Lawless Love

Chapter Six

Sarah shot straight up in bed. Everything was wet and the pain was unbearable. Jake was already gone and she was alone. She was able to get off the bed and managed to put her nightgown on. She carefully climbed down from the loft, afraid she would fall. Lafitte was there before her feet touched the floor. He was whining and trying to get to her. She fell to the floor from the pain. Lafitte laid down next to her and Rouser came running. He had only been with her for a few weeks but he was concerned for his owner. 

Jake's gut was turning. Something was wrong but he wasn't sure what it was. Something told him to get back to the house. He left the barn and heard Lafitte barking at the door. Jake took off running and covered the ground between the barn and the house faster than he ever had. He found Sarah on the floor and rushed to her side. "Sarah? What's wrong?" Her eyes were screwed shut. "Sarah!" Her eyes shot open, filled with pain. "Jake, help me please." she begged. 

He had talked to the doctor and the ladies in town so he knew what to do to help her. He scooped her off the floor and carried her back upstairs. He laid her on the bed and propped her head up with some extra pillows. "Jake, please. It hurts." He sat next to her, stroking her hair. He hated seeing her in pain, even though he was partially responsible. "Shhhh, I know baby. I know it hurts. Just focus on me. Look at me, Sarah." She opened her eyes and looked at him. Her breathing steadied a little and the pain subsided.

"I think the baby is coming, Jake. It's too early for the baby to come. I'm not ready, he's not ready." She started crying and she started panicking that the baby wasn't going to be healthy,  that he wouldn't make it passed a few months. Jake started rubbing her belly. "Shhhh, my sweet Sarah. The baby is going to be just fine. You're going to be just fine." She continued to cry. "I'm scared, Jake. Please hold my hand." He held her hand but kept one on her belly so he could feel what the baby was doing, like the ladies on town told him. 

Another contraction tore through her body. "Oh God!" Her breathing was ragged. He let her squeeze his hand. "Just breath baby. Just breath." Her breathing steadied some. The pain passed for a moment. "I know something that might make you feel better about the baby coming early." She looked up at him. "What?" she whispered breathlessly. "I was born two months early. My mother didn't think I would make it but I did." She waited for him to admit it was a lie. When he didn't, she laughed. "You're right. That does make me feel better."

The pain kept coming and going, with regularity. Jake knew once they got close together, he would have to deliver the baby. Sarah would pant and cry out in pain as the contractions came and went. She knew he wouldn't leave her side and she took comfort in that. 

The contractions were pretty constant and Jake knew it was only a matter of time until the baby came. He went and got cold water and rags. He knew he had to stay calm for her sake. He knew she was depending on her to help her through this. He took a deep breath before he went back up to her. She had sweat pouring down her face and she was breathing hard. "Jake!" she screamed. He was by her side in a second. 

"I'm here, baby. I'm here. Just breath. It's almost over. He's almost here." He held her hand through the contraction. He placed a cool rag on her forehead. She sat up and had a death-grip on his hand. "Jake, help me!" He slid her legs up so her knees were bent. He moved her nightgown so he could see if the baby was coming. "Not yet, baby. Just a little longer." He prayed he wasn't wrong. He took her nightgown off the rest of the way so it was one less thing he had to worry about. 

He changed out the rag and checked again. He saw the head of their son and felt like he was going to faint. Keep it together Redman. She needs you dammit. "Okay Sarah, I need you to push." She beared down and pushed like her life depended on it. The baby started coming out further. "He's coming baby. Just one more big push and he'll be out." She pushed again, this time harder than before. "Ahhhh!" With the last push, Jake was holding their son. There was blood everywhere on their bed but he didn't care. 

Sarah heard the baby cry. "Oh my God. Is that? Is.....is...." She almost passed out from the pain but she wanted her baby. "Yes, Sarah. It's our son." He quickly cleaned the baby off and cut the umbilical cord with his knife and carried the screaming baby to his sobbing wife. He placed him on her bare chest and sat next to her. She held their baby and rocked him. "Hello my sweet baby boy! Let Mama look at you." She took him off her chest and held him in her arms. "Oh my God Jake. He's perfect!" She counted ten fingers and ten little toes. She looked at her husband and saw something she had never seen before. He was crying.

"Oh Jake! What's wrong love?" She pulled his head to hers. He wrapped his arms around her and the baby. "I can't believe we did that. That was amazing how he just came out like he did. I thought I was going to lose you. There was so much blood." He wiped his eyes. He was taught at a young age that men weren't supposed to cry but it was moments like this that had to be an exception. "Oh Jake, it's okay. This is all a normal part of childbirth. I'm fine, aside for feeling like I've been torn apart." He looked at her shocked. "Jake, it's ok. Trust me. I knew that this was how it was going to go."

"I love you, Sarah. I love our son." Lafitte jumped on the bed and crept close to Sarah. Rouser was close behind him. "Oh Lafitte! Here's your new baby brother." He sniffed and licked the baby. "I think he likes him Jake." Rouser wasn't to sure of the baby crying. He ducked back and hid in the corner. "I don't think Rouser likes the crying too much." Jake thumbed at the pup. Jake picked him up and set him back on the bed.

He watched in amazement that the baby took right to feeding from Sarah's breast. They sat in silence while she fed their son. The dogs were content laying next to her. Lafitte was on high alert, guarding her and the baby. Jake felt pity for anyone that threatened either of them. "Can you please get a diaper from the wardrobe? I probably should cover our son just a little." Jake did as she asked. He was amazed how effortless she made diapering the baby seem.