a doctor? They ’ re so young . ”
“If they ’ re old enough to lay with a man, they ’ re old enough to bear a child. Midwives delivered us and delivered our children. A midwife will deliver the ir bab ies when the time comes.”
Lola was frightened. She hadn ’ t even thought about needing a doctor. All she really knew about birthing is that o ne of her father’s mares had bled to death. The thought made Lola shiver.
“Don’t worry. If they need a doctor, I ’ ll get the money—even if I have to sell a machine. I promise,” said Uncle. H is words sounded empty to Lola .
“I still say it’ s wrong to use their money. You should take the machines back.”
“Listen to me. The machine is here and there ’ s no going back. I don’t just mean those machines in this house. The machine is the future. The world ’ s changing, and we either change with it or get left behind. If I don’t do this, then my competitor will. Then you and I both will be living in the streets—and those girls will be thrown into the streets with us. Enough talk. Go get me a drink of water.”
Lola hastily closed the door enough to appear shut. She stood, barely breathing, as she heard Auntie get the water and go back to the other room. Slowly and noiselessly, she closed the final half inch and released the handle. She returned to her pallet, but could not get back to sleep. Would Enriqueta need a doctor? Would she? Would Uncle really get one--even if he didn ’ t have the money?
Should she tell Enriqueta? No, it would frighten her. Doctors were called when all else failed—and t hey certainly hadn’t done anything to help poor Mama, had they? Why should she think a doctor could do anything more than a midwife who delivered babies all the time?
Should she get word to Juan that his cousin had spent the money? He ’ d be angry that his cousin had betrayed his trust. It would also be obvious that she ’ d overheard a conversation that was meant to be private between husband and wife. T hey wouldn ’ t be able to stay here after telling tales on Uncle , but w here c ould they go? Lola shuddered. She knew l ife could be even more miserable than this. Lola fell asleep with her course of action unresolved .
“Do you think our sister Juana would like to have another child?” asked Enriqueta the next morning as she folded the uniform she had just finished.
“Of course she would. She ’ s been married for years and only has two children. You know she keeps trying. I wonder why God does n’t let Juana have a baby, and he lets us have babies we didn’t want.”
“You mustn’t question the will of God,” said Enriqueta. Lola frowned. Maria or Ernestina might have said that, but not Enriqueta.
“Why did you ask about Juana?”
“Because I want her to have my baby. It will be of good bloodline and she wants a baby.” Lola didn’t know what to say. “Lola, look at us. We ’ re poor and miserable. We live and sleep and work and piss in this room . I hate being poor . I don’t want my baby to be poor.” She stopped talking as her foot worked the pedal, and her hands guided the material through the machine. “If Juana has the baby I ’ ll be able to join a convent. I want to be a nun.”
Lola stared at her sister. “Enriqueta , t hink what you ’ re saying . Nuns can ’t get married and have their own home. They work all the time and pray when they ’ re not working.”
“I don’t ever want a man to touch me again as long as I live.”
“You say you don’t want to be poor, yet you want to be a nun. Nuns can’t have any money at all. We ’ re earning some money, and saving it so we can get our own place.”
“Money? We don’t get half what those stupid women get who put collars on crooked and forget to tie knots at the ends of their threads so the seams come out if you pull on them .
“If they ’ re old enough to lay with a man, they ’ re old enough to bear a child. Midwives delivered us and delivered our children. A midwife will deliver the ir bab ies when the time comes.”
Lola was frightened. She hadn ’ t even thought about needing a doctor. All she really knew about birthing is that o ne of her father’s mares had bled to death. The thought made Lola shiver.
“Don’t worry. If they need a doctor, I ’ ll get the money—even if I have to sell a machine. I promise,” said Uncle. H is words sounded empty to Lola .
“I still say it’ s wrong to use their money. You should take the machines back.”
“Listen to me. The machine is here and there ’ s no going back. I don’t just mean those machines in this house. The machine is the future. The world ’ s changing, and we either change with it or get left behind. If I don’t do this, then my competitor will. Then you and I both will be living in the streets—and those girls will be thrown into the streets with us. Enough talk. Go get me a drink of water.”
Lola hastily closed the door enough to appear shut. She stood, barely breathing, as she heard Auntie get the water and go back to the other room. Slowly and noiselessly, she closed the final half inch and released the handle. She returned to her pallet, but could not get back to sleep. Would Enriqueta need a doctor? Would she? Would Uncle really get one--even if he didn ’ t have the money?
Should she tell Enriqueta? No, it would frighten her. Doctors were called when all else failed—and t hey certainly hadn’t done anything to help poor Mama, had they? Why should she think a doctor could do anything more than a midwife who delivered babies all the time?
Should she get word to Juan that his cousin had spent the money? He ’ d be angry that his cousin had betrayed his trust. It would also be obvious that she ’ d overheard a conversation that was meant to be private between husband and wife. T hey wouldn ’ t be able to stay here after telling tales on Uncle , but w here c ould they go? Lola shuddered. She knew l ife could be even more miserable than this. Lola fell asleep with her course of action unresolved .
“Do you think our sister Juana would like to have another child?” asked Enriqueta the next morning as she folded the uniform she had just finished.
“Of course she would. She ’ s been married for years and only has two children. You know she keeps trying. I wonder why God does n’t let Juana have a baby, and he lets us have babies we didn’t want.”
“You mustn’t question the will of God,” said Enriqueta. Lola frowned. Maria or Ernestina might have said that, but not Enriqueta.
“Why did you ask about Juana?”
“Because I want her to have my baby. It will be of good bloodline and she wants a baby.” Lola didn’t know what to say. “Lola, look at us. We ’ re poor and miserable. We live and sleep and work and piss in this room . I hate being poor . I don’t want my baby to be poor.” She stopped talking as her foot worked the pedal, and her hands guided the material through the machine. “If Juana has the baby I ’ ll be able to join a convent. I want to be a nun.”
Lola stared at her sister. “Enriqueta , t hink what you ’ re saying . Nuns can ’t get married and have their own home. They work all the time and pray when they ’ re not working.”
“I don’t ever want a man to touch me again as long as I live.”
“You say you don’t want to be poor, yet you want to be a nun. Nuns can’t have any money at all. We ’ re earning some money, and saving it so we can get our own place.”
“Money? We don’t get half what those stupid women get who put collars on crooked and forget to tie knots at the ends of their threads so the seams come out if you pull on them .
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