by Susan Lowry
She cupped her palms around the bottom of it and gently felt for the head. The kicking had seemed to be higher up, but, what was she going to do if it was actually breach? A trained midwife might be able to turn it, but all the reading in the world couldn’t give Sarah the experience that would require.
Another trip back to the library in Hunters Falls might not be a bad idea. The dozens of books on childbirth and midwifery stacked on the table had been extremely helpful, but there were medical textbooks that might have information that could save the baby’s life.
Vaginal births were sometimes not possible. Sarah couldn’t perform a C section from a manual. And while her sister had reassured her repeatedly that everything would work out just fine, they both knew the risks.
Jack had been bugging her more than ever lately — as if she didn’t have enough problems. He was well aware the baby was due. Imagining him around Travis made her want to sob. But she had to be strong for the sake of everyone. Her worry was that he was making his way closer to them.
She snapped back into the moment at the sound of the screen door squeaking open and then slamming shut. “That water was freezing,” Sarah said, chuckling as they both came inside. “Look at your blue lips; your teeth are chattering.”
Travis, wrapped tightly in his towel, nearly bumped into Kate as he rushed to his room to change. “Oooh, your skin feels like ice,” Kate exclaimed. “Put on something warm. As soon as I have my breakfast we’ll start our lesson.”
“Okay,” he chirped before he closed his door.
“How are you feeling today?” Sarah said, on her way to her room, her eyes on Kate’s stomach.
“Well, I guess it’s normal to be tired. Take a look Sarah. Do you think the baby is lower?”
Sarah stood back and scrutinized Kate’s belly. “Don’t think so. I’m headed out to the garden in a bit. Thought some fresh salad would be nice for lunch. Enjoy your lesson with Trav.”
Kate fell back against the pillows she’d arranged on the couch to support her back. “We’ve only got a chapter left on this one, Travis. But there are quite a few more on the subject. If you’re interested.” The book rested conveniently on her belly.
“I am interested. Space travel is amazing,” Travis said, his big eyes blinking at her earnestly.
Now that they were reading about the shuttle, Kate thought he was getting a little obsessive about it. She was raising a future geek. But an adorable one.
She laughed. “I think you might have been an astronaut in the old world, if you could have.”
He grinned, and Kate began to read. But after a moment he put his hand on her arm and peered up at her pensively.
“What is it darling?”
“I’m not supposed to tell you this, but; you know the plane we saw,” Travis said.
“You mean the night we arrived at Moonstone?”
He shook his head soberly. “An astronaut was flying it.”
She gazed at him.
“I think it was a space shuttle,” he confided.
Sliding down a little ways, she stuffed another pillow behind her neck.
“Oh Travis… you’ve got space shuttles on the brain.” She chuckled and held her belly. “Look your making the baby jiggle. I feel like Santa. I think you’re even more amusing than Sarah lately. Which is quite a feat — considering the things she comes up with.” She sighed and rubbed his knee affectionately. “Don’t tell her I said that, okay?”
He rolled his eyes and she realized he wasn’t amused. With a deep breath through his nostrils he pinched his pink lips together, crossed his arms, and turned away.
“That’s a good thing hon. I wasn’t making fun of you, honest.”
The perfect little arcs over his eyes pushed together and creased as he gazed back up at her. It seemed he was beginning to tear up.
“I didn’t mean to upset you Travis. Why am I getting the feeling you're serious?”
“Because I am being serious,” he huffed.
It was difficult to tell sometimes. The things he said were often profound, too advanced for an eight-year-old, whose appearance was far younger than his age. “Try again then. I — I must have misunderstood you.”
“The astronaut and Lucy. They’re going to be with us soon,” he said impatiently.
Kate wriggled back and forth trying to get the kink out of her back while she spoke. “Are you telling me, that, you’ve been communicating with someone other than the woman? People Sarah and I don’t know about?”
“Yes,” he said, squeezing his lids shut in apparent distress. Tears spilled down his cheeks and he covered his face.
