Amos hitched up the wagon to drive Mrs. Brown to her house to collect more clothes. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but he suspected strongly that she wanted him to go with her because she was afraid of what her husband would say or do.

When they got to the ranch, there was no one in the house, so she hurried inside and collected her clothes and a few other personal items. She quickly wrote a note for her husband explaining the situation.

He could see she was relieved as he held the door for her. When her husband appeared on the step just as they were about to leave, she froze. “Becky’s been very sick, Herbert. If I hadn’t been there for the birth of the baby, she’d have died! We have a beautiful granddaughter.”

Herbert Brown stared right through his wife. “You have a granddaughter. I have no family at all anymore. Anything you want, get now.” He stood rigidly, waiting for her response.

“Now, Herbert, you know it doesn’t have to be that way. Becky made a mistake, but she was married before the baby came.”

“I know no Becky. Get your things or get out.”

Minerva looked at her son-in-law. “Will you help me, Amos?”

Amos nodded. They were both exhausted because they’d taken turns sitting up with Becky for days, one of them always with her and the baby. “Of course.” He’d do whatever it took to help this woman who had saved his wife’s life.

Within twenty minutes, all of her personal items were gone from the house. She left everything he could possibly use and only took things that were hers and only hers. “Goodbye, Herbert,” she said softly as she left. She knew it would be the last time she saw her husband. He was too rigid in his beliefs to ever let her back after what he considered a betrayal.

The entire way back to his home, Amos waited for his mother-in-law to say something. She had a home with them for as long as she needed it. When she said nothing and didn’t shed a tear, he took that as a sign that the marriage really was over.

Hannah was feeding the baby when they arrived, and Minerva immediately took the baby from her. “I’ll feed my granddaughter.” She said the word granddaughter with so much pride that it made Amos feel as if he had a lump in his throat for a moment.

“I’ll put your things in the room at the top of the stairs,” he said softly, walking past them with his arms full of his mother-in-law’s belongings.

Hannah frowned at Minerva. “It didn’t go well?”

“Nothing happened that I wasn’t prepared for. Thank you so much for all the time you spent with my daughter this week. I think she’s going to be fine now, thanks to you and Dr. JT.”

Hannah nodded. “I’ll swing by tomorrow to make sure she’s all right, but I think she’s over the worst of it.”

“We’d all appreciate that.”

Becky waited until Hannah was gone before asking her mother what was happening. “Father wouldn’t let you come back?”

“He told me he no longer has a family, which means me as well. He let me collect my things.”

Becky closed her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Mama.”

“Don’t be. I knew what I was doing when I agreed to come here.” Minerva looked down into the face of the baby greedily sucking on a bottle in her arms. “You and my grandbaby mean more to me than being a prisoner in my own home.”

Becky decided to let the topic of conversation go. “May I hold her and feed her for a moment?” She wasn’t sure if she was still considered too sick for that, but she was feeling stronger by the minute, and her arms ached to be able to hold her baby.

Her mother frowned for a moment before putting little Belle in her arms. “How old is she now?”

“She was a week-old yesterday.”

Becky blinked a few times, thinking about the days she’d lost being so ill. “I had no idea. Thank you so much for being here and taking care of her.”

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. The two of you mean the world to me.” Her mother smiled at her, making it clear she meant what she said. “I’ll leave you alone for a minute while I go and get my new bedroom straightened out.”

Becky watched her mother leave, looking down at her child. “It seemed I’d never get to hold you, and now that you’re here, other people have held you far more than I have. Don’t worry, Belle. Your mama is fine now, and I’m going to keep you with me forever.”

Amos stepped into the room, sitting down on the edge of the bed with his wife and daughter. “I’m so glad you’re back with us. I was afraid we were going to lose you.”

She smiled. “I’m tougher than I look!”

“You keep saying that. I’m still going to worry.” He looked at the ceiling, and she knew he was thinking of her mother. “It was bad for your mom. Your father made it clear she was never welcome to come back. She’s going to stay with us, at least for a while.”

