A Land to Call Home Read Free

arm, knowing well he could still make a flying leap for the ground. Andrew was nothing if not brave. Keeping up to Thorliff made him try many things that should have been beyond his abilities, like sliding off the haystack and riding the mule. One day she had found him playing under the bellies of the harnessed horses. Thank God, Bob and Bell seemed to understand he was a young’un and watched out for him too.
    “Hawk,” he answered, laying his arm across his mother’s shoulders. He turned to face her, a grin appling his cheeks. “Big bird.” When she smiled back and tickled his tummy, he chortled with the most infectious laugh in all of Dakota Territory.
    “Those boys are so brown, the only way to tell Baptiste apart is his dark hair.” Kaaren shifted on the high wagon seat they had padded for her with a quilt. Although her baby wasn’t due for another two months, she looked ready to deliver any minute. “Uff da,” she murmured, using both hands to move her abdomen into a more comfortable position. Pointing to her ponderous belly, Kaaren asked, “Are you thinking this is twins as much as I am?”
    “There were twins in the Bjorklund family. Bridget told me so a long time ago. She warned me in case it happened.”
    “I know. Carl always thought having twins would be a wonderful gift from God.” A cloud flitted across her eyes at the memory of her first husband, who had died of flu one winter. She sighed. “Lars says two for one ain’t a bad return.”
    “Ja, but he don’t have to nurse and diaper them. Diapers for one baby is hard enough, especially in the winter. I remember taking them off the line frozen stiff and finishing the drying over the stove in the soddy.”
    “Not so long ago either. I’ve been hemming flannel and knitting soakers, but if I have twins, I won’t have enough.” They stopped the horses at the hitching post in front of the barn.
    “You wait and I’ll help you down.” Ingeborg wrapped the reins around the brake handle and climbed over the side, using the spokes of the front wheel as a middle step. She lifted Andrew down and hung on to his hand to walk around the wagon. “Just you be patient, son. You cannot go after Thorliff. Remember, Gus is in the house waiting to play with you.” She reached up to give Kaaren a hand.
    “I’m going to have to sit back in the wagon bed from now on.This climbing up and down from the seat is getting to be too much.” Kaaren gripped the wagon seat while she felt for the spoke with one foot. Ingeborg placed the searching foot on a spoke and reached to give leverage for Kaaren to sit against if she felt weak. Once they both had their feet on the ground, Kaaren shook her head. “Two more months. How will I ever manage?”
    “Like women everywhere. One step at a time.” Ingeborg slipped the bridles from the horses and tied the ropes from the hitching post to their halters. “Those boys better come back and take care of the horses or they’ll get whatfor from both me and Agnes.”
    They retrieved their quilting baskets from the rear of the wagon and walked toward the soddy that lay dozing in the sun. The air wore the crisp dress of Autumn, with the sun valiantly trying to warm it. After a frost that blackened the gardens, Indian summer settled in for an extended visit.
    “My land, I never even heard you drive up.” Agnes bustled to the door at their knock. “Come in. Come in.” She ushered them in, then stepped outside. “Knute, Swen, you two come take care of the horses now!” Her holler could be heard in the next township. “Boys!” She shook her head when she came back in the soddy. “How they can get that far away so fast is beyond me.” She shook her head again when Kaaren removed her shawl. “Merciful God, please don’t let her have that baby right here today.” She clasped her hands against her bosom. “Are you sure you figured right?”
    Kaaren nodded. “Lars thinks maybe I should go down to Grand Forks to the doctor