CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Three months later...

Rose sighed in discomfort as she pushed herself out of the chair. She couldn't wait until this baby was born. It's wieght was wearing on her back and she could barely get around. The doctor said it was due any day now, just to be patient and prepared to call him when the first labor pain began.
"Hey Rose," Jack enters the house, off from work for the day. He's been getting off early ever since Rose's due date was approaching. He wanted to be there when the child was born.
"Hey," Rose smiled pleasantly as he kissed her cheek.
"I got a letter from Fabri. Kate's pregnant. Can you believe it? Five months along."
"It took him long enough to write us," Rose sniffed.
"That's because he's been working overtime. He had to make a living for his family and still become a millionaire somehow," Jack laughed. "Oh Rose this is great. Fabri and me are about to become fathers at just about the same time. I told him he should move his family down here to Chippewa Falls. The atmosphere is a lot better for a baby than New York is."
"Of course," Rose agrees, moving into the kitchen. "So Jack, what do you want for lunch?"
"Rose, don't worry about making my lunch. I'll make my own. Just you worry about getting plenty of rest for when that baby comes. The doctor said it'll be any day now."
"I know Jack, but I like making you lunch. It's one of the highlights of my day," Rose allows Jack to lead her to a chair. "But since you insist..."
Jack laughed. "You know you have no choice."
There's a knock at the kitchen door. Jack opens it to reveal Susan and Cal, dripping wet from the raging storm outside.
"You again?" Rose glares at Cal. "What do you want?"
"I followed Susan here. She has some important news for you two," Cal turns to Susan.
"What is it Susan?" Jack asked concerned, noticing the fear in her eyes.
"A twister has touched down in Evanston and word has it that the storm is heading here," Susan explained. "I think all of us should get to the storm cellar right away."
"A twister?" Rose asked, confused. Being from Philadelphia, she didn't know what the term meant, niether did Cal.
"It's a storm Rose. A very dangerous storm. If you're caught in it, chances are you're either be killed or end up way on the other side of the country," Jack explained. "They're not really common here in Wisconsin as much as they are in places like Kansas and Oklahoma, but we do have them."
"This is absurd," Cal shakes his head. "It's not even dark out yet." He opens the curtain and Rose gasps. It was as black as night outside and lightning was ravaging the sky. Rose gasps in fright as the house shakes as the lightning hits the ground.
"These storms move fast," Jack pulls Rose out of the chair. "Come on. We have to hurry."
Susan and Cal are first out of the kitchen door, heading to the back of the house where the storm cellar is located, Jack holds the door open for Rose, but she stops.
"Rose come on," Jack urges. "It's alright. I won't let anything happen to you."
"The wind is so strong," Rose feels hot tears well up in her eyes.
Jack remains calm and takes her hand. "Keep hold of my hand Rose. Ok? I'll get ya through this."
Rose looks into Jack's eyes and her fear dims a little. Nodding, she forces herself to allow herself to be pulled outside into the forceful wind. She gasps in pain as her backache from earlier that morning worsens.
"It's okay Rose," Jack reassures. "Just keep hold of my hand."
Cal and Susan are the first into the storm cellar once Jack opens it. Jack is about to let Rose go first when she screams with pain as a sharp pain grabs her abdomen and her water breaks.
"Rose!" Jack keeps hold of her hand.
"I think this is it Jack," Rose cried in pain. Picking her up and closing the cellar door tightly behind him, Jack carries her down into the cellar and lays her on a soft pile of hay. He works to make her as comfortable as possible.
"We have to get the doctor," Cal frantically looks around the cellar.
"We can't. If you haven't noticed, there's a killer storm raging out there!" Susan shouted. "Plus her water broke, so the baby's going to be here by time the doctor gets here. We're going to have to deliver this baby ourselves. Jack, I think it'd be wise if you and I stay and hold Rose's hands. Cal...you're going to have to be the one to deliver this baby."
"What?" Cal's in shock with this assignment. "But I don't know anything about delivering babies! Why can't you do it?"
"Because Rose needs all the support up here she can get and she doesn't trust you enough to let you hold her hand. So you're going to have to be the one to deliver the kid. now stop whining and get to work."
Rose screams as another pain grabs her just as lightning shakes the small room. "Jack I'm scared!" Rose cries.
"I know Rose, I know," Jack positions himself behind her and pulls her into his arms. "It's okay Rose. Just breath. I'm right here."
"Breath Rose. Breath," Susan directs.
Suddenly the sound of a distant frieght train is heard up above.
"What's that?" Rose is afraid to ask.
"The twister. It must be nearby," Jack tightens his embrace around his wife. "Don't worry Rose. We're safe down here."
"I see the head!" Cal shouts looking up at Susan.
"Ok Rose. It's time to push," Susan squeezes her hand. "Come on, you can do it."
"I can't. I have no strength left," Rose cried.
"Yes you can Rose. I know you can," Jack brushes her hair away from her face. And holds her closer as lightning shakes the cellar once again.

