Chapter 36

During the drive home, they talked about how pleasant the evening had been and how much Louisa liked Carol. She asked "Martin, will you tell me how your talk went with Chris?"

"He was very receptive and will talk to the board about it next week at their meeting. He's hoping the Hospital Director, Dr. Petronella Black, will attend. He asked me to think of reasons for them to consider my request. No, the best word is application. I made some suggestions like I'll observe surgeries from the gallery until the head of surgery is confident with my abilities and I'll support any department as I did at Imperial. I said I'd do anything necessary to prove myself. He believed me and has confidence in me. That's it. Now we wait." He answered and she could hear the suppressed excitement in his voice.

She sighed and agreed. "Now we wait. You know I'm not very good at that. It's probably a good thing – when I'm upset or anxious, I tend to clean out cabinets or organize closets. Are you sure that's all. You look so very tired."

"I am tired. It's been a long week. I want to get James Henry settled and go to bed. Maybe he'll let us sleep in tomorrow." He yawned and she laughed and said "No, no! Don't do that! It's catching you know."

He yawned hugely again and said "Sorry. Home and bed sounds like the perfect plan."

The cabinets and closets in the surgery were always immaculate thanks to Martin. Nothing for her to do there but her cottage could use a good going over and Bert always needed help in the restaurant. She wouldn't have any problem keeping busy. James Henry enjoyed seeing his grand-dad and uncle so no problems with his care. As for as how the nights went, Martin was insatiable and she loved it. That was at least one way she could help him cope with the waiting. And another benefit – she enjoyed it just as much as he did. The waiting wasn't as long as he thought it would. Two days after the board meeting, he was asked to come in for a 'meeting' with the members and Dr. Black. Every one cleared their calendars for the next Wednesday afternoon; first lunch and then the meeting. Leslie was given permission to share his opinion with them about Martin's progress. Martin and Louisa invited Aunt Ruth for dinner and told her about it. She typically showed even less emotion than Martin but they knew her well enough to know that her "Well, well nephew. Congratulations for the possibility anyway. I'm sure you'll keep me informed." meant that she was hopeful and excited, too.

During this time things happened for Louisa, too. The head of the school board called her to discuss her resignation. Could she meet him in the next few days at his office or for lunch? Whichever was most convenient for her. They agreed that next Wednesday afternoon would work and settled on meeting at his office at two o'clock. She and Martin both had appointments on the same day and that meant they needed their first baby minder. But who? Bert, Al, Aunt Ruth and Morwenna made the 'Martin approved list.' Louisa called Aunt Ruth first. They didn't want to assume that, since she didn't work, she would automatically be free and she wasn't because she had a meeting with a publisher that day. Bert and Al couldn't because they had a big party reserved for that afternoon and needed all hands on deck. That left Morwenna. Martin approached her with the assurance that, if she ever looked after James Henry for them, she would be paid her regular salary in addition to an hourly rate for child minding. She eagerly agreed. She was familiar with James' routine and he knew her and was comfortable around her.

Saturday, Louisa prepared grilled salmon, rice and beans and a green salad for lunch. She expected Martin to be preoccupied while he waited for Wednesday afternoon but he surprised her. Evidently when he told her that he would be happy to remain as the village gp if his desire to be a surgeon again didn't work out, he meant it. His scowl was still there but not as fierce as it was. He was still rude and, sometimes, obnoxious, still strode through the village ignoring courtesies from the villagers and still drove Mrs. Tishell to distraction with unrequited desire. But, after the surgery was closed and he was alone with his wife and son, what Louisa considered to be the real Martin appeared. As Louisa had realized long ago, he would never be a conversationalist but he was so tender and patient with James Henry and so attentive and caring of her.

"Martin, I want to discuss something important about James Henry." She said as he nursed for the eighth time that day. "Why can't he start eating small amounts of rice cereal made with my milk? He's so hungry! It seems that all I do is feed him and can't get anything else done. And you know he's waking at night again every two or three hours to nurse. Carol said she fed her boys cereal when they were four weeks old. Polly has four children and they all started eating cereal when they were the same age. Do you know why the rules changed?"

