He nodded slowly.
"But they'll also know who loved them."
Gabriel swallowed.
For a moment, he seemed overwhelmed.
Then he leaned forward.
Rested his forehead gently against Clara's stomach.
And whispered, "I'll do my best."
She placed one hand against his hair.
Tears slipped down her cheeks.
For the first time, she understood that Gabriel's greatest fear was no longer that he couldn't father a child.
It was that he might fail to love one well enough.
And that fear, she realized, was itself a kind of love.
The baby arrived during the last great snowstorm of the season.
It was an early April morning.
The sky was heavy.
Wind moved across the valley.
And by afternoon, snow had begun falling hard enough to obscure the distant hills.
Clara had been uncomfortable since breakfast.
At first, she assumed it was ordinary fatigue.
Her back ached.
Her stomach tightened occasionally.
And she found it difficult to settle comfortably in the rocking chair.
Gabriel noticed.
"Are you feeling all right?"
She nodded.
"I think so."
He frowned.
"You don't look comfortable."
She smiled weakly.
"I'm carrying a baby, Gabriel. Comfortable isn't often part of the arrangement."
He laughed.
Then returned to repairing a harness.
An hour later, Clara stopped in the middle of crossing the kitchen.
Her hand moved toward the table.
She closed her eyes.
Gabriel looked up.
"Clara?"
She took a slow breath.
Then another.
He stood immediately.
"What's wrong?"
She looked toward him.
Her face had gone pale.
"I think..."
She stopped.
Another contraction passed.
Gabriel hurried toward her.
"Clara?"
She gripped his arm.
Then whispered, "I think the baby's coming."
For a moment, Gabriel froze.
Every preparation he'd made seemed to disappear from his mind.
The clean linens.
The supplies.
Martha Bell's instructions.
The arrangements for reaching town.
He stared at Clara.
Then at her stomach.
Then toward the window.
Outside, the snow was growing heavier.
He swallowed.
"Now?"
Clara looked at him.
Despite the pain, she nearly laughed.
"Apparently."
Gabriel blinked.
Then sprang into motion.
He helped her to the bedroom.
Made sure she was comfortable.
Gathered the supplies Martha had recommended.
And sent the nearest ranch hand toward town to bring the midwife, with instructions not to take unnecessary risks in the storm.
He also arranged for someone to alert the physician if medical help became necessary.
Then he returned to Clara.
She was lying on the bed, breathing carefully.
Gabriel stopped in the doorway.