we’re not allowed to go up into the mist.’
Silvern flounced. ‘It’s obvious – climbing a mountain when you can’t see in front of you is asking for trouble.’ The others looked thoughtful. Nobody came up with any useful theories.
Mother’s belly grew so big I thought she would pop open like a lupin pod in the sun. She laughed at me and told me all was well. She continued to teach dance and lead the singing at meetings.
My grandparents made the things a baby needs. Squares of cloth for nappies, little garments, a bed and blankets. Tiny things. I smiled and went ooh and aah and was glad nobody could see into my heart. This child was going to be a smug bore. I really could do without a miniature Silvern in the house.
I walked to school with Mother as she grew bigger. I didn’t want something happening to her and somebody else having to help her.
Trebe said the baby would come on Sunday.
Friday. Shaving day. Mother and I walked to school together. She smiled at me. ‘Thank you for being compliant, Juno. We know how hard it is for you.’
I ducked my head, tears burning. I was fine so long as nobody told me how good I was. ‘Love you, Mother.’
Nixie came in – same old joke, but today he chatted to me about the baby. ‘Come Monday and you’ll have a sister. Well now, that’s exciting.’
I smiled. I agreed. But I died inside a little more as he shaved my head.
We went back to our work. Late in the morning, a child from the youngest learning stratum knocked on the door and came into our room. Justa smiled at him. ‘Greetings, Olly. How can I help?’
‘Please Justa, Sheen says can Juno come?’
I jumped up from my seat and raced out the door, pushing Olly out of the way as I went. I burst into the dance studio. ‘Mother?’
She smiled at me. ‘I’m fine, Juno. Truly. But the pains have started and I’d like to go home. Can you tell Justa and excuse yourself?’
A minute later, we were on the pathway heading for home. ‘Shouldn’t you go straight to the hospital?’ I was anxious. I wanted to tell Dad too, before he heard the news from someone else.
‘It’ll be hours yet,’ Mother said, pausing while a contraction tightened her belly. ‘Let’s get home and then you can fetch Zanin.’
Well, maybe she was right, but I’d be happier when she was at the hospital. I left her in the kitchen making a cup of tea and I sped up to the gardens without giving a thought to being alone on the paths.
Dad saw me coming, dropped a tray of seedlings and ran for home, leaving me calling after him, ‘She’s fine! She says it’ll be hours yet.’
‘Tell your grandparents,’ he shouted over his shoulder.
I remembered then about being alone on the paths. But Hilto wouldn’t know yet that I wasn’t at school. I ran to Leebar and Bazin’s first.
Leebar came home with me, while Bazin went to tell Grif and Danyat.
We met nobody, but when Grif and Danyat arrived, they were laughing. ‘We met Nixie! All the island will know by now.’
Mother wouldn’t sit down. ‘It’s better to keep moving.’
Dad paced the floor. I wanted to too, but I kept out of the way, huddled into a chair.
Grif smiled at me. ‘Don’t worry, Juno. This is exactly how it happened when you were born.’ She grabbed Dad’s arm and made him stop pacing. ‘Zanin, calm down. It’ll be hours yet.’
Time crawled.
We ate lunch. Mother wasn’t hungry. That fired Dad’s nerves all over again.
None of us went to work that afternoon, but we would not be expected. I couldn’t enjoy the novelty of it – not with the strain of watching Mother.
As the afternoon faded into evening, even I could tell that the contractions were harder to bear. Dad stalked from the room and came back with Mother’s bag. ‘Come. We’re leaving now and that’s final.’
Mother pulled a face – it might have been at him but it could have been at a pain. ‘I’m not going yet. Zanin, be sensible. I’ll get nervous if I go now. Two of
Silvern flounced. ‘It’s obvious – climbing a mountain when you can’t see in front of you is asking for trouble.’ The others looked thoughtful. Nobody came up with any useful theories.
Mother’s belly grew so big I thought she would pop open like a lupin pod in the sun. She laughed at me and told me all was well. She continued to teach dance and lead the singing at meetings.
My grandparents made the things a baby needs. Squares of cloth for nappies, little garments, a bed and blankets. Tiny things. I smiled and went ooh and aah and was glad nobody could see into my heart. This child was going to be a smug bore. I really could do without a miniature Silvern in the house.
I walked to school with Mother as she grew bigger. I didn’t want something happening to her and somebody else having to help her.
Trebe said the baby would come on Sunday.
Friday. Shaving day. Mother and I walked to school together. She smiled at me. ‘Thank you for being compliant, Juno. We know how hard it is for you.’
I ducked my head, tears burning. I was fine so long as nobody told me how good I was. ‘Love you, Mother.’
Nixie came in – same old joke, but today he chatted to me about the baby. ‘Come Monday and you’ll have a sister. Well now, that’s exciting.’
I smiled. I agreed. But I died inside a little more as he shaved my head.
We went back to our work. Late in the morning, a child from the youngest learning stratum knocked on the door and came into our room. Justa smiled at him. ‘Greetings, Olly. How can I help?’
‘Please Justa, Sheen says can Juno come?’
I jumped up from my seat and raced out the door, pushing Olly out of the way as I went. I burst into the dance studio. ‘Mother?’
She smiled at me. ‘I’m fine, Juno. Truly. But the pains have started and I’d like to go home. Can you tell Justa and excuse yourself?’
A minute later, we were on the pathway heading for home. ‘Shouldn’t you go straight to the hospital?’ I was anxious. I wanted to tell Dad too, before he heard the news from someone else.
‘It’ll be hours yet,’ Mother said, pausing while a contraction tightened her belly. ‘Let’s get home and then you can fetch Zanin.’
Well, maybe she was right, but I’d be happier when she was at the hospital. I left her in the kitchen making a cup of tea and I sped up to the gardens without giving a thought to being alone on the paths.
Dad saw me coming, dropped a tray of seedlings and ran for home, leaving me calling after him, ‘She’s fine! She says it’ll be hours yet.’
‘Tell your grandparents,’ he shouted over his shoulder.
I remembered then about being alone on the paths. But Hilto wouldn’t know yet that I wasn’t at school. I ran to Leebar and Bazin’s first.
Leebar came home with me, while Bazin went to tell Grif and Danyat.
We met nobody, but when Grif and Danyat arrived, they were laughing. ‘We met Nixie! All the island will know by now.’
Mother wouldn’t sit down. ‘It’s better to keep moving.’
Dad paced the floor. I wanted to too, but I kept out of the way, huddled into a chair.
Grif smiled at me. ‘Don’t worry, Juno. This is exactly how it happened when you were born.’ She grabbed Dad’s arm and made him stop pacing. ‘Zanin, calm down. It’ll be hours yet.’
Time crawled.
We ate lunch. Mother wasn’t hungry. That fired Dad’s nerves all over again.
None of us went to work that afternoon, but we would not be expected. I couldn’t enjoy the novelty of it – not with the strain of watching Mother.
As the afternoon faded into evening, even I could tell that the contractions were harder to bear. Dad stalked from the room and came back with Mother’s bag. ‘Come. We’re leaving now and that’s final.’
Mother pulled a face – it might have been at him but it could have been at a pain. ‘I’m not going yet. Zanin, be sensible. I’ll get nervous if I go now. Two of
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