FATHERHOOD
Prologue:
Life
Changes
There were two kinds of accidents.
The bad ones which usually involved broken bones, falling off ladders, stubbing ones toes against furniture corners, were often those most common of the first variety. They came quickly and varied in whether they departed with the same speed, depending on the seriousness of the accident. The second type, the good accidents were a little more difficult to categorize. It was usually a freak happenstance, which produced good results, which was why its genus so hard to name. Although the initial beginnings of a ‘good accident’ were difficult to predict, invariably the outcome usually brought forth some positive occurrence that was unexpected but well received.
Alexandra Styles still did not know which one this was.
She paced the floor of clinic trying to make the decision, knowing that there was only so much time before denial would have to give in to logic and then she would have to deal with accepting what was fast becoming an incontrovertible truth as opposed to mere suspicion. She supposed that it should come as no shock to her, after all, she was a doctor. Having delivered the news to so many others since she had begun practicing in Four Corners, should by definition make it easier for her to accept it herself. Her heart alternated from pounding loudly with anticipation and joy, to stark cold terror at what this would mean to her. She was not afraid of it of course, it was a natural part of life but was it a natural part of her life? That was the harder question.
Not so long ago, she had pondered this question for Casey Wells and had come to no conclusion or to any answer that would give her comfort. Although in all honesty, her situation and Casey’s were vastly different. Casey was an unwilling participant in what had happened to her, while Alex had always known that the possibility existed and believed until now that she was ready for it. However now that the moment had come, she found herself existing in a state of limbo of suddenly finding the future a most undecided place. Yesterday, she had known exactly what the rest of the year would bring, the appointments she had made and the trips planned to attend medical symposiums in Denver. Next month would be that birthing class she was teaching. Dates and names reeled about in her head with such speed she could not think clearly. But now everything was different. Not just for her but Vin too.
Vin.
Alex stopped short and remembered that she had not even told him yet. Sitting down heavily in her desk, she started tidying up the papers in a daze, not really paying attention to anything because her mind was focussed on what she would tell Vin. She had no idea how he would take it even though he said that they had plenty of time for children. Plenty of time, Alex snorted. Just like a man to think that. Well it looked like time had run out for both of them. Still, no matter how much she was inclined to panic, there was also a part of her that was somewhat content and comforted by knowing that the future was now fixed on a course that would not change. Her life was changing and though it frightened her; it was not necessarily for the worse.
She calculated the months and realised that this was a good time. It would be autumn, although out in the Territory it really did not make any difference. The nights were just colder that’s all. She thought of the house that was on the verge of being completed at the ranch and although Vin had no idea yet, he had just been given a deadline. She had seen the progress of the house he had been building with much help from Buck and Josiah and for the first time felt an eagerness to occupy it. She looked around her beloved clinic and realized that even the one he was building her could never replace it, but Alex did not seem to mind as much as she used to.
She was having a baby and beyond that, nothing else seemed to matter.
*************
A month had passed since Four Corners fought its fiery battle against the Apache raiders that had nearly razed the town to ground. While some of the buildings still bore the signs of battle, the community for most part had recovered the near disaster. Even though the most evident consequence of that battle had been an increased presence of Union soldiers making their presence felt, for most part Four Corners had left the incident behind them and moved on. Some of the townsfolk had elected to leave and these were mostly the handful that had refused to fight in the defense of the town in the first place. They did not have that much attachment to Four Corners and opted to move on to some place safer.
Even though the Citadel’s part in the Indian uprising was over, the incident clearly reminded the powers that be that there was still much danger from the red man and efforts to contain them only worsened the situation. Those who had thought the Plains War was over were very much mistaken and now a new shadow had fallen over the Territory as raids and ambushes became an every day reality again. Lawmen now found added to their list of duties, escorting the stages leaving town part way to their destination in case the Indians took to disrupting the vital lines of transportation. Fortunately, most folk chose to travel on the railroad and that seemed to keep incidents of violence to a minimum. Still, no one was entirely happy with the situation, whether or not they were sympathetic to the Indian cause.
On this particular day, the lawmen of Four Corners were spending the afternoon in the saloon. Business had been tended to in the jailhouse, prisoners transported and those who had work in their ranch had taken care of it earlier that morning. Four Corners had been enjoying a month of relative peace and quiet and none of the seven men who made up the Magnificent Seven did not seem to mind this at all. For some reason, trouble seemed to use them as a focal point, thus they did not mind the occasions where life just tumbled down its own beaten path, with nothing unusual head for the time being.
"Inez wants everyone over on Sunday," Buck Wilmington announced lethargically as he leaned back into his chair, long legs stretched under the table as he studied the cards in his hands. "We’re celebrating." He added, looking over the assorted collection of spades and queens.
"And pray tell, what are we celebrating?" Ezra asked coolly, trying to discern from Buck’s manner whether or not the man was stalling for time or was his announcement genuine.
"It’s my little girl’s birthday." Buck frowned, discarding a number of his spades and picked up replacements only to find that they were even less inspiring then what he had.
"Has it been a year already?" Josiah asked, lips curling into a little smile remembering the wedding he had performed on that prairie somewhere near the border of Mexico.
"Yep," Nathan responded as he pushed a dollar before him as an indication of his stake. "A year come Sunday. It’s not easy to forget the day when you delivered a baby and saw Vin become a bridesmaid."
An eruption of chortles around the table preceded the healer being swatted by the tracker’s hat as Vin growled. "Figures that’s what you’d remember."
