Transition Plan Chapter 48 - Special Delivery Part 3 and 4 Conclusion

Jane knew she was close to delivery. Everything about her body seemed to be loose and moving into proper position. But as well as she knew her body she also knew that she had a problem, and she was rapidly running out of time to do anything about it. Several solutions were simply no longer possible.

She put it as delicately as possible to not alarm Tarzan too much, "I'm close, Tarzan."

"I can tell, Jane."

"There's a problem if I do go now," she cautioned.

"A problem? What kind of problem?" asked Tarzan and he grew concerned.

She took his hand and positioned them over the top part of her baby mound right under her bosom, "Feel this part?"

"Yes."

Jane said seriously, "That is our baby's head. That's not where he's supposed to be right now. His head is supposed to be down here, deep in my pelvic area. So he can make his way out of me like almost all animal babies do," she explained.

"And what is wrong with his head being up here?" he queried.

"Our baby is breech," she stated with extreme trepidation, and shook with worry.

He saw this and comforted her, "What does that mean for you Jane?"

"The baby will come out feet first. Babies need to come out head first. To stretch everything inside me big enough to get out and be born. Their heads are the biggest part."

He swallowed hard and asked with even greater concern, holding her closer, "What can we do, Jane?"

She tried to look away and didn't have the strength to face him, "It could get complicated, Tarzan."

He pressed, "How complicated, Jane?"

"Very complicated, Jonathan…" she said desperately.

"Tell me, Jane. I must know. How bad could it get?"

"Either I or the baby could die, Jonathan," she whispered and had a very frightened look.

He asked the ultimate question, "Or both?"

She held his shoulders and looked directly into his eyes in real fear, "Yes, Jonathan. Both…"

He tried to suppress a frantic feeling inside, devastated by the thought of potentially losing both of the people he loved the most in his life, "We need to get you some help. Right now. A doctor's help. The Igbo have a dibia."

"There's not enough time to get there and it's too rough through the jungle, dear."

Tarzan shook his head, blaming himself, "We should have gone back to England on the Destiny. We both knew your mother had complications with her pregnancy. You seemed so strong, Jane. The English have doctors that can solve a breech delivery."

She gave him a tender touch, and tried to reassure him, "We don't have time to make that journey, but I am strong, Tarzan. I will get through this, with you beside me. Don't blame yourself for this. It's just the way it's all meant to be. Sometimes it just happens," she said bravely.

Kala always had a sense of anything wrong between Jane and Tarzan. She approached them and touched them both on their arms.

Kala said, "Children, there is something troubling you. Please tell me. Are you worried about your time?"

"Yes Mother. My baby is breech."

"Oh dear. This is very serious, Jane. I have delivered a lot of babies, but never breech. You need to get to the Nigerians as soon as possible. Their human midwives or doctors can help you. I can't. Breech births in the Mangani, dear Jane, don't work out very well…"

"I… I can't Mother. It's too far. It's too much strain. I could go into labor on the way. Then I would be in real trouble."

Kala sighed and said, "Then there is only one answer in the time you have left."

They both asked, "What?"

"We have to go visit someone I used to know."

"Who?"

"When we meet, I will tell you," Kala said very seriously.

"But why is seeing her so important for Jane?"

"She is one who has much experience in midwifery. More than any other being in the jungle. She can help Jane as much as a dibia."

"Is she far away?" asked Jane, encouraged, but she fretted over the hardships of a long journey.

"Less than a day's journey. If she is even alive any more."

"But it is up there," she pointed to the overhead cliffs. It was a very steep climb. They wasted no time. Tarzan carried Jane every step of the way. She was over 150 pounds at this point, and was a big load even for Tarzan.

They were further in the foothills of the mountains. There were caves dotting the cliffs. It was rocky and inhospitable, with only a little vegetation. It is not a place the Mangani would ever nest.

They stopped suddenly. There was an ape skeleton strewn in the gravel.

Kala warned, "Tarzan, you must wait here."

"Why, Mother?"

Very seriously, Kala said, "Because only females are permitted past this point."

Tarzan worried, "But Mother, I must go with you to keep you both safe. To make sure Jane is all right."

"If who we need to see still lives, Jane will be all right," Kala informed Tarzan.

Kala pointed to the carcass, "You see before you what will happen if you, a male, continues up the trail forbidden to all males. Jane, we must go unarmed. You must leave your bow with Tarzan."

It was Jane's turn to fret, "But then I will defenseless."

"She will know. We will be all right, Jane. Please trust me."

Jane kissed Tarzan. They were really concerned. Kala had a deep secret that Tarzan had never heard about.