"Push Rose!" Susan yelled.
Counting to three and gathering up what strength she had left, Rose pushed and sighs in relief as a little cry fills the room.
"It's a girl Rose! It's a beautiful baby girl!" Cal exclaims.
"We have a daughter," Jack smiles down at her.
"She's beautiful Rose," Cal hands the baby to her mother. Rose looks down at her baby with all the love a mother can give a child.
"Hey you guys, listen. The storm's stopped," Susan practically whispers, looking up at the cellar door. She's right. All's quiet outside.
"Shall I go up and look?" Cal offered.
"If you want," Jack said, not wanting to leave Rose, or else he'd go himself.
"I'll go with you," Susan gets up. "Leave the new parents alone with their daughter."
When Cal and Susan look outside, the sky is a bright blue with a few thin whisps of clouds floating in the sky. In the horizon, they could spot the wreckage of the town, but as far as they can see, the Dawson farm was still standing unharmed.
"Well the house is still standing but I don't know about the rest of the twon," Susan sighed, coming back in. "One thing's for sure. We're going to have to get Dr. Calvert here as soon as possible to check on Rose. So Jack, since your house is still standing, may I suggest you take Rose and the baby back to the house and me and Cal will go fetch the doctor. We'll be back as soon as we can."
"Be careful out there!" Jack says, getting to his feet to take Rose and the baby in his arms.
"We will."

Two hours later...

Rose and Jack are up in their room admiring their now sleeping baby.
"We still have to name her," Jack smiled. "Have any ideas?"
"I was thinking we could name her after your mother," Rose smiles down at the sleeping baby. "Name her Rebecca."
"Oh Rose...are you sure? You don't have to if you don't want to," Jack smiled.
"I want to Jack. I think this baby's going to have it rough enough with me as a mother, but she'll have a fighting chance if she's named after the woman who raised you."
Jack smiled, touched by her decision. "Rose...I love you so much. More than anything," Jake takes her in his arms. "And thank-you. Thank you for choosing my mother as our daughter's new name."
Rose just smiled up at her husband, lost in his eyes. It's Cal's voice that brings her back to earth.
"We're back with the doctor!" Cal announces, barging into the room.
"Thank goodness we found him. It's a mess out there," Susan comes in behind Cal and Dr. Calvert.
"Let me check the new mother and child, "Dr Calvert comes over to Rose and begins to examine both her and the baby After fifteen minutes he is done "Everything's normal. Congratulations on our new baby."
"Thank-you Dr. Calvert," Jack shakes his hand. "Be careful out there. I heard the twister's really tore the town down."
"It's not as bad as it seems. Luckily we had no fatalities," Dr. Calvert grinned. "I would like to see both Rose and the baby next week, just to keep an eye on things."
"Sure thing," Jack nods.
"Come Dr. Calvert. I'll show you out," Susan leaves the room, leaving Cal with Jack and Rose.
"I better take Rebecca here to her nursery," Jack takes the baby from Rose. "I'll be back."
"Ok Jack," Rose nods. Her gaze falls on Cal once Jack had left the room.
Silence fills the room for three minutes until Rose breaks the silence. "I guess I owe you a thank-you for bringing my baby into the world."
"It's the least I could do for putting you through hell and back the past couple of years," Cal shrugged. "I really am sorry Rose."
"I think I know that now Mr. Hock...Cal. And I accept your apology...I forgive you," Rose sighed.
Cal grinned happily. He had finally gotten what he wanted after all this time. Grinning widely, Cal leaves the room and goes downstairs to join Susan.

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