Disclaimer: All the characters from the "Magnificent Seven" TV series are property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide.
"Breathe!" Alex ordered the young woman lying on the bed before her. She was no more than twenty years of age and for Judith Dunlevy, this would be her first child. Labor had been difficult from the very beginning with the young woman unable to concentrate as she was too racked with agony to listen to any of Alex's instructions.
"Please Judy" Mary Travis pleaded as she dabbed a cool cloth over the girl's forehead. "You've got to listen to what Alex is telling you."
"It hurts!" she cried out. Her face was wet with perspiration and her gold hair had become a stringy mess of tangled strands. She lay in the bed with legs apart, awaiting the arrival of her child with rising terror, unable to understand how such a precious gift could only be borne of such terrible pain. Her fingers tensed around Mary's hand as another contraction surfaced, eliciting another powerful scream of pain. The urge to push was overwhelming and with the scream came the familiar tensing of muscles that indicated that she was doing just that.
"You've got to stop pushing!" Alex cried out, aware that the dilation was not complete and the child could not make its appearance until then. "Breathe as I showed you." Alex repeated the breathing technique again, once Judith had stopped crying and had gained enough coherence to understand her words. "When you feel it coming, just breathe out slowly. You keep pushing and you're going to damage the baby."
Judith nodded wildly, her hand grabbing the iron frame of her bed as she closed her eyes. Alex saw the perspiration running down her forehead before rolling down her cheeks to intermingle with the tears. The fear in her eyes was apparent and in that Judith looked no different from any other woman delivering her first child. Alex wondered if she would have that same wide-eyed look of fear when it was her time? She shook the thought out of her mind and went back to the bed so that she could examine the progress of cervical dilation.
They had been in here for the better part of two hours now. Judith's husband was presently out on the range, herding cattle for some rancher and was absent at this critical moment in both their lives. The girl had no family in town, a situation Alex could appreciate and had called for Mary's assistance when Judith's water had broken. It was highly likely that the entire town of Four Corners was aware of the impending birth for Judith did not bear the experience well and the raw scream of her first labor was heard throughout the immediate area. Mary had sent JD Dunne to fetch Eric Dunlevy, who really should be here for this important occasion and because his wife would need the help when the child finally did arrive.
"Alex, is it going to be much longer?" Mary asked as she went to soak the small towel in the basin on top of the dresser. Although the experience was nothing new to her, and Judith's pain was all part and parcel of the process, Mary could not help wishing it was over so Judith would no longer have to suffer.
"No," Alex shook her head, aware of why Mary had asked. She was similarly concerned at the way the young woman was handling the labor. "The cervix is almost fully dilated. I would say another half hour if that." The doctor wiped the sweat running down from her forehead, glancing at the instruments lying within arms' reach of her when the child finally did make its appearance. She hoped it was sooner rather than later because it did not seem Judith could handle much more of this.
"Are you okay?" Mary asked in concern, knowing Alex had put in a long day already. For some reason, Four Corners was having its share of injuries and ailments today and Mary was personally aware that Alex had been run off her feet since dawn. The Indian village where Chano and Kojay hailed was currently suffering a severe bout of influenza and Nathan was at the reservation, tending the sick there while Alex was left with the sole responsibility of treating Four Corners in his absence.
"I'm a great deal better than poor Judith here." Alex sighed loudly as she saw Judith convulse again. She was about to open her mouth to repeat her instructions not to push when to Alex's relief, she saw Judith performing the breathing exercises. The pain traveled from her swollen abdomen and constricted in her face, turning the girl's normally pleasant features into a fist of crimson. Mary immediately hurried to her side, to let the girl use her hand for support.
"That's good." Mary encouraged, stroking her hair to sooth the woman's fragile state of mind.
"I didn't know that it could hurt so much!" Judith wailed.
"It's that way for all of us." Mary said calmly, unaware that her soft voice was soothing in itself and that Judith was using it to focus in accordance with Alex's instruction. "When I had Billy it was just like this." Mary continued speaking although the truth was, she remembered the experience as how she had hurled nine colors of hell at Steven, swearing incoherently in language that even now made her blush, demanding an answer why men should have the gall to escape such torture.
"Okay," Alex announced feeling a surge of excitement as the moment finally arrived for this strenuous event to reach conclusion. "You're fully dilated, Judith. Start to push."
The woman let out a sigh of relief once given permission and immediately began straining hard. Her body tensed and relaxed as instincts older than her took hold of her senses. Alex watched patiently, watching through the blood and fluid for the first signs of the new life struggling to enter the world. Her heart was pounding faster, feeling some measure of satisfaction in being present at this moment. She was never prouder of her skill then when she was called on to herald new life into the world. Alex concentrated hard on the task before her, letting Judith's cries fade into the background.
"I see the head!" Alex exclaimed as a slick of dark hair peered out the passage of the birth canal. The head of the tiny form slipped past the walls of his mother's womb smoothly before pausing when the force propelling it forward had exhausted itself. "One more, Judith!" Alex called out. "One long push!"
