New Beginnings (New Beginnings Series)

by Doreen Winona Logeot

  After a short time, Sam stepped into the store for a moment to be certain his wife was fine. He told Sara he would be back in about an hour, as by the look of the store, it could probably take that long to look around at everything available.

  After she browsed, Sara took a basket and started putting items into it, some new to her, but most she knew were tried and true. There were, much to her surprise, a jar of beaver glands. From behind the counter the old woman occasionally looked up at her only customer, watching the items which interested her. As she put some of the contents from that particular jar into a bag, she spoke up, “You have been taught well and you are very careful what you select.”

  “We have a long way to travel and I do not have much opportunity to get to a truly natural shop, so I must choose wisely.” Sara carried the basket to the counter and the old woman took each item out with care, wrote down the name and cost on a paper, prudently adding up the total as she went.

  As she got to the one particular bag she said to Sara, “There aren’t many people who come in here who know what beaver glands are used for. I use it as a test of knowledge.” She walked out from behind the counter when the adding was completed and the payment made. “Would you care for a cup of tea dear, as you are waiting for your husband to return?”

  Sara graciously accepted, hoping this woman had more advice for her in the art of healing. She directed her customer to sit at a table near the large window at the front of the store. The old woman explained she often watched the comings and goings of the city and the new technologies appearing every day, from that very spot. Sara tried to give the woman a hand with her preparations but she answered, “No dear, you have just arrived from a long journey and you must rest for a while. Besides, you have not been feeling well for a time.”

  Sara looked at her in disbelief. How could this woman grasp so much when they hardly talked? As if she read her mind the woman answered, “I can see the hotel entrance from this chair and I saw you arrive this morning and your husband was concerned about how you were feeling before he left.” Sara smiled back at her hostess, realizing it was not mystical powers but a keen mind she possessed.

  They sat at the table for a short time when the woman asked her name and told Sara her own was Mrs. Horvath, but all her customers called her Mama and she insisted Sara also use the term. She placed a plate of biscuits on the table with the tea. They were a type Sara never saw before, being small and baked into triangles and they smelled strongly of ginger. Mama poured them each a cup of green tea, complete with floating tea leaves. “Most people these days use a tea ball to hold the leaves, but it takes the flavour out of them,” she remarked. Sara smiled and nodded back at her as she took a sip of the hot beverage. At first she refused a biscuit when Mama passed the plate to her. “They will help to settle your stomach,” she told Sara. “You have the look in your eyes which say you haven’t eaten well for a few days.”

  To be courteous Sara took a biscuit. Surprisingly as she ate it, the usual nausea didn’t over take her.

  They talked for a time, Sara telling the owner of the store about living on the Canadian prairies. When the tea cups were emptied, Mama made no effort to refill them, but instead looked into her own for a quick moment, then peered into Sara’s empty cup. She marveled at the skill of this woman, believing whatever future prediction she would give her probably came from her own information and in all likelihood she wouldn’t realize it. Sara remembered going to the local fair with her father when she was small and the gypsy fortune-tellers were there. Her father showed her how they would ask certain questions and with great skill and knowledge of facial expressions and voice differences made up believable stories. But as Sara waited for the prediction, the old woman sat quietly, thinking to herself.

  Before they could get back to talking, Sara saw Sam walking back to the store, coming from across the street. She rose from her chair and thanked Mama for her help and conversation, offering her hand in respect for the older woman. Mama took hold of it and looked at it palm up for only a moment, held it in both of her hands. As Sam was nearly at the door she quietly said, “Do not use the crocus bulbs yet. Miracles happen at Christmastime.”

  At that moment the bell over the door tinkled as it opened and Sam walked inside. Sara tried hard to take the concerned look off of her face, replacing it with a big smile for her husband.

  “Have you found what you were looking for?” Sam asked, putting his arm around his wife.

  “And then some.” Sara still smiled, but she was puzzled by what Mama said.

  Sam shook Mrs. Horvath’s hand as she extended hers out to him. She looked into his eyes which shone back at her and she remarked, “The moon has seen a caged heart released.” She gave him a bag she set on the counter, “These biscuits will help settle your wife’s stomach and will help get her appetite back. I recommend one before she gets out of bed in the morning and another before each meal. I think before the bag is empty the problem will subside.” Sam thanked her and offered her more money, but she refused it adamantly. “No, it is not often I have the privilege to help people the stars have bound together.”

  They left the shop with smiles, but confused by what the old gypsy woman said. Although she didn’t say she was, Sara was quite convinced she was indeed a gypsy fortune-teller and a very good one. As they returned to the hotel Sara told her husband of her meeting with Mrs. Horvath, although she did leave out the old lady’s advice. A miracle, she said. Sara was quite certain it would take nothing short of a miracle to see her through this.

