by Mary Salyers
“You should of asked June Wilson if you could stay on her porch till the rain stopped,” Corie Mae scolded as she began to strip off his wet clothes. “Now, he’ll probably get sick again. Put some water on to get warm. We need a hot bath to warm him up.”
After helping the boys change clothes, Maggie got into dry clothes herself and hung all the wet clothes on the back porch. By the time she started to do the chores, everyone was dry and warm. But as she sat beside Old Red squeezing down the milk, she began to cry. How could I have been so stupid? I should have thought of stopping at Mrs. Wilson’s. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “Please, God, don’t let Johnny Ray get sick again.” she prayed aloud. I got so preoccupied day dreaming about how to tell Mama and Daddy I’m going to play basketball, I didn’t pay attention until too late.
When they got home from school the next day, Johnny Ray sat in Mama’s rocking chair covered with a blanket. He smiled and said he was okay, but Maggie thought he seemed to have even less energy than usual. He ate only a little cornbread and milk for supper and went to bed right away. When Maggie came up to bed hours later after doing dishes and homework, she put her hand on his forehead, but he didn’t feel feverish. “Oh God, please let him be okay,” she prayed silently as she slipped into her nightgown and climbed into her own bed. Remembering the scorn and accusation in her mother’s voice, she began to sob into her pillow.
Betty Lou put her hand on her shoulder. “What’s the matter?”
Maggie turned over to face Betty Lou. “I’m so scared Johnny Ray’s getting worse again, she whispered into the dark. “It’s all because I let him get wet yesterday. It was so stupid.”
“He seems a little more tired than usual, but he’ll probably be okay. Don’t feel bad. I would have done the same thing. We’ve always walked home in the rain.”
“But you should have seen how Mama looked at me. She blames me, and I feel so rotten.”
Betty Lou patted her shoulder. “Quit worrying and go to sleep. Everything’s going to be all right.”
“I wish I could believe that. It seems like everything’s going crazy. JD’s breaking up with Wanda and talking about leaving. Johnny Ray’s getting weaker. Daddy’s out of work again, and Mama’s going to have that baby any day now.”
“Shhhh. Go to sleep. Things will look better tomorrow. You’ll see.” Betty Lou patted her on the shoulder again and turned over.
Maggie stared into the darkness and listened for Johnny Ray’s breathing. Oh, please, God.
* * *
Maggie woke when she heard her father’s footsteps on the stairs. He spoke softly telling Maggie to fix breakfast and get the kids ready for school. “Your Mama’s water broke a little while ago. I guess the baby’ll be born today. I’m going to send Stuart to get Grandma, and I’ll do the milking. You and Betty Lou better stay home today to help out.”
Maggie had helped her daddy when the calves were born and had seen the sows deliver their piglets. But she had never seen a human birth. She felt a little scared as she crept into her mother’s bedroom and asked if she could do anything for her.
“Put a couple of old towels in the rocker for me. I want to sit up for a while. And put more coal in the stove so it’ll be warm.”
Shortly after Jeannie, Stuart, and Junior left for school, Grandma Campbell came panting into the house carrying an armload of feed sack sheets and immediately took charge. “Ray, help Betty Lou take Johnny Ray and Jay to my house. She can watch them there. I built a fire in the stove so the house’ll be warm for them. Maggie, we need lots of hot water. Corie Mae, are you having any pains yet?” Grandma explained since neither Aunt Opal nor Aunt Lillian could help, Maggie would assist her.
Maggie hurried to do Grandma’s bidding. Soon her mother decided to get up and walk around. When a contraction came, Corie Mae closed her eyes and clinched her fists against her sides.
“Don’t hold your breath. Keep breathing,” Grandma ordered and massaged Corie Mae’s back and shoulders. Maggie watched, kept the fire going under the kettles of water, and, otherwise, felt generally helpless. Obviously the pain was severe, but Maggie never heard a complaint or a whimper. Grandma helped Maggie pull a table close to the stove in the kitchen and gathered blankets, towels and the baby’s clothes. “Now when the baby comes, you’ll bring it in here and clean it up,” Grandma explained.
