Fatherhood, Luke's Saga Part IV

One morning Luke came back to the sod house for something he’d forgotten and found Martha sick, drained, and in a cold sweat near their cabin.  He tried to lift her but she stopped him and said it would be all right.

She pushed him away and sat on a rock, “It’s just morning sickness, Luke, it means that I am going to have our baby,” Martha told him. 

Luke stood there in total ignorance of the subject, “How long will you be sick?” he asked her, and then he said, “I don’t like it.”

She was feeling a little better and laughed, “I don’t like it either.”

He frowned, concerned, “Will you be sick for the whole time?” he asked.

She pulled him close, loving him more than she could ever believe and then she cried. 

He knew that sometimes Martha cried when she was happy so he didn’t panic right away but when she kept crying he held her close and began to gentle her down some. 

She looked up at his face and laughed again. 

He gave up his day’s plans and sat down on the grass, “Martha come and tell me what is going to be happening?” he ordered, needing to get a grip on every nuance of the process.

That day Martha told Luke what to expect as time for the baby neared.  He held her in his arms and was amazed that she would even open herself to such a process.  A man wouldn’t have the guts Luke thought to himself.  When she began to describe the birth process Luke paled but she told him he might have to help so he bit his tongue and paled further as she explained it as well as she understood the process from her own experience and from the books her father, the doctor, had in his library.  That night she would show him where the baby would come from. 

He stroked Martha’s belly through her clothes and wondered that woman’s faith was so much stronger than a man’s.  He laughed at the picture of himself reading the Bible in the mornings and evenings and wondered who decided it would be a man who would read.  He decided if they had a girl he wanted her to be a strong leader too.  She would read and be strong and know how to fight he decided.  Now, he had the guns from the uncles so when she was old enough he would teach her to shoot so she could protect herself.  He would teach her to fight with the knife and all of the tricks he had learned in special services; and Martha too, after she had the baby he would teach her to fight and shoot. 

He had cached the doctor’s books before he torched the two cabins and now he wanted to go back and get the medical books in case there was trouble with the birth.  Should he ask Ned to come and stay with his sister?  He didn’t want to even leave Martha for the full day the trip would require.  He would take Ned with him and guide him to the place where the books were hidden and have leave Luke to retrieve them and bring them back to Right Fork.

He laughed at himself, I don’t have anything to do with the rest of Martha’s pregnancy, and he realized that it was clearly a woman’s accomplishment and man played very small part in the miracle.

Luke brought flowers home for Martha the next day after spending the morning hoping she wasn’t too sick.

Luke and Martha had Ned to supper every Sabbath.  Luke had whittled a branch for Ned with one peg and seven holes so he could keep track of the days.  The peg was attached by a long grass braid Luke made so Ned wouldn’t lose the peg.  Ned moved the peg up one hole each morning and when it reached the last hole he got up and went to Luke’s house.

They heard Ned’s big holler that morning and Luke hollered back.  They all decided that hollering was a good idea for privacy; at least until that morning, when Martin was in fine voice and got the hang it and then just wouldn’t stop.  Ned thought it was the funniest thing he had ever seen and encourage little Marty. 

When Luke saw that Martha was getting impatient with the noise he shushed them and went to her side and said that they had an announcement to make.  Luke differed to Martha and let her announce that their next baby would be coming probably at next harvest time.  Ned was happy and wanted another nephew but Luke was holding out for a little girl and Martha didn’t care.        

Martha loved her husband now and no longer had the bad nightmares and fears she once had.  Luke was a gentle, good man who loved her and her baby and just wanted to be happy in a world away from killing, rape, and robbery.  She hoped and prayed each day that their valley was safe from other people.   

Luke didn’t know why he wanted a girl so much, he would worry more about a girl and there was nothing to offer her – no husband, no education,  no place of her own in the fabric of the valley.  He would take what he got and be grateful, Luke decided.

After Sabbath dinner Luke told Martha he would walk Ned a ways and he and Luke and the two young wolves and Molly set out just before sunset. 

“Let’s sit for a minute, Ned,” Luke said. 

“O.K. brother-in-law,” Ned said, proud of his grasp of the relationship, “Let’s sit.” 

Luke grinned and put his hand on Ned’s shoulder, “I need a big favor from you Ned,” Luke said seriously.

 “O.K. Luke,” Ned said, equally serious.

“Your sister will be having my baby,” Luke said.

Ned smiled, “I know and she told me that you didn’t hurt her like everyone else,” Ned said happily, “Just like you promised.”

Luke smiled at Ned, “We’re very happy together, Ned, that’s why I need your help. Neddie, do you remember when Marty was born?”

Trouble crossed the man/boys face, “It was awful, uncle kept yelling about whores and hell and my dad was trying to help Martha and I ran away,” he dropped his head in shame. 

