Love in Bloom (33 page)

He took his time with his father, knowing they were planting the seeds for a new relationship.  But as soon as Vincent got into his car and drove away, Clay's thoughts returned to Paige.

He had to see her.  He had to reopen the door between them.  Clay checked his watch.  She should be finished at the hospital.

Her car was in Doc's driveway.  She was nowhere around.  Not in the house, not on the deck.  He even checked the shed.  Then he remembered and decided she would, too.  She would head for a haven, someplace special.

He found her sitting near the tree where they'd made love, a bluet in her hand.  She was studying it as if it held all the secrets in the world, the cure for her turmoil.  But when she raised her head and saw him, all the turmoil was still there.

She tried to smile.  "I didn't know if I'd ever see you again."

"Paige..."

Before he could go to her, before he could sit down beside her, her cell phone beeped.

Clay swore.  Talking would have to wait.

She heard his frustration, but she said, "I have to answer this."

"I know."  If he understood anything about Paige, it was her dedication.

She dialed her service.  Her face was concerned as she spoke to them, then dialed another number.  "It's Miriam.  The baby's coming.  Her water broke.  I have to let her know I'm on my way."

After Paige talked to Miriam, reassuring her, calming her, she made another call.  But no one answered.

"What's wrong?"

"It's my nurse.  She was going to assist, but I can't get an answer.  Even if I leave a message, it might be too late until she gets it."

"I don't know how much help I'll be, but I can come along if you'd like."

She nodded.  "I'd like that.  It's always good to have another pair of hands."

Before they left, Paige called the hospital to alert them in case there were problems.  Clay knew she would take every precaution where Miriam's health and her baby's were concerned.  They arrived at Miriam's a short time later.  Clay watched the doctor in Paige take over as she became methodical and focused.  He knew she'd already talked with Miriam at length about the process of labor and childbirth and had provided supplies they might need--such as a foam wedge to prop on, basins, sterile sheets, antiseptic, gauze pads.  While Paige took Miriam's vital signs, Clay put on water to boil to sterilize the instruments in case any were needed.

When he went to the bedroom where Paige was getting Miriam comfortably settled, Miriam said to Clay, "You two should be a team."

Paige glanced his way, but he couldn't tell from her expression what she was thinking.  Something else was more important right now, Miriam's well-being.  He said to her, "I can help Paige, but only if you don't mind."

A contraction overtook Miriam.  She concentrated on the breathing technique Paige had taught her and worked with the contraction.  When it had subsided, she said, "Right now, I just want this baby born.  Hell's Angels could ride through here and I wouldn't care.  So if you can help Dr. Conrad, it's fine with me.  Ever seen a baby born before?"

He smiled.  "Not a human.  I helped deliver a calf once."

Miriam laughed.  "This can't be that different, right?"

Paige patted Miriam's arm.  "Giving birth is a natural process.  We just follow the signals.  Are you sure you're comfortable?"

Propped on the wedge in a half sitting, half reclining position, Miriam answered, "As comfortable as I'm going to get.  I'm not too crazy about this hospital gown you brought me."

Paige smiled.  "You can worry about fashion after the baby's born.  It will make things easier for me.  Clay, while I check the baby's heartrate, can you get Miriam a glass of crushed ice?  It's in the freezer door."

Clay paced the living room as Miriam's contractions came faster and Paige spoke to her about transition and the next stage.  It was obvious Paige had prepared Miriam well and she understood exactly what was happening to her.  Paige managed and supported, reassuring Miriam all the while.  But the pain of labor seemed to be something only two women could share.  Unless...

Unless that was Paige in that bed and his baby being born.  Was there a chance for that?

He needed something to do so he made a pot of coffee.  He was pouring himself a cup when Paige called to him to scrub with the antiseptic she'd left in the bathroom.

The coffee sloshed over the rim as he set down the cup and hurried to get ready.

He rushed to the bedroom, his hands held in front of him.  Paige looked as hot and flushed as Miriam as she peered under the sheet draping Miriam's knees.  "The head's crowning.  A couple of good pushes and Miriam will have her child in her arms.  I'll need you to hand me the washcloth and suction syringe."

Paige felt Clay's presence beside her, his quiet assurance, his strength.  When he'd told her she should go back to Africa for both their sakes, her heart had ripped in two.  And all morning as she'd made her rounds, she'd told herself he was right.  Her indecision was tearing them apart as effectively as her absence would.

She loved this man.  But would staying in the States, developing a private practice, be enough?  When would she know?  Could she lose Clay until she worked it through?