“Are you all right with that?”

“I am. She saved your life. I’ll pay her a wage if she’ll let me because you’re going to need a lot of help around here.” He couldn’t imagine letting her try and keep house at the moment, and he knew she wouldn’t let things get dirty. She would need to be up and moving around.

“I think that would be nice. Thank you for being willing to let her stay here. It means a lot to me.” Becky wondered if he had any idea just how much his support through this difficult time meant to her.

“She’s done a lot for us, so we need to help her out here. She can stay as long as she wants to be here.” He stroked her cheek. “I was so worried about you.”

Becky frowned. “I didn’t mean to scare anyone.”

“Well, that’s what happens when you sleep for six days.” He smiled at her, leaning down and brushing her lips with his. He couldn’t begin to express how afraid he’d been, so he didn’t try.

“My mother has taken good care of you?”

“She’s had every meal done right on time.” Not that he’d cared. He’d barely been able to eat with her being so ill. He’d done his best, though. Now that she was better, he’d have to get back to work. Thankfully, her mother would be there to take care of her. “We got a telegram from my mother saying she made it home safely, and she’d be back soon to meet her grandchild.”

“Oh, wonderful. I can’t wait.” She said the words in a deadpan voice, letting him know how much she really didn’t want his mother there.

He laughed out loud, feeling like it had been years since he’d had reason to laugh. “Sarcasm becomes you, my dear.”

* * *

Becky was forced to spend the rest of the week in bed, her strength coming back gradually and not in the big doses she wanted to see. The highlights of her days were the times when Belle was placed in her arms to be fed. She protested from the first day that she couldn’t do much, but she could feed her baby, and she wasn’t going to let any able-bodied people waste their time doing what she could.

At the end of the day on Friday, the doctor came and announced she was well enough to sit on the sofa if she was carried there, so Amos lifted her into his arms and put her on the sofa, arranging a pillow behind her for her comfort. As the doctor was leaving, he promised, “If you’re still improving on Monday, you’ll be able to start helping with the housework. Not more than ten minutes at a time until your strength is built up, but I do think you’ll be ready.”

Becky couldn’t believe just how excited she was about being able to get up and clean her house herself. Her mother was an excellent housekeeper, but she still saw little spots of dust from her vantage point that she wanted to eradicate the first moment she could. It was almost an obsession. “Thank you, Doctor. I appreciate the care you’ve taken with me.”

“All in a day’s work, Mrs. Bowen.” JT tipped his hat and left the house, heading home to his new wife, a smile on his lips.

After he was gone, her mother came from the kitchen. “Would you like to eat in here? Or back in bed?” she asked Becky.

Becky shook her head. “I’m staying here for as long as I possibly can. I’m done with that bed forever.”

Amos laughed. “You say that, but you’ll be ready to go back for a nap in an hour or two. You’re still as weak as a two-day-old kitten.”

She made a face at her husband, immediately regretting it when she saw the look on her mother’s face. She sighed. Having her mother live with them was a great idea for the moment, but in a week or two, it would be harder. She couldn’t react as naturally as she wanted to her husband with her mother there.

He opted to eat in the parlor with her, each of them sitting with a big bowl of stew. “Be careful not to spill!” her mother scolded as she disappeared back into the kitchen.

The whole time the baby was growing as well as could be expected. She’d taken to the infant food better than anyone had hoped for, and there were no problems with her not being able to tolerate it.

By Monday, Becky was walking a few steps when she needed to, going to the water closet without any assistance, and helping with cooking. Her mother wouldn’t let her stand up, so she was sitting at the table peeling potatoes.

When the doctor came, he proclaimed her fit to stand for up to ten minutes at a time and suggested she spend some time on the back-porch swing. At his words, she stood and hurried to the back porch. Sure enough, Amos had added a swing while she was ill, and she sat down there, soaking up the sun.

Having some of her freedom back did a great deal for her disposition as well. It took some of the work off of her mother, and she was able to think for the first time since her discussion with Becky’s father.

