Melinda's Twins

by Ira-Grace

Chapter One

Family As It Is and Will Be

Andrea Carter, age sixteen, rubbed the smooth neck of Tony, her pinto gelding. Despite having grown older (and she hoped wiser, kinder, politer, and many other virtues), she still was a bit of a tomboy and clung to her childhood nickname of Andi.

Sighing, she thought of all the changes that had happened in the last three years. Justin had married a small, dark eyed, dark haired woman from San Francisco named Rachel. Andi liked Rachel, despite the age difference between them. The both loved to ride, and they both agreed that their rides together were even better than ones with others who weren't quite so enthusiastic about riding in the heat and dust, though Andi pointed out that Rachel seemed pretty fond of riding with Justin, and Rachel laughingly declared that Andi would someday have the experience.

Rachel had only been riding since she was fourteen, when she found herself without a mother or father, family or friends, and began to ride horses in a circus for enough money to live on. Andi could barely believe that Rachel had lived such a gypsy-style life, when she was now so mild, content, and happy living in Fresno with Justin. But proof was there when Rachel rode. No saddle or bridle for her! She rode bareback and could execute some breathtaking tricks.

Andi thought Rachel was like a tamed Mustang---she was once wild, but love had tamed her, before and after Justin met her. Rachel was now expecting a baby, and she and Justin were filled with hopes for their future.

Chad was just about the same as he always had been. "Thank goodness!" Andi murmured to Tony, scratching his forehead. "Chad kept his senses about him through all that love heat wave, and has been helping me do the same."

Chad was the only other Carter besides Andi who had avoided marriage within the last three years. Mitch had fallen in love with an immigrate Irish girl he had met in San Francisco last year, and they were now engaged. Andi liked the spicy, snappy red-haired Molly, but was still struggling with the fact that Mitch was going to marry her in five weeks.

With a smile, Andi let her thoughts wander to Melinda. Melinda's love story was perfect. After several men had broken her heart to the point where she had declared to Andi, "I'll never love another man again", Moses Davis had stepped into the picture. Handsome, dashing, rich, honest, kind, and head over heels in love with Melinda---what more could they have hoped for? He complimented Melinda in every way. They had the same shade of blonde hair, same appreciation for one another. They both had blue eyes that overflowed with love for each other. And so Moses and Melinda were married last year, and their love had only grown deeper. And now Melinda was due to have a baby any day now. 

Andi smiled excitedly. She was looking forward to having a new nephew or niece. But the thought of being an aunt reminded her of the sadder side of the past three years. Taffy had died, and Andi bought a paint----now her beloved Tony she was brushing.

Troy had returned to Kate, but only long enough to wreak more havoc for her before he was dragged off to jail by the authorities. Kate, with the rags of her ruined life around her, returned to her family, who once more took her and the kids back. But Kate was weak from trying to provide for herself, Levi, Betsy, and Hannah, and soon became ill-very ill. She died from a fever two weeks after returning back to the Circle C Ranch.

Mrs. Carter was hit hard by Kate's death, as was everyone else in the family. Levi was so upset he tried to run away, and it took Chad, Justin, Mitch, Moses, and the ranch hands and other family members two days to find him, lost in the large expanse of ranch land.

Everyone was worried as to how they should take care of the three kids. Levi was now 13, Betsy age 9, and Hannah only six. Mrs. Carter wanted to take care of them herself, but as she was growing older and wasn't sure if she could handle it. Mitch solved the problem by almost immediately volunteering to take care of all three. He was living in a neighbouring ranch, called "Flat O Ranch", and Levi took to ranch life immediately, helping Mitch while working out all of his anger from the grief for his mother.  

Andi had been keeping house for Mitch, and took care of the two girls. She knew what it was like to lose a parent, and to lose the only one in your life who cared for you must be even harder, she reasoned. Betsy and Hannah adored her, and everything had settled down. 