“Why are you crying?”
“It was supposed to be a secret. But… I—”
“Travis, you do know you can trust me,” she said, gently. “We don’t need secrets, do we?”
“I know… it’s just that we can't bother them right now. But I wanted you to know that Lucy is on her way.”
“Lucy?”
“I asked the astronaut to help her, because, she was in trouble again — this time she wouldn’t listen to me.” Travis sobbed.
“I think maybe Sarah should hear the rest of this story too Travis.” She could hear her out on the veranda and not wanting to take the trouble to get up, just raised her voice. “Sarah! You need to come in here and listen to what Travis is telling me.”
“What's wrong?” Sarah said, rushing into the house with her hands full of clothes that had been drying in the sun.
“He says he’s been in touch with more survivors. Tell her honey. It’ll be okay.”
Sarah sat down on the other side of Travis.
“Lucy was going to die, just like—” He put his hands to his face again and began to sob. “She wouldn’t even talk to me anymore.”
“But now she’s okay,” Kate said gently.
Travis nodded. He peered at Sarah and then back at Kate.
“She told me to leave her alone. If it wasn’t for the astronaut…”
“The what?” Sarah, raised her brows.
“The astronaut. He… he was sick like us, but when he was a little better, he came back to earth. In his space shuttle. And then he heard me, but — he didn’t know it.”
“Like we did at first,” Kate mumbled, astonished that this was actually making sense.
Travis was still sobbing. “I had to make him find Lucy. She was dying. But, he understands about me, now — she told him everything.”
“Does, this Lucy, know you — like, a friend?” Kate stuttered.
Travis blinked up at her and slowly nodded. “More than that. She didn’t live very far away from him. I went in my room every day and tried to show him the way.”
Kate and Sarah gazed at each other.
“So you were able to guide the astronaut to Lucy’s house without him even knowing it?” Sarah said.
“Uh-huh…” Travis said peering over at her.
Sarah shook her head, still grappling with this incredible news. “But, why didn’t you tell us? We could have gone to find her ourselves.”
“Because Kate is having a baby,” he steamed, apparently frustrated this wasn’t obvious. “And Rose needs to be able to find us. And, I just knew the astronaut would find her, anyway.”
Far-fetched as his story was, Kate believed him; she couldn’t have travelled in her condition, it would have been far too risky. “Well, that is wonderful Travis, but, why wouldn’t they be willing to talk to us?”
“Because, they are busy,” he huffed.
“Doing what, sweetie?” Sarah said softly, rubbing his back.
“I don’t know!”
Sarah stared out the window for a second, and then back at him. “Are you seriously telling me he landed from outer space?”
He nodded affirmatively. “And, Lucy told him to fly over the lake that night. Remember?”
Kate was biting a ragged nail. “But… that couldn’t have been a space shuttle darling, it — it would have had to have been a plane. I don
’t think space shuttles can do that, do you Sarah?”
She shrugged her shoulders while shaking her head no, as if she really had no clue, but was trying to figure it out.
“Oh,” said Travis. “Maybe. But they were flying a long way that day. And they have a long way to go before they get back here. We should get another cottage ready for them. Like we did for Rose.”
Chapter Thirty
Ben and Rose
(April 18th, Year Two, PA)
Kate lifted her son from the woman’s arms. She seemed much younger than thirty-three, she thought. “It’s so nice to have you here Rose, finally — safe and sound. And another pair of hands for us. We’re going to need them,” she said, smiling. “You arrived just in time for the fun.”
Had the birth only been three days ago, on the 15th? It felt like so much longer Kate was thinking. And she still couldn’t believe how well it had gone. Ben had come out so quickly. No hospital, no pain medication, no doctor or anything.
“Well, if only I could have made it a few days earlier. I really tried. Oh, look at him, he’s just like you,” Rose crooned.
Kate gazed down at her newborn, trying to see the resemblance. “Do you really think so? It's early to tell.”