She tried to put her personal life out of her mind as she readied herself for the birth.  She looked at Miriam and could see another contraction was ready to hit.  "Okay, Miriam.  Now I want a giant push.  Put all the energy you have left into this one.  Take a deep breath.  Okay, let's go."

Miriam's cry mingled with the cry of new life as Paige supported the baby's head and shoulders when he emerged from his mother.  Paige had done this before, many times.  She had heard a baby's first cry.  She had seen the ten miniature fingers.  She had felt the perfect softness of a newborn's skin.

But this time, this time was different.

Words echoed in her head.   "I want this.  I want you.  Now."  And she knew why the decision had been so hard to make.  She'd been listening to her head, trying to be logical, trying to reason, trying to weigh and sort.  She hadn't been listening to her heart.

Holding the baby in her arms, holding life in her hands, her love for Clay overwhelmed her and brought tears welling in her eyes.  This is what she wanted. 

She wanted to love Clay, share with Clay, live with Clay, have a family with Clay.  And somehow everything else would fall into place.  Because Clay was that kind of man.  Somehow she'd find a balance.  Beside him, with him, joined to him.

As tears ran down her cheeks, she knew she was the one who'd have to risk this time.  She'd have to ask Clay if he still wanted her, if he still wanted a life with her.  And she'd have to make certain he knew she had no doubts.

She lifted her head and her gaze met his.  The sadness she saw there stabbed her, and suddenly she knew what he was thinking.  He believed she was going back to Africa.  But this moment wasn't theirs.  It was Miriam's.

Clay handed her a washcloth.  She wiped off the baby's face, cleaned out his mouth, and carefully checked the appearance of the newborn.  He cried more vigorously.

Paige wrapped the baby and laid him on his mother's stomach.  Miriam gazed at her child with love.

Clay said, "I'll wait in the living room."

His voice was strained and Paige wanted to run after him, but she wasn't finished here yet.  Just a few more minutes and she could tell Clay everything that was in her heart.

When the baby lay on Miriam's chest nursing, Paige went to the living room.  Clay wasn't there and she panicked.  Maybe he'd left, maybe he'd decided...

She saw movement on the porch and went outside.

He heard the door but didn't turn around.  "Are they all right?"

"Mother and baby are doing well.  I have to call Miriam's neighbor.  She's going to stay with her for a few days.  But before I do that, I wanted to talk to you."

Clay's back was rigid, his arms stiff at his sides.  "You don't have to say it.  I saw it on your face."

"What did you see?"

He turned around then.  "Your dedication.  Your joy.  I can't compete with that."

Suddenly words seemed hard to find.  All she could say was, "You don't have to compete."

"You want to go back.  I could see it--"

"No.  That isn't what you saw."  She had to do it.  She had to do it now.  She had to claim the life she wanted.  "I want to have your children, Clay."

He stared at her until the meaning behind her words sunk in.  "You want to stay here?"

"I don't think I can get pregnant long distance.  At least not with the method I want to use."  She smiled, her heart feeling light and free.

The seriousness left his eyes and he grinned.  "Marriage should come before babies."

"Is that a proposal?"

He wound his arms about her and swung her off her feet.  "Yes, that's a proposal.  And I won't put you down until you give me an answer."

She wrapped her arms around his neck.  "Yes, I'll marry you."

He squeezed her tighter.  "When?"

"Tomorrow?"

He laughed.  "We need a few days."

"Maybe mother will stay."

He set her on her feet and framed her face with his hands.  "You're sure this is what you want?  What about your mother's plans?  Your dreams?"

"My dreams have changed.  Now you're in them.  I'm not sure what I want to do professionally.  I've been hearing talk at the hospital about setting up a free clinic in the county for unwed mothers and prenatal care.  I might want to get involved in that.  I'm not sure.  What I am sure about is that I want to stay here and start a life with you."

The love in Clay's green eyes overwhelmed her.  It shook her and filled her with such awe and thankfulness, she couldn't breathe.

When he spoke, his voice was raspy with the depth of emotion he was feeling.  "I love you."

She stroked his cheek and tears pricked her eyes.  "I love you, too.  Do you know where I'd like to get married?"

He knew immediately.  "In the clearing in the woods beside the patches of wild flowers."

She nodded, because she couldn't speak.  There were no more words.

Clay's lips sought hers with gentle demand yet passionate fervor.  The kiss was filled with promises and wild flowers and children and everything beautiful.  She was his.  And he was hers.  Forever.

EPILOGUE

Paige stood outside the adobe house, gazing at the rugged mountains.  This small Central American country was a tropical land of mountains, volcanoes, green valleys, and natural lakes.  But its rapidly growing population had almost exhausted its available supply of farmland.