Backseat of a Greyhound Bus

BACKSEAT OF A GREYHOUND BUS.

Kate looked up as the Greyhound Bus pulled into the depot. Seated at the back of the waiting room she cautiously looked at each of her fellow travellers waiting for the bus that would take them onwards to their planned destinations. None of them looked like Nick's family or employees. No one seemed to be looking for a heavily pregnant woman.

The passengers on the bus slowly disembarked, collecting their luggage from the storage area before heading into the depot to continue their journey. The driver, once all the luggage had been collected, locked the storage locker and the bus before heading off towards the restroom. According to her timetable there would be a fifteen minute wait before passengers were allowed to board the bus. Once everyone was onboard the bus would set off into the night towards the next town several hours away.

A cold breeze blew through the waiting area as someone entered the room and Kate skivered, pulling the plain grey overcoat tighter around her body. She had bought the overcoat and the white dress with the cherry pattern on it at the charity shop in town. She had traded her expensive designer maternity wardrobe for a cheaper wardrobe of large dresses, skirts and tops in the hopes that she would blend into her surroundings as the bus headed west. Anonymity was her only hope for her and her baby's survival.

"All aboard for the overnight express!" The driver's voice cut through her thoughts as he listed the stops the bus would be making during its eight hour journey. Thankfully there were not many on this trip, reducing the number of places that someone may be waiting for her.

With a grimace of discomfort she slowly pulled herself up and picked up her purse and the battered suitcase that she had packed her clothes in that morning. Her swollen stomach felt even larger today, pulling on her back muscles leaving her with a permanent ache. She had another three weeks to go before the baby was due. Hopefully she would have found somewhere to stay that was safe.

"Here, allow me to carry that for you, ma'am," the gravelly voice came from just behind her causing her to start with fear. Surely she hadn't been found already? "A lady in your condition shouldn't be carrying heavy things." Before she could say anything her case was easily lifted by the tall cowboy standing by her side. He didn't look like someone who would know Nick's family. If anything, he looked like he belonged out on the open range, astride a big black horse as he watched over his herd.

"Th-thank you," she stammered, giving him a slight smile. He was very tall, at least six foot and seemed to be very broad although it was difficult to judge just how broad due to the thick sheepskin coat that he wore over a blue checked shirt. A black Stetson rested on top of her as black as the night outside.

"I recommend that you sit at the back of the bus. There's a little bit more leg room and you can stretch out along the seats if you need to." Stepping to one side, he indicated that she go on ahead towards the bus.

Feeling a little overwhelmed, Kate smiled her thanks and walked outside towards the waiting bus. No one was sitting on the back seat so she sank gratefully down onto the firm seat and closed her eyes. Everything seemed to tire her out now that she was in the final stage of the pregnancy.

"You okay, ma'am?" The gravelly voice was speaking to her again. She opened her eyes and looked into deep blue eyes that seemed to see too much.

"Just tired," she replied softly. She wondered whether or not he would sit with her or find his own seat. A small frisson of pleasure flowed through her body as he lowered his tall frame onto the seat beside her.

"You sure you're okay to be travelling?" he asked, his eyes indicating her protruding belly. She was so far into her pregnancy that it could no longer be hidden.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just have to be careful that I don't overdo it. I'll have a good rest on the coach as we travel."

"Well, if you need anything just holler," he paused before proffering a bronzed, callused hand towards her. "Jake McAllister."

Kate took his hand in her own pale, soft one. "Kate Sinclair," she said with a slight smile. If anyone was looking for her they would look for Katherine Walker not Kate Sinclair. Hopefully they wouldn't think that she would use her maiden name whilst she travelled away from them.

"Pleased to meet you, Miz Sinclair. I'd get yourself nice and comfortable and catch some shut eye," Jake suggested before pulling his hat down over his eyes and preparing to get some sleep himself.

Kate stared at him as his breathing deepened indicating that he was falling asleep. She marvelled at how easily he seemed to drift into sleep. It had been a long time since she had fallen asleep so easily. A long time since she had had the sense of freedom to fall asleep like that.

The coach jerked into motion and set off into that dark night, interrupting her thoughts for a moment. She looked out of the window, watching as the bus drove through the depot and out onto the highway. Hopefully the coach would take her someplace new, someplace where she would be free.

She had been young and carefree once. A teenager studying at university, enjoying the life there and making many friends. She had met Nick Walker at a fun night and had fallen in love and he had fallen in love with her. There had been days when she hadn't been able to believe that Nicholas Adam Walker, one of the Washington Walkers, had fallen for Katherine Louise Sinclair, the orphaned daughter of two teachers.

His family had disapproved of their relationship and had even offered her money to leave him but they had ignored their threats and moved in together. The more his parents had pressured them the closer they had become. So close, in fact, that after a dreadful row one weekend Nick had taken the family jet and flown them both to Las Vegas where they had married in one of the many chapels there. His family had raged at them both but Nick had been adamant that he loved her and wanted her to be his wife.

Unable to split them up, his family had ignored their only son, believing that if they paid him no attention he would return to the family fold. He hadn't. Instead they had continued with their education and he had got a weekend job so that they could get a placed of their own together. Life had been hard but also perfect. She had been convinced that they would be together forever and that his parents would realise their mistake and welcome them both back into their lives.