"Well come on now," Buck grinned in his direction. "You were just the prettiest bridesmaid I’d ever seen."
"Eat shit and die Bucklin." Vin retorted. "I can’t imagine that it’s been a year since someone made an honest man out of you. Who would figured you’d last?"
"Certainly not I," Ezra teased. "And I had substantial wagers banking on that. Most of the punters did not believe you would last a week and by the way JD, you still owe two dollars for that particular bet." The gambler winked at the youth just as Buck turned around to give the young man a stare of wounded pride.
"I couldn’t help it," JD laughed defending himself. "I mean it seemed like a sure thing!"
"Thanks," Buck threw JD a dirty look that was all good humor. "I guess us family men have to stick together huh Chris?"
Chris Larabee had been listening but his gaze was fixed on the piece of wood he was whittling away prodigiously with his pocketknife. There was still a great deal of work left before it would actually look like something but for the moment, he was content to let the wood guide him in how it wanted itself shaped. "Sorry Buck," Chris gave him devious smile. "Ezra took my money too."
They were still in mid chuckle when Alex appeared at the door of the saloon. It was not usual for the doctor to be seen inside the establishment. Like most women in town, she did not feel it proper to enter unless it was really important and the sight of her walking through the batwing doors brought and immediate end to the light mood. Vin rose to his feet first but he was followed by every other man at the table because it was the polite thing to do even in the company of a lady as familiar to all of them as Alex. They would do no less for Mary or Julia although Inez had told them to desist when they were in the saloon. It besmirched her image as the feisty bartender.
"Alex, honey." Vin spoke as soon as she approached. "Something wrong?" Her expression was strange, not an indication of trouble but not one that said things were fine either.
"No, not really." She remarked and gestured him away from the table.
Vin followed, his brow furrowing in a mixture of curiosity and an expectation of something in the horizon that might be trouble except he was not quite sure. Even though his friends turned their attention back to their barroom pursuits, there was no doubt in Vin’s mind that they were tuned into what was happening between himself and Alex. He followed her almost to the door where they would definitely be out of earshot of everyone before she paused and faced him.
"Vin," Alex said seriously. "I have news."
"What news?" Vin asked firmly. "Alex, you’re making me really nervous."
"Brace yourself," she said shortly. "What I’m about to tell you isn’t going to make you feel any less."
"What is it?" He tensed, wondering what calamity she was about to drop into his lap.
"I’m late." She declared, a held breath escaping with her words at the same time.
"For what?" He asked mutely.
"VIN!" She cried out in exasperation and hit on the arm. "I mean late as in pregnant!" Alex hissed.
"With a baby?" Vin stared at her.
"Do you all read from the same book of stupid questions?" Alex rolled her eyes. "Yes, with a baby."
"When? Are you okay? What can I do?" He stuttered once it began to sink in.
"First; in the autumn. Second; I’m fine and third; you’ve done quite enough." Alex managed a smile.
"I can’t believe it," he joined her feeling flustered, excited and terrified all at the same time, unaware that it was a gamut of emotion she had experienced already. "We’re having a baby."
"Yeah," Alex answered, started to enjoy it a little more now that she saw that he was clearly pleased about it. For an instance, Alex had no idea what his reaction would be. They had talked about children but then discussion and the reality were too different things. "I guess we are."
"Come on," he took her hand and led her back to the table.
"Oh no," Alex said retreating towards the door. "If I don’t tell Mary first and she hears it from Chris, she’ll have my hide."
"Right," he grinned and pulled her to him in a warm embrace, which didn’t feel quite enough until he lifted her off her feet and spun around the room. "I love you."
"I love you too." She smiled brightly, blowing him a kiss as she left the room.
Vin turned back to his friends who had been watching and were no longer feigning any effort to hide their interest in light of the scene they had just witnessed. Despite his ability to take most things in stride, Vin was not quite able to suppress the grin on his face when he joined them.
"Okay what is it?" JD cracked first. "You’re killing us."
"Come on pard," Chris added his voice into the mix, not usually one to pry but he had an instinct about what that exchange was about and wanted to know if he was right.
"Looks like I’m gonna have to get that house finished before fall," Vin replied, never being comfortable with Alex calling it autumn. "Cause we’re gonna need the room for a nursery!"
"Alright!" Buck exploded and was shaking Vin’s hand before he knew what was happening. Josiah was patting him on the back and Ezra was calling Inez for another round of drinks. Congratulations were being cast about the room as Vin returned to his table. A squeal of surprise escaped Inez when she had brought the fresh round of drinks and gleefully told by Buck the reason for the celebration. Her response was a swift hug before she hurried out of the saloon to find Alex who was undoubtedly in a similar celebration with Mary.
Vin let out a sigh and met Chris’ gaze. "Never thought I’d ever get to be a pa." He thought of his own childhood and knew that he wanted to make his son’s life a world away from what he had experienced. His son would never know a day of loneliness as long as he lived. "Can you picture me being a father?"
"Not really," Ezra smiled. "I have difficulty picturing you bathed."
"Nothing you say is gonna get to me Ezra." Vin cocked a brow of mischief at the gambler.
"Congratulations Vin." Chris said, his usually hard voice full of warmth. "To both of you."
"I keep thinking of all the things I gotta teach a boy and it just makes my head spin." Vin sighed, feeling almost breathless from the heart that was beating so fast inside his chest.
"You could have a girl too you know," Nathan reminded "Babies come in one or the other."
Vin swallowed his drink with a gulp and stared at Nathan with a stunned expression. "Girl?"