LM Montgomery owns Anne of Green Gables. Margaret Mitchell owns some other characters. I own the characters you don't recognize from any stories you have read. And legal disclaimers are for the birds. Tweet Tweet.
Marybeth was awakened from an uneasy, fitful slumber by Dilcey's insistent hand on her shoulder, shaking her.
Marybeth sat bolt upright. "What is it Dilcey?"
"You need to call the doctor--Lanie's ready to have the baby. She's doing just fine, but it's time to call the doctor."
Marybeth climbed out of bed, threw on a dressing-gown and hurried downstairs to the phone. Dilcey had never learned to use a phone, and at her age, she didn't even want to learn.
"Hello, Anne? Marybeth. Is the doctor there? It's Lanie's time. Soon? Thank you."
She went to the back bedroom to report to Dilcey. "The doctor's out on a case, but Mrs. Blythe expects him back any moment now. She'll send him right over."
Dilcey shrugged, unconcerned. In a low voice, she said," I only sent for him because that's what Lanie wants. It's a fine day when your own grandaughter thinks you can't deliver a baby."
Marybeth smiled sympathetically and went upstairs to change. Putting on an old blouse and skirt, she looked in the mirror only long enough to check she was on straight, and to pin the braid she had slept in up on her head. Then she knocked on Anna's door.
"Come in," Anna said.
Marybeth went in to see Anna already dressed. "Lanie's not feeling well this morning, and I need to help her. I would like you to fix your own hair today, and Jomishie's if she'll let you. Don't fight with her over it, however. It's more important that Lanie rest than for Jomishie to have braids. Then, I want you to make breakfast. Toast and eggs will be fine. Are you up to it?" Marybeth smiled at her daughter.
"Of course I am. And Ma, when you say Lanie's not feeling well, do you mean the baby's coming?" She smiled slyly at her mother.
Marybeth shook her head in surprise. "How did you--never mind, we'll talk later. Thanks, sweetheart." She hugged her daughter. "And by the way, you don't need to discuss Lanie's condition with Jomishie...or Henry."
"Ma, give me credit for some sense!" Anna replied seriously and maturely.
Marybeth hurried down the stairs and into the back bedroom, rolling up her sleeves as she entered. "How is everything?"
Lanie's only reply was a scornful look and a moan as a pain hit her. "Grandma, I can't do this!" She wailed.
When the pain subsided, Dilcey ordered her, "Get up on your knees, put your arms on the headboard and rest your head down on your arms. That'll lighten the pain a bit." Then she murmured to Marybeth, "back labor."
Marybeth assisted on one side and Dilcey on the other side as they got Lanie into position.
"Now, Miz Marybeth, I want you to push on Lanie's lower back when the next pain comes."
Marybeth climbed up behind Lanie and pushed hard on her back when the next pain came. Afterward, Dilcey asked, "Did that help?"
"A little," came the muffled reply as Lanie kept her head on her arms.
The two women continued to assist the laboring woman as they waited for the doctor to come. Lanie complained her knees were tired, and they put her on her side. Then she wanted to be upright, and they helped her sit. They sponged her when she got too hot, and gave her sips of water when she was thirsty, and helped her change positions whenever she wanted to.
The pains were becoming more frequent and more intense when finally the doctor arrived. Dr. Blythe agreed that labor was progressing well, and they decided that Marybeth was no longer needed to help. As she was leaving, she heard Dr. Blythe saying to Dilcey, "If her water doesn't break on its own in a few more contractions, we can decide if we want to do that ourselves."
Marybeth smiled at his tact, consulting with Dilcey, although she wondered what would happen if a real difference of opinion arose between them. Dr. Blythe had the most up-to-date training, but Dilcey had decades of experience in conditions much more primitive than a nice clean little bedroom in Glen St. Mary.
She found Bert sitting in the kitchen and gave him a report on Lanie's progress. He looked tired and worried, but didn't say anything beyond, "Thanks." But that was Bert's way. He never said much. However, Lanie was vivacious and talkative enough for both of them, so they balanced out.
"Where are the children? I don't hear them," Marybeth said, as she looked outside. The sky was getting darker as clouds were piling up.
"Rainbow Valley," he replied.
Rainbow Valley--last night--oh no. Mortified. That was how Marybeth felt as the memory of the previous night rushed back at her, full force, in the light of sober day. Blushing, she left the room to wash up before she went to fetch her children.
Every detail of last night played in her head as she washed. She was embarrassed at her own emotional overeaction to the things Mr. Douglas said. If anybody else had challenged her like that, she would have been annoyed, but she could have laughed and simply explained the discrepency in her speech. She could have set the rumor straight, and not cared what the other person thought. At least, not too much. Not so much to fly off the handle, anyway.
She couldn't remember the last time she had lost control like that. She strove to be pleasant and get along with people, and while she didn't always succeed, she made a true effort not to rock the boat if it wasn't necessary. And last night it wasn't necessary.
She couldn't even place the blame on what he had said, or the way he said it. His curiousity was valid. Something about Mr. Douglas himself had lit the fuse, as it were. She didn't want to look bad in his eyes.
