Chapter 13

He hadn’t had time to plan out what to say ... what order to say it in. Both adults looked at him curiously. That he was worried was obvious to both of them.

“There’s a problem,” said Bob, tentatively.

“She can’t stay?” asked Linda anxiously. “But she’s been looking forward to this.”

“No,” said Bob hastily. “It’s not that. I don’t know where to start.”

He thought frantically.

“There’s this Indian ... one of the ranch hands ... his name is Greasy Face.” Bob paused. “He can see things.” That much said, Bob floundered.

“See things?” asked Linda. “See what? Did he see something about Brenda?”

“Yes,” said Bob automatically. “He was a Medicine Man. I know this sounds crazy, but...”

“What was it he saw?” asked Dave, leaning forward.

“I ... let’s wait a minute for that,” said Bob, feeling the panic rising.

“Mr. Nivens, would you please tell me what you’re here for?” asked Linda. If something is wrong, we need to know. The doctors all say she’s in remission, but Lord knows they’ve been wrong about things before. I don’t know anything about Medicine Men, but we’ve been looking into alternative treatments for Brenda, so we’re open to just about anything.”

Bob took a breath. This wasn’t going well at all. “On our last ride,” he started again, “she had another wish. I mean she added to her wish. She wanted...” He couldn’t say it.

“Did this Medicine Man do something to her?” asked Linda leaning forward. “Is that why she went into remission?”

“No!” said Bob hastily. “He didn’t do anything to her.” He took a breath and closed his eyes. “I did.”

“You?” Linda looked confused. “What in the world could you have done?”

Bob opened his eyes. “I’m in love with your daughter,” he said faintly.

“You’re what?!“ squeaked Linda.

“I fell in love with your daughter on that trail ride,” said Bob weakly. He went on, just to get it over with. “And she asked me to ... she wanted me to...” He gulped. “She said she didn’t want to die a virgin.” he finished.

There was stunned silence for ten seconds. Bob closed his eyes again.

“You had sex with our daughter?” Dave’s voice was heavy ... tight with anger.

“Yes,” said Bob.

Linda sat back in her chair so hard the front feet left the floor an inch, before dropping back down with a thump on the floor.

“You son of a bitch!“ Dave ended up yelling, as he stood, his fists balled.

Bob kept his hands at his sides.

“You have every right to be angry,” said Bob. “I know what I did was wrong. If it’s any comfort, I didn’t intend for it to happen, but if you slug me, I’ll understand.”

“You’re damn right I’ll slug you, you bastard!“ Dave yelled. His right fist lashed out and connected solidly on Bob’s undefended jaw. Bob turned his head instinctively, to take the blow, and fell to the floor. He didn’t get up. “That’s not all I’ll do to you, you son of a bitch,” growled Dave.

“Dave!” Linda’s voice came sharply. “Stop!”

“I’ll stop when this man is dead,” snarled Dave. He stepped toward Bob.

Linda stood up and grabbed her husband’s arm. “Stop!“ she yelled.

She turned to Bob. “This explains a lot that I didn’t understand,” she said slowly. She looked down at him. “But what does this have to do with the Indian?”

Bob stayed on the floor. He tried to get ready for the beating that would follow. He was determined not to defend himself.

“Greasy Face saw her when she came back, this morning. He says she’s much healthier than she was when she was here last ... and that she’s pregnant.”

He expected Dave to charge, but the man’s mouth dropped open. He wavered on knees that didn’t seem to want to hold him up any more. He’d left the chair behind, when he came for Bob, and sat heavily on the edge of the bed, which was closer.

“Pregnant?” Linda’s voice sounded surreal in Bob’s ears, like it was floating in the wind. “Brenda’s pregnant?” She sat back down, slowly. “You made Brenda pregnant?”

“I believe I did,” admitted Bob.

“But ... but...” Dave’s mouth worked. “She’s just a baby!” His voice firmed. “There’s no way. She didn’t say anything. She’d have said something. We’d know! I’m not taking the word of some voodoo witch doctor that my baby is pregnant!”

“I’m sorry,” said Bob. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“I should have seen it,” said Linda softly. “I thought it was just a crush, but I should have recognized the signs. She’s in love with you.”

“I didn’t mean for that to happen either,” said Bob.

“I’ll sue!“ yelled Dave, standing up again. He took another step towards Bob.

“Shut up, David,” said Linda, also standing. “Sit back down!”

“But...”

“Sit down!” She ignored him and began pacing the room.

“We’ll have to have her examined of course,” she said to the room at large. She spun to look at Bob. “Can I talk to him?”

“Who?” asked Bob, confused.

“This greasy person ... I want to talk to him.”

