Against All Odds

by Marian L. Jasper

  They seemed content with that and chatted away happily until it was time to leave for school. Patrick and Zelma helped Liza wash and change ready for whatever the day would bring. Ellen had cleaned and dressed Meg and brought her up to Liza.

  “I have been such a bad mother,” said Liza. “I’ve hardly seen Meg since she was born but I’m sure you’ve looked after her well.”

  “She doesn’t look very well this morning, Liza,” said Ellen. “I thought I should bring her up to you.”

  Liza put out her arms to hold her and very calmly asked Ellen to go and fetch Dr Tom. Patrick looked at his daughter and saw that she was trying to breathe. She was gently gasping and didn’t appear too distressed but uncomfortable. Liza put her in the crook of her arm and smoothed her brow, quietly whispering lovingly to her and soothing her as best she could.

  Patrick watched his wife trying to encourage his daughter to breathe normally and wondered how such a small thing could have created such difficulties for Liza and having nearly killed her mother, little Meg was not going to stay for very long with them. He loved her but he couldn’t feel as much love for her as he did for Liza, or for Matthew and John and he hoped it was because he knew that if he did, it would be so much harder when they lost her.

  Dr Tom arrived and listened to the baby’s heart and saw that, gradually, her difficulties in breathing were easing. “This is going to happen often, I’m afraid. I know you are under no illusions, Liza and Patrick, with your care and love she will last longer than others, but the outcome will eventually be the same. She really doesn’t have very long for this world. I would say the maximum will be three years, but any time between now and then you could lose her.”

  An involuntary sob came from Liza and Patrick put his arm on her shoulder. “I know, Tom; I’ve really known it since a long time before she was born. I knew that all wasn’t well when she wasn’t growing properly inside me, but I made myself believe that all was well and that in the end, it would all work out as it should. She will be very well loved by us.”

  “I’m sure she will be,” said Tom. “Liza, you said that your brother died of pneumonia. Do you now think that it was really the case?”

  “It’s what I was told. He coughed a great deal towards the end and his breathing was laboured. I didn’t see him in his last few days, but I never noticed a blue tinge to him. I’m sure I would have seen it, we were very close,” said Liza. “He used to get tired easily, especially when we had been playing in the garden. My parents just put that down to being in the fresh air.”

  “It could well be that he also had a heart defect,” said Tom.

  “I hope it doesn’t mean that Matthew also has one. We would have noticed, I’m sure,” said Liza with slight panic in her voice.

  “Having seen Matthew, and the way he runs and plays, I don’t think you need have any worries on that count. He is perfectly healthy, as were you until your mishap a few years ago. Your heart is sound, it was because you were hurt that Meg’s birth was so difficult for you and that didn’t cause Meg’s heart problem. I think you realise that it may well be hereditary,” said Tom.

  When Tom left, Liza said, “So it appears to be my fault. You could have had a healthy child with somebody else. I’m so sorry, Patrick; I really wanted to give you a child of your own which would outlive us both.”

  Liza sobbed quietly and cuddled little Meg to her. “Oh Liza, you’re not to blame. How could you be? Nobody could possibly know what was going to happen. Please don’t cry, you’ll do yourself and Meg no good by crying. You’ve got to get fit so that you can make sure she’s happy, and cared for. I love you so much, Liza that I could never blame you for anything; and there is nothing that is your fault. It’s unfortunately something that can happen to anyone,” said Patrick.

  “You’re right; I mustn’t show her a sad face. I’m going to make her life really happy and try to treat her as normal as possible under the circumstances,” said Liza.

  “We’ll both make her happy and we’ll both love her a great deal. You’d better rest again; you still look really pale and very tired. Do you want me to take Meg from you, or can you manage to sleep with her next to you?”

  “Leave her with me, I need to let her know that she’s wanted,” she smiled at Patrick and snuggled down in the bed and it wasn’t long before she was asleep. She woke at lunchtime as Zelma came into the room with some soup and bread for her. Little Meg was still sleeping and Zelma put her in her cradle so that Liza could eat. Patrick came in and joined her for lunch.

