Jenny was standing by the door, both of her hands clasped over her mouth to contain the giggles that were trying to squeeze out. I didn’t know which one was more comical, Leah or Jenny, but they were both cute.
Leah finally stopped her mantra, took what I recognized as her final deep cleansing breath, and then smiled, evidently pain-free, as she opened her eyes. “Doing yoga breathing for practice?” I asked. “You know, it won’t be too long and you’ll be doing the Lamaze breathing,” I added.
“Yeah, I know, don’t remind me,” she answered with a face contorted between a grin, grimace, and a glare at me for bringing up the inevitable.
“Hey, you’re only bringing one into the world. You have it easy. And speaking of bringing into the world, do you think you can check Sarah now?” I asked.
“Climb on board the BBB,” Leah intoned like a cartoon character train conductor, adding a mimed elbow pull of the train whistle. “The Baby Birthing Bed, two babies, coming up!”
“At least!” I added in a high-toned comic voice as I held onto Sarah’s elbow.
“Can I watch?” Jenny asked, unintentionally bringing the silly mood back to seriousness.
I looked at Leah, then we both looked at Sarah for the answer. “Come up here by my head,” Sarah said. “You can watch from up here with me. Besides, I want you to hold my hand,” she added, and put the back of her right hand on her shoulder in an invitation for Jenny to join her at the head of the chaise.
“Okay,” Jenny chirped, and we all relaxed, the tension released.
“Alrighty now, how close are your contractions?” Leah asked Sarah as she arranged the skirts over her knees.
“I don’t know? I wish I had a watch with a second hand. Every time I start to count, I lose track. Ooh, there’s one now.”
Leah’s hand had been on Sarah’s belly. She felt the contraction and immediately moved her hand up between Sarah’s legs to check her cervix.
“Shit, I mean shoot; that hurts!” Sarah yelped.
I snorted, but didn’t say a word. Her eyes cut to mine. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” she said sternly.
“Oh, yeah,” I drolled, “but you told me that you ‘had’ to check for dilation during a contraction, right?”
“Yes, right. Leah, why don’t you change places with your mother? She needs to see, or rather feel, what’s going on. How many centimeters am I?”
Leah replied with widened eyes, “Five and about fifty percent effaced.”
Sarah’s face fell as fast as mine did, I’m sure.
“What’s five and fifty mean?” Jenny asked.
“That’s, uh,” I stuttered in shock, “Um, that’s how ‘ripe’ your sister and Grannie are. I mean, how ready their bodies are to let the babies go. They’re both going to be ready at the same time, I think,” I answered aloud, then prayed silently, ‘but I hope not.’ “Would you go check on your siblings?” I asked in order to dismiss Jenny. I didn’t want to field any more female physiology questions.
“Isn’t this where we make bets on who pops first?” Leah asked, a false lilt in her voice.
“Yeah, a pool with bets on times, weights, and genders. Although, we have more possibilities to bet on than people to bet,” I said.
“I still say you’re going to have a girl,” Sarah told Leah. “Didn’t you say that there hasn’t been a son born to any of your maternal ancestors since…”
“Since anyone can remember, at least until my baby brothers,” Leah said.
Sarah saw the sad look on my face and said, “Sorry, I forgot that you don’t remember.”
“What?” I mocked brightly with feigned jocularity. “You forgot that I forgot? Ah, don’t worry about it,” I said sincerely. “It’s true. I don’t want to know anything about my past life, but anything before that, like ancestors who I never interacted with personally, is fine. No, Leah is mine, and that’s all I need to know. The life the two of us share as mother and daughter started a year ago, and that’s good enough for me.”
“You’re afraid to remember, aren’t you?” Leah asked gently.
“Hey,” I said defensively, “how would you like it if you suddenly found out you had an adult daughter, an ex-husband, and God only knows how many skeletons in your closet, that someone else knows all about them, but you don’t, and probably never will? How do you think James would take it? Aren’t you happy now? With this new baby coming, a new home, a, a…”
“Sorry!” Leah blurted out. “I wasn’t trying to bring up old shit…Jenny! How do you do that? I swear,” Leah huffed when she saw that Jenny was back.