Judith let out a frustrated cry of exhaustion and then ground her teeth to strain again. The pressure of her muscles pushed the child forward, allowing the whimpering babe to slide wetly into Alex's waiting hands. Immediately, Alex reached for the surgical scissors awaiting use on the tray before severing the umbilical chord. The child let out a plaintive cry in her arms and Alex found tears in her eyes as it announced its presence with a hearty wail. "It's a boy!" Alex smiled as she placed the child on a blanket and cleaned some of the blood from its pink face and body.
"A boy!" Judith laughed through her exhaustion and allowed her head to lop back as she recovered from the experience.
"Mary, I need you!" Alex called and the newspaperwoman hurried to the doctor immediately. "You want to show Judith her son while I take of the rest of it?" The doctor smiled as she handled the noisy bundle to Mary Travis.
Mary smiled brightly as she took the child in her arms and regarded the tiny face weeping before her. It was hard not to come away from the experience feeling the same awe and wonder she had felt the first time that Billy was presented to her. Mary could share the uncharacteristic emotion that Alex was feeling. Her patients rarely affected Alexandra Styles but this was one of those occasions that demanded exception.
"It would be my pleasure" Mary said cradling the child tenderly as she went to Judith and presented the young mother with her first born child. The girl shuddered slightly at the sight of the small face staring at her. The baby had ceased its crying and regarded the woman before him with an innocent look of indifference that only made her cry. Tears of happiness ran down her cheeks as she stroked the child's soft cheek with her finger. After a moment, she looked up at both Mary and Alex with a smile on her tired face.
"Thank you so much" she said softly, weeping her tears of happiness as she thanked the two women who had helped her make this moment possible.
It was late afternoon in Four Corners, but the town was still bustling with activity. In two days, it would be the anniversary of the town's formation and the occasion was to be celebrated by a series of events designed to bring people out in droves and inspire investment by any passing visitors. As Alex made her way down the boardwalk towards her home, she saw the town committee members putting up colorful streamers and other garish decorations. A banner hung across the main street that announced the 12th Founding of Four Corners, with a brief list of events to celebrate the occasion. There was apparently something going on called a hog tying contest and a picnic basket auction, not to mention a dance, which she had no intention of attending. Still, the hog-tying thing seemed mildly fascinating and begged attendance just so she could see what it was.
As she continued down the boardwalk, she noticed shops being swept out and cleaned, everyone was making an effort to make the town tidier. She wondered why that was necessary actually, considering most of the people attending the celebration would be townspeople and they already knew what the place looked like, clean or filthy. Alex knew she was being a little cynical but today she could not help it. In the last eight hours, she had delivered a baby, mended at least five broken bones on five different people, made three house calls for ailing children, not to mention dealt with one drunk who had fallen off his bunk in the jailhouse and knocked out three teeth.
This was not a good day for her.
She had not progressed very far down the street, when she happened upon the new Emporium that had opened for business in the past week. It had been under construction for a little over a month, and from what Alex had been told was doing a brisk business ever since the doors opened. She observed the store with its bright awning and its fresh paint and felt a passing curiosity that vanished as soon as she remembered who owned the establishment.
Although it had been almost six weeks since Alex and Ezra Standish had dissolved their relationship, it still stung every time Alex saw the gambler in the company of Julia Pemberton. It was not so much that she still pined for him, on the contrary as a matter of fact, it was knowing that she had lost him to someone like Julia that galled her so much. Deciding that she was only going to work herself up into a venomous mood if she kept her eye on the place, Alex faced front and continued walking. She would console herself by putting up her feet and soaking in a tub for the rest of the day.
She had no more than passed the store, when she saw Vin Tanner riding through town like a bat out of hell. His eyes searched the streets as he rode and Alex hoped that there was no crises coming to town that would require her replenishing her stocks on bandages and sutures. The seven men who protected the town had a tendency to attract trouble like a magnet and it was no wonder they had a full time physician counted within their ranks.
Alex watched him ride, unable to ignore the look of worry on his face. He was hard to read at the best of times but the expression in his eyes appeared to be one of concern. When his gaze met hers with those dark blue eyes of his, Vin immediately nudged Peso in her direction and Alex immediately felt alarm flare in her chest. Was one of the seven hurt? She had not seen all of the men today and was unaware of any trouble in town. She stepped off the boardwalk onto the street, he climbed off Peso when he reached her.
"Alex" Vin dismounted the animal and tipped his hat slightly as he approached her, his dark eyes staring intently at her as always.
"Is something wrong?" she inquired.
"I need you to come out to Nettie Wells' with me." Vin stated.
"What's wrong? Is Nettie hurt?" Alex asked with rising worry. Nettie and Casey Wells owned a farm some distance out of Four Corners and performed most of the work on the property that should be undertaken by a number of farm hands. Unfortunately, Nettie was too proud to ask for help and too poor to pay for it. Alex knew Vin occasionally stopped there to do some of the heavier chores and hoped nothing unfortunate had befallen the feisty old lady.
"Nettie's fine" Vin reassured her quickly "Dulcie ain't though." He explained as he steered her towards Peso. He noticed that Alex had her doctor's bag with her and was pleased knowing that they would not need to waste the time going to her house to retrieve it. There was little time to spare as it was.
