After celebrating the soon coming new addition to the family, Sean and Marita, Isaac and Aunt Eleanor said their goodnights and left. Isaac took Eleanor home and Sean and Marita headed to their abode. Marita had started yawning and was asleep on Sean's shoulder by the time he pulled the carriage in front of the house.
"Marita" Sean called softly as he rubbed her cheek. "Marita, wake up. We're home."
"Huh?" Marita murmured.
"We're home."
Marita lifted her head off his shoulder and slowly opened her eyes. She covered her mouth as she let out a big yawn. Sean hopped down from the carriage and reached for Marita and lifted her out of the carriage onto the ground.
"Are you woke or do I need to carry you to bed?" Sean asked a sleepy Marita.
"I'm OK" she yawned as she waved her hand at him and walked up the steps to the door.
Sean watched her until she was inside then he went to put the carriage away. By the time he came into the house, Marita had made it upstairs. Sean distinguished all the downstairs lights and headed upstairs. When Sean walked into the bedroom, Marita had just put on her nightgown and was getting on her knees to pray. Sean joined her and after they both prayed, Sean stood and helped Marita up. Marita got in bed and Sean went into the washroom.
By the time Sean came out of the washroom, Marita had fallen asleep. Sean grinned as he saw Marita sound asleep. He was overwhelmed him in that instance. Looking at the woman he loved more than anything in this world and knowing she was carrying his baby left him speechless for that moment. Sean kept the grin on his face and his eyes on her as he walked over to the bed and lay down. Marita was lying on her side facing him and all he could do was look on in amazement at the sleeping beauty in front him. He thought back and tried to recall when he fell in love with her.
Was it when he first saw her? He was five and she was three...
"Libby, this is Isaac and his daughter Marita. Isaac, this is my wife Libby" Ned said as he, Libby and Isaac stood in the foyer.
"I'm so happy to met you" Libby extended her hand Isaac.
"Same here, ma'am" Isaac said as he shook her hand and nodded his head. He was holding Marita with one arm. She had her head on his shoulder and her back was to Ned and Libby.
"Ned has told me so much about you and I'm so happy to meet the man that saved my husband's life" Libby smiled.
"I don't know if I saved his life ma'am. I was just there and helped with his recovery."
"Well, thank you for that. And it's not ma'am. It's Libby. Now is Marita going to turn around so I can meet her?" she smiled at the child's back.
"She's a little shy. The new environment and all" Isaac explained as he patted Marita's back.
"I understand" Libby laughed. "I'm sure Sean will help her with her shyness. He's not shy about anything."
At that moment, Sean opened the front door and looked up at the back of the visitor. Then he looked into the eyes that he would one day fall in love with.
"She's pretty. For a girl" SM
"Hey, Mister" Sean said as he walked further into the foyer. "Is that your horse and buggy with all that stuff on it?" he asked as he stood between the adults and looked up at Isaac.
"SEAN LOGAN!" Libby frowned at her son. "Where are your manners?!"
"What did I do Ma?" Sean said as he looked up at his mother and held up his hands.
"First of all, you did not speak" Libby said.
"I said 'hey'" Sean defended himself.
"That is not a proper greeting, especially for your elders."
Ned laughed and introduced his wayward son.
"Isaac" he said as he placed his hand on Sean's head, "This is Sean, my oldest. Sean, this is Mr. Isaac Peters."
"Nice to meet you Sean" Isaac reached down his hand.
"Nice to meet you sir" Sean reached up to shake Isaac's hand. "Is that your horse and buggy?"
"Yes it is" Isaac laughed.
"Are you comin' to stay with us?"
Isaac nodded his head. "Until I build my house. I'm going to work with your Pa with the horses."
"Oh" Sean said. "What's her name?" he asked pointing to Marita.
"This is Marita" Isaac said. He tried to turn her around to face the Logans but Marita held onto his neck and squirmed in his arms.
"Is she scared of us?" Sean asked.
"I think she's a little scared. She's never been to Lexington before."
"I never get scared" Sean said with a puffed up chest and the adults laughed. "Can she come and have a cookie with me? She won't be scared anymore if she eats one of Ma's cookies."
"She can, but I'm not sure she will."
"I'll ask her" he said then walked around Isaac. He looked up at Marita who was staring down at him with her thumb in her mouth. "You wanna come eat a cookie with me?"