Luke put his arm around Ned’s shoulders, “Ned, that’s in the past, it’s over and you were just a boy then,” Luke paused, “But you can help me now so it doesn’t hurt Martha so bad this time.”

His head raised and he smiled at Luke, “O.K., I’ll help, I’m a man now,” he said, “I have my own house and dog.”

Luke grabbed his Ned’s bicep and said, “We need to go back to the cabins on Left Fork.”

Ned frowned and kept shaking his head no.

“Can I tell you why, Ned?” Luke asked.

“First, the cabins aren’t there anymore, Ned, I burned them.”

“What about daddy and uncle and aunt?” Ned asked.

“Ned, I had to make a decision about the bodies and leaving any clues about Right Fork behind.  I wanted Martha and Marty and you to be safe.”

“It was a bad place,” Ned said, “Does Martha know?” he asked.

“Yes,” Luke said firmly, “But now I need your father’s medicine and books so we can take care of Martha properly,” he said.

Ned’s leg was swinging, a sign he was nervous and in an unwanted situation – feeling cornered. 

Luke put his hand on Ned’s shoulder and started to get up.

Ned said, “You helped my sister and you helped me so I will help too.  I’m a man now,” Luke told him.

“I’m sorry Ned but it’s hard for me to leave Martha alone right now.  That’s my baby in her belly and I want to get back as quickly as possible to take care of her so I need help doing this,” Luke said.

Ned nodded, “Then,” he said, “Let’s go tomorrow.”

Luke stood and gave Ned a big, bear hug, “Thank you, brother-in-law,” he said.

They set out the next morning with packs prepared by Martha.  She had tears in her eyes when she kissed Luke good-bye and tousled Ned’s hair.  Ned looked to Luke and they hurried on their way before Luke changed his mind and stayed home with his wife and the mother of his son, Martin, and if Luke had his way a little baby girl named, Martha.

They traveled quickly and Luke remembered the way from his training in the service and a natural ability to absorb directions and geography much as the wolves and Molly would remember the route if they ever traveled this way again.  Luke felt his senses sharpen as he again became a predator safeguarding his territory. 

Luke put his hand on Ned’s shoulder and whispered, “Wait here while I look around, Ned, and don’t say anything.”

Luke reconnoitered the area and found the tree where he had stored the books and other important necessities when he had pulled Martha, Martin, and Ned out of the hell hole they called home.  He whistled the signal he had given Ned and soon all of the dogs were around him and then he heard Ned stumbling toward them and called to him. 

He had planned to leave Ned to empty the hollow about half way up the tree and carry everything home to Right Fork but he wasn’t sure Ned would ever make it on his own, even with the dogs so they began emptying the hollow and packing up everything that they could carry.  They both carried two gunny sacks tied together and draped around their necks and even the dogs did duty as pack animals as they finished emptying the hollow.  It was a heavy load for both of them but Ned’s brute strength enabled him to carry more than Luke and Luke showed Ned his pride and gratefulness.

It was well past nightfall went they reached Luke’s place.  Luke set his pack down and put his finger to his mouth to let Ned know he was going to check out the sod house before they went in to Martha.  He approached the sod house and heard Martha call out to him.  He found her nearby under a tree all bundled up in the dark with little Martin. 

 “Martha, why aren’t you in the house asleep?” Luke asked.

She hugged him close, “It was scary without you, Luke, it felt safer out here in the dark,” she said.

He pulled her close and whistled Ned and the dogs in while he enjoyed the feeling of her soft warm flesh and then he reached down and felt his baby in her womb and hugged her some more.  She had told Luke that soon he would be able to feel the baby move and he thought he did; at that moment, but it was too soon to feel the baby move she told him.  Luke would always believe that he felt his baby that evening when he and Ned returned from Left Fork.

They stashed the gunnies from Left Fork and went into the sod house where Luke built up the fire and made his strong bark tea for all of them including little Marty who was up and running through the house as soon as he saw Luke.  Luke grabbed him and tried to show him how to use a cup after the tea had cooled but he still wanted to suck the tea dipped rags and have Luke give him the beverage.  Luke enjoyed it as much as Martin so he gave the cup to Ned and fed his little son as they all celebrated the successful trip and being together.

The next morning Ned was heading home and he and Luke hugged and then shook hands before parting.  Ned gave his nephew a miniature hand shake and he kissed his sister on the cheek.  Luke thanked him again for his loyalty and sense of family and they hugged once more before Ned was off to his cabin with his wolf, Shadow, at his heels wiggling like a puppy as Ned turned toward home.  Luke thought that he and Ned had truly become family on this last trip to Left Fork and he had tried in his way to express that to Ned but he wasn’t much good with those kinds of words and he didn’t know if Ned would understand any way.

Luke and Martha lay in bed that night catching up and sharing and Luke asked Martha if she thought Ned understood Luke’s feeling of a family bond with Ned. 

