Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen
Seven months later
“P ush, child. It won’t be much longer now.”
Charlotte pushed and released a scream. Then another one. She’d been screaming at the top of her lungs since the first labor pain ripped into her more than five hours ago. Was Hattie Duncan, the area’s midwife, standing over her and hollering orders as crazy as she looked? She was tired of pushing and was in too much pain to do anything but scream.
“For God’s sake, stop howling like a banshee and push. This baby won’t be coming out until you do your part.” Just the thought of that made Charlotte push while screaming again.
The moment she’d gone into labor, her father had sent for the midwife, Milton, and his parents. He’d also sent for Reverend Potts, certain there would be a wedding once her baby was born and it was proven to be a Madaris. What if Jantzen Madaris had told the truth, and there was a birthmark on every Madaris baby born? It would be something her child would not have. She was counting on her father to force Milton to marry her regardless.
The last seven months hadn’t gone at all like she’d hoped. Definitely not like she’d planned. She figured with the threat of a scandal, the Madarises would back down, and Milton would marry her. That hadn’t happened. Nor had he taken pity on her when people began shaming her by calling her loose, wanton, and a tramp. Milton’s attitude made her parents even more determined to prove to everyone how the Madaris family had deliberately embarrassed the Satterfields. Thanks to those who had believed her story, the Madaris name had gotten drug through the mud. They accepted as true that she’d been a virgin before Milton had seduced her, and he was refusing to marry her because he wanted to marry someone else.
Tonight, it all ended. She would claim it was Milton’s baby regardless of what Milton’s father said. She refused to believe Jantzen Madaris could prove otherwise. But what if he could? Those thoughts were interrupted by another sharp pain, this one sharper than before, and she screamed at the top of her lungs.
“Push, gal. This wouldn’t be so hard on you if you hadn’t gone and messed yourself up down there,” Ms. Hattie said sharply. “Now push.”
What on earth was the old woman talking about? Saying this wouldn’t have been so hard on her if she hadn’t gone and messed herself up down there? She heard Ms. Hattie would not allow anyone else in the room to get in her way. Charlotte wished her mother had been allowed to stay with her, but once the labor pains became more frequent, she’d been asked to leave.
Mrs. Hattie was rambling even more now. Not loud enough to be heard and too fast to be understood. Before she could fully comprehend the older woman’s words, another pain ripped through her.
“Push!”
She pushed while screaming so loud her throat felt raw. Suddenly, she heard a baby crying and Mrs. Hattie saying, “It’s a boy, missy.”
The last thing she remembered before exhaustion knocked her into much-needed sleep was the sound of Hattie Duncan saying in a surprised tone. “Well, I’ll be.”
***
Milton sat on the steps of the Satterfields’ porch. He didn’t want to be here, but his parents had insisted he come when they’d gotten the call from Ms. Penny that Charlotte was in labor.
They were sitting on the porch since the Satterfields hadn’t the decency to invite them inside their home. Not that he or his parents would have entered anyway. Over the past seven months, Mr. Kurt and Ms. Penny let it be known how much they despised the Madarises for the shame Milton had caused their daughter. Milton wasn’t concerned for himself since he refused to claim Charlotte’s baby. However, the intense animosity between the two families didn’t help the situation between Waylon and Victoria.
The last seven months had been hard on him and his family. What had kept Milton going was Felicia. Although the two of them hadn’t communicated, they had stayed connected through Victoria, who’d been going through her own hurt and pain with her broken engagement. Way and Victoria hoped that once Charlotte’s baby was born and Mr. Kurt saw it wasn’t Milton’s baby, he would take back what he’d said about not wanting a union between the Satterfields and Madarises. However, Milton felt that even if the Satterfields made such a move, his pa would not accept it. The Madaris name had been unfairly damaged, and its honor and integrity questioned. He honestly couldn’t see the friendship between the families ever being repaired.
Unknown to their parents, he and Waylon had continued to meet at what had been their secret meeting place since they were kids. There was no way they could become enemies when their friendship went so deep. Waylon had told him Charlotte had their parents thoroughly convinced Milton was the father, but Waylon himself did not believe his sister’s lies.
