Love's New Beginning (a Love Comes Softly fanfiction)

Marty and the Baby

In bed that night, Clark lay awake thinking about Marty and the baby she was carrying. He couldn't help but think of when Missie was born, and how joyous that was—but it had also been frightening, and he was reminded of a determination he had made then, which had only been strengthened when Ellen died: Their community needed a doctor. Staring up at the ceiling, imagining Marty in labor, Clark decided that they had all waited long enough, and he was going to do his best to see to it that they would have a doctor in place by the time Marty gave birth. From the looks of it, he only had a few months. He would have to get started immediately.

So that's what he did. At breakfast the next morning, he told Marty he was intending to go to town for the day. It was a cold, blustery day, and not his usual day for going, and he waited for her to ask him about the sudden decision. He could see Marty didn't think much of the idea, but she didn't question him. She did, however, mutter something about taking risks with his health and "catchin' a chill fer sure". Clark appreciated her concern, but as far as he was concerned, there was no time to lose.

While she was checking over her list, he lingered with his coffee cup, working up the nerve to have the conversation they needed to have. At last he spoke. "Me bein' a man I didn't notice what I s'pose a woman would have see'd long ago. I had me no idea thet ya was expectin' a young'un." Marty didn't look up from her list, so he went on. "I'm right sorry thet I didn't know. I might have saved ya some hard things. From now on ya'll do no more totin' of them heavy water pails. When ya be needin' extra water fer washin' an' sech, ya be a lettin' me know." He continued, thinking out loud. "We be blessed with lots of fresh milk. I hope ya be a takin' advantage of it. If there be anythin' ya need or anythin' I can do, I'd be obliged if ya'd let me know." He considered his trip to town, and added, "Seein' as how I be goin' to town today anyhow, I figured as how maybe Missus MacDonald would fix up a bundle of sewing pieces thet ya be a needin' to sew baby things. If there be anythin' in particular thet ya be settin' yer mind on, then try to describe it fer her on the list."

Now Marty did look at him, a quick flash, her eyes bright with surprise and happiness, and Clark had a hard time not smiling in response. Somehow he didn't think she would want him to, so he held back.

"Thank ya," she said quickly. "I'm sure Missus MacDonald be knowin' better'n me what I be needin'."

Clark noticed her looking anxiously out the window, and guessed that she was worrying about him being out if a storm came up. "Plenty of time to git to town an' back," he assured her. "Iffen a storm should catch me, there be plenty of neighbors livin' between here an' town, an' I'd be able to take shelter with one of them if I be a needin' to."

"But—but what about the chores?" Marty asked him. "I don't even know what to do or where to find the feed, or nuthin'."

He had a sudden panicked vision of her getting lost in a blizzard between house and barn, Missie alone in the house, and the thought horrified him. His voice rasped in his throat as he said urgently, "Iffen a storm be a comin' an' I have to shelter an' don't make it home, ya don't leave this house. Do ya hear? Don't ya dare worry ya none 'bout the hens or the hogs or even the milk cows. Nuthin'—I mean nuthin'—out there be so important thet I want ya out there carin' fer it."

Marty nodded in understanding, her eyes wide at his unexpected vehemence.

Clark tried to calm down from the sudden fear that had chilled his heart. "Might be a fine day to be a piecin' a quilt. The little feller will be a needin' a warm un."

Another nod. She had returned to her familiar silence, and Clark almost wanted to rile her up some just to hear her voice again.

"I'll be back fer chore time," he promised her instead. At the door, he hesitated a moment, then looked back at her. "I be right glad thet ya'll have a little un to remember 'im by."

With that he hurried out the door—he'd have to get a move on if he was going to see the people he needed to see today in order to start the process of finding a doc.