“Look at the reddish tinge in his hair,” Rose chuckled, stroking a wisp between her fingertips.
Kate thought of the stubble on Jack's chin that had glimmered red in the sunlight even though the hair on his head was so dark. Jack knew his son had survived. She had been considerate enough to tell him, but it was lucky the birth had gone so well, that she hadn’t needed him. Now she could put that monster out of her mind once and for all — if only he would leave her alone.
Rose put another piece of cornbread on her plate and then replenished her cup of tea. “He seems healthy too, you must have done something right, my dear.”
Kate glanced at the woman as she peered down at her lunch; her face was quite attractive with large, smiling eyes, a soft, chocolate-brown complexion, and shortly cropped hair. Travis sipped his juice, contentedly swinging his legs back and forth beside Sarah, who leaned back in her chair coddling her hot drink.
“Once we arrived at the lake, Kate’s health turned right around. And I might add, her appetite grew and grew – couldn't keep you satiated, could we Kate?” Sarah laughed.
Kate adjusted her breast so Ben could latch on. “A pregnant woman has the right to eat whatever the hell she wants, especially when they intend to nurse as long as possible.”
Sarah laughed again. “But I do think this place has been good for all of us, especially Ben. He’s such a nice healthy weight. We all love it here, don’t we Travis?” she said.
Travis, who was hunched over the table playing with his straw, nodded shyly and Sarah stretched out her arm and gave him a hug. “Two new members to our clan in just a few days. And all of our telepathic chinwags didn’t prepare us for your arrival, I guess. We didn’t think you were that close, Rose.”
Kate gazed over at Rose. “We know it must have been terrifying. The road to the resort, in the middle of the night — it’s frightening enough when the three of us are together; so we just didn’t think you’d arrive in the dark. You did scare the bejesus out of us. Ouch! Ben.”
Kate grimaced. Nursing was more painful than she’d realized and she hoped that her nipples would toughen up quickly. “We were so absorbed with Ben that—”
She gazed at Rose, who was waving her hands in front of her face for Kate to stop, her brows raised high on her forehead. “I am really, so, sorry my dears,” she said emphatically, “but, I — I simply couldn’t stand another second out there, not by myself anymore; and, I just knew that I’d found you. So I kept on driving and driving, right through the night. Hated myself for pounding on your door at that time. So very sorry.” She had an apologetic grin.
“Don’t be silly! Don’t even think of it,” Kate and Sarah both insisted at once.
Rose paused for another sip of tea, and then let out a quick, exasperated sigh. “At first I didn't believe you actually existed.” She raised her brows again. “Unhinged. That’s what I thought I was — probably was for a while, too.”
Then she gazed up at the corner of the room. “It was difficult to leave. To get up the nerve to do what you were all telling me.” She shook her head, and breathed out, unsteadily.
Kate leaned across the table with Ben still latched onto her nipple. She stretched her arm out and took Rose by the hand. “We hope things will be better for you now, Rose.”
Rose’s lips formed a smile but her eyes were barely holding on to their tears. “I want to pinch myself. I… I think I’m going to get up and dance in a minute,” she said.
Sarah pushed a box of Kleenex so it slid over to her.
“Bless you,” she said pulling out a tissue. “My baby boy wasn't much older than Ben, you see. Only five months. That’s all. The oldest was nine. And the girls,” she dabbed her eyes, “three, and four years old; my little, princesses.”
Kate peered at Sarah and Travis, who were both scrunching their brows with concern. “We didn’t realize you had that many; you had four children,” she said, softly.
“I’m so sorry,” whispered Sarah.
Rose took in a deep breath and sighed. “It’s true. I’ve got four baby-angels now. Daniel, Tanisha, Sophia, and William.”
“We're so sorry,” Kate and Sarah said together.
Rose’s soggy eyes actually twinkled and her lips curled up in a gentle smile. “Talented. Every one of them. Well the baby would have been, we were expecting him to be.”