Martha was sitting up in bed looking down at Luke stretched out on his back and reaching up to touch a curl when her head bobbed as she expressed herself, “Not the words,” she told him seriously, “but he has his own way of understanding and sorting things out,” she said. 

Luke let his breath out, “Martha, I want to know something?”

Martha felt her fists clench, as she filled her lungs, and bit her tongue, looking down at him. He wants to know about the rape and uncle, she thought.

Luke frowned up at her, “Do you know what happened to Ned?” he asked.

All of the air rushed out of her lungs as she laughed and cried and struck him on the chest with both fists. 

Luke wrestled her down and wouldn’t let her up until she promised she would tell him why she was so upset. 

When he finally pried it out of her he thought maybe it would be good to talk and maybe not, he couldn’t know.

“Little momma,” he said, “When I was a soldier I did many things I didn’t want to do; mores the shame, I began to enjoy the cycle of combat then R & R, combat then R & R, over and over and over and pretty soon it didn’t even matter what part of the cycle I was in …..,” he held her close and she melted into the shelter of his arms and they lay quietly, content in the moment.  

A little later her rose up and told her, “If we want to talk than we will be together and talk, and if we don’t want to talk, then that’s fine too; for me and for you.   

 

 

Sometime later Luke went on one of his night journeys to watch the skies from various vantage points on one of the highest ridges within walking distance of Right Fork.  He had started the practice after the lights suggested anti-satellite activity in the skies; since that time, he found no satellites evident in the night skies at all.  He hoped they all shot each other down and weren’t interested in dissidents any longer.  Or, he thought, maybe they just turned off any equipment that might be picked up by an enemy.  When he returned home he admitted to Martha why he had gone and what he had been looking for in the skies.  He’d learned that it was better to just tell Martha the truth even if it was about a danger because her imagination could dream up things far worse that the reality. 

Martha was happy to have him home and that night she told Luke that she might be giving birth sooner than she had figured out at first and that she must have gotten pregnant almost immediately.  Luke had been studying the doctor’s books in the evenings and he and Martha discussed the new baby every day.  Even little Martin would carefully touch Martha’s tummy and say his version of baby.  He said lots of words now but still wasn’t stringing sentences together. Mama, dada, and Molly were his three first words.  Dada soon became papa and a butchered version of uncle for Ned which became Neddie as Martin grew older.    

Luke took Martin with him when he split the trunk of a stump that was left after lightning struck a big tree years ago.   Luke brought the splits home and built a small bed for Martin in the evening.  Martha stuffed a small mattress with grasses as Luke constructed the bed and Martin even tried stuffing his own pillow.  Luke and Martha made the bed together and told Martin that it would be his when the baby was born.  Little Marty was excited about his own bed and Luke had even dug out a small alcove for Martin off of the bedroom to get him used to the idea of a separate bedroom someday.   Luke’s dream was to have a girl’s room and a boy’s room someday.  Martha smiled happily as he sketched plans for the children’s rooms.   While he was working he asked Martha to read from the Bible or their other book about the woman, “friend”.  On the next Sabbath Luke was going to ask Martha to read and have a discussion about her favorite Bible story.   

Luke cut the biggest round in half and attached the half rounds securely to the bottom of the cradle so it could be rocked while the baby fell asleep.  He managed to smooth the rounds for an even, rhythmic rock and Martha was pleased with Luke’s design.  He had brought Martha several sets of long underwear from one of his stashes so she could make baby clothes and clothes for Martin. 

That night in bed Luke stroked Martha’s tummy and grinned as he felt a series of flutters and was so excited when he felt a hard kick that he got young Martin up and brought him to bed with them so he could feel the baby.  Martha giggled and said it must be a boy, it was so active.  She was happy that Luke included the whole family in the upcoming birth.  Luke’s ideas about the Bible were very different from her uncle’s theology.  Luke’s God was a loving God who wished his people well and Martha was beginning to open herself to God again after she had closed up when she was raped and her uncle had been so hard and unforgiving of Martin’s origins.  She decided that uncle had been a hypocrite and not a man of God at all. 

Luke asked Martha if she would read and do the homily on the next Sabbath. 

“Why don’t we have two messages, Luke?” she asked.

“Why two, Martha?” he asked.

“I’ve noticed little Martin listens closely on Sunday.  I’d like to have a short children’s lesson before the main adult service,” she said, “Something Ned and the kids will understand, David and Goliath, Daniel and the Lion’s Den, Joseph’s coat and other stories in the Bible that are easier to understand.” 

“Great idea, Martha,” and he gave her a big, smacking kiss that made Martin giggle and he wanted to give the baby a big, noisy kiss.  They let Martin kiss mama’s tummy and the baby kicked at exactly the same moment.  Martin was filled with awe and looked at his mama with a new perspective. 

