Chapter 12
Three and a half months passed without a further incident or progress on the cases. They watched Sue Wilson and Wil McAllister closely to no avail. Then, something happened toopen things wide open again. James spent the Saturday morning working on the corral with Sam.
James could not help but admire Sam O’Brien. He worked hard and seemed motivated to improve his family. Sam even had almost enough money saved to put down on the 50 acres on the Brandon place next door. Abbey broke James train of thought calling him to the house for the phone.
“Be right back Sam,” said James wiping his forehead with a shirt sleeve and removing his work gloves.
“Take your time. I can handle this,” grinned Sam.
James hurried to the phone. He hoped it wasn’t an emergency with one of his partners. This was James’ weekend off and he wanted to take Sara and the girls ice skating. Abbey handed him the phone.
“Hello? This is Dr Phelan,” James began.
“James, this is John Steuben. Could I meet you for lunch today? It is sort of important,” Steuben asked mysteriously.
“Just a minute. Let me check with my boss,” replied James as he put his hand over the reeiver. “Would it be okay if I went to town to lunch with John Steuben? I’ll be back about 1:30 to take the girls skating.”
“Sure. We just planned to eat sandwiches and soup. Go ahead. Sounds like he needs your help,” replied the 38 week pregnant Abbey.
“If you start contracting, you beep me,” said James seriously.
“Go on. I’ve got Sam here. Besides, I feel marvelous today. I’m not even contracting. You go and help out John. I’ll be fine,” said Abbey shooing James out of the kitchen.
“John? Abbey says fine with her. I’ll meet you at the Cozy Corner in about 20 minutes,” said James.
“That’d be great James. I’ll see you there,” replied John gratefully.
James quickly washed his hands, threw on a clean shirt and pants, grabbed a light jacket, and ran outside.
“Sam, I’m going to have to go to town to talk with John Steuben. Tell the girls I’ll be back after lunch. Hopefully, by 1:30. Thanks,” threw James over his shoulder as he strode to his truck.
“I’ll tell’em. And don’t worry. If you’re late, I’ll just have to put on my skates and show’em how it done,” replied Sam with a droll grin.
“Yeah, right,” murmured James rolling his eyes.
James jumped into “Barney” and roared out of the yard scattering squawking chickens everywhere. “What do suppose made John Steuben want to talk to him today? John seemed a funny sort of guy at times. I suppose being John Winthrop Steuben IV had something to do with it,” thought James. John had blue eyes and the aquiline nose of his mother. His face looked softer and his chin less firm. John lacked the killer instincts of the previous John Winthrop’s but the family businesses grew well under his care. Just have to wait and see what he wanted.
James went down Steuben Avenue to the Cozy Corner. No place to park it appeared. The big winter carnival arrived tomorrow and the small town was packed with visitors. James sighed. Just have to go park at the office and hoof it down the street. He’d be a little late for the meeting.
He parked “Barney” and rushed down the sidewalks. The trip took some time since the way remained crowded with carnival people. He burst into the Cozy Corner. Tom Swanson saw him and motioned with his head to the back room. They kept the back room for local people and private conversations. Many a soul had been saved or healed in the privacy of the back room. Tom pointed to the decaf coffee urn. James shook his head yes. Tom followed him into the back room with a pot of coffee to put on the warmer, two mugs, creamer, and sugar.
“I’ll shut the door and put up the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign,” said Tom shutting the door.
“Thanks for coming James. I am at my wits end right now,” shared John anxiously.
“You look awful John. Are you ill?” said James as he observed the deathly pale of John.
“I’m not sleeping well or eating either. Pamela thinks I’ve got cancer but I know that is not it. I just need to share with someone and I trust you James. You always seem to know what to say or do. I’ve observed that over the years. But, before I share with you; you must swear to secrecy,” earnestly pled John.
“I can’t swear not to turn in criminal behavior, but, otherwise your words stay with me,” said James confidentially.
“Wonderful! What a relief. What I am going to share is not criminal but shameful for me to tell,” began John morosely. “You see all the digging you did for Mary O’Brien’s murder reopened an old wound of mine,” began John.
“Oh?” responded James curiously.
“Yes. I must tell you that I once loved Mary O’Brien. I must also tell you that Martha O’Brien is my daughter,” finished John with a deep breath.
