Montana cowboy bride, p.8
Montana Cowboy Bride, page 8
If she was going to keep the baby, she needed a plan. What would she do? Where would she live? And glancing in Miss Warner’s direction, Briar knew she couldn’t live here. She couldn’t—wouldn’t—live off Miss Warner’s generosity. It was a sure way to alienate her brother and lose her own self-respect.
After dinner, Briar put their dishes in the sink to soak and then joined Miss Warner in the family room. At the end of Wheel of Fortune, Briar dished Miss Warner one of the brownies Jet had made—apparently Jet could do everything—and topped it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Returning to the family room, Miss Warner frowned when she saw that Briar wasn’t having any dessert.
“What’s wrong?” Miss Warner asked as Briar sat down. “Jet’s brownies are delicious.”
“I’m sure they are, but I haven’t had much of an appetite tonight.”
“Coming down sick?”
“No, I don’t think.”
“Are we working you too hard?”
“No. I just have a lot on my mind and I’m trying to figure out the future. It’s not easy after spending the last four years pretending there wouldn’t be one.”
“I like that you’re taking your future seriously. You’re too bright to spend your twenties doing nothing.” Miss Warner muted the television. “What about Jet? Are you and he still having a tiff?”
Briar pursed her lips, remembering how her mother would use that word. “It’s better,” she said. “He took Judas outside today. Let him run around.”
“Good. No horse wants to be cooped up all the time.”
“I know. I meant to ask where I could take him. It slipped my mind.”
“What’s more important than your horse?” Miss Warner asked, sounding appalled.
Briar shook her head. “Nothing, I guess.”
“What else?” Miss Warner prompted, setting her dessert bowl aside. “I’ve been watching you these past few days and you have every right to feel how you want to feel, but I don’t think you’re a naturally moody girl, but you’re troubled about something. You look as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, and I might be ninety and clueless when it comes to technology, but I can be a good listener.”
Briar reached over and covered Miss Warner’s hand. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”
She removed her hand and Miss Warner lifted one imperious eyebrow. “Is that it? That is all you can say?”
Briar’s lips twitched. Initially she’d resented being forced to stay at the main house, but she’d come to admire Miss Warner immensely and looked forward to seeing her every day. Miss Warner was perceptive and didn’t mince words. She said what she thought, meant what she said, and for Briar, it was a relief. She preferred people to be direct, and appreciated plain speaking, although to be fair, Cade spoke a little too plainly at times.
“I have to make a big decision,” Briar said, gathering her thoughts. “I came here because I needed Cade’s input, but now I’m not sure I want his opinion. I’ve realized I don’t actually want anyone’s opinions because ultimately the decision is mine and I’m the one to have to live with it.”
“That makes perfect sense,” Miss Warner said. “So, what do you want now? What do you need?”
That was a good question and Briar hadn’t gotten that far. She thought about it until she had an answer. “Support,” she said simply. “I hope whatever I decide, I’ll be supported in my decision.”
“Why wouldn’t you be?”
“Not everyone might agree with what I choose.”
“It is your life, Briar, and as you said earlier, you’re the one that has to live with the decision … unless it affects someone else?”
“Not directly, no.”
“If it truly is a hard decision, it’s going to be painful no matter what you choose, so choose the decision you can live with, not just the day you make it, but every day after. Life can be long. Regret can be endless.”
Briar looked at Miss Warner, really looked at her, and it crossed her mind that perhaps Miss Warner had regrets of her own. Perhaps there had been different choices she could have made, or would have made. Perhaps there might have been love, and a family.
Instead, she remained single and held her own in what was very much a man’s world. But she’d done it, protecting the ranch and earning the admiration of her staff as well as the neighboring ranchers.
Briar had grown up not knowing who she was supposed to be. But for the first time in her life, she knew the type of woman she wanted to be.
Brave like Miss Warner. Direct, strong, but also compassionate. A woman who wasn’t afraid to take risks. A woman who lived by her own rules.