"Dulcie?" Alex did not recognize the name as she found herself standing before Peso with no idea how she had been maneuvered there.
"Dulcie's baby is coming out wrong. She needs your help." Vin said quickly.
Another baby? Alex thought to herself. Was there something in the water that was sending every pregnant woman into labor today?
"A breach?" Alex frowned, knowing how dangerous that could be. "Help me up." She instructed and he put his hands on her waist and lifted her up on Peso. Alex tried not to blush as she felt his hands on her hips and remembered how delightful those gentle those hands had been when employed for a completely different purpose. Alex shook such thoughts out of her head and remembered that there was an emergency awaiting her at the Wells' farm.
With a sigh, Alex decided her bath was just going to have to wait.
Vin climbed onto the horse once Alex was settled in place. He could not keep himself from smiling slightly at the feel of her arms around his waist, remembering the last time they had traveled like this. He certainly hoped this short trip to Nettie's would not end up like that three-day ordeal and checked the sky just to make sure. Fortunately, the clouds did not promise any of the downpour that had pursued them relentlessly during that journey. It was deep into fall, and although the sun was shining, the chill whispering the coming of winter was markedly present in the air.
"How long into labor is she?" Alex asked as they started out of town. Strangely enough, she no longer felt discomfort being in close proximity to Vin Tanner. When she had first broken up with Ezra, seeing the handsome tracker was more than she could stand. She was torn between running to him for comfort or slapping him because he was a man. Eventually, she decided to do neither.
"I don't know." Vin confessed, savoring the feel of her body against his back. In the past six weeks, he had gone to great lengths to keep his distance, knowing it would be all to easy for him to take advantage of her broken heart because of his own feelings for her. Vin did not want Alex on the rebound from another man, and he could tell now that she had recovered from her relationship with Ezra. "I stopped there on my way back from the village and helped Nettie out with some chores. About an hour ago, she said Dulcie's time was close."
They galloped out of town quickly, leaving the frantic preparation of Four Corner's anniversary far behind. In truth, Alex did not mind a few hours out of the town limits to take in some peace and quiet. After the day she had put in, Alex knew she would enjoy a ride away from all the noise and people of Four Corners. There was even a part of her that did not mind taking that ride with Vin Tanner, even though she still wanted her bath.
"So is Dulcie one of Nettie's relatives?" Alex asked as she took in the sight of the golden grass and the trees that covered the plains now that they were well and truly away from the civilization of the town. Alex found herself starting to relax the more distance they put between themselves and Four Corners.
"No," Vin looked over his shoulder at her in confusion. "Dulcie's is Nettie's cow."
"A cow!" Alex exclaimed as her jaw dropped open in outrage. "You dragged me away from a hot bath because of a cow?"
"She needs your help" Vin said firmly, rolling his eyes because he knew this civility between them could not last. It never did. Sooner or later they would be fighting about something. With a smile, Vin realized he had forgotten how arousing that could be. "Nettie can't afford to lose her" he insisted instead.
"I know that," Alex snapped. "But I don't know anything about cows!" she complained. She dealt in human patients not livestock!
"How different could it be?" Vin looked at her innocently and decided this was absolutely the reason why he had not told her that Dulcie was a bovine in the first place. Dulcie was Nettie's only source of milk, and Vin knew how tough things were for the widow. He also knew that despite her protests, Alex would not hesitate to lend the widow a helping hand, no matter how undignified the situation.
Alex slapped him on the shoulder and was further infuriated when he let out a soft chuckle of amusement. "If that was your attempt to be funny, I am not amused."
"Look," Vin said in that silky smooth voice of his that indicated he was not joking about what he was about to say next. "You're the only one who can help Dulcie."
Alex groaned and buried her face in his back and she complained soundlessly into his buckskin coat. He was right of course, and there was no way that Alex was going to let Nettie's cow suffer such a terrible ordeal where its life could be lost. "I had plans," she sighed, looking up after a moment, "I was going to draw a bath and soak for hours."
"You deliver Dulcie's calf and I'll draw the damn bath for you." Vin said exasperated. "Hell, I'll even scrub your back if you like. Although you're gonna to have to pay me extra for that." He glanced over his shoulder and delivered a perfectly devilishly smile that succeeded in his getting another sharp slap across the shoulder.
"You wish" Alex retorted but could not keep the smile from her lips.
The next person who asked Chris Larabee if he was going to be escorting Mary Travis to the dance was going to be shot dead on the spot. Chris did not give a damn if he was meant to be the law in town or not. All day he had been accosted by well meaning townspeople who wanted to know if she would be entering a picnic basket in the raffle, or if he knew if she had completed the list of contributors for the dance's refreshment stand. He was being bombarded with all sorts of trivial nonsense just because he was now recognized as being her.... Chris could not even bring himself to say the word.
The word is beau, Larabee.