He looked up from the lancet he was reading and considered his answer. "The current thinking is don't start solid foods until the baby is four to six months old. To eat, babies need good head and neck control and should be able to sit up in a high chair, which usually doesn't happen until they're 4 to 6 months old. Also, if you try to feed him solids before this age, you may notice that he pushes food out of his mouth just as quickly as you put it in. Babies start to lose this natural tongue-thrusting reflex at the four to six mark, which makes it easier for them to start eating solid foods. Another study says that feeding babies solid food too early could lead to obesity in adulthood. I've read that the baby will show you when he's ready by being interested in and watching other people eat and a greater urgency to nurse due to hunger. But, there's another study..."

At this point, Louisa snorted and mumbled that there was always another study.

Martin gave a wry look of agreement and continued. "If he's content with breast milk, no need to complicate his life with solid food. But if, as you say, he doesn't seem satisfied with your milk, then it may be time to try it. Do you feel that he's ready?"

"Yes, I do. He's so frantic when he nurses and seems to be full before he's satisfied. And, you know how fast he's growing! I'd like to try just a baby spoon or two just to see how he likes it. And, I certainly want you to be there. And maybe Polly, too." She tilted her head to silently ask if he agreed.

He nodded and said "He is growing fast. When do you plan on doing this?"

"Well, if Polly can be here, why not tomorrow? I don't want to rush this but I really feel that he'll benefit from it." James Henry finished nursing and needed winding. "Will you wind him while I call Polly or do you want to continue reading your lancet?"

Now it was his turn for a wry look. "I think I can finish reading the article another time. Now James Henry, let's see what we can do to make you more comfortable."

His father patted his back and James Henry rewarded him by letting out a large, moist burp right in his ear. "James Henry! We really have to work on your manners! At various times you've peed, spit up, and defecated on me. I thought those were the extent of the indignities you could inflict on me but I was wrong. Now you're burping in my ear!" Martin moved James Henry to a sitting position on his legs so they could look at each other. He smiled and babbled, passed gas and, by the sound of it, did a big squishy poop. "If that's half as bad as it sounds, I hope your nappy is leak proof!"

He headed for the stairs and pointed to the offending nappy to let Louisa know where he was going. He got down on his knees next to the tub and laid James Henry on a big towel, took off his suit jacket, carefully removed the nappy and cleaned a very messy bottom. James Henry kicked his legs and grinned, clearly enjoying his brief freedom from a nappy while his Daddy got his bath ready. Martin leaned over to pick him up and dodged a stream of urine just in time to avoid being sprayed in the face but it still splattered his shirt and tie. James kicked and grinned as if he knew what happened and was laughing at his Daddy. Daddy humphed and proceeded to lecture his son again on the respect he should show his elders.

Martin didn't do 'baby talk' or ridiculous jabber' to James during bath time but that didn't mean he was silent. He told him the name of two or three different body parts each time as he washed them and explained their function. The baby grinned and chortled back. It was safe to say that both of them enjoyed bath time.

He carried a clean and sweet smelling James Henry back downstairs. Louisa giggled when she saw Martin had removed his shirt and tie. She knew what that meant!

"Yes, you're right. He has very good aim and seems inordinately proud of himself. I almost got sprayed in the face! Here young man, play on your mat until bed time. Tell me what Polly said." Martin said as he sat on the couch next to her.

"She can be here at 6:30. I'll get the rice cereal and baby spoons tomorrow morning."

"All right. By the way, I forgot to tell you that I talked to Aunt Ruth yesterday and invited her for lunch tomorrow. I bought extra fish and vegetables. She's busily working on her book and still refuses to have anything to do with a garden and that farm hand she hired gathers the eggs. She swears she's allergic to chickens! She still hasn't done anything about that ancient boiler or any other repairs. Has she given you any idea as to whether or not she's comfortable living there?"

Louisa looked hesitant as she answered "Not exactly. Sometimes I get the feeling that she thinks she owes it to Joan to give it a good try. What do you think?"

He nodded "I feel the same way. I hope she stays there. I'd hate to see her sell it to some developer, or worse, a farmer who uses the chemicals on his crops that Auntie Joan hated so much. But, it's none of our business and the main thing is for her to be happy where ever she is."

