Chapter 7
After the Prohibition of alcohol had become law Eunice had thought that Horace would have no access to it. However she was mistaken. Horace had been visiting a speakeasy every Friday night for the last several months. Eunice who had found out she was pregnant in November of 1919, November 30th was now five weeks from her due date was one again worried about Horace. It was midnight and he hadn't come home. She loved her husband very much, but hated that he never admitted that he had a drinking problem. Next week is when a series of races at Saratoga Springs that took four weeks would start. Horace loved going to the races and Eunice loved the social scene as well. She especially loved the hats. She hoped Horace had booked a room or cottage already. She wanted to be comfortable as possible these last few weeks before their child was born. Eunice heard the door open Horace came in staggering and whistling.
"Horace thank God you're home, but why can't you stop drinking. One of these days that speakeasy may be raided and you could be arrested. That worries me, dear!", said Eunice.
"Eunice, I have not been drinking. Oh my God, Pink Elephants Eunice they are coming out of the wall! Eunice help me, they are coming after me! Get them away from me!", exclaimed Horace who truly believed his hallucination was real. Oh no, not the elephants thought Eunice. It was so painful to watch him go through with this.
"Darling they are not there. You had too much to drink. Let's go to bed alright?",said Eunice trying to make him realize he was hallucinating.
"No, Eunice they are here! Let's go to the bedroom and close the door. They won't follow us in there", said Horace.
"Alright, come along dear", said Eunice as they went up the stairs in their two story luxury apartment. Eunice hated this, it had happened before and every time it had happened she would comfort him until he fell asleep. Eunice prayed as she had before to ask God to help them though this difficult time. She was not particularly religious in her youth, but it seemed these days she was crying out to God for help more often.
The next week Eunice and Horace went to Saratoga Springs for the races. Eunice loved going to the races before she married and she loved it now. As the men watched the horse races, the women talked amongst themselves and admired all the fashionable hats Eunice was receiving all kinds of advice from her friends on how her child should be properly raised. In three weeks she had decided which agency to hire a nanny from, where the best places to buy baby clothes on the Upper East Side was and what private school was the best.
There was however something that Eunice was not happy about, the accommodations that she and Horace had these last few weeks. By the time Horace had got around to making reservations the only place left that had vacancy was a bed & breakfast in a former farmhouse run a by widow of a farmer whose son had left farming to get a job in New York City.
On Eunice's due date she had decided to stay at the farmhouse instead of going to the races. Grace, the woman who had run the bed and breakfast had told her that she was a midwife. Eunice however was intent on having the baby at the hospital. Grace intended to take her to the hospital but something happened that changed that.
"Grace we must get to the hospital, right away, my water broke!", said Eunice panicking.
"Mrs. Douglas let me help you to the car", said Grace.
A few minutes later, Eunice couldn't believe her ears when Grace told her that the car would not start.
"No that means I have to have my baby in a farmhouse! Oh dear! Call a doctor, I must have a doctor", said Eunice
"I will as soon as I help get you comfortable", said Grace.
The doctor arrived just when Eunice needed him and she was very grateful that he had come with something to ease the pain. When her baby was born she was exhausted and had hoped that Horace would be home to meet his son, soon.
That evening when Horace had come home, he was delighted to have a son.
"Oh honey, he's beautiful. How would you like it if we named him Oliver?", asked Horace.
"Oliver reminds me of Oliver Twist. I don't want my child to be named after a fictional orphan and pickpocket", declared Eunice.
"Oh you English majors! I was thinking of our chief justice Oliver Wendell Homes. I have worked with so many in the legal profession, and I love that name", said Horace.
"Alright dear, Oliver Wendell it is!", said Eunice who was exhausted, but very excited that she was a mother. She did not want to take care of her own child, and needed to regain her strength so she paid Grace's niece to be a temporary nanny until she had enough strength to return home. Grace's nice ended up going back to New York City with them until the nanny was hired. Eunice loved to spend time with and when she could play with baby Oliver and loved kissing him goodnight.