Page 53 of The Pretender (Mifflin County Mysteries #3)

A NTHONY DIDN ‘ T HAVE A BIT of trouble finding the home Tena had written out for him, as it was on the same road where the Petersheims lived. As he drove up the driveway, he spotted a dark-haired woman on her hands and knees, digging in the front flower bed.

When Anthony stopped his bike in front of the house, she rose to her feet and approached him. “Hello. May I help you with something?” she asked.

“Are you Ida, the midwife?”

“Yes, I am.”

“I’m Rosa Petersheim’s friend, and her sister tried to call to let you know that Rosa is in labor and needs you to come right away.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she apologized. “I left my cell phone in the house, thinking I’d only be out here a short time, but once I started digging in the soil, I got carried away. I’ll go inside to get my things, and then I’ll hop in my car and head right over to the Petersheims’ place.”

“Thank you.” Anthony got his motorcycle going again and headed out onto the road. He hoped he would have the opportunity to see Rosa before the baby was born.

Anthony made it back to the Petersheims’ house before the midwife, and after he parked his bike, he ran up the porch steps and jerked the front door open without bothering to knock.

Tena greeted him in the entryway. “Did you find Ida’s house? Was she at home?”

“Yes to both, and she’s on her way over here.”

“Oh good, that’s a relief.”

“Has Rosa had her baby yet?”

“No, but I think she’s getting really close. Hopefully the midwife will be here soon and can deliver the infant so Mom doesn’t have to.” Tena rubbed her hands along the sides of her blue dress. “I sure hope my sister and her baby will be all right.”

“We need to pray for a safe delivery.”

Tena looked up at Anthony with creases across her forehead. “Have you been praying for Rosa?”

“Of course, and I’m sure you’ve been doing the same.”

“Definitely, but I didn’t know if you believed in God, let alone offered prayers to Him.”

There was a time when Anthony could have been offended by her statement, but that was before he’d spent time reading the Bible and accepted Jesus as his Savior. So Anthony just smiled and said, “I didn’t always, but I’m a Christian now.”

“Oh, that’s good to hear.”

A knock sounded on the front door, and when Tena answered it, the midwife rushed in. “Where’s Rosa?” she asked. “Has the baby come?”

Tena shook her head. “No, not yet. Rosa’s in the guest room down the hall, and my mother is with her. Come with me. I’ll take you there.”

“I’d like to go too.” Anthony stepped forward. “There’s something important I’d like Rosa to know.”

Ida paused and looked at Anthony. “You said you were a friend, so I assume that means you’re not Rosa’s husband?”

“That’s correct.”

“Sorry, sir, but you’ll have to wait out here.”

Anthony began to sweat profusely. Although he wasn’t the father of Rosa’s child, he was desperate to speak to her, if only for a few minutes.

Anthony waited until Tena and the midwife headed down the hall and then followed quietly.

When Ida opened the door and entered the bedroom, Anthony grabbed hold of the doorknob and held the door partway open, but not enough so he could see what was going on inside. “Rosa, it’s me!” he shouted.

“Anthony?” Her voice sounded strained, like she might be having a difficult time breathing.

“Yeah, it’s me. I came here to say that I love you, and if you’ll have me, I want us to get married. In fact, I’d do it right now, if we had a preacher.”

“There’s no time for talk. Can’t you see that this woman is about to give birth?” Ida whirled around, gave Anthony an icy stare, and slammed the door in his face.

Feeling like a scolded pet with its tail between its legs, Anthony followed Tena into the living room.

“I don’t know what you’re up to,” Tena said, taking a seat on the couch, “but this was not a good time to be asking my sister to marry you. What’s the matter with you, anyway?”

“What’s the matter? I’ll tell you what the matter is.

I’m in love with Rosa, and I should have come here sooner to tell her that.

” Anthony plopped down in the recliner. He wasn’t sure if Rosa had heard his declaration of love or his proposal.

More importantly, he didn’t know if she loved him.

He’d taken a chance coming here, but it had been worth the risk.

Once the baby had been safely delivered and he was allowed to talk to Rosa, he would ask her to marry him again, with much more feeling this time.

He just hoped she loved him too and wouldn’t turn him down flat.

“I’m ever so glad you’re here,” Elsie said when Ida took over.

“Do you need my help? Would you like me to stay?” Her thoughts were in a whirl with concern about Rosa.