  While Sam was away, he had walked to the college and met with Dr. Evans’ nurse. He made an appointment for the next morning, which unfortunately was the last day they were available before the Christmas holidays. He was warned any test results would not be ready until after the New Year. Because the doctor was in a teaching department, the students had already left for the Christmas break and he was also going to be away. Sam made plans to fill Sara’s days as much as possible so she would not worry. She would never let him know how concerned she was but he could read it in her eyes and was starting to think it was what was creating her sickness. In fact, he was quite certain of it.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  The biscuits Mama Horvath gave Sara did the trick of settling her stomach and for the first time in a while they went out to a restaurant and enjoyed their meal. She chose to be careful by not eating a heavy serving of food but it seemed her appetite was back. She enjoyed their time together in the eatery, a small place on the street down from the hotel which boasted a home-cooked flavour, especially for travelers missing a taste of home.

  Afterwards they slowly strolled along the streets enjoying the freshness in the air which seemed to be absent all those days on the trains. As they walked back toward their hotel along Chestnut Street, they were surprised when after the darkness set in the lamps came on without the aid of the lamplighter and electric lights brightly guided their way along the street. They were rather amused it was the only street which had the new convenience as the side streets were still using the gas lighting they were so used to.

  Walking into the hotel they were both taken by surprise at how bright it was. Around the walls of the lobby were fixtures that shone and made everything clear. Without asking they both knew after seeing the lights outside these must be the interior style of electric lighting. Even the inside of the elevator was well illuminated with a bulb they did not notice before. Continuing into the hallway they were again greeted by the almost daylight brightness, much different to the kerosene or gas lighting they were accustomed to. Entering their darkened room, Sam reached on the wall for a switch he turned and immediately the light in the small chandelier in the middle of the sitting room ceiling came on. Sara looked closely at the porcelain base with a key-shaped handle on the wall. She couldn’t resist and gave it a turn and with a ‘click’ the room again became dark. Another turn and the room was bright once again. Sara laughed in amusement at this new discovery. Not
being used to such convenience they both had to stand for a few moments, with little to say other than, “Amazing”.

  The appointment was set for 9:30 a.m. with Dr. Evans at the Jefferson Medical College on Saturday morning. Sara had a hard time sleeping the night before, being in an unfamiliar place. More than that, she worried about what the outcome would be from the pending appointment and if the doctor agreed with her suspicions. She rose before six, enjoying the convenience of their private suite and ran herself a warm bath and relaxed in the tub. She was amazed again at the progress made in technology, with running water, lights and telephones, many things she had never considered as being possible and started to wonder if medicine may have advanced the same way.

  Sam woke to find her side of the bed empty, pulled on his robe and went searching for his wife. As she was not on the balcony he turned to the bathroom. Seeing the light was on inside and the door slightly ajar, he quietly pushed it open slightly farther. He leaned against the door jamb watching as she lay back in the water, her eyes closed. He stood for a short time, until her eyes opened and she softly smiled to see him watching her. “Do you think there is room for two?” he quietly asked.

  “Only one way to find out,” her eyebrows gave a quick rise offering the suggestion of an invitation. She leaned ahead so he could slide in behind her, then sat upon his lap, as he wrapped his arms around and pulled her close. As she rested her head back against his, feeling his cheek against hers, he ran his hands over her body, feeling the gentle curves. He lathered his hands with the soap and proceeded to tend to his wife, insisting she rest quietly. He loved the smell of her lavender soap and bath oil, as he identified it as her scent. He rinsed the soap and with knowing hands eased the tension in her shoulders with a soothing massage. He took her hands, kissed her hard and whispered, “Let’s go to bed, I want to make love with you.”

  They quickly rose out of the tub, splashing water as they did and spent little time toweling off before he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the next room. He always made love to her gently, as if he was scared she could break, or he would hurt her and never wanted to harm her in anyway.

  Afterwards they lay in each other’s arms. “I always thought I wasn’t supposed to like ‘it’. That ‘it’ was just a duty for the wife to satisfy her husband,” Sara said.

  “So you have said before,” Sam answered smiling at her, “many times.”

  “You are always so eager to make sure I am happy. I hope it is always good for you, too,” she said, quite seriously.

  “It’s like going to heaven, I think and if heaven feels half as good, it will be a good place to spend eternity … but only if you are with me.”

  They both slept after, holding each other as close as possible. They stayed until the light from the day came into their room, gradually waking them, leaving little time to prepare for the appointment.

  They walked five blocks along Chestnut Street, then continued south on Tenth Street to the college. Dr. Evans’ office was in the only building which housed the new medical school. The building was large, but was almost empty of people and the halls echoed with their steps on the wooden floors.

  Realizing Sara was rather anxious about the visit, Sam held her arm, his hand placed over hers, offering a gentle squeeze occasionally.

  Dr. Evans was a kind, older man and he explained most of the students went home for the Christmas break. He was sorry he would be away until after the New Year. Any tests they complete would have to wait for the results.

  The three sat in his office and talked over cups of coffee, although Sara still left hers untouched. A nurse came in to make notes of the interview as the doctor confessed, “I can’t read my own writing and I really can’t imagine how anyone else could.”

