by K. R. Smith
I only do these things one or two days a week, otherwise, my life could be called very quiet. Every couple of days, Flint will get a lift with somebody in the tribe he works with, so I can use his truck. However, I like to go grocery shopping in Alma with Unka, because we chat so much, it turns into a social event. She’ll pick me and drive me into town with her, with us sometimes grabbing lunch in Charlie’s Bar, beforehand.
Often, I’ll go walking. The first couple of times, Flint took me, to show me more of the community centre. Just outside the residential area, are the Holy Grounds which have the three Sacred Totems. My husband would point out the painted and carved animals and tell me stories, which explained their importance. Now I like to walk by myself whilst listening to my Walkman. There’s a dirt path that runs from my house, through the woods to the river. The water is such a dark blue colour, it’s meditative to just sit by the side and stare at the currents. Then with the breath-taking backdrop, of the mountainous peaks of the Alaska Range, I feel like I’m inside a postcard.
At first it felt surreal, not going to work five days a week. Then my body felt like it let out a huge sigh of relief, as the tension in my shoulders slipped away. It’s relaxing, not having to worry about meetings, presentations, reports, invoices or moody bosses. It’s almost like I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. If I want to go shopping for clothes for me or the baby, I do the 1.5 hour drive to Fairbanks. If I want to chat, I drop in on the Wisetail’s. Flint’s incredibly easy going too, we hardly ever argue. He likes to read, and I like to send emails, surf the net or blog, so often our evenings are filled with comfortable silence.
Thanks for sending me those DVD’s by the way, I enjoyed the movies. I watched a couple of them with Unka one evening, when our husbands were out. You see, Flint and John are members of something of a ‘club’ per se. There’s a group of 15 men, who follow this kind of tribal custom, of hunting altogether on a full moon. The males are the tribe’s strongest and fastest and with their keen hearing and smell, they hunt large animals in the National Park. The first time it happened, Unka came over to keep me company and we made popcorn and it turned into a movie night. The second time, I went to her house and played board games with her and her kids.
Another member of this ‘club’ is the tribe’s Medicine Man. Although he hasn’t gone to medical school, he has this uncanny knack of accurately diagnosing illness. He always knows my sugar level, without the blood tests. His name is Philip and he comes by every two weeks, to check how the pregnancy is affecting my diabetes. Yes, you read that right Chris, a ‘doctor’ that goes to see the patient, instead of the other way around.
He recommended that I visit a GP in Fairbanks to get a new prescription, since my dosage of insulin had to be changed. When I did, the doctor who did go to medical school, verified what he had said and wrote out the script. I think he knew him, as he told me how he was amazed that Philip always knew exactly what was wrong with the patients, he sent to him.
Well that’s about it, for now. Before you pay for your airfare, look up flights that go to Fairbanks instead of Anchorage, as it’s closer. Flint’s also looking forward to your visit next month, as he’s told all our friends. I think Unka is planning on having us over for dinner, during your stay.
Give Fritz a tickle under the chin for me,
Love Jess.
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30th May, 1999
Two weeks ago, David Emanuel Riverclaw, entered the world. It was a home birth, since the labour was so short, there wasn’t time to drive to Fairbanks’ hospital. But it was also a difficult birth, and I’d have to say the most painful experience of my life.
Everything happened suddenly; Flint and I were at the Wisetail’s for lunch when I got my first contraction. After the second, my water broke and drenched the seat of my husband’s truck. When we arrived home, the Medicine Man arrived shortly after us, having been called.
Flint carried me into the bedroom and then followed the instructions, issued by Philip. Every single towel in the house was used, to try to soak up the blood. But I didn’t care about the linen, with the excruciating contractions.
Outside of the bedroom I heard voices, which belonged to John and Unka, who came to offer their help. Unka turned into my midwife, with Philip as my physician and Flint as my birthing partner. John busied himself by carting off the soiled to the laundry, before fetching new towels or sheets. My husband sat behind me on the bloodstained bed, rubbing my back or holding my hands.
“Breathe deeply, Jessica.” He tried to soothe. “Your heart is racing and your puffing is too shallow.”
“I don’t care about the fucking breathing exercises,” I growled back, “I just want this kid out of me!”
“If you keep breathing the way you are now, you’ll hyperventilate.” Unka frowned.
“C’mon Jessica, breathe deeply with me.” Flint instructed. “Hee hee, hoo hoo. Hee hee, hoo hoo.”
Philip passed a concerned look to his makeshift assistant, “her blood sugar is dropping, which is why she’s feeling weak. She needs a glass of juice, to bring her energy back up.”