Chris winced as he entered the saloon, hoping that was the one place that would offer solitude from the madness that was taking place in the town. What had happened to those wonderful days when everyone was afraid of him and no one would say anything to him unless they couldn't help it? The answer was plain enough for even him to see. Since he was openly engaged in a relationship with a community leader, some twisted logic on the part of the townsfolk had decided that he was respectable too. Him, Chris Larabee, the original bad element himself. The humiliation was beyond expression.
Of course, Mary found this all very amusing. For some reason she delighted in his discomfiture every time one of these things happened. Each time Chris had asked Mary to let her neighbors know that he did not care to go to church on Sundays, and who gave a rat's ass if it was proper Christian behavior to spend most of his time in a saloon, she could only laugh. He tried to remember if being married to Sarah was even half as hard as simply courting Mary Travis and found that he could not make a distinction.
"Whiskey, Inez" Chris growled as he leaned against the bar. The saloon was half-empty because most of the patrons were outside engaging in some part of the preparations for the coming anniversary celebrations. Even the seven were oddly absent from the saloon except for Ezra, Buck and JD. Josiah had been asked to speed up work on his church so that a special service could be held there, with a request to deliver a sermon for the occasion. Chris had never seen the preacher so flabbergasted in his entire life. Josiah had faced all kinds of threats since Chris had met him. Killers, outlaws, confederate fanatics, not to mention your odd bounty hunter, but real terror flowed in Josiah's eyes when he was told he was going to get an audience for his usually sparse sermons.
"Is there something the matter Mr. Larabee?" Ezra inquired, taking solace inside his saloon because the street outside was too frantic for his liking.
"No whisky" he grumbled, and received a dirty look from Inez who had yet to reach the shelf where the bottle was kept since he had only made the order a second ago. She grabbed an unopened bottle and placed a shot glass next to him.
"Thank you for your patience, Mr. Larabee." she muttered and went back to serving the other customers.
"Sit in a spell Chris," Buck asked and kicked out a chair for the gunslinger with his foot. "We need a forth with Nathan at the village, treating all those folk up there and poor Josiah working himself into a state over this sermon he has to deliver."
"How far has he got?" Chris asked, picking his bottle and glass from the counter and approaching his friends at the table.
"Well," Ezra said with a faint smile, picturing the last time he saw Josiah seeking inspiration for his big moment. "He has moved past the need to be poetic in favor of a more down to earth but accessible format."
"He hasn't wrote a word," Buck translated. "When we left him he was passed out in a pew with his nose in the chapter of the bible that says 'thou shalt not drink'."
"He's just thinking up all sorts of nice things to say that's all." JD defended Josiah in the preacher's absence. "I mean he could be dreaming up all kinds of important stuff."
The three older men looked at each other with the same thought and then snorted in unison. "Right."
"You know," Chris sighed as Ezra began to deal out the cards, "I think I might go back to the cabin and sit out this whole celebration. This town is being way too lively for my taste right now."
"I can attest to that." Ezra replied. "I tried to steal Julia away for some lunch and she practically threw me out of the store. The place was wall to wall with women buying outfits for this dance. Apparently, I was ousted in favor of an extremely good day at the til." With a smile he added. "A woman who loves money more than I do, God is indeed kind."
Chris shook his head unable to understand how that relationship worked at all. "A dance." He frowned, knowing that there was no way he was getting out of going to the event because Mary needed to be present and it was unthinkable that she go unescorted. Perhaps, if he asked really nicely, she might let him off. A few seconds with that thought and Chris knew that Mary would nail his hide to the wall if he made her go alone.
He missed the old days when he could shoot someone who pissed him off.
"Been a while for you hasn't it Chris?" Buck grinned, realizing why Chris was so unhappy about the situation.
"Surely you can dance Mr. Larabee?" Ezra looked at him in mild surprise.
"I can dance," Chris scowled at Buck, offering him a silent sarcastic thanks for bringing up that subject. "I just haven't done it a while."
"Its easy Chris!" JD smiled, pleased to be able to say with confidence that was one skill he knew well, thanks to his ma who made sure he learnt. JD remembered the Christmases where they would dance to the carolers outside their windows.
"Don't offer to teach me" Chris warned before anyone got it into their head to even think that.
"Are you escorting Miss Wells, JD?" Ezra asked, choosing to move on to a less volatile subject as he looked through his hand and began selecting his discards.
"Yeah," JD nodded, "and I ain't letting anyone get her basket either" he said firmly. "I saw how that Bart Cook has been sniffing around her when she's been in town. I just know he's going to try and get that picnic basket first." There was such determination in his voice that even Chris was unable to keep a smile from stealing across his jaded features.
"Go get em, Sheriff." Buck laughed. "Actually, I haven't asked anyone. Kind of safer that way cause then I get to pick and choose from a wide selection of poor, unfortunate wall flowers." He grinned with an evil gleam in his eyes that was purely Buck.
Ezra looked at Buck in a mixture of amusement and disgust. "Mr. Wilmington, you have no shame" the gambler shook his head.
"Let's just not talk about who has a monopoly on bad behavior with the ladies Ezra," Buck stared at him with narrow eyes and Ezra immediate shrugged guiltily because it was the truth. Occasionally, his friends would choose to remind him of the situation with Julia and Alex.
