Spirit Journey: Historical Western Cowboy Romance Novel (Dawson Chronicles Book 3) (13 page)

              The little ferret kit started to fall and Joe instinctively caught it.

              “That’s impossible!  You’re a boy!” he told Percy.  “Boys ain’t supposed to have babies!  Stop that right now!”

              The baby ferret in his hand squeaked and another squeak came from Percy’s cage.  Joe saw that there were two other babies in the cage.  Even in his shock, he had respect for the fact that Percy was giving birth and gently laid her back in the cage.  He put the little pink ferret in the cage with her. 

              Looking at his hands, he didn’t want to touch the cage door until he’d washed them. 

              “Just stay in there and have your babies until I get back.  You shouldn’t go running around when you’re giving birth.” 

              He ran to the washroom and scrubbed his hands hard to make sure that he got all of the blood off them.  He jogged back to the playroom and closed the cage door.  A fourth ferret baby had come into the world by then. 

              “How many of them do you have in there?” he asked.

              Percy didn’t answer, of course.  Joe watched approvingly as Percy thoroughly cleaned her babies.  Then she started breathing a little harder. 

              “Oh, boy.  Here comes another one,” Joe said.

              He pulled the rocking chair over to the cage and sat down to watch, fascinated despite his aversion to ferrets.  Three more babies came out and Joe was certain that there couldn’t be any more in Percy’s womb.  However, another one began being born.  It got about halfway out and then stopped.  Joe assumed that Percy was just taking a rest, but when she grew restless and made grunting noises, he realized that the baby was stuck.

              “Oh, no.  Push, Percy.  You gotta get that baby out, girl.  What am I saying?  She doesn’t understand me.”  Joe put his hands to his face.  “I’m gonna have to help her.  There’s no time to go get anyone.  I don’t know how to help her, though.  Yes, you do, Joe.  You help foals get born all the time.  It’s not much different.  She’s just a lot smaller.”

              He opened the cage door and said, “Here we go again, Percy.  I’m gonna help you so don’t bite me, please?  That’s it.  We’ll go slow, ok?”

              Praying that he was doing it right, he put his hand over Percy’s hindquarters and took a light hold on the kit.

              “Pappy!  What are you doing?” his granddaughter Jasmine asked as she ran into the playroom.

              Joe jumped and dropped the baby.  “Shh!  I’m helpin’ Percy have her babies.”

              Jasmine thought she was hearing things.  She couldn’t believe that Joe was touching Percy let alone helping the ferret give birth.  She crowded in close to Joe.

              “What’s the matter?” she asked.

              “Well, it’s stuck a little, so I’m helping get it out.  There!  That’s better,” Joe said, sitting back again.

              Jasmine’s hazel eyes started intently at the babies.  “They sure are ugly.  They’re bald.”

              Joe chuckled.  “I agree.  They’ll get hair soon enough, I guess.”

              “She’s got seven, Pappy!”

              “Who’s got seven what?”  His grandson, Hunter, came around the other side of Joe.  “Her babies!  Percy’s finally having her babies!”

              Joe looked at him.  “Did you know that Percy was a girl and was gonna have babies?”

              Hunter grinned.  “Yep.  Uncle Rick wanted it to be a surprise for you.  He said you’d like it.  So, surprise, Pappy!”

              Hot fury surged through Joe, but he managed a smile for Hunter.  “Yeah, it sure is a surprise,” he said as yet another ferret was born.

              “That’s eight,” Jasmine said. 

              By the time it was all said and done, Percy, assisted by Joe three times, had brought thirteen ferret kits into the world.  Quite a large group had gathered in the playroom by this time.  Everyone was amazed that Joe had stepped in to act as veterinarian for Percy. 

When it became clear that Percy was finally finished having babies, Joe went to clean up, his temper boiling over.  Once he’d washed up and had checked on the ferret family, he left the estate, making a beeline for the Watering Hole.

