Chapter 16 - The Longest Night
The winter storm arrived early.
Naya's labor began after sunset.
Aiyana came immediately.
So did the local midwife.
Elias was told to wait outside.
He hated every second.
Hours passed.
Naya cried out once.
Elias stood.
Thomas pushed him back into the chair.
“She needs them working, not you getting in the way.”
“I should be there.”
“You are here.”
Another hour.
Then Aiyana emerged.
Her expression was serious.
Elias went cold.
“What?”
“Baby wrong position.”
He barely understood anything after that.
They needed the doctor from Red Creek.
In a storm.
Thomas grabbed his coat.
“I'll go.”
“No. I'll go.”
“Elias—”
“My horse is faster.”
He rode through snow and freezing rain.
Every mile brought back memories.
Sarah.
The ranch.
Failure.
Loss.
His mind whispered that loving people only gave fate more ways to hurt him.
Then he heard Naya's voice in memory.
Stay.
Elias reached Red Creek.
The doctor returned with him.
Dawn was breaking when they arrived.
Elias waited outside the room.
Finally, silence.
Terrible silence.
Then—
A baby cried.
Elias stopped breathing.
The door opened.
Aiyana smiled.
“Daughter.”
His knees nearly failed.
Inside, Naya looked exhausted.
But alive.
She held a tiny infant.
Elias approached as if the floor might disappear.
Naya looked up.
“Come.”
He sat beside her.
The baby wrapped tiny fingers around his thumb.
Elias cried openly.
“What name?” Naya whispered.
They had discussed dozens.
None seemed right.
Then Elias looked toward the sunrise.
“Hope.”
Naya smiled.
“Hope Mercer.”
Their daughter opened her eyes.
Elias understood then that fear didn't disappear when happiness arrived.
Sometimes happiness made fear stronger.
Courage wasn't the absence of that fear.
It was loving anyway.
Months passed.
Hope grew.
She had Naya's eyes and Elias's stubbornness.
Thomas claimed this combination would destroy civilization.
Then a letter arrived from prison.
Silas Calder had died after an illness.
Elias expected relief.
Instead he felt almost nothing.
Calder no longer mattered.
That surprised him.
The man who had once dominated their lives had become merely part of their past.
Elias burned the letter.
Naya watched.
“Finished?”
Elias looked toward their daughter.
“Yes.”
May you like
This time he truly meant it.
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