Just a Dream
Chapter 14
Sunday, November 21, 1954 – Twenty-Two Weeks Pregnant
aining on Sunday… ugh… in this weather, Rosalie had long given up on any chance of getting to church that morning. Not only was it raining on Sunday, but it was raining on Halloween
too. Rain… is there some sort of a Zodiac meaning behind it? Sure there is… it means today is most certainly not a good day…
Currently, Rosalie was sitting in an armchair by the radio, which she had finally settled on the news after searching from station to station looking for a good signal. So for the past hour,
she had been listening to the newest big hits from Rosemary Clooney, Doris Day, and Eddie Fisher. But now she was listening to Kitty Kallen's "Little Things Mean A Lot". And though it
was November and there was snow on the ground, Rosalie had opened one of the windows in the living room where she sat and was fanning herself off with a cardboard hand-fan that
she had found in the laundry room.
Rosalie had only just gotten over the morning sickness in the past week, but she still had occasional heat-flashes. Of course, with her luck, the state of illness would be drawn out as long
as possible… It had been twenty-two weeks of stomach cramps, nausea, and everything else imaginable that could possibly make a woman miserable. And not even to mention that she
was already on edge due to Emmett's prolonged absence and the lack of letters getting through the Vietnamese mail system. In fact… she had not received a single letter from him since
the letter that she had told him that she was pregnant. Oh dear…
Knock, knock, knock!
I looked over at the door and groaned. "Yes?!" I called, not willing to get up as I was just so tired.
"Telegram for Mrs. McCarthy!" answered back a voice that I could not recognize. Odd, I thought, who delivers telegrams on a Sunday? I groaned as I carefully lifted myself from the chair
while making my way over to the door to accept the message.
"I am Mrs. McCarthy." I said to a boy who could not have been a day over seventeen and a narrow, pimple-covered face and a long and lanky build. He handed me a clipboard with a pen.
So I signed it and he gave me a small, folded piece of yellow paper. So I bid him good day, looking curiously at the paper. I unfolded it slowly, expecting to see a bunch of dots and
dashes and lines that I could scarcely translate, but I was surprised to see that it had only one short line written down on it, already translated:
I will be home for X-mas.
-Emmett
Friday, December 17, 1954 – Twenty-Six Weeks Pregnant
"Well what did he say about it?"
"He just said he'll be home for Christmas."
"He didn't give you a day or a time?"
"Momma! It was a telegram! All it said was "I'll be home for Christmas", that's all!"
"Well alright, but if he gets there before the rest of us do, you be sure to call us the minute he steps through that door. I miss my son in-law too, y'know."
"Oh, Momma… I miss him too. And I'll call whenever I decide to, because he's my husband and I'm not sharing!" I teased, Mother laughed.
"Alright honey, give him our love won't you?"
"Of course."
"Alright, take care."
"Bye Momma."
I hung up the phone and squealed excitedly before running back to the nursery- which was still in the process of being set up to look like a baby's room instead of a cluttered home
office… Mother and I had spent the past few weeks Christmas shopping, mostly for the baby of course, and we now had dozens of the most adorable little outfits and one-zees I had ever
seen, a huge laundry bag stuffed full of fresh cloth-diapers, baby powders, oils, and shampoos, etc, etc, etc…! All that was left was the crib… which I had especially reserved for Emmett's
father… Frank had all but done cartwheels all the way down to Fourth Avenue when I had told him the news. He was beside himself with excitement of being a grandfather. In fact, he
had already dubbed himself the nickname of "Papaw" and would hardly answer to anything else. And he had insisted on being given the privilege to build the crib, and who was I to deny
him the honor; especially when I had not seen him this happy and energetic in all the time that I've known him.
And he wasn't the only one of course, my Daddy was excited too. He had set up all the nursery furniture that Mother and I had purchased. And Momma was busy working up a storm back
home with all the sewing and knitting and needlework and all. She had insisted on making matching curtains and bedspread for the nursery and she made two sets too! One set in
different shades of pinks, and the other in blues! So now we'll be prepared whether it's a girl or a boy. Though I'm already quite sure it will be a girl, it's just one of those maternal
instincts I guess? My mother says that she knew I would be a girl before I was born, even though everybody else was convinced she would be having a boy.
I wonder what Emmett thinks it will be? Oh! What will he want to name him or her? Ooh! So many questions and in only a couple of days he'll be here! My Emmett will be home at last! It's
been six months since I've seen him and oh! How I miss him… it would be our first Christmas as a married couple and our last Christmas with just the two of us! Next year we'll have one
little baby here and who knows? Maybe another on the way!
It was nearing dark now and though it wasn't even eight o'clock yet, I decided I might as well go to bed. I had nothing left to do for the day and tomorrow might be a big day…? Who's to
say? Well… I guess we'll just have to see!
A/N: Hey everybody, sorry it took so long. I've been having some SERIOUS writer's block. Also I've been working on a new story "Un Jeu de Dupes" you all will have to read
it and let me know what you think! Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I'm lost without all of y'all! Love you guys!