He didn’t greet anyone when he walked in, striding quickly into the barroom.  He spotted the target of his anger and made for him.  Rick sat in his usual chair, leaning back against the wall with his hat pulled down over his eyes.  He heard Joe coming and had just tipped his hat up when Joe took hold of his shirt and hauled him out of his chair.

Joe swung, his right fist connecting with Rick’s jaw before the bouncer could react.  Rick was knocked off balance and he fell back down into his chair.  Joe kept hold of Rick’s shirt and slammed him against the chair so hard it hit the wall and Rick’s head banged off the hard surface.

The other bouncer on duty that night, Patch Salazar, grabbed Joe from behind and dragged him away from Rick.  The big Mexican man laughed at Rick’s shocked expression.  No one ever got the drop on Rick the way Joe had.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Rick demanded, standing up, while rubbing his jaw.  “Why are you attacking me?”

“Percy had her babies today, that’s why!  You’ve pulled some tricks on me, but not like that.  You know how much I hate them, but you did it anyway!”

Rick couldn’t hold back his laughter.  “Congratulations, Pappy Joe.”

“You know for someone who’s so responsible with his critters, you sure surprised me,” Joe said.

Rick’s smile faded.  “What do you mean?”

“It’s just a good thing I came along when I did because I had to help her three times when one got stuck!  She had thirteen, poor thing,” Joe said, surprised when tears burned his eyes.

“Is she ok now?” Rick asked, instantly concerned.  “She’s actually early.  I was going to tell you next week and take her out to my place.”

“Yeah, she’s fine.  I think.  You can let me go, Patch,” Joe said.

Patch released him.

Rick said, “I’ll come get her and the litter tomorrow.”

“Oh, no, you won’t!” Joe protested, poking Rick’s chest.  “You make sure they’re all ok, but they stay put.  You’re not gonna haul her all over creation after she just had so many babies.  What’s the matter with you?  And those poor little things don’t need to be shook up, riding around in a box like that.  Damn Mounties.  No sense at all.  Oh, Lord, I need a drink.”

Joe turned and walked out of the barroom while Rick and Patch laughed at his dazed expression.

              The sound of laughter drowned out the storm as Joe finished telling his story.  More than one person wiped away tears of mirth. 

Black Fox said, “I would have liked to see you pulling a ferret baby out of Percy.  I can imagine the look on your face.”

Bobby said, “I was there and I couldn’t believe it.  I offered to do it and he wouldn’t let me.  He wouldn’t let
anyone
near that cage.  He kept saying that you don’t switch ferret baby doctors in midstride.  It was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.”

“I did a damn good job, too, because they all survived,” Joe said proudly.  “That was about a week and a half ago, right after the rodeo.  I didn’t realize it at first, but the little varmints actually have fuzz on them when they’re born.  They were all wet, so I couldn’t tell.  But they’re all fuzzy now and cuter than heck.”

Everyone burst out laughing again over Joe calling them cute since he hated ferrets so much.

“Y’all shut up!” he hollered. 

Bobby nudged his father-in-law and said, “He even named a couple of them.  Tell them what you named them!”

“I’m gonna kill you, Bobcat!”

Dino said, “C’mon, Mr. Dwyer.  Tell us what you named them.”

Sheepishly, Joe said, “Well, I only named three of them because they’re the only ones that I can tell apart from the others.  There’s a really big one and I named him Fatty after the cat that Eddie used to have.  Then there’s the really little one that I’ve been watching because sometimes the runts die, so I keep an eye on it.  Anyway, I named her Niña because Patch says that means ‘little girl’ in Spanish.  And then the other one, he’s gonna be what Rick called a black sable and he’s really dark.  I named him Bandit.”

Black Fox let out a snort of laughter because the bashful way Joe talked reminded him of a shy child telling a story.  The snort turned into a huge belly laugh and the tipi erupted again.

Grinning, Hannah said, “I thought Hope was kidding when she told me about it.  She said that Joe called the switchboard while Switch was working and told him about Percy.  Switch said he sounded so proud, too.”