She laughed. “Comedians just like their papa — all of them. Kept me holding my sides, I’m telling you. In stitches, even when I was chasing them around the house,” she squeaked, as if she was holding in hysterical laughter.
The three of them chuckled.
“And I have a fifth angel too. My darling Russ… most romantic guy on the entire planet. That man treated me like I was royalty for the whole fourteen years we were married. Do you know of Russell Singer?”
Kate and Sarah peered at each other.
“You don’t mean, the actor,” Sarah blurted.
Rose grinned.
“Oh yeah,” Kate said, suddenly remembering with amusement. “He was a comedian.”
Sarah put her cup of tea on the table, slapped her palm down beside it — careful not to knock anything over — and gaped at Rose in disbelief. “He did several movies. You were married to the Russell Singer.”
“Well, I was an actor too, you know — for a brief while. Did you ever watch ‘The Clinic’?”
It didn’t ring a bell; they both shook their heads.
“Oh well. It was just a little sit-com. Russ had a guest role in it — that’s how I met him. On the set, when I was nineteen.”
“That’s incredible Rose,” Sarah said.
“It really is.” Kate was trying to recall if she’d seen her before. She didn’t think so.
Rose shrugged her shoulders. “I played a crazy plastic surgeon,” she giggled. “It only lasted one season, unfortunately. Well, after that, I just did commercials. Taught dance for a few years. Theatre too. But soon it was full-time raising those kids. The nanny didn’t work out; I didn't need someone else raising my babies anyway, was far happier when I was close to them.”
“Well, Rose. I’m afraid life is going to be much duller around here,” Sarah teased.
Rose’s brows creased for just an instant. “No it won’t. With the four of you. And that view of the lake right from my bed. All the nice decorating you did for me — you didn’t have to do that, my dears. I do appreciate you for it, though.”
“Don’t even think of it,” Kate assured her, turning Ben to the other breast. “It was a long wait. The decorating was kind of therapeutic for us.”
Rose smiled gratefully and then sighed. “I just know I’m going to love it here. It feels right already. Really, it does. Well, I think I've been ranting on about myself enough for a whi
le. I guess you’re stuck with me though, you poor dears,” she laughed.
She got up from the table and pushed in her chair. “Thank you so much for the delectable lunch. What a treat. I'm going to take a long nap now. Then, I’d love a tour around this place.”
Sarah walked over to the door with her. “Remember, there are blankets, towels, soap; it's all stored in the hotel — so if you need extra, just ask.”
“Thank you so much Sarah. Kate, your baby is perfection.”
Kate smiled and nudged the plate in front of her. “Don’t forget the cornbread.”
Sarah came back for it and handed it to Rose, who was already out on the veranda.
“This will be eaten before dinner,” she said, stepping outside. “Thanks so much again.”
“Watch your step.”
Sarah closed the door. She sat down at the table again. “What do you think of her?”
“She’s really nice,” said Travis, grinning enthusiastically.
Kate was too upset about Jack at that instant to barely even think about Rose. As far as Sarah knew, he’d been long forgotten. Not wanting to have to explain why she’d allowed him as much contact as she had, murky and unclear as the communication was — Kate had hoped that once Ben was born, he would leave her alone. But the exact opposite was true.
Sarah looked at her peculiarly, misinterpreting her aloofness. “She does seem a bit on the dramatic side though,” she said.”
Kate groaned. “She’s an actress, what do you expect?”
Chapter Thirty-One
The Last Cabin
(April 19th, Year Two, PA)
After Kate and Sarah had removed the corpses, when they first arrived at the lake, Travis was far more confident going outside to play — accompanied by both of them preferably. As long as he stayed clear of certain dark places. But with Ben’s arrival, he wanted to find his courage again, to become a protective older brother like he’d once been to his little sister, in his other family.
The women had Ben to care for now, and he no longer needed to be watched constantly. It was time to explore the resort by himself. There had been so many things he’d been longing to do but there had always been at least one pair of eyes relentlessly upon him. He hadn’t even seen some areas of the resort yet.