xover: Inner Fire and The Light (15/16)
Jeannie Ecklund, Aug 17, 2000


Joe and Grace sat at their breakfast table.  Both  were loath to leave
their beautiful room.  It had been like heaven on earth.  Soon they
would have to pack up and get ready to leave.  Grace had spent an hour
taking photos of every nook and cranny.

"Memories," she had said when Joe teased her about it.

The car was due in an hour to return them to the cabin, and they would
leave with mixed feelings for they were looking forward to seeing their
friends again.

"I wonder how everyone has been adjusting since we left," Grace thought
out loud.  "I hope Natalie has been OK.  I'd feel really awful if she
went into labor before I got back."

"Now, Grace," Joe soothed, "You know we've prayed for them and that they
are in God's hands.  The angels said that things would go well with
them... but I will be glad to see everyone again... not that I haven't
enjoyed being here with you... " he stopped and leared playfully at her.

"You better not give me any ideas or we won't be ready when the car gets
here," she admonished.

They finished packing up and were outside waiting when the limo  pulled
up to take them home. The drive up the mountain was so beautiful that
they didn't talk much. They relaxed in each other's arms and enjoyed
looking at God's creation all around them.

Finally, the car entered the gates of "Saving Grace" and pulled up in
front of the larger cabin.  Out on the lawn in front of the house, the
trainer was working with Nick and LaCroix.  The men were starting with
some simple stretching exercises designed to strengthen
muscle tone and loosen them up.

Natalie and Janette sat on the porch watching.  Everyone came over  to
hug the returning honeymooners as Joe and Grace got out of the limo.
Natalie pulled Grace aside. "How was it?"

"Girl, it was wonderful!  That man of yours sure knows how to pamper
people.  The tub was like a swimming pool... huge.  It was glorious.  We
nearly lived in it.  It's always been a fantasy of mine."

Natalie's eyes twinkled. "I know.  You told me that once, remember?"

Grace looked at her friend. "Natalie, you told Nick?"  she blushed.
"Well... Thank you so much.  It's more than we hoped for... or
deserved."

"You?re wrong, Grace. You guys deserve the best of everything.  You have
been such a good friend to me and to Nick.  You've accepted this whole
crazy life, and you have a few gray hairs to show for the some of the
things we've put you through."

"Gray hairs!  Where?"  Grace plucked at her hair, with mock distress.
"Girl, they were there long before I knew of vampires,"  She laughed.

The newlyweds returned to the porch with Janette to watch the men as
they returned to their workout, while Natalie went inside.

After several more minutes, LaCroix called to Janette, and she came and
helped him back to a seat on the porch.  "I?ve had enough for today," he
said, "... but it felt so good."

Natalie had also returned to the porch.  She touched his shoulder and
knelt before him. "Are you okay, Father?"

LaCroix looked down at her, and tears formed in his eyes. She'd never
called him that before.  It sounded good to his ears.

"Yes, daughter,"  he smiled. "It was a wonderful work out.  When I was
in the army, we did a regimen of exercises each day to get in shape.  I
just need to take it slowly."  He patted her hand.

Natalie saw the pleasure in his eyes over the fact that he had been able
to accomplish something positive. She turned his hand, pulling it to her
lips and kissed his palm. The tears that had formed in his eyes spilled
over as she slipped an arm around his neck and drew him close to hug
him.  "I'm so glad you are here with us, Lucus," she assured him.  "So
glad."

When Natalie finally drew away from his trembling body, she realized
that everyone was watching them.  Nick had taken a break to check on
LaCroix and arrived in time to catch their interchange.

LaCroix looked at the tear filled eyes of his family and said, "Forgive
me. I am overwhelmed with emotion.  This humanity is difficult!"

Everyone laughed happily together. There were more chuckles when Nick
and Joe had to help Natalie back onto her feet. She was absolutely
waddling now.

"Come on," she called, as she led them back into the house. "Lunch is
ready."

Nick extended his hand and hauled LaCroix to his feet.  Janette took his
arm on the other side. "Father, you never fail to amaze me,"  Nick said.

"How so, Nicholas?  You are surprised to see that I have come to love
your Natalie?"

"Actually, yes.  You opposed her for so long."

"True, but we were on opposite sides then.  It was another life time.
She has graciously put it behind her.  I am grateful to be here with you
and be so accepted and trusted by your beautiful wife."

"You and I have so much bad history that you still cannot truly trust me
yet.  I understand, Nicholas.  I must earn your trust.  I still have
much to confess  and ask your forgiveness for."

They reached the table and everyone started to take their seats.  Nick
passed by Grace and Joe on his way to his seat next to Natalie.  He
hugged Joe's neck, slapping him on the chest as his arm wrapped around
him.

"Pop, it's sure good to have you back.  There's been a really empty spot
here."

He wrapped his other arm about Grace and kissed the side of her
forehead.  "Did you enjoy the rooms?"