Minerva carried the baby outside and sat in the swing beside her daughter after seeing the doctor off. “I don’t want to stay with you forever,” she said without warning.

Becky looked at her mother. “What do you want to do?”

“I’m going to be a midwife again. It’s obvious that there aren’t enough qualified medical professionals in town. I can help.” Looking at the baby in her arms, Minerva sighed. “I had forgotten just what a joy it brings me to hold a child as they breathe their first breath. I will be as big a part of your life as you want me to be, but I’m not going to live with a newlywed couple. You and Amos deserve privacy as you learn to be a family.”

“You can stay until other arrangements are made. I think I’ll need you for a while yet.”

“You will. I just talked to the doctor about that. He thinks I should stay here for at least another month. After he’s given you permission to return to all normal activities, I’m going to be on my way. I might talk to your Mrs. Franklin and live in the boarding house. It sounds like she was good to you.”

“Did I just hear my name?” a voice asked from below the porch.

“Mrs. Franklin!” Becky carefully got to her feet and hugged the older woman as she climbed up onto the porch with them. “It’s so good to see you.”

“I don’t care nothing about seeing you, Becky. I’m here to look at that baby of yours.”

Becky grinned. “I want you to meet my mother as well. Mom, this is Mrs. Franklin. Mrs. Franklin, my mother, Mrs. Minerva Brown.”

Mrs. Franklin nodded cordially, but Becky could see the anger on her face. “Hello.”

“It’s so nice to meet you. Becky has told me wonderful things about all the help you gave her.” Minerva held the baby out for the other woman to see.

“Someone had to help her out. Her parents abandoned her.”

“That’s true. We did. I wanted to let her stay, but my husband wouldn’t let me. I can understand very well why you’d judge me harshly for that.” Minerva held her head up, but there was sorrow in her eyes.

“Mrs. Franklin, Mama came here to help me when I was in labor. I would have died without her. My father has kicked her out now.”

Mrs. Franklin’s entire demeanor changed. “I’m sorry to hear it.” Her hand rested on the other woman’s arm. “Consider me a friend.”

Minerva smiled at that. “I was just telling Becky that it would be nice if I could have the same arrangement she had with you. I am going to start midwifing again, but it’s been a lot of years, so it may take me a while to build up my business.”

Mrs. Franklin nodded. “You just let me know when you’re ready. Becky’s old room is still empty, and I’ll save it for you.”

“The doctor thinks I’ll need to be here for at least another month until Becky is on her feet again. She’s had a really rough time of it.”

“I wish you’d let me know. I’d have been here to help out.”

Becky smiled sweetly. “There was no reason to bother you. My mother came and stayed to help me out. By the time she leaves, I’ll be ready to stand on my own two feet again.”

Minerva looked between the two, realizing that this woman had been a substitute mother for her daughter when she’d been unavailable. “I’m going to leave you two alone. The baby’s ready for her nap.”

Mrs. Franklin took the spot beside Becky on the porch swing. “Are things really all right between your mother and you?”

“They’re so much better. She stood up to my father, and he now says he has no family at all.”

“That’s sad, but it’s his choice. I can’t imagine anyone rejecting you and that beautiful baby. I got your note. You’re calling her Belle?”

“Yes, it means beautiful. Everything about that little girl is beautiful to me.” Becky leaned her head against the back of the swing. “Just think, a month ago I was wondering what I was going to do when the baby came and how I’d be able to work. Now I’m sitting here on a porch swing rocking while someone else takes care of my baby, and my husband will be home before long.”

“How’s it going with Amos?”

“He’s wonderful. He loves the baby so much. The first time he held her, you could just see on his face how much he cared for her. His mother is supposed to be here again soon, and I’m not looking forward to that, but Amos is so much more than I ever dreamed he’d be.”

“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

Becky nodded. “It’s so different than the love I felt for Cliff that I didn’t recognize it at first. Now I can’t imagine ever not loving him.”

“I’m glad you accepted his offer. It was very smart of you.”