But life was getting hectic now. Mother had become ill, Chad had to go away on a journey, and Melinda was due to have her baby. Andi felt pulled in three directions. Mitch, Levi, Betsy, and Hannah needed her, but so did Mother. And then Melinda had begged her to come be with her during this time.

Mitch told Andi to go, promising that he would make sure all the kids got fed and the kitchen got swept "once in a while". Justin and Rachel went to stay with Mrs. Carter, so Andi was free to go help Melinda. 

"Which is where I am now, Tony," Andi murmured to the horse. "At the Double M Ranch, in the stable, taking care of you. Meanwhile, we're waiting for that baby to come. But, Tony, I'll tell you a secret. I'm AWFUL with babies! They cry when I hold them, touch them----almost when I look at them! And I never saw a baby being born----that is, a real baby. I mean, a human baby. How am I supposed to help Melinda when I can't even hold a baby?"

Just then, Andi heard Melinda calling. "Andi? Andi, come quick!" Urgency seemed threaded thickly through Melinda's voice. Andi felt her stomach tighten. What if the baby....?

"Coming!" Andi yelled back. She hurried out of Tony's stall, the barn, and up to the house. When she entered the kitchen, she gasped.

 

 

Chapter Two

A New Little Davis

         

Andi felt fear rise to her throat and her heart beat fast when she saw Melinda's face. Sweat moistened Melinda's face, and she was groaning. 

"Melinda!" Andi finally found her tongue. "What..?

"Andi, the baby is coming," Melinda said, her face contorting in pain. 

"It can’t be," Andi protested. "Moses is way out in the fields, and..."

"The baby doesn't care," snapped Melinda. "Its on its way."

"Alright," Andi said, trying to collect her senses and regain control on her thoughts, emotions, and the situation. "You go lie down. I'll get a ranch hand to go for the doctor, and another one for Moses. I'll get some hot water and stuff."

Andrea ran out into the yard.  "Hey, anybody! Is there anybody around?" 

Two ranch hands popped out of the barn. "Can i help you, Miss Andi?" he asked.

"Yes. One of you go for Moses. The other, please go get the doctor from town. Tell them both Melinda's baby is on the way.” 

In a moment, both men had mounted some horses and were galloping to their destinations. Andrea turned around and went back to Melinda.

****

         

"Can't you wait to have the baby 'til someone arrives?" 

"No." It was all Melinda said, but Andi knew she was right. Melinda was covered in more sweat than a horse after racing a mile in the hot Californian summer months. And the baby was eager to meet the world, not what Andi thought. 

So Andi got ready to meet the baby. She scrubbed her arms with boiling water. She burnt herself, but couldn't have cared less. She was wondering what else to do. She had seen Chad help horses, cattle, and even a dog give birth, but that was just animals, no matter how much Andi loved them. 

"Help me!" Melinda yelled.

Andi suddenly swung into action, like a frenzied racing horse who suddenly realizes what he is doing and steadies down to race with all his might. She put cool clothes on Melinda's head, talked to her as soothingly as she had done when her dear horse Taffy had given birth, and finally grabbed a baby.

"Melinda! You have a baby!" Andi exclaimed. "It's a boy...I think."

Andi gazed at the tiny baby in her hands. He was wrinkled, red, and was screaming loudly. Andi wrapped him up in a blanket and handed him to Melinda who beamed at him. 

"A boy!" Melinda said. "Oh, Andi, isn't he perfectly beautiful?"

Andi wasn't sure about the beautiful side, but she did think he looked to be close to as to perfect as a baby could be. A new nephew! 

Melinda sighed with pleasure. "Won't Moses be elated! A baby boy! His heir! Where is Moses anyway, Andi? My firstborn..." 

Suddenly, Melinda's smile disappeared. She groaned, and her face tightened with pain. 

"What's the matter, Melinda? You have your baby now," Andi said. 