"He's got you there" Chris found himself agreeing.
"Alexandra seems quite recovered from that unfortunate situation" Ezra said clearing his throat, still looking uncomfortable in the face of that particular subject.
"She and Mrs. Travis delivered a baby today," JD pointed out. "Got me to ride out and fetch Eric Dunlevy."
"What was it?" Chris asked curious, although he was sure Mary would fill him in on all the details later.
"A boy" JD replied. "Got a set of lungs on him too. Between him and Judith, they were both hollering to bring the roof down."
"Well," Ezra said remembering what Maude had to say on the whole subject of birth and labor. "As my dear mother once said, if you were forced to eject something the size of a watermelon through an opening the size of a grape, you would have extremely good reason to scream."
"Ouch" Buck laughed as he saw JD trying to visualize the image in his mind and wincing when the picture finally formed.
Suddenly Ezra's gaze shifted to the batwing doors as two strangers entered the saloon. Both men were extremely well dressed, with one of them wearing a gun belt that seemed inappropriate when compared to the rest of the outfit. The armed man was almost as tall as Buck, with white blond hair and lightly tanned skin. The unarmed man was so well attired that he made Ezra appear scruffy. He was about Chris' height with dark gold hair that hung just above his shoulders and had the worn look of someone who did a great deal of travelling.
Chris watched the unarmed man's eyes study the room with an expression that could only be considered distaste. His gaze met Chris' briefly before moving towards the bar, which he and his companion approached slowly, as if they were sizing up the place before their gradual arrival at the counter.
None of the lawmen said anything but instinct had made them very aware of the new arrivals. Unconsciously, Chris' hand had moved beneath the table to rest gently against his gun. JD seemed oblivious to it all, content merely to observe because it was not in his nature to expect trouble from every new face. Ezra no longer seemed interested in his cards but was maintaining the facade for the moment. Buck kept shuffling his cards but his eyes were stealing furtive glances at the strangers.
"What can I get you?" Inez greeted them politely, unaware of the lawmen's suspicions but gathered that men dressed this well could probably tip the same way.
"A scotch for starters" the unarmed stranger smiled at her with perfect teeth. "A whisky for my friend here."
"Certainly," she replied and went away briefly to fill the order.
When she returned, she served the two men their drinks and was paid with a handsome tip. The unarmed men spoke before she could go to her other customers, "Have you lived in town for long?" the man inquired, unaware that his conversation was being listened to very closely.
"Long enough Senor." Inez answered, hoping this was not some attempt at pick up. Rich and well dressed he may be, but Inez really did not have time to think up a witty refusal at this time.
"I don't suppose you would know if there is a lady doctor in residence here?" he asked smoothly in a pronounced English accent.
"There is" Inez nodded unwilling to give him any information until she knew who this man was.
"I am a friend of Alexandra Styles' father," he continued, seeing that Inez did indeed know Alex and his long journey was not in vain after all. "I've come a long way to see her."
The mention of Alex Styles' name perked the interest of everyone at the table, especially Ezra who was now burning with curiosity to learn the identity of this mysterious stranger.
"Really?" Inez nodded. Unfortunately, if this man wanted to find Alex it was not going to be difficult and she saw no reason to lie, especially if he was an old friend of the family. However, there was something about him that seemed familiar, perhaps a glint in the eye that made her naturally suspicious. "She has a clinic on the other side of town. If she is not making calls, that's where she probably is. May I ask who you are Sir? In case I see her before you?"
"I never refuse an introduction to a beautiful woman" he said with a smile. "I am Randall Mason, at your service. This is my travelling companion, Mr. Rihs."
"Are you staying in town long?" the question came from Chris Larabee, who wanted to know what this man required of Alexandra Styles. Chris walked towards the bar and leaned up against it as he made a deeper study of this man now that his intentions were known. Chris considered himself a good judge of character, and for some reason this stranger with his expensive clothes and charming smile put the gunslinger on guard.
"May I ask what business that is of yours?" Randall looked at Chris in question.
"Just being friendly" Chris replied. "Alex Styles is a friend of mine."
The moment Chris said that, the man's eyes darkened for an instant. It was like a thunderstorm that had surfaced out of nowhere and vanished just as quickly. In less than a second, there was no sign of it anywhere in his face. "I see" he said pleasantly but Chris could sense the tautness in his voice. "May I inquire the nature of the relationship?"
"I think you best ask the lady that" Chris replied smoothly, knowing that he was being provocative. However, he wanted to know why this stranger was here because the hairs on the back of his neck were standing and that little voice that always seemed to know trouble was coming, was making itself very vocal in Chris' mind about now.
The man named Rihs moved his hand towards his gun in an overt display of force, which Chris more or less ignored because Ezra, Buck and JD were watching the exchange closely and would cover his back if he needed it. Mason saw his companion's action and spoke with that same oozing slickness, "Now Mr. Rihs," he said reproachfully, "I am sure this gentlemen was just curious and acting on the benefit of Alexandra. If I were her friend, I would be cautious of any strangers coming to town and asking her whereabouts."