Briar leaned forward and kissed Miss Warner’s cheek. “Thank you,” she said, emotion deepening her voice.
Miss Warner caught her hand. “For what?”
“For being you.”
Chapter Five
Wednesday morning Briar woke up slowly and stretched before checking the time. Five fifteen. She’d slept in for a whole fifteen minutes today. The thought made her smile. She snuggled under her covers and dozed until she couldn’t put off using the bathroom any longer, but when she did, she noticed blood. Not a terrible amount, but still, it scared her.
Back in bed, she tried to stay calm as she did a symptom search on her phone but every article she read indicated spotting in the third trimester could be problematic and recommended she see a doctor as soon as possible. She didn’t even have a doctor nearby and hadn’t even seen one regularly in Marietta. Briar didn’t know if she should try to go to a local hospital or call around. If MerriBee was here, Briar would ask her, but Briar was hesitant to disturb MerriBee because it’d mean disclosing the pregnancy and no one knew.
But there might not be a pregnancy if Briar didn’t take action.
Briar waited until six to text her sister-in-law. She watched the time obsessively. The moment it was six she texted MerriBee, Can you call me please, if possible?
Her phone rang moments later. “Are you okay?” MerriBee asked.
“I think so. Actually, I don’t know.” Briar took a deep breath. “MerriBee, do nurses take a Hippocratic oath? To do no wrong and keep patients’ information private?”
“We have the Nightingale pledge,” MerriBee answered. “But I’m very good at keeping confidential information confidential.”
“Even from my brother?”
“Are you in danger, Briar?” MerriBee asked gently.
“I’m not, but someone else might be.”
“I see.”
But Briar knew MerriBee didn’t understand, or couldn’t, not without more information. “I’m pregnant,” Briar said in a rush. “Close to twenty-eight weeks. I came here to figure out what I was going to do, discuss my options with Cade, but he’s been away, and everything has been fine until today. When I woke up this morning, I discovered I’m bleeding. I’ve been online reading and everything I read recommended I get in to see a doctor immediately.”
“I agree, yes.”
“But I don’t know where to go. I didn’t know if you had any suggestions. I could go to the hospital in Sheridan—if that’s the closest to me—or…”
“Sheridan has the nearest, most comprehensive medical facility. Are you cramping? Does your back ache? How do you feel right now?”
“If it wasn’t for the blood, I wouldn’t know anything was wrong.”
“That’s good. Is there a lot?”
“No.”
MerriBee was silent a moment, thinking. “I tell you what, get ready to head to Sheridan and I’m going to make some calls. If I can’t get you in to any of the doctors I know, then go to ER at Sheridan Memorial on Fifth Street.”
“Emma is sick, so I’ll make Miss Warner’s breakfast and then take off.”
“Miss Warner is fine making her own breakfast. I want you to get ready to go, okay? I’ll call or text you an address as soon as I know where I’m sending you.”
“Okay. I’ll be on the road soon then.”
“One more thing,” MerriBee said gently. “I’m not sure you should be driving. Is there no one that could give you a ride?”
Briar thought about her possibilities, which was mainly Jet, and ruled them out. “No, I don’t think so.”
*
But Jet was there in the kitchen when Briar came downstairs. He’d started the coffee for Miss Warner, and he was waiting for Briar, his heavy sheepskin coat on. “MerriBee reached out to me,” he said. “I’m going to drive you to Sheridan.”
Briar flushed. “That’s not necessary.”
“If you’re not feeling well, the last thing you need to do is navigate strange roads.” He gave her a look as if he expected an argument. “Besides, I have some errands to run in Sheridan, and I’ve already talked to Miss Warner. She knows we’ll both be gone this morning so there’s nothing to worry about.”
For once, Briar was too anxious to argue with him. “I don’t know how long my appointment will be.”