  “Oh Liza, you’ve already got in down your chin. Lucky I was here otherwise you would have got it on your clothes,” he said as he wiped her chin clean. “I’ve always said you’re worse than the boys.”

  Liza smiled and nodded. Zelma came and took the trays away and Ellen took Meg downstairs to feed her and change her.

  Whilst Patrick and Liza were talking, they heard strange noises coming up the stairs. They looked at one another and Liza said, “That sounds just like the boys struggling up the stairs, they should be in school.”

  The bedroom door was ajar, but it was flung open and two triumphant small faces appeared in the doorway, their arms full of flowers leaving a trail of petals, leaves and broken stems across the floor. The twins came across to the bed and put the flowers down and smiling climbed up and sat on the bed side by side. They didn’t say anything; they just sat together smiling broadly.

  “That’s really lovely, Benjy and Laura, thank you so much. You know I love flowers,” said Liza and they gave an even broader smile. “Where did you get them all?”

  “From the gardens,” they said in unison.

  Patrick was desperately trying not to laugh as he knew that they had done it to please Liza. However, Liza was a little concerned as she recognised that some of the flowers were from the doctor’s garden as well as from the Boarding House, and some were from Gabriel’s and the rest seemed to be from Liza’s own garden. Being a keen gardener Liza knew what was growing in various gardens.

  A cry went up from somebody around the area of the Boarding House and Patrick and Liza could hear Hannah desperately calling for the twins. Also they could hear Ellen and Zelma gasp in horror as presumably they had found a trail of flowers and bits and pieces in the house.

  “Benjy, Laura,” called Hannah through the front door.

  “They’re up here,” called Patrick, “come on up, Hannah.”

  The twins were really happy sitting side by side and they smiled at Hannah as she came into the room and it was obvious that Hannah didn’t quite know what to say. Several thoughts seemed to come into her mind and then disappear.

  “Aunt Liza likes flowers,” said Benjy.

  “She said so when we saw her yesterday and gave her some,” said Laura.

  “But you’ve taken them from everyone’s gardens, and scattered petals everywhere,” said Hannah.

  Ellen was standing in the doorway with her hand over her mouth in horror, looking at all the mess that seemed to have gone everywhere.

  “Hello Hannah,” said Liza smiling. “Aren’t my flowers beautiful?” she added with her tongue in her cheek, relieved that it was something that she didn’t have to deal with.

  “I suppose there are going to be a few people that you will have to see on your way home,” said Patrick to Hannah and it was obvious that he was enjoying the situation.

  “I’m sorry, I’ll take the twins home and they’ll have to apologise to all the people whose flowers they’ve taken. Some of the gardens have been badly trampled on. Oh dear,” said Hannah.

  “Well, it was a nice thought,” said Liza, “thank you Benjy and Laura, your hearts were in the right place, even if your feet weren’t,” said Liza and once again they beamed happily.

  Hannah gathered them up and marched them home, knowing that she was going to have to make sincere apologies to her neighbours. Ellen said that she would be home shortly to help, but she would clear up their mess there first. Patrick and Liza burst
out laughing, it was so reminiscent of when Matthew was younger and he and young James had staggered into her bedroom with their breakfast.

  “How do you think the neighbours are going to take it?” Liza asked Patrick.

  “They’ll take one look at the twins and they’ll forgive them, especially when they know they did it for you. Hannah’s going to have her hands full as they get older,” said Patrick.

  Ellen came in. “I’m so sorry, it’s my fault. The twins needed so much help and reassurance when we were in Ireland and I told them that I would take them to the American soldier and his wife who saved children and I did get them to your house. We were all disappointed that you weren’t there but your housekeeper and a doctor cared for us and we went to the big house which had many children. When I was told that they were going to be adopted by some doctor in New York, I told them that they were going nowhere without me and I would go with them to where the soldier and his wife were and once again, you weren’t there. Life was very good and so different for us but when, finally, we were to come here, I told them that definitely this was the town where the soldier and his wife lived and we were going to be near them and you can see that they have had you both in their minds for a while now. They would do anything to please you and this is the result and I’m afraid it’s going to get them into trouble.”

