The Baby Compromise

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Rebecca set aside her feelings about how Colton had tricked her. Not that she could even say what she felt— annoyance, disapproval...or pleasure at how he’d laughed, a big, noisy laugh that tickled her insides.

One thing was certain, however. She would find a way to get even, though she had no idea how. Her life up to this point had not included this kind of nonsense. But she would think of something.

Right now the uppermost thought in her head was that they’d reach the ranch house in a few minutes. And his parents.

She looked about her, amazed and surprised at how pretty the area appeared. The buildings were in a little hollow, surrounded by trees in their spring finery. A clean scent filled her mind with joy. She picked out smatterings of color in the verdant grass. Wildflowers. She’d like to see them up close and inhale their scent. Would she have an opportunity? The buildings consisted of a hip-roofed barn, several smaller buildings in a neat row and the house. She had no idea what to imagine, but the house looked inviting. Low and rambling. Painted white with red trim. Windows on either side of a brown door. More windows down the side. Were these the bedrooms Colton had mentioned?

“It looks real nice,” Heidi said, her voice full of awe and a bit of longing.

Rebecca sighed. All this child wanted was a home. And her brother, though she bravely said she was glad Jakob had a home of his own. Rebecca would never let her know that she heard the child crying out Jakob’s name at night. She’d reach out and touch Heidi’s shoulders, and that always calmed the child. She wanted to do the same now— reassure Heidi that she’d be safe here. But as she stared straight ahead, her heart thumped rapidly.

In a moment she would begin an adventure.

She only hoped it would be an adventure and not a disaster.

I can do all things through Christ, she repeated over and over in her head.

But nothing eased the sense of dread and anticipation, and her chest began to hurt.

“Ma and Pa will be happy to see you.” Colton’s words were meant to encourage, but she detected a note in his voice that wasn’t as convincing as his words.

She squared her shoulders. She’d always been a welcome visitor, an asset at any house party. But this wasn’t a party and she was an uninvited guest.

He pulled the buggy to the front of the house.

Rebecca sucked in a deep breath, meant to stiffen her resolve, and almost choked. “What is that smell?”

He looked surprised. “What smell?”

She fought against a desire to wrinkle her nose. “That smell.” It should be obvious to anyone with a nose.

He sniffed hard and looked around. “I smell cows and horses and pigs, but nothing out of the ordinary.” His gaze jerked to her. “Do you object to the farm smells?”

Object! To such an offensive stench? Now, why would the idea cross his mind? But she wasn’t so overcome with the odor that she couldn’t see that she’d better tread carefully. She swallowed hard and kept her breathing as shallow as possible. “What’s to object to?” If this was the worst she’d encounter in this strange environment, then she could handle it. But her insides quaked so hard she feared she would swoon as another thought occurred to her. What if it was only the beginning?

She tucked in her chin hard. She could do this. She was capable and strong...not just a rich, city girl.

But she fought a desire to cling to the strength of his hand as he helped her down. Instead, she pulled away. She would not reveal any weakness to this man. Or anyone.

She reached for the baby Colton held, but he shook his head. “I’ll take him.” His low words rang with insistence and something else. Desperation? She studied him as he faced the door. Was he afraid to face his own parents?

Heidi clung to Rebecca’s hand. “He said they were nice,” she whispered.

Her words jolted Colton from his staring. “They are nice. They’re my parents, remember? Now, come along.” He led them to the door, opened it and hesitated. “You won’t be offended if I go first?”

She started to sigh, then stopped, not wanting him to think she’d sniffed. “I’ll overlook it this one time.”

He chuckled. “I’ll bear that in mind.” He stepped into the room.

Rebecca caught a glimpse of a table cluttered with dishes, chairs scattered around it, a stove with pots sitting on top and a cupboard equally untidy. She swallowed back a growing alarm that screamed to escape.

Heidi peeked around her. “It’s a little messy,” she whispered.

She’d never noticed before the child’s knack for understatement. Likely because they’d never before faced a disaster area.

“Ma, Pa, I brought company.” He stepped to a doorway leading from the kitchen.

Rebecca saw the tension in Colton’s back, making the muscles across his shoulders bunch. That couldn’t be a good sign.

“Company?” A woman’s voice quivered. “How can I deal with company?”

Colton moved out of sight.

“Where did you get a baby?” asked a deeper voice. Colton’s pa.

“A baby!” Mrs. Hayes sounded positively alarmed.

“I’ll explain everything after you meet the company.” Colton sounded guarded.

He returned to the doorway and waved them forward.

Clinging to the rigid lessons in proper deportment that had been drummed into her head all her life, Rebecca stepped forward, her head high, no fear on her face. Heidi clung to her like a burr.

A cot stood against one wall of the room with a woman perched on its side. Seemed she had been resting there until Colton made his surprise announcement. She was thin except for her protruding stomach, with gray hair that needed brushing and green eyes like Colton’s. A table stood before the cot, covered with a huge assortment of dishes. From where she stood, Rebecca saw dried food scraps on many of them. Every space not covered with dishes held assorted papers and books, like a hodgepodge of life laid out for display.

She couldn’t say what she’d expected, but not this. Not a house littered from wall to wall. Rebecca steeled her expression to reveal none of her distress.

“Ma, Pa, this is Rebecca Sterling and Heidi... Sorry, I don’t know your last name.” He directed the latter statement at Heidi.

“Strauss,” she whispered.

“Heidi, Rebecca, my father, Louis Hayes.”

Mr. Hayes sat in a wooden rocker next to the table. He was a big, handsome man with features Colton obviously inherited. Deep lines on his face hinted at the pain Colton had told them about. He tried to get to his feet and the lines deepened.

Colton sprang forward. “Pa, what are you doing?”

“I have to stand to shake hands.”

Colton tucked the baby into his left arm and helped his father to his feet.

Mr. Hayes offered his hand to Rebecca. “I’m pleased to meet you.”

She shook his hand gingerly, suspecting that every movement increased his pain, and withdrew as quickly as she could and still be polite.

Mr. Hayes turned to Heidi. “Pleased to meet you, too, little lady.” He held out his hand.