Marita stared at him for a few seconds while she thought over his proposition.
"You wanna?" Sean asked again when he got no response.
The cookie won out over her fear of the new environment and Marita shook her head 'yes'. She took her thumb out of her mouth and lifted her head. Isaac smiled at her as he set on the floor.
"Come on" Sean said and grabbed her hand and led her into the dining room.
The adults smiled as they watched the children walk hand in hand to the dining room, not knowing that this was the beginning of an everlasting love.
********************
Or was it the first time he compared her to Vivian? He was twelve...
"Pa" Sean said as he walked into the study. "I don't like girls."
"Really" Ned said as he looked up from his papers.
"Yeah. They're too mushy and don't wanna do any fun things."
"I see you and Marita playing all the time. You don't like her?"
"Marita's not a girl."
"Oh she's not?"
"I mean, she's not like Vivian. Marita is fun. She plays all the fun games with me. She climbs trees with me. She sling shots with me. She skips rocks with me. But Vivian is boring. She says 'ladies don't do those things'" Sean tooted up his nose as if he were smelling a foul odor. "AND! She tries to kiss me all the time. YUCK!" Sean stuck out his tongue.
"One day, son, you will like the kisses of a lady." Ned laughed.
"I'd like Marita's kisses" SH
*********************
Sean smiled as he remembered the first time she saw Marita. And he laughed when he recalled the first time he compared Marita and Vivian. He then grabbed his bible off the nightstand and scooted down until his face was in from of Marita's stomach.
"Hey in there" he said to his unborn baby. "It's Pa. I'm gonna read you a bedtime story."
He opened his bible to Genesis 1:1 and began to read the creation story to his little creation. After reading the first two chapters, Sean closed his bible. This would become a nightly ritual Sean would carry out until the baby was born.
"We'll read the next chapter tomorrow night" Sean said, then kissed Marita's stomach.
He moved back up to his pillow and pulled the covers of them. He moved close to Marita and fell asleep with his arm around her.
******************
Sean woke up to a strange sound. The sounds were coming from Marita's side of the bed. He opened his eyes and did not see her next to him.
"Marita" he called as he sat up.
"ARGH!" he heard.
Sean scooted over to her side and look over the side of the bed. Marita was on her hands and knees with her face in the chamber pot.
"Marita!" he yelled and jumped out the bed and got on his hands and knees beside her. He pushed her hair out of her face and held it away from the chamber pot.
"ARGH ARGH" Maria continued to barf.
This morning, Marita's sickness was worse than usual. She could not seem to stop vomiting, even when there was nothing left in her stomach to throw up. Sean got frighten as Marita continued to heave and made a vow never to touch her again. He continued to hold back her hair until she settled down. When Marita's heaving finally stopped, she slowly lifted herself from over the chamber pot and sat back on her haunches.
"Are you OK now?" Sean asked as he rubbed her back.
"Um, yeah" Marita moaned.
Sean got up and took the chamber pot and went to the washroom and got a wet cloth. He came back and sat down on the floor next to Marita.
"Has it ever been this bad before?" he asked as he wiped her mouth.
"No" she mumbled.
"I'm sorry Marita" Sean said as he turned the cloth and wiped her face.
"For what?" she asked as she turned to look at him.
"For doing this to you" he frowned as he wiped her face one last time.
"It is your fault, isn't it?" she tried to laugh.
"I promise, I'll never touch you again" Sean felt even guiltier.
"I'm only kidding Sean" Marita grinned at him.
"I don't think you should go to Pa's today" Sean said with a very serious look on his face. "You need to stay in bed."
"When did he become a doctor?" MM
"I'm fine Sean. I can't stay in bed all day."
"YES you can and you will" he insisted. "You are too sick to go into work."
"NO I'm not. I'm starting to feel better already" she said honestly.
"You need to stay home!" Sean was adamant.
"No I don't."
"Yes you do."
"No I don't."
For the next twenty they played tug-of-war while they sat on the floor. Marita would stay home. Marita would go to work. Sean knew that he could not sit there and argue with her all day. She would not promise him that she would stay home and he knew the minute he left, she would go to his Pa's.
"I don't like this one bit Marita" he fussed as they got dressed. "You need to get your rest. What if you get sick again? I won't be there to help you."