And then there was that intrusion by Anthony Reeves.

Or did I imagine that he was here? Elsie pondered.

Why would he show up out of the blue and propose marriage to Rosa?

Elsie looked at her daughter’s corded neck and clenched jaw as she struggled with the pain of her next contraction.

A sheen of perspiration covered Rosa’s forehead, and the hair on her forehead, peeking out from the black scarf on her head, was a matted mess.

Elsie would give anything if she could take away her daughter’s discomfort.

But it was all part of childbearing that each mother must endure.

Elsie had been through it five times, but at that moment, it felt like yesterday, as she observed her daughter and relived her own pain.

“I can always use an extra pair of hands,” Ida said, pushing Elsie’s thoughts aside. “And yes, of course I think it would be good if you remain here with your daughter. She needs your support right now.”

Elsie took hold of Rosa’s hand. “Don’t try to talk, dear one, and don’t think about anything except doing whatever Ida tells you.”

“Don’t push yet,” Ida instructed. “I’ll tell you when it’s time.”

Rosa pulled in several deep breaths as Mom placed a cool cloth on her forehead and told her to try to relax.

“It won’t be much longer, Rosa.” She spoke with assurance, but Rosa wasn’t convinced.

Although she probably hadn’t been in labor very long, her pains had gone on much longer than she expected.

In some ways Rosa felt like she was in the middle of a bad dream, but then she remembered hearing Anthony’s voice.

Or did I imagine it? Surely Anthony couldn’t be here right now. In my state of mind, I must have been hearing things.

“All right, Rosa, it’s time to push,” Ida announced. “Bear down now and keep pushing until I tell you to stop.”

Rosa did as her midwife instructed, and she gave it her all. Moments later, she heard the cry of a baby, and Ida proclaimed, “It’s a boy, Rosa. Your son has arrived, and he’s breathing on his own.”

Tears welled in Rosa’s eyes and trickled onto her hot cheeks. Thank You, Lord. Thank You for my baby’s safe entry into this world.

Anthony drummed his knuckles along the arm of the chair, where he sat waiting impatiently for some word.

Tena had tried to carry on a conversation with him, asking questions about New York, his parents, and the motorcycle parked out front.

But it was all Anthony could do to answer each query when his thoughts were on Rosa.

If we were actually married, I could be in there with her right now, offering my love and support.

I’d be holding Rosa’s hand and soothing her brow.

I’d say over and over how much I love her.

I would be doing everything I could to make my wife more comfortable, and I’d be cheering her on with each contraction.

Anthony’s head jerked and he sat up straight when he heard the cry of a baby.

Tena must have heard it too, because she gave a small yelp, jumped off the couch, and clapped her hands. “Did you hear that, Anthony? Rosa’s baby has been born.”

“Yes, I heard the baby’s cry.” He got up and walked across the room to stand in front of the fireplace. “Sure wish I could see Rosa right now. I bet she looks beautiful, holding the baby in her arms.”

“This is so thrilling. I wonder what she had.” Tena’s broad smile mirrored her excitement.

A short time later, Rosa’s mother entered the room.

Her lips were parted in a pleasant smile.

“It’s a boy,” Elsie announced, looking only at Tena.

Her head swiveled when she caught sight of Anthony.

“So it really was you I heard when Ida came into the room. I thought I must have been hearing things.” She pointed at Anthony. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see Rosa and confess my love for her.” Anthony swiped a palm over his sweaty forehead. “Does she know I’m in the house? Did she hear when I asked her to marry me?”

Elsie’s brows furrowed. “Is that what you said?”

“Yes, I did, and I meant it. She means the world to me, and I plan to stay here in Belleville to prove it.”

“No more pretending? Is that what you’re saying?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Anthony took a few steps forward. “Is there any chance I can see her now?”

“We need to give the midwife a chance to finish all that needs to be done, and it’s important for Rosa to get some rest.”

“I understand, and I won’t stay in there long. I just need to see her for a few minutes.”

“I want to see Rosa and the baby too,” Tena was quick to say.

“And you shall, but first I’m going back to see what else Ida wants me to do. When she says it’s all right, I’ll come back to get Anthony, and then Tena, you can go in for a few minutes to see your nephew.”

A sense of hope mixed with trepidation flooded Anthony’s soul. It had taken him too long to reach the decision to come here, and he didn’t know what he would do if Rosa rejected his proposal or said she didn’t love him.