Welcome to chapter 41
Sorry for the delay in this, it took a little while longer to write than I thought it would.
Thank you for all the reviews and follow's. Thank you if you have been following the small Interludes as well.
"What in the world are you doing?" Rilla turned to her face to Ken. She was sitting in the window seat in their bedroom. Legs out in front of her, dress in a silky nightgown, that pooled around her.
"Just making sure I can remember this moment," Ken said as he placed his camera down on the nearby dresser. "Aren't you cold by the window?"
"I was sweating ten minutes ago, I needed to cool off," Rilla shrugged and she traced her hand over the stomach. "Those photos better not see the light of day once developed," she gave him a look. Looking down at her semi-sheer nightgown. Given the light of the room, she could only imagine it would show off the shape of her body.
"It will be hidden away along with all the others." Ken grinned and pulled up a chair next to her, reaching out to place his hand, giving a gentle rub to her stomach. He smiled as he was rewarded with a kick. "We should think of some names soon, don't you? What did the doctor say eight to nine weeks left possibly? Maybe we can name her after you?"
"That is never happening," Rilla told him with a pointed glare which he chuckled at.
"Of course, I was only teasing," Ken leaned forward and kissed her temple. "I know you swear it's a girl, but we should consider a male name as well. I have a feeling, James, Walter, Matthew, Gilbert will be out of the running?"
"Gilbert can stay," Rilla told him quietly. She had been thinking a lot about names since a letter from Shirley and Lillian's name. A small snapshot of a baby with her name on display for them. Elodie such a strange foreign name Rilla had thought. "What about your family?" Rilla asked him.
"Well, Dad and I have the same middle name, Selwyn," Ken told her. "Mom doesn't have one."
Rilla nodded. "What do you think of Rowena? For a name?"
"Rowena?"Ken looked up.
"It had Owen in it," Rilla explained quietly. "If you don't like it—," she trailed off as Ken pressed one of his fingers to her lips.
"I love it," He said told. "It's perfect, though we still need another just in case." He told her with a crooked smile.
"You pick something then," Rilla sighed. "I have no idea."
"Oliver?" Ken said thinking for a short moment smiling before he looked at her seriously. "If by chance it's a boy and not a girl, you won't be disappointed will you?"
"It's a girl," Rilla told him stubbornly. "I just know it is."
"Of course," Ken sighed. "I just want you to know that if she isn't. This isn't going to be like Jimmy. He or she can't be taken from us that easily."
"Who said I think such a thing?"Rilla asked him crossing her arms.
"No one," Ken ran his hand through his hair. " I've just noticed that you are rather set on having a girl. It makes me wonder if they are just a distraction of admitting that you are afraid?"
"Why can't I just think it's a girl? Why does this have to be some strange coping mechanism?" Rilla pushed him away from her grabbing a robe.
"Where are you going?" Ken asked her, it was well past midnight at this point.
"To find a snack, is that allowed?" Rilla snapped at him. She didn't bother with the lights as she trod down the carpeted stairs. She held on the railing with her one hand, still annoyed at her husband's word. She went to take another step as she felt the arch of her foot slide across the edge of the stair.
She let out a shriek as she hit the stair, and slide down one or two before she managed to stop herself. Ken's footsteps racing towards the stairs, and stepping around her so he could help pull her up.
Holding her as she was shaking from the fall. Her hand instantly doing to her stomach the sudden jolt had made the baby squirm around, kicking. Rilla pressed into her one side, feeling the hard bump underneath her skin. The baby still was head up, as her behind at gotten the brunt of the fall.
"I'm going to call the hospital," Ken told her as he leads her slowly over to the living room over to her chair. He grabbed the telephone and asked for the hospital, for any of the doctors on call.
"Dr. Grace speaking," a voice picked up a voice that seemed much younger than Dr. Halliwell.
"Yes, this is Mr. Kenneth Ford, my wife is a patient of Dr. Halliwell." He spoke watching careful eye on Rilla.
"Yes, my aunt's new patients," Dr. Grace said, confirming she knew who they were. "How can I help you?"