The trail was very rocky, but not too steep for both women. They kept a slow pace so that Jane did not strain. They went into a cave marked with bones. It was dank, smelled of decay. More pieces of skeletons were strewn about. The light was dim. Vermin scurried on the cave floor.

"Stop or die!" came a rasping ancient voice from deep within in Mangani. It echoed.

Several bats were disturbed and flew at them screeching, causing them to duck.

"Who dares disturb my solitude? I am alone for a reason. I wish no visitors."

Kala announced, "We come with a great need, Ekwansu."

Jane's heart skipped a beat. Ekwansu was Igbo for 'devil'. Jane thought, "Why would sweet Mother Kala want to be in league with a creature called by name of the devil? And how did she know of this terrible place?"

They heard a shuffling in the cave. A huge, dimly lighted figure could be seen outlined in the distance, and approached with a lumbering gait. Glowing eyes watched them from the shadows.

Jane gasped at the sight. It was an aged, all white-furred gorilla. Jane could see that she was female. There were pieces missing from her ears, and scars across her face and was missing some toes and fingers.

The white gorilla had a very curious look and shielded her dim eyes from the backlight. She sniffed, and said tentatively, but less ominously, "Kala?"

"Yes. It is I, Mother. Kala."

Jane was absolutely stunned to know this formidable old gorilla was Kala's mother.

They were face to face in a gorilla stance. The old white ape groomed Kala softly, and spoke tenderly, "You are older, daughter. You have sad eyes."

Kala teared up, "I have lost my Kerchak, Mother, but my Tarzan son rules. He is kind and just."

"I am sorry daughter. I approved of your choice of mate in Kerchak."

The revelation that this was Kala's mother was still causing Jane to almost reel over. Kala had never mentioned her mother was alive once in all the time she had known her.

The female took one good look at Jane, with a realization, her eyes flew open, and charging the frightened pair, roaring and holding her paws up in an attack position.

Jane and Kala had no time to turn and flee, and Jane would have fallen and hurt herself and the baby. Kala looked forward without flinching. Mother Kala knew something. They stood their ground.

The aged ape was inches from Jane's face with her mouth full of terribly sharp but many broken and rotten teeth, and roared and beat her chest. Her breath reeked terribly.

Jane bowed to the white gorilla from her all fours gorilla stance, but kept her calm.

Kala's Mother assumed a less threatening pose, and had been clearly trying to intimidate Jane and get a reaction from her, "You are fearless and yet you are onye oche. But you wear no human clothing and you stand just like the Mangani. This is not possible. Do you know our words, human female?"

Jane spoke confidently in her true command of the gorilla language, "It is true I am from the human civilization beyond the ocean, Mother of Kala. But I am 'of the jungle'."

That phrase had great weight in any animal language.

The ape did not acknowledge her greeting or her claim to jungle citizenship.

Jane remained in a gorilla crouch as the ancient white ape carefully walked completely around Jane. Kala's mother sniffed Jane's body up and down completely. She gently touched the baby bump, and Jane closed her eyes and bit her lower lip holding back her fear of the baby being hurt. Kala's mother groomed Jane's bottom-length hair.

The old gorilla was impressed but very puzzled, "Daughter Kala, what is this? Why do you bring this pregnant human woman here? Outland humans are dangerous."

Kala drew herself up in complete surety, "She is the mate of my son Tarzan. She is one of us. She is truly Mangani. And she is the one in great need of your help."

Jane was astonished. Only recently had the tribe been known as 'Mangani' when Tarzan shared the title with the Mangani at their homecoming back from England. Clearly there were more ancient legends than Tarzan knew and this great female gorilla knew it all. And so did Kala.

Kala's mother asked kindly, "What is your name, sister?"

"Jane, Ekwansu."

The old female ape chuckled, "Yes my name is the devil, but only to those males who dare cross my path. But it strikes fear in their hearts, and keeps them away, and that satisfies me. They need have fear of me. You are Nnenwa, human Jane."

Jane remained in her gorilla crouch eye to eye with Ekwansu, "It is true. I am in my ninth month. My time is near."

The gorilla made a huge snort, "I can smell that. You are closer than you even think, sister."

Jane's heart raced.

The old gorilla turned to her daughter, "Why is it that you bring her here to me, Kala?"

Kala expressed her concern, "She is breech, Mother. I lack the skill to correct that."

Ekwansu smiled knowingly and instructed, "Watch and learn the skill, dear daughter. Your tribe needs someone who can. I may be as those bones you saw when next you may return."

Kala nodded.

The ape ordered, "Jane, lay on your back on that rock."