Charlotte let out one hell of another scream. Then suddenly, there was the sound of a baby crying, and moments later, Kurt Satterfield opened his front door, stepped onto the porch, pointed to him, and said, “I suggest you come take a look at your son.”
Like hell he would, Milton thought. He was about to say those words when the midwife, Hattie Duncan, appeared in the doorway holding a baby wrapped in a yellow blanket. Reverend Potts followed her.
“There’s no need for him to look at this baby,” Hattie said loud enough for everyone to hear. “It’s not his.”
Milton exhaled a relieved breath, wondering how the woman would know such a thing. Kurt Satterfield undoubtedly wondered the same thing and stared at Hattie with intense anger. “What are you talking about, old woman? Jantz hasn’t even checked for a mark on that baby.”
Hattie lifted her chin. “Doesn’t matter. Look at this baby and tell me who he looks like.”
She uncovered the child, and Kurt stared at the baby. Reverent Potts took a look at him as well. Penny Satterfield stepped onto the porch to join them. Since she didn’t look at the baby, Milton figured she’d seen it already, and from the look in Ms. Penny’s features, she knew what Hattie Duncan was pointing out to the others. Charlotte’s mother appeared too ashamed to even meet Milton or his parents’ gazes.
Who on earth did the baby look like? Milton figured his parents were as curious as he was but refused to move an inch to see for themselves.
The front door opened again, and Waylon came out, stared at the baby, looked angrily at his father, and was about to return inside when Ms. Hattie’s words stopped him. “And another thing,” she said. “Charlotte lied about being a virgin since this wasn’t her first pregnancy.”
Penny gasped loudly. Milton wasn’t sure if she hadn’t known that or if she was shocked Ms. Hattie had announced such a thing to everyone. “The reason Charlotte had a difficult labor,” Ms. Hattie continued, “was because whoever helped her get rid of the last one botched her up.”
Waylon went back inside, slamming the door behind him. Kurt turned to his wife and pinned her with an accusing stare. “You knew about this?”
Penny quickly backed up, bumping into Reverent Potts in the process. “No, Kurt. I swear I didn’t.”
In a deceptively calm voice, Jantzen Madaris then said, “We’re leaving.” He headed for the truck. Milton and his mother followed.
“Jantz,” Kurt called after him. “I apologize to you and your family.”
Jantzen turned and gave him a steely glare. “The embarrassment your family has caused mine these past seven months is unforgivable, Kurt. If Reverend Potts weren’t standing on that porch, I’d tell you just what you can do with your apology.”
The Madarises then got in their truck and drove off.
***
A furious Kurt kicked in the door to the bunkhouse. Aiming at the ceiling, he released a blast from his shotgun. Five men wearing just their skivvies jumped out of bed, nearly tumbling to the floor as plaster fell from the ceiling, leaving a huge gaping hole. Kurt’s gaze was on one particular man. Levon Turban. Everybody living in these parts knew about those Turbans. They all looked alike. From their broad forehead and distinctive nose down to their wide lips.
“What’s wrong, Mr. Satterfield?” one of his ranch hands, Stan Anderson, asked in a shaking voice. They were all staring at him like he’d gone plum loco.
“I want all of you to stand on the other side of the room. All but Levon.” Four men were quick to do what he’d asked. That left one man defenseless against a shotgun aimed right at him.
Levon backed up with his hands in the air. “What’s wrong, Mr. Satterfield? I didn’t do anything.”
“You slept with my daughter and then stood by while she accused another man of getting her with child.”
Levon opened his mouth, then closed it as if he thought better of it. When he saw Kurt’s fingers twitch near the trigger, he quickly said, “She never said the child was mine.”
“The boy looks just like you. Get dressed. There’s going to be a wedding tonight.”
“Wedding?” Levon asked, startled.
“Yes, wedding. You either marry Charlotte or die here and now,” Kurt said.
Levon swallowed deeply and then said. “Okay, I’ll marry her.”
Kurt’s frown deepened. “You don’t have a choice.”