"My wife she's thirty-one weeks, she was going down the stairs and fell," Ken said a little frantically.
"Is she conscious?" The doctor asked.
"Yes, yes she is," Ken confirmed.
"May I speak to her?" Dr. Grace asked him.
"Of course," Ken said as passed Rilla the phone.
"Hello?" Rilla said quietly. "I was about to take a step down and my foot slid against the edge. It was about two or three steps, mostly hips and a little bit of my back and shoulders" she explained her fall.
"Is the child moving?"
"She squirmed and kicked at me, more like she was annoyed at me waking her up," Rilla said into the phone. "She's making small movements now settling down."
"I think you will be fine, just monitor movements. If you feel any sort of cramping that doesn't go away or if you start bleeding come straight to the hospital." Dr. Grace told her. "I'll tell my aunt that you called in, and get her to check in on you in the morning on a house call."
"Thank you," Rilla said weakly.
"Everyone takes a tumble, and 95% of the time it has no ill effect on mother or child." The doctor tried to reassure her.
Dr. Halliwell knocked on the door, eight in the morning with her bag in her hand. Ken was still in his shirtsleeves when he opened the door.
"I hear we had a small tumble last night?" She spoke as he let her into the house. "Where our patient?"
"Upstairs," Ken told her and he leads her up the stairs.
"Rilla?" He poked his head into the master bedroom. "The doctor is here,"
Rilla looked up from her spot on the bed, dress in a more modest nightgown this time. "I didn't think you would be this early," Rilla said surprised as she scanned the room to ensure it wasn't a mess. She was also sure that she looked a fright, knowing she barely got any sleep.
"I figured you were on my way to work," Dr. Halliwell smiled. "You have a beautiful house," she tried to put Rilla at ease.
"Thank you," Rilla flushed.
"So you fell down the stairs?" The Doctor asked.
"I was going down for a snack. I must have miss stepped and I had awful pain on the arch of my foot. Next thing I was falling and sliding down a few steps all at the same time," Rilla explained. "Ken came running and helped me up and then called the hospital. I didn't realize your niece worked with you."
"Both of my nieces do actually, it's why Kingsport has three woman doctors for such a small Canadian city." Dr. Halliwell told her patient. "How's the baby in these past few hours?"
"Besides annoyed at me?" Rilla said wryly. The doctor raised an eyebrow at her statement. "Whenever she quieted down for too long I would poke her to make sure she would still move about," Rilla admitted sheepishly.
"That would be annoying yes," Dr. Halliwell laughed. "why don't you pull up your nightgown for me and we can take a peek at the heartbeat?"
Rilla nodded and lifted her hips enough so she could have her nightgown rest above her stomach.
"Heartbeat is steady, have you noticed any cramping or discharge?" The doctor asked her.
"No, it felt like she stretched out and tried to take away my lung capacity though at one point," Rilla said with a small laugh.
"Then yes you did annoy her with your prodding." Dr. Halliwell laughed. "How is your back feeling?"
"Ken said I have a few bruises, along my back and on my hip," Rill told her heaving herself from the bed.
"May I look at them?" The doctor asked. Rilla nodded and turned away from the doctor and lifted her nightgown. Bringing it over her head but still covered her chest for modesty and comfort.
"If you stop by the office, I can leave some salve at reception for you." the doctor commented stepping away from her patient. "Your husband to rub some in to help with the soreness. If you have any issues walking, or anything changes. Call me straight away, or the hospital, though while I am here. Shall we go through the home birth walkthrough?"
"I suppose so," Rilla nodded. "Let me put on a robe?"
"Of course," Dr. Halliwell acknowledges her and allowed her a moment of privacy. "Do you plan on giving birth in this room, do you have a spare room?"
"I haven't thought much about it," Rilla admitted and fixed her nightgown and shrugged on her quilted housecoat. "The bath is up here, we do have a spare room as well."She leads her out into the hall. "This will be the nursery," she motioned to an open room with a cot and dresser set up. It was buttery yellow, with lace curtains, a dainty cross hanging on the wall. "Spare room is down the hall."