“That’s fine. The ranch is full of people who can help, whether in the kitchen or elsewhere. You don’t need to worry about anything right now but getting to my truck.”
Briar was too relieved to have a ride to say anything but thank you. She followed him out to his black truck, which he’d parked in front of the house. He reached past her to open the passenger door for her.
“Thank you,” she said, stepping up and in.
“You’re welcome.”
Briar buckled up and watched as he shrugged his heavy lambskin jacket off and placed it on the backseat before starting the engine. He looked big, powerful, and commanding, as if he’d taken charge many times in his life.
“Do you have an address for me?” he asked, reversing and then pulling onto the gravel drive.
“MerriBee is making some calls right now. She said to head to the hospital for now, and if she can get me into someone else, she’ll call me with that address.”
He glanced at her as they left the ranch outbuildings behind. “You okay?”
She nodded but couldn’t smile. She felt numb and truly scared. If something was wrong, she wasn’t sure she could handle it. The baby had to be fine. She was so far along now she couldn’t imagine any other outcome than a healthy baby.
“I’m glad you reached out to MerriBee,” Jet said, ten minutes later as they approached the highway. “She knows all the best doctors. You’ll be in good hands.”
Briar nodded and looked out of the window, trying not to think, trying not to worry, trying to stay relaxed in case that would help.
Jet put on the radio, choosing a channel she wouldn’t have normally listened to, but the classical music was soothing, and he kept the volume low. Briar wouldn’t have figured Jet to be a guy who liked symphonies but obviously she didn’t know that much about him. She glanced at him, wondering who he was, not Jet Manning Sundowner Ranch hand, but Jet the person.
They reached the outskirts of Sheridan and Briar gave him the address that had come in from MerriBee, and they were soon taking an exit into downtown. Within minutes they were there, and Briar wasn’t sure what kind of building it would be, or what kind of signage would be out front. Fortunately, it was just a nondescript medical building, a box of a building, two stories tall with dark tinted windows.
Jet pulled in front, and she climbed out. “You have my number, call me when you need me.”
“I will. Thank you.”
“Feel free to call if you just need someone to wait with you.”
She looked into his face and saw the concern in his eyes, and it meant a lot to her. “Thank you, I will.”
Inside the medical suite, there was paperwork to fill out, a lot of paperwork, and insurance information Briar couldn’t give as she didn’t have insurance. But the receptionist told her not to worry, that it was understood that it was a cash visit, covered by MerriBee, and Briar’s eyes stung, overcome by emotion. Things were tough financially. Doctor’s appointments were expensive. It was the main reason she hadn’t seen a doctor more often, concerned about the cost, but today she didn’t need to worry about that. She just needed to know if the baby was okay.
It was an hour wait to be taken to an exam room, and then another twenty minutes in the exam room before the doctor appeared. But once Dr. Drew entered the room, he immediately put Briar to ease and wasted no time checking the baby’s heartbeat and then performing a low-resolution ultrasound which wasn’t harmful for the baby.
Briar watched the computer screen intently as the doctor performed the ultrasound, sliding the transducer over her gel-covered abdomen. She’d had an ultrasound early in the first trimester and it had been interesting but this … this was so different. This was a baby. Head, shoulders, chest, hips, legs. And how those little legs kicked. A hand moved, tiny fingers flexing. Enthralled, she couldn’t look away from the screen. She’d known she was pregnant but this … this was a revelation. This was her person. Her own human.
“Everything looks wonderful,” Dr. Drew said, holding the transducer still so they could watch the lovely movements. “She looks perfect.” The doctor removed the transducer, wiped the gel off, and put it away.
Briar sat partway up. “She’s a girl?”
“You didn’t know?”
Briar shook her head. “No. I haven’t had a lot of appointments.” She touched the tip of her tongue to her upper lip, stunned, and trying to process it all. “You’re sure?”
“She gave us a full frontal,” he said.
Wow.
A girl.
A daughter.