“I can’t think of anything that would have been better for me or my baby.”

Amos walked up on the porch then, smiling at Becky. “You’re on the porch! What did the doctor say?”

“He said I can stand for as much as ten minutes at a time, and I should enjoy the porch swing and the sunshine.”

“That’s wonderful!” He smiled at Mrs. Franklin. “It’s good to see you here.”

“You should have come to get me when she was so ill,” Mrs. Franklin told him.

“I would have if I hadn’t been needed every minute of every day. We were taking turns sleeping, her mother, Hannah, and me. It was a rough few days, but we all made it through.” He smiled at her. “I promise that I will get you if she gets ill again if there’s any way possible.”

“Good, because I consider this girl one of my own.” She hefted her bulk off the swing. “I’m going back to town now. I’ll see you soon.” With that she was gone, and Amos took her place on the swing.

“Do you really feel all right?” he asked.

She nodded. “I feel so much better than I have been. It’s so nice to be outside on a beautiful spring day, knowing my daughter is inside napping, while my mother watches over her. I feel like everything in my life is better now that Belle is here.”

He stretched his arm around her shoulders. “It’s nice to have a minute alone. I feel like people are always around us.”

“My mother told me today that she’s only going to stay as long as I need her. She’s going to have the same arrangement with Mrs. Franklin as I had, and Mrs. Franklin has agreed to keep my room empty for her.”

“How much longer will that be? I enjoy having your mother here, and she’s definitely been a godsend, but I’d like to be alone with my wife and daughter as well.”

“Another month probably, but my activities will gradually increase over that time.”

“Just don’t overdo it. Lean on her as much as you can.”

She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. “I will when I can. I do need to build up my stamina so I can take care of you and Belle. What will we do if I just sit around for the next month and I’m still not strong enough to do what I need to do when she leaves?”

“You’ll just have to do your best, I guess.” He kissed her cheek. “I’m glad you’re feeling so much better. It’s nice to have you up and moving around and smiling again.”

“It’s nice to be moving around and smiling again.”

He stood, holding a hand down for her. “Let’s go see if your mother needs help with supper. I’m home a little early because I needed to know what the doctor had said. The men are getting used to working without me there.”

“Is that good or bad?” she asked, a twinkle in her eye.

“It’s always nice to feel needed, but in this case, it was very good. I know that I can be gone for a few days at a time and my business won’t fall down around my ears.” He smiled. “I brought you a present from town.”

She smiled at that. “You’re always bringing me presents from town.”

“You’re going to really like this one.”

“I always really like all of them.”

“Go wait in the kitchen, and I’ll bring it in.”

She laughed, walking into the kitchen and sitting on a chair there. “Do you need some help with supper, Mama?”

“No, I’m good. What has you in such a good mood?”

“Amos brought me another present. It seems like he’s bringing me presents every day. That man courts me more than Cliff ever did.” Becky felt a coldness emanate from her mother at Cliff’s name. “You never liked him.”

“No, I never really did, and that wasn’t just your father talking. I watched him with you, and he didn’t treat you the way I wanted my daughter treated. He didn’t take special care with you like Amos does. Amos is a man I want my daughter to spend the rest of her life with.”

“I have a feeling you’re going to get your wish. I wasn’t sure when we first discussed marriage, but now I know I couldn’t spend my life with anyone else. He’s too special to me.”

Amos walked into the kitchen then. “I actually have two presents for you. There’s this one,” he said, handing her a skein of yarn and knitting needles. “This one is to keep you busy, so you won’t drive everyone around you crazy. And then there’s this one.” He pulled a long velvet-covered box from his pocket and handed it to her. “This is for giving me the most beautiful daughter in the world.”

Becky opened the box and gasped when she saw the necklace there. “It’s beautiful, Amos!”

“Maybe you can wear it to church when we’re able to go again. It would please me to see it around your neck.”

She stood up and wrapped her arms around him. “You’re the best husband a girl could ever ask for!”

Her mother discretely left the room, giving them the alone time they needed.