Younger Brother was minding his own business, listening to the Victrola in the other room and softly humming to himself. He was often alone. His sister was too busy going to town and spending time in the backyard. Today she was in the backyard tending to the garden. Yet as she worked, she suddenly felt a pain in her body. Younger Brother suddenly heard a horrible cry from his sister's throat. He dropped a box and ran to the backyard. Mother screamed. She stood up from where she was and leaned into her Brother's arms. She let out a weak cry before her brother carried her up to her room.
Father stood discussing business with his assistant manager. The Fireworks were not in demand as they were that July, but they were doing well with national sales and bargains. All over the factory were delicately wrapped packages of fireworks, and off in the distance you could hear their explosions from the outside testing grounds. Father wanted his break to be soon, the sounds were starting to get to him. All the time he was sure the fireworks wouldn't disturb him, but since they were testing a whole new lot, the sound got to his ears. The only thing he hoped to do was to go home to his wife and hear music from their piano in the parlor. But Father turned his eye when he recognized a man he knew for sure had to have been his brother in law. His hair seemed disheveled and his eyes involuntarily wide from shock. Father was startled by his appearance, but soon heard his cries. Come home! The young man cried. He took Father's shoulder and led him towards the side exits of the great warehouse. Father was hesitant, but felt reluctant to leave at such short notice. Good heavens why? Father stopped. The young man grabbed Father's shirt roughly and dragged him along and said: Hesitant to come home when my sister is having you child?
Father called a doctor as soon as he came into his parlor. Mother's shrilling cries could be heard throughout the house and scared the maid half to death. Her bedroom, where the bed was once neat and clean with crisply white linens now wrinkled beyond belief from Mother's constant movement, and was silent as a grave until she screamed. The sheets were ruined, covered in sweat and blood. Mother was alone. She kept her eyes closed in fear of what a fright she must have looked like. Her imminent fear of death became obvious when she could not feel her body. Mother held the fringed edges of her pillowcase and wailed terribly. Father welcomed the doctor in when he arrived and immediately sent him upstairs. Younger Brother sat next to him in the parlor. Father lit a cigar and set a carafe of brandy in front of him. He sat nervously. His head was rested in his hands and he breathed deeply.
Upstairs, the maid stood outside the bedroom door. Clean towels were in a pile topped by a large bowl. The maid held a tea kettle that, filled with hot water, covered her glasses with steam. She placed it on the ground and went back downstairs to the kitchen. Father stood up, thinking it was the doctor passing the hallways.
Mother was quiet. There seemed to be a great silence filling the house now. Father began to tremble. Eleanor? He cried. Younger Brother stood up and followed his brother in law up the stairs to her bedroom. Father stood outside the bedroom with his ear against the door. It seemed in all his excitement he was now a different man. Once accustomed to orderly ways he felt chaotic, as if his heart would explode had he never heard her voice again. But in that fearing moment he had, a high pitched cry filled the small bedroom. He quickly realized it was the sound of his child. Father let out victorious cries of excitement as he ran down to the kitchen and grabbed a champagne bottle. Mother was now sitting upright on her bed, her golden hair falling down her shoulders. She didn't even give the doctor time to wrap it; she took the unwashed newborn into her arms and held it to her breast. Mother cried with joy and relief. She had a son.
Father was overjoyed. He took Mother to his room to lie on his bed; it was a bit larger in size. Mother was exhausted. The Doctor told Father that she would have died, had she not had strength at the last minute. Father took their baby and held it closely against his cheek. He listened to it's heartbeat as if it were the most beautiful music in the world. Mother slept through this. Father wrapped her in his blankets and did everything he could to make sure she was comfortable. Younger Brother was amazed at Father's new behavior.
The next morning, Mother awoke to find Father asleep in a chair in the room. She laughed softly at the sight of him; his suit wrinkled and his hair was messy. Edward, she called. Father awoke slowly. He caught sight of Mother, her face glowing and her golden hair neatly tied in a braid. Mother had slept with the baby at her side. The baby boy opened its wide blue eyes on its mother. He stared in amazement at everything. Father walked over to her bedside. What are you going to call him? She whispered. Father looked at the baby. The Little Boy took his Father's finger and placed it in his mouth. Mother was charmed by him. Father looked into her eyes. He will be named Edgar. He whispered. Mother approved with a smile.