A tragic accident had killed that dream. Nick had been killed coming home from work late one evening. His parents had done their best to make her feel that it was solely her fault that he had died. As far as they were concerned, she had killed their son and if they could find some way of making her pay then they were going to do it. Until they discovered that she was pregnant with Nick's baby. Then she became their prisoner, it seemed.

Once the pregnancy had been confirmed they insisted that she move into their house and live with them. Her life had been monitored like a rare insect under a microscope. Wherever she went someone went with her and she was allowed few, if any, visitors. She had felt like a beautiful rare bird kept in a gilded cage for people to see but never touch or relate with.

As each day had passed she had felt more and more trapped and the spirit that had attracted Nick to her had slowly faded under their oppressive regime. She had thought that all the fight had left her until she had overheard them discussing how they were going to take her baby from her once she had given birth. She would have had no contact with the baby nor would she have had any rights over him. She would have been paid off and thrown out of their lives, alone. That had sparked her rebellious spirit and she had spent days planning how she would escape them and find somewhere safe for her and her child.

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she settled back into her seat. A child, her baby, the baby that she and Nick had created out of their love for each other. She would ensure that this baby would know that it was loved for itself and not for who it was. The Walkers would be welcome into their lives as long as they accepted that she was the baby's mother and that she had a say in how the baby was raised.

The jolting of the bus jerked Kate out of the light sleep she had slipped into. Grimacing at the stab of pain that the movement had caused she shifted slowly in her seat, seeking a more comfortable position for the journey. Her backache was even stronger and her belly felt rock hard and uncomfortable. She rubbed a hand lightly over her stomach as she stared out of the window. Other than the passing street lights, there was very little to see as the bus continued its journey. Beside her, Jake seemed to be fast asleep and she envied him that ability to sleep so deeply. Hopefully she would drop off to sleep again and get some more rest.

A sharp pain tore unexpectedly through her belly, tightening the muscles almost unbearably around her baby. Gasping at the sudden pain she gripped the armrests hard as she waited for the pain to ease not knowing that one of the rests was actually Jake's forearm.

"Wh--what's happening?" he asked sleepily as he tried to wake himself up.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you," Kate blushed as she realised that she had grabbed him rather than the armrest. What an idiot! she thought and moved to remove her arm from his as another pain ripped through her. "Oooh," she groaned, her whole body going rigid.

"Kate, you okay? Is it the baby?" Jake looked worriedly at her, noting her pale, damp face. Something was obviously gravely wrong with the young, pregnant woman.

Kate opened her mouth to say that it wasn't the baby when she felt a sudden gushing warmth between her legs. Her waters had just broke. She stared at Jake in stunned silence unable to believe what was happening. Her baby was going to be born on the backseat of a greyhound bus!

Jake hurriedly alerted the driver so that the bus could be stopped. Luckily, there was a nurse on board and she assisted in helping Kate prepare for the rapidly approaching birth. Within forty minutes Lucas Nicholas Walker arrived into the world screaming his head off at the indignity of being born on the backseat of a greyhound bus. Kate, tired yet happy, was relieved that nothing seemed to be wrong with the infant other than being early. He certainly had a good set of lungs! As she stared down into his deep blue eyes she vowed that she would do whatever she had to do to keep him safe and protected. This was her future now and it was her duty to care for him and keep him from harm.

"He looks a good little boy," Jake commented as they waited for the ambulance.

"He is," Kate replied, looking down for the thousandth time at her son's sleeping features.

"Listen, I heard you telling the nurse that you hadn't yet sorted out somewhere to live. I've got plenty of room at my ranch if you want to stay there until you've recovered from the birth. I know that my mother would love the company. She gets lonely sometimes as she's stuck at the ranch at the moment after having a stroke last year." Jake didn't know why he was making such an offer to this young woman and her new baby but there was something so vulnerable and needy yet also so proud and defiant that he wanted to be the one to help her.

"That's a very generous offer, Mr McAllister. I don't know what so say," Kate looked at Jake, wondering why he was wanting to help her, a stranger. Five hours ago they hadn't known each other yet the birth of her son had brought them closer together.

"You could say yes," he teased with a slight grin. "I promise to behave myself and that you can leave whenever you're ready. Staying at the ranch will give you chance to recover from the birth and to get yourself sorted."

Kate looked down at her son. His suggestion made sense and was certainly very tempting. Plus, the Walkers wouldn't think of looking for her on a ranch. They would assume that she was living in a city somewhere. Even if she only had a few weeks it would give her a chance to sort her future out. [I]And to stay with this enigmatic cowboy,[/I] a voice whispered inside her head which she rapidly shushed. A new relationship was something she must definitely wasn't looking for.

Taking a deep breath she looked up at Jake. "Okay, I'll come with you. Thank you for the offer."

"Your very welcome," he smiled down at her before moving out of the way to allow the medical technicians in to examine her and the baby. He wondered what his mother would think of their new houseguests. Hopefully she would welcome them because he found himself enjoying Kate's company even though he had only just met her.