"Mama I'm hungry!" Naomi cried.
"Me too, I want fish!" Elijah joined in.
"No soup!" Naomi countered.
"No mother is helping me finish this dress!" Evi yelled at her siblings.
"Enough!" Shem bellowed. "Naomi and Elijah, Aunt Na'el has dinner for you at her home, Evi, grandmother said she would help you and Adah with your stitching. Mother is not feeling well."
Once the children all left, Shem brought some tea into our bedroom where I was lying down in bed. My back had been hurting all day so Shem made me stay in bed.
"They're all gone." Shem told me.
"It took long enough." I replied, taking the tea. "This is delicious."
"Mother made it; she didn't want me accidently poisoning you." Shem replied.
"I did always know she was smart." I joked.
"How does your back feel?" He asked me.
"It is better now that I am lying down, and the tea is helping." I told him.
He put his hand on my belly, "What do you think it will look like?"
"Most likely one of us." I replied. "Can you rub my feet?"
"Of course." He said grabbing my feet.
"Mhmm that's nice." I told him.
"It's quiet." Shem said out of nowhere.
"I know, it is lovely." I replied.
"In six months we will have another baby." He said.
"At least now we have Evi and Adah to help us." I said.
"Oh yes I am sure they will be very helpful." Shem replied jokingly.
"How do you think Naomi will be?" I asked him.
Shem's face looked more serious than it had been, "It will be an adjustment for her."
"Do you remember how Elijah tried to get mother and father to take Naomi and Asher after they were born?" I asked Shem.
"I do." He replied, laughing a bit. "He was really passionate about it."
"I miss him so much." I confessed.
"We all do love." Shem told me, kissing me gently.
"You should go get the children." I told him.
"Or we can leave them and have a night alone." Shem said seductively.
"My back hurts Shem." I reminded him. "Besides I highly doubt Naomi will want to sleep somewhere else."
"I can try to make it feel better." Shem continued.
"Shem." I said sternly.
Shem looked disappointed, "Do you want me to get the children then?"
"Please." I replied. "Will you help me up so I can relieve myself love?"
Shem helped me get up on my feet and walked me over to our wash area. There was a bucket where we did our business. When I was finished he got me back to our bed and went to get the kids. I was beginning to fall asleep when I felt someone shaking me.
"Mama, mama look at my dress that grandmother helped me make." I heard Evi say.
"Evi your mother is trying to sleep." I heard Shem tell her.
"It is okay I am up." I mumbled.
I opened my eyes groggily and saw Evi sitting next to me. In her hands was a very well stitched dress that was the perfect size for a newborn.
"I made it for the baby." She explained. "And even if this one isn't a girl the next one might be."
I started to choke up a bit, "Evi that is so wonderful.
"Thank you mother." She said proudly.
"I can't believe she did this." I said to Shem the next morning.
"I know, it isn't like Evi to do something for someone else without a motive." Shem replied.
"Oh hush you." I told him. "You two might not get along very well but she is your daughter."
"She still hates me you know, I can tell." He said.
"She does not hate you Shem. You and Evi have conflicting personalities." I tried to assure him.
"Are you sure she is mine?" Shem asked.
I smacked him on the arm, "Of course she is yours!"
"I am only joking Ila." He told me defensively.
"Well pick your jokes more wisely. Now if you will excuse I have to make breakfast." I said and left the room.
I was placing plates of fruit and bread on the table when the children began to pile in. When Shem brought Naomi in, who was still half-asleep, we all sat down to eat.
"What did your aunt make for dinner?" I asked Elijah.
"Chicken soup." He replied.
"How perfect." Shem put in. "Adah I didn't see what you made with grandmother."
"I stitched a blanket for the baby. Grandmother was going to finish it and bring it over later." She told him.
"That is lovely Adah." I told her.
And with that comment, we all began a lovely day.