Eventually, Corie Mae wanted to lie down. Grandma prepared the bed and, once she had Corie Mae situated, sent Maggie and Ray out of the room while she made a visual examination. “I ain’t going to touch you with my hands down there cause we don’t take no chances on infection, and I put the ax under the bed to cut the pain.” Shortly, Maggie heard Grandma say, “It’s looking good. Won’t be much longer.”
Grandma had Ray and Maggie stand on either side of the bed and hold Corie Mae’s hands. When a contraction came and Grandma said “Now push,” Corie Mae pulled so hard Maggie could hardly keep herself from being dragged into the bed. Finally, Grandma announced, “I can see the top of its head. One more push should do it.”
Grandma caught the baby in a small blanket. “It’s a girl.”
“Thank the Lord,” Corie Mae cried and grabbed Ray’s hand in both of hers. “I’m so glad it’s a girl. We’re going to name her Mary Helen, Mary for my Grandmother Mary Louise and Helen for my favorite aunt.” Ray leaned down and kissed Corie Mae’s sweat covered forehead.
Grandma wiped the baby’s face with a cloth dipped in sterilized water, and the baby began to cry. “Maggie, I need your help, here.” Grandma laid the baby on Corie Mae’s tummy. She picked up a folded newspaper that was burned at the edges. When she opened it up, Maggie saw a pair of scissors and two pieces of string. “I baked these in the oven so they’d be clean. She tied the sterilized string on the cord and used the string to hold the cord up. “Take that other piece of string and tie it close to the baby’s belly. But don’t touch the cord with your hands.” Then Grandma took the scissors and cut the cord about an inch from the baby’s abdomen. “Now, take her to the kitchen and clean her up.”
“Wait, let me hold her.” Corie Mae reached for the baby who stopped crying and nestled close. “Oh, she’s so beautiful. Thank you, Lord.”
Carefully following Grandma’s instructions, Maggie bathed the baby. She talked to her in soothing tones and made sure to keep her covered lest she get a chill. Having cared for so many of her younger siblings, she bathed and dressed her little sister with confidence and efficiency. She put a few drops of alcohol on the bloody cord and tied the belly band tight around the baby to keep the navel from rupturing. She diapered and dressed her in an undershirt and gown.
Ray came into the kitchen to watch. He put his finger into the baby’s palm and grinned when she grasped it. “Looks like she’s going to have red hair like Elsie Mae.” Maggie wrapped her in a blanket and put her in her father’s arms. Her eyes filled with tears when she saw how lovingly her father looked at the baby.
Grandma had taken care of the afterbirth, removed the soiled sheets from the bed, and had Corie Mae resting comfortably. Ray carried the baby to her mother who reached for her eagerly. Ray put his arms around Grandma’s shoulders. “Thank you, Mama Campbell. Looks like you done a perfect job.”
“I helped born ever’ one of my grandkids into this world. Ever’ one of them was born healthy, thank the Lord.”
Maggie stood beside the bed. “Mama, can I get you something? You haven’t eaten all day.”
“I want a drink of cold water. After I sleep for a while, I want some turnip greens and corn bread.”
* * *
Johnny Ray had not gone to school since the day he got wet. Corie Mae insisted that he didn’t have to go. He spent much of his time lying on the floor wrapped in a blanket with some toys scattered about him. He never complained of pain, had no fever, and showed no symptoms of a cold or sore throat. But Maggie watched him anxiously. He certainly was not the sassy little boy she remembered helping her pick blackberries.
Bud suggested that Maggie should tell her parents she planned to join the basketball team the next Sunday when he was there so he could help persuade them. Maggie had told Coach Moore she would play and had practiced with the team for a month.
Much to their surprise by late Sunday afternoon, all the kids had found something to do so that only Bud and Maggie sat in the front room with Corie Mae and Ray. Bud admired the baby who slept in a cradle near the stove. Corie Mae looked up and smiled.
“Did you get a ride partway today?” Ray asked.