“Well, I
am
proud!” Joe said.  “That poor thing might’ve died if I hadn’t helped her.  I don’t like ferrets, but I didn’t want her to suffer any.”

With a grin, Nash said, “You don’t like ferrets, but you named three of them.”

“That’ll be enough out of you,” Joe said, smiling. 

Soon after his story, the group began breaking up, with some of the people running over to the other tipi for the night.  As he laid down to sleep, Black Fox had a hard time suppressing a chuckle over the images of Joe with the ferrets.

              “I don’t want to go without you,” Peanut said to Skip a few nights later as they walked through the woods.

              Skip had wanted to catch a few frogs so he could make Peanut a last serving of frog legs and there was a pond near the farm.  He hadn’t had any luck, though.  Reckless was well enough to travel and he and his family were leaving for Dawson in the morning.  There was some shuffling around in the two groups.  Owl, Mike, Peanut, and Annie were going with them, but Joey, Bobby, and Nash were now traveling with Raven’s group. 

Reckless had begged Raven to go on and see the other sites so that they could tell him all about them.  Raven had almost refused, but Reckless had been adamant about it, so he’d agreed to his cousin’s plea.  Once again, Black Fox had deferred to his son’s judgment, but he was pleased with Raven’s decision. 

              Skip hugged her.  “I don’t want you to go, either, but it’s better for you and Annie if you do instead of being out on the trail.  I can’t go with you because they need Dash and me.”

              “But I don’t know anyone in Dawson,” she said.

              “Sure you do.  You know Reckless and Owl’s family now, and my folks will take good care of you both,” Skip assured her.

              Fear shone in Peanut’s blue eyes.  “What are they gonna think when a strange pregnant woman with a baby shows up at their door and says that we’re supposed to stay there?  They’re gonna hate me.”

              “That’s why I wrote that letter to them.  They’re not gonna hate you.  My folks are some of the kindest people around.  It’ll be fine.  And once you’re around Pa a little, you’ll feel like you know him since he’s a lot like me,” Skip said.  “I promise that it’ll be fine.”

              “But how long will it take you to get back home?” Peanut asked.

              “I’m not sure,” Skip said.

              Peanut knew that going to Dawson with Reckless’ family was best for Annie, but she was going to miss Skip terribly.  She would also miss Jaylyn and all of her other friends, Squirrel especially.  They’d become close along their journey, Squirrel treating her in a motherly fashion.  However, she had to put Annie’s welfare first.  If Skip said that his parents would welcome her, then she had to trust him.

              “Promise me that you’ll be careful,” she said, wrapping her arms around his midsection.  “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”  Closing her eyes tightly, Peanut screwed up her courage.  “I love you, Skippy.”  Tipping her head back, she looked up into his dark eyes.  “I mean it, too.  I don’t know how it’s possible, but I do.  There’ve been a lot of things on this trip that haven’t seemed possible, but yet they happened.

              “I never thought I’d get pushed into a huge ravine and almost die, or be rescued by a mule and a bunch of Indians.  I never thought I’d become friends with such a wonderful group of people or meet someone special like you.  After what Claude did, I never thought I’d love another man.  All I wanted was to take care of Annie and my new baby.  I was broken in a lot of ways, but you’ve helped me heal.  You make me laugh and you help so much with Annie.  You’re so kind and fun.  I couldn’t ask for a better man.  I love you, Skip.”

              Elation swept through Skip as he stared into the prettiest eyes he’d ever seen.  He couldn’t answer her with words.  Instead, he kissed her, silently conveying his strong emotions to her.  Skip had learned the art of kissing well from Peanut and he took his time, lingering over her lips.  By the time it ended, both of their hearts beat faster.

              Skip’s voice was a little raspy.  “When we started this trip, I had no idea that I’d meet the most incredible, beautiful, strong girl and that she’d have a baby girl who I’d become crazy about.  But here you are and I love you both so much.  There’s nothing I won’t do for you and Annie.  It amazes me that you love me, but I believe you, Peanut.  I know you wouldn’t lie to me.”