  Doctor Brown from Brandon and his brother from Montreal had sent him a relatively complete history, but Dr. Evans wanted to hear everything from Sara. He wanted to learn about all the children she gave birth to, every pregnancy and how it progressed. It was hard on her and Sam tightly held her hand, or put his arm around her as she told the long story. There were times she stopped for a moment, as the words caught in her throat, but after what felt like hours she completed the information. The nurse occasionally had to stop, feeling Mrs. Fielding’s grief in the situation.

  Sara finished before she told about the last birth, but Sam knew it was important and told the doctor all he knew. Sara’s eyes stared down at the floor and the occasional tear fell from her chin onto the front of her dress leaving a wet mark which gradually grew. She sat completely still, not wiping her eyes. Sam continued to tell about Catherine’s baby, which may not have been physically important, but probably was emotionally. The nurse stopped writing to get more coffee. Her look of total empathy told the truth when she returned as to why she had to leave.

  “It sounds like the syndrome we have been trying to do a study on,” the doctor started, “although we really have not made any progress. We don’t understand yet, why some people, we are guessing at less than ten percent, are missing an element in the blood. Like you, everything is fine until the second and generally subsequent babies are born. You mentioned you thought your mother also had this same condition and you wonder why you were spared the same fate as your siblings. From time to time it seems to happen and that child’s blood also misses the element.

  “The only people we see already have the problem so therefore a complete study has not been done and we really don’t understand it yet. The only thing we are certain is the element is always lacking in the mother’s blood and is always present in the father’s when there are problems. We have reached the conclusion when both the mother and father have, or do not have this element in the blood, normal babies are born. We will test the blood from both of you, but I must warn you, it is a slim chance they are both lacking the element.”

  “Mrs. Fielding, I would like to give you a complete examination. I realize that you probably have not had this done before. In my opinion every woman of childbearing years should have it done, but as yet few of my colleagues agree. This will help rule out other problems which could exist, whether or not the element is present in the blood test.”

  The doctor and the nurse rose from their chairs, but Sara remained sitting, squeezing Sam’s hand tightly, until her own knuckles were turning white.

  “It’s all right, I’ll go with you,” Sam encouraged her.

  “Actually, we prefer the husband to use the waiting room while we do the exam,” Dr. Evans explained.

  Another tear fell from Sara’s chin, splashing onto her husband’s hand. He stood up and spoke sternly to the doctor, the days of his power showed their advantage. “We are in this together. I will stay with my wife as you are doing this exam. I will hold her hand and I will stay out of your way, but I will stay with her.”

  “Most husbands will find this disturbing, Mr. Fielding.”

  “I am not most husbands, Dr. Evans. I stayed with her when Doc Brown pulled the baby from her and I will stay with her now.”

  “You weren’t in love with me then,” Sara’s voice trembled.

  He sat down beside her, “I have always been in love with you, Sara. Do you want me to stay with you?”

  To this, she slowly nodded her answer.

  “Well, this is unusual, but I guess seeing as you have come so far, I will agree, as long as you sit by your wife’s head and stay out of my way.” The doctor, too, was stern, but did appear to understand.

  The nurse took Sara to the examination room so she could change out of her street clothes. As the doctor and Sam waited, he said, “I loved my wife like that, too. In fact, it was when I lost her during childbirth I decided to go into this specialty, to help other women who have birthing problems.” He put his hand on Sam’s shoulder. “I wish I could say there is any amount of hope for this, but I’m afraid I have very little.”

  In the room next to the doctor’s office, Sara lay on the table with only a light gown and a sheet covering her. T
he doctor directed Sam to the stool by her head and he immediately sat looking deeply into his wife’s eyes, holding one hand and brushing her hair back with the other.

  The doctor worked quickly and as gently as possible, asking Sara often if anything hurt or was tender. He seemed to be deep in thought when he asked, “It was what, about two months ago when you gave birth?”

  “Yes,” she answered.

  “And your cycle hasn’t started again yet?”

  “No,” she answered simply.

  “You can get dressed, Mrs. Fielding,” Dr. Evans said as he went to the sink. “Then come back into the office and we will take a small sample of blood from both of you.”

  Sam stayed with Sara to help her redress, as she still trembled slightly. He held her close for a moment. “The hard part is finished.”

  “The hard part will be waiting until the new year to hear the results.”

  “We will forget about everything for ten days and enjoy Christmas and our honeymoon.”

  The doctor was sitting behind his desk with his chair leaned back when they returned to the office. The nurse followed behind them to take more notes if needed.

  As soon as they took their seats, the doctor spoke. “It seems physically you are fine.” Sara was almost holding her breath, waiting for his words. “I suspect your problem is exactly what we have been discussing. We will take those blood samples before you leave, but I am afraid the results won’t be ready today and everyone is leaving at noon and won’t be returning until Monday after next. I am sorry to make you wait like this but I have already made arrangements for the holidays. Mr. Fielding, could you go with the nurse to give your blood sample?”