Free To Wed in Texas by Jodi Thomas

refusing to stop wearing a uniform he’d been told to wear with honor.
    Daniel glanced at the grave. The uniform would be buried today and, maybe, so would the problem.
    “Danny!” Wolf broke into his thoughts. “We got trouble.”
    For a moment Daniel glanced back to the road, expecting to see the lieutenant ordering a full charge across the graveyard. But he saw nothing and only heard the clenched whisper of a cry of pain.
    Karlee tried desperately to hold up the widow as Daniel-ran toward them.
    “The baby’s coming,” Karlee called as she lowered AmyAnn Blair to the ground.
    Wolf took two steps toward the women, then two steps back. “What’ll we do?” he asked Daniel.
    The woman’s sudden scream of pain clawed across Daniel’s mind. How many hours had he listened to his wife scream with labor? How many times had he wished it had been him who died and not her?
    “We got to do something.” Wolf paced. “Water! Where’ll I find water? I know there has to be water at a birthing.”
    Daniel didn’t move. He couldn’t. Her agony held him like granite inside the hell of his memory.
    “We have to get her to the doctor,” Wolf finally decided. “That’s it. There’s bound to be a doctor a few streets over on Main.”
    “No!” AmyAnn begged. “Don’t move me. Please. I can’t move.”
    “It’s too late to take her anywhere,” Karlee mumbled holding her breath with each contraction while encouraging the woman to breathe. She pointed at the three gravediggers who’d been quietly watching. “One of you run for the doctor and tell him to hurry. And you …” She raised her head toward the second man. “Go inside the church and bring me any clean rags or cloth you can find.” To the third undertaker she shouted. “Get that man buried!”
    Her sharp tone brought order to the men. Daniel looked at her, really seeing her for the first time. “Can you handle this?” he asked in a voice that hid his own fear.
    “I haven’t got much choice.” She loosened the woman’s jacket. “I’ve been doing what I had to all my life.”
    “How can I help?” Daniel asked, marveling at this woman who couldn’t make a pancake but thought she could deliver a baby.
    “Take care of the twins.”
    Daniel nodded. She’d given him something he could do.
    “What about me?” Wolf roared. The hairy giant looked like he’d gladly be sent on a mission to kill a dozen men rather than have to stand around waiting for the next contraction.
    “Get the blankets from the wagon and see if you can wall us in. We don’t need a shelter, only a little privacy. And clean that knife sticking out of your boot as best you can. If the doctor doesn’t make it fast, I’ll be needing something to cut the cord with.”
    The widow gripped Karlee’s arm with bruising force. “It’s coming. It’s coming. Dear God, I’m so afraid. Jesse! Where’s Jesse?”
    Karlee worked faster, removing the woman’s undergarments, keeping the outer skirt covering her like a blanket. “Now don’t you worry, Ma’am. I’ve helped with many a baby coming into this world,” she lied. “This one’s just in a hurry.”
    As Wolf stabbed two shovels into the ground and raised the first wall, the woman’s screams shattered the peaceful morning. Karlee noticed birds flutter and fly from the line of trees and thought she saw the flash of sparkle off of metal. If someone was hidden in the trees he would have a front row seat to the birthing.
    Karlee stroked the woman’s damp hair as she rode the contraction down. “With the next pain, you got to push if you feel the need. This little fellow’s knocking at the door, and we have to let him come on out.”
    The widow nodded in understanding, but her eyes were wild with fear.
    “Grip the earth,” Karlee ordered near her ear. “The next time you feel the pain take a big handful of Mother Earth and hold on.”
    AmyAnn’s nails dug into the grassy ground.
    Karlee accepted a handful of clean clothes