Marybeth was dismayed by this realization. She had come here hoping to relax, see something new, be something new. She wanted a break from the daily workings of her farm, and the daily interactions with her neighbors, and she had not wanted to entangle herself in the lives of the people of Glen St. Mary beyond the commonplace pleasantries and good will to all. She didn't want anybody here to become too important to her.
It started to drizzle as she walked down to Rainbow Valley to collect her children to spend the afternoon at the Blythes'. She tried not to think about last night as she walked through the place where it happened, but she was unable to keep her thoughts away from it. The most humiliating rememberance was that at the end, when their quarrel was over, and he held her in his arms, she found it in herself to wish that it could be dark forever, and that the sun would never rise, and they could just stay in the quiet seclusion of Rainbow Valley.
Ha. Her problem was that she had been a widow too long.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Una Meredith, and she ducked her head so Una couldn't see her blush. Marybeth pretended that she was watching her footing very carefully as she greeted the little girl.
"We're going up to Ingleside, Una. You better come along, too. It's starting to rain hard. Get under my umbrella."
Una obeyed without any comment. Marybeth found all her children under the trees with the Blythes and the Merediths, and she herded them up the hill to Ingleside, where the younger children took off for the barn, and the older boys climbed up to the attic, but not before Ted impulsively kissed Marybeth on the cheek.
"What was that for?" She asked.
"To say 'sorry' for being so mopey this week," he said, sheepishly.
Marybeth did intercept the raised-eyebrow look Anna gave him as he climbed the stairs. Then Anna looked at Marybeth, shrugged and went to play with her friends.
"How's Lanie?" Miss Cornelia asked. She was working on another pretty baby dress.
"Dr. Blythe says fine, but she's feeling poorly." Marybeth looked at Anne. "Helping Lanie brought back a lot of memories for me."
Anne nodded understandingly. Miss Cornelia remarked, "Jomishie's about Rilla's age. It's been a long time."
Marybeth didn't believe in second sight, but Miss Cornelia seemed to be mirroring her own thoughts.
"Wade died when Jomishie was only a few months old. It has been a long time."
Miss Cornelia nodded. "I'm making this one for Lanie's baby. I had hoped to be finished it before now." She held up the little white dress.
"It's lovely, Lanie will love it. Thank you." Marybeth said.
"Some women might have started looking around again after all this time," Miss Cornelia abruptly changed the subject.
"Ah, but you know how hard it is to find a really good man." Marybeth smiled at her. It really was uncanny the way Miss Cornelia seemed to be shadowing her thoughts. "Besides, I heard you took your time for many years before marrying Mr. Elliot. Would you really advise jumping into any involvement with a man willy-nilly?"
"Not on your life," Miss Cornelia smiled back at her, a trifle reluctantly.
"I made Gil wait for me for years," interjected Anne. "Not on purpose, and looking back, I'm lucky he did wait for me. But, you're both right. You have to wait for the right man at the right time."
Gilbert called to announce that Lanie had given birth to a healthy baby girl, and that both mother and baby were fine and healthy. Miss Cornelia left soon after, promising to send the dress as soon as it was finished. Marybeth used Miss Cornelia's departure as an opportunity to tell Anne what happened in Rainbow Valley the previous night.
"So, what are you going to do?" Anne asked.
"Oh, that's the easy part. I'm just going to avoid him for the rest of the summer."
Anne crossed her arms and shook her head. "I like him, you know. Miss Cornelia doesn't, but I never found him to be anything but a good neighbor."
"Oh, Anne, I like him, too. He has a quick wit and he always makes me laugh. Well, usually."
"And, you seemed to be well matched on the dance floor."
"Yes. But is that enough?"
"Well, good luck, anyway," Anne said. This would have to play out over time. It would not be resolved today.
Back at home, Marybeth prepared an easy supper of leftover meat, vegetables and potatoes, and after cleanup, she and Anna went in to see Lanie and the baby.
Mother and baby were both asleep, and Dilcey chased them out, promising to call for Marybeth if she needed any help during the night.
"Ma, the baby was so little, and so cute. How can anybody be so little?"
"You were littler when you were born."
They were sitting at the kitchen table. The two youngest ones were in bed, and the older boys were out on the patio by themselves. It was too wet for outdoor play.
"Ma, I know why Ted was so quiet all these days."
"How do you know, Anna?" Marybeth was torn between a desire to know what was going on and her concern to know what Anna had to do with it all. After all, it was hardly likely that Ted had confided in his baby sister.
"I heard the boys talking about it."
"You know our rule in this family about eavesdropping."
"Ma, Ted's room is right next to mine, and I heard him through the wall. It wasn't eavesdropping, it was Ted being loud."
"Fine, what is it?"
"Some girl kissed him."
Marybeth's eyes opened wide.
"Yeah, some girl named Katie or Sadie or something like that. And Ma, she's old! Seventeen!"
"You sure of this?"
"That's what Ted told Wade Jr. and Beau."
Marybeth was almost sorry she asked. She didn't know what to do with the story Anna told her. She wished Wade were alive so he could talk to their son.