It's been forever I know. There's only a few more chapters, and I'm done with this fic. I hope you enjoy the chapter!
"Anna, what are you doing out in this cold?" Mama Bates opened the door and motioned for Anna to come in. Anna couldn't say anything, she just burst into tears. Mama closed the door and wrapped Anna in her arms. "What happened?"
Anna could only cry, Mama guided her into the kitchen where she wrapped a blanket around Anna's shoulders and quickly poured a cup of tea. There was a knock on the door and Mama pressed a kiss to Anna's forehead before answering the door.
"Is Anna here?" Anna recognized Phyllis' voice. "I saw her leaving the house only I don't think she heard me call after her in the storm…."Anna rubbed her stomach. The baby kicked her, her back spasmed and she rubbed her back until the pain subsided.
"She's right through here." Mama led Phyllis into the kitchen. "What happened?"
"I'm not sure. I heard some yelling last night and then this morning as I was making breakfast, I saw Anna leaving the house like her dress was on fire." Phyllis said. She sat down next to Anna. Anna took in deep breaths, trying to calm down.
"Who was yelling last night?" Mama asked when Anna seemed a little calmer.
"John." Anna said, "he woke in the middle of the night with his leg hurting and when I tried to help him, he yelled at me." Anna said, she took a sip of the tea and rubbed her back again as the baby continued to kick. "It's the drinking that's caused it. He wasn't like this before he got injured."
"Did he hit you?" Mama asked, Anna looked up at her mother in law. Mama Bates' jaw was tight and her eyes hard.
"No!" Anna said honestly. "John has never hit me. He's just been short tempered ever since he got home from the hospital."
"Does he drink much?" Mama asked. Her hand covered Anna's on the kitchen table.
"I've had to take in laundry from other families to make sure there's enough money in the house to pay the rent and get food." Anna said quietly.
Mama nodded, "All right." She said, "thank you for telling me."
Anna yawned and took another sip of tea. Mama busied herself at the stove, preparing some more tea and Phyllis went to the living room to grab the knitting basket she knew was there.
Anna continued to nurse the cup of tea in front of her, smiling her thanks as Mama refilled it.
John Bates woke to a deep throbbing in his knee. He groaned and glanced over to Anna's side of the bed. It was empty and he reached over. Cold, that meant she'd been up and out of bed for a couple of hours. Groaning, he got up out of bed and went to where they kept the medicine that the doctor had given him. He quickly took some and looked around the house. There was a note saying Anna had gone over to his mother's house and would be back in time to cook dinner. John didn't have work that day so he went into the living room. He made a face as he realized that there was a wet spot on the couch. Figuring the dog must have made a mess, John grabbed a towel to soak it up. As he was finishing he realized that there was a pile of laundry to be done. He glanced around their small house and realized that there was some work to be done. The previously mentioned laundry, there were a few dishes that needed to be cleaned, the floor needed to be swept. He grew frustrated as he looked around the house. Why hadn't Anna done the housework? It wasn't like they had a large house, he could probably finish all the housework in an hour. He shook his head and made a note to talk with Anna about it when she got home. First, he would have a drink.
At Mama's, the three women moved to the living room and picked up knitting or sewing. Anna began to shift as the baby kicked. Finally she got up and began to pace. The baby usually kicked less if she was walking.
"Are you all right darling?" Mama asked, looking up from her embroidery.
"I'm fine, the baby is kicking."Anna said, she rubbed her back again as the baby kicked particularly hard.
"If you'd like to lay down, you know where the guest bedroom is." Mama said, looking at Anna carefully.
"I am quite tired." Anna conceded. She refilled the her tea and then looked at storm outside. "Perhaps once I've taken a nap, the storm will have let up." She went into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.
Mama waited until the bedroom door was closed before she spoke. "I doubt you'll be leaving today Anna," she spoke to no one in particular.
Phyllis looked between the bedroom door and Mama Bates. Before she could say anything Mama Bates continued to talk. "Baby kicking, isn't likely. She's been under stress and it's the full moon." She looked to Phyllis, "If I know anything about babies, then I'll wager that she'll be in proper labor before this storm is through."
