The Rancher’s Surprise Triplets

“A good turnout. We brought in more than I expected. That’s a good thing. Seems we’ll need more money than we originally thought.” He inclined his head toward the babies.

“How sad that a woman feels she has to give up on her offspring.” Though her note suggested she expected to die. If they could find her, perhaps they could aid her so she would live.

He nodded. “But an unselfish act, wouldn’t you say. I’m sure it was extremely hard for her but she loved them enough to do what she thought was best for them.”

Louisa understood about sacrifices for the sake of love. “Love is a powerful compeller.”

“I saw it in action today.” He told her about a lost boy being reunited with his parents and an older boy helped by his kind father. “Then to keep things in balance there was this other man.” A man who appeared to send his son to commit a crime then to abandon him when he was caught. “It reminded me so much of my father. Not that my father was involved in crime. Oh, no. He was an upright citizen with a successful business. All I can say is he must have treated his employees and customers better than he treated his family.” He shifted Jasper. “I find that odd. Shouldn’t those in your family deserve the best you have to give?”

“I certainly believe that.”

He studied her across the room, his pale eyes catching the lamplight and holding it.

She wanted to say more. Wanted to learn more about him. Tell him about her family. But again, she couldn’t find the words.

The door eased open and Father entered the house, smiling when he saw the triplets all asleep. “Bo, it’s good to see you helping.” He smiled at the baby sleeping on Bo’s lap then turned to Louisa. “Has their fever stayed down?”

“It’s been two hours since it last spiked.”

“Good. Good. Let’s pray it lasts.”

Louisa’s conscience stung. She’d been so preoccupied she hadn’t thought to pray for the babies since earlier in the day.

A quiet knock came on the door. Father opened it to Brandon Stillwater.

“I thought I would check on the triplets and see if there is anything they need.” He glanced about the room at one curled up on the floor, another in Louisa’s lap and the third sleeping in Bo’s arms and chuckled. “Looks real good on you, brother.”

“Don’t be thinking I’ll do something foolish. You know how I feel about this.” His glance included the babies and Louisa.

Oh, yes, he included her. Not that he needed to. She was no more interested in marriage and family and him than he was in her and domesticity. She eased to her feet and lowered Theo to the quilt beside Eli, then lifted Jasper from Bo’s arms, doing her best not to touch the man but failing. Her hand slid across his chest, feeling the strength and warmth. Her arm brushed his shoulder. And her heart reacted with a kick against her ribs. She ignored her reactions and put Jasper down beside his brothers. She stood over them, smiling at how peaceful and sweet they were.

Bo and Brandon stood on either side of her, fencing her in so she couldn’t escape. Escape? From what? She knew what she was—her mother’s caregiver—and who—the doctor’s spinster daughter. The plain one. But she was at peace with her role in life. The role God assigned for her. Except looking after the babies and sharing their care, even for a few minutes with Bo, triggered a deep maternal longing.

“I’ve heard there is nothing more peaceful than a sleeping baby,” Brandon said. “And here we have it in threes.”

Father stood to one side. “I hope they stay that peaceful throughout the night and their fevers don’t return.”

“Why don’t we pray for that?” Brandon had his hat in hand and held it to his chest. “Father God, You see here these three little ones. We trust You have sent them to us for a reason. Help them get well. Help them sleep well.”

Bo didn’t wait for his brother to finish. “Help us find their mother and be able to help her. And may the fair be a success.”

“And may Your name be honored. Amen.”

Louisa realized the two men finished each other’s speech and likely their thoughts. Wouldn’t it be fun to see the same thing, only with three little boys? Even now they interacted among themselves with a unity she found endearing.

Bo and Brandon stepped toward the door in unison. “We bid you good-night,” they said as one. And in matching movements placed their hats upon their heads as they left the house.

Louisa grinned. “Do you suppose they know their actions are like mirrors of each other?”

Father chuckled. “I don’t suppose they do.” He looked at her temporary arrangement for the triplets’ bed. “Will they be okay here on their own for the night?”

“I plan to sleep on the sofa so I can keep a watch on them.” They were able to scoot around a bit but hadn’t moved much so far because they weren’t feeling well. No doubt once they felt better that would change. It would be a challenge to keep them safely corralled.

