Read Rescued (Flowers of the Bayou) Online
Authors: Arlene Lam
Alice gave him a sorrowful glance before speaking. “She hasn’t stirred, but that could change we might just be all worked up over nothing, having a baby is hard work after all it would make any woman tired.” She offered up the lie and hoped it helped. “Come Jo, let’s give him some time.” Placing a hand on his cheek in comfort Alice smiled warmly. “Try not to stay too long even if she does wake up, you need your rest as well you’ve a new daughter after all.” Alice waited for Johanna to release him from her strong embrace, and upon doing so they both left him.
Jordan knelt down beside Amelia’s sleeping form and held her cool clammy hand. “Princess.” He began kissing her palm. “My sweet Princess, you have to wake up.” He hadn’t expected her to respond but still the silence was sobering. “You’re my world you know?” He told her smoothing back a damp curl. “I love you so much.” Her silence was deafening and for the second time that night Jordan allowed himself to cry.
CHAPTER THIRTY
There was an eerie silence that filled the old mansion and it was only interrupted by the scurrying of working feet. Jordan barely left Amelia’s side, after Nathan and Jasper had actually secured a physician.
The aging man had come and done his examination and with a cold careless demeanor explained that Amelia’s biggest threat was the infection that now coursed through her body and that there were no guarantees. He cautioned that they keep her comfortable as the fever left her either incoherent or in a deathlike slumber. After that requested his payment and was on his miserable way. That had been three days ago.
Turning restlessly in bed Jordan was mindful of the form of his sleeping sister who’d snuck into his room last night awakened by a nightmare. He tried to send her back but at her worried look didn’t have the heart. She was a child after all, and they often expected her to act older than her young years.
Thinking about his sister of course led to thoughts of his daughter. Right now she was being fed, finding a nurse for her had actually been easy.
Bridgette was wonderful, and if Jordan was not attending his angel, or if Margaret and Georgia could bare to let her go. She’d be with Bridgette who hummed sweetly as she rocked his daughter or simply carried her about. He longed to see his wife in that position. That would be a beautiful sight.
Kissing Georgia’s cheek, Jordan promised himself he would make time to spend with her today. With all that was happening, she’d been ignored, and Georgia being Georgia, didn’t complain.
In his trousers and muddled white shirt Jordan slipped from bed mindful not wake his sister and tiptoed from the room. Running a hand over his rough budding beard, Jordan stepped into the hall and opened the door that was his wife’s private room.
She was still sleeping, and as he placed his hand on her arm and kissed her forehead found that thankfully she was not longer so damn hot. She turned in her sleep and mumbled something that he couldn’t make out before becoming silent again and Jordan could help but feel the same burning disappointment. “I’ll be back, sweetheart.” And he would, as he was never gone for long.
The nursery was bright and light flooded in from every window and when Jordan walked in he was just a little surprised to find Margaret peering down at his child singing softly as she rocked back and forth in the chair. “I’d say she getting bigger overnight thank God.” Margaret said hearing Jordan enter. “She’s so pretty, she and Georgia will have suitors wearing a hole in your porch in no time.” Margaret gave her cousin a look. “Of course it might be a little hard for her without a name; maybe we can give her some glass slippers like Cinderella.”
“I can’t, not without her mother.”
“You can.” Margaret pressed. “She will understand.”
“I don’t even know what Amelia would want, she just knew we were having a boy.” Jordan chuckled a little bitterly. “She wanted to name a boy Colby.”
Margaret wrinkled her nose up. “That’s a name for a boy, we’ve a beautiful girl.”
“It could be for both a girl and boy if we wanted it to be.” Jordan stated. “Something else.” Margaret replied as she lifted the now fussy child onto her shoulder and patted her back. “She doesn’t seem to like it.”
“I don’t know.”
“Anna, Bonnie, Cynthia, Della, Elizabeth, Francine.” Margaret prattled of names blindly. “Georgette, Harriett.”
“I don’t need you to go down the alphabet.” Jordan informed her reaching for his daughter a smile played on his lips remembering something his wife said. “Jordana.” He said with finality. “That fits you just fine.”
Margaret eyed him skeptically, trying to figure out if he was serious. “That’s nothing but your own name rearranged to sound feminine.” She scoffed not hating it but convinced they could do better.
“She wanted a name now she has one doesn’t she Jordana,” his words must have been funny because the flash of smile appeared on his daughter’s lips. “I love you Miss. Jordana Colby Bradford.” Jordan declared before handing her over to Margaret. “I’m going to take care of your mother I’ll be back.” Jordan cooed.
Margaret didn’t like the name one bit but it wasn’t her place to say so. Welcoming the tiny girl into her arms once more Margaret began humming a familiar tune again.
