I had been one summer away from entering second grade and had watched Amelia go to fourth grade introduction, but I am not positive she remembers. It has been so long since those days.
My siblings and I spent so much time exploring with our mother. We knew the trees, we knew the animals, and the birds. We were something of experts by now, on all things mother nature.
We knew every hoop and whisper of the land so when strangers rolled through every couple of years we could hear them coming miles away.
Most of them never traveled through the trees my mother planted to thicken the two hundred or so year old woods around our compound. They didn’t seem that smart but after a while my mother became conscious of children’s lives, and would go out and greet them with bottled water, band aids, and fresh bread.
My dad didn’t like her popping out at people he worried they’d come back, and take our house, or shoot her in the face. He said people are jumpy after the apocalypse.
Chapter nine
One afternoon unparticular from any other, doing everything we always did. Collecting eggs, and tending to the newly found horses, we heard a man screaming, for hours, and it started as just a distant call. Eventually we could make out that it was a man, and hours later we heard his words.
“Hello!” he shrieked, “can anyone hear me!” by this time we were all in the
house enjoying each other’s company. When we clearly heard his bellowing.
“Good god papa” my mom said, “Go and get him, before he calls every thug for miles to our part of land.”
Father went upstairs to the attic and we all followed. He looked through the window and then turned the telescope toward what he saw.
“SHIT!” he bellowed
“What is it papa?” mother asked.
“It’s a man and woman, and she is hugely pregnant.” He said darting down the stairs. Mom swooped down the stairs straight toward the back door headed for the barn.
He grabbed his riffle as my mother ran around the house with one of the
horses, it had already been saddled for him to go check on the cows.
He jumped on the horse and hauled it to the two drifters. Mama ran back up to the attic to look through the telescope. She watched in horror as two thugs appeared in the distance on motor bikes. Instead of trying to out run them and pick up the strangers my dad stopped his horse and steadied his riffle with two shots he killed both men. The motor bikes rolled furiously toward the man and woman just barely missing them.
“They’re safe” my mother sighed with relief.
We waited for father to bring the two back to the house. Father had saddled the woman on his horse and walked reigns in hand next to the man with his rifle over his shoulder. My mother and
I followed by Theodore and Amelia ran out the door to the gate to meet him. Mama hugged daddy and kissed him.
“I love you” she said her head cocked to one side, “the ends justify the means.”
“I love you too.” He said nodding his head and grinning.
My dad helped the woman off the horse like some bushy faced gentlemen. My mother hugged the woman and held her hands in her own just the way mothers do stepping back to have a good look at her.
“First I am going to feed you, then you can have a long warm bath. Then when you are ready we will talk, or you can go to sleep.” My mother said lovingly. The woman meekly smiled.
My mother led her into our house looking back at my father with pursed lips, and raised brows. I knew she was telling him to have a stern man to man with the woman’s companion about the dangers of stupidity. My dad took the man around the house to the stables and all through the house his monstrous bellowing rang true and steady like a firm hammer clanging against a brass nautical bell in stormy weather. This is what we heard:
“What kind of idiot calls that much attention to himself in the middle of an open field with no cover and no weapon to protect his pregnant woman?” he bellowed.
“You caused me to murder two men tonight” He screamed.
“What would you have done “the man squeaked, “she is about to give birth.”
“I would have taken her to a safe place and left her there with a weapon to protect herself until I found suitable people to help me.” He shouted back
“How could anyone find this place it’s so well covered with thick trees and brush” the man started to cry.
“You could have been killed and you could have gotten me killed too” my father started, “My wife would be ok without me, but I don’t know about yours, and if anything happened to me my wife would kill you.” He laughed loudly, “You’d be twice dead my friend.”
The man’s face reddened, “Well I got you attention didn’t I?” he said pointing his finger at my father’s chest.
“Yeah, you did” he said, “don’t ever point your finger at me again unless you are ready to defend yourself.” He finished.
The man shifted his weight trying to find a place to put his hands almost crossing his chest then settling on his hips and then pouting with his head down toward the floor.
“Put your chin up and be a man” my father grunted disapprovingly.
We giggled loudly from the window as the two of them walked toward the back door and my mother shooed us away moving the curtain to see what was happening.
There was a feast on the table as my father brought the man into the kitchen. Steaming roast rump surrounded by brown gravy thick and creamy. Potatoes, carrots soft and delicious, were waiting to be devoured. There was a pecan pie cooling in the window. Mother was taking bread out of the oven to slice, and I put the butter by my dad’s plate.
My mom always put the condiments by my father’s plate. In the beginning of their relationship when I was little she would cry every time he poured salt and pepper all over his food, but now she came to realize he had run out of taste buds from smoking and he would never not use so much. It was no longer taken as an insult against her cooking skills.
