A Headstrong Woman(126)
Alexandria smiled before turning to go.
Jonathon moved to the parlor and scooted two chairs together for Lilly while Alexandria got a pillow and blanket. A thunderstorm had moved in, though it contained none of the steam the other had possessed, both Lilly and Alexandria looked toward the window warily.
“It’ll be fine, I won’t be far away and I’ll be watching things; I promise,” Jonathon assured them before kissing each on the cheek and leaving the room. Alexandria lay down and pulled the blanket over her close. She had gotten a glimpse of what it would mean to lose Jonathon and it had scared her. Alexandria squeezed her eyes shut against the lightening outside and let her tears flow. She was so scared of loving him and losing him.
Chapter Twenty-three
Anxious to check on his fiancée and future in-laws, Ted urged his horse forward. Unless the tornado had changed course it had missed their place directly but having grown up on the plains Ted had seen plenty of people killed and injured who weren’t in the tornado’s direct path. He spotted the house in the distance and noted no major damage. His heart momentarily slowed and then sped up. He could see movement in the yard as he closed the gap and saw with relief that Anna and her mother were on the porch sweeping debris into the yard. Anna spotted him, dropped her broom, and ran to meet him as he jumped from his horse.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispered as she hugged him fiercely.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” he returned around a lump in his throat.
“Is everybody okay at the ranch?”
“One minor injury among the hands, otherwise everyone is fine,” he reassured her. Thunder sounded overhead and prompted them to move to the porch.
“Is everyone okay…?”
“They’re fine,” Ted cut Shirley off to set her mind at rest.
“Thank God!” Shirley breathed. “Michael and Carolyn left to check on her mother and father at the parsonage, did you pass them on the road?”
“No, they must already be there. I could see some minor damage to the church and parsonage, but nothing major,” he related.
“Come on in and rest, Ted, you look exhausted,” Anna invited. Ted smiled and prepared to follow her inside.
***
“Well young man you’re lucky it targeted your leg, if it had gotten you in the torso you would be dead right now.”
“God had to be looking out for me, Doc,” Sparky told the older man.
“You get some rest and let that leg heal, you hear me?”
“Will do, Doc.”
“Good.”
Jonathon escorted the man out of the bunk house and into the yard. “Dr. Carver, I know you’ll probably be very busy the next couple of days but when things slow down…”
“If I wait for things to slow down I might never get around to whatever favor you were about to request of me.” Dr. Carver cut Jonathon off.
“Alexandria may be expecting and we’d like to know for sure but it isn’t an emergency and I’m sure…”
“Where is she?” Dr. Carver again cut Jonathon off.
“Inside resting, the storm gave her quite a scare.”
“It gave a lot of people a scare and killed three that we’re aware of.”
“I didn’t know,” Jonathon said sadly. They entered the parlor to find Alexandria asleep and Jonathon gently shook her to wake her. She smiled at him before spotting Dr. Carver.
“Dr. Carver wants to go ahead and look at you while he’s here,” Jonathon informed her.
“Hello, Dr. Carver,” Alexandria greeted him.
“Hello, Alexandria; let’s go upstairs and see if you’re right, most women are, they know their bodies pretty well.” Dr. Carver waited for Alexandria to lead the way and allowed her a few minutes to change before joining her in the bedroom to examine her.
Alexandria watched Jonathon enter the room after the doctor had left. He lay down beside her where she had made herself comfortable on the bed.
“So what did he say?” he asked her.
“That we’re going to be parents in about seven to eight months give or take a few days or weeks,” she shared with a smile.
Jonathon kissed her and pulled her close. “Then I really need to find you some help around the house,” he commented.