Chapter Sixteen
The pregnancy continued normal, Anna never had another problem in the morning and she managed to control her emotions by closing her eyes, touching her stomach, and trying to picture what the baby would look like.
Would it have Thomas’s dark hair? Dark eyes?
Would it have Anna’s light hair? Blue eyes?
Boy? Girl?
It always seemed to calm Anna down.
The only real problem she had was the size of her stomach. It got in the way of everything! From cooking to cleaning to even intimate time with Thomas. Both Thomas and Jo told Anna that the baby was going to be a boy. Anna didn’t care what the sex of the baby was as long as he or she was healthy.
As the months moved on, the summer came to an end, autumn came and went, and a cold winter came down. It wasn’t quite as harsh as some of the unforgiving winters in Massachusetts, and Anna didn’t mind the cold weather sometimes, helping to ease her aching body, but there were times when she felt she would never warm up. She had to sleep on her side or else the baby would kick and become irritated. Of course, Anna sometimes moved to her back on purpose just to feel the baby kick. Anna would place her hands on her belly and watch. What an amazing feeling! Those quick thuds from the inside made her heart jump and race.
A life lived inside her.
A life created by she and Thomas.
A life that would be brother or sister to Thomas Jr..
Thomas Jr. only had a little while longer until he would no longer need the milk from Jo’s giving breast. Thomas kept his word, speaking to Jo, offering to keep her in the house for as long as she wanted to be there. At first, Jo denied the request but Thomas explained to her that if something happened... again... he wanted her there. Or if Anna couldn’t breastfeed for some reason. The excuses were poor and Jo even called Thomas out with a loud laugh, saying, “Did you see the size of Anna’s chest? She could feed two babies!”
Anna laughed when she heard this and after Thomas was done talking to her, Anna went into Jo’s room to speak with her.
“I hope you stay,” Anna said.
“I don’t want to intrude.”
“But you’re not, Jo.” Anna touched her large stomach. “Look how far along I am. It’s only weeks now, Jo, weeks. You’ve been here for everything. And not for Thomas, but for me. You were the one that wrote the first letter. You were the one who came to the train depot. Jo, if it wasn’t for you Thomas may be alone right now. And I... I...”
Anna shook her head. She thought about her life back home. She thought about her big sister, Abigail. Abigail had written back to Anna, offering her happiness for the pregnancy. But the letter was short and didn’t have the confidence Anna hoped Abigail would convey to her in her letters. It had also been months since she heard from Abigail. It left Anna to wonder if Abigail had gone to see Mary and Henry. Then, just two weeks ago Mary wrote a letter, wishing Anna a safe and healthy birth. Mary wrote that she had tried to speak to Abigail, but she wasn’t interested in talking right then.
It filled Anna with more emotions and worry than she really needed for that time, but Abigail was her big sister and she would always worry.
“Anna, I will stay,” Jo said, breaking up Anna’s thoughts. “I would be angry with myself if I didn’t get to hold that baby at least once.”
“More than once,” Anna said. “Promise me that. More than once.”
“Yes. More than once, Anna.”
They hugged and Anna went into the kitchen to cook dinner.
Thomas did a wonderful job keeping the house warm and comfortable. They shared hearty meals, good laughs, and lots of hugs. Anna truly understood why Thomas worked so hard when he could. Without the long hours they wouldn’t have enough money for food, for heat, for shelter even. But thanks to Thomas and his strong hands and intelligence, they were able to enjoy the winter. Never before had Anna experienced this. In s they prepared for winter with prayer and understanding that some people wouldn’t make it through.
After eating and after placing Thomas Jr. to bed, Anna felt soreness in her right leg. It had been a long day, an extra cold day too. She had spent a good part of the day thinking of Abigail and Mary, and had spoken with Jo about staying. It had been draining emotionally, so Anna went to bed a little earlier than normal. She wanted the night’s rest and wanted to clear her mind. In the next couple weeks, Thomas would build a crib for their new son or daughter, and Anna would continue to make the clothing for the baby. Anna’s mind started to race again with everything they wanted to get done as her eyes slowly shut.
She slept sound, without a dream, right up until a pain surged through her leg, waking her with a small cry. She opened her eyes and wanted to sit up, forgetting the size of her belly. As she tried to sit up the pain transferred from her leg to her stomach. It was a horrible pain, a terrible squeezing feeling that moved deeper and deeper. There was a terrible throb from her insides down to between her legs. Anna balanced herself with one hand and turned a little, seeking any kind of relief. She placed her feet on the floor. In her mind, this was nothing a small walk couldn’t fix. The baby might have been uncomfortable or annoyed with something. Anna wanted to stand and walk. Rub her belly. Hum a song. Maybe even whisper a story like she so often did, telling how she met Thomas, loving to repeat the story and enjoy the romantic feeling it gave her.
The second Anna put pressure on her feet and stood, she cried out and lost her balance. The wave of pain that shot through her body made everything appear white. The split second was perhaps the scariest of her life. She knew she was falling and she could only put her hands out and pray she wouldn’t fall on her stomach and harm the baby. When her hands hit the floor, she screamed, keeping her head down, trying to breathe. A second later, Thomas came to her aid, falling next to her, shaking as he touched her.
“Anna, what is it?” he asked. “Oh, my Anna...”
“The pain,” Anna whispered. “Oh, Thomas...”
“No, no...”
Jo came into the room a minute later. The first flicker of dawn began to show far off on the horizon. It was going to be a chilly morning and Anna turned her head and looked up at Jo, trying to read the woman’s face.
“We need to get to Dr. Hibert,” Thomas said.
“Yes,” Jo said. “I’ll bundle up Thomas Jr. and we can leave.”
