The Fullness of Time, chapter 2
Time and Tea
She didn't have to wait a month. Within a week or so, Victoria knew. First of all there had been another bout of morning sickness. Fortunately, John and the rest of the men were out of the house. They had left even earlier than usual to move one of the most distant herds to new water. And Luna had been engaged cin hasing Ari around the house and over the furniture. Julia had been the only witness. And merely said, "Un poco de pan con sal ayudura', a la Sra." After that, there was no more actual sickness, just bouts of nausea that the bread and salt did indeed help. And very soon….
Victoria hadn't known exactly what "quicken" meant. Well, she did know what it meant; she had had the merest whispers before, but she didn't know what it truly, fully felt like. And then she did. One day, doing nothing in particular, she felt as if the deepest part of her had suddenly firmed and expanded at the same time; 'quickened.' She sat down in shock. She marked the date and sipped her tea. And wondered how and when to tell John. As with her earlier 'maybe' pregnancies, in some ways she felt he suspected. But to suspect and to know were two different things. And she felt nervous about telling him; afraid he would say he was too old to to go through 'all that' again. That they had Blue and Luna and that was enough in the child, (large and small), department. She didn't doubt that he would come around eventually, but still, to actually say the words to him caused a different kind of butterflies.
A few nights later, she sat in front of her dressing table, brushing out her hair. She hummed a nameless tune she hadn't heard since her nursery days. John smiled at her as he came into their room. "You've been in a good mood lately." "Oh yes?" "Yes," replied John, with a small laugh, taking off his jacket, "As a matter of fact, you have been in an especially good mood for several days now. You didn't even get angry at Mano when he forgot...again...for the third time …. to get the fabric that you had ordered."
"Oh, well, I suppose I am just so happy to have Luna..." she started to finish, but then trailed off. She took a deep breath, stood and turned him from the wardrobe. "Come, I have something to tell you." She pulled him gently to the center of the room to face each other.
John, by this time was frowning with both puzzlement and concern.
"Its all right, really. Its good news." She bit her lip. One more deep breath. "I am...we are going to have a baby."
"Oh." His face had gone blank.
She scanned that blankness anxiously. "It's all right? You are happy? Yes?"
Now it was his turn to take a deep breath. "Yes. Of course I am happy. It's just sudden...you know. A surprise." He smiled at her, took he hands in his and kissed them.
She sighed with relief. "It is a surprise? Really? You didn't suspect? Sometimes I thought you did."
"Oh, maybe just a little. But you women are mysterious creatures. I don't pretend to understand."
"And in the past too...some earlier times...did you suspect then?"
He nodded the smallest of an acknowledgment.
She put her arms around him, holding him tightly. "Oh, the past is the past. I have never been so happy as right now." She tightened her arms even more, laying her head on his chest. "My goodness, you heart is racing like a train!"
"Well, its been an exciting evening, no?" he teased.
She stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him gently. "Yes."
To those in the U.S., Happy Thanksgiving. And to those kind enough to read and even review these stories, thank you.