earth, she wondered, did a woman’s vagina stretch to such a size, and what was the obstruction that was now filling the hole? Was it the baby’s head? A long and agonising series of moans from Dora abruptly brought Kitty back from her stupefaction.
The yells had just abated when Dora gasped, ‘Can you see the head?’
‘Well,’ replied Kitty, ‘there is something there now that wasn’t there before, but in this flickering gaslight … I’m not quite sure what it is.’ She quickly looked again and now she could see that it was a small round head and that it was free to below the nose. Within seconds the whole head and neck and the top of the shoulders were clear. Instinctively Kitty knew that if she hooked her fingers under the baby’s oxters she would be able to pull it completely free.
Connie started to weep when she heard the baby slip and slither its way into the world. And when the all-clear was ringing out, Kitty smacked the baby gently to make it cry. Instinctively she knew that she must now sever the umbilical cord before handing the baby to Connie. However, Connie seemed reluctant to take hold of the child so Kitty forcibly said through clenched teeth, ‘Get this wee soul washed and dressed, Connie.’ Swiftly turning back to Dora she asked in the same impatient, commanding voice, ‘You do have some clothes ready for the baby?’
‘Aye, aye, I waste nothing,’ Dora stammered, ‘so Dolly’s baby clothes are in the bottom drawer in that chest over there. They have all been washed and ironed. And as soon as you can, Connie, let me hold her.’ Exhausted, Dora then collapsed back against the cushions and surprised Kitty when she announced with a smile, ‘I’m going to call her after you … Kitty.’
Five minutes later Connie took the new baby to Dora and as she laid the bundle into her arms she chuckled. ‘I don’t think the name Kitty will suit this baby.’
‘And why for no? Kitty’s such a lovely name.’
‘Right enough it is, Dora,’ laughed Connie, ‘and true I’ve not got any experience with babies, but this wee mite has an extra bit that your lassies don’t have.’
‘Are you saying I’ve got a son?’ Dora exclaimed before opening up the shawl to check for herself. ‘Oh you’re right and won’t him being a boy not half make my Fred so happy.’
The clamour of old Mrs Dickson being brought back into the safety of her home echoed throughout the stair. On hearing it Connie rushed to the door and called out, ‘Johnny, we’re in here. We need some help.’
Johnny immediately left the boys to attend to Mrs Dickson and he joined Kitty and Connie. He didn’t know what he expected to find in the house he had just entered but it certainly wasn’t his daughter Kitty smeared with blood. ‘What on earth has happened here? Were you injured in the air raid?’
Kitty chuckled. ‘No, Dad. Dora here was in labour and I––’
‘We,’ Connie quickly corrected.
‘We brought the baby into the world.’
‘That’s right,’ crooned Dora, ‘and what a girl you have in Kitty. Don’t know what I would have done without her.’
Johnny nodded, then he looked expectantly about the room, but all he could see, forby the three women, were Ina and Dolly huddled together on the floor and now fast asleep.
‘Where’s Rosebud?’ he stammered.
‘With you I hope,’ Kitty replied. ‘Remember I told you to go and get her and take her to the shelter.’
Johnny’s face drained of colour. His bottom lip began to quiver and his breath was coming in short bursts. Quickly, followed by Kitty, he dashed out of the Ferguson household and, taking the steps three at a time, he bounded up to his own front door.
As he approached the closed door he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. It rose even further when he heard from behind the door a tearful little voice sobbing, ‘Kitty, Daddy, Jack, Davy where are you all? I’m scared of the bangs.’
Turning the key in the lock Johnny
The yells had just abated when Dora gasped, ‘Can you see the head?’
‘Well,’ replied Kitty, ‘there is something there now that wasn’t there before, but in this flickering gaslight … I’m not quite sure what it is.’ She quickly looked again and now she could see that it was a small round head and that it was free to below the nose. Within seconds the whole head and neck and the top of the shoulders were clear. Instinctively Kitty knew that if she hooked her fingers under the baby’s oxters she would be able to pull it completely free.
Connie started to weep when she heard the baby slip and slither its way into the world. And when the all-clear was ringing out, Kitty smacked the baby gently to make it cry. Instinctively she knew that she must now sever the umbilical cord before handing the baby to Connie. However, Connie seemed reluctant to take hold of the child so Kitty forcibly said through clenched teeth, ‘Get this wee soul washed and dressed, Connie.’ Swiftly turning back to Dora she asked in the same impatient, commanding voice, ‘You do have some clothes ready for the baby?’
‘Aye, aye, I waste nothing,’ Dora stammered, ‘so Dolly’s baby clothes are in the bottom drawer in that chest over there. They have all been washed and ironed. And as soon as you can, Connie, let me hold her.’ Exhausted, Dora then collapsed back against the cushions and surprised Kitty when she announced with a smile, ‘I’m going to call her after you … Kitty.’
Five minutes later Connie took the new baby to Dora and as she laid the bundle into her arms she chuckled. ‘I don’t think the name Kitty will suit this baby.’
‘And why for no? Kitty’s such a lovely name.’
‘Right enough it is, Dora,’ laughed Connie, ‘and true I’ve not got any experience with babies, but this wee mite has an extra bit that your lassies don’t have.’
‘Are you saying I’ve got a son?’ Dora exclaimed before opening up the shawl to check for herself. ‘Oh you’re right and won’t him being a boy not half make my Fred so happy.’
The clamour of old Mrs Dickson being brought back into the safety of her home echoed throughout the stair. On hearing it Connie rushed to the door and called out, ‘Johnny, we’re in here. We need some help.’
Johnny immediately left the boys to attend to Mrs Dickson and he joined Kitty and Connie. He didn’t know what he expected to find in the house he had just entered but it certainly wasn’t his daughter Kitty smeared with blood. ‘What on earth has happened here? Were you injured in the air raid?’
Kitty chuckled. ‘No, Dad. Dora here was in labour and I––’
‘We,’ Connie quickly corrected.
‘We brought the baby into the world.’
‘That’s right,’ crooned Dora, ‘and what a girl you have in Kitty. Don’t know what I would have done without her.’
Johnny nodded, then he looked expectantly about the room, but all he could see, forby the three women, were Ina and Dolly huddled together on the floor and now fast asleep.
‘Where’s Rosebud?’ he stammered.
‘With you I hope,’ Kitty replied. ‘Remember I told you to go and get her and take her to the shelter.’
Johnny’s face drained of colour. His bottom lip began to quiver and his breath was coming in short bursts. Quickly, followed by Kitty, he dashed out of the Ferguson household and, taking the steps three at a time, he bounded up to his own front door.
As he approached the closed door he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. It rose even further when he heard from behind the door a tearful little voice sobbing, ‘Kitty, Daddy, Jack, Davy where are you all? I’m scared of the bangs.’
Turning the key in the lock Johnny
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