Sitting at the table it was quiet. Lots of chewing and starring on our part. We kids were so curious as to what they were doing running around outside with no home, and no friends. My mother gave us the look and we went back to eating.
“What are your names?” I asked.
Mommy looked at the woman and then daddy.
“My name is Nicholas and this is Grace.” The man said quietly.
He was obviously nervous sitting next to my father. Mother could tell too. She handed him the bread basket and the butter. He smiled and took the basket knocking his wine onto his lap. My father rolled his eyes and handed him a towel from the buffet behind him.
“Thanks!” Nicholas said cheerfully.
My father grunted at him leaning back in his chair on two legs. Mama swatted him with her towel and Papa shrugged sitting his chair up right again, and continued eating. Mama cleared her throat and daddy looked up at her. He grunted and cleared his throat.
“Dinner is delicious” he said smiling at my mother.
“Thank you papa” she said smiling back.
“Yes, dinner is very good we haven’t eaten this good in years.” The woman said, “We haven’t eaten in a couple days actually.”
“You mean this idiot can’t even feed you” he said sternly one hand on his knee turning his body to look Nicholas in the face.
“Joseph James” my mother said, “that’s enough!”
“Grace, do you know how far along you are?” Mama asked her politely.
“No it has been almost three months since I got round” Grace said.
“Well then I would say you are full term.” My mother said, “You are not going anywhere until this baby is born.” She said to Grace gently.
“Don’t worry grace, my wife is an expert on giving birth she has done it twice without medication, you’ve come to the right place to give birth.”
Grace weakly smiled.
“We will build you a home far enough away that you’ll have birthing privacy but close eno
ugh to walk here in case of emergency.” Mother announced.
“You are too kind” Grace said sweetly.
“No, we are just kind enough for the times” Mother replied.
The feeling in the room was almost somber there were no jokes no whimsical conversations. We ate our food and then had pie and the three of us went to bed.
Mother took Grace to the attic and fixed the extra queen sized bed for her. She went to the barn and had daddy pull out a tote of maternity clothes she had squirreled away.
My mom laid out a pretty flowing white nightgown and a comfy robe and slippers. Mother put water and saltine crackers on the night stand and left the room quietly. She then went down stairs to give Nicholas the good news.
“Nicholas it’s nothing against you, but until you gain mine and my husband’s trust you’ll sleep in the loft above the stalls” she said pointing to the horse stables behind the house.
He did not seem happy at all.
“Why can’t I sleep with my wife?” he asked.
“She needs some good quiet rest alone for the baby’s sake and to build strength for the birth you can’t fit in bed with her right now.” Mother said again pointing to the stables.
She handed him a quilted blanket. He took the blanket and mumbled as he walked out the door. He stopped and poked his head in, “You’re sure?” he asked.
“Yes.” Mother said sternly shutting the door and twisting the lock. Mama giggled to herself as she watched Nick sulkily toddle into the horse stables.
Chapter ten
My father got to work right away with the cottage he was building for Grace and her husband. Mother became consumed with Grace. She protected her, made her whatever cake pie or meal she wanted, and fussed over her comfort constantly.
Mother said they both could die so easily. Suddenly all that just in case stuff my mom had stored in that huge barn made a lot more sense, only I don’t think she expected to use it on another woman. I think she held out hope father would come home and they’d get pregnant.
“Take him with you and show him how to use his hands properly” my mother giggled after breakfast kissing him on the cheek.
“Ah come on do I have to?” He moaned.
“Think of them as niece and nephew” She smiled, “He’ll look up to you.”
“I don’t care if he looks up to me I want him to be a man.” He moaned.
“One cannot be what one is not taught to be.” Mother said philosophically.
“Fine, I’ll do it for you, and to get them out of here faster.” He said grabbing her hips and kissing her lips.
My father was personable, he was a funny guy, always telling jokes. He was a hardworking man who hated idiocy. A man that could not, or would not handle his own affairs was not a man to him, he had no respect for them.
Nicholas followed him to a far corner of our land. I watched my father ignore him as he lifted lumber and nailed one to another. Often I followed them over to the building plot and nosed about pretending to look at flowers and clouds.
“It’s nice to take a warm bath –“
My father cut Nick off, “When civility again restores itself and I can go to the store to buy two cares to give I will.
But until then turn off the fairy conversation, and pick up a hammer. We don’t have much time until your baby comes to light.”
Nicholas turned his head to the south and then looked back at my father, “You know your wife is nice, but you are just a jerk” he said.
My father laughed and then Nick laughed. My father stopped laughing abruptly.
“It’s nice you’re growing a pair son, but it’s time for man’s work. We’ll save the girly conversations for another time” he continued, “You ever talk to me like that again I punch you in the mouth.”