Chris did not want to tell the man that he was being ambivalent simply because Chris just did not like him, Mason's explanation would serve for the moment. "We'll pass it on that you're looking for her" Chris said amiably.
"Much obliged" Randall downed the contents of his glass and then tipped his hat in Chris' direction before motioning to his companion to make a discreet exit. They departed in very much the same way they had arrived, like an ill wind blowing. Chris watched them disappeared out the door before he turned to Ezra and the others.
"Where is she?" he asked simply.
"I saw her riding out with Vin" JD announced. "They were heading out of town."
"With Vin?" Ezra exclaimed with just a little too much interest. "I am surprised she would climb on a horse with him again after the last time."
"Is it just me, or does that man make your skin crawl for no good reason" Inez remarked, her gaze still on the door.
Chris did not know why he felt so suspicious about Randall Mason when the man had done nothing to warrant such hostility, but Chris knew people and something about Mason just did not sit right with the gunslinger. After a moment, he finally answered Inez.
"It ain't just you."
The sun had peaked in the sky when Vin and Alex finally arrived at the Wells place. After the day she had been forced to endure, the lethargic pace of the ride out of town was exactly what she needed to recuperate. She felt so relaxed riding through the golden colored plains with a glorious blue sky overhead, Alex almost did not mind that she was taking this trip to play midwife to a cow. Besides, Nettie needed her help and Alex knew how much she meant to Vin Tanner.
Despite herself, Alex was struck by how natural it felt to ride with Vin like this. There was no reservation or inhibition when they were out in the open like this, away from the prying eyes of everyone who might take notice. However, being alone with Vin had its disadvantages as well. Like before, she was tantalized by the overpowering scent of him, and for once did not feel embarrassed when she found herself breathing it in with some relish. Alex rested her head against his back and breathed him in like he was something intoxicating. This time, she noted that it was not the smell of wet buckskins but the scent of sweat against his skin.
Vin noticed the effect he was having on Alex in the sense that she was more at ease with him than she had ever been. Normally, she would fidget and shift uncomfortably in the saddle, as if touching him was some sin now that Ezra was no longer in her life and there was nothing to stop her from giving herself to him. However, this time was different. Occasionally, she would rest her head against his back, pressing her weight against his skin and making him so aware of her that he could barely remember where he was going. For over a month, Vin had stayed away from Alex while she recovered from the painful heartache of her broken relationship with Ezra. During the rare occasions when they came across each other, she would look at him strangely as if trying to decide what to was to be done with him. Vin had opted to stay away until she reached that decision.
However, during the trip to the farm, Vin had discovered that she no longer felt so conflicted about being with him and her ease was reflected in the warm familiarity between them. She did not seem to have any difficulty touching him and when she rested her face against him and breathed deeply, Vin had to fight the shudder of pleasure that rippled through him. Vin still warmed himself at nights with the memory of how they had almost made love in the cabin recently vacated by Agnes Doherty who had moved away to North Carolina to live with her sister. Vin ached to taste her again, remembering the tingle against his tongue when he caressed her skin. He wanted to hear that breathless whisper of his name from her silky lips as he....
Maybe it was not such a good idea to keep thinking about that right now, Vin told himself when he suddenly felt his arousal taking shape in a way that was going to be impossible to hide. At least, not while she still had her hands around him and he could feel her breath caressing his neck.
Such thoughts were quickly brushed away when Vin saw Nettie and Casey who hurried down the track leading to the house upon catching sight of them. Judging by the expression on their faces, the situation with Dulcie had not improved and might have actually worsened. Vin had no doubt that Nettie and Casey had been anxiously awaiting his return ever since he rode off some hours ago to fetch Alex. He could see the marked lines across Nettie's face that made her worry apparent and prompted Vin to dismount quickly so that he could help Alex down.
"Thank God you're here." Nettie brushed past him and looked up at Alex who had also caught the urgency in Nettie's eyes. She met Vin's gaze momentarily and conveyed to him in a glance that she would do her level best to alleviate the widow's concerns.
"She's in a real bad way. I think the calf is stuck." Nettie continued. "I don't think she's going to last much longer."
Alex winced at the pain the animal must be going through, fully aware of difficulties when it was with a human enduring the problem. It was an agonizing ordeal that usually ended up costing both the mother and the child's life. Alex knew she had little time to waste. "Vin help me down please." She asked the tracker, her voice taking that air of professional confidence.
Vin complied immediately, never more impressed with Alex than when she was filled with such certainty about what she needed to do. Despite whatever doubts and concerns affecting her personally, Alex always seemed capable of rising above all that whenever there was a patient requiring her help. He reached for her and gently set her down on the ground, exchanging a warm smile of thanks because her air of confidence was going a long way to relieving Nettie's anxieties.
"Where is she?" Alex asked as she fell into stride with Nettie who was now making her way around the house to the rear of the property where the barn was situated.