Sarah and I nodded in agreement: yes, Leah swore too much. Leah saw us and shot the two of us a dirty look then continued. “I think, I think…that every time a cuss word comes out of my mouth, you pop up,” she said to Jenny.
“Grandpa taught me to be real quiet. At least he told me about me dragging my foot. He said that being quiet might save my life sometime.” Jenny giggled. “But, he said sometimes it was good for other stuff, too, like hunting and fishing, and catching Grannie sneaking cookies…”
“I did not!” Sarah blurted. “Well,” she admitted, “maybe just a few. The babies were hungry.”
“So, Leah,” I asked, in order to change the subject, “how about you do the counting so we can find out how far apart Grannie’s contractions are?”
“I wish I had a watch with a stopwatch function, even a second hand would be nice. I left mine…” she said, then stopped suddenly before letting on where the watch was: back in the 21st century.
“Is the second hand the little skinny red one on Brother James’s watch?” Jenny asked.
“Yes…” all three adult women answered at the same time. “Why?” I asked.
“Because he let me borrow his watch for a science experiment. See,” she said, and pulled it out of her pocket. “He wanted me to see how fast I could run back and forth from the porch to the barn and back again. I’m supposed run every hour to see how many seconds it takes. I’m supposed to write it down here.” Jenny took out a scrap of paper and a small pencil like the ones they gave out at miniature golf courses. “I’m supposed to let him know if I’m faster before or after I eat, or earlier in the day or later. Then he says he’s going to show me how to make a graph or gaf; I can’t remember the word exactly.”
“Yes, the word is graph, but could you do the science experiment later?” I asked. “We need to use the watch.”
“Here,” Jenny said, holding out James’s Rolex. “Do you need me to help? I can time stuff. I timed how many drops of sap came out of the trees in the spring so we could figure the rate of flow. I also timed how fast a stick floated from the big rock to the bridge. That was measuring speed or rate per second. Brother James said I’m real bright with some of my studies.”
“Okay, you can time Grannie’s contractions. Now, when her tummy gets hard, you note what time it is, including seconds. Here, she’s having one now,” I said and nodded to her to check the watch.
Jenny placed her hand next to mine on her Grannie’s belly, and then announced, “She’s all done,” at the end of the contraction.
“Fine, do you remember what time it was?” I asked.
“10:30 and twenty seconds,” Jenny said. “Now what?”
“We wait for the next one. The time that it starts is what we need to know. From the start of one contraction to the start of the next one is the time between contractions…how far apart they are. They usually start at about fifteen or twenty minutes apart, and then get down to one minute or less.”
“There it is!” Jenny announced when she felt Sarah’s next contraction start. “It’s 10:35 and 25 seconds. That’s, um, five minutes and five seconds apart, right?”
“Right,” I said. “Now, Leah, are you having regular contractions yet?”
“I don’t know about regular, but yes on the contractions. I thought they were just Braxton Hicks, though,” she said.
“Braxton hiccups?” Jenny asked, her fa
ce contorted in amazement.
“No, let’s just call them false labor pains,” Leah said. All three adult women realized that misters Braxton and Hicks, or was that Dr. Braxton Hicks, probably weren’t even born yet.
“Labor pains?” Jenny asked. “Do they hurt?”
“Not yet, but they probably will later,” Leah huffed.
“Most likely will,” Sarah said dejectedly. “I never had a spinal, and I know it’s not possible now, but a small part of me would like that option.”
“I agree, but I’ll pass on the needle and take the discomfort, not pain…remember, that’s what you always said about labor, Mom. Oops, sorry.”
Leah grimaced, realizing too late that she had just brought up my past life again.
“I mean, I’ll take the discomfort for a few hours rather than be away from you and you and here,” she said, proud of all her female family members gathered in the room.
“So, am I the designated nanny?” Julian asked as he walked into the house, Judah in his arms, toddling Wren and Leo clutching his pant legs.
Julian was smiling, radiant with love at being in the presence of his grandchildren. He saw the apprehension about the coming events in the women’s eyes, and his face fell. He recalled the difficulty Evie had delivering Wee Julian who had decided to come into the world fist first. He gave his godson an extra squeeze of thanksgiving and said a silent prayer that Sarah’s twins would arrive without complications.