It was slimy and cold, but she did. She felt bugs scurry out from under her back, and shuddered. With her back arched, the baby's mound was even more pronounced.

Kala was nonplussed, "Human babies are huge compared to Mangani. But they are all the same. Spread your legs, I must check how near you are."

Jane gritted her teeth as the old gorilla first cleansed her hands with a lemony fruit juice, and said, "This will be very uncomfortable sister Jane, but it is the only way. I must know how to help you."

Jane groaned in the discomfort as Ekwansu gave Jane a pelvic exam and checked her internally, exactly how an English doctor would have. Jane wondered where Kala's mother had gained this knowledge.

The old gorilla smiled, "You are due very soon sister Jane. With my help, you and your baby will have an easier time of it."

"And live?" Jane asked nervously.

Ekwansu nodded, "Yes young woman. You will both likely live."

Jane sighed relief.

"Bite on this leather, and hold to the ground root growing into the cave above us. This will be very uncomfortable, but I assure you I will not hurt your baby."

With the skills of a surgeon, Ekwansu located Jane's baby's head and body, and slowly moved the child. She could sense where the umbilical cord was too, and kept it from bending or choking the child. The baby kicked and resisted, but yielded to the gorilla's techniques at turning. In the space of thirty minutes the baby's head was perfectly inserted into Jane's pelvis, positioned at the opening of the birth canal that she knew was gradually forming before labor began in earnest.

Jane gasped and coughed and strained, but held on and dealt with the extreme discomfort. Finally the gorilla released her grip on Jane's stomach, and she felt relief.

Ekwansu said soothingly, "You may let go and release the bite. You were a good patient, Jane. Most scream or struggle. The jungle is well served with an Outlander of your grit. You are a worthy mate of my grandson Tarzan."

"I am honored Mother of Kala," somehow it made no sense to call her the devil. She really was an angel – she had just performed a miracle.

The old gorilla gave a wan smile, "I must warn you, Jane, mate of Tarzan. Now that the baby is in the right place, your delivery could come at any time."

Jane acknowledged with a happy smile, "I know. I am prepared. I am very grateful for your help, Grandmother. When we meet again, I will ask you to bestow the jungle blessing on your great grandchild. He or she will be born Mangani."

Called that familial title, the old gorilla smiled, bowed, and turned back to the shadows, watched by the glowing eyes that lurked in the dark shadows in the corners of the cave.

…

Kala and Jane headed back down the trail, and talked.

Jane asked anxiously, "What happened to your mother to be so scared and isolated. She should be with the family."

Kala shook her head, "She is past being part of the family. It is her way by choice. The family was attacked years ago, before either you or Tarzan were born, by a roving band of marauding male chimpanzees. They killed Kerchak's father and mother and attempted to kill more of us. Ekswanu fought viciously back and that is how she got her current name. She was mangled badly, and always lagged behind when we migrated to our new nests. She knew she made us unsafe for further harm. So when we nested near here, she stayed behind and placed herself in isolation. She developed a fear of any male ape."

Jane asked, but understood, "The skeletons, Mother?"

Kala grinned, "All placed there to scare the faint hearted away, mostly. But she had protectors. You saw them. Beasts so hideous and vicious they always hide, until unleashed by Ekwansu's order. Tarzan himself would not be able to stop their fury."

"The yellow eyes that glowed in the cave?" asked Jane.

"Yes. Had we been hostile or male they would have acted."

Jane groomed Mother Kala while they rested a moment, "Knowing that your mother is here alone must make you feel terrible."

"I know she is safe here, even if alone. I brought you here because she was our best midwife and everything I know I learned from her. Yes it did break my heart to be separated. More than thirty rainy seasons. Tarzan knows nothing of this. Nor could he."

They rejoined Tarzan with a joint hug. He had a very anxious look on his face, "Are you all right?"

"I got some help from someone who knows all about birthing babies."

Tarzan was greatly relieved.

All at once, Jane stood helplessly as water poured out of her lower body. It was a gusher.

While the trio stood in surprise, Tarzan joked and laughed after it was all over, "Wow, Jane, I am really glad you didn't do that in my arms, dear. I might have dropped you."

"No, Jonathan," she said with a bit of trepidation, "My water broke."

…

They all knew labor had begun. Tarzan quickly picked her up and put her in a nice soft grassy area. A creek ran next to them and a mossy rock propped her back.

"Augh!" yelled Jane as she was immediately beset by her first labor pain.

Doubled over in pain, Jane winced, "Omigosh, that was awful. I'm in real labor now, Jonathan."

Kala ordered, "Tarzan, get some water and a lot of soapberry pods."

He did everything Kala said.

