going to hurt her. Hold her down,” Julia said.
Julia massaged and kneaded Gloria’s stomach till her hands were weak and cramped. It felt as though she was making progress though. “Get behind her shoulders, Flossie. She has to push while I move this child.”
Flossie spoke gently till she realized Gloria was near passed out. She began to shout as if Gloria were a small child caught in an errant act. “You wake up this instant, Gloria Jean Shelling. I mean it. You got to get awake and push. Come on, Gloria.”
Gloria moaned and Flossie and Julia screamed and begged for every bit of strength she had left. “The baby’s crowning, Flossie. Come on Gloria. Push.” The door flew open just as Julia saw the top of the baby’s head.
Will passed out into Harry and Jake’s arms as a weary Doctor Hammish pushed by. “What’s going on here? Get that fool husband out of here. Where we at, Flossie?”
“Thank God you’re here,” Flossie said. “The baby wouldn’t come, Doc. Julia pushed on Gloria’s stomach. I think she got the head going the right way cause she’s crowning.”
Doctor Hammish examined Gloria and looked up at Julia and Flossie. “This baby needs born right now, and Gloria’s got to dig deep and do the work. She looks near exhaustion. Get her pushing, girls.”
Flossie and Julia held Gloria’s shoulders and splashed cold water on her face. “It’s time, Gloria. Start pushing again,” Flossie yelled.
Tears ran down Gloria’s face and every push brought an agony of pain to her face. But near five in the morning, a small healthy boy finally was born.
Flossie was holding the baby, crying and crooning and swaying back and forth. Doctor Hammish looked at Julia while he finished with a passed out Gloria. “Mighty glad you moved that child around. He’d been dead before long. You a nurse?”
“No,” Julia said. She bent down to pick up bloody sheets.
“How did you know what to do?” Flossie asked.
Julia wiped tears of joy and remembrance from her cheeks. “I was with my mother when she had my youngest sister. She had a similar trouble. I was glad I could help.”
Gloria stirred, and Flossie handed the baby to Julia and hurried to her sister’s side. “Take him out so his father and uncles can see him. They’re worried sick.”
Julia held the warm bundle in her arms. He was so small. So beautiful. So very precious. She walked slowly to the sitting room. “Your son wants to say hello, Will.”
Gloria’s husband jumped from the floor with a tear-stained face. His hands trembled as he took his son into his arms. He looked at Julia, lips quivering. “Gloria?”
“Doctor Hammish says she’s going to be fine.” Harry shook his head and wiped his mouth. Jake stood and went out the door. Will’s eyes closed, and he mouthed what Julia figured was a prayer of thanksgiving. “She’s going to need complete bed rest. I’m going to get some sleep. Flossie will stay till I get back.”
Will dropped into a chair and rocked his son back and forth. Julia went outside. She needed fresh air and her husband’s arms. He was kneeling beside an oak tree, his hand steadied on the rough bark, his head dropped and shoulders shaking. Julia laid her hand on his shoulder. He had been her strength too many times already. She would be his if she could.
“Jake?” she said.
Jake shook his head and swiped at tears. He sniffed and cleared his throat. “If anything would have happened to Gloria, I don’t know what I would have done.” He stared at Julia. “For whatever you and Flossie did, I thank you.”
Julia smiled and yawned. “I was worried, too, but everyone’s going to be fine. You need to get me home so I can get some sleep. Flossie’s going to stay till I get back.”
* * * *
Jake ducked into the house and went straight to Gloria’s bed. He kissed his youngest sister’s forehead and looked at Flossie holding her hand. Will sat on the edge of the bed.
“I’m going to take Julia
Julia massaged and kneaded Gloria’s stomach till her hands were weak and cramped. It felt as though she was making progress though. “Get behind her shoulders, Flossie. She has to push while I move this child.”
Flossie spoke gently till she realized Gloria was near passed out. She began to shout as if Gloria were a small child caught in an errant act. “You wake up this instant, Gloria Jean Shelling. I mean it. You got to get awake and push. Come on, Gloria.”
Gloria moaned and Flossie and Julia screamed and begged for every bit of strength she had left. “The baby’s crowning, Flossie. Come on Gloria. Push.” The door flew open just as Julia saw the top of the baby’s head.
Will passed out into Harry and Jake’s arms as a weary Doctor Hammish pushed by. “What’s going on here? Get that fool husband out of here. Where we at, Flossie?”
“Thank God you’re here,” Flossie said. “The baby wouldn’t come, Doc. Julia pushed on Gloria’s stomach. I think she got the head going the right way cause she’s crowning.”
Doctor Hammish examined Gloria and looked up at Julia and Flossie. “This baby needs born right now, and Gloria’s got to dig deep and do the work. She looks near exhaustion. Get her pushing, girls.”
Flossie and Julia held Gloria’s shoulders and splashed cold water on her face. “It’s time, Gloria. Start pushing again,” Flossie yelled.
Tears ran down Gloria’s face and every push brought an agony of pain to her face. But near five in the morning, a small healthy boy finally was born.
Flossie was holding the baby, crying and crooning and swaying back and forth. Doctor Hammish looked at Julia while he finished with a passed out Gloria. “Mighty glad you moved that child around. He’d been dead before long. You a nurse?”
“No,” Julia said. She bent down to pick up bloody sheets.
“How did you know what to do?” Flossie asked.
Julia wiped tears of joy and remembrance from her cheeks. “I was with my mother when she had my youngest sister. She had a similar trouble. I was glad I could help.”
Gloria stirred, and Flossie handed the baby to Julia and hurried to her sister’s side. “Take him out so his father and uncles can see him. They’re worried sick.”
Julia held the warm bundle in her arms. He was so small. So beautiful. So very precious. She walked slowly to the sitting room. “Your son wants to say hello, Will.”
Gloria’s husband jumped from the floor with a tear-stained face. His hands trembled as he took his son into his arms. He looked at Julia, lips quivering. “Gloria?”
“Doctor Hammish says she’s going to be fine.” Harry shook his head and wiped his mouth. Jake stood and went out the door. Will’s eyes closed, and he mouthed what Julia figured was a prayer of thanksgiving. “She’s going to need complete bed rest. I’m going to get some sleep. Flossie will stay till I get back.”
Will dropped into a chair and rocked his son back and forth. Julia went outside. She needed fresh air and her husband’s arms. He was kneeling beside an oak tree, his hand steadied on the rough bark, his head dropped and shoulders shaking. Julia laid her hand on his shoulder. He had been her strength too many times already. She would be his if she could.
“Jake?” she said.
Jake shook his head and swiped at tears. He sniffed and cleared his throat. “If anything would have happened to Gloria, I don’t know what I would have done.” He stared at Julia. “For whatever you and Flossie did, I thank you.”
Julia smiled and yawned. “I was worried, too, but everyone’s going to be fine. You need to get me home so I can get some sleep. Flossie’s going to stay till I get back.”
* * * *
Jake ducked into the house and went straight to Gloria’s bed. He kissed his youngest sister’s forehead and looked at Flossie holding her hand. Will sat on the edge of the bed.
“I’m going to take Julia
Similar Books