Enthralled and saddened as the child looked up at her as if she were the only woman in the world. This was a gaze that should be reserved for her mother. “Give her my love tell her we miss her and her daughter is longing be held by her.”
Nodding Jordan left and quietly made it to Amelia’s side once more where he sat down beside her and as was becoming his custom took her hand in his and began to pray. He had never been a religious man but he did believe in God and the fact that he still was giving him a chance with his wife was all he needed to renew his faith.
After he prayed he talked, telling her of all the places he wanted to take her but yet had the chance to. He told her how he was sorry for every mean thing he’d ever said to her. Told her just how much he loved and missed her and every so often she would mutter something and Jordan was inclined to continue.
Hours would go by and Margaret would finally come in and demand he go eat, tell him she’d stay with Amelia and he would go. He would eat a little, play with Georgia and rock his daughter. But as soon as he was able he’d go back to Amelia, sit by her side hold her hand, pray, and tell her once again all the things they would do once she was well.
Once he swore she asked for him, another for her baby. And all he could do was assure her that he was there and that their daughter was fine.
Night and day ran together and it was getting harder to tell how long it been or what time it was. Jordan had a bassinet brought into the room hoping that Jordana’s presence would make a difference and most nights he fell asleep crouched over in a chair by Amelia’s side.
“Jordan!.” He was startled out of his sleep by his wife’s cry and as usual it was just another nightmare that she was enduring because she was still sleep. “I’m here darling.” He told her brushing back a damp tendril of hair.
Kissing her cool cheek, sinking to his knees at her side he did the one thing he could do and was becoming accustomed to doing again and prayed. “God please help Amelia, she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body and she is missed terribly by Georgia and Margaret, hell even by Jasper but mostly by our daughter and myself. Please don’t punish her for my wrongdoings. She doesn’t deserve that and I don’t deserve her, I know that and I wouldn’t blame her if she ever left me; I’ve been so cruel at times. I let fear that she’d stop loving me or that she never loved me at all cloud my judgment. I’ve never loved a woman and had her love me so much in return.” Running a hand through his disheveled hair Jordan sighed heavily. “She’s never wanted me to do anything for her besides love her and I’ve never needed anyone until she came along but she doesn’t need me. God I promise you I’ll do whatever you ask of me if you just bring her back. I love her and I need to tell her. You’ve sent me my own angel and I didn’t even recognize her. I was so caught up in the past, in my anger toward Regina but Amelia has made that old hurt and pain fall away like a bad dream long faded and easily forgotten. I tease her so much, I love to call her Princess and she hates it, but that’s how I see her. She is my Princess to be loved and cherished. I swear if you let her wake up I’ll never call her Princess another day in my life.”
Amelia could hear him as she opened her weary eyes a smile on her lips at his last comment. She was exhausted but that didn’t matter she’d listened long enough and she had a baby and husband who needed her now very much. She let her hand fall down to Jordan’s head. “I’d never leave you, I’ll love you always and I’ll need you forever.” She whispered.
Slowly Jordan lifted his head to meet those gold eyes he’d been missing so much. He couldn’t thank God enough for answering his prayers and his heart was bursting. “I love you.” He declared kissing her forehead. “I love you so much and I promised God that if he let you wake that would be the first thing I told you. You and Jordana are everything to me.” Jordan felt is voice cracking but didn’t try and hide it.
“Jordana?”
“She’s beautiful, like nothing you’ve ever seen.” Jordan told her rising as he spoke and going over to the basinet. Amelia had yet to formally meet their daughter and it was long overdue. Retrieving his curly haired angel Jordan couldn’t help but laugh as she gave him that tired smile of hers. Wrapping her up tight he took her to Amelia. “Meet Jordana Colby Bradford.”
Joyful tears flowed from Amelia’s tired eyes as Jordan placed her daughter in her waiting arms. For the very first time, she was so small and her absolutely gorgeous caramel cream skin was a startling contrast against her violet blue eyes which stared back Amelia lazily. Rose kissed lips pouted prettily while sooty black lashes jutted out faintly from her half closed lids. “She’s perfect.”
“I told you, and I also told you we’d have a girl.” Jordan teased. “You named her Colby.” Amelia retorted a smile on her lips vigor renewed at the very sight of her child.
“No my love, I named her Jordana, her middle name is Colby and I’ll let you know Margaret fought me tooth and nail over it, only Georgia approved.”
“Georgia, where is my sweet girl, go get her please.” Amelia was so content that only Georgia could make the moment any sweeter.
“Any other requests? Your wish is my command.”
Amelia just smiled. “Promise to always call me Princess.”
“If it pleases you Princess I will.”
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Arlene D. Lam is a twenty nine year old wife and mother. She resides in Northern California with her husband and son and is currently working on The Wedding, a story that revolves around Jasper and Margaret.
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