She screamed outright into the jungle for hours. The echoes of the birthing pangs bounced around the forest.

As Jane continued her labor, Tarzan sponged her forehead, and kept watch over her. He gave her sips of water as she needed them.

She squeezed his arms. He helped set a cadence of breathing during the groans and grunts of the labor.

"We can get through this Jane."

"Only with your help, Tarzan. And Mother's."

After several hours of constant labor, Kala announced, "Jane, you are ready.

"Oh dear me, thank goodness. I've needed to push so badly!"

"You can do this daughter. Breathe and push!" Kala coached.

They did it several times. Harder and harder each time. Tarzan could see the baby moving through her stomach.

"Come on Jane, keep pushing…. Good girl… that's it!"

Jane was very determined with push after push, "Uhh! I can do this, I can do this, I can do this. I want to see my baby!"

Kala and Tarzan could both see the baby's head crown and she smiled, "Tarzan do you want to catch the baby?"

"Yes I do. Jane?"

Jane was completely drenched in sweat, "Yes, please Jonathan. I would love for you to do that"

He followed Kala's instructions to the letter.

"Jane, one last time, push but not quite as hard," instructed Kala.

"Ahh!" she groaned one last time, and felt sudden relief as the baby completely passed through her.

Guided by Kala, their child eased right into Tarzan's arms, and with the sudden light, it started squalling a newborn's wail. The baby was covered in amniotic fluids and lubrication and a little blood. Kala tended to Jane's body, but she didn't care. Jane had only one focus now,"Tarzan! Tarzan! Tell me! What is it?"

"It's a boy, dearest! Here he is. Our son."

Ever so carefully Tarzan's strong arms delivered their son to her waiting anxious arms. Jane was crying great tears of joy, "Oh Jonathan, dearest Jonathan, just look what we made together!"

The little boy had a very full head of auburn hair. He had blue eyes, like most newborns, but a hint of green. Jane gently placed their boy to her breasts and his crying stopped as he happily fed.

"You two are just beautiful," Tarzan praised quietly, and gently ran his fingers through her hair and cheeks and the baby's.

"Thank you dearest. Isn't he wonderful? He's just so perfect!"

"He's so handsome, Jane. Look, he has your hair."

"Yes he does, but I sure hope he'll be strong and tall just like you Jonathan."

Kala interrupted gently, "You did wonderfully, Jane. And you three are such a fine looking family. I hate to break up this lovely family bonding, but there are two matters left."

The umbilical was still tied to him.

Jane had been so distracted with their newborn that she forgot, "Oh! Yes, of course. Now Jonathan, it's your turn."

He pecked her on the cheek, and he reached for his knife that he had sterilized with soapberry suds, and with Jane and Tarzan looking into each other's eyes lovingly, he cut the baby's cord. Kala tied it off with a vine tendril to staunch any bleeding.

Kala instructed her daughter in law, "Jane, dear you need to push again.""

"Yes Mother," she obeyed, knowing her placenta was next.

Kala put her hand over her sagging stomach, "Jane I have to push on this, it will cleanse your insides, but it's going to really hurt."

Kala pushed the stomach flat and Jane groaned bravely just a little. Everything came out the way it was supposed to. But Jane was faced with a dilemma.

"Mother, I know what all my jungle friends do, now. But… I… I don't think I can do that."

Almost every animal mother in the jungle consumed their own placenta for both vital nutrients and to leave no spoor from birth, making the new mother and infant easy targets for hungry predators.

Kala reassured her, "It's all right Jane. You're Mangani but you are still human. Humans don't do this."

Tarzan took the placenta and said, "I will bury this in an honorable place, Jane."

"You two are so good to me," she smiled as she shifted their little boy to the other side. He whined a little not happy to be loose, but he settled ravenously right into place on the opposite side.

"Goodness sakes this boy is hungry!" Kala chuckled.

"Like father like son," Jane quipped.

"Hey!" Tarzan quipped, faking indignation.

While the new family was all close together, Jane asked with a happy smile that only mothers could have, "So what are we going to call him?"

"Well his English name will be Jonathan, like we talked about," Tarzan noted.

"But Jonathan, that is too many Jonathan's in one family!" she joked.

"I know. When I read some novels in our library, many times the son of a John or Jonathan was called 'Jack' inside the family."

"Yes! Jonathan - that's it. Jack Clayton," Jane was ecstatic with this.

At that exact moment a jungle fly landed on Jack's forehead. With his flailing tiny hands he accidentally killed the bug. Both parents laughed.

"That boy is a natural born killer at birth," Jane kidded, "Watch out Lord of the Jungle, you've got the next generation already challenging you."