That was a problem she’d deal with when the time came and count herself blessed for the little time they were with her. She covered a huge yawn.

Father chuckled. “I can see you’re tired. I’m off to bed. I hope they sleep for you. Good night, daughter.” He kissed her on her cheek and retired to his room closest to the clinic area off the kitchen.

She didn’t move for a moment as she looked toward the room not yet ready for Mother. Somehow she must manage to tend to that job as well as care for the triplets. A smile lifted the corners of her mouth. The room could wait. For now she would enjoy having some babies to care for.

She prepared for bed, careful not to make any noise and disturb the peaceful babies. With a pillow for her head and quilt for cover, she got as comfortable as she could on the sofa. It had been a busy day and her muscles welcomed the chance to relax.

Sleep came softly, filled with dreams of three little boys toddling about, laughing at each other and running to her for comfort. Even in her dream she knew it wasn’t possible but the dream was sweet, nevertheless.

A sharp cry wakened her and she looked about, disoriented. Then remembrance flooded back and she bolted upright. One of the triplets was crying. If she could get to him in time, she might prevent him from waking the others.

Even as she struggled to her feet, a second voice joined the first. By the time she lit the lamp, all three fussed.

One sounded hoarse. She bent close. Theo struggled to breathe. The other two coughed. They had grown worse. She gathered Theo into her arms. “Poor little boy.” She rubbed his back and spoke comfortingly to him.

The other two lay at her feet, coughing and miserable.

She sat on the floor, her back to the sofa, cradling the babies around her. She propped them up on pillows so they could breathe easier but Theo’s air whistled in and out. He needed steam, but when she tried to push to her feet, they all protested and she sank back.

Father slept through it all, for which she was grateful. His nights were often disturbed and cut short by calls.

The sound of Theo’s lungs working so hard grew more intense. She needed to boil water but she didn’t have enough hands. If she went out of their sight, they would panic, making it even more difficult for them to breathe.

Lord, help me. She should have sent for Annie but the girl was so excited about going to the fair that Louisa didn’t want to spoil her fun. In fact, she hated to ask anyone to give up time at the fair.

Theo coughed and gagged. He struggled to suck in air.

A dark wave rushed through Louisa. Don’t die. Don’t die. Please, God, help me.

Relying solely on instinct and experience as the doctor’s daughter, she flipped him over and patted his back. He coughed and coughed until she thought he would surely cough out his lungs. And then he sucked in a whistling breath and her own lungs gasped in air.

She could not delay any longer. She must steam Theo—all of them—and ignoring the tortured cries of Jasper and Eli, she perched Theo on her hip as she hurried to the kitchen, built up the fire and filled the kettle.

How would she get steam to each of them? Normally she would have built a tent out of sheets, but if she disappeared from sight to fetch them, the babies would get even more upset. She grabbed the nearest thing that would work—a linen tablecloth. Placing a pot of steaming water on a chair where she could make sure the triplets couldn’t touch it, she sat on the floor, gathered them to her knees and draped the cloth over them all, her head forming one tent pole, the back of the chair, another. Steam filled the small area. The moisture dampened her pores, and within minutes, the babies’ breathing eased.

She remained there, closeting them into a cocoon of moisture. The water cooled but inside the tent the air continued to be warm. The babies coughed, but they didn’t choke.

Theo began to whistle again with each breath. Knowing she couldn’t leave it so long this time, she folded back the cloth and did her best to slip away from the babies. They fussed at being disturbed but she had no choice and repeated the procedure.

Even when the triplets slept, she dare not let herself fall asleep for fear she wouldn’t hear a change in their breathing soon enough.

Oh, for morning. Maybe some good soul would appear to help her. Finally the first pink rays of sunrise colored the eastern sky. Father rose, but at the sound of someone in the waiting room, he immediately left. “I’ll see who it is.” A moment later, he stuck his head back in the room. “A man has been seriously injured in a fall. I must attend him. Will you be okay?”

She’d managed the babies all night. “I’ll be fine.” But as he left she realized how alone she was.