  Liza said, “Well, they must be told that they can’t trample on other people’s gardens, but if it’s made clear that it was done with the best of intentions, I don’t think they are going to be in too much trouble. Perhaps you can go and smooth the way for them. I’ll have words with Mr Sanderson and if you talk to Mrs Downes at the Boarding House then perhaps they can get away with it this time. You don’t have to say anything about the real reason why they did what they did, just say that they knew I liked flowers and they took it into their heads that they had to get some for me. Hannah will probably make them apologise when everyone has calmed down.”

  ***

  Zelma gave Liza one of the doctor’s sleeping drafts and she was instructed to do this each afternoon and while she was sleeping Dr Steele called on Dr Tom. He wanted to visit Liza but professional ethics meant that he should see Dr Tom first and make sure that he had no objection. He really knew that there would not be a problem, but also he wanted to ask exactly what had happened to Liza as he felt that he could perhaps learn something from it.

  His first comments were pleasantries. “Everyone seems to have had problems with their gardens. Has some animal run through them?” asked Dr Steele.

  “No, it’s just the twins. They wanted to give Liza some flowers as they knew she liked them, so they took them from every garden, including Liza’s,” said Tom with a look of resignation.

  Dr Steele found this totally amusing and said, “You’ve got your hands full there, Tom.”

  Tom nodded, “But that’s not what you came to see me for, is it?”

  “No, I’d like to visit Liza and Patrick, but wanted to make sure that I wasn’t treading on your toes, and also I would like to know what happened with the birth and after as I know that there was a problem.”

  “Do you know I felt as if I did absolutely nothing to assist; Zelma and her Indian methods and potions took over and all I could do was stand and watch as Liza was dying and we had nothing to lose letting Zelma loose on her.”

  “Can you tell me, or would that be unethical?” said Dr Steele.

  “No, I think we could all learn from this. Firstly, Liza’s contractions completely stopped, so Zelma tickled the back of her throat with a feather and made her retch and that started them up again. That was something that, if you think about it, is quite logical as it creates its own contraction,” said Tom.

  “Now that you mention it, I have heard something similar, but it is normally for the actual birth, not the contractions. It is well worth remembering though,” said Dr Steele.

  “Liza started losing so much blood the next day that I really didn’t think she would survive. We lifted the bottom of the bed, but once again, all I could do was watch. Part of the afterbirth hadn’t come away the previous day and I really knew that something like that would happen. Zelma came up the stairs carrying some vile smelling concoction, held Liza’s nose and poured most of it down her throat. She then had another thicker concoction and put it into a hollow stick and pushed it so far into Liza that it must have reached her womb and this concoction she pushed in place and then padded her up. I wouldn’t say she immediately stopped bleeding but it wasn’t too long after that it started easing.”

  “Do you know what she used?” asked Dr Steele.

  “The nearest I can find out is what we would have called Lady’s Mantel. It may not be exactly the same, but it’s definitely from that family of herbs. But something very strange happened then, and I know I can tell you as we both experienced something similar when that young lad died when I was here before.”

  “Did that shadow appear, Tom?” asked Dr Steele.

  “It was more than that. Kathy was there and Zelma and Liza started talking in their Indian language and then Zelma started chanting and I could swear that I heard drums. Kathy said the same; she thought she heard them also. Zelma carried on chanting for a long time. Patrick called out to someone to go away and when I looked up, the shadow was there again. Patrick was listening to something and then he smiled and nodded and I couldn’t ask him what he had heard but it was definitely something that had reassured him,” said Tom. “I know it all sounds implausible and I’ve thought about it all since and can’t come to terms with it.”