“You’re getting to the point you need to stay on top of your care. I’d like to see you again in two weeks, just to be sure, and from then, once a month until we hit June, and then it’ll be every week until she arrives.” The doctor wiped the gel off Briar’s stomach and helped her sit up. “Make sure you’re eating the right foods, drinking plenty of liquid. Avoid caffeine—”
“I am, can’t even stand the smell of coffee anymore.”
Dr. Drew smiled sympathetically. “Was it a rough first trimester?”
She pulled her blouse over her middle and tugged up her waistband which she no longer zipped all the way closed. “I was sick all the time.”
“That might be why you haven’t put on a lot of weight. But from now on, your baby should be putting on a pound a month. We want to see her grow. You need to take care of yourself, which means you’re taking care of her.”
Briar nodded, still trying to process it all. “I will and thank you so much. I can’t tell you how much better I feel. When I saw the blood—”
“Your reaction was perfectly normal, and you were smart to come in. Spotting usually happens more often in the first trimester than the third, but it’s not unheard of. I’m glad MerriBee sent you in.” He scribbled notes on the chart and, pausing, glanced at Briar. “How do you know her?”
“She’s my sister-in-law. My brother’s wife.”
“Well, she’s a treasure. We’re lucky to have her here in Sheridan. Please be sure to give her my best.”
“I will and thank you so much for working me into your schedule. I know you did that as a favor for MerriBee, but I’m really grateful.”
“Happy to do so. Now, I want you to schedule an appointment for two weeks from now, and then mid-April, mid-May, and weekly from the start of June. Also, pick up prenatal vitamins at the pharmacy. Keep my number handy in case anything happens. There’s no reason for you to worry, and if something is concerning, just pop in, and we’ll have a look and can stay on top of things.”
Briar nodded again and, after thanking him once more, he left the room. As she put her socks and boots back on, she found herself smiling. She’d arrived feeling so scared, and now she was … a mom to a girl.
Her pregnancy was fine and her baby, her little girl, was perfect. Elated, Briar sent MerriBee a text. Everything is okay. Dr. Drew said she looks perfect. Thank you soooo much for your help today. Can’t wait to see you soon and give you the biggest hug!
*
Jet pulled up to the small medical complex in Sheridan and there was Briar, on the curb already waiting for him. She wasn’t smiling but she no longer had that pinched look on her face.
He parked and came around to open her door for her. “Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yes.”
Her relief was palpable and that reassured him. He wasn’t sure what was wrong, and he refused to speculate. “Are you hungry?” he asked, climbing behind the wheel.
She started to shake her head and then nodded. “Yes.”
He pushed a paper bag toward her. “Not sure if you like them, but I picked up some breakfast burritos on the way. I also have some orange juice. Help yourself.”
She did, too, and it was gratifying to see her relax and eat. He didn’t try to make conversation, either. He’d worried about her all morning, and he didn’t know why he cared so much. He’d told himself it was because she was young and Cade’s sister, but in his heart, he wasn’t so sure that was the correct answer. At the same time, he wasn’t interested in exploring his feelings. Emotions were not his strength. In fact, previous girlfriends would say he had no feelings but that wasn’t true. He could feel, he just didn’t like to. Emotions complicated everything. It was better to make decisions rationally, to use one’s head, not one’s heart.
It was why he was still single. Jet had no intention of ever marrying, either. He only saw marriage as a necessity if someone wanted children and he didn’t. He didn’t get lonely, and didn’t crave company, male or female. Living in the bunkhouse squashed the need for socializing. When he wanted something physically, he worked out or met up with someone in Sheridan who liked seeing him but had reasons for not wanting to be in a relationship. It was really an ideal situation, and he appreciated his freedom.
“Where are you from?” she asked. “Were you raised around here?”
“No. Montana.”
“That’s where I’m from.”
He couldn’t help smiling. “I know. You’re Pastor Phillips’s kid, remember?”