"Korak," Tarzan stated.

"What?" Jane asked.

Tarzan explained, "Korak is our language's word for killer."

"Such a tiny child to be called 'killer'," Kala noted doubtfully.

"The more his adversaries will think not to challenge him," Tarzan explained.

"So in the jungle, Jack will be Korak," the new parents agreed.

Still holding him in her arms nursing him, Jane noticed something over Tarzan's shoulders, "Uhh… Tarzan?"

He looked behind him, and there arrayed behind them, was a semicircle of most of their jungle animal friends, all with very pleased looks on their faces.

Terk smiled, "Uh… Jane we kind of heard you screaming."

"Well I guess I was a little loud," she grinned.

Terk smirked, "Congratulations to you both! I have to admit, Jane, for a human infant, he's pretty darn cute. You two make good looking babies."

"Thank you sister," she blushed.

With everyone gathered together, Tarzan said, "Jane, it's time…"

"Yes Tarzan, especially with all our friends," Jane acknowledged.

He gently took Jack from Jane's arms and held him high over his head, and exclaimed, "Behold Korak, heir to the Lord of the Apes. And Jack Clayton, heir to the peerage of Clan Clayton."

With that he let loose his powerful jungle call, and the others all joined in with him. Of course little Jack screamed at the top of his lungs with the startlingly loud sound. Jane beamed her pride at the dedication of their child. A baptism would do the same when they went to England next. Tarzan returned their boy to his mother's arms and he was soon settled and quiet. He slept from his ordeal of being born.

Tarzan and Jane both praised Kala for her help.

"We will rest here tonight and return in the morning," Tarzan stated.

I will be strong enough then," Jane assured him. both new son and mother fell asleep quickly. They were worn out from their birthing ordeal.

He kept vigil the entire time, holding the people he loved the most gently in his arms, and thought of the future of his family with their wonderful son.

"So much to teach, so much to learn," he reflected to himself.

So much love expanded between Jane and Tarzan as they added one more to their family. The first of several to come…

…

Epilogue

In a row house in southern France near the Italian border, a young man paced nervously, still in uniform with his French Army Major's braids on his shoulder epaulets, the Colonel had let him off his detail when they learned of his wife's labor. Her screams and moans distressed him terribly knowing he could do little to intervene. Her mother was with her and was an experienced midwife. She was in the best hands in the village. This was woman's work.

Her mother yelled, "Push, Josephine!"

With several gasping grunts, he heard a shout of joy and happiness and both women crying happy tears.

He heard a baby's wail and happy soothing motherly sounds from both women.

The door to their bedroom opened, and a chubby French housewife poked her head around the corner with a great big smile, "You can come in now. She's ready to see you. They both are!"

Silently and expectantly he crept in to their bedroom. His wife was sweaty and unkempt hair, but radiant. She had a bundle in her arms, pressed against her bosom.

The brand new first time mother beamed a smile at her anxious husband, "Oh Armand, come see our beautiful little girl!"

The baby nursed, quietly, still covered in her birthing fluids and blood mixed in from her mother's labor.

"May I?" Armand said softly.

He took her in his arms very gently, and the little girl was not happy to be torn from her mother, and scrunched her face up into a tiny frown, and whimpered.

He cuddled her in his arms, and whispered, "Welcome to the world, Jeanne."

The mother said, "That has a beautiful sound to it beloved. Jeanne Jacot."

"She's as beautiful as you, Josephine."

The new mother blushed at Armand's praise. He was a wonderful lover and husband and she knew he'd be an even better father.

He spoke directly to his newborn, "One day you will make some lucky young man your wife."

She was beautiful. A head full of very dark hair, with already a dark tan olive skin that came from her mother's Italian and Greek heritage. With perfectly formed legs and arms and tiny fingers that flailed uncontrolled for the moment.

"Once step at a time darling. Let's just get her to walk and talk first," Josephine spoke tenderly to the brand new father.

THE END.

Author's Notes: With that we finish "Special Delivery". It went fast, but it was necessary to conclude it all now. And yes, I put one final allusion, this time with "Lion King" with Tarzan holding up newborn Korak to his people and friends. This is Jack's canon name. Furthermore, I introduced Jeanne Jacot, Korak's future canon wife Meriem (through a name changed by kidnapping).

I will be restarting 'Transition Plan' with a new chapter - a short story then hopefully a long one to follow that will involve World War I and Jack and Jeanne. But my updates will be on a longer time line and I unfortunately will be unable to respond to any of your reviews other than to express my great appreciation in advance. My family responsibilities are limiting my writing and hope you will understand.

-ayziks :)