Melinda answered Andi's question with another groan. Then she announced, "Andi, this baby isn't all."

"What do you mean?" Andi asked, though she guessed the answer before Melinda had time to respond. 

Chapter Three

Davis Baby Two!

"Another baby is on it's way." Melinda paused talking, as another contraction stabbed her with its pain. 

"Oh, where is that doctor! What good is he if he doesn't get out here soon?" Andi murmured, annoyed, as she held Melinda's hand.

It had been nine o'clock when Melinda gave birth to the little boy. At nine thirty she had a little baby girl. 

"And Moses missed it all," Andi murmured. "Not that he missed much. I never want to be a midwife."

Melinda was radiant with her twins.

Andi was anxious that Melinda would start giving birth to another baby, but after fifteen minutes she figured that it was safe to stop worrying. She cleaned up her niece and nephew, sister, room, and then made Melinda some tea.

As Melinda drank the tea, Andi brushed Melinda's hair for her and smiled at the babies. They did look a little  bit cuter now that she had had some time to get used to them. She thought that the girl had Melinda's nose, and the boy had Moses's nose. 

Andi went back to the kitchen just as everyone started arriving. Moses, the doctor, and the doctor's new assistant all burst into the kitchen.      

"You're just in time," Andi said sarcastically. "Melinda has twins, Moses. Where in the world were you all this time?"

Moses immediately grinned and went to see Melinda. The doctor went too, to go see if she was okay. Andi started a kettle to make them all coffee. She noticed the doctor's new assistant watching her. When he caught her eye he smiled self-consciously.

"I'm Richard Dixon, the doctor's assistant."

"Oh." Andi couldn't help but notice how handsome Richard was. He had merry dark brown eyes, a clean cut face, and neatly combed dark brown hair. Andi found herself blushing, and wondering why. She almost wished Richard would stop looking at her.

Why doesn't anyone come and say something----anything? she wondering silently. 

"Are you the midwife around here?" Richard asked. 

Andi realized that she hadn't introduced herself. “I am certainly not a midwife of any kind. I'm Andrea Carter. Everyone who is my friend calls me Andi, and I'm Melinda's sister. I was here to help her, and ended up having to help her with the twins. What takes doctors so long when you want to have them there?"

"Oh, I don't know," Richard said absently. As if he realized that he needed to start talking about something, he asked suddenly, "So, what are the twins like?"

"Well, there's two of them." Andi suddenly blushed. What else could I say that would sound more stupid than that? 

Andi could see that Richard was  chocking back laughter as he politely said, "Well, that is good."

"Go ahead----laugh," Andi said, laughing herself. "I don't know why I said that. There are two of them, though! The first was a boy, and the second a girl. They have bits and pieces of their parents looks in them, I think.”

****

"Andi, I was wondering. Will it offend you if we name the baby boy 'Andrew' after you?" Melinda asked sweetly two days after the babies were born.

"Certainly not! I think a little nephew named Andrew would be wonderful! What will you name the girl?"

"Moses and I decided on Pearl Hope for her. Andrew Moses and Pearl Hope."

****

         

"Oh, aren't they adorable!" Rachel exclaimed.

Andi smiled. She was, by this point, thinking that the twins were the sweetest babies ever born yet. 

"Yes. Little Pearl looks just like Melinda did when she was a baby," Mrs. Carter said. 

The whole family had come out to visit Melinda, Moses, Andrew, and Pearl. Andi was glad to see that Mitch had managed to take care of the kids, although Hannah told her a long story about how much of a mess Mitch had made in the kitchen when trying to make pancakes. "You do it lots neater, Andi."

Even Rachel and Mrs. Carter had been able to come. Chad had taken the day to come visit, as he figured the ranch hands would  be able to cope a day without him.

"Andi did a wonderful job mid-wifeing," Melinda said.

"Andi, would you like to be my  midwife?" Rachel said.

Andi shook her head no violently, and everyone laughed.

THE END