Rachel laid in bed as the rain poured outside her window. The doctor had advised that since she was in her last months of pregnancy , she should have complete bedrest. Rachel propped herself up as she knitted a pair of baby booties for Amelia or Ross Jr. Those were the names that she had in mind for her baby.
A letter sat on the bureau from Ross. It contained the same kind of dribble he always wrote , but it made her feel closer to her husband.She missed him at nights especially . He was the kind of man who cuddled with a woman when he slept with her. And the cuddling was always a postlude to the lovemaking they had.
Monica sat in the parlor with her mother. She was occupied in making a baby quilt for Rachel. A soldier came to the door wearing a Confedererate uniform. When they saw him, they immediately thought the worst. He had come bearing news about Ross's death. Judy put her hand to her mouth when she spied him through the drapes. She feared for her daughter in law and her unborn grandchild..
Missy went to the door, "I have a letter here for Mrs. Jason Whittendale from Sergeant Whittendale." the soldier said.
Monica slowly walked over and grabbed the letter."Oh dear God, this was written by Jason on his deathbed . He says that he had only hours left but his thoughts only turned to me. He wants me to be happy . " the words echoed in her head. There was only one way that Monica could be happy and that was to find her Chandler.
"I also have a letter here for Mrs. Ross Geller from Captain Geller, don't worry the Captain is fine . When he heard of me coming here, he wrote a letter to give to his wife as well." the soldier explained.
"Mrs. Geller is ill, she is expecting at any time, I will take that ," said Judy .
"Missy run this up to Rachel." she commanded.
Rachel stood at the foot of the stairs and clutched her stomach.
"I do believe it is time, " she cried.
Rachel collapsed on the step and Monica ran to her side. "Oh my she is bleeding, Missy get her to bed." Monica ordered.
"How far is the regiment from here?" Monica asked the soldier.
"About fifteen miles." he answered.
Monica handed Rachel to Judy to put her into bed. Then she ran to the desk and pulled out an envelope and a piece of paper. She scribbled madly. "Here take this to Captain Geller, inform him that his child is coming into the world and his wife had lost a lot of blood."
"I will do that ma'am..long live the Republic." he saluted.
Monica climbed the stairs and walked into Rachel's room. Mammy Lee the local midwife was by her side. Missy took a cloth and wiped her forehead as the pain was getting worse. Rachel screamed louder and cursed more than a lady should
"Oh damn you, Ross Geller, look what you have done to me, my girlish figure gone and your sire to be pulled out of a hole the size of a pea." she screamed.
Mammy Lee poured her a glass of whiskey from Kentucky and gave it to her for the pain. She accepted it gracefully and gulped it down.
Judy said. "Rachel please my son married a lady."
Rachel said, "I sure as hell don't feel like one right now." She held Missy's hand as she squeezed it.
Seeing the letter the soldier had brought back.Ross packed up his bag and mounted his horse. He rode a back path that he was quite familiar with as the unit was now settled near his home. He came up the walk with urgency as the slaves were all gathered in the parlor awaiting news from upstairs.
"Oh massa Ross, we is so glad you here." Missy said as she carried a bucket of water up the stairs.
"How is she Missy?" asked Ross.
"She is very weak and the baby is not here yet." Missy answered. "Mammy Lee is up there with her now. Miss Monica and Miss Judy are there as well."
"Well then my place is down here, Poke, a glass of brandy and a cigar please." Ross commanded the house slave .
With a cigar in his mouth and a drink to steady his nerves, Ross paced anxiously in the parlor. Upon the wall was their wedding picture as it was painted in pastels. He could hear the screams from upstairs and wished he could be with her.
"Oh OH Oh ," screamed Rachel as Monica wiped her forehead. She lashed the bed forward with each contraction. Mammy Lee kept her pelvis high in the air so the baby would be able to come right out.
Monica ran down the stairs when one of the house servants had informed her that Ross was in the parlor.
"Tell me sister, how much longer?" Ross asked "She sounds like she is dying up there."
"They say it could be any time now." Monica ran into her brothers arms and sighed. "There there Monica, when this is all over we will go into Atlanta and buy you some very fine mourning clothes. I am sure that you have been beside yourself since Jason's death."
"Since we are close, brother, I will admit something to you, I was never in love with Jason, I only married him to please you and Daddy.
I am still in love with someone else and on his deathbed, Jason gave me his blessing to be happy." Monica whispered.
"You are still in love with Chandler, aren't you?" he smiled.
"Yes I am, and I fear for his life every day as I fear for yours as well." Monica admitted. " I don't care what society says, I need to see Chandler and I know you can do that . Please do that for me brother dear." she begged.
"Monica he is not a Southerner," Ross reminded her.
"This war has divided families and has made you and your best friend enemies. I think we have paid for enough Ross." Monica said.
"I have seen men die for our glorious cause and I refuse to see our way of life pass away. As long as I am still living and breathing , we shall once again live in our cotton kingdoms ." Ross stated.
"Your damn male pride is gonna cost you everything . I refuse to let my pride stand in the way of my happiness."Monica said.
"Oh Oh Oh, I think , I think, " Rachel said "It's coming ." she screamed.
Missy ran down the stairs to get Monica, "Missy Rachel is gonna have her baby." Monica and Ross ran up the stairs as the screaming got louder.
"Now Missy Geller, push push push for Mammy Lee." Mammy Lee said as the family gathered outside the door. Monica crept inside to see what was going on. She saw Rachel with sweat pouring off her forehead and grunting as she pushed harder.
"Almost there, Missy , Almost there, I can see a little head and I can see his little…." Mammy Lee.said shyly
Rachel sat up as the baby was being taken from her. "You mean it's a boy!"
Ross burst the door wide open, "I have a son.?'" He whooped for joy as his first child was being wrapped in a blanket. Mammy Lee handed the little baby to Rachel and she held him in her arms. Ross looked down at the picture of mother and child and tenderly kissed Rachel on the lips.
Jack, Judy and Monica also entered the room to see the newest member of the Geller family.
"What shall we name him?" asked Rachel.
"Well I had a great grandfather who fought in the Revolution . His name was Benjamin ..so we can call him Ben." suggested Ross.
"I think that is what we shall name him Benjamin Ross Geller." smiled Rachel. "It is a name that will give him strength in the days to come."
Ross looked over at the tears in his sisters eyes. He knew what was on her mind. He would find him again for her. She deserved to have the same kind of happiness as him.
Hey how is everyone liking it so far…I had to have Ross' son be named Ben…don't worry Mondler fans …there is more Mondler to come as the war heats up….rr love, DrKerryWeaver, my new pal exitanis, and my fans at Merge and Everlasting Love …keep those reviews coming.