Chapter 42
Forty-Two
S unlight made its way through the blinds and a soft coo pulled Evie from the last little tendrils of sleep she’d been holding onto.
It took a minute for her eyes to adjust, and her memory to recall where she was. The hospital. Jellybean… or rather, Sammy Jo, was less than a day old. And already, she’d witnessed unimaginable violence.
“Hey, Mama.” Sam turned from the window and Evie’s heart burst.
“You know, you don’t have to hold her every time I’m not. She can go down in her cot.”
“Did you hear that, little one? Your mama thinks I’m already spoiling you.”
“That’s not it at all,” she laughed. “Have you slept since we got here?”
“I’ll sleep in a little bit.”
“Sam…”
She sat up, wincing at the pain that radiated throughout her body.
“Easy, Evie. I can help you move. ”
She waved her hand before running it through her hair. “It’s not that bad. I need to sit up and do something about this rat’s nest on my head.”
“You look beautiful right now. No rat’s nest in sight.”
“I appreciate that,” she sighed, looking at the overnight bag on the chair next to her. “But I’d still like to run a brush through it and tie it up.”
“I’ve got you.”
He carefully placed Sammy into her arms. She watched as Sam rummaged through the bag, pulling out her brush and a few hair ties. He set the ties on the mattress beside her and started running the brush through her hair.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m taking care of your hair. Will french braids be okay?”
Exhaustion was replaced with surprise at her cowboy’s question. “You know how to braid?”
“I grew up with a little sister. For a while, I was the only person she’d let help her get ready for the day. So, I learned how to braid hair. It was annoying back then, but I like that I’ll be able to do it for my girls now.”
Evie nodded, the emotions too thick in her throat to reply. Sam’s fingers worked to pull her hair back away from her face. The biggest wave of awe and love washed over her as she looked down at their daughter.
Evie couldn’t get over how perfect she was. Sammy had the most beautiful rose-petal colored lips and cheeks. Her blue eyes were closed, but Evie knew the instant that she first saw them, she wanted them to stay exactly as they were. Because they were the same shade as Sam’s.
“How is Jake doing?”
“Good. He stopped by about twenty minutes after you fell asleep. Wanted to see that we got settled in, and to make sure I knew he was fine.”
“And Derrick?”
Sam shook his head. “He’s been arrested. I’m having a hard time processing everything that happened.”
“I am too,” she admitted.
“Jake mentioned a therapist he knows. Said he’d drop the information off during actual visiting hours today.”
“That’s sweet of him.”
Sammy started to wiggle in her arms.
“I think she’s going to be hungry soon.”
“How long was I asleep for?”
“Not too long. But I think our little miss has come out determined to be the fastest growing baby in history. I can already see the way she’s changed since she was born.”
Evie laughed, immediately regretting it as pain spread through her sides. “Who knew you’d be so sentimental?”
Sam placed his hand on the baby’s head. “I think we both knew I would be head over heels in love with her. Just like I am with her mom.”
Evie shifted in an attempt to situate herself better to nurse Sammy. The controller for the bed slipped off the mattress, crashing to the ground.
She flinched, the sound immediately taking her back to the office. Jake had laid across her, and the baby, while Sam fought for control of the weapon. She’d heard their friends burst into the room, and it was mayhem. The gun went off and all Evie could think of was losing Sam in that moment.
No one had been hurt by the stray shot. But the shock of it was enough to make Derrick pause. Hank, Sebastian, and Sam were finally able to restrain him.
Everything after that was a blur. She remembered how Jake got up, immediately trying to check on her and the baby like he didn’t have his own injury to attend to. Daisy forced him to sit on the couch while Emma took over tending to Evie. The paramedics bundled her and the baby up and by the time she arrived at the hospital, it had been so hard to keep her eyes open. Every last bit of energy had left her body, but Sam was right there, encouraging her to sleep while he watched over the baby.
“Bluebell,” Sam’s warm hand cupped her cheek. “You okay?”
“I’m good. Things could have ended so differently for us last night. I guess I’m just feeling a bit overwhelmed, and yet, very, very blessed right now.”
“I know what you mean. My chest hasn’t felt right since Sammy was born.”
“Are you okay? Should I call a nurse?”
“No, baby. I’m fine.”
“But what if it’s your heart?” She panicked. “I heard that gun go off a second time and I thought… If you got hurt…If I lost you after everything…”
“Stop. We both know that one day my heart is going to stop beating. Whether it happens tomorrow or fifty years from now, I’ll go knowing the only reason it ever got a second chance at beating again was to have the honor of loving you and our little girl.”
“Where’s my girl?” Sylvie’s voice drifted in from the hallway and Sam smiled as his mom walked into the hospital room. It was hard to see her behind all the flowers and balloons she was carrying.
“Here, Mom. Let me take those for you.”
“Thanks, Honey.”
Sam grabbed everything out of her arms and placed it on the table next to Evie’s bed.
