A Change in Plans

An ATC for "The Foundling"

by Lilyjack

Chapter 40

"Special Delivery"

A torrent of liquid splashed on the floor between Kitty's feet as she grabbed a rasher of bacon and a bowlful of eggs from the icebox. "Uh-oh…" she muttered, returning the food to its rightful place and delicately lifting the hem of her gown.

The skillet in his hand forgotten, Quint stared at her, open-mouthed. "What's that mean? Is that normal?"

"Yes, it's normal, Quint. Looks like a baby's finally about to make an appearance. Help me to a chair so I don't slip and fall."

"Sweet Jesus, Kitty…right now?" Quint lay the cast iron skillet atop the stove with a loud clank.

"Yes," she replied impatiently. "I need you to help me to the chair now."

"I meant…" He hurried to her side, being careful where he stepped. "…is the baby comin' right now?"

"No, Quint. You should know better. These things take time. Gimme your arm. I need to sit down a minute."

"But…" Quint helped her into a seat, anxiously touching her hair, her cheek, finally running his fingers through his own hair before he continued. "But…shouldn't we go get Lottie?"

Kitty shook her head and held her side, grimacing a bit. "Not yet. This could take hours."

"Hours?"

"Yes, hours. I've gone with Doc several times when babies were bein' born, and sometimes it took a whole day."

His voice rose a notch. "A whole day?"

"Or more…" She stopped talking to place both her hands on her belly and just breathe quietly.

'What…? Honey? Why do you keep doin' that?"

"Pains, Quint. The baby's comin' slowly. It's been goin' on for a little while."

"A little while?" His bushy black brows beetled on his forehead. "Why didn't you tell me, honey?"

"Well, I wasn't sure what it was, Quint. I didn't wanna worry you for nothin'. And I thought it could just be gas pains. You know how badly this baby has upset my digestion lately."

"Yeah…" Quint nodded in agreement, curling his lip a bit. "I sure do. But that right there's not gas." He pointed to the mess on the floor.

"Well, no, but you made that spicy chili last night, so I was just thinkin'… You know?"

"Yeah, I'm real sorry about that, honey."

"Violet did warn you chili might not be the best thing to cook for an expectant mother." She pursed her lips, eyeing him askance.

"I won't do that again, I promise." He scrubbed his fingers through his hair again. "How do you feel? Is it still hurtin'?"

"I'm fine, Quint. But maybe we should clean this floor up?"

"No, lemme do it. You stay right there. And then I'll go get Lottie."

"Don't bother her yet, Quint. It's gonna be hours, honest."

"Please…" Quint leaned over to kiss her forehead, murmuring against her skin, "Just let me go get Lottie. For me, okay?"

She sighed, gracing him with a tiny smile. "If it'll make you feel better, okay." She pointed to a cabinet. "There are plenty of clean rags in the ragbag in there. Violet just washed 'em yesterday. You sure you don't want me to help?"

"No!" Quint held his palms in the air. "You relax." His face suddenly broke out in a wide, white grin. "You're gonna have a baby, Kitty."

Her eyes softened, and her expression turned to one of wonder as she placed her hands on her belly. "I'm gonna have a baby," she repeated. She beamed up at him. "We're gonna have a baby, Quint."

He leaned over, captured her lips in a sweet kiss. "I love you, honey. Now let me get this cleaned up so I can get you upstairs before I go fetch Lottie. It won't take me but a minute."

A smile played at the corners of her mouth. "I love you, too, Quint." She grasped his shirt front and pulled him back for another slow kiss, then murmured in his ear, "I'm awful glad you're here with me."

"I wouldn't wanna be anywhere else in the world, sweetheart." He planted a noisy kiss on her cheek, raising a dark brow as he declared, "I'm gonna stay right by your side. Wild horses couldn't drag me away."

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The temperature was dropping rapidly as the sun set. While Lottie did what she loved best, puttering in her front garden, she wondered how Kitty was faring. Lottie was busily trimming back the ever-persistent English ivy from the sidewalk, still growing throughout the cold winter months, in anticipation of her holiday guests' arrival. As a point of pride, she always liked her house and garden looking their finest when folks paid a visit.

Lottie had explained to the Aspers there was no need for her to be present, perhaps for hours, until Kitty herself felt the urge to push. That motherly instinct would herald that the baby was indeed ready to make its long-awaited appearance. Lottie reassured an anxious Mr. Asper that she'd certainly remain at home all day in anticipation of providing assistance when the time was right.