"If I get sick here, you won't be here to help me" Marita informed him.
Sean could not argue with that.
"I'm fine honey. Really" she tried to assure him. "I just can't lay in bed all day. I'd be bored to death."
Sean continued to grumble and fuss as they walked down that stairs. Marita told him she did not think she could eat anything and not feel sick, so they skipped breakfast. Sean fussed as he lifted her up into her carriage.
"You need to be home and in bed. ESPECIALLY since you didn't eat anything!" he said.
"I'll try to eat something later" she promised.
"What if you still can't?" he said and before she could answered, he continued. "You need food to keep up your strength. THAT'S why you need to stay home!"
Marita decided not to argue with him. She would just let him fuss. And fuss he did, all the way to his Pa's. When they got to Ned's, Sean walked Marita inside, kissed her and the baby goodbye but not before letting her know how displeased he was.
"You really need to go back home."
"Goodbye Sean" Marita smiled up at him. "I love you."
Sean grunted in response and went to look for Alice and Lexy. He found them both upstairs in their rooms.
"Hey Peanut" he said as he walked in her room.
"Hi Sean."
"Where is Alice?"
"In her room."
"I need to talk to you two."
"OK" she said then followed Sean to Alice's room.
"Come in" Alice called when Sean knocked on her door.
"Hi Alice."
"Hi Sean"
"I need you and Lexy to do me a favor" he said.
"Sure."
"Marita was real sick this morning, but she wouldn't stay home. I need you to watch out for her just in case she gets sick again."
"What made her sick?" Lexy asked.
"The baby."
"OK. We'll keep an eye on her" Alice said.
"Thanks."
Sean left feeling a little better since his sisters would watch out for Marita until he got back. Lexy had decided to check on Marita before she started her lessons.
"Hi Marita" Lexy walked into the study.
"Hi Lexy" Marita smiled as she looked up at her. "You don't usually come in this early for a visit. Have you come to spy on me?"
Marita knew Sean and she knew he would enlist the aide of his sisters to watch her just in case she got sick again.
"Sean did ask us to keep an eye on you" Lexy admitted.
Marita knew him so well. But she could not complain because she also knew he was worried about her because he loved her so much.
"Well, I'm feeling perfectly fine now."
"OK" Lexy said then sat down in the chair against the wall. "Marita I can't wait until the baby comes. Are you gonna let me baby sit?"
"Of course."
"I'm so excited!" Lexy laughed.
"I am too Lexy" Marita smiled.
"Have you picked out a name for him?"
"Did your brother tell you it was a boy?" Marita laughed.
"No. I don't know why I said 'him'". Lexy shrugged her shoulders.
"We haven't picked a name yet."
Marita and Lexy had pleasant chitchat about the baby until Lexy figured Marita was OK.
"I'd better go and finish my homework before Miss Forrester comes" Lexy said as she got up from the chair.
"Alright Lexy" Marita smiled. "I'll talk to you later."
"OK."
************************
"Marita got sick" Lexy informed Sean when he came into the dining room.
"Where is she?" he said.
"She's in your room. Alice is with her."
Sean turned and rushed upstairs. The door was opened and he practically ran into the room.
"I knew you should have stayed home" Sean said as he looked down at Marita with a worried frown on his face.
Marita was lying on the bed on her side. A chamber pot was sitting on the nightstand and Alice was sitting next to Marita wiping her face with a wet cloth.
Alice turned and looked up at Sean. "She's a little nauseous. When she went to eat some lunch the smell of the food made her sick."
Alice handed Sean the cloth and stood up. Sean sat down where Alice had been sitting.
"You're not getting out of this bed until I get ready to take you home!" he said as he gently caressed her cheek.
Marita had her eyes close and did not respond. At that moment she did not care what Sean was commanding her to do. She just wanted the nauseous feeling to pass.
"You hear me Marita" he said forcibly while his hand remained gentle on her cheek. "I'll lock you in here if I have to. I mean it!"
Marita offered no protest because she felt like staying in the bed.
"Did she eat anything this morning?" Sean turned and asked Alice.
"No, I don't think so."
Sean turned back to Marita and his frown intensified. He knew she was probably weak since she had not eaten anything all day.