James blinked hard and just sat stunned. “What? Martha is your daughter?”
“Yes. It all began in high school about 11 years ago when Mary was Mary O’Rourke. I remember it very clearly. We were both seniors in high school. Mary was even more beautiful then but a bit wild and from the ‘wrong sort of family,’” explained John bitterly. “I thought I loved her but what I really wanted was a wild fling before I went off to college. I took advantage of Mary and she became pregnant,” said John miserably.
“Whew!” exclaimed James
“There’s more though. I tried to force her to get an abortion. I picked her up one Saturday and we drove to Burlington to get an abortion. She cried the whole way but my heart was stone. Itook her into the clinic, shoved the $300 cash for the abortion into her hands, and told her I would pick her up in an hour. I left and went out just to waste time. I returned to the clinic, but Mary was gone. They said she never had the abortion and just left. I grew enraged. I wrote her a letter threatening to expose her as a tramp. Mary just wrote me a loving, pitiful letter about how she would never name me as the father of her baby. She kept her word and suffered all that indignity for me,” said John sadly.
“What then?” inquired James.
“I went off to college and promptly forgot all about it until I returned home and saw Mary’s plight. I couldn’t do anything. She never said another word to me. But, often I saw her sad eyes looking at me. And Martha is such a lovely child. It pains me so not to acknowledge my own flesh and blood. It would kill my wife Pamela to find this out,” said John in a soft voice.
John mused on this information. Yes, he could see how Pamela Steuben would react. Their marriage remained one of congenial comfort. The two oldest families in the town: the Steubens and the Wesleys, had been joined by an arranged marriage. If there was not a passion between John and Pamela, there was at least respect with genuine affection. That respect would probably vanish at the acknowledgement of an illegitimate child. Especially since Martha would then be the oldest grandchild and first in line for inheritance in the Steuben family. John and Pamela’s two other children would stand in line next after Martha.
“What am I to do James? I know now that I really loved Mary and did a very great wrong to her,” pleaded John.
James sat quietly and let his mind rest a minute. Suddenly, the thought flashed into his mind. Were Mary and John the only ones who knew about Martha? James needed to know.
“John, does anyone else know about Martha being your child? It is critical that we know,” said James anxiously.
“No one else could know. Mary never told anyone nor did I. Wait. I did keep the letter Mary wrote to me naming me as the father of her baby. With it, Mary returned my hateful letter to her. But, those letters sit in my desk at work that I is locked at all times,” shared John.
“You’re certain no one ever read those letters but you, John,” said James sharply.,
“I,I,I think so. No one else has a key to my desk. The president of the company has the only key. It was passe
d to me from my father as it was from his father and his father. Sort of Steuben tradition,” responded John.
Just at that moment James’ beeper went off. He checked the number. It was his home number.
“Excuse me John, this may be my wife in labor!” said James as he pushed his chari back. “Don’t leave yet.”
James rushed out of the room and found the phone behind the counter. His cell didn’t work well here. He dialed feverishly. The phone rang four times.
“Come on, come on. Answer the phone,” muttered James.
“Phelan residence. Sara speaking,” came the crisp childish voice.
“Hey, sweet pea. What’s going on?” asked James.
“Hi Daddy!” We beeped you ‘cause Mommy’s water broke and she’s contracting,” said Sara excitedly.
“Okay, honey. I’ll be right home. You tell Mommy I’ll be right there,” explained James as he hung up the phone.
James practically ran from the restaurant. He skidded to stop as he remembered John Steuben.
“Tom, tell John I’ll talk to him later. I’m going to be a Dad again!” grinned James.
“Will do Doc and congratulations,” said Tom.
With the information of a new Phelan on the way, the whole place erupted into cheers and whistles.
James chuckled as he raced out the door to his truck. He practically ran over poor Mrs. Randolph who was walking her small Scottie terrier as he sprinted up the street. He stuttered out an apology about his wife being in labor and launched himself into the truck. James gunned the engine and screamed home at a breakneck pace. He tried to remind himself to drive carefully and get home in one piece but the excitement was too much. He burst into the drive in a cloud of dust and sent chickens squawking all directions with feathers flying. He hurried to the house to find Abbey calmly telling the girls what to have for dinner and where the frozen vegetables were located.
James ran up to Abbey and exclaimed, “Are you alright? Is the baby moving? Do you feel like pushing yet?”
