Chapter Thirteen: Close Call (Warning: Mild language and Drama)
That night, they awoke to the sound of Star's cries.
"She's been having trouble nursing." Mildred explained to Ethel.
"I hope she'll get it." Ethel said.
Constance was walking around the corridor, bouncing the fussy baby. Star's cries bounced of the walls. She definitely had her mother's lungs!
"Listen to her!" Said Mildred to Ethel. "For a preemie like her, she sure has powerful lungs!"
"Like mother, like daughter." Ethel replied.
"Well, she is a Constance Hardbroom." Mildred grinned.
"How much did she weigh when she was born?" asked Ethel.
"She weighed four pounds." Answered Mildred.
"That's so tiny!" Ethel gasped.
"Girls, my I have your assistance with Star?" Constance asked as she desperately rocked the fretting newborn.
"Is she all right?" Mildred was about to jump to her feet.
"She's upset. I'm afraid something I ate is disagreeing with her stomach." Constance replied.
"Have you tried supplementing with formula? You were told to do that to bring her weight up." Said Mildred.
"I hope it will work." Said Constance. She went to retrieve a bottle of formula which Amelia had made with hot water from the kettle. She came back with a rag and the bottle of formula in one hand and the fussy Star in the other arm."I will have to get Mrs. Tapioca to sterilize the bottles in boiling water again." She said. She held the bottle horizontal as she coaxed the newborn to latch on. Star latched onto the bottle and began feeding hungrily.
"Slow down, little one." Constance smiled, stroking her throat. After a few ounces, Star came off, panting heavily.
"Good girl...Okay......breathe. It's all right. Will you slow down for Mummy? You're okay." Constance coaxed. Star's breathing eventually calmed. "That was scary, wasn't it, Kitten?" Constance asked as Star lay against her chest. Ethel and Mildred smiled when they heard that. Constance held her there for a moment until the baby was calm again.
"All right now, time to wind you. Will you burp for Mummy? I promise you'll feel better after..." Constance eased the newborn against a cloth over her shoulder and patted her back. Star's tiny body was tense. "Just relax..." Constance murmured, rubbing her back.
"Come on, little one. It's okay." Said Millie, stroking Star's head with her fingertips.
"She's so precious..." Ethel whispered.
"Yes, she is."Constance said as tears came to her eyes.
"It's all right, Miss Hardbroom." Ethel said.
"I'll be all right after a moment." Constance said, patting Star's back.
"You've been getting emotional, Miss. Do you think it's Postpartum Depression?" asked Ethel.
"I doubt it, but if it continues, I will have to do something about it." Constance sighed. I've been so worried about Mildred and the baby, I haven't been taking care of myself. I'm worried more for Mildred at the moment than I am for myself."
"Well, if it continues, you know I'll have to tell Miss Cackle. She can't have her Deputy Head being depressed as well." Ethel preplied. Star burped and sighed.
"That's my girl." Constace praised with a smile. "If you must tell Miss Cackle, do so only if it gets worse." Constance left to change Star. She'd been told to do so after every feeding and nap. Star was scared but behave like a perfect angel. She returned, rocking Star to sleep. She knew the cycle would start in another two hours or so. Star began fussing sleepily.
Constance sighed. Looks like she would need her trusty Wide-Awake Potion. She cuddled the baby close. "I can't wait until she starts sleeping nights." She said.
"You do know that this can last at least three months." Said Mildred.
"Three months?" Constance was stunned. She then spoke after a moment. "Well, as long as my baby girl is healthy, that is all I care about."
"Maybe when she's a little older, you can get a babysitter to look after her?" asked Mildred.
"I don't trust just anyone with my child...Especially when she realizes she has she has magical powers." Constance replied.
"Miss Cackle said her niece, Miss Gribble, is returning, maybe she can do it?" asked Ethel.
"But Star is only calm around family....And Ethel of course, but that is because she is one of my prize pupils " Constance said.
Ethel smiled. "What about having her use one of your shawls, Miss? That way she'll have something with your scent..."
"Good idea, Ethel." Constance smiled. "Now, if you don't mind, I have to try to get this baby to sleep."
"Perhaps she doesn't want to sleep?" asked Ethel.
"She needs to sleep. She's exhausted." Answered Constance.
"Let me try, Aunt Constance." Said Mildred. She took the baby in her arms, rocking her, and began to sing. Her gentle singing quieted the baby and made her sleepy.
"Aunt Constance...look at her. She's falling asleep." Mildred said softly.
Constance watched in amazement."Are you getting sleepy...Star-Star? Perhaps we should let Ethel and Mildred sleep, hmm?" She cooed gently.