“Yes, sir. Actually, I got a ride all the way from town. I just had to walk from the highway. Good thing too, because it’s really cold out there.” Bud rubbed his hands together to warm them.
“Are you playing basketball this year?” Ray stood to put more coal in the stove.
Bud and Maggie exchanged surprised glances. “Yes, sir. I’m a starting guard. I think we’re going to have a pretty good team this year. We’ve got two new boys who are really good, and only three graduated last year, so we’ve got most of our old team back.”
Ray took out his handkerchief and blew his nose. “I reckon I just might come to see you play some this year.”
“That’d be really great, Mr. Martin.”
Ray moved back to his chair. “I was thinking Maggie’d probably like to see you play. Maybe her and me can come to watch you.”
Maggie took a deep breath. “You can watch me play too, Daddy. I’ve decided to play this year.”
Maggie saw her mother’s head jerk up, and she flinched as the anger in those dark eyes bored into her. She held her breath, and no one said a word for a long minute.
“So when did you decide this? Was you going to at least talk to us about it first?” Ray’s voice was soft and Maggie saw a twitch at the corner of his mouth.
“That’s what I’m trying to do now, Daddy. I wanted you and Mama to know before our first game.”
Corie Mae stood and marched into the kitchen. They could hear her slamming the cabinet door and banging a skillet on the stove.
“Daddy, this is very important to me. I don’t want to go against Mama, but I really want to play.”
Ray leaned forward with his forearms on his knees and stared at his hands, saying nothing. Bud went into the kitchen. They could her him speaking quietly but couldn’t distinguish his words. After a few minutes, he led Corie Mae back to her chair and patted her on the shoulder. “Thank you, Mrs. Martin, for agreeing to listen to me.” He pulled his chair closer so that the four of them huddled together. He reached over and squeezed Maggie’s hand. “I wondered, Mrs. Martin,” he continued in a soft voice, “if you could tell me why you object to Maggie playing on the team.”
Corie Mae looked startled. “It...it’s just that, you know, it’s out in public and everything and the girls wear shorts and...and it...it just ain’t right.” Her hands fluttered like a bird with a broken wing.
Bud nodded. “What do you think will happen if she plays?”
“I... uh... uh...I don’t know. It just ain’t right.”
“Mrs. Martin, I’ll make certain that she’s always safe. After the games, if JD can’t bring her home, I’ll walk her up to her Aunt Lillian’s where she can spend the night. You won’t have to worry for a minute.” Corie Mae stared at the floor but didn’t say anything. “Maggie has agonized about this for over a year. She probably could have played without you ever knowing about it, but she was not willing to deceive you that way.”
“That’s right, Mama. I don’t want to do something you think is wrong. But I don’t see anything wrong about it.”
Bud looked at Ray. “I’m glad you’re going to come to some of the games, Mr. Martin. I think you’ll be really surprised at how good Maggie is. I know once you see her, you’ll be mighty proud.” Ray just nodded.
Corie Mae stood. “I’ve got to get supper started.”
Maggie listened for the banging cabinet door, but could hear only normal sounds coming from the kitchen.
Ray stood and patted Maggie on the shoulder. “I’ll go do your chores so you and Bud can visit a little.”
“Thank you, Daddy.” Maggie watched him get his coat and hat and go to the kitchen for the milk buckets.
Bud smiled and squeezed her hand again. “Wow, I never expected it to be that easy. I couldn’t believe it when your father brought up the subject. Almost like he knew.”
“I don’t think I’ve heard the last of it. Mama’ll wait till you leave before she lets loose on me.”
“She didn’t say you couldn’t be on the team.”
“Not yet. But the night’s not over.”
Stuart came through the kitchen into the front room, wearing his heavy coat and cap. He put the shotgun back in the rack above the old fireplace. “Hi Bud.” He held out his hands toward the stove. “It’s getting real cold out there. Looks like it might even snow.”
“You been hunting?” Bud stood to look out the front window.
“Me and Kenny got four squirrels. Kenny’s mom didn’t want to cook them, so I brought them home with me. Got to go dress them now. Want to help?”