"I'm gonna go and get Aunt Eleanor. She may know of something you can take to make you feel better so you can eat."
"I don't want anything" Marita moaned.
"You have to try and eat something Marita. You can't be starving yourself and my baby" he said. "I'll be back Alice. Stay with her" Sean said as he got up off the bed.
"Alright" Alice said then sat back down next to Marita.
Sean rushed Ahab to Auntie's.
KNOCK KNOCK
"Aunt Eleanor" Sean said before she could greet him. "Marita's sick. Real sick" he said with a worried expression on his face.
"What's the matter?" Auntie said in a calm voice as she stepped back to let Sean in the house. She figured Marita was probably feeling the ills of pregnancy.
"She hasn't eaten anything all day and when she tried to eat some lunch, the smell made her sick. I'm worried she's gonna get sicker if she can't eat. Do you have anything she can take?"
"First you need to calm down. Her morning sickness is just turning into afternoon sickness. It's normal for that to happen" Auntie said then turned and walk over to her kitchen area. "I have some ginger that should help settle her stomach. Just make her some tea and add the ginger to it. Get some gingersnaps for her and she can munch on those whenever she feels sick." Auntie handed the ginger to him.
"Will she be able to eat after she drinks the tea?"
"She should. Tell her I said she has to take that tea and she has to eat something. Once she gets some food in her she should feel much better."
"OK. Thanks Aunt Eleanor" Sean said then kissed her cheek. "I may need you to come by the house and sit with Marita tomorrow. If she gets sick like she did this morning, I'm not letting her go to work, but I don't want her to be at the house by herself."
"You sure that girl's gonna let you 'make' her stay home?" Auntie laughed.
"She doesn't have a choice this time" Sean said in a serious voice.
"She's gonna be fine Sean. Don't worry yourself. What she's goin through is normal." Auntie tried to reassure him.
It may be normal, but it was happening to his wife and Sean could not help but worry. Sean was able to grin at Auntie before saying thanks again and leaving. He rushed back to his Pa's, made the tea with ginger and went back upstairs. Marita was still lying on her side with her eyes closed.
"Marita, Aunt Eleanor said you need to drink this tea" he said as he sat down next to her and put the cup of tea on the nightstand.
"I don't want it."
"I don't care if you don't want it. You are gonna drink it. Aunt Eleanor said the ginger would make you feel better then you can eat something. Now sit up."
Marita moaned but she slowly turned on her back and eased herself into a sitting position. Sean handed her the cup and she slowly lifted it to her lips and sipped.
"Drink all of it" Sean instructed.
After Marita drank all of the tea, she handed the cup back to Sean and leaned her head back on the headboard. She closed her eyes and prayed that the tea would help. After a few minutes, Marita's stomach began to feel better.
"I think it's working" she said.
"I'll go get you some lunch. You've got to eat. Aunt Eleanor said you should feel much better after you eat" Sean said then got up and left the room.
Sean came back with some soup and a sandwich. Marita ate tentatively while Sean sat next to her watching her eat. She breathed a sigh of relief when she had finished the soup and sandwich and did not feel sick. Auntie was right. She felt much better after her stomach was full.
"I think you need to stay in bed for the rest of the afternoon" Sean said after she had taken her last bite of the sandwich.
"I feel much better. I don't need to stay in bed."
"Marita, don't argue with me. I'll lock you in here if I have to" Sean threatened.
"Don't be ridiculous Sean."
"Promise me you'll stay in bed until I come back to get you."
"I promise to take it easy and if I start to feel sick, I'll come back to bed."
Sean and Marita had another tug-of-war. Marita would stay in bed. Marita would get out of bed. After ten minutes, Marita agreed she would not go out in the sun and Sean agreed not to lock her in the room.
For the next month, Marita's morning sickness was harrowing. She would wake and immediately feel sick. She would regurgitate her dinner from the previous night. Sean would be on his knees beside Marita while she heaved into the chamber pot. He would tell her he would never touch her again. After her heaving stopped, he would wipe her face. He would then get her the ginger tea and watch as she drank it all. Marita would feel better and insist she was well enough to go to work. Sean would argue that she should stay home. They would have their tug-of-war. Marita would stay home. Marita would go to work. Marita always won the battle, but not without having to hear her husband fuss and complain all the way to work.
