He swallowed, forcing moisture into his throat.Lord, give me strength. Help me do this for her. And for You.
CHAPTER7
He’d never seen such a perfect, fragile—and yes, strange looking—baby. Aaron could only stare at the wriggling body in his hands.
“Is it alive? A boy or girl?”
Katie’s frantic questions pulled him from his stupor, and he sent a look down the length of the little form. “A girl. And she’s already wiggling around.” Probably cold.
He laid the squirming babe in the blanket he’d prepared and wrapped both sides around her, then followed the book’s instructions for how to sever the cord. One thing was certain, he’d never be confused for a nurse. Hopefully this would be the only time he’d be called on for this kind of responsibility.
With the babe finally freed, he wrapped the blanket tighter and lifted her up for Katie to see the little face.
Katie was sitting up, and her own visage glowed even brighter than the firelight. “She’s perfect.” Her tone sounded breathless. And exhausted. “Can I hold her?”
He could only chuckle. “She’s yours. And she’s remarkable.”
He shifted closer to Katie’s side, a challenge with such an important bundle in his arms and his leg complaining against the effort. Katie’s hands trembled as she reached for her daughter. Was she strong enough to keep from dropping the babe?
She’d been through so much—far more agony than Aaron had ever endured, even when his leg was shattered. And she’d fought with every breath to deliver her daughter.
A warrior, this woman. He could think of no better word.
As he laid the bundle in her arms, he kept his hand just beneath hers until he was certain she had enough strength to hold the babe safely. She stared down at the sweet face, surrounded by blankets. The babe’s dark eyes fixed on her mother, and her tiny mouth formed an O.
“Sarah.” Katie breathed the name. “You’re beautiful.”
The little mouth opened wider, as though Sarah was trying to answer.
Katie giggled. “Hello. Will you talk to me?”
Aaron’s chest gripped so tight, he could barely breathe. The pair were beautiful. Breathtaking.
But then Katie's body went stiff, curling forward. "Here. Take her."
She flung Sarah toward him, and he grabbed the bundle just in time.
As he pulled the infant close to his chest, Katie curled around her belly and rolled onto her side away from him. "Oh, why won't it stop?"
This must be that other thing the book spoke of, the passing of the birthing materials.Lord, why does even this have to bring her pain? Hasn't she endured enough?
As though little Sarah could feel her mother's discomfort, she began fussing and wiggled her head in the blanket.
He held her in the crook of his arm, tucking her close and bouncing her as he'd seen Doc Micah do with his own child. Aaron had moved out of the clinic a few months after the babe was born, but maybe he'd seen some things that would help Katie and Sarah.
He moved his free hand to Katie's back and rubbed the way she seemed to like.
The moment he touched her, she reached back, her fingers fumbling frantically. Did she want his hand for something? Or did she want him to hand her the stick she’d clutched before?
He moved his hand to where she could reach it if she wanted, and she grasped his fingers, pulling them. He moved forward as she tugged, but then she adjusted her grip on him and simply wrapped her hand around his.
She held tightly, so maybehewas taking the place of the stick. But the warmth of her grip, the acceptance in it, warmed all the way up his arm and through his chest. They’d been through one of the hardest ordeals anyone could suffer—at least for her part—and not only had they survived, they had this beautiful babe to show for it.
* * *
She should be sleeping, but Katie couldn't stop herself from opening her eyes to take in her daughter's face again.
Sarah was precious, from the innocent trust in her eyes when she looked up at Katie to the sweet bow of her lips. Just now, those eyes were closed and her lips moved with each breath that came in and out.