"She's been in her stall" Casey explained, with an edge of fear in her voice. It was Casey who tended to the animals on the farm and Dulcie had been her responsibility since the first time Aunt Nettie bought the calf from the sale yards. "You can help her can't you?" Casey asked, trying not to sound like a child who was fretting about an animal, but she could not hide the feeling in her eyes.
"I can't make any promises," Alex said honestly, because she did not know how severely the breach had affected the animal. "But I will try."
That reassurance was enough to bring a wide smile to the teenager's face and she was indeed a lovely young woman when she smiled, Alex thought. It was never easy to tell with Casey Wells because she was always hidden underneath men's clothes and her manner was decidedly masculine. There was no doubt that she was feminine in every way that mattered, for she had the intrinsic characteristics of a young girl that Alex remembered fondly in her youth.
It was not Casey's fault of course that she lacked the social graces. Casey was struggling to do a man's work on the farm. In her attempt to lighten the load for Nettie, and because her aunt had taught to be self sufficient, expediency had forced away any need for all the refinements that young ladies were supposed to have in this day and age. However, at rare moments like this when she smiled, Alex could well understand why JD Dunne was so enchanted.
They entered the barn and Alex immediately heard the sound of Dulcie's agony from the far end of the building. As she walked through, the familiar scent of animal spores and hay bombarded her senses. Eventually Nettie led her to the stall at the far end of the barn. There were not many animals in Nettie's barn, just some chickens and two horses. Alex assumed that one of them would be for pulling the wagon stored at the corner of the room. Suddenly, she understood why Vin was so determined for her to help Dulcie. Alex had the impression that the animal could not be easily replaced if it were to die. Following the desperate sound of the animal, Alex reached the stall where Dulcie was kept and saw her lying on her side.
The calf that was making such a difficult entry into the world was evidence by its exposed hooves. It did not take anyone with more than a dose of sense to see that those were back hooves that were protruding outwards. It further concerned Alex that Dulcie was now so exhausted that the animal was no longer forcing the calf along the birth canal. Thus, there was no way of knowing if the calf still lived but Dulcie's agonized sounds forced away any inhibition she had that tending to a sick bovine was beneath her abilities. Alex circled the cow once before kneeling behind the animal to make a careful examination. It did not take her long to decide what she was going to have to do.
"The calf going to have to be turned around." She sighed after a moment. Rising to her feet, she returned to the trio, was staying out of her way beyond the stable doors while she was making her examination. It did not take long for her to decide on a course of action, even though she did not relish having to perform the procedure. Still, it had to be done and she was the only one who could accomplish it.
"How?" Vin asked mildly fascinated by what she was going to do. He had seen animals give birth before, mostly horses and buffalo, and usually a problem like this meant certain death. Most people would have been contented to put both animals out of their misery but Vin knew Alex would not subscribe to that course of action. She cared too much for Nettie to let that happen and he also knew she hated giving up on any patient, human or animal until she at least tried to save its life first.
"The old fashioned way," Alex replied, unbuttoning her sleeves and starting to roll the material up the length of an arm. "Do you have any flour?" she asked.
"Yes," Nettie nodded confused at the request, "I've got some in the house."
"Good," Alex nodded and looked to Casey. "Sweetie, I'm going to need some. Go get me a cup at least."
The young girl looked bewildered by the request but nevertheless hurried out of the barn, bolting across the straw. As far as Casey was concerned, no request was too strange if it meant that Alex could save Dulcie and her baby. By now Alex had succeeded in rolling both her sleeves as far as they would go up her arms. The sleeves reached their limits, just below the curves of her upper arms. Alex brushed past Vin and Nettie and went towards her doctor's bag. Reaching inside the worn case, Alex found the leather apron she used whenever she was required to perform surgery or any kind of procedure that would produce a great deal of blood. Donning the apron over her clothes, Alex entered the stall as Vin and Nettie held back, wondering how she was going to pull off up this bit of bovine midwifery.
"What are you going to do?" Vin inquired almost afraid to ask since her bare arms were making him rethink the task he had asked of her. A woman should not be required to do such filthy work, no matter how necessary it was.
"Dulcie can't give birth to this baby," Alex replied with a taut sigh, "she's going to need help."
"I can't ask you to do this." Nettie quickly responded. "You're a doctor, not a vet."
"Nettie," Alex retorted impatiently, "what did you think I was going to do? There are no pills or tonic for this kind of problem. I'm going to have to go in there."
Nettie frowned because like Vin, she believed that this was no kind of work for such a refined woman as Alexandra Styles, even if she was a doctor. "It just doesn't seem right."
Casey soon returned with the flour and Alex coated her arms with it liberally, so that she would have some grip when she conducted the slippery task ahead. Once she had shaken off the excess particles of white powder from her skin until only a thin veneer of it covered her arms, she stepped to Dulcie's rear and got down on her knees. She slipped her skilled surgeons hands around the exposed hooves and exerted some pressure against it and gently pushed it into the orifice one again. It was difficult at first as the life inside Dulcie tried to understand what was required of it. Alex was sure it was alive to understand and the movements were not a result of Dulcie's contracting placental sac. After a few attempts, the hooves were coaxed back into animal's body and Alex's hand plunged into its warmth.