On the first morning of her fourth month, Marita woke not to an ill feeling in her stomach, but to a wanting. And Sean was the object of her desire.
To Be Continued............................
"Marita" Sean called softly as he rubbed her cheek. "Marita, wake up. We're home."
"Huh?" Marita murmured.
"We're home."
Marita lifted her head off his shoulder and slowly opened her eyes. She covered her mouth as she let out a big yawn. Sean hopped down from the carriage and reached for Marita and lifted her out of the carriage onto the ground.
"Are you woke or do I need to carry you to bed?" Sean asked a sleepy Marita.
"I'm OK" she yawned as she waved her hand at him and walked up the steps to the door.
Sean watched her until she was inside then he went to put the carriage away. By the time he came into the house, Marita had made it upstairs. Sean distinguished all the downstairs lights and headed upstairs. When Sean walked into the bedroom, Marita had just put on her nightgown and was getting on her knees to pray. Sean joined her and after they both prayed, Sean stood and helped Marita up. Marita got in bed and Sean went into the washroom.
By the time Sean came out of the washroom, Marita had fallen asleep. Sean grinned as he saw Marita sound asleep. He was overwhelmed him in that instance. Looking at the woman he loved more than anything in this world and knowing she was carrying his baby left him speechless for that moment. Sean kept the grin on his face and his eyes on her as he walked over to the bed and lay down. Marita was lying on her side facing him and all he could do was look on in amazement at the sleeping beauty in front him. He thought back and tried to recall when he fell in love with her.
Was it when he first saw her? He was five and she was three...
"Libby, this is Isaac and his daughter Marita. Isaac, this is my wife Libby" Ned said as he, Libby and Isaac stood in the foyer.
"I'm so happy to met you" Libby extended her hand Isaac.
"Same here, ma'am" Isaac said as he shook her hand and nodded his head. He was holding Marita with one arm. She had her head on his shoulder and her back was to Ned and Libby.
"Ned has told me so much about you and I'm so happy to meet the man that saved my husband's life" Libby smiled.
"I don't know if I saved his life ma'am. I was just there and helped with his recovery."
"Well, thank you for that. And it's not ma'am. It's Libby. Now is Marita going to turn around so I can meet her?" she smiled at the child's back.
"She's a little shy. The new environment and all" Isaac explained as he patted Marita's back.
"I understand" Libby laughed. "I'm sure Sean will help her with her shyness. He's not shy about anything."
At that moment, Sean opened the front door and looked up at the back of the visitor. Then he looked into the eyes that he would one day fall in love with.
"She's pretty. For a girl" SM
"Hey, Mister" Sean said as he walked further into the foyer. "Is that your horse and buggy with all that stuff on it?" he asked as he stood between the adults and looked up at Isaac.
"SEAN LOGAN!" Libby frowned at her son. "Where are your manners?!"
"What did I do Ma?" Sean said as he looked up at his mother and held up his hands.
"First of all, you did not speak" Libby said.
"I said 'hey'" Sean defended himself.
"That is not a proper greeting, especially for your elders."
Ned laughed and introduced his wayward son.
"Isaac" he said as he placed his hand on Sean's head, "This is Sean, my oldest. Sean, this is Mr. Isaac Peters."
"Nice to meet you Sean" Isaac reached down his hand.
"Nice to meet you sir" Sean reached up to shake Isaac's hand. "Is that your horse and buggy?"
"Yes it is" Isaac laughed.
"Are you comin' to stay with us?"
Isaac nodded his head. "Until I build my house. I'm going to work with your Pa with the horses."
"Oh" Sean said. "What's her name?" he asked pointing to Marita.
"This is Marita" Isaac said. He tried to turn her around to face the Logans but Marita held onto his neck and squirmed in his arms.
"Is she scared of us?" Sean asked.
"I think she's a little scared. She's never been to Lexington before."
"I never get scared" Sean said with a puffed up chest and the adults laughed. "Can she come and have a cookie with me? She won't be scared anymore if she eats one of Ma's cookies."
"She can, but I'm not sure she will."
"I'll ask her" he said then walked around Isaac. He looked up at Marita who was staring down at him with her thumb in her mouth. "You wanna come eat a cookie with me?"
Marita stared at him for a few seconds while she thought over his proposition.