“Anna, can you stand?” Thomas asked.
“No,” Anna said sharply.
Her fingers clawed at the floor as the pain continued. It was a surge, a swell, then some mild relief, then all gone. Over and over. The idea of it being contractions didn’t seem to be possible. She still had weeks to go. There was so much left to do.
She began to cry hysterically, losing her breath, gasping for air, trying to reach for Thomas who was busy gathering clothing and blankets and hats and gloves.
“Anna, I’m right here with you,” Thomas said. “We’re going to see Dr. Hibert. Everything will be...”
Thomas’s voice cracked too. He coughed and cleared his throat and tried to speak again, but it came out as a single grunting sound. Anna looked at her husband and saw the look of terror embedded in his face.
Then it came to Anna... was this what happened with Rachel?
Anna began to rock herself, finding some comfort and relief in the movement. One thing was for sure though, the baby did not like this position. She needed to stand, to find a way to relax the baby before anything bad happened.
“Thomas, I need to stand,” Anna said.
“Anna, maybe you shouldn’t...”
“No, the baby is upset right now. Please.”
Thomas dropped everything in his hands to the floor. He slowly lifted Anna, the ability of his muscles still amazing Anna. She swore the man could lift a horse if needed. Thomas helped Anna to sit back on the bed. Anna leaned back and put her hands to the bed. Her head fell back and she closed her eyes, trying to take deep breaths.
“Anna?” Thomas asked.
“Pain,” Anna whispered. “Wait...”
The intense rush came and went, just like before. The pain subsided this time but didn’t completely go away. Anna took a few deep breaths and then looked at Thomas. She opened her mouth to say something when she felt a warm gush between her legs. Her eyes widened and she whimpered a series of cries.
“Anna...”
“Blood,” she whispered. “Is it blood? Am I...”
Anna was so close to asking if she were dying. She caught herself at the last second. That was the last thing Thomas needed to hear right then. The thought of losing a second wife to the same cause as the first wife would kill him.
“Josephine!” Thomas bellowed.
Jo rushed into the room, carrying Thomas Jr. Jo let out a gasp and then a smiling cry.
Anna looked at Jo.
Smiling?
“Anna, that’s your water breaking,” Jo said.
“My... water...,” Anna whispered.
“Anna, Thomas, the baby is coming,” Jo said. “The baby is coming!”
Anna found the strength to smile and then the overall strength to stand. If the baby was coming they needed to get to Dr. Hibert right then. No questions. No hesitations.
Both Jo and Thomas helped Anna into the carriage as the sun made its appearance to usher in the new day. Bright yellow rays ran along the ground, the melting frost glistening. As they started to travel, Anna looked around, trying to keep herself calm. She hoped that she would get a chance to see the house again. Such a morbid thought during labor but it’s what happened to Rachel. She got into the carriage in labor and never came home.
For the ride, Jo rubbed Anna’s back, humming, whistling, hushing her, whispering to her. Telling her how strong she was. How beautiful she was. How perfect their family was going to be. Thomas Jr. was an amazing baby during the entire ride. He was wrapped up so warm and tight, Jo holding him close to her body, he was safe and sound.
Anna looked at Thomas and said, “You forgot gloves.”
“It’s okay,” Thomas said.
Anna saw the raw redness of his hands, his knuckles looking like marbles as they shook and gripped the reigns tight. Anna knew he had to be in pain from the cold air but not an ounce of care showed on Thomas’s face.
“Thank you for caring for me,” Anna said.
“Thank you for caring for me,” Thomas said back. “I love you, my Anna. Please be strong right now.”
“I’m strong,” Anna said and held her stomach.
“Good,” Thomas said.
When the town came into view, Anna smiled but the smile was stolen by another terrible pain. They were intense contractions and Anna held her legs together tight. She feared if she opened them the baby would be there. That’s how much pressure was between her legs. The pain didn’t help at all, forcing the pressure down, down, down...
Once the carriage was parked, Thomas ran from it, going to seek out Dr. Hibert. Anna watched her husband run like the wind, all for the safety of herself and their baby. She thought about the first time meeting him. How she had fainted and he caught her. How they shared that look... that instant feeling of love attacking her.
When Thomas came running back to the carriage, Anna met eyes with him and knew that if she never saw the house again, she could at least die with the memory of Thomas running for her. To help her. To protect her.
All because he loved her.
They were finally inside and warm minutes later.
Anna held Jo’s hand and wept. Jo cried too. The only calm person in the room was Dr. Hibert. Thomas waited in another room, with Thomas Jr.. Dr. Hibert had sent one of his sons to get Elinore, the midwife, but there would be no time. The baby was coming.
Right now.
Anna faded in and out of the room, hearing the commands from the doctor sometimes clear as day and other times as a harrowing echo, as though they were a mile apart. At one point, Anna swore she felt someone touch her left shoulder but nobody stood at her left side.
Dr. Hibert commanded Anna to push. To push as hard as she could. She felt the baby, she really felt it moving out of her. She heard Jo let out a loud cry of what sounded like relief.
Jo said one word... “Head!” and Anna screamed as her body demanded she keep pushing. She felt she had no strength, no energy, no more life to give to this.
Dr. Hibert cried out to Anna as Jo cheered her on.
Anna tried to say something along the lines of Jo and Thomas being together. That was Anna’s wish as everything started to go black. The feeling in her body ended starting with her toes and rushed up fast. Everything became numb and too weak to do a thing. As the feeling overtook everywhere else, Anna heard Dr. Hibert announce one last thing.
“It’s a boy!”
West For Love (A Mail Order Romance Novel) (1) (Anna & Thomas) Page 17
