ANN
The pounding on the clinic door would have woken me had I been asleep, but I didn't seem to be having much sleep to be awoken from. Slipping on my boots and trudging down the stairs, the pounding didn't seem urgent. I didn't bother to check the window before I pulled the door open. It probably should have surprised me to see Tommy leaning in the door frame, "Get your stuff, Ada's in labor."
Should have surprised me, should have annoyed me too. But this was why I can here wasn't it? This community just seemed to walk hand in hand with violence plenty more frequently than was probably necessary.
I didn't even bother with the door, leaving it wide, before marching back to the surgery for my pack. Joining Tommy in the street I asked, "Are you not pressed about the birth of your niece or nephew?"
Tommy laughed, probably one of the first times I'd ever really heard it to be honest. He puffed on a cigarette I just seemed to notice. "She's carried 9 months, what's a few more minutes going to do?"
I rolled my eyes and inclined for him to lead the way, "Well then thank God you're not the one delivering it! Now…any day…"
He was enjoying this far too much for my taste. Something had him in a mood, a good one surprisingly. He led me to the door of his car and to the Shelby house we drove. Stopping in the street there was another car idling. His brothers and a woman in white stepped out, his Aunt Polly hesitating in the door of the house.
"How's the car, John?" Tommy called.
"Your sister is having a baby and all you can talk about is cars?" Polly sounded exasperated.
I moved forward with my pack and Polly only briefly nodded as I stepped over the threshold, "I brought you the good doctor, besides there's not much us men can do now eh?"
"Except get drunk!" Arthur exclaimed and he was joined by their chuckles.
Up the stairs I went into a too hot room with a very sweaty Ada huffing and puffing and pacing. Polly and the woman in white came in just after looking a bit pressed. I pulled the button down out of my skirt and took it off tossing it over the couch, "Alright ladies, I need clean sheets and hot water. Ada, let's get you looked after. Come have a seat for a moment."
Polly seemed nervous at my orders until she realized I didn't have time to cater to her feelings. In the end she moved off smoothly for supplies. I checked the heart beat with the pinard I'd brought. Ada was twitchy and difficult to calm. Soon everyone was back to reconvene for the birth. We got Ada set up on the floor with some pillows and I felt about her belly. She tried to push, "Stop pushing Ada. Baby's the wrong way around, and you're not gonna like it. I'm going to have to turn baby and hope they stay that way."
"I can help, I've attended three sisters." The woman in white spoke up. I nodded.
The night was pierced with Ada's screams as we turned the baby and helped her to deliver. It wasn't a fast birth either, firsts usually never are. It took several hours all together. It reminded me of my Mother saying that it was nearly 8 hours of labor with my brother Matthew.
A man I'd never seen before storming in once it was done, Must be the infamous Freddie Thorn. I watched them huddled together over the baby, a boy, while I wiped my hands. I'd already looked after the placenta with Polly's help. She looked relieved a bit, and noticeably quieter. She turned to me and very tight lipped grasped my hands in hers. One squeeze was all I received in thanks, but I figured affection from a woman like her wouldn't be reserved for me.
BANG BANG BANG! "Open up. Police." BANG BANG. Esme, was John's new wife as I'd learned, startled and turned to move into the hall. Didn't make any difference when the door was kicked in and men came charging in.
"You shouldn't go in there, a baby's just been born." Esme tried to explain but they pushed past her.
There was no reason to the chaos that ensued. Freddie was shoved against the walls of the hall. Admittedly I don't know what I could do. My attitude would only make things worse. I was for once at a loss. Then again so was everyone else. Polly clutched Ada who sobbed over her newborn. Esme hugged herself in fear. But it was Freddie's pleading as he was dragged away that really set the tone.
It was moments after they left that Polly settled Ada on the couch and stormed out of the house after her. All she uttered as she wrapped her coat about herself, "Damnit Tommy."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Forgive my delay. I'm finishing up my finals and I'll be mostly free for the summer. Thank you for reading what it is I seem to be posting.
