Travis rubbed Josie’s back. “Are you all right, Jo?”
Josie shook her head, her forehead creasing as her jaw tightened. “I’m sorry, Travis. I haven’t been honest. These contractions have been going on since early this morning.” She met his gaze shyly. “And my water broke an hour ago.”
Travis’s eyes widened, his pulse quickening. “W-Why wouldn’t you say anything?”
She bent over slightly, breathing through clenched teeth. “I didn’t want to ruin the day for the children,” she managed, her voice strained. “And I felt fine. It can take hours before a baby is truly ready to be delivered.” Josie sucked in another breath, her face pale—paler than Travis had ever seen it. She groaned again, her body bending forward even more. “Now, I believe I am nearly ready.”
Without thinking twice, Travis scooped Josie into his arms. “We need to get you to bed,” he said, his voice steady despite the rush of nerves inside him.
Travis swiftly carried Josie down the hallway and pushed open the bedroom door, laying her down gently on the bed. He pulled the sheets to her chin, making sure she was comfortable. As he watched her, a memory flashed in his mind—Josie, ill and in pain in the fields. But tonight, she looked even more fragile. Brushing a hand through his hair, Travis exhaled, trying to stay calm.
Another birth, in the same room. A blizzard stirring outside. The doctor miles away.Sophie.Travis’s stomach tightened, hard as a rock. He had to do something. Josie couldn’t die on his watch.
“How are you?” Travis asked, his breath nearly gone from his aching chest.
Josie’s brows furrowed as another contraction pierced her, making her moan. “It hurts . . . so much.”
Travis raked a hand through his hair, a pulse blaring in his ears like a bass drum from a war party. There would be a war today—getting Josie the help she needed, facing the deadly storm outside. He glanced out the window, watching as the snow flurries whipped through the air so fast he could barely see beyond them. His heart sank. He couldn’t let Josie give birth alone in the middle of a snowstorm, and he had no idea what to do if he ended up having to help.
The doctor wasn’t an option in weather like this. Travis looked back at Josie, who was clenching in discomfort, her face tense and pale. There was only one choice left—Aunt Polly.
Without wasting a second, he turned toward the door. “I’m getting Aunt Polly,” he said, his voice firm, trying to mask the worry creeping in. “She’ll know how to help.”
Travis stepped out of the room and nearly bumped into Ivy, her eyes wide with concern.
“What’s happening, Pa?”
Pressure hardened in Travis’s chest. The last thing he wanted was for the children to be scared. Seeing their mother struggle during Gideon’s birth had left an emotional scar on them all, and he couldn’t bear to put them through that again.
Travis crouched to Ivy’s level, speaking in a gentle whisper. “Ivy, I need you to go in there and keep an eye on Josie. Do as she says. I’m going to get Aunt Polly.”
Ivy’s eyes widened. “But, Pa, there’s a blizzard. You can’t see.”
Travis looked at the ground. He hadn’t considered how him going out into the storm could affect his children, especially Ivy. He couldn’t let them worry more than they already were.
“That’s why I need you to keep an eye out. Don’t open the door unless you hear me, understand? I can’t have you freezing everyone in this house. Whatever happens, donotgo outside.”
Ivy nodded. “Yes, Pa.”
Travis kissed the top of his daughter’s head. “Now, look after Josie.”
Travis chose two coats to bundle with, along with a hat and scarf. He had four children, along with Josie and the baby to think of.Lord, please let this be worth it.He opened the door and quickly pulled it shut behind him.
The wind immediately howled around him, its sharp whistle cutting through the night. The freeze bit at his skin the moment he stepped out, forcing him to wrap the scarf tighter around his face. The snow was already to his calves, slowing his steps as he pushed forward. Aunt Polly’s place was just three hundred yards away, but in this weather, it felt like a world apart. Each step felt heavier than the last, but Travis knew he couldn’t stop. He had to get to her—Josie was depending on him.
He could barely see through the swirling snow, but he knew the barn was only a few feet away. Travis pushed forward, his boots crunching through the thick drifts. He only had so many minutes until he froze, so he kept his focus on the barn ahead of him. At last, the flurries parted just enough for him to catch a clear glimpse of the wooden building. With a rush of relief, he grabbed the barn door and slipped inside, quickly shutting it behind him. The barn wasn’t exactly warm, but it was a reprieve from the relentless ice and wind. His gloved hands still felt frozen, but at least the wind wasn’t slashing at his face anymore.
Travis rummaged behind a box of tools and grabbed a long rope, quickly untangling it until it was long enough to stretch in the right direction. He estimated it couldn't be over a hundred feet, but it would have to do. After securing one end to the barn door, he took the other end with him, gripping it tight as he returned to the biting cold. He held the rope close, trying to shield his face from the flurries, but the wind whipped around him, making it difficult to see. Each step he took was a battle against the storm, each foot of snow slowing him down. He knewhe had to keep moving; the rope was his lifeline. Each step was a step closer, but it wouldn’t be enough until the rope ran out. Only so many feet were left.
The wind picked up, howling like a pack of wolves in the night. Panic crept in as Travis thought about Josie lying in bed, ready to welcome a baby with only nine-year-old Ivy by her side. Poor Ivy—he couldn’t imagine the thoughts racing through her mind. He prayed this birth would be different with Josie, but as he took each step, knowing his life was on the line, doubts crept in—doubts he thought he put behind him for good. Would he really die for a child that wasn’t even his? If he and Josie both survived, could he father a child that didn’t belong to him alone?
The thought sickened Travis. He couldn’t think like this. Now wasn’t the time for doubts or confusion. No matter what happened, he’d be there for the child; it was his duty as Josie’s husband and as a Follower of Christ. Just like Gideon. The frigid wind hit him square in the face, stinging his eyes and nose. He tugged his scarf higher, a rough cough escaping his throat as the icy air burned his lungs. Gideon needed a father. It wasn’t fair for Travis to risk his life for Josie and her child alone. Like Josie’s baby would have been, Gideon had been robbed of a father. The realization struck him like a knife to the gut.
“Lord,” he whispered between staggered breaths. “I know I haven't been the best husband to Josie and father to my children, but Lord, I promise if you help me save her, I’ll do anything you ask of me. I’ll father Josie’s child as if it was my flesh and blood. I will never think twice. I’ll hold Gideon close and shower him with more affection than I owe him. Please, Lord, help me find Aunt Polly.”
Travis’s feet grew numb as the snow buried him to his knees, and the rope ended. He was on his own now. Without his vision, all he could do was walk ahead in faith.Lord, please guide my footsteps. Josie needs me, Lord. I don’t want to give up on her.
In an instant, the storm began to ease. The thick flurries thinned to a gentle swirl, almost as if the heavens had granted him a reprieve. A miracle, a true miracle. Travis couldn’t help but smile as he glanced up and spotted Aunt Polly’s cabin in the distance, the small log structure barely visible through the mountain of snow surrounding it.
