eating crackers and canned sardines when Harry came riding into the yard. Jake jumped up when he saw his brother-in-law jump down from his horse.
“What is it?” Jake shouted to Harry.
“Gloria. It’s time. Flossie wants Julia to help,” Harry said.
“Oh dear,” Julia said. She turned and hurried back into the house. She was back on the porch in minutes with a bundle in her arms.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“Flossie told me to pack rags, sheets and nightgowns when Gloria’s time came. There’d be less wash then in case we didn’t have time. Hurry, Jake, get the wagon,” Julia said and pulled on his sleeve.
Slim had the wagon hitched in no time, and they bounced off as fast as Jake could force the horses. It seemed like forever to Julia.
“I wonder if Will went for the doctor?” Jake asked.
“I imagine so, Jake,” she said.
Julia jumped down from the wagon herself and hurried into the house, Jake trailing her. “Flossie, how are things? Did Will go for the doctor? What can I do?” she asked.
“The doctor’s out at the Wilson place. One of the boys nearly lost a foot in an accident. It’s you and me for now, Julia,” Flossie said.
Julia hurried past a pacing white-faced Will and into the bedroom where Gloria lay. She laid her hand on Gloria’s sweat-sheened forehead. “How are you doing, Gloria? Do you need anything?”
Gloria grimaced. “I wish this baby would hurry up and get here.”
Flossie didn’t turn from tearing old sheets in two. “I told you. Babies come when babies come. Nothing we can do to hurry them.”
Julia rinsed a rag in water and wiped Gloria’s face. “Take deep breaths, Gloria.”
Flossie looked at Julia. “You’re not squeamish are you?”
Julia shook her head. “No. What needs to be done?”
“Get the water boiled. And stir the potatoes. I have a feeling we’re going to be here for awhile.”
Julia went to the kitchen with Millie trailing behind.
“Aunt Julia?” Millie said.
There were tears in the little girl’s eyes. Julia picked her up. “What is it Millie?”
“Is Aunt Gloria gonna die? Danny said Billy Owen’s ma died when she had his brother,” Millie asked.
Julia kissed Millie’s nose. “No. Your Aunt Gloria is strong. Sometimes first babies take a while. We’re going to brew some tea to make it easier for her. Do you want to help?”
Millie nodded and shimmied down Julia’s side. They boiled water for the doctor, brewed tea and checked the dinner Flossie had started. Julia was beginning to worry as the evening dragged on. By the middle of the night, Julia was sick to her stomach with fear. Even Flossie looked worried. The kids had fallen asleep in Harry’s lap, when Jake read a story long ago. Will sat slumped against the wall in the corner. Harry and Jake watched Flossie and Julia enter the bedroom and exit.
“I just don’t know what’s the matter,” Flossie whispered after closing the door on the men in the sitting room. “This baby’s ready to come.”
Julia looked at her watch, pinned to her blouse. It was near four in the morning. She pulled the sheet up, exposing Gloria’s protruding stomach. “I think the baby’s turned a funny way, Flossie. Feel.” Julia guided Flossie’s hand. “See? It feels like the head is on the side here.”
Flossie skimmed her hand over her sister’s stomach. “My kids were born quick. With no trouble. I wish that doctor would get here.”
Julia looked at Flossie and leaned close to a moaning and thrashing Gloria. “I’m going to try and help move the baby around, Gloria. It’s going to hurt.”
“I don’t think she can hear what we’re saying anymore. Go on do something if you think you could help,” Flossie said.
Her sister-in-law was worried to death. Julia could see it in her eyes. Usually happy eyes, Julia thought. Funny how she never noticed Flossie’s scar much anymore. Would Flossie wonder where she had come upon this knowledge of child bearing?
“It’s
“What is it?” Jake shouted to Harry.
“Gloria. It’s time. Flossie wants Julia to help,” Harry said.
“Oh dear,” Julia said. She turned and hurried back into the house. She was back on the porch in minutes with a bundle in her arms.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“Flossie told me to pack rags, sheets and nightgowns when Gloria’s time came. There’d be less wash then in case we didn’t have time. Hurry, Jake, get the wagon,” Julia said and pulled on his sleeve.
Slim had the wagon hitched in no time, and they bounced off as fast as Jake could force the horses. It seemed like forever to Julia.
“I wonder if Will went for the doctor?” Jake asked.
“I imagine so, Jake,” she said.
Julia jumped down from the wagon herself and hurried into the house, Jake trailing her. “Flossie, how are things? Did Will go for the doctor? What can I do?” she asked.
“The doctor’s out at the Wilson place. One of the boys nearly lost a foot in an accident. It’s you and me for now, Julia,” Flossie said.
Julia hurried past a pacing white-faced Will and into the bedroom where Gloria lay. She laid her hand on Gloria’s sweat-sheened forehead. “How are you doing, Gloria? Do you need anything?”
Gloria grimaced. “I wish this baby would hurry up and get here.”
Flossie didn’t turn from tearing old sheets in two. “I told you. Babies come when babies come. Nothing we can do to hurry them.”
Julia rinsed a rag in water and wiped Gloria’s face. “Take deep breaths, Gloria.”
Flossie looked at Julia. “You’re not squeamish are you?”
Julia shook her head. “No. What needs to be done?”
“Get the water boiled. And stir the potatoes. I have a feeling we’re going to be here for awhile.”
Julia went to the kitchen with Millie trailing behind.
“Aunt Julia?” Millie said.
There were tears in the little girl’s eyes. Julia picked her up. “What is it Millie?”
“Is Aunt Gloria gonna die? Danny said Billy Owen’s ma died when she had his brother,” Millie asked.
Julia kissed Millie’s nose. “No. Your Aunt Gloria is strong. Sometimes first babies take a while. We’re going to brew some tea to make it easier for her. Do you want to help?”
Millie nodded and shimmied down Julia’s side. They boiled water for the doctor, brewed tea and checked the dinner Flossie had started. Julia was beginning to worry as the evening dragged on. By the middle of the night, Julia was sick to her stomach with fear. Even Flossie looked worried. The kids had fallen asleep in Harry’s lap, when Jake read a story long ago. Will sat slumped against the wall in the corner. Harry and Jake watched Flossie and Julia enter the bedroom and exit.
“I just don’t know what’s the matter,” Flossie whispered after closing the door on the men in the sitting room. “This baby’s ready to come.”
Julia looked at her watch, pinned to her blouse. It was near four in the morning. She pulled the sheet up, exposing Gloria’s protruding stomach. “I think the baby’s turned a funny way, Flossie. Feel.” Julia guided Flossie’s hand. “See? It feels like the head is on the side here.”
Flossie skimmed her hand over her sister’s stomach. “My kids were born quick. With no trouble. I wish that doctor would get here.”
Julia looked at Flossie and leaned close to a moaning and thrashing Gloria. “I’m going to try and help move the baby around, Gloria. It’s going to hurt.”
“I don’t think she can hear what we’re saying anymore. Go on do something if you think you could help,” Flossie said.
Her sister-in-law was worried to death. Julia could see it in her eyes. Usually happy eyes, Julia thought. Funny how she never noticed Flossie’s scar much anymore. Would Flossie wonder where she had come upon this knowledge of child bearing?
“It’s
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