspiration broke out on her upper lip. “I don’t want to worry my family. This is Tobias’s day.” She couldn’t stand to ruin his wedding.

“Then let me take you home. I’ll run and fetch Rebekkah afterward.”

Moriah nodded. “All right.”

“Where’s your cloak?”

She told him where he could find her wrap, and he dashed off to retrieve it. The pain had subsided to nothing, but she was still worried. Her due date was a week away. Certainly she wasn’t going into labor now.

Gabriel returned and helped her slip into her cloak. By this time most everyone had moved outside. The day was unusually warm for November, and at the last minute they had moved the meal outdoors. No one had noticed that she and Gabriel had stayed behind, and when he escorted her out to his buggy, she was relieved to see the guests involved in their own activities.

As he helped her into the buggy, another contraction came. He put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned against him, gritting her teeth against the pain. When it subsided, she took a deep breath. “
Ach
. That one hurt.”

“What do you need me to do?” he asked, still holding on to her.

“Just take me home.”

He assisted her into the seat, then dashed around to the other side of the buggy and jumped in. “Hang on, Moriah. We’ll be home in no time.”

She nodded, grateful the pain had gone away.

“Do you think you’re in labor?”

“
Ya
.” She clutched her belly and exhaled, trying to calm the terror rising inside her. “I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispered.

Gabriel’s hand slipped inside hers. He squeezed it lightly. “You can, Moriah.”

Tears fell out of the corners of her eyes. “I’m scared, Gabriel.”

“I know you are. But you’ll be fine. In a little while you’ll have a beautiful
boppli
.” His words and touch comforted her.

They made it to her house in quick time. When he pulled into the driveway, another contraction hit, and she waited for it to pass before she got out of the buggy.

Gabriel put his arm around her waist this time and helped her to the house. When she reached the front porch, her water broke.

“Gabriel!” she exclaimed, clutching his
reck
.

He glanced at the ground, unfazed. “It’s all right, Moriah. Let’s get in the house.”

A few moments later he led her to her parents’ bedroom, which was the only bedroom on the first floor. She sat down while another contraction, this time stronger, seared through her. Letting out a cry of agony she screamed, “Help me!”

With each of Moriah’s cries, Gabriel’s anxiety increased. He tried to remain calm for her sake, but inside he could barely keep it together. He hated seeing her like this, consumed with agony as the contractions became stronger and more frequent. When she was able, he laid her back on her parents’ bed and brushed her damp brow with the back of his hand.

“I’m going to fetch Rebekkah,” he said, amazed by the steadiness of his voice. “I’ll be right back.”

She clamped her fingers down on his arm. “
Nee
!” He held his breath as another contraction came and went. “Don’t leave me, Gabriel. I can’t do this alone.”

“You won’t. Rebekkah will be here to help.”

“There’s no time.” Her gaze bored into his, her eyes holding a desperate combination of pain and fear. “You have to help me.”

Gabriel’s birthing experience was limited at best. He’d helped a neighbor deliver a calf when he was a teenager, but that in no way compared with this situation. Yet he knew she was right; the speed and the intensity of the contractions filled him with stark panic. He couldn’t leave her to have this baby alone.

Yanking off his
reck
, he asked, “What should I do?”

She gripped the sheets as another contraction came. “I don’t know!”

That wasn’t what he wanted to hear. He flipped off his hat and rolled up his sleeves, his mind frantic. His mouth turned to cotton as he tried to figure out what to do. The next contraction forced her to a halfway sitting position. He could see her knees drop open to the sides underneath her dress.
Dear God in heaven, help me!

“Moriah?”

Gabe breathed with relief when he heard Lukas’s voice coming from the front room. “In here!” he yelled.

Lukas poked his head in the doorway. “
Daed
saw you two leave and he sent me to find out what’s going on.” His gaze darted from Moriah to Gabe. The color drained from the seventeen-year-old’s face. “Is she having the
boppli
?”

“Go get Rebekkah Fisher! Hurry!”

Lukas ran out of the room, and Gabriel continued to hold Moriah’s hand. “Rebekkah will be here soon,” he said.

She gripped his hand, her face dripping with sweat and red from the pain. “Don’t leave me,” she said, gasping. “Don’t ever leave me, Gabriel.”

Without thinking, he lifted her hand to his lips and planted a kiss on the knuckles. “I won’t.” Her words sparked a tiny flame of hope inside him that she meant something other than him seeing her through the birth. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“She’s beautiful.”

Moriah’s eyelids opened at the sound of her mother’s voice. She smiled as she saw her baby cradled in Emma’s arms, only the very top of her head and face visible underneath the light yellow receiving blanket.

Every fiber of her being hurt, but the dull throb was nothing compared to the relentless pain she’d gone through giving birth. Exhausted, she had fallen asleep soon after she held her new daughter, barely remembering Rebekkah taking the baby out of her arms to wash her tiny body and wrap her in the blanket.

“Perfect in every way.” Rebekkah’s voice reached Moriah’s ears, and she turned to see the midwife standing over her. “You didn’t sleep for very long.” She smiled. “Would you like to sit up and hold your
boppli
?”

Moriah nodded and allowed Rebekkah to help her to a seated position. The midwife propped pillows behind her back. A clean blanket lay across her lap, and her
kapp
had been removed at some point. The pain of childbirth had been so consuming that she barely remembered what had happened until she’d heard her baby’s cry after the final push. Now her arms ached to hold the child she’d been anxious to meet for so long.

“Here she is.” Tears welled in Emma’s eyes as she passed the swaddled bundle to Moriah. “You should be proud of yourself,
dochder
.”

“
Ya
,” Rebekkah added. “You made my job very easy. By the time I got here the
boppli
was already crowning.”

Moriah gazed down into her daughter’s face. Her eyes were barely open, but she could make out their bluish-gray color. Her cheeks were round and pink, and her lips were full. Downy brown hair covered her head, the same shade as her father’s.

“Do you have a name for the
boppli
?” Rebekkah asked.

“Velda,” Moriah replied without hesitation.

Emma put her fingers to her lips. “After Levi and Gabriel’s
mudder
?”

She nodded and looked up at her mother. “Velda Anne.”

“After my
mudder
.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “
Danki,
Moriah. And
danki
for my beautiful
grossdochder
.”