Marilla held her precious babe once again, after she had rested and freshened up. Her hair was nearly plaited into one long strand, and she had changed her nightgown. You would have never known she had given birth that morning, except for the baby…of course.
"So, do you and Matthew have a name picked out?" Rachel asked, draping a blanket over Marilla's shoulders.
"Mm we do, i feel like I should wait for Matthew to come back but I suppose he wouldn't mind me telling you. Her name is Anne Mary Cuthbert. Anne after Matthew's mother and Mary after me and my aunt, who passed away years ago."
"That's a wonderful name for a little Cuthbert girl," Rachel smiled.
Inwardly, she felt that the baby was scrawny looking, very homely, not exactly what you would call 'pretty.' She watched Marilla try to calm her as Anne screwed up her tiny face to wail again.
"I suppose she's hungry. I never thought that she would fall asleep right after being born," Marilla said, unbuttoning her nightgown. Truth be told she was nervous to nurse for the first time, but she wouldn't let Rachel see her nerves.
She remembered watching Rachel nurse her babies and decided to try it the same way.
She tilted her baby's head with one hand and supported her breast with the other, brushing the teat against the baby's mouth; she let out a small gasp as Anne latched on, her suck much more powerful than Marilla thought it could be.
It hurt for a bit but then gradually stopped and Marilla just heard the sound of her baby eating, milk spilling down her face as she squirmed around.
"I-I don't think I can be much more happy right now, Rachel," Marilla looked up at her friend, her eyes watery
"I know the feeling. Something about feeding a slip of life when no one else can is a surreal moment."
"Indeed."
Anne fell asleep sucking on the breast and Marilla let her stay like that until she turned her head, the nipple coming out of her wee mouth with a soft pop.
She covered herself back up and shifted in the bed, wincing as she felt severe pain hit her in her nether region.
"In pain?" Rachel asked, "chances are you'll be using a menstrual cloth for a few weeks."
Marilla nodded, "I hope it doesn't last too long. What did you use for the soreness on your chest?"
"Cabbage leaf," Rachel said promptly, "it soothes."
Marilla looked at her incredulously, "I guess I'll try it."
"It works! Anyway, if you think you're okay here, I'm going to run home and make sure the family is alright."
"Of course! Matthew will be up from his nap soon anyway. I think I'll just stay like this for a bit."
"I'll be back later."
"Honestly, Rachel worries too much, doesn't she?" Marilla talked to the sleeping baby, caressing her soft head.
"Your papa and I waited so long for you," she continued, "I hope that you'll always know how much we love you. The only thing I wish is that youre not lonely. It'll just your papa, me and you from now on."
Matthew came in and held his daughter for a long while, "we are no longer all alone, Mar," he said quietly, breathing in the scent of a freshly bathed baby. She cooed pitifully and began to cry.
"Here, place your pinky finger in her mouth," Marilla guided him.
He did as she said and Anne was instantly pacified—literally.
Matthew was surprised at the strength of her suck much like his wife was earlier.
"You're my strong girl," Matthew said to Anne, but really it was to both of his women.
When evening came Marilla made to get out of bed.
"Marilla, where do you think you're going?"
"To make you some supper," she groaned as she moved to get up.
"Lay back down right now. Rachel brought over supper for us. I'm going to take care of you, so that you can be healthy enough to nurse our baby," Matthew quietly left and soon came back with a loaded tray.
They ate quietly so Anne wouldn't wake up in her basket.
"Just this morning it was two of us, but now there's three," Matthew stroked his stubble deep in thought.
The couple fell asleep together, their daughter safe in her basket.
All was right with the world…
"Waaaa, waaaaa!"
Marilla had just closed her eyes when Anne woke up.
Matthew didn't want her out of the bed yet so he picked up the baby and handed her to her mother.
"Her nappy isn't dirty and she's just eaten," Marilla yawned and took the baby.
Instantly she stopped crying and instead looked up at her mother.
"Matthew, go sleep in the guest room. There's no sense in us both losing sleep," Marilla waved him out.
"I don't want to leave you though."
"I think she just needs to be held. You have to go tend the fields tomorrow. Go, I'm going to have to feed her in a couple hours anyway."
He reluctantly left and fell asleep in the cold bed downstairs, feeling bad for his wife.
Marilla was up several times in the night, breastfeeding, nappy changing, and just making sure Anne was breathing. Eventually she fell asleep with the baby laying next to her.*
The mornings rays shone through the window, blanketing the room in a soft warm glow. Matthew crept in and kissed Marilla on her cheek and then kissed the little bairn on her forehead.
"Papa loves you," he whispered, breathing in her scent.
He thought he'd go work in the field early so he might be able to come home by lunchtime and enjoy his family.
"S'early," Marilla moaned, rolling over and squinting as candlelight pierced through her pupils.
"Sh, go back to sleep. I'm going to the fields early."
Marilla sleepily nodded and closed her eyes. Then she remembered the baby and groggily put her back in her basket. Anne did not like getting woken up and began to wail.
"Oh, please, my love, shhh. You're alright, your mama's here."
Now she was officially awake and decided to read her Bible for a few minutes.
Her mind drifted and she daydreamed about what Anne would look like as she grew up. Right now she was a tad thin, all pink and red, and completely hairless. Would she have inherited her fair skin? Would her eyes change color?
Never in Marillas whole life had she ever felt so complete.
*Back in the day it was very common for women to sleep next to their babies. And yes…alot of babies suffocated but i can assure you that wokt happen to Anne