“Calm down James. My contractions are about five minutes apart now. I’m getting the girls ready for me to leave. Sam will watch them while we go. I called Oscar and he’ll meet us at the hospital. Ahh,” said Abbey as she rubbed her abdomen. Don, their other partner, was out of town on a short meeting-vacation in the Bahamas.
“Are you okay,” asked James anxiously.
“It’s just a contraction James. We need to get going. If you’ll take my overnight bag there and bring the plastic to sit on in the truck. I don’t think we want amniotic fluid all over the place,” said Abbey matter-of-factly.
“Yeah, right! Uh, you girls be good and listen to Sam. We’ll call you when we have the baby. I’ll do some videos so you won’t miss anything,” blurted James.
“Tastefully done videos I might add,” said Abbey mischievously.
“Oh, sure,” responded James.
James grabbed the overnight bag and carefully assisted Abbey to the truck. He laid down the plastic sheet and helped her into the truck. James ran around to the other side of the truck and revved the engine.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” asked Abbey sweetly and then grimaced as another contraction came.
“What? We’ve got the sheet, your bag, and you,” said James distractedly.
“Maybe you’d like to take the video camera?” asked Abbey as her contraction eased.
“Oh yeah! Don’t move! I’ll be right back,” exclaimed James.
Abbey shook her head and smiled. He was as bad as a first time father. Another contraction came. This one took her breath away. They were starting to get stronger and closer together now. James returned and they started to St Francis. Abbey began getting more uncomfortable as they zoomed toward town. Her breathing became more labored.
Abbey suddenly began to feel intense pressure in her rectum now. A small moan escaped her lips. James glanced over at her in concern. Abbey just looked back and shook her head.
“I’m okay sweetie. Just get us to the hospital safely,” she panted.
The intensity of the contractions became almost unbearable. Abbey did not really have anything to compare this labor to since she had the previa with the emergency cesarean section last time. She concentrated on timing the contractions. They had moved to every 2-3 minutes now.
James pulled up into the ER bay with a screeching of tires. He jumped out of the truck and grabbed a wheelchair. He opened the door and gently eased Abbey into the wheelchair. Abbey felt as if her rectum were going to explode. Never had she felt such intense pressure! She panted hoarsely. James, sensing her distress, sprinted by the startled nurses at the ER desk and up to the elevators. He pressed the up button and waited impatiently. The elevator came and they entered. Abbey felt a contraction beginning. She tried to be still but her pelvis moved uncontrollably. The pressure built and she groaned a deep guttural sound. James recognized the sound of a mother involuntarily pushing against the pelvic pressure of a baby’s head.
“Faster, faster,” he urged the old elevators. The doors finally flew open on the third floor and James rushed Abbey into the first empty birthing room. Oscar saw them fly in and arrived in the room as Abbey helped Abbey onto the bed. James grabbed a gown and deftly undressed Abbey. He removed her pants and underwear only to see her perineum bulging with a baby’s head!
“Grab some gloves Oscar! Pant honey! Pant! The baby’s head is right there!” shouted James.
Whoo, whoo, hee, hee!” panted Abbey. “He’s coming! I can’t hold him back moaned,” Abbey desparately.
Oscar fumbled with the gloves, dropped the foot of the bed with the nurse’s help, just had time to ease the head out.
James stood transfixed. His baby boy came screaming out with one simple push. Then he was helping cut the cord, crying how beautiful the little guy was, and kissing his wife. Abbey hugged James neck and cried tears of pure joy. Oscar received the obligatory urinary shower from little Joshua down the front of his rugby shirt since he had not had time to even put on a gown. Oscar carefully cleaned up Joshua and handed him to Abbey. She placed him at her breast and he latched on to her nipple immediately.
“Careful,” she crooned. “That’s attached to Mommy. Did I tear much Oscar?” asked Abbey.
“Just some little skid marks that don’t need stitches. Talk about fast first labors. You may need to be induced at 38 weeks next time instead of going into labor,” laughed Oscar.
“Thanks for being here Oscar,” said Abbey gratefully.
“No problem. I wish all my ladies had this rapid type of labor. I could spend all my time at home. I’d never make a delivery,” joked Oscar. “We’ll get the placenta out and clean you up. I’m going to put in an IV for the pitocin as well.”