"You wanna?" Sean asked again when he got no response.
The cookie won out over her fear of the new environment and Marita shook her head 'yes'. She took her thumb out of her mouth and lifted her head. Isaac smiled at her as he set on the floor.
"Come on" Sean said and grabbed her hand and led her into the dining room.
The adults smiled as they watched the children walk hand in hand to the dining room, not knowing that this was the beginning of an everlasting love.
********************
Or was it the first time he compared her to Vivian? He was twelve...
"Pa" Sean said as he walked into the study. "I don't like girls."
"Really" Ned said as he looked up from his papers.
"Yeah. They're too mushy and don't wanna do any fun things."
"I see you and Marita playing all the time. You don't like her?"
"Marita's not a girl."
"Oh she's not?"
"I mean, she's not like Vivian. Marita is fun. She plays all the fun games with me. She climbs trees with me. She sling shots with me. She skips rocks with me. But Vivian is boring. She says 'ladies don't do those things'" Sean tooted up his nose as if he were smelling a foul odor. "AND! She tries to kiss me all the time. YUCK!" Sean stuck out his tongue.
"One day, son, you will like the kisses of a lady." Ned laughed.
"I'd like Marita's kisses" SH
*********************
Sean smiled as he remembered the first time she saw Marita. And he laughed when he recalled the first time he compared Marita and Vivian. He then grabbed his bible off the nightstand and scooted down until his face was in from of Marita's stomach.
"Hey in there" he said to his unborn baby. "It's Pa. I'm gonna read you a bedtime story."
He opened his bible to Genesis 1:1 and began to read the creation story to his little creation. After reading the first two chapters, Sean closed his bible. This would become a nightly ritual Sean would carry out until the baby was born.
"We'll read the next chapter tomorrow night" Sean said, then kissed Marita's stomach.
He moved back up to his pillow and pulled the covers of them. He moved close to Marita and fell asleep with his arm around her.
******************
Sean woke up to a strange sound. The sounds were coming from Marita's side of the bed. He opened his eyes and did not see her next to him.
"Marita" he called as he sat up.
"ARGH!" he heard.
Sean scooted over to her side and look over the side of the bed. Marita was on her hands and knees with her face in the chamber pot.
"Marita!" he yelled and jumped out the bed and got on his hands and knees beside her. He pushed her hair out of her face and held it away from the chamber pot.
"ARGH ARGH" Maria continued to barf.
This morning, Marita's sickness was worse than usual. She could not seem to stop vomiting, even when there was nothing left in her stomach to throw up. Sean got frighten as Marita continued to heave and made a vow never to touch her again. He continued to hold back her hair until she settled down. When Marita's heaving finally stopped, she slowly lifted herself from over the chamber pot and sat back on her haunches.
"Are you OK now?" Sean asked as he rubbed her back.
"Um, yeah" Marita moaned.
Sean got up and took the chamber pot and went to the washroom and got a wet cloth. He came back and sat down on the floor next to Marita.
"Has it ever been this bad before?" he asked as he wiped her mouth.
"No" she mumbled.
"I'm sorry Marita" Sean said as he turned the cloth and wiped her face.
"For what?" she asked as she turned to look at him.
"For doing this to you" he frowned as he wiped her face one last time.
"It is your fault, isn't it?" she tried to laugh.
"I promise, I'll never touch you again" Sean felt even guiltier.
"I'm only kidding Sean" Marita grinned at him.
"I don't think you should go to Pa's today" Sean said with a very serious look on his face. "You need to stay in bed."
"When did he become a doctor?" MM
"I'm fine Sean. I can't stay in bed all day."
"YES you can and you will" he insisted. "You are too sick to go into work."
"NO I'm not. I'm starting to feel better already" she said honestly.
"You need to stay home!" Sean was adamant.
"No I don't."
"Yes you do."
"No I don't."
For the next twenty they played tug-of-war while they sat on the floor. Marita would stay home. Marita would go to work. Sean knew that he could not sit there and argue with her all day. She would not promise him that she would stay home and he knew the minute he left, she would go to his Pa's.
"I don't like this one bit Marita" he fussed as they got dressed. "You need to get your rest. What if you get sick again? I won't be there to help you."
"If I get sick here, you won't be here to help me" Marita informed him.
Sean could not argue with that.
