Wild Abandon

But as he received Hope within the crook of his arm and carried her toward Lauralee, Lauralee’s eyebrows raised. Brian Brave Walker seemed practiced at handling babies.

She wondered how, and when?

There had been no children at his house. And if he was so practiced at carrying a child, why had he acted as though he despised even the thought of getting near Hope until now?

“Here she is,” Brian Brave Walker said, slipping the child from his arms, into Lauralee’s. “Does holding her take some of your sadness away?”

Lauralee’s insides melted at the feel of the baby in her arms. Although a part of her mourned the loss of her true child, this baby that was also hers, would help erase the pain that her empty womb caused her within her heart.

“Yes, holding Hope helps to take my sadness away,” Lauralee said. She smiled up at Brian Brave Walker. “Let’s see if she is still asleep, or if taking her from her cradle has awakened her. If she is awake, she is a good girl, isn’t she, Brian Brave Walker? She isn’t crying.”

Brian Brave Walker fought the emotions that were building within him . . . emotions that were raw and bruised from having recently lost his baby sister. His little heart throbbed at the thought of looking at the face of this baby. Seeing such sweetness could cause the lonesome ache to begin all over again that he had felt for endless days after having said his last goodbye to his sister. He had been haunted by where his father would take his sister, whether or not she was even alive today.

But to please Lauralee he must make this one more sacrifice. He would take a quick peek, then make up an excuse to go downstairs away from the baby while Lauralee held and fussed over her. He could say that he was going to prepare the baby’s milk for feeding.

Yes, that is what he would do. That excuse would be perfect and more understood by Lauralee.

Lauralee’s fingers went to the corner of the blanket that lay loosely over Hope’s face. She slowly eased the blanket aside, sighing and loving the child all over again when she saw the tiny copper face with the tiny nose, lips, and the darkest of eyes as the child gazed back at her.

Brian Brave Walker stared disbelievingly down at the baby. His knees went so weak they almost buckled beneath him when he recognized the child. “My . . . sister . . .” he gasped, taking a shaky step away from the bed.

“Yes, your sister.” Lauralee sighed, thinking how grand it was that Brian Brave Walker had even gone this far today, in that he had not only accepted Lauralee and Dancing Cloud as his parents. He had also accepted the child as his sister.

“Brian Brave Walker, I’m so glad that you . . .” she said, but when she looked up at him and saw the utter dismay in his eyes, and saw how he seemed in such a state of shock, her smile and her words faded.

She reached a hand out for him. “Brian Brave Walker, darling, what is it?” she asked, her voice drawn. “Does seeing Hope bring back some sort of terrible memories? And if so, why did you call her your sister?”

Brian Brave Walker continued staring at the baby. “My sister,” he said again. “My little sister.”

“Brian Brave-Walker, if calling her your sister causes you such pain, wait awhile longer. Wait until later,” Lauralee encouraged. “No one is forcing you to call her your sister.”

Brian Brave Walker shifted his eyes. He gazed into Lauralee’s as a smile fluttered onto his lips. “This is my true sister,” he said, now on his knees, taking a closer look at Hope. His hands rolled the blanket fully away from her and he touched her tiny fingers, her tiny toes, her soft face.

“U-lv-no-di, Wilnoty. It is my sister Wilnoty,” he said, his eyes dancing happily. “My father did not kill her after all. Instead he took her to the orphanage!”

Lauralee’s head was spinning. “This is your true sister?” she asked, her voice filled with wonder. “Actually your true sister? And what is this about your father? Clint had threatened to kill Hope?”

“Yes, it is Wilnoty,” Brian Brave Walker said, picking up the child. Holding her close, he began rocking her in his arms and explained everything to Lauralee. About his father having said that he was going to take the child away; about Brian Brave Walker having run away before he witnessed such a sight as his father wrenching his baby sister from the arms of her mother; why Brian Brave Walker had not wanted to talk about his sister—because it pained him too much to even be reminded of her.

“If Mother could have only known that my sister did not die,” he said, his voice breaking. “If Mother could have only known that my sister is going to be raised by those who will treat her special . . . who will treat her as their very own.”

In awe, Lauralee watched Brian Brave Walker cuddle the child. “Your sister? And her true name is Wilnoty?” she murmured. “The good Lord must have led us to that orphanage. Or else how could this miracle have happened?”

Dancing Cloud came up the ladder and pulled himself into the loft. He stood back, his mouth agape at what he saw. Not only was Lauralee on the speedy road of recovery and not burdened with sadness over losing their child, but Brian Brave Walker’s attitude had also made a complete turnaround about Hope, and most surely Lauralee. The mood in this small room was that of sweetness and delight.

“Miracles?” he said, having heard Lauralee say something about a miracle. He went and knelt beside the bed and took one of Lauralee’s hands. “Just look at you.” He turned and gazed at Brian Brave Walker and Hope over his shoulder, then looked down at Lauralee again. “Today seems filled with miracles.”

He swept Lauralee into his arms and held her close. “Thank you for coming back to me, my o-ge-ye,” he said thickly.

Lauralee clung to him. “Wait until you hear what Brian Brave Walker has to tell you,” she murmured, smiling over her shoulder at the sight of the boy still rocking Hope back and forth in his arms, now singing to her.

“Oh?” Dancing Cloud said, easing from Lauralee’s arms. He turned and watched Brian Brave Walker with the child.

Lauralee then told Dancing Cloud everything that Brian Brave Walker had told her.

“And so our baby’s true name is Wilnoty,” Dancing Cloud said, rising to his feet. “Shall we, ourselves, call our small daughter Wilnoty?”

Lauralee nodded.