Everyone laughed as Grace turned a bright red. She coughed, "Yes, Nick.
Thank you. It was wonderful!"

They turned to eat their lunch of salad and cold chicken.

*****

The next few weeks went slowly for Natalie.  She could barely get out
of bed. She used the lift when she wanted to get downstairs.  Often she
would sit on the porch with the family and they would talk.  Sometimes
they would read the Bible aloud and discuss the passages.  It was a time
of relaxation and waiting.

Sydney often followed his young mistress around, but was disgusted when
he could find no room on her lap.  After tolerating his glares for a
while, she finally got the brilliant idea of getting him his own chair
to sit beside hers on the porch so she could stroke him as she sat.  He
would sit purring loudly, reassured of his place in her heart.

Patrick and his wife came twice during those three weeks.  They stayed
overnight, and Charity started to teach the other ladies how to make
baby quilts.

Sometimes, as Natalie lay on the porch divan, Grace would rub
moisturizer into her legs and arms. Janette would brush her beautiful,
long hair and often sing old world lullabies.  Lucus and Nick would tell
stories, and Joe would stay busy typing them up on his laptop.

Each afternoon, the trainer came, and Nick, LaCroix, and Joe would go
through the stretching and strengthening routines.  Sometimes Grace and
Janette would would join them while Natalie watched, feeling the twins
moving inside her.

*****

One afternoon, Nick, Grace and Joe were sitting out on the porch after
the trainer had left, watching Natalie's cat.  Sydney was pacing around
the porch in an agitated manner, and they were wondering what he was
upset about.

Natalie had spent the day up in the bedroom resting.  Sydney had stayed
with her, keeping her company most of the morning.  Grace had taken her
a light lunch of soup and a sandwich, but she had only sipped some of
the soup and said she wanted to try and nap, so Grace had picked up the
reluctant cat and left.

Suddenly, a blast of cold wind blew through the porch.  Heavy black
clouds started to roll in.

Nick turned to Joe, "Looks like a storm's coming.  Maybe that's what
he's so upset about. You know how these mountain storms blow in quickly
and get kind of rough for a few hours.  Maybe we'd better batten down
the hatches and get the gang inside."

LaCroix and Janette were out on the lawn playing croquet.  Joe had
laughed at them when they had brought out the game.  He thought it was
funny that the former vampires knew how to play.  LaCroix had told him
it had once been all the rage with the rich in the early '1900's.

All of a sudden there was a flash of lightning, and a torrent of rain
seemed to deluge them. Grace opened the door for the suddenly frantic
cat and hurried inside to find Natalie doubled  over in pain near the
lift.  She helped the pregnant woman cross the room to the couch before
the fireplace.

LaCroix, having regained much of his strength, grabbed Janette's hand
and they raced across the expanse of lawn to the big cabin's porch where
Nick and Joe stood, yelling at them to hurry.

Lightning cracked directly overhead, and the shock nearly knocked them
off their feet.  Their ears rang and their eyes dilated in the blazing
white light of the storm?s sudden fury.  Hail the size of marbles began
to fall.  The four stood for a moment, open mouthed in shock.  A cry
rang out from inside the house.

It was Natalie.

The four looked at each other, then raced indoors to find Grace
propping Natalie up with pillows.  She had one under her knees.  Sydney
paced nearby watching his mistress.

"Nick, the babies are coming!" Grace cried, as Natalie screamed again.

"Something is wrong!" Nat cried.

Nick looked around frantically at his friends, "What do we do, Grace??

"What are you doing down here, Natalie?  What's wrong?"  He slipped
behind Nat propping her up a bit into a sitting position and began
rubbing her back.

Grace ordered, "Joe, go up and get a couple of clean sheets and some
towels... Oh, and bring Natalie's medical bag, too. LaCroix, Janette,
see if you can get a fire going."  She turned back to Natalie. "Natalie,
how long have you been having contractions?"

Nat answered, sheepishly, "About 12 hours.  I thought they could be
Brackston HIcks, and didn't want to get everyone worked up for nothing
but about a half hour ago, they suddenly got very hard and close
together.  It's taken me awhile to get down here for help..." the
pregnant woman panted.

She grabbed Nick's hand and held it so tightly he thought it might break
as she struggled not to scream again through a new contraction.

"Grace, you are going to have to take a look.  Something is very
wrong... I think one of the babies maybe backwards.  You're going to
have to turn it if it is."

"Me?   Natalie, I'm a coroner, not an obstetrician.  I've never had to
deliver any at-risk babies myself.  I only assisted in two problem
deliveries during my internship, and they were C-sections.  That's been
years ago."

Her laboring friend cried out again then begged, "Grace, you have to
try.  You're the only one who can do it."

LaCroix said quietly, "I've done it before."

They all turned to look at him.

end part 15  

***** Jeannie Ecklund ***** gersknightlady@cs.com