Luke grabbed Martin and said let’s say a prayer Marty.  “Luke said a very simple prayer asking for God’s help with having the baby and raising it properly with reverence for God and his creation.”  After their prayer Luke took Marty back to his bed and he and Martha talked and slept until dawn.  He was glad that Martha was interested in the kid’s education and decided that both he and Martha should be close to all of the children.  Luke needed Martha to catch what he missed.  He decided that God knew what he was doing when he gave each child two parents. 

As the sky turned light in the eastern sky Luke told Martha that he wanted to teach all of their children, girls and boys, how to defend themselves how to shoot and fight. 

Martha was surprised, “You want the girls to shoot and fight?” she asked.      

“Only if necessary, Martha, but yes, I think the girls should have skills to fight off unwanted attention or enemy soldiers,” he answered.

Martha looked surprised at the new idea but she thought about it and it made sense to her, “What if it’s a relative?” she asked. 

“No one should ever touch our girls inappropriately,” Luke said with conviction, “It’s just plain wrong,” he said. 

“It makes a girl feel spoiled,” Martha said, “Ruined for life.”

“We will raise our girls to be as important as boys,” Luke said, “They will read and write and give Sabbath lessons just as they help with everything else.  We will all share in our victories and defeats,” Luke insisted, “They should all respect one another.”

“And the girls’ can come to us if there is a problem?” she asked. 

“Yes, Martha, all of the children should be able to talk to either one of us.  And you’re right about lessons designed for the children and Ned.  We’ll see to it,” Luke said.

Luke got Martin up the next morning and let Martha sleep in.  He thought she needed the rest with the baby coming.  He fed Marty and himself and left a note for Martha and they went down to the pond to fish and gathered vegetables that were ready for harvest.  It wouldn’t be long before the crops and Martha would produce, he thought.  They were having another abundant harvest and Luke thanked his God daily for His generosity in providing for them.  The land was fertile and the crops and weather cooperated to give them food enough for him, Martha, Ned and the children.  Some of the books in the doctor’s library were on preserving foods and Luke planned to spend the winter learning more about preservation and storage.  He now shot more game because the winter provided excellent freezing temperatures for preservation and he hung the meat high from nearby trees to use over the course of the winter. 

Little Martin was asleep in the sunshine as Luke thought about the future of his family.  Martha was timid about moving on but Luke was tempted to find land even further north to protect his family from refugees of the war below.  Luke also wanted to avoid the kind of men like Martha’s uncle who preyed on children under the guise of the Bible.  He prayed his children would always be safe from the evil in the world. 

Luke sprang up from his fishing hole and listened closely and heard metal on metal clanging in the distance and thought it was probably Martha so he woke his son and gathered their gear and headed home.  When he got to the sod house Martha had hot water on boiling and was experiencing labor pains.  He put Marty down in his little alcove and went and sat with Martha.  As much as Martha and the books had prepared Luke he wasn’t really ready to see Martha in so much pain as time passed and the baby didn’t come. 

She was exhausted by the middle of the night and Luke would have called the whole thing off if he could have.  He took Martha into the bedroom and lay with her between his legs leaning against his chest.  Martha tried to reassure Luke but he was angry with the whole process and called on God to deliver the baby soon. 

“Do you want some pain medication, Little Mama?” Luke asked. 

“No, Luke, that might slow the birth down and endanger the baby,” she told him.

By morning they were both sweating and despite Luke’s efforts to keep Marty in his alcove, the boy needed to see his mama and be reassured.

Martin crawled up on the bed with them and held his mama’s hands as she experienced her contractions.  Luke fixed tea for Martha and him and fed the boy. 

It was noon before the baby arrived and Luke had to help with the birth but Martha was fine and didn’t bleed too much and Luke held his little baby girl in his arms by the time the sun was at its highest point in the sky. 

He cleaned little Martha up and gave her to her mama and finally relaxed after the almost two day vigil.  Marty was enthralled with the baby and called her ‘sissie’ for sister.  Martha sat in bed with a beautiful smile on her face and Luke couldn’t believe that the baby made her forget all of the pain she had experienced.  He cleaned Martha up too and wouldn’t let her lift a finger.  He told her she needed to rest and brought her some broth to strengthen her.

“Luke, are you sure you want to call her Martha?” she asked him. 

But Luke had fallen asleep on the bed next to her and she brushed the hair off of his forehead and grinned at her two men tangled together and asleep.  It had been a real family affair she thought, just like Luke wanted.  She was glad Luke would name his daughter Martha because it meant he really didn’t hold the rape and her uncle’s evil against her.  It meant everything between them was harmonious and she knew he was serious about his daughter’s being as important as his sons, even Marty she thought.  Luke always spoke of Martin as his eldest son and Martha thanked God for his goodness in bringing Luke to her and blessing her with two healthy children and a good man.