Alex tried not to feel revulsion as she searched through the fluid and blood inside Dulcie's aching womb. She had handled a man's intestine in her hands ones and reminded herself that this was not different to that experience. This was a patient like any other patient. She reminded herself to bring it up with Mary Travis the next time she saw the newspaperwoman, that this town really needed a vet. Her fingers touched the shape of the tiny life struggling to escape the body and immediately examined it for a pulse.
There was a faint heartbeat that would not last unless it was allowed to emerge soon. As Alex had suspected, Dulcie was too weakened by her ordeal and was no longer making any attempt to deliver the calf. Thus, it would be up to Alex to ensure the calf's arrival. Working swiftly, Alex maneuvered the calf inside the walls of the womb, slowly manipulating it through the flow of fetal fluids to its correct position. Alex had to pause and take a breath for the smell was a little hard to take and she took greedy gulps of fresh air before turning back to her patient. Finally, the calf was in satisfactory position and Alex inserted her second arm as Dulcie let out another painful groan.
"Don't complain" Alex grumbled as she felt the calf's hooves and closed her fist around them. "At least my hands aren't cold."
"Vin, I need your help." She looked over her shoulder at the tracker who was watching her carefully.
Vin stepped forward, unable to imagine that Dulcie needed another hand since it was getting pretty crowded in there already. "I'm here" he said quietly, noticing the sweat running down Alex's forehead and the weariness in her eyes. She really was exhausted and now he wished there had been some other way to solve this particular problem without dragging her out here. Still, it was too late now and the best he could do was help her finish this as quickly as possible and get her home to her hot bath.
"Hold me," she instructed, "just under the chest from behind."
Vin merely looked at her. "We don't really have time for this" he said with mischief.
Alex rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Will you just do it!" she growled and found herself smiling wryly at his ability to flirt at the most inopportune times. Vin got onto his knees and positioned himself behind her, sliding his hands just beneath her breasts while telling himself that this was no time to be enjoying the sensation. She obviously had a reason for asking him to hold her like this.
"I'm going to pull in a minute" Alex instructed, not only to Vin but also to Casey and Nettie who were paying close attention to what was happening. The look in their eyes indicated to Alex that it was necessary for them to be told what she intended. They were worried enough as it was. "When I tell you Vin," she glanced at the tracker, "pull me back hard. We're going to try and do this as quickly and smoothly as possible."
"Okay," he nodded all hint of mischief disappearing from his face now that he understood the seriousness of what she was asking. Dulcie could not take any more of this arduous labor and so it had to be brought to a close quickly or else both mother and calf would die.
Alex leaned forward and took a deep breath. With her hands already on the front hooves of the unborn calf, Alex secured her grip and eased backwards gently, pressing into Vin who took her lead and moved with her. Tugging gently at first, she felt the calf sliding forward, fighting against the flow of noisome liquid and muscle walls rapidly contracting around it as the placental fluids bled onto the stable floor. There was more resistance as the calf approached the outside world and Alex found it soon required all her strength to keep pulling.
"I see it!" Casey cried excitedly as a pink snout and hooves appeared through the tight orifice of ringed muscle. Dulcie had tensed now and was making the delivery all the harder. Unfortunately, telling the bovine to practice breathing was not going to work. Alex kept straining in tandem with Dulcie, trying to maintain her gradual pace until the time was right for a burst of speed.
The head began to emerge as more and more of the calf's spindly legs became exposed. Once Alex caught sight of the first joint making it past the threshold, she called out sharply, "Now Vin!"
Vin yanked her back forcefully as Alex pulled the calf out in a slick whoosh of sound that made her fall backwards against the tracker. Dulcie let out a final sound of pain as her calf was finally expelled from her body. For a moment, no one spoke as Dulcie lay her enormous head against the hay and rested from her ordeal. In the meantime, Alex found herself face to face with a pair of blank but grateful eyes that regarded her with curiosity following its dramatic arrival into the world.
Alex let out a sigh of relief as she saw the calf blink indicating that it had come through its birth alive and well. There had been a moment when Alex had thought that the inducement might have come too late. She was covered in placental fluid, blood and one very young calf that even now was struggling to stand no more than a foot away from her. Alex watched it stagger around while she rested against Vin for a moment, enjoying the feel of his body beneath hers for a few minutes and taking note of the taut muscle against her back. Suddenly, she had some idea of what he must have been going through during their rides. Vin's arm remained around her waist and he sat up against her, breathing in the scent of her hair as they both enjoyed the miracle of life that was trying to stand on its ungainly legs.
"You did it!" Casey exclaimed in nothing less than delight as she ran forward and tended to the calf, ushering it towards Dulcie so it could begin the every important bonding process.
"You know something," Vin whispered softly in her ear as Nettie and Casey welcomed the new arrival into their menagerie.
"What?" Alex met his gaze.
"You really do need that bath" he chuckled.
Alex gave him a look and started laughing, for she was too pleased with her first bovine delivery to be mad at the remark. Besides, he was right. She did need a bath. "I'll say this for you Tanner, you sure know how to show a lady a good time."