Storms and Everlasting Silence

A New Beginning Part Four

July 12, 1840

"Push! Come Lilly, you can do it, one more push!" The midwife yelled at Lilly encouragingly from the other end of the bed. The hand clutching hers tightened around the fingers as she screamed her throat raw.

The tension around her lower abdomen lessened, and everyone could hear the wailing of a baby in the room. Lilly gasped, instinctively reaching for her child. The midwife's face swam into view, a wide grin on her face as she handed the bundle of cloth to the new mother.

Lilly gasped, tears leaking from her brown irises as she beheld the face of her first born. It was a boy, with pink, wet wrinkled skin. His mouth was opened in an endless wail, his voice already loud and powerful like his father's. As soon as his mother's gentle arms encircled him however, his mouth snapped close. His eyes, shut until now opened, and Lilly gasped. They were a clear, blue green color, so much like Rikkard Ambrose's. Seeing the thick wisps of black hair upon his head, Lilly knew he'd look remarkably similar to the man.

She raised her tearful eyes to James Carter's, her husband. They were twinkling with a new light; tenderness and love, maybe? His hand came down to rest gently in her forehead, sweeping back the sweaty strands of hair from it. His fingers, so large in comparison to that of her child, hovered delicately over the boy. With a nod from her, James lowered his fingers, sweeping down the velvety face of the boy.

"What do you want to name him?" James queried, allowing her, the rightful parent, to choose. But Lilly could not, finding it difficult to find a name that suited him. Already, her love for him swelled in her heart, making her light headed and dizzy. Also, giving birth had taken it's toll on her. Her body and mind were weary, and only the warmth of the bundle in her arms kept her awake. She knew what she wanted to name the child however- but knew that it would be a blow to James' pride.

Nine months ago, on the night she was married, James had left her. He hadn't come back for two days. But he came back. Over the past few months, he'd come to terms with Lilly's digressions, and most importantly, kept her secret. His eyes, searching hers intently, knew what she wanted to name her son. It hurt, yes, but this would make her happy. "Rikkard," He whispered, so softly that the maids and the midwife in the room could not hear. "Rikkard Carter."

Lilly, so surprised was she at his suggestion, sobbed all over again. She buried her face into the blankets surrounding her son, breathing in his warm, milky scent. She cried for the kindness that James was showing her, at the fact that she was the mother of such a perfect boy, and... And the father was not here. No, he was hundreds of miles away, unknowing that he had just become a father mere minutes ago.

"Y-yes. Ye..s James tha-thank you." Hiccuping slightly, she raised her eyes to his dark brown ones. Raising a hand, she pulled him down for a kiss.

***

He stared up at Empire House, the place where he'd worked for so long. It seemed different now, darker. He didn't want to go inside, he realized. It was no longer a place where he felt safe and... At home.

'Rikkard! Stop wasting time! You need to get back to your mother tomorrow!'

Moving his legs, he marched up the steps and swung the doors open. The chatter that had been echoing throughout the hall abruptly ceased as he entered. His employees looked at their fearsome employer, frozen, expecting him to explode into an icy maelstrom. Rikkard ignored them and continued on, walking up the steps as fast as he could. Barely a minute later, he was on the eighth floor.

Mr. Stone, who'd been leaning back in his chair with his feet on the desk fell over. The clatter of the chair and his grunt of pain echoed in the otherwise empty lobby. Rikkard glared angrily at his employee. "Mr. Stone! Are you aware that shoes contain dirt and should not be placed upon desks? Any damage to the desk or the chair shall be deducted from your wages!" Mr. Stone bowed low and muttered some apologies.