“Do we have to?” pleaded Abbey. “I hate IV’s.”
“Abbey, don’t give Oscar a hard time. He already ruined his rugby shirt with baby urine and vernix,” quipped James.
“I’ll send you the cleaning bill. You only need the IV overnight,” explained Oscar. “We’ll take it out in the morning.”
“I need some pictures of the little brother to take home to the ladies,” said James pulling out the video camera.
Nurse Connie turned the lights down and they took several minutes of video of little Joshua. James knew the girls would be thrilled with the home video. He kissed Abbey again and stroked his new son’s cheek. Life was definitely good. He helped clean up the mess from delivery and ordered pizza for the labor deck. Abbey held out for Chinese food so James went to “The Yellow Dragon” to get take out. Abbey loved egg rolls and hot Kung Pao Chicken at “atomic levels”. She wouldn’t be happy unless the food brought sweat rolling down her forehead. James picked up some won ton soup and a vegetable dish. Shrimp fried rice completed the menu. James returned with the food to find Abbey contentedly watching little Joshua sleep.
“He’s so beautiful,” mur
mured Abbey.
And a little stinker already. You nearly had him in the elevator,” laughed James.
“Some auspicious start for a little person. Did you make sure the Kung Pao Chicken is hot?’ said Abbey mischievously.
“Mr. Ling said he made it hot enough to ‘light a fire with’ according to him. He also sent a little gift for Joshua. It is an ivory piece on a necklace that his family has had had for over 100 years. He says the Chinese loosely translated means, ‘The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace’. He says his great-grandfather made it to give to the oldest male child in his family when they converted to Christianity in the 1880’s. Since he has no sons, Joshua is his ‘son’ and must wear this when he reaches age 12 years,” said James.
“How lovely! And sweet too. We must thank him. Now, can we dig in? I am famished after all that work!” giggled Abbey.
James loved her so much. His heart sat so full he did not think it would hold any more. They ate in a hilarious mood. They remained drunk on the adrenalin high from the delivery. James finally decided to leave at 10:30 PM so he could get a good night’s sleep. On the way out the door, he bumped into Mrs. John Winthrop Steuben.
“Why, hello Mrs. Steuben. What brings you to St Francis? No one ill I hope?” asked James solicitously.
“Why, no. I heard that your lovely wife had delivered and I thought I’d pay my respects and bring in some flowers.
“Are you sure you are alright? You seem somewhat distraught Mrs. Steuben. Isn’t it a little late for you to be out alone?” asked James with concern.
“No. I am quite alright Dr Phelan. Being out at night always makes me a little nervous. My eyesight is not as good as it once was. I just had to come no matter now late and get these flowers to Abbey and the new child. Goodnight,” finished Mrs. Steuben tersely ending the conversation and turning away.
“Goodnight then,” said James.
He watched her stride down the hall and somehow could not imagine her being afraid of anything, yet alone, the dark of night. He shook his head and trotted out to his truck. He popped a CD of Mozart’s requiem into his stereo and started home. He felt so keyed up he didn’t know if he could go home right now. Maybe he should stop for a cup of coffee at the Cozy Corner and share the good news. Yeah, that’s what he’d do. They didn’t close until midnight during snow carnival time. The girls were in bed anyway and he’d called Sam with the news. If he told Tom and Julie, the rest of the town would know in short order.
James thought, “Let’s see: Joshua weighed 6 pounds-seven ounces, measured 22 inches long, and screamed like a banshee.” He grinned again to himself, “A boy”. He knew he must look happier than a hog in slop. The streets were still full of snow carnival people but there was parking spot on the side street next to the restaurant. James jumped out and bustled into the Cozy Corner. Julie saw him walk in and made a bee line for him.
“Okay, James what are the particulars? And how is Abbey?” inquired Julie.
“Let’s see. Abbey is great. Joshua almost delivered in the elevator and how much did he weigh. . .?” teased James.
“Go on you,” scolded Julie giving him a small shove.
“He weighed six pounds-seven ounces and is 22 inches long. He definitely has surgeon hands too, with big fingers,” said James proudly.
“Oh sure he does,” kidded Julie. “And I suppose he had scalpel at delivery? And Abbey is doing well? That is great! Hey everybody,” began Julie. “Everyone listen up! The little Phelan weighs in at six pounds-seven ounces and is 22 inches long. He fortunately looks like his lovely mother,” finished Julie with a smug smile.