"I'm fine honey. Really" she tried to assure him. "I just can't lay in bed all day. I'd be bored to death."
Sean continued to grumble and fuss as they walked down that stairs. Marita told him she did not think she could eat anything and not feel sick, so they skipped breakfast. Sean fussed as he lifted her up into her carriage.
"You need to be home and in bed. ESPECIALLY since you didn't eat anything!" he said.
"I'll try to eat something later" she promised.
"What if you still can't?" he said and before she could answered, he continued. "You need food to keep up your strength. THAT'S why you need to stay home!"
Marita decided not to argue with him. She would just let him fuss. And fuss he did, all the way to his Pa's. When they got to Ned's, Sean walked Marita inside, kissed her and the baby goodbye but not before letting her know how displeased he was.
"You really need to go back home."
"Goodbye Sean" Marita smiled up at him. "I love you."
Sean grunted in response and went to look for Alice and Lexy. He found them both upstairs in their rooms.
"Hey Peanut" he said as he walked in her room.
"Hi Sean."
"Where is Alice?"
"In her room."
"I need to talk to you two."
"OK" she said then followed Sean to Alice's room.
"Come in" Alice called when Sean knocked on her door.
"Hi Alice."
"Hi Sean"
"I need you and Lexy to do me a favor" he said.
"Sure."
"Marita was real sick this morning, but she wouldn't stay home. I need you to watch out for her just in case she gets sick again."
"What made her sick?" Lexy asked.
"The baby."
"OK. We'll keep an eye on her" Alice said.
"Thanks."
Sean left feeling a little better since his sisters would watch out for Marita until he got back. Lexy had decided to check on Marita before she started her lessons.
"Hi Marita" Lexy walked into the study.
"Hi Lexy" Marita smiled as she looked up at her. "You don't usually come in this early for a visit. Have you come to spy on me?"
Marita knew Sean and she knew he would enlist the aide of his sisters to watch her just in case she got sick again.
"Sean did ask us to keep an eye on you" Lexy admitted.
Marita knew him so well. But she could not complain because she also knew he was worried about her because he loved her so much.
"Well, I'm feeling perfectly fine now."
"OK" Lexy said then sat down in the chair against the wall. "Marita I can't wait until the baby comes. Are you gonna let me baby sit?"
"Of course."
"I'm so excited!" Lexy laughed.
"I am too Lexy" Marita smiled.
"Have you picked out a name for him?"
"Did your brother tell you it was a boy?" Marita laughed.
"No. I don't know why I said 'him'". Lexy shrugged her shoulders.
"We haven't picked a name yet."
Marita and Lexy had pleasant chitchat about the baby until Lexy figured Marita was OK.
"I'd better go and finish my homework before Miss Forrester comes" Lexy said as she got up from the chair.
"Alright Lexy" Marita smiled. "I'll talk to you later."
"OK."
************************
"Marita got sick" Lexy informed Sean when he came into the dining room.
"Where is she?" he said.
"She's in your room. Alice is with her."
Sean turned and rushed upstairs. The door was opened and he practically ran into the room.
"I knew you should have stayed home" Sean said as he looked down at Marita with a worried frown on his face.
Marita was lying on the bed on her side. A chamber pot was sitting on the nightstand and Alice was sitting next to Marita wiping her face with a wet cloth.
Alice turned and looked up at Sean. "She's a little nauseous. When she went to eat some lunch the smell of the food made her sick."
Alice handed Sean the cloth and stood up. Sean sat down where Alice had been sitting.
"You're not getting out of this bed until I get ready to take you home!" he said as he gently caressed her cheek.
Marita had her eyes close and did not respond. At that moment she did not care what Sean was commanding her to do. She just wanted the nauseous feeling to pass.
"You hear me Marita" he said forcibly while his hand remained gentle on her cheek. "I'll lock you in here if I have to. I mean it!"
Marita offered no protest because she felt like staying in the bed.
"Did she eat anything this morning?" Sean turned and asked Alice.
"No, I don't think so."
Sean turned back to Marita and his frown intensified. He knew she was probably weak since she had not eaten anything all day.
"I'm gonna go and get Aunt Eleanor. She may know of something you can take to make you feel better so you can eat."
"I don't want anything" Marita moaned.