              Peanut said, “No, I wouldn’t.  That wouldn’t be fair to you.”

              Skip cleared his throat.  “Peanut, I want to take care of you and Annie and the new baby.  I want to make a life with you and for all of us to be a family.”  He went down on one knee and took a ring from the pocket of his cut-off jeans.  “Pollyanna Pearl Lennox, will you do me the huge, incredible honor of marrying me?”

              Peanut stood before him in stunned silence, her eyes wide as she looked at the pretty diamond ring he held in his fingers.  When Claude had proposed to her, he hadn’t given her a ring.  His proposal had been perfunctory and without much sentiment.  Skip’s was the complete opposite.  It was sweet and emotional, his love shining in his eyes as spoke.  And while the ring he’d chosen wasn’t big, it was very pretty and, in Peanut’s eyes, it was the most beautiful ring in the world.

              In a tremulous voice, Peanut said, “Yes, Skip, I’ll marry you.”

              Skip’s anxious expression gave way to a big smile.  “You will?”

              Peanut nodded.  “Yes, I will.”

              Skip took her left hand and slid the ring on her finger before jumping to his feet.  He picked her up and swung her around while they kissed and laughed together.

              “Oh!  I shouldn’t do that!” he said, setting her down lightly.  “I don’t wanna hurt our baby.  Our baby!  Both are our babies!  I’m their pa now and I don’t wanna hear any different.  Mine.  You’re all mine.”

              Peanut giggled as he paced back and forth as he delivered his proclamation.

              “You’ll all have my last name.  Keller.  Annie Keller.  Boy, that sounds nice, doesn’t it?  You bet it does,” he answered himself.

              Peanut laughed harder.

              “This is Mr. and Mrs. Justin Keller, their daughter Annie Keller, and their son, um, well, we’ll pick out a great name,” Skip continued, unable to contain his joy.  “I can’t wait to marry you.” 

              “It does sound great, Skip, and I can’t wait to marry you, either,” she said.

              Skip came back to her, wrapping his arms around her.  “I love you so much.”

              She held his face in her hands and said, “I love you, too.”

              The kiss they shared contained both passion and promise and Skip had never been happier.  Peanut’s hands roamed over his chest and his pulse jumped.  Since staying on the farm, the men had all worn more clothing out of respect since the farmer was married and had three daughters.  T-shirts were now popular and Skip wore them almost exclusively during the summer except for when he was required to dress up.

              Peanut loved the way he looked in one and the thin material didn’t hide the contours of his chest from her palms the way a heavier shirt did.  But as nice as that felt, she wanted more.  She pulled his T-shirt from the waistband of his jeans and ran her hands up his back, kneading his muscles.

              She tickled his ribs, making him laugh and pull away from her.

              “You’re not supposed to tickle your fiancé like that,” he said.

              Peanut said, “Who says?  There’s no law against it.”  She took hold of the bottom of his shirt and pulled it upwards.  “You don’t need this.”

              “I don’t, huh?” he said, getting rid of it.

              “No,” she said, embracing him again.  “And you don’t need these, either.”  She tugged on one his belt loops.

              He gave her a lopsided smile and blushed.  “Why not?”

              “Well, since we’re not finding any frogs and it’s so hot out, I thought it might be nice to go for a swim,” she said.

              “Oh.  Good idea, but I can swim in these,” Skip said.

              “But I can’t swim in this,” Peanut indicated the simple, faded blue cotton dress she wore. 

              Skip’s eyes widened.  “You wanna go skinny dipping?”

              “Yeah,” she said, giggling.  “Don’t you wanna go skinny dipping with me?”

              “Well, sure I do, but we shouldn’t,” Skip said.  “We’re not married yet.”

              Peanut said, “Skip, I would never make you do anything you don’t wanna do, but I’m hot and fat and I’m getting in that water.  You can either come in with me or sit here until I’m done.  It’s your choice.”

              Skip promptly sat down with his back to the stream-fed pond, thereby giving her his answer.  “You’re not fat, Peanut.”