“This calls for a celebration,” shouted James. “Drinks on the house. I’m buyin’ all the milk and decaf you can drink!”
“Hurray!” shouted everyone laughing. “I’ll take a shake. How about a hot chocolate?” everyone talking excitedly at once to place an order.
Tom grinned and started to “set’em up”. The whole restaurant filled with good cheer. James laughed and talked for over an hour. His back became sore from all the congratulatory pats.
James had never been happier. Then, why did something nag at him in the back of his mind? The encounter with Mrs. Steuben had left him a little deflated. He hoped Abbey liked the flower. “Wait a minute. . .what flowers? Mrs. Steuben didn’t have any flowers with her. James felt ill. Who else could know about John Steuben and Mary O’Brien’s little Martha? John’s mother!”
James lurched to his feet knocking over his chair.
“Doc, what’s the matter?” asked a puzzled Julie.
“I don’t have time to explain!” exclaimed James in a strangled voice.
He hoped he was not too late. He hurled himself into the truck, started the engine, slammed into gear, and tore away. James drove like a man possessed. Fear drove him to screech around the corner to St Frances like a maniac. A slippery spot in the curve threw him side ways down the road. He slammed into the opposite curve as snow flew everywhere from the snow bank he hit. Fortunately, no one was driving in the other lane or there would have been a horrendous crash. As James hit the curb his truck stalled. He cranked and cranked. He must have knocked the distributor cap loose. He leapt from the truck. There was not time to tinker with that now. He must get to the hospital. James slipped and fell as he began to sprint. He barked his shin on the curb but jumped up and went onward. The hospital was only three more blocks. The icy air burned his lungs and tore at his face. But, the air had nothing to do with the chill in his heart. He’s finally put it all together.
James scrambled over the snow drift in the ER parking lot and hurled himself up the stairs. He burst panting through the third floor stair well banging the door loudly against the wall. He sprinted down the hall to the birthing. Bewildered, he lost his bearings for a moment. They’d transferred Abbey and his son to a private room down the hall. He tore up the hallway to the nurses’ station.
“What room are my wife and son in?” screamed James.
“What is it Dr Phelan? Abbey’s asleep. She’s in room 110 at the end of the hallway. We’d thought it’d be quieter down there,” said Sue Wilson with wide-eyed amazement. “Is something wrong?”
James flung himself down the hall like a mad man. The door was shut. He grabbed the handle. It was locked. James never even hesitated. He moved to the opposite wall and launched himself shoulder first against the heavy door. The lock blew apart under the onslaught with a screech and the door twisted on the hinges.
There, frozen in the dim light, stood Mrs. John Winthrop Steuben with a syringe in her hand. The needle was in the IV port and her thumb on the plunger of the 20 cc syringe. Things seemed to move in slow motion. James lunged at Mrs. Steuben screaming, “NO!” as she bent to push the plunger. He grabbed her wrist as he flew against her, knocking the syringe out of the IV port. He slammed against Mrs. Steuben and flattened here against the wall flinging the side table onto the floor. Abbey’s bedside table created a horrendous clatter that brought Abbey bold upright in bed with a scream and sent little Joshua into a terrified wail.
James wrestled with Mrs. Steuben as she tried to stick the needle into him. He wrenched the needle away and it clattered under the bed. James deftly pinned Mrs. Steuben to the ground. She snarled at him without a word. Her chest heaving, she glared at him with an absolute malevolence.
“Abbey, are you alright? You feel okay?” panted James.
“Y,y,yes. What are you doing here and why are pinning Mrs. Steuben on the ground?” inquired Abbey in a confused voice.
At that very moment, Sue Wilson flew into the room.
James looked at her and calmly said, “Sue, go call Sheriff Edwards and John Steuben if you would be so kind. Then, bring me some restraints for Mrs. Steuben.”
“Uhh, okay Dr Phelan,” returned Sue in wide-eyed amazement at the scene before her as she scu
rried from the room.
“Why are you keeping Mrs. Steuben pinned to the floor?” asked Abbey.
“I’ll tell you that in a bit. You better see to little Joshua,” who continued to wimper. “I think I scared him half to death,” smiled James wanly.