"Wait until she's fast asleep, Miss Hardbroom." Said Ethel. "If you move her now, it may upset her."
"You might be right." Said Constance. "She'll need to learn to soothe herself to sleep when she's older, but not now. Now, she has Mummy all to herself."
"At least until you're off Maternity Leave." Said Mildred.
"I don't want to leave her. Look at her. She is so tiny and innocent. She doesn't even know that there is wrongdoing in the world..." Constance said.f
"Then it is up to you to teach her once she is old enough to understand. You are her mother. It is your job to protect her, It was you who told me 'Confidence and control, Mildred. That's the secret of success." Mildred told her.
"I am not that confident." Constance whimpered.
"Sure you are. I know you are. You have to believe in yourself. I know you can do it." Mildred looked her Aunt straight in the eye.
"Do you really think so, Mil?" Constance asked.
"It's time to let go of the past. Hecketty Broomhead can't hurt you anymore. She'll be jailed for life if she even tries it. You know she can't go near you, me, Star, her own daughter,Miss Cackle, Miss Gribble, teachers of Cackle's Academy, any of the current pupils of the Academy, as well as the graduates, teachers the pupils and teachers of Weirdsister College, or any past, present, or future students of the Magical schools. You are where she can no longer touch you. I know she hurt you badly enough to leave scars and that's why you have everything covered from the neck down." Said Mildred. "There is absolutely no way in sodding hell that I will ever let her near you!"
"Profanity, Mildred." Constance reminded.
"Sorry, Aunt Constance. I get like this every single time I talk about her. It's like you and your fear. Whenever her name is meantioned, you are trembling from head to toe. Whenever I hear her name it makes me so angry, angry enough to make me want to do to her what she did to you!" Mildred fumed.
"Mildred, it's all right..." Ethel said, beginning to get scared.
"Mildred Isolt..." Constance started, but stopped when she saw Mildred trembling. Mildred dropped to the floor.
"Mildred!" Ethel cried out.
"Ethel, take the baby and get Miss Cackle. Now, girl!" Constance said. She turned Mildred on her side.
By the time Ethel came with Amelia and Imogen, Mildred was convulsing. The ambulance arrived 2 minutes later. The paramedic stuck an Ativan tablet under Mildred's tongue.
"Ethel stood by, fightened. "Millie?" The Ativan took effect almost immediately. Mildred's head was cradled in Constance's lap.
"Mildred, sweetheart? Are you all right? You have a seizure love. What happened to her?" Constance asked.
"Stress-induced seizure." The paramedic said then paused. "Mildred...Do you know where you are?" Mildred shook her head no.
"You're in your room at Cackle's Academy." Said Amelia.
"Do you know who I am?" asked Constance.
"M..Miss..Hardbroom. Aunt...Constance." Mildred said slowly.
"Millie, do you know who I am?" Ethel asked.
"E...Eth...Ethel Hallow..." Said Mildred dazedly.
"Do you know who I am?" asked Miss Drill.
"Miss...Miss Drill..." Mildred said tiredly.
"Mildred, who is this?" Constanceasked, gesturing to Amelia who had come up beside Mildred.
"Miss...Miss Cackle." Came the reply.
"Mildred you have to be more careful..." Said the paramedic as he checked her reflexes and made her walk. "You almost died."
"W...What?" asked Mildred, stunned.
"The sezure nearly killed you. Your brain seized up. I'm going to call the on-call doctor and suggest he make a house call tomorrow. I'm also prescribing Ativan in case of any more seizures. If the next seizure lasts longer than a few minutes, three at the most, she goes straight to the hospital." Said the paramedic. The Headmistress and Deputy Headmistress nodded silently.
"You're staying with me tonight. It's not up for discussion." Constance told Mildred. "I knew that something like this would happen. I'm sending you to bed, understood?"
"Yes..." Mildred said.
"You've had an eventful day. Time for bed." Constance tucked Mildred into bed, then got Star settled. Morgana sprang up on the bed near Constance. Tabby was snuggled close to Mildred in the bed.
"Look, Morgana. This is Star." Constance said softly. Morgana sniffed the baby and curled up next to Constance. "I know what you're thinking. I'm not getting enough sleep. You agree with Miss Cackle, don't you?" Constance asked.
Morgana mewed lightly, settling her tail around her paws. Her olive-green- eyes gazed back at her mistress carefully.
"I know, I know. You think I need to relax...or as the girls say 'Chill out.'" Constance reached to scratch Morgana behind the ears.