But despite her words to the contrary, Lottie herself had checked up on Kitty several times today. Kitty wasn't as young as a typical first-time mother, although she did seem to be in excellent health. But Lottie preferred to keep an eye on her lovely, vivacious neighbor as things naturally progressed. Kitty truly didn't really need Lottie there yet, not with an attentive husband like Mr. Asper around. It had been Lottie's experience that husbands usually desired to be as far from this "woman's business" as possible, but certainly not Quint Asper.

It appeared as though everything was going like clockwork, and the Aspers were dutifully following Lottie's expert midwifery advice. Kitty had remained upright and walking as much as possible. That old business of putting an expectant mother straight to bed was nonsense as far as Lottie's experience had shown. Mothers often felt the innate need to get up and walk, and it only made sense to let Mr. Newton's gravity aid the process as much as possible.

When Kitty wasn't walking around the second floor of the house, Mr. Asper was kindly rubbing her lower back, whispering comforting words in her ear. On one trip, Lottie had braided Kitty's hair so that she'd be cooler and help keep it tidy. The last time Lottie had been by, the poor dear had looked exhausted, soaked with perspiration, her gown sticking to her skin despite the chill of the season. Yes, it seemed that labor was progressing nicely.

Just a few minutes ago from the vantage point of her front garden, she'd seen Mr. Asper cracking open the window to let some fresh, cool air into the bedroom. His face had been drawn, apprehensive, as he spied Lottie in the yard, and he gave her an absent-minded wave through the glass before turning his back on the window, heading back to his Kitty's side.

The poor man seemed to be suffering alongside his beautiful wife, as Lottie knew they were an uncommonly close and loving couple. Lottie had often seen them during warm summer days and crisp autumn mornings strolling in the garden, holding hands. They were so animated and lively in each other's company, talking and laughing just like newlyweds might, not like an old married couple. She'd even spied them stealing kisses in the gazebo occasionally. Lottie wondered, not for the first time, why it had taken Kitty so long to bear her first child.

Lottie was contemplating this very question when she heard a racket at the Asper home next door, a sharp bang emanating from the second floor. Her gaze flew up just in time to glimpse Mr. Asper poking his head out the fully open bedroom window, bellowing, "Lotttieeeee!" at the top of his formidable lungs.

Lottie stood and brushed the dirt from her skirt as Mr. Asper peered toward where she stood in the rapidly fading daylight. "Yes, Mr. Asper?"

His brow was knit in determination as he pronounced, "It's time."

Lottie nodded firmly, answering, "Good then. I'll just hurry and fetch my bag."

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Quint barreled down the stairs, trotting to the front door the moment he heard the doorbell ring. The house was redolent with the scent of balsam pine from the Christmas tree in the sitting room, sprays of evergreen and red-berried holly decorating the fireplace mantel. Fancy wrapped packages lay underneath the tree in anticipation of Christmas Day just one week away.

Quint was breathless when he threw the door open wide. "Thanks for comin' so quick, Miz Lottie." Then he grabbed her wrist and hauled her quickly inside and up the stairs leaving no time for polite conversation.

He halted outside the bedroom door, lowering his voice discreetly as he

addressed his companion, "Uh… Miz Lottie, just in case Kitty lets fly with an…uh, impolite word or two…"

Lottie interrupted, comforting him, "I assure you, Mr. Asper, I will think nothing of it. It's quite common when women are in extreme pain to be…indelicate."

Quint looked wholly relieved. "That's awful good to know." He raised his brows. "Cause she's cussed me pretty good a coupla times now." He took Lottie's wrist firmly again, swinging wide the bedroom door. "Let's go!"

The room was dim save for the light of a bedside oil lamp and the soft orange glow from a small, crackling fire in the fireplace. They could hear Kitty quietly moaning on the big cast iron bed. Quint hurried to her side. "Honey, I've got Lottie. Kitty, are you okay?"

She didn't answer. Her face was a mask of pain, the sheen of perspiration covering her skin reflecting the flickering firelight. Unhearing, Kitty writhed silently, clutching at the sweat-dampened sheets.

Quint reached to wring out a cloth in a basin of cool water to wipe her face and neck. Brows knit together, he murmured, "Miz Lottie, she's been hurtin' awful bad for a long time now."

"It's completely normal, Mr. Asper. But she's been a very brave woman, to be sure." Lottie set her bag on the bureau, opening it up and quickly laying her things out. Quint glimpsed bandages, alcohol, thick cotton twine, and the glint of a pair of steel scissors. He swallowed hard.