“She’s in the bassinet right now, much to Sam’s dismay.” Evie giggled, and it was music to his ears.
Evie was trying so hard to focus on the positives, but he knew there would be a time when she’d crash. And he’d be there for her when it happened.
“Oh, Evie. She’s beautiful,” Sylvie said as she glanced over to the baby. “But I didn’t mean her when I asked where my girl was. I meant you.”
He watched as his mother hugged Evie. Her shoulders stiffened before she leaned into Sylvie, and then the tears started.
“Shh, baby. I know. You just let it all out. It’s okay to feel the weight of what happened last night. It’s okay. You’re doing great.”
“I just hate how her birth is dirty now in my mind. It was wild, and raw, and uncontrollable, but Sylvie, it was so incredible too. I felt power surge through my body from a place I didn’t even know was possible. That high from bringing her into the world was taken from me so quickly. By someone we trusted. How do I ever trust someone around her? How do I get past this?”
“You don’t have to get over it today.” His mom kept a tight hold of Evie as Sam reached down into the bassinet and picked up their daughter. He wanted to memorize every word she was saying to Evie because he knew that this wouldn’t be the only time she needed support.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get over it.”
“You will, sweetheart. There will come a time when the sharp edges from last night fade. Things will look clearer when you don’t have all sorts of hormones going crazy trying to take your body from baby bakery to food factory overnight.” Evie gave a soggy giggle at his mom’s words. “You’ll remember and pull from that same source of power you felt flow through you last night as you brought your baby into the world. You want to know why?”
He watched his incredible fiance nod against his mother’ s shoulder.
“Because that power came from within you. There was no other source. You did what mothers do, Evie. You found the strength within yourself. And you’ll do it again. And again. Countless times as you raise that little one. We will not speak his name again. He does not get to take last night from you and Samuel. He does not get to take yesterday from Abby and Johnathan. You’ll pull from that strength, Evie. And when you feel too weak, Sam and I, and the rest of your family— who are all sitting in the waiting room patiently waiting for their turn to come in and love on you while they meet your daughter by the way— We will bear the burden until you find it again.”
“I just don’t understand why he didn’t come to us after everything fell apart with his plan with Garrett. I would have wanted to help his sister. I would have wanted to help him.”
“Bluebell, he stole from us. For years. He killed our cattle. At the very base of everything, he lied about who he was. He knew there was no way to come to us for help without getting caught for his crimes.”
“I still feel like we could have helped in some way.”
“We’ll never know, because he never came to ask. That’s on him, Honey. You only take on the burdens assigned to you. Don’t be reaching out for everyone else’s.” His mom patted Evie’s arms before reaching up to wipe away her tears. “Feeling better?”
“A little.”
“Good. You ever need someone to talk to, I’m here. Don’t hold it in.”
“Sounds like something a very wise woman once told me,” Sam said as he rocked Sammy Jo side to side.
“Is he talking about you?” Sylvie asked. Evie nodded, a small, yet sure, smile spreading across her face. “Of course he is. You know, I couldn’t ask for a better woman to walk through this life with my son. Or to take under my wing as another daughter.”
“I love you, Sylvie.”
“I love you too, Evie.”
Three months later…
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Sebastian slapped his arm on Sam’s shoulder. He’d officially accepted the role of best man with the biggest shit eating grin on his face. Sam didn’t have the heart to tell him it was only because Evie had already asked Daisy to be her matron-of-honor that he asked in the first place.
“More than ready.” Sam looked down at his daughter who was sleeping in his arms. “What do you say, Sammy? Should we finally make Mama my wife?”
Her perfect little lips turned up into a smile as the music started. Sam lifted his eyes, just in time to see Evie turn the corner of the farm house, his mother right beside her. She had been insistent on getting married on the ranch, with just their small group of friends and family in attendance.
Tears pricked at his eyes, his heart thundering in his chest as he watched his beautiful bride making her way down to him. Her dress was all white lace, and it was tight against every one of her perfect curves. He smiled, looking down at the cowboy boots that peaked out from under her dress each time she took a step. She’d told him a few days before the ceremony that she was going to wear the ones he bought for her with the bluebonnets embroidered on the side. Her eyes lit up as she laughed, saying it counted as her ‘something blue’.
“Fancy seeing you here, baby girl.” Evie bent over and kissed Sammy’s forehead. “Hey there, Cowboy. I hope she was good for you. ”
“She’s the best baby in the whole world.”
“Wrapped right around her daddy’s finger.”
“She sure is. Just as she should be.” He took a minute to let his eyes glide over her body. “You look amazing.”
She held out her bouquet and he laughed, his eyes landing on the silk bluebells she had placed amongst the other flowers. It was incredible just how much his life had changed in one year. November eighth would always be the day he died. It would always be the day his life began again, and the day Sammy Jo started growing in Evie’s belly. And now, November eighth would always be the day that he married the woman of his dreams.
“What do you say, Bluebell? Are you finally ready to become a Cooper?”
“Yeah, Cowboy. I’m ready.”