"Whichever you choose will be fine, I will suggest a rubber sheet to protect the mattress. They can be found in the department store in the linen section. Just ask for a rubberized sheet. Any old towels will be helpful, freshly laundered and set aside as well. A special blanket for the child if you have one for afterwards of course."
Rilla nodded. "Do you want any breakfast?" She asked as she heard Ken in the kitchen.
"I am fine thank you," Dr. Halliwell shook her head. "You will also need a large pot for hot water."
"We have a stockpot that I use to make jam," Rilla offered.
"Sounds perfect, I will let you get on with your day. Again if anything changes call me," She told Rilla who nodded led her over to the front door.
"So everything is all right?" Ken asked handing her a piece of toast.
"She thinks so. She told me she will leave me some salve at the reception at her office for my bruising." Rilla explained as she sat down wincing from the bruise.
"We can stop by later today then," Ken told her.
"But the office!" Rilla turned her head to look at him.
"I called in. Mrs. Clarke isn't here today and I don't want you to be alone," Ken retorted as he placed a bowl of oatmeal in front of her. Kissing the top of her head before he sat down with his own. "I am sure they can manage a day without me, we're nowhere near layout for either issue. If they have any questions Keith can handle it, or they can call me."
Rilla silently nodded as she stirred her oatmeal and cut up banana. "I was supposed to have Una come over today." She looked from her breakfast. "Don't look at me like that, we weren't going to trapeze around town. She just asked if she could stop by for tea, Mrs. Clarke was going to leave some scones and tea biscuits for me in the pantry."
"Isn't it strange that she suddenly just asked to visit?" Ken asked.
"It is, but what could I say?" Rilla shrugged. "She's a nice woman, we just drifted apart? I don't know what she wants out of the visit, but it's not like I am going to say no. Who knows maybe we can start over and bond as mothers?"
"Then I will spend some time in the basement developing some photographs." Ken grinned at her and took a sip of his coffee.
Rilla was put together and dressed when Una knocked on the door. When Rilla opened the door, she could see her old friend partly taken back.
"You never heard the news have you?" Rilla blushed as she let her friend in awkardly. Unsure of what to expect from this visit.
"No, I did not, but it is a pleasant surprise," Una said. "Congratulations," she said brightly kissing Rilla's cheek. "You look very well, you're in your second trimester?"
Rilla coughed a laugh at her friend's estimation. "Third, thirty-one weeks," she told Una.
"You are so tiny! I was a house at that point already." Una exclaimed she unbuttoned her wool coat, and a small inky hair head came into view. He was wrapped up in a sling that she had wrapped around her body.
"It's partly my height and torso having room. I was quite ill in the beginning," Rilla explained. It was strange how everyone thought they could comment on her tiny bump. Telling her she had no reason to complain or reason to feel like a whale. "Who is this little one?" She changed the subject, she had heard his name of course. But it was polite to ask after all.
"This is Johnathon George," Una gushed as she turned so Rilla could see the little ones face. "He is three months old as of last week. He's a mommy's boy that is for sure."
"He's lovely, I would have visited, but Ken worries about me being out and about. So besides the doctors or the occasional tea lately which are after doctor appointments, I am mostly home, though aren't they all mommy's boys and girls until they are weaned?" Rilla asked practically.
"Pretty much," Una laughed and followed Rilla into the living room. "So how have you been?"
"All right I suppose, the last few months haven't been the easiest," Rilla said honestly. "I fell down the stairs last night, so the doctor was over this morning."
"Oh my goodness, that must have been terrifying!" Una exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand in shock.
"I am fine, my pride was hurt more than anything." Rilla tried to reassure her friend. "The little one is moving around and making sure I knew they are there."
"Are you going to have a hospital birth?" Una asked. "I had Johnny at Grace Hospital, it was made everything so simple for us."