“Yes sir.” Nick stuttered.
My father sighed spit and was about to hammer, “there is no pleasing you is there?” Nicholas asked.
My father shook his head and began hammering the roof supports.
When dinner came around again we all sat around the table as my mother fussed about the kitchen.
“Sit down and eat your dinner baby” my father said to my mother.
She huffed a bit of hair out of her face sat down and smiled. Grace was fussing over Nick’s finger he’d bashed with a hammer. Daddy cleared his throat.
“Nick did a very good job today” He said looking up at my mother with a half grin.
She smiled back at him as Nick and Grace starred at my dad too.
Grace looked at her husband,” I think I need you to comfort me tonight I am getting nervous. I only have a few weeks left, I think.”
Nick looked at my mother and she nodded her head. He grinned from ear to ear. The house just needed to be dry walled and painted, but that night just as we started to eat mama’s apple pie Grace’s water broke and every one freaked out all at once
“What do I do, what do I do?” nick screamed doing a running squat side to side like a flustered crab.
“Quiet!” mother shrieked. Everyone froze. “Sit down and eat your pie “she said.
Everyone sat down cautiously whilst starring at Grace.
”The baby isn’t going to come shooting out just because her water broke. Could take up to twenty four hours for it to decide if it wants to come out or not.” Mom said.
Daddy slammed his fist down on the table,” House isn’t done yet” he said grumpily.
Everyone laughed, “The baby doesn’t care if you are grouchy or if the house is done” mama laughed. “Baby just wants to meet his mommy” she smiled at Grace.
“Amelia come with me “my mother said.
She got up at once and ran to her side.
She took her to the barn to collect medical supplies, she’d taken from a hospital, and baby supplies. My mother handed Amelia two bottles of vodka and Amelia looked at her confusedly. She grabbed a bunch of towels and a great big tin basin. They went back and forth from the loft to the barn until mother was satisfied it was sterile enough for the baby.
Nick came screaming out of the house, “she is crying, and there is pain happening, what do we do?”
“Nick bring her to me.” Mother called back, “idiot” she giggled.
While Nick ran around aimlessly, freaking out over every little thing. My father carried Grace over to the stables, and helped her climb to the loft.
Mom was busy soaking a needle, scissors, clamps, and a scalpel in vodka. Mother had warm water and warm towels standing by for the baby.
I remember my mother had a needle and a small vile of morphine, and wondering what that was. My mom wouldn’t allow me to stay and watch but later she told me all the gory details. My father helped to undress her and lay her in the bed. Nick couldn’t come up he was too freaked out. So my mother did everything by herself with help from my father.
Eventually my father told my mother to handle things while he went and straightened out the boy Nicholas.
“Boy I don’t know what the hell your problem is, but if I were you-I’d go up there support my wife, and watch the miracle of birth.” My father lectured.
“I don’t care what happens to the baby just please don’t let her die.” He sobbed.
“WHAT!” My father screamed.
“You don’t care about your baby?” he asked grabbing him with both hands by the collar.
“It’s not mine” he cried, “Grace was raped, it isn’t mine.”
My father let him go, “all the more reason to get up there and keep her spirit from slipping away.”
“You love her so much, you should be up there with the biggest fakest smile you can give her. For her sake, and for the baby’s sake.” My father scolded, “And if that baby doesn’t kill her, you should love it for making her stronger.”
“What do you think she is thinking now that she is up there, and you are down here? Does he still love me for having a bastard child, or does he hate the baby and me for carrying it?” He said
“Don’
t you think I know that?” nick said.
“Then why aren’t you up there?” My father asked.
“I’m afraid, ok. I am afraid I’ll tell her everything is alright, and it won’t be.” He cried.
“How the hell did you survive? Get up there and put your big boy pants on. Don’t let her down because my wife can’t do this alone.”
Daddy fussed, “If she dies it’ll be your fault for not helping keep her safe, not the baby’s.”
Nick sat contemplating and with one hand my father grabbed the back of nicks shirt and threw him toward the ladder then he picked him up by his belt and forcibly helped to guide Nicholas in the right direction.
“One foot in front of the other” my father commanded.
When the two reached the top Nicholas wiped his face off as my mother handed him a shot of vodka. He swiftly gulped it down and knelt by Grace’s side.
“Hey baby, everything is going to be fine.” He swallowed.
“Is it time?” grace asked my mother. “Yes Grace it is time.” Mama said.
“Nick grab a big towel, the scissors, and the clamps.” Mother belted.
Nick ran over to the table and grabbed what was ordered and stood next to my mother as Grace’s face turned purple from pushing.
In My Mother's Time Page 3