Chapter 65 An Unexpected Surprise
The Bouchard's and the Coulter's loaded the cars with everything they needed for a warm summer day picnic. Lucas and Lee had decided with only one week until Rosemary's due date and soon their houses would be full, they wanted to take one last picnic with just them the way they are now. Gladys made sure she brought her medical bag just in case; they brought blankets, extra towels, jugs of water. Gladys made sure they had everything in case something should happen during their outing.
Lucas helped his family into the car and they headed for Thomson Creek which was about fifteen minutes from Hope Valley. Jack was very excited about the outing. Lucas brought the food from the Queen of Hearts specifically made for their picnic. The cars pulled up to the beautiful setting and Lucas and Lee laid out blankets and pillows for their lovely wives. Lucas taking Elizabeth by the arm helped Elizabeth to sit on the blanket and surrounded her by pillows.
"Lucas, darling this is beautiful." Elizabeth said adoringly.
"Not as beautiful as you my love." He said melting her heart with his piercing brown eyes and giving her a sweet kiss on her lips.
Lucas and Lee took Jack down by the creek and were playing ball with him. The women were all sitting on the blanket enjoying the sunshine and gossiping. Everyone was having a wonderful time and they spent several hours just enjoying being together and talking. Gladys had been watching Rosemary because she would notice that she would frequently make a face like she was in pain. Finally, Rosemary doubled over grabbing her stomach and let out a sudden cry.
"Rosemary, what are you feeling?" Gladys asked now concerned.
"I am having these awful cramps." She said with tears now coming to her eyes.
"Rosemary, how long have you been having these cramps? Gladys asked already suspecting she was about to give birth.
"They started very early this morning. Since then, they are getting stronger and more painful." Rosemary said now groaning in pain.
"Rosemary, I am almost positive you are going to deliver right now. I need to examine you." Gladys said with a now more concerned voice. Julie and Elizabeth just looked at each other. "Elizabeth, Julie can each of you stand on each side of her and take her hand." Gladys asked. "Lee Coulter!" Gladys yelled.
Lee and Lucas came running up from the creek with Jack.
"What's the matter?" Lee asked panicking.
"I think your wife is about to deliver your children and I need your help." Gladys said adamantly. "I need you to sit with your back up against Rosemary's to help give her support while she is pushing."
"Wait what?" Shouldn't we take her to the infirmary?" Lucas asked now freaking out.
"Lucas, go to the car and get the towels, water and my medical bag ASAP and bring them to me." Gladys demanded.
Lucas did as he was told while Lee got behind his wife for back support.
Gladys used a sterile solution to clean her hands and put on some gloves. She lifted Rosemary's skirt just enough to see what was happening. "Rosemary the head is crowning! There is no time to get you to town, we are going to deliver these babies right here."
"What?" Lee and Lucas said simultaneously.
"Lucas, take the car and go to town and get Faith. Bring her back with all the baby supplies you can gather. Rosemary will need a nursing gown and lots of blankets."
"This can't be happening." Lucas thought as he felt instantly sick he took Jack and they headed into town to find Faith.
"Rosemary, I am going to need you to push with the contractions okay. You are going to push to a 10 count." Gladys advised her. "Don't push yet, you will feel just a slight bit of pressure as I slightly adjust the babies head okay. Alright perfect. Rosemary with the next contraction I want you to push to a ten count and Lee you can count it off for her."
They repeated this process several times until they heard the baby squall. Rosemary was now exhausted and in tears. "Stop pushing Rosemary!" Gladys pulled some scissors out of her bag and cut the umbilical chord, placing a clamp on it. Then she proceeded to clean the baby off with a towel and suctioned the mucous from its nose and mouth. Then wrapping it in one of the extra blankets, she handed it to Rosemary. "I would like you to meet your son." Lee now watching over her shoulder as both parents were now in tears. Elizabeth and Julie were studying the beautiful little boy as well. Gladys was checking for the other child. "Rosemary you are going to feel a little pressure as I check to see if I can feel the other child getting into position. Try to relax and enjoy your son."
"What's his name?" Elizabeth asked. "He's beautiful Rosemary."
"Matthew Leland Coulter!" Rosemary responded.
"Alright Rosemary, I am going to need you to pass the baby to Lee. The second baby is crowning and we are going to start pushing again. You can do this. We are almost there." Gladys encouraged her as Elizabeth and Julie grabbed her hands again.
Lucas pulled up into town and checked the infirmary. There was no sign of Faith. He took Jack over to Abigail's where he found her.
"Faith, I need you to come with me now. Rosemary is in labor." Lucas explained. "We need the supplies and a nursing gown and extra blankets for the babies."
Faith and Lucas gathered the supplies and got in the car. "Lucas, where are we going?"
"Well the problem is we were all on a picnic." He said shyly.
"You took Elizabeth and Rosemary on a picnic a week from her due date?" Faith questioned.
"Guilty!" He said bashfully.
"That was not the brightest idea you have ever had." She said annoyed.
"One last strong push Rosemary." Gladys encouraged as the baby was wailing. "Oh my goodness!" Gladys chuckled as she cleaned her up and suctioned the mucous, cut the chord and put on the clamp, just as Lucas and Faith pulled up. She wrapped her in a blanket and handed her to Rosemary. "Congratulations on your beautiful little girl you too. She has quite a set of pipes and look at those beautiful golden curls."
Gladys moved out of the way to let Faith do the post delivery exam on Rosemary while everyone paid special attention to the two beautiful babies now a part of the Coulter's family.
"What's her name?" Elizabeth asked again.
"Annabelle Rosalie Coulter!" Rosemary said exhausted and tears filling her eyes.
"They are beautiful!" Elizabeth and Julie said simultaneously.
"We need to wait an hour before moving her." Faith said. "We should get her changed into this nursing gown so she can comfortably feed her children."
The ladies sent Lucas and Jack away while they cleaned Rosemary up and changed her into a gown. Lucas was more than anxious to leave; the sight of all the blood was making him queasy.
The hour was up and Lucas and Lee helped get Rosemary in the back of their car. Julie and Faith both rode back with Lee and Rosemary to help with the babies. Lucas cleaned everything up and got it packed up and then they followed Lee and Rosemary home. They stayed there awhile making sure everything was good before they decided to head home themselves grateful that their best friends finally got their hearts desire and were blessed with two amazingly beautiful children.