“If you don’t mind, yes, would you and Jenny see to the wee three?” I asked. “It’s going to be a long day. I’m not sure, but it looks like you’re going to be a great-grandpa today: Leah might be in labor, too. Only time will tell, but she’s not going to be a lot of help here.”
“Sorry!” Leah blurted out angrily, then added with absolutely no sincerity, “I didn’t do it on purpose!” She sniffed back the tears she hadn’t planned on shedding, then added humbly, “At least delivering early. I did want to get pregnant. I just didn’t think that it would happen so quickly, both getting pregnant and then going into labor.”
We were all stunned by Leah’s surprisingly emotional eruption. I walked over to her and held her diagonally, my belly pressed to the side of hers, our faces close to one another. “Honey, I think we’re all going through a very stressful time here today. I mean, your little outburst, Sarah’s, ahem, personal remarks, and even I haven’t been myself today,” I said.
I glanced over at Julian and gave him another look of apology. He nodded that he understood, and I took a deep breath. “So, if Poppi will watch the babies, I’ll get my little crash course in midwifery. Maybe we’ll have a couple of babies, or more, by sunrise.”
“What about me?” Jenny asked, her face full of frown. “Don’t you need me?”
“Of course, we do,” I said. I brought her over to her sister’s other side and we shared the Leah sandwich hug. “You get to run back and forth, to be the expediter, and can even help Poppi cook.”
“We still have some potatoes left. Can I chop them up and make hash browns? Huh? Can I?”
“You can talk to your Poppi about the menu. In the meantime, would you time your sister Leah’s contractions? I want to see if they’re consistent.”
“Okay. Are you ready, Leah? I have to wait for the contraction before I can time it,” Jenny said with administrative authority.
Well, Jenny waited and timed Leah’s contractions while I took Sarah for a walk. Sarah’s labor was progressing rapidly. At least we didn’t have to worry about timing her. I never got my lesson on what to feel for with dilation and effacement, but it really wasn’t too hard to figure out. Sarah got to the huffing and puffing stage, and even the foot massages weren’t helping. “We have to wait for Jody,” she shouted, “Shit, this hurts!”
“Shut up and breathe,” I ordered. “In, out, in, out. Focus.”
“Focus, schmocus, son of a bitchin’…” she huffed.
“Shush! Jenny’s here,” I said. “If you talk during a contraction, you’ll pay for it in pain. There, it’s done,” I told her when her belly softened. “Now, next time, listen to me. Here,” I bent down and picked up the elusive charcoal piece that Leah had tried to retrieve earlier in the day. “When a contraction hits, I want you to breathe in and out slowly, and concentrate on the dot inside of this circle.” I drew a small circle within a bigger one on the hearth then wiped my hands on a cloth. “Jenny, how’s your sister doing?”
“She says she’s all over the charts, whatever that means. She can’t talk now because she’s having another ‘traction,” Jenny said.
I hastily poured alcohol over my hands and rushed to her side. “Let me check you,” I said, pushing her skirt back over her knees.
Leah continued her huffing and puffing. Her concentration so intense that she never acknowledged my presence. She realized I was there, though, when the extra pang of pain caused by my finger on her cervix brought forth the word, “Shit!” from her mouth.
She finished her breathing regimen, and blew out a quick sentence. “None of my contractions are consistent, some are ten minutes apart, and some are like now,” she groaned, and started again with her Lamaze breathing.
She was having a rough time, so I went to her feet and pressed in on the labor-easing pressure points. I could see the relief in her eyes immediately. “Sarah, how are you doing?” I called back.
“We’re doin’ fine,” Jody announced. “It looks like yer a bit busy there, so I’m doin’ the coachin’ here. How much more time do ye think she has?” he asked, his hands quickly moving to press her feet to counteract Sarah’s pains.
“I don’t know, but I’ll check her on her next one. Leah’s whippin’ right along here. She’s at eight centimeters already. Did James come back with you?” I asked as I washed my hands in another alcohol rinse.