Immediately, she left the bedroom and when she brought back the beverage; I swear a glass of cold apple juice, never looked so good! However, my hands trembled terribly when I tried to drink, so Flint had to hold the glass for me. I was even in a worse condition, than the first day we met.
After two hours of agony, bearing down, bloodstained towels and sheets; a bloodied baby appeared in Phillip’s hands, which were between my parted legs.
“He’s here!” Unka beamed down. “Your son is here!”
The Medicine Man cut the umbilical chord and then passed the newborn to the older woman, to clean up.
Then he looked from me, to my husband with a serious expression. “As we proceed with the afterbirth, we need to slow down her heart rate and stabilize her blood pressure.”
I wasn’t sure why he looked at Flint, when he said that. As if he could do something, my husband held me closely, as he gazed upon my sweaty face. His dark brown eyes looked full of love, which shone outwards.
“Jessica Riverclaw, you can relax now.” He spoke softly, in his deep voice. “You did good. Our son is here and soon you can meet him. But right now, I need you to concentrate on my heart beat. Can you do that for me, Jessica? Can you feel it, beating out of my chest and into yours?”
Since my back was resting against his chest, I could indeed. I recognized he was talking in his soothing manner, which put me into a relaxed state all those months ago, that day he drove me to Anchorage. I felt his chest rise and fall with his steady breathing, the same rhythmic movement which lulls me to sleep, every night. His eyes never left mine, so I could see them begin to glow turquoise, with the black pupils disappearing.
“No harm will come to you as my mate.” His changed voice rumbled out, like distant thunder. “Now drink and heal.”
Flint had put a gash in his wrist again, which was being pressed against my parted lips. His glowing turquoise eyes held mine, as I supped. I sensed what he was trying to do, impart both his will and his life force, onto his mate.
“Good…,” Philip’s voice sounded far away, “…her heart rate and blood pressure, are slowly returning to normal.”
“But wait,” I heard Unka say unhappily, “look at how much blood that’s come out with the afterbirth.”
“I know.” He replied, gravely. “She shouldn’t conceive again, it’s just too dangerous.”
Soon afterwards I fell asleep, or perhaps I passed out? All I remember, was waking up when it was dark and feeling a lot cleaner. The sheets on the bed had also been changed, with no sign of blood anywhere.
Flint walked into the bedroom in new clothes, holding our ‘bundle of joy’. The babe which was wrapped in a blanket, looked tiny in his large hands and arms. The gentle giant, carefully sat on the bed beside, so he could pass me our child.
“This is David Emanuel Riverclaw?” I looked on, in awe.
“This is our son,” my husband put his arms about the both of us.
Momentarily, I looked away from his cute little pink face, into the larger and mature one of Flint’s.
“I overheard what Philip said, before I fell asleep…” I began.
“Yes?”
My throat constricted, but I forced out; “…is it true, that our first child will be our only child?”
“Yes.”
“Oh Flint, I’m so sorry -”
“Sssshhhh!” He held me closer, by pushing my head against his chest. “There will be none of that, Jessica Riverclaw.”
“But -”
“You and my son are alive and well, how can I find fault with that?”
“But you were hoping for more children.” I sniffed, disappointedly.
“It was a difficult birth and I would not risk your life, to put you through it again. Remember, we are mates and this process happens once in our lifetime. I would not risk losing you, nor would my body. It will change, so not to impregnate you again.”
“What do you mean, your body will change?”
He looked like he was trying not to laugh at my curious mind, which was still so full of questions, even now. Instead, he ducked his head to tenderly run his nose along my forehead, before planting a kiss there. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling his attractive pheromones and relishing his body heat. Then together, our attention returned to the baby.
My eyes filled with tears, as I stared at this little miracle, which we had created. I found it ironic, with all the time and effort that goes into preparation and presentation of events; here was the crowning achievement and he was created by accident. Oh what a story we would have to tell him, one day…
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About the author:
K.R. Smith is writing the supernatural, science fiction, romance novels called The Circulate Series. This novella are flashbacks of family history, a story within a story; which make up chapters 5, 6 & 7 in the forthcoming novel, ‘Small Fry’. For more information, please visit http://[email protected]/ . Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the tail ;-)
The Circulate Series
Circulate copyright K.R. Smith, 1st ed. 2005.
ISBN: 978-0-646-53776-4
Scent copyright K.R. Smith, 2010.
ISBN: 978-0-646-53730-6
* The glowing turquoise eyes on the cover, were created by Isabel de Sequera; the graphic artist of The Circulate Series.
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