Page 70 of July 27

"Wire's my brother," added Ruger. "Cora's my sister."

Dead silence filled the waiting room. Rachel bit the inside of her cheek at the look of shock on the nurse's face.

"Wire and Cora are...?" The nurse looked at each of them.

"Jesus...they're not related." Having caught on to how it sounded, Ruger tightened his arm around Rachel. "This is my woman."

Rachel bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. The brotherhood was tight, and the relationships were sorted. The nurse could only sweep her hand out to invite them back to visit the new parents.

"Usually, we limit the visitors to four at a time, but since we're waiting for another room to open up, I can fit you all in delivery now that the nurses and doctor are out of there." The nurse led them halfway down the hallway and stopped. "We just ask that you keep voices down in consideration of others on the floor."

They all filed in, one by one. Ruger and she came in last and shut the door.

Katrina went straight to Cora, leaning over the bed to look at the baby. Rachel couldn't see more than a blanket from her position in the room.

"She's beautiful." Katrina smiled at the others. "She looks like Cora and Dad across the nose and cheekbones. The serious look and the chin, though, is definitely Wire."

Wire smiled bigger than any expression Rachel had witnessed on the man's face before. "My girl."

"The delivery doctor thinks the due date was wrong, and I was at least two weeks further along." Cora inhaled deeply. "She weighed eight pounds."

"What have you named her?" asked Daisy.

Cora gazed at her husband, pure joy on her face, and then looked across the room at Ruger. "We've named her Clara Grace Albright-Wilson."

Ruger stiffened beside her. Rachel leaned against him, putting her arm around his back. Something was going on. Everyone else in the room might as well not be there for the amount of electricity being shot across the room between Cora and Ruger.

After several tense seconds, Ruger said, "It's a fine name, sis."

Everyone took a breath. Rachel held on to Ruger. When it was their turn to visit the baby, she marveled at how Ruger's broad, calloused hand cupped the baby's head.

"She's beautiful," whispered Rachel.

"I couldn't have done it without Ruger here." Cora squeezed her brother's hand. "I'll never forget it."

"Just take care of yourself and this little girl." Ruger whispered, "Little Clara."

Cora's eyes brightened with unshed tears. Ruger bent down and kissed Cora's forehead.

"We're going to leave and let you rest." Ruger slapped Jagger on the shoulder and hugged his daughter.

Rachel walked out with him, exhausted and yet happy. It was a good day.

Ruger led her through the hospital and to the truck in the parking lot across the street. She buckled herself in and glanced at Ruger.

He hadn't moved. Slumped behind the steering wheel, he stared out the windshield in no hurry to leave.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

"Clara." He inhaled deeply. "That was my mother's name."

Ruger rarely spoke about the past and his family. She held her breath, knowing that whatever was going on in his head was essential to who he was as a man.

"By the time I was twelve-thirteen years old, I never got along with my parents." His hands fell into his lap. "I was never good enough. Quiet enough. Smart enough."

Rachel slowly let out her breath, listening to the monotone of his voice.

"After a while, I quit trying and accepted that I'd be their biggest disappointment." His upper cheek twitched. "I ran around with the wrong people, got into trouble, and ended up getting a chick pregnant, which was taboo within their conservative social circle. That was the thing that finally ruined my relationship with them." He glanced at Rachel. "I took off and...never knew I had a little sister until Cora showed up a couple of years ago."

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