Author's Note: Do you people really think that little of me? I'm not gonna
leave you hanging forever! Also- I'm still beyond lazy, and am skipping
ahead 7 months.
PS: Thanks to Rae and Fast for being great! Luv you guys- and the parallel gutters we're all stuck in!
PPS: The lullaby Singah sings is "Good Night," arranged by Doreen Rao. My children's choir is singing it- it's really pretty.
Chapter Twenty-one
*Soon night will come,
Quieting the sun,
Silent, the sounds of the night coming through.
Hear the wind whisp'ring,
Whispering to you,
Sleep, sleep, sleep,
Good night my sweet one,
Good night my dear one,
Good night my sweet one,
To you good night.*
Singah had gotten in the habit of singing the old lullaby to herself. It was one of the few things she remembered from her life before being a newsie, and it comforted her. The baby was due within the next few days, and she was humming it to herself all the time. She was suddenly enveloped in strong, familiar arms as Spot came behind her. She had been calling him by his given name lately, because he wasn't exactly a spot any more. Besides, who wants a father named Spot? "Kieran, you gotta stop sneaking up on me like that! What are ya tryin' to do? Scare the baby out?" He shuffled his feet…that was exactly what he'd been trying to do. She gasped as suddenly wetness flowed down her legs. "Well, it worked- the baby's coming! Go get Rae and Fast!" Rae was a new newsie- the only Brooklyn newsie who was a girl. Since she was unable to sell papes any more, Singah had taken over the Lodging House, cooking, cleaning, and yelling at the boys who left messes or disobeyed her. But now she needed Rae and Fastdancer, who had come to be with her during the last weeks of pregnancy.
Spot was reluctant to leave her, but knowing she was in need of help, he ran to get help. Within 30 seconds, he was back with the girls in tow. Fast was yelling at Spot to get out of her way and get her boiling water, rags, lots and lots of rags, and string, scissors, and more boiling water. "And send someone to get some other girls from Manhattan! We need all the help we can get!" Spot went dashing off to relay her orders and get her supplies.
Three hours later, and many yells later (from Singah as she labored and from Rae as she had to keep telling Spot/Kieran to get out and let them work), a baby girl was delivered. Once the afterbirth was cleaned up and the tiny child and her mother were clean, Spot was allowed in to see them.
"She's so tiny!" Spot was in awe of the little creature. "Is she supposed to look like that, all wrinkled?"
"Of course she is! She's perfectly perfect. And she's ours. Are we gonna call her Maire?"
"Yeah… look at her eyes! They're the color of the ocean… Maire is perfect." He took Maire from Singah's arms. He was amazed. She was beautiful, if odd- looking. She had, as he had noticed, dark blue eyes that were shading to grey like his. Her hair was pale blonde, like Singah's, and she was strong, startlingly so. She started to cry. He jiggled Maire softly, trying to stop her, but she just cried harder. Dismayed, he handed his daughter back to Singah, who took her and fed her. Humming softly, she watched her baby. Spot couldn't believe it. He had a baby, a little girl, and he would fight to the death to protect Maire and Singah. He just hoped he'd never have to.
Soon, mother and daughter were asleep, weary from their labors. Fast and Rae were asleep on bunks nearby, ready to wake whenever there was need for them. Spot settled back on the bunk next to Singah's, and fell asleep himself.
***
Blink was ecstatic. The baby was born and it was time to put his plan into effect. Soon, he told himself. She will be mine soon. What he wasn't counting on was the fierce protection the infant would have from both Brooklyn and Manhattan.
PS: Thanks to Rae and Fast for being great! Luv you guys- and the parallel gutters we're all stuck in!
PPS: The lullaby Singah sings is "Good Night," arranged by Doreen Rao. My children's choir is singing it- it's really pretty.
Chapter Twenty-one
*Soon night will come,
Quieting the sun,
Silent, the sounds of the night coming through.
Hear the wind whisp'ring,
Whispering to you,
Sleep, sleep, sleep,
Good night my sweet one,
Good night my dear one,
Good night my sweet one,
To you good night.*
Singah had gotten in the habit of singing the old lullaby to herself. It was one of the few things she remembered from her life before being a newsie, and it comforted her. The baby was due within the next few days, and she was humming it to herself all the time. She was suddenly enveloped in strong, familiar arms as Spot came behind her. She had been calling him by his given name lately, because he wasn't exactly a spot any more. Besides, who wants a father named Spot? "Kieran, you gotta stop sneaking up on me like that! What are ya tryin' to do? Scare the baby out?" He shuffled his feet…that was exactly what he'd been trying to do. She gasped as suddenly wetness flowed down her legs. "Well, it worked- the baby's coming! Go get Rae and Fast!" Rae was a new newsie- the only Brooklyn newsie who was a girl. Since she was unable to sell papes any more, Singah had taken over the Lodging House, cooking, cleaning, and yelling at the boys who left messes or disobeyed her. But now she needed Rae and Fastdancer, who had come to be with her during the last weeks of pregnancy.
Spot was reluctant to leave her, but knowing she was in need of help, he ran to get help. Within 30 seconds, he was back with the girls in tow. Fast was yelling at Spot to get out of her way and get her boiling water, rags, lots and lots of rags, and string, scissors, and more boiling water. "And send someone to get some other girls from Manhattan! We need all the help we can get!" Spot went dashing off to relay her orders and get her supplies.
Three hours later, and many yells later (from Singah as she labored and from Rae as she had to keep telling Spot/Kieran to get out and let them work), a baby girl was delivered. Once the afterbirth was cleaned up and the tiny child and her mother were clean, Spot was allowed in to see them.
"She's so tiny!" Spot was in awe of the little creature. "Is she supposed to look like that, all wrinkled?"
"Of course she is! She's perfectly perfect. And she's ours. Are we gonna call her Maire?"
"Yeah… look at her eyes! They're the color of the ocean… Maire is perfect." He took Maire from Singah's arms. He was amazed. She was beautiful, if odd- looking. She had, as he had noticed, dark blue eyes that were shading to grey like his. Her hair was pale blonde, like Singah's, and she was strong, startlingly so. She started to cry. He jiggled Maire softly, trying to stop her, but she just cried harder. Dismayed, he handed his daughter back to Singah, who took her and fed her. Humming softly, she watched her baby. Spot couldn't believe it. He had a baby, a little girl, and he would fight to the death to protect Maire and Singah. He just hoped he'd never have to.
Soon, mother and daughter were asleep, weary from their labors. Fast and Rae were asleep on bunks nearby, ready to wake whenever there was need for them. Spot settled back on the bunk next to Singah's, and fell asleep himself.
***
Blink was ecstatic. The baby was born and it was time to put his plan into effect. Soon, he told himself. She will be mine soon. What he wasn't counting on was the fierce protection the infant would have from both Brooklyn and Manhattan.