James Henry started fretting so Louisa picked him up laid him against her shoulder. That was definitely not what he wanted and the fretting turned quickly into hungry wails. She hurriedly undid her blouse and placed him at her breast. He latched on like he was starving making her jump with surprise. "Crikey! I'm glad he doesn't have teeth yet. This is what I mean – he ate less than two hours ago."

Martin furrowed his brow and nodded in agreement – that was a very hungry baby.

The next morning they both went to the grocers and bought the cereal, spoons and ingredients for an apple crisp to serve after lunch. James Henry was wailing with hunger again by the time they made it home. He had nursed six times during the night and both parents were pretty well knackered from lack of sleep. Louisa hurriedly fed him. "I'll take him upstairs and wind him. When he's settled in for a nap I'll come down and make the crisp."

"That will put us behind so why don't I take him up and you make the crisp now? When I come down, we can start the preparations for lunch." He suggested and she readily agreed.

Just before lunch time Aunt Ruth entered the kitchen with a dry "Hello family. Hello James Henry, smile for Auntie Ruth?"

He knew his aunt and welcomed her with his wide toothless grin. She actually smiled back surprising Martin. He couldn't remember the last time he saw her smile!

"Whatever you're cooking smells very healthy. Come here, great nephew and let your aunt look at you. My, he's growing so fast! Since I know very little about babies, I won't ask how often you have to feed him but I wager it's frequent." Ruth sat him on her lap so they could see each other and he continued to grin at her.

"Yes, he's growing fast and Louisa feels her milk isn't enough for him anymore. We're going to try giving him a little rice cereal this evening to see how he does with it." Martin answered her as he dished up the fish and vegetables and Louisa sliced the bread. "What do you want to drink? We have coffee, tea, water and white wine."

"Oh, some wine sounds good with fish. What do you do with James Henry while you're eating? Is he the centerpiece?" Ruth stood and looked around for the answer to her question.

"Here, put him in his seat and, yes, he's usually the centerpiece. And a very handsome one, too, aren't you little man? Ooh, yes he is. Mama's handsome little man." Cooed Louisa and Martin tried to not roll his eyes at her 'jabber'.

"This is delicious and much healthier than the dishes I usually fix for myself. May I have more carrots, please? Thank you Martin." Ruth was clearly enjoying her meal and had two glasses of wine. Martin frowned a little at that but was wise enough to not mention it. Ruth and he shared the Ellingham ability of shutting people up who annoyed them.

After their coffee and apple crisp, Martin and Louisa insisted that Ruth sit and talk to them while they cleared the dishes. After she yawned the third time Martin felt compelled to comment on it. "Are you getting enough sleep Ruth? You seem a bit tired today."

"That's because I am tired. Those blasted chickens insist on waking me up at the crack of dawn every morning. Honestly, if I knew how and didn't mind the feathers, I'd wring all their necks and put them in a stew! Of course, they never bothered Joan because she probably woke them up." Ruth grumbled and yawned again.

Martin and Louisa looked at her with concern and he asked "Are you happy living there Ruth? Are you meeting the deadlines for your book?"

"Well, it's not London and I do miss my colleagues but I'm giving it a serious try. And yes, I'm meeting my deadlines. Joan so wanted me to either move in with her or somewhere in the vicinity. And the views are truly lovely." She answered in her usual matter of fact manner. "Now, tell me about this cereal business."

James Henry started fretting as a warning, and when his mother didn't pick him up immediately to attend to his hunger pangs, he wailed loudly making his aunt jump in surprise. "My goodness. How often does that happen?"

Moving quickly to attend to his needs, Louisa answered "About every two hours which is why we're going to try cereal tonight. I'll go to the lounge to nurse him while you and Martin visit with each other."

"Wait dear. I'm sure you're clever and modest enough to manage to feed him in front of me. Please stay with us." Ruth requested.

"Alright, let me get one of his blankets." Louisa said and went to the laundry room to get one. Martin held it while she turned her back and opened her blouse, then placed the baby at her breast. Then he lightly put the blanket over the nursing baby and she sat back down at the table.

Surprised, Ruth said "I can actually hear him suckle! He acts like you haven't fed him all day. Now I see why you want to try adding cereal to his diet."

After he finished nursing, Martin took him to wind and said he would take him upstairs for his nap.

"Well then, I'll say good bye. Lovely meal. Can't thank you enough. Bye family." And yawning one more time, Ruth left to go home.