Without looking up from sorting her supplies, Lottie asked, "Is Violet here?"

"No, today's her day off." He smoothed the small curls plastered to Kitty's skin off her face.

"She's gonna be mighty disappointed when she finds out she missed all the excitement. Did you haul plenty of hot water upstairs and get me a lot of towels?"

"Yes, ma'am. The water's probably not hot anymore, but it should be warm still."

"That's perfect. Thank you, Mr. Asper." Lottie turned toward the bed, tying a bibbed apron over her dress and rolling up her sleeves. "Let's see if she would like to move to the edge of the bed. Can you support her back?"

"Yes, ma'am, I'd be glad to. Kitty, honey, let's sit you up." Quint slipped an arm underneath her shoulders and pulled her upright, sliding her to the edge of the bed.

Lottie instructed, "Let's cover the mattress with plenty of towels. There we go… Kitty?"

Kitty's pain-hazy eyes seem to focus finally. "Lottie?"

"Yes, dear, it's me. I'm going to pull up this nightgown and see what's happening. Set your feet flat on the floor and spread those knees wide. Don't be shy. There's nothing down there we haven't seen before." Lottie shot a look at Quint. "Begging your pardon, Mr. Asper."

"No offense taken, Miz Lottie." Quint hastily slid to sit on the bed behind Kitty, wrapping his arms around her. "Lean back on me, honey. I got ya'."

Lottie crowed, "Seems you two have been doing just fine without me! Just a few pushes should do it."

Kitty sighed, "Really?"

"Yes, dear, I can see the baby's head! Go ahead and push hard as you can with the next pain that hits!"

Quint repeated encouragingly, "The baby's head, Kitty! This'll all be over soon, honey!"

Kitty's head rolled tiredly on her neck. She looked up at him with exhausted eyes, her features drawn and shadowed. "I'm…just…so tired, Quint."

"I know you are, honey. You've been sufferin' all day long." He cupped her cheek in his palm. "But the baby is almost here. You have to push, sweetheart! Take a deep breath…and push!"

Kitty groaned, her eyes squeezing shut.

Lottie chimed in, "Push with the pain, Kitty. It won't take much more. That a girl! Again!"

Quint whispered, "Take a deep breath and push hard!"

Lottie looked up at them excitedly, "Halfway! This baby has a headful of hair!"

Kitty laughed tiredly, then grit her teeth and groaned again, trembling with the effort.

Lottie proclaimed, "One more time should do it!"

Quint urged her, "Hold onto my hands, honey. Push again!"

She squeezed Quint's hands hard, pushing and growling between clenched teeth, until she gasped aloud.

Lottie cried out, "You did it!"

Quint kissed Kitty's forehead triumphantly. He grinned as he declared, "You did it, sweetheart!"

And at that moment they both heard it, the sweet sound of a mewling infant, drawing breath for the first time and releasing a shuddering cry as loudly as its tiny lungs would allow. Kitty gasped and held out her arms.

Lottie rose with the child in her hands, stroking it gently with a soft, clean towel. "Congratulations…" Beaming, she lay the baby in the Aspers' intertwined arms. "…you have a daughter. You hold her and I'll get my things to tie the cord."

Her voice thready with exhaustion, Kitty sighed, "Quint, we have a little girl…" Clapping a hand over her own mouth, she choked back a sob, her eyes brimming over with hot tears that dripped down her cheeks. Trembling, she touched her child's impossibly soft, new skin as she inhaled her tiny puffing breaths. Enraptured, Kitty listened to her baby's quiet mewling grunts and sighs. Kitty placed a tentative fingertip in the infant's hand. The babe instantly latched on and held tight, taking Kitty's breath clean away. A small, joyous laugh escaped her lips as Quint tenderly stroked the small head of hair, the unmistakable glint of red gold flashing in the lamplight.

Quint murmured to the beautiful wife he held in his arms, "Just like her mama…she's perfect."

Kitty cut her sparkling eyes up at Quint. "Oh, I'm not near perfect, and you know it." She touched her lips to her daughter's cheek, quietly proclaiming, "But I reckon this little one is as perfect as they come." Kitty unbuttoned her nightgown to guide the child's tiny rosebud lips to her breast. Her heart full to bursting, Kitty whispered to her new daughter, "Mama's little girl…Lucy."

tbc

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