Anna woke suddenly, a sharp pain spreading across her abdomen. She gasped and grabbed at her abdomen. After the pain subsided, she went into the living area and spoke, "Mama?"
"Yes, Anna?"
"I think I might be in labor." Anna said, she gasped again as another spasm of pain overcame her.
"Walk if you can, I'll refill your tea." Mama said, setting her embroidery down and getting up.
"Is there anything I can do?" Phyllis asked.
"Go get the midwife, and send someone after John." Mama said.
"My midwife said her address is 15 Levinson Street." Anna said, "She has a grandson who has come to the appointments with her, he can get John."
Phyllis nodded, "I know right where Levinson Street is, I'll hurry."
Anna watched as her friend bundled up and went outside. "Let's keep you warm." Mama guided Anna into the kitchen, where she began preparing another pot of tea. Anna gripped the back of one of the kitchen chairs as another wave of pain washed over her.
"Midwife is on her way." Mama Bates said, "You'll be fine." She pressed a cup of tea into Anna's trembling hands and smiled at her daughter in law. "I've helped birth more then my fair share of babies, you're in good hands darling."
Anna smiled and took a sip of tea. It took half an hour, but the midwife was there taking over.
"The pains are about 3 and a half minutes apart and about a minute long." Mama told the midwife.
"Labour is moving right along Mrs. Bates, you'll soon be meeting your child." Midwife promised. She set her bag down on the kitchen table. "Now, let's check to see how baby is."
Anna gripped Mama Bates' hand as her midwife bent over her spread legs and checked things out. Faintly, Anna could hear something going on out in the sitting room, was that Midwife's grandson talking?
"You're doing well and the baby is doing well." Midwife announced. "It's just a matter of time before you need to push."
Phyllis stuck her head in. "Mama?" she asked, "I need your help with something."
Mama nodded and got up, "I'll be right back love, you're in good hands with your midwife." she squeezed Anna's hand and left the room.
Anna watched her go, her brow furrowing with worry. "It's all right dear, you're doing beautifully. Your body knows just what to do, I've hardly ever seen a labor go this smoothly." Anna tried to smile. Midwife was much older then she was, and had told Anna that she had been delivering babies longer then Anna had been alive. Anna new she was in safe hands.
Anna breathed through a contraction as Midwife got her knitting out. "Do you have names?"
"Margaret Jane for a girl." Anna said, "We haven't decided on a boys name." Anna said, it was only a little white lie. She and John hadn't discussed names at all. The only time John had mentioned names was in a letter before he'd gotten injured. He'd asked that if the baby was a girl that she be named after his mother. After he'd been injured they hadn't discussed names at all.
In the living room, Mama Bates leaned down so she was face to face with Midwife's grandson, Jimmy. "What happened?"
"Mr. Bates, he was awfully mad." Jimmy said. "He yelled at me and threw a bottle at me."
"I'll go talk to him." Mama promised. "I'm sorry he scared you Jimmy." She pointed towards the kitchen and said "There's some cookies in the icebox." Jimmy grinned and darted towards the kitchen. Mama looked to Phyllis, "I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. Midwife will tell you what to do, help her."
Phyllis nodded and then looked out into the storm. The snow had lessened quite a bit but it was still cold, not surprising for London in January.
"Keep yourselves warm," Mama instructed as she bundled up. "There's some baby things in the basket by my chair, in case the baby is here before I get back. You know where the fire wood is."
Jimmy walked out of the kitchen, a cookie in both hands, he was chewing on something.
"Will you help take care of my girls while I'm gone Jimmy?" Jimmy nodded and spoke, crumbs flying out of his mouth as he did so.
"I won't touch , the babies are too tiny for me, but I'll run and fetch whatever they need."
"Good boy Jimmy, you can have all the cookies you want." Mama leaned down and, in a conspiratorial whisper said "and if you're real helpful, I bet that Miss Phyllis will make you some hot cocoa."
Jimmy gasped happily and looked over at Phyllis, hopeful who nodded and said, "but only if you're good." Jimmy nodded solemnly and Mama made sure her hat was on securely.
"I'll be back as soon as I can." she promised before she left the house.
Extra author's note, I have to admit, that what little I know about labor and childbirth comes from Call the Midwife. Sorry if there are any inaccuracies.
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