“Of course you can talk to him,” said Bob. “But...”

“You believe him ... don’t you?” asked the woman.

Bob looked at her. “Yes. I do.”

“And you really ... I mean is it really possible? That she could be pregnant, I mean?”

Bob felt the flush grow on his cheeks.

“Yes, it’s very possible.”

Dave tensed, on the bed and Bob tried to make it sound a little less negative.

“What I mean is that, when I told her it was a bad idea ... that she might get pregnant ... she said she hadn’t been having periods because of the treatment. She felt like it was ... safe.”

Linda looked astonished. “You actually talked to her before ... before you...”

“Ma’am, I tried everything I could do to talk her out of it. I promise you that. But she ... I can’t explain it ... she got to me somehow, I guess.”

“Don’t you go trying to blame this on my baby girl!” snarled Dave.

“Oh shut up!” barked his wife. “You know very well that Brenda won’t take ‘No’ for an answer. When her mind is made up she does what she wants. And if she wanted...” She stopped, and looked at Bob. “I knew something happened on that ride,” she said. “I could see it, but I didn’t know what it meant. I thought it was that glow they say some patients get just before they go downhill. I hadn’t seen her that happy for years! Now I understand.”

She paced again, and then whirled to face Bob once more. “Not that that means I approve of what happened!”

“No Ma’am,” said Bob.

Dave looked like he was trying to think of what to do. It was obvious he wanted to do something. Men are like that, when faced with a problem.

Linda had stopped, her head cocked, looking at Bob. “You said you loved her.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he said.

“How do you feel ... if she really is pregnant, I mean?”

Bob opened his mouth. How could he possibly explain how he felt? If he had hours, maybe. But he didn’t have hours. He knew that.

“Nine months ago, I lost my wife and five year old son in an avalanche,” he said. He saw something in Linda’s face. It wasn’t pity, or horror. It was more like ... interest. He didn’t understand that look, but went on. “I didn’t think anything like this would happen. I didn’t expect to fall in love ever again. I’m not trying to make excuses, but I’ve been in so much pain ... that may have had something to do with what happened.”

“Brenda told us about your wife.” said Linda. “I’m sorry.”

She sounded genuinely sorry.

“I think that’s one of the reasons I let her come here in the first place. I knew something of what you two must have been feeling. I was having real trouble dealing with my own pain. I felt like I should be able to get past it,” he said. “But ... I couldn’t. I thought I could at least do something to make her last days better ... to help you two, maybe. But then, on the ride ... that’s what I went to see Greasy Face about ... when you got here. I didn’t know how to feel, or what to do when she didn’t die. I felt like I had betrayed my wife.”

“What did he say?” asked the woman curiously.

Bob took a deep breath. “He said Dannie would want me to be happy.”

“And what would make you happy?”

“To have another chance at love?” he said softly. “And when he said she was carrying a baby ... it was like a second chance at life ... not to replace Kyle ... but ... I can’t explain it.”

Linda stepped closer to him. “I think I know how you feel,” she said. “Somehow, they gave us our daughter back.”

“I know she’s too young to get married,” said Bob. “But, if things keep up the way they are now, in a couple of years... ?”

“You’d marry her?” asked Linda, her voice low, and full of emotion.

“Yes,” he said immediately. “With your permission, and if she’ll have me.”

“Oh, I don’t think you need to worry about her having you,” sighed Linda. “Though I’ll have to think a while on ... our permission.” She shook her head. “I don’t see how I could have been so blind. She’s head-over-heels for you, young man.” She looked startled. “How old are you, anyway?”

“I’m twenty six,” he said.

“This is ridiculous!” said Dave. “I wouldn’t let her marry him if he was the last man on earth!”

Linda ignored him, and tilted her head at Bob again, examining him.

“I’m going to be a grandmother,” she said. “It’s going to take me a little while to get used to that idea.”

“Greasy Face could be wrong,” said Bob. “But I was afraid that if they continue treatment, it could hurt the baby. I had to tell you.”

Linda’s eyes narrowed again as she realized he could have just kept silent, but chose not to intentionally. For the first time since he had turned over the apple cart, she felt ... better ... somehow.

“Her treatment is finished,” said Linda. “They’ve already done everything modern medicine knows how to do. None of that worked. Nothing worked ... until we brought her here. Of course, you can be quite sure we’ll have her examined when we get her back home. Now. About this Greasy Face.”

Bob couldn’t believe he was walking along beside the parents of the girl he had knocked up. They were walking normally, though there was no talk. Greasy Face was still sitting on the porch of the bunk house, still braiding rope. He looked up, his eyes dark under his hat.

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