"I had a tour not long ago, I ended up choosing to have a home birth if everything goes smoothly," Rilla told her. Omitting her panic attack at the hospital as the busied herself with her tea set. "Just something I am more used to I suppose?"
"Are you going to the Island for Christmas?" Una asked as she took the offered cup.
"I'm not sure what we will do," Rilla frowned. "If my doctor allows the travel, I might. Though Ken may also not want to risk or chance anything. I'll be fairly close to my due date by then. I believe that his parents are planning to spend the holidays here with us."
"How is Ken's company doing? I do enjoy the ladies' magazine, the photos and drawings are lovely. The advice and column are very smart as well."
"It's doing fairly well, the ladies of the division know their stuff. Ken is downstairs at the moment in the darkroom, he didn't want to leave me alone this morning without our housekeeper here. He worries," Rilla spoke quietly.
"Timothy was the same," Una smiled patted her hand. "Men are all the same really. Though I still can't believe I didn't hear through the grapevine from the family."
"Well, it's not like we announced things so plainly to the public," Rilla said thinking for a moment. " We only told my siblings at Thanksgiving. I am rather surprised that Faith never said anything," Rilla told her truthfully. "I would have thought it be all over the place."
"She mostly told me about Di's wedding and that you weren't feeling the best lately," Una admitted. "I just never thought I would come to find you, well almost eight months pregnant. Truthfully I am rather surprised you are, you were set against them for so long."
"It was a long road," Rilla said unsure what else to say.
"I'm sorry that was callous of me to say," Una blushed at not watching her words.
"It's fine," Rilla sighed. "Have you heard from Carl?"
"I have, apparently he's talking to some lady he met. He doesn't say much, but between the lines, he's happier then I have seen him lately." Una told her.
"Marianne, her name is Marianne. She was visiting from Toronto when Carl ran into us," Rilla told Una, having a feeling that she knew more then she let on. "She's a friend of mine."
"Ever the unintentional matchmaker," Una smiled with a small laugh.
"Not so much, " Rilla shook her head. She went to talk about her friend as Marianne was a lovely person in general. Talking animatedly for the next hour before she found herself leaning back on the couch.
"Owe, owe! Get out of my ribs!" She said loudly enough that you soon heard footsteps coming from the basement. "I get it, you didn't like me keeping you up last night."
"What's wrong!" Ken ran into the room looking at the two women.
"Your child is punishing me," Rilla said through gritted teeth as she held up her hands so he could pull her up. It took a moment as she paced, trying to walk out the feeling of pressure in her ribs. "Seriously this might be the last time I will ever do this," she growled at Ken before waving him off.
"You might hear that a lot the next few weeks," Una told Ken quietly. "Why don't we take a small walk to the park I saw down the street? Stretch out your body for a few minutes, I knew sitting too long hurt me more than standing some days."
"I don't—," Ken started but shut up when he saw the faces of each woman. "I feel go find your leg warmers," Ken said. "But no more than an hour please?"
Rilla sighed in the fresh air, after saying goodbye to Una, she shut her front door and took off her wraps. She made her way to the kitchen and knocked down on the cellar door.
"Come in!" Ken called out, and she opened and walked extra carefully down the stairs. It was all clean of his chemicals and fresh photographs were hanging to dry.
She sighed at the sight of them, most of her in various outfits and stages of her pregnancy. The one the stood out was the one from the night before. It was shades of grey, but the small smile on her face spoke millions. As he managed to capture the exact moment she had caressed her stomach. You could see the outline of her legs, but it wasn't indecent in any way. It's not a photo she would have out on display in the living room. But in their private bedroom, it could be just for them.
"Look at you all rosy-cheeked," Ken commented.
"The walk did me well," Rilla agreed. "She's finally decided to forgive me I think, though I think some ice cream will make me completely forgiven."
"Then I guess we will go get ice cream," Ken laughed and kissed her sweetly.
So we are heading into a pivotal moment, and I hope everyone is still enjoying this! I know this chapter is full filler, but I wanted at least one more chapter before the next chapter.
I hope everyone is doing well and their families as well.
Tina