              She undid the buttons on her dress and pulled it over her head.  “Oh, yes, I am.  I’ve probably gained ten pounds already.  This was a dress I had from when I was pregnant with Annie.  That’s why I wore it today.  Some of my others are too tight now.”

              He heard the dress drop to the ground and glanced at it.  He caught a glimpse of Peanut’s pretty feet and calves before looking away again.  “You don’t look fat to me.  You’re beautiful.”

              A soft whisper of more clothing being laid on top of her dress reached his ears and he had difficulty not looking. 

              She ruffled his hair and said, “I’m glad you think so.”

              He smiled as she padded away from him and walked into the water.

              Peanut wasted no time ducking under the cool water.  Coming back up, she breathed a sigh of relief.  “That feels so much better.  I’m glad that it’ll be cooler weather by the time I get to be eight months along.  I was so hot all the time with Annie and I can tell it’s gonna be the same way with this one.  I won’t sleep with any covers on most of the time, so I might kick them off of you sometimes.”

              Skip tried not to think about lying in bed holding Peanut, but it was hard not to.  “I won’t mind.  Once I’m asleep, I don’t notice much.”

              “I know,” Peanut said, chuckling. 

              He smiled.  “I hear Annie when she cries, though.”

              Peanut said, “You’re so cute when you wake up and ask me if she’s all right.  You’re already a good father to her, Skip.  I can’t believe you want to take all three of us on.  I’ll find a job to work until the baby comes.  You’re not gonna do this all on your own.”

              “No, you’re not.  You have enough to do what with Annie and all.  You’ll get too tired out,” Skip said.

              Peanut’s eyebrows drew down.  “It’s not right you doing it all.  We won’t be married for a little while yet, so—”

              Skip said, “It won’t be long until we are, though.”

              “Is this because I’m a woman?” Peanut asked, floating on her back.

              “No.  My mother’s always worked, so I’m not sexist.  I’m just saying that Annie is still breastfeeding and it’s gonna be hard to find a job where you can take her along with you.  That’s all,” Skip said.

              Peanut let out a frustrated sigh.  “You’re right.  Well, I’ll take care of your folk’s place so that they don’t have a lot of housework to do.”

              Skip laughed.  “I don’t think you’ll get much of an argument from them except for scrubbing the floors.”

              “What do you mean?”

              “Pa won’t let anyone else besides him do them.  He always says that he doesn’t want Ma and Renee to get callouses on their pretty knees from scrubbing them.  He also says that he has more elbow grease, so he can do them easier.  You really can eat off of them by the time he’s done.  He’s a little fanatical about it.”

              Peanut laughed.  “I can’t wait to see that.  Skippy, will you please come in here and make love with me before I get any fatter?  You don’t know when you’re getting back and then we have to plan our wedding.  It’s already the beginning of August and this baby will come by January, I think.”

              Skip had been doing well at controlling himself up until that moment. 
She has a point, not about being fat, because she’s not, but it’s gonna be a while before we’re married and she probably won’t feel like it.  Will she?  I don’t know how that works with pregnant women.  I mean ones who are farther along.  But we’re not married.  But we’re going to be.

              He put his head in his hands as he argued with himself.

              “Skip?”

              “I don’t know how!” Skip said. 

              Peanut bit her lip to keep from laughing.  His shyness was adorable, but she didn’t want him to think she was making fun of him like he had the first time they’d kissed.

              “Well, you didn’t know how to kiss, either, but you do now.  And if you learn lovemaking as good as you did kissing, I’m gonna be a very satisfied woman.”

              “Really?  Um, did you like it with …
him
?”  He didn’t even want to say Claude’s name.

              “It was nice.  So was kissing Claude, but nothing like it is with you.  Claude never made my toes curl,” Peanut said.

              “He didn’t?” 

              “No.”

              Skip felt proud that he had that effect on her.  “That’s kissing, though.  I don’t know about the other.” 
I can’t even say it, let alone do it!