A Wild Thirst for Revenge – Extended Epilogue

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Nate paced back and forth, chewing on his bottom lip nervously. “It’s taking so long,” he moaned, glancing at the door. On the other side, his wife was giving birth to their first child. “I’m worried about her.”

“You don’t have to be too worried,” Peter said, standing up and walking to the door. He sounded convincing but Nate could see the concern on his face, as well. They hadn’t heard any real sounds coming from the room for a few minutes. Before that, Jackie’s cries of anguish had wrenched at his heart.

Peter stared at the door intently, as if he could see through it.

“She has to have given birth. We would hear her otherwise, wouldn’t we?”

“I don’t hear any sounds at all,” Nate said, distracted by thoughts of losing Jackie or the baby or both.

“They’ll come out and get you in a minute,” Peter said confidently.

Nate wanted to snap at his brother-in-law and ask how he could possibly know that. But he knew Peter was just as upset and hoping for the best just like he was.

Finally, just a few minutes later, with Peter still boring holes in the door with his eyes, it opened and the midwife came out to greet him with a big smile on her face. As soon as he saw her, Nate felt better. No midwife would smile that big if there was something wrong with the child or the mother.

“Mr. Keegan. Please come in and meet your child.”

Nate was amused that the midwife didn’t tell him the sex of the baby. He was going to have to find out when Jackie told him the name she’d chosen. They’d both agreed to let her choose the first baby’s name and they would go back and forth until they weren’t having any more.

Nate passed Peter, who graciously let the new father go in first.

Jackie was sitting up in bed, holding a tiny baby wrapped in a pink blanket. Her eyes sparkled when she looked at him.

“It’s a girl,” she said, pleased as she could be.

Nate was happy, too. Next time it would be a boy. He hoped.

There was nothing wrong with having a little girl, he had been telling himself, to prepare in case it was. He would have preferred a boy first but he was sure there was a reason for everything. As long as the child was healthy and Jackie was still alive, he didn’t really care.

He rushed over to the bed and sat on the edge. Jackie held the baby out to him.

“And what have you decided to name her?” Nate asked, reaching out and taking the child from her.

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Jackie replied in a soft voice. “I think we should try to decide together.”

Nate raised his eyebrows. “No, Jackie. I haven’t even been thinking about names this time because you said you wanted to name our first child. It would take forever for me to come up with something. We can’t just call her ‘baby’ in the meantime.”

Jackie giggled, shaking her head. “Oh, you. All right, I’ll make this decision all by myself. But if you don’t like what I’ve chosen, you have to tell me. Do you promise?”

“I promise,” Nate replied firmly.

“You swear?” she pressed.

“I swear,” he said without hesitation.

Jackie nodded, her eyes dropping to the soft, round, cuddly face of their daughter.

“I want to call her Victoria. Victoria Ann Keegan. How does that sound?”

Nate thought he’d never heard a better name in his lifetime ever.

“I love it,” he gushed. “What a wonderful choice. Maybe you should name all our children.”

She winked at him, “Maybe I will.”

Nate couldn’t believe the emotions bursting through him when he looked at the little girl in his arms. So this was what it felt like to be a father. Something he never would have thought possible while he was in prison. But then again, while he was in prison, he hadn’t thought of anything other than studying. He wanted out of there the entire time. He’d immersed himself in his studies so as not to think about what was going outside.

“Mr. Keegan, she really needs to rest and we have to run a few tests on the baby so we know she’s in perfect health.” He turned to look at the midwife, who was giving him the biggest smile. He returned it and then leaned down to kiss one of his wife’s cheeks and then her forehead.

“I’ll be back, my dear,” he said. “I’ve been told the saloon is boomin’ today.”

Jackie giggled, “I’m sure it is. They’re having a party for you out there, aren’t there?”

Nate nodded, his face bursting with excitement. “Yeah, there’s supposed to be a thing there for the celebration. Somebody told me I needed to get there as soon as I found out you were okay and checked over the baby and all that. I imagine they’re gonna be smokin’ cigars and cheering for my little Victoria Ann.”

Jackie reached out and patted him on the arm. “Go have fun with your friends, honey. I will be right here waiting for you when you get back. When the midwife says I can leave, I’ll want you to come get me.”

“Of course I’ll be here then,” he remarked.

“I’ll let him know, Jackie,” the midwife said from the doorway. Or I’ll send Julie. Either way, someone will let him know. It’s not our goal to keep new mothers here for any length of time.’