"You have to try and eat something Marita. You can't be starving yourself and my baby" he said. "I'll be back Alice. Stay with her" Sean said as he got up off the bed.
"Alright" Alice said then sat back down next to Marita.
Sean rushed Ahab to Auntie's.
KNOCK KNOCK
"Aunt Eleanor" Sean said before she could greet him. "Marita's sick. Real sick" he said with a worried expression on his face.
"What's the matter?" Auntie said in a calm voice as she stepped back to let Sean in the house. She figured Marita was probably feeling the ills of pregnancy.
"She hasn't eaten anything all day and when she tried to eat some lunch, the smell made her sick. I'm worried she's gonna get sicker if she can't eat. Do you have anything she can take?"
"First you need to calm down. Her morning sickness is just turning into afternoon sickness. It's normal for that to happen" Auntie said then turned and walk over to her kitchen area. "I have some ginger that should help settle her stomach. Just make her some tea and add the ginger to it. Get some gingersnaps for her and she can munch on those whenever she feels sick." Auntie handed the ginger to him.
"Will she be able to eat after she drinks the tea?"
"She should. Tell her I said she has to take that tea and she has to eat something. Once she gets some food in her she should feel much better."
"OK. Thanks Aunt Eleanor" Sean said then kissed her cheek. "I may need you to come by the house and sit with Marita tomorrow. If she gets sick like she did this morning, I'm not letting her go to work, but I don't want her to be at the house by herself."
"You sure that girl's gonna let you 'make' her stay home?" Auntie laughed.
"She doesn't have a choice this time" Sean said in a serious voice.
"She's gonna be fine Sean. Don't worry yourself. What she's goin through is normal." Auntie tried to reassure him.
It may be normal, but it was happening to his wife and Sean could not help but worry. Sean was able to grin at Auntie before saying thanks again and leaving. He rushed back to his Pa's, made the tea with ginger and went back upstairs. Marita was still lying on her side with her eyes closed.
"Marita, Aunt Eleanor said you need to drink this tea" he said as he sat down next to her and put the cup of tea on the nightstand.
"I don't want it."
"I don't care if you don't want it. You are gonna drink it. Aunt Eleanor said the ginger would make you feel better then you can eat something. Now sit up."
Marita moaned but she slowly turned on her back and eased herself into a sitting position. Sean handed her the cup and she slowly lifted it to her lips and sipped.
"Drink all of it" Sean instructed.
After Marita drank all of the tea, she handed the cup back to Sean and leaned her head back on the headboard. She closed her eyes and prayed that the tea would help. After a few minutes, Marita's stomach began to feel better.
"I think it's working" she said.
"I'll go get you some lunch. You've got to eat. Aunt Eleanor said you should feel much better after you eat" Sean said then got up and left the room.
Sean came back with some soup and a sandwich. Marita ate tentatively while Sean sat next to her watching her eat. She breathed a sigh of relief when she had finished the soup and sandwich and did not feel sick. Auntie was right. She felt much better after her stomach was full.
"I think you need to stay in bed for the rest of the afternoon" Sean said after she had taken her last bite of the sandwich.
"I feel much better. I don't need to stay in bed."
"Marita, don't argue with me. I'll lock you in here if I have to" Sean threatened.
"Don't be ridiculous Sean."
"Promise me you'll stay in bed until I come back to get you."
"I promise to take it easy and if I start to feel sick, I'll come back to bed."
Sean and Marita had another tug-of-war. Marita would stay in bed. Marita would get out of bed. After ten minutes, Marita agreed she would not go out in the sun and Sean agreed not to lock her in the room.
For the next month, Marita's morning sickness was harrowing. She would wake and immediately feel sick. She would regurgitate her dinner from the previous night. Sean would be on his knees beside Marita while she heaved into the chamber pot. He would tell her he would never touch her again. After her heaving stopped, he would wipe her face. He would then get her the ginger tea and watch as she drank it all. Marita would feel better and insist she was well enough to go to work. Sean would argue that she should stay home. They would have their tug-of-war. Marita would stay home. Marita would go to work. Marita always won the battle, but not without having to hear her husband fuss and complain all the way to work.
On the first morning of her fourth month, Marita woke not to an ill feeling in her stomach, but to a wanting. And Sean was the object of her desire.
To Be Continued............................