“Sure. I never dressed a squirrel, but I guess I can always learn how.” Bud reached for his coat and cap.
Maggie went upstairs to her room to finish her homework. She sat on her bed where the dim light of the cloudy evening came over her shoulder through the small window. As she filled the pages of the stenographer’s pad with shorthand characters, she reviewed the way her parents had taken her news. Neither of them had said much. But somehow Maggie felt like a dam about to break. When she heard her father coming in the kitchen with the milk buckets, she closed her books and went to take care of the milk.
Bud and Stuart came inside with the four skinned squirrel carcasses in a dishpan. Corie Mae pointed to the table beside the water bucket. “Just put them there for now. I’ll cut them up and put them in salt water to soak after we eat supper. They’ll be good with biscuits and gravy for breakfast.”
Bud held his hands over the cook stove. “Burr. It’s really getting cold. Maggie, I think I better go home now and not go to church tonight. If it storms, it’ll be hard to catch a ride.” He reached for Maggie’s hand and pulled her into the front room. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow. Don’t worry. Things will be all right.”
Maggie closed the door after him and leaned against it, hoping he was right. She went back into the kitchen to take her usual place at the table between Johnny Ray and Jeanie.
Corie Mae put her hand out like a policeman stopping traffic. “Wait a minute. Did you think you could just announce that you’re going to disobey me and that would be it?”
Maggie stood still and stared at her mother, her heart fluttering. She swallowed, but didn’t say anything. Her mother’s angry eyes locked with hers, but she refused to look down.
Corie Mae raised her chin and crossed her arms across her chest. “Let me tell you, young lady. If you think you can disobey me, you’re wrong. No child of mine can sit at this table unless you’re willing to do as you’re told. So until you decide to obey me, you cannot eat at this table with the rest of your family.” Corie Mae raised her head even higher, looked down her nose, and pressed her lips firmly together.
Maggie stared at her mother helplessly. She looked at her father who sat at his place with bowed head and realized he would not interfere. The children’s faces twisted in confusion and shock.
Corie Mae motioned toward the door. “Go in the front room till we’ve finished. Then you can come and eat by yourself.”
Maggie slowly turned toward the door.
“No, you can’t do this!” Betty Lou stood up. “If you won’t let Maggie come to the table, I won’t sit at the table either.”
“Sit down! You’ll do what I tell you.�
�� Corie Mae shook her finger in Betty Lou’s face. “Just because you’re learning music, you ain’t too good to mind your mama. Now sit down, right now!”
Maggie’s cheeks burned and the back of her throat ached. Despite her determination not to cry, tears slowly slid down her cheeks. She climbed the stairs and fell onto her bed, burying her face in the pillow. She had not expected something like this. She couldn’t understand her mother’s objection to playing basketball or why her mother was so determined to keep her tied down. Maggie heard Mary Helen crying. Usually when the baby woke, Maggie went to her immediately, changed her, and took her to her mother to nurse. Now she pulled the pillow over her head to block out the sound. She can take care of the baby herself. Maybe if I quit doing all the work I do, she’ll see that I really try hard to do my part for this family. She turned over on her back. She listened to the sleet pinging on the tin roof and hoped Bud had gotten a ride home. She sat up and opened her English book to the assignment. She could understand how JD must feel. Maybe I should go live with Aunt Lillian. She’d like me to play basketball. She took her paper and pencil and began answering the questions. After a bit she closed her eyes and recalled how Grandma had taken those scissors and cut Mary Helen loose from her mother. That’s what I need. Some way to cut this cord Mama has tied me down with. But no matter what she does, I’m still going to play basketball.
* * *
The week of the first basketball game, Johnny Ray became much weaker. On Monday, JD stayed home from school to take him to the doctor, who immediately put him in the hospital, almost twenty miles away. Maggie and Betty Lou took turns staying home from school to go with Ray to the hospital. Either Reverend Lewis or Mrs. Lewis would come to pick them up each morning and bring them home at night. Corie Mae stayed home because she had to nurse Mary Helen, and the hospital would not allow a child younger than twelve in hospital rooms.