“Just long enough to check her over and there is nothing to be worried about?”

The midwife shook her head. “No, sir, if there was a problem, we would already know.”

Nate nodded, leaning down and giving his new daughter a kiss that made her baby eyes open and she managed to make solid eye contact with her father.

Nate’s heart melted.

He gave his wife and new daughter a few more kisses before backing out the door.

Peter stuck his head in and waved at the two women. He shared a look with Julie that made Nate raise one eyebrow in suspicion. He had a strong feeling the newlyweds would be making an announcement of their own very soon.

“I’ll be back to check on you later, sis, Julie.” He spoke the words, blew a kiss to his wife and sister and then turned to leave with Nate.

“You sure you want to come to the saloon?” Nate asked as they left the clinic. He was giving Peter the side-eye. “You don’t drink.”

Peter laughed and said, “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Nate’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You want to go to the saloon that bad? What, you starting to drink?”

Peter just laughed again and shook his head. “No, brother-in-law. This is a special occasion and all your friends will be there. I want to be there with you, too. It only happens once in a while that a new baby is born. And now I have a niece. I have something to celebrate, too.”

Nate wondered if there was more to what Peter was saying but didn’t pry. If he had an announcement to make, he would tell him.

The two men went to the saloon and went inside to a barrage of cheers, hellos and clapping. Nate had to laugh, feeling a little overwhelmed by it all.

The first face he saw belonged to Lyndon. The man looked about to burst with happiness. He raised a glass of beer in the air and whooped loudly. Looking at the man sitting at the piano, he called out, “Play something fun, Syl! We’ve got a new papa here. A proud new papa, I’m sure. So… tell us all, Nate, is it a boy or a girl?”

As he spoke, Lyndon held out a large mug of beer to Nate.

Nate took it from him and turned in a circle, taking everyone in.

“I’m proud to announce I have a little…”

“…girl,” he said, circling the room to take in all his friends. “It’s a girl and Jackie has named her Victoria Ann.”

Cheers lifted up to the roof. Men slammed their hands on the tables and their boots on the ground, making a loud raucous noise.

To Nate’s surprise, Lyndon drew him into a hug, slapping him on the back firmly. He backed off after paying his respects.

He wanted to see if Peter was going to get a drink, too. He made his way back to the bar, shaking hands and thanking the friends who were wishing him congratulations.

Lyndon was leaning on the bar, his brown eyes searching the mirror behind it. When he saw Nate approaching, he turned with a wide grin.

“That make you happy?” he asked. Nate was sure his friend already knew the answer. You’re a good friend, Lyndon,” Nate said, forcing the words through the fresh tears that threatened him. “Don’t know what I did to deserve it.”

Lyndon lifted his full glass of beer and the two men clinked their glasses together. “You forgave me.” Suddenly, the delighted, happy look on Lyndon’s face was replaced by overwhelming emotion. He blinked hard but Nate saw there were tears in his eyes as well. “Thank you for forgiving me.”

Nate could only nod. If he said anything, his friend would hear the trembling in his voice and would know he was about to cry, as well.

“Too much emotion going on around here,” Lyndon said, turning away and swiping at his eyes with one hand, pretending there was nothing there. Nate saw him wipe the back of his hand on his trousers, indicating that some tears had fallen.

“I agree,” Nate said with a chuckle. “Let’s drink some beer and have some fun.”

“You want to play cards?”

Nate’s grin returned and he felt the heavier emotions disappearing.

Three hours later, the sun was beginning to set and most of the friends in the saloon had left. Nate had never been congratulated so much in his life, not even the day he got married a year ago.

He was still seated with Lyndon, saying, “I guess this would be a good time to go see Jackie. I’ll bet she’s been asleep. Of course if the midwife says she’s still sleeping, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning.”

To Nate’s delight, Jackie was wide awake. When they went in the room, she was holding their daughter in her arms, singing softly to her. She looked up, her eyes settling on Nate. A wide smile came to her face.

“Look, Tori, it’s your papa.”

Nate liked her nickname for the child.

Chills ran over Nate’s arms as he watched his wife and his daughter. His life had completely turned in the opposite direction. For ten years, he had been isolated and alone. Unloved and unwanted, left in a prison to rot.

Now he had a family. He knew who his friends were. His life had come full circle.

And he would love every minute of it from that point on.

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Grab my new series, "Legends of the Lawless Frontier", and get 2 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!

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