Chapter 1 Expecting
It had snowed the night before. Jeremy and Candy were sitting in the kitchen talking about what they were going to name the baby. This was the first one, Jeremy wanted a boy, Candy wanted a girl.
"Well, all I am saying is