“He’ll be in soon. My horse was faster than his. We left Wallace in town to do the speakin’. There’s talk of turnin’ the regulatin’ of the town over to the Crown. I dinna think it’ll take much convincin’ fer the townsfolk to realize that we’re better off takin’ care of our own needs right here. Oh, here, she’s done fer a minute. Go aheid and do what ye need to do,” he offered as he got up from the stool by her side.
“Am I too late? Is the baby here yet?” James blurted out as he pushed open the door. His intensity toned down as soon as he saw Leah. “How’re you doing, sweetheart,” he said tenderly.
“Ugh, I’m not sure why women keep getting pregnant after they’ve been through this once, much less multiple times,” Leah carped.
James sat down next to her and used a cloth to wipe her face. “God, you’re beautiful,” he praised. Leah huffed and gave him an exaggerated frown. “I know, I know, you feel rotten,” he said, “but you are positively radiant. Is there anything I can do…and don’t tell me I already did my part.”
Leah’s face contorted between a grin at the fact that he had read her mind, a sneer because that really was how she felt right now, and a frown because she knew that many more contractions were imminent before their baby arrived.
“I feel lost at sea. Sarah’s over there, having contractions regular as clockwork. Or at least like a clock that’s gaining half a minute every hour or so. Me, I don’t know when they’re going to hit. I just told Jenny to take a privy break. She’s been at my side for four hours, at least. She was supposed to help Poppi with the wee three, but didn’t want me to be alone. I mean, Mom’s here, but she’s doing double duty with taking Sarah for walks, cleaning up messes, oh, shit…”
Leah quit talking and immediately started her breathing. James knew what to do; he had been taught well. He didn’t say a word, but went to her feet and immediately applied thumb pressure.
I was performing a pelvic exam on Sarah while James took care of Leah’s needs. “Shit, shit, shit!” Sarah screamed as I touched her inside.
“Sarah, it’s going to hurt more if you talk. But I don’t think you have too many more contractions in you—it’s time to push
. Jody, get behind her shoulders and help support her. Baby number one is crowning. I can work his shoulders out, but I want you ready with a swaddling cloth.”
“It’s a boy? Ye can tell already?” Jody asked as he positioned himself behind Sarah, excited at hearing me refer to ‘his shoulders.’
“No, not yet. You can push with the next contraction, Sarah.” I could tell by the feel of the soft spots that baby number one was face down, the correct position for delivery. I put my hands inside and urged him out. “Baby’s a red head and….” I slipped the shoulders out, then pulled him out the rest of the way, “It’s a boy. Here, Jody, take him and clean him up, would you? Sarah, just chill a moment. The other guy isn’t in position yet. Lord, help us and bring him face down, too.”
“Amen,” James, Leah, Jody, and Sarah chorused as the youngest Pomeroy added his own squall of agreement.
“Can I see him?” Sarah asked, and turned her upper torso toward her first son.
“Aye, he’s a good lookin’ lad and hearty, too.”
“Mom?” Leah called urgently through clenched jaws.
“Dani, I mean, Evie, I think she wants to push. She doesn’t know if she can yet or not. Can you see if she’s at ten centimeters?” James asked.
I gulped at his Freudian slip of calling me Dani, my older 21st self who he first knew me as. Evidently, his inner-self wanted an older person to take charge, not the very young-bodied me. He was also speaking for Leah. She had told me they had developed quite the psychic communication rapport just before they married, his latent ability showing itself as soon as she opened up to him. I shook my head and snapped out of my momentary trance. I felt Sarah’s lower abdomen: the second baby wasn’t down in the birth canal yet.
Before I had a chance to answer James, Jenny popped in the room. “Do we have any babies yet?” she asked , bouncing up and down of her toes.
“Ye have an uncle here. And, he has red hair jest like yer little brothers and sister. Here, do ye want to hold him? He’s a wee ‘un, but seems to have a good set of lungs.”
“Jody, keep track of Sarah and baby number two. I’ll be right back,” I said, and scooted away to kneel down at the foot of the pile of quilts that Jenny had put together for Leah. She refused to lie on Jody and Sarah’s bed lest she stain it, and insisted that Sarah have use of the chaise since she was having twins, and it would be easier for me to help the babies come out.
The Great Big Fairy Page 7