  “I’ve seen many strange things in the battle field hospitals, and in Indian villages. This is the first time I have personally known somebody who can conjure up a spirit who helps and heals so obviously. The Indians think that Liza is special and I’m inclined to agree with them. They believe she has been put on this earth to help them achieve great things and that she’ll return to them in the future,” said Dr Steele.

  “Well, she isn’t frightening; she’s exactly the opposite, but I know you are aware of several strange things that have involved Liza and apart from you, I keep what I see to myself,” said Tom.

  “Do Patrick and Liza know the condition of their daughter? Have you told them your prognosis?” said Dr Steele.

  “Yes, they do. I believe they knew right from the time she was born and I have a feeling that Liza knew well before she was born, although I don’t believe she realised that perhaps her first son had the same problem. I’m not convinced that her brother died of pneumonia; I have a feeling that he had the same heart condition. It’s all very sad, unfortunately she will be Patrick’s only child. There will definitely be no more children, which is something I’m not looking forward to breaking to them,” said Tom.

  “I didn’t believe she would have any more after she was hurt. I told them then that it was unlikely that Liza would have any more children but she confounded us all,” said Dr Steele.

  “There is absolutely no chance whatsoever that Liza will ever be able to conceive again, sadly absolutely no chance,” said Tom.

  From Tom’s surgery Dr Steele called to visit Liza. “I’m not here as a doctor, Liza, I’ve called to visit as a friend. I see that all the gardens from here to the doctors have been ransacked by two small people bringing you gifts,” said Dr Steele with a smile and he nodded towards several vases of flowers.

  “I know it really is quite embarrassing. Their hearts were in the right place though; I’m very touched. I daren’t look out of the window as I don’t really want to see the devastation to my garden. I’m going to have to calm Gabriel down as he has spent some time organising his garden and he doesn’t like gardening, he does it because he knows he has to keep it tidy. He’s not going to like getting it back in shape again,” said Liza.

  “How are Matthew and John? I know they were very upset on Saturday. I shouldn’t say it but the colonel’s daughter is a very stupid person. I’m afraid she opens her mouth before she thinks,” said Dr Ste
ele.

  “I think that’s very kind of you to interpret it that way,” said Patrick.

  “The boys are fine now,” said Liza. “They were, of course, very upset but everyone in town was so good to them and they have a very good friend in Gabriel’s son, Si and young Rachel also comforted them. The twins recognised their sadness and sat with them, it was quite emotional to see all the little ones helping one another.”

  “Is little Meg feeding well?” asked Dr Steele.

  “Mrs Henshaw’s daughter, Matilda, comes here twice a day and feeds her for me as, unfortunately, I’m not able to. Zelma gives her one of her special mixtures at other times, so she is doing as well as can be expected,” said Liza. “But we’re under no illusions about her and she’ll be well-loved.”

  “When do you think you’ll be able to come back to your duties, Patrick; not that anybody is concerned at your absence yet,” said Dr Steele.

  “If all continues to go well with Liza, I thought I might call in tomorrow and see what is happening,” said Patrick.

  “I don’t think that there’s any reason to rush; everything is pretty quiet at the moment. Young Mark Kendal is due back soon, I believe, he’s a very good, dedicated soldier. He’s good to have around,” said Dr Steele.

  He left after a short while saying that he didn’t want to tire Liza out and that hopefully he’d see Patrick the next day.

  Liza lay back on her pillows and said to Patrick, “What do you think it was that Dr Steele wasn’t telling us?”

  “You felt that too then. I’ll call in on him tomorrow and see if there is something we should know,” said Patrick. “It can’t be life-threatening otherwise we would know that by now; so let’s not worry too much.”

  Patrick was standing by the window and he looked out and saw Gabriel looking at his garden in horror. “Oh dear,” he said, “Gabriel’s home. I think I’d better go and see him and try and keep the peace between him and the twins. I’ll save you the effort of trying to smooth things over. I don’t think he’s going to see the funny side of it all.”