patted it and began rocking back and forth, hoping it would calm down.
Etta Mae took the other baby from Hazel Marie so Lillian could turn her and clean her up. That was another thing I couldn’t watch. I declare, you might as well hang up your modesty the minute you find yourself with child.
Lillian warmed another blanket and spread it on the sofa. Then she helped Hazel Marie into it and wrapped her up. After putting a pillow behind her head, Lillian said, “Le’s give them babies to her now an’ they all get some rest.”
Etta Mae and I laid a baby in each of Hazel Marie’s arms. Her face glowed as she held them close. “You’re sure they’re all right?” she asked, then laughed. “I need to count their fingers and toes, but I don’t have a free hand to do it.”
Hearing a rumbling, grinding noise outside and seeing the flash of lights and the sound of motors, I hurried to a front window. “Well, would you look at that. They’re finally here.”
The snowplow went on past and was soon lost to sight in the falling snow, but two oversized pickups had stopped in the middle of the street. Four dark, bundled-up figures disembarked from the trucks, leaving headlights on and motors running, as they struggled through the snow toward our door, the strong beams of their flashlights lighting up the yard. I could see huge oak branches stretching across the driveway and covering our cars.
Opening the door, I barely recognized Sergeant Coleman Bates in a heavy coat and a knit cap that covered his face. He and the others stomped their feet, then came in. I quickly closed the door to keep what heat we had inside.
“Hey, Miss Julia,” Coleman said. “Hear you need some help.”
“I should say we do, or at least we did. Just look what’s happened.” I motioned toward Hazel Marie and her armful with some pride at what we’d accomplished.
Hazel Marie beamed at Coleman. “Look, Coleman. Two little girls.”
“Beautiful,” he said, but he wasn’t really looking. “We’re going to get you to the hospital now. Miss Lillian, we’ll need a few more blankets, please, ma’am.”
“But, the ambulance . . .?” I started, knowing there was no ambulance out there.
“All we have are four-wheel-drive double-cab vehicles, Miss Julia,” Coleman explained. “Only way we can get around. Douglas, you take one baby and, Len, you take the other one. Wrap ’em up good and don’t fall. Hazel Marie, I’m gonna carry you to the truck.” He leaned down and picked her up as if she were as light as a feather, which she probably was after such a sudden loss of weight. Lillian wrapped another blanket around her as Coleman nodded to the fourth man. “Chris, beat a path for us and get the back doors open.”
“Oh, Lord,” I said, “don’t anybody drop anybody.”
Etta Mae suddenly appeared beside me, pulling on her coat and stepping into her boots. “I’m going with them.”
“Oh good. Call us on Hazel Marie’s cell phone and let us know when you get settled. We’ll be over as soon as we can get out.”
“I’ll come get you when I get off,” Coleman said. “Around eight, unless we’re still shorthanded.”
As Coleman turned sideways to get Hazel Marie through the door, I saw the lines of fatigue on her face and wanted to comfort her. “You were wonderful, Hazel Marie,” I said. “I’m so proud of you.”
She managed a tired smile. “Call J.D. for me,” she said, as Lillian reached out and pulled the blanket over her head.
Lillian and I watched as the laden troop slogged through the drifts to the trucks. The two men with the babies got into the backseat of one truck, and Coleman lifted Hazel Marie into the backseat of the other one, with Etta Mae following her. Then Coleman and the fourth man got behind the wheels, put the powerful engines into gear, and slowly edged away down the street.
“Well, Lillian,” I said, as we closed the door, “we’ve done a night’s work, haven’t we?” Then, as we
Etta Mae took the other baby from Hazel Marie so Lillian could turn her and clean her up. That was another thing I couldn’t watch. I declare, you might as well hang up your modesty the minute you find yourself with child.
Lillian warmed another blanket and spread it on the sofa. Then she helped Hazel Marie into it and wrapped her up. After putting a pillow behind her head, Lillian said, “Le’s give them babies to her now an’ they all get some rest.”
Etta Mae and I laid a baby in each of Hazel Marie’s arms. Her face glowed as she held them close. “You’re sure they’re all right?” she asked, then laughed. “I need to count their fingers and toes, but I don’t have a free hand to do it.”
Hearing a rumbling, grinding noise outside and seeing the flash of lights and the sound of motors, I hurried to a front window. “Well, would you look at that. They’re finally here.”
The snowplow went on past and was soon lost to sight in the falling snow, but two oversized pickups had stopped in the middle of the street. Four dark, bundled-up figures disembarked from the trucks, leaving headlights on and motors running, as they struggled through the snow toward our door, the strong beams of their flashlights lighting up the yard. I could see huge oak branches stretching across the driveway and covering our cars.
Opening the door, I barely recognized Sergeant Coleman Bates in a heavy coat and a knit cap that covered his face. He and the others stomped their feet, then came in. I quickly closed the door to keep what heat we had inside.
“Hey, Miss Julia,” Coleman said. “Hear you need some help.”
“I should say we do, or at least we did. Just look what’s happened.” I motioned toward Hazel Marie and her armful with some pride at what we’d accomplished.
Hazel Marie beamed at Coleman. “Look, Coleman. Two little girls.”
“Beautiful,” he said, but he wasn’t really looking. “We’re going to get you to the hospital now. Miss Lillian, we’ll need a few more blankets, please, ma’am.”
“But, the ambulance . . .?” I started, knowing there was no ambulance out there.
“All we have are four-wheel-drive double-cab vehicles, Miss Julia,” Coleman explained. “Only way we can get around. Douglas, you take one baby and, Len, you take the other one. Wrap ’em up good and don’t fall. Hazel Marie, I’m gonna carry you to the truck.” He leaned down and picked her up as if she were as light as a feather, which she probably was after such a sudden loss of weight. Lillian wrapped another blanket around her as Coleman nodded to the fourth man. “Chris, beat a path for us and get the back doors open.”
“Oh, Lord,” I said, “don’t anybody drop anybody.”
Etta Mae suddenly appeared beside me, pulling on her coat and stepping into her boots. “I’m going with them.”
“Oh good. Call us on Hazel Marie’s cell phone and let us know when you get settled. We’ll be over as soon as we can get out.”
“I’ll come get you when I get off,” Coleman said. “Around eight, unless we’re still shorthanded.”
As Coleman turned sideways to get Hazel Marie through the door, I saw the lines of fatigue on her face and wanted to comfort her. “You were wonderful, Hazel Marie,” I said. “I’m so proud of you.”
She managed a tired smile. “Call J.D. for me,” she said, as Lillian reached out and pulled the blanket over her head.
Lillian and I watched as the laden troop slogged through the drifts to the trucks. The two men with the babies got into the backseat of one truck, and Coleman lifted Hazel Marie into the backseat of the other one, with Etta Mae following her. Then Coleman and the fourth man got behind the wheels, put the powerful engines into gear, and slowly edged away down the street.
“Well, Lillian,” I said, as we closed the door, “we’ve done a night’s work, haven’t we?” Then, as we
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