Bishop's Song (3 page)

It was his mental outlook that was troubling. While he believed strongly in the cause, the thought of a large-scale conflict knotted his stomach. Had he lost his nerve? The thought was interrupted by the squawk of the radio on his shoulder.

“Bishop? Bishop? This is Diana. Do you read me?”

“Loud and clear, Diana. What’s up?”

“It’s time, Bishop. You better head back to town. I think Terri is going into labor.”

It took the expectant father a moment to digest the news. He looked up to see everyone around him had paused, smiles plastered on their dirty faces. Shrugging with unfelt calm, Bishop pushed the talk button. “Okay, I’m on my way. Tell her not to get started without me.”

Before anyone in the class could say a word, Bishop threw down his pack and paintball gun and then was running back down the mountain at full speed.

“It’s his first one,” noted Nick, address
ing the now-chuckling circle of men.

It seemed like Bishop would never cover the three miles back to town, thoughts of Terri giving birth before he could return adding to his negative perception of what seemed like an ever-increasing distance.

After an initial burst of speed, he had to slow his pace. Despite countless hours of exercise and conditioning, he still wasn’t up for such a sprint and eventually settled into a reasonable stride. While he ran, Terri’s words that morning helped reduce his stress.

“I want you to go to the class, Bishop,” she had stated without hesitation. “You’re so sweet waiting on me hand and foot, but quite frankly I just want to sleep for a while and relax. Go play warrior games with your friends. I’ll be just fine.”

“But Terri, you’re due any time now,” he’d protested. “I feel like I need to be here.”

She had hugged him close - well, as close as she could with her huge baby bump. “I want you to go. You’re doting me to death, and besides Diana and I have a bunch of work to do this morning. We’re running a government, ya know.”

“I thought you wanted to sleep?”

Sighing, she’d stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “I do want a nap, but later. I’ve got to work a little. Go. Shoot. Blow the hell out of something or whatever the guys do. Recharge that wonderful testosterone. I’ll not have a wimpy man about the house.”

As he approached Alpha, signs of a growing civilization began to appear. A newly launched logging operation was felling pines in the distance, the humming of saws and other equipment interrupting the calm mountain morning. Wood was now in short supply, the first post-collapse home construction driving much of the demand.
I can’t believe we’ve filled all the empty houses
, he thought.
It seems like only yesterday that half the homes in town were unoccupied.

A mile outside of the city limits, he reached pavement, the smooth surface helping increase his stride. The second sign of Alpha’s progress, the beeping of a car horn, interrupted his thoughts.

Glancing over his shoulder without breaking stride, he spied an older pickup slowing to pull alongside. The bed was full of cow manure and chicken cages. “Let me guess. Is Terri in labor?” A friendly voice called out.

“Yes, sir,” Bishop responded between pants.

“Well, hop in, son. I’ll cut a few minutes off your trip.”

Bishop didn’t know the man behind the wheel, but didn’t hesitate to accept the ride. Jumping in the truck’s cab, he grasped the offered hand. “Able Crenshaw,” the older fellow introduced, “I thought I recognized you – you were hustling like a man on his way to have a baby.”

Putting the truck back into gear, the driver continued, “I remember my first. I drove Jolene to the hospital at 3 a.m. in the morning. At least your child is being reasonable about the time of day for its arrival.”

Chuckling, Bishop nodded. “I feel like the rookie with this father thing. Seems like everyone else has been through the experience already.”

The older man grunted, “I remember that feeling too, thinking I was going to mess up or do something wrong. Let me give you a little advice. Relax and don’t worry so much about it. Human beings have been procreating for about 150,000 years. Little ones have survived being born in caves, buffalo hide tents and around campfires since we’ve walked the earth. Somehow they made it, surviving without all the fancy-smancy medical equipment and doctors. The dads made it through too, and most of them knew less than you do. You’ll do just fine.”

Bishop sized up his chauffeur, the mature, calming voice and common sense soothing his nerves. He estimated the fellow’s age at close to 70. The faded overalls and weathered skin were indicative of a man who spent a lot of time outdoors.
“By the way, how is it that you know Terri, sir?”

“I fought beside her during the battle of Alpha,” he responded. “I was one of the lucky souls holed up at the church for all those months.
When we faced conflict to survive, Nick assigned me to her team. I was a little unsure about her at the time, but she fought like a cornered wildcat,” the older gent snickered, shaking his head. “That’s one hell of a woman you got there, son.”

“
Oh, she’s all that,” Bishop responded. Wanting to change the subject, he glanced back at the odd assortment of cargo in the bed. “Hey, I sure appreciate the lift by the way. Did I catch you on your way to the market?”

“Yes, sir. I’m hoping to sell the
se chickens to be able to fill my gas tank. Then I’m planning to drive down to the river and sell the manure. I hear those farmers down that way are desperate for fertilizer. If I can get a fair price for my cow dung, then I’m going to drive to Meraton and purchase some stuff I’ve been lacking for a long time. Butter and salt are on top of my list. Toilet paper would be nice. If I could find a bottle of tabasco sauce, I’d be in hog heaven.”

Smiling, Bishop said, “You never know what you’re going to find at the market. I’m heading to
Meraton myself, but not to shop this time. My wife wants to have the baby there.”

Nodding wisely, the old rancher offered, “I hear that doctor there is a good sawbones. Talk is you
have already given him a test drive or two son, so you ought to have had some opportunity to gauge the quality of his care. You give Miss Terri my best, although I’m sure she won’t remember me.”

Bishop thanked his benefactor
again as he exited the truck, hustling immediately to the small bungalow he and Terri had been occupying. Diana met him at the door.

“Her contractions are still several minutes apart, so there’s no need to be crazy
rushed. Still, I would get on the road to Meraton sooner rather than later.”

Bishop found Terri in the bedroom, surprised to find her reading a stack of papers with a laptop computer open nearby. She looked up and smiled. “Sorry to interrupt the class,” she offered. “I didn’t want Diana to bother you, but I guess it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Bishop sat on the edge of the bed, holding his bride’s hand. Assessing the pile of paperwork, he gently chided, “You’re in labor, you know. Are you planning to expand our irrigation system while you bring a new life into the world?”

“I could be in labor for days, Bishop.
The pain comes and goes. The work helps take my mind off the contractions. Seriously though, you know how sensitive my nose is these days. You better go hop in the shower, or we’ll be driving with the windows down all the way to Meraton. And I would rather not greet my child with bugs between my teeth. Don’t worry, Bishop. I’m just fine.”

Kissing her on the cheek, he made for
the bathroom where he found a fresh set of clothes already laid out. During the quick rinse, his mind was engaged in check listing everything he needed to do for the upcoming event. The truck was already packed with their clothing and gear; its tank full of gasoline. He took a moment to reflect on how lucky they were to have fuel. If the baby had come just a few short months ago, he might not have been able to drive any distance at all.
If you think you’re nervous now
, he reflected,
think about how jumpy you would be if you had to deliver the child by yourself out at the ranch.
Despite Terri’s reassurances, it was a quick suds, rinse and dry, the pain and soreness he’d felt just minutes before seemingly washed down the drain.

A few last minute items
laid beside the bed. As Bishop carried them out, Diana and Terri embraced. “Nick and I will drive down to Meraton as soon as he gets back,” the mayor of Alpha promised.

And then they were driving out of town, Terri fussing wit
h the passenger seat’s controls. First, she moved the seat back to accommodate her extra girth, then readjusted it slightly forward to enable her to hear Bishop’s words with more ease. Next, she tilted the seat back to position herself best for the contractions. Once she managed the more reclining position, she realized she would probably relax more if she were able to enjoy the distractions she could see outside the truck if her seat were raised. Her final undertaking involved finessing the ride through proper engagement of the vehicle’s lumbar support in a last ditch effort to get comfortable. The expectant father rarely engaged his wife during the process, but quietly wondered how much more “adjusting” the seat’s controls could take.

It was normally an hour’s drive to
Meraton, but Bishop couldn’t keep his foot off the accelerator. Even before society’s collapse, the two-lane Texas highway didn’t see a lot of traffic. Post-SHTF, it had become even rarer to encounter another traveler. Now, with limited quantities of gas and diesel available, the nervous husband carefully passed the odd straggler now and then.

Terri’s condition didn’t encourage him to abide by the speed limit. Three times during the journey
his bride groaned and arched her back, grimacing in pain. The first two occurrences caused Bishop to question if the child was coming out right there and then. In a way, his naivety helped the tense situation, Terri managing a chuckle despite the pain. He decided to keep his peace during the third contraction.

Twenty miles away from their destination, movement in the rearview mirror caught Bishop’s eye. He
glanced up to see a police car, lights flashing, rapidly catching up with his pickup. Despite living over a year with scarce traffic enforcement, his heart jumped at the sight, immediately wondering if he was about to receive a speeding ticket. The concern quickly passed, realizing that the few serving deputies had much, much more important things to do than set up speed traps.

The police cruiser passed Bishop, the deputy throwing a friendly wave as he went by. The lawman then pulled past, eventually settling in to provide an escort. “
Jezzz, Terri. You’d think you were a VIP or something.”

“That’s Diana,” his wife mused. “She must have called Sheriff Watts and told him we were on our way. How sweet.”

“I dunno,” the driver retorted. “Maybe he’s just in a hurry to pick up some fresh produce at the market.”

“Could be. Maybe he heard how
I am eating for two and wanted to get in line first.” Terri chortled nervously, shifting her weight again to get comfortable.

Before long, the outskirts of
Meraton lined the horizon, the appearance providing the couple that warm feeling of returning home. The market seemed to be in full swing, dozens of trucks, horse-drawn wagons and saddled steeds lining the main road.

Bishop turned off Main Street and made for the rear entrance of The Manor, the town’s only hotel and acting hospital. Much to the couple’s surprise, a welcoming committee flanked the back gate.

Betty was the resort’s manager and had bonded with Terri the first night of the couple’s arrival after their harrowing bug-out from Houston. The older woman’s expression made it clear she was concerned about the impending birth, her relationship with the expectant mom closer to mother-daughter than either of the girls would admit.

Pete, the town’s mayor and bartender, was there as well, bookended with two stout-looking lads who obviously had been recruited
for some heavy lifting.

As Bishop maneuvered to park the truck, he commented, “Do you think those two big guys with Pete are here to carry in our bags or you?”

“Neither one, my love. I think Diana has been on the shortwave again. She probably told Pete how nervous you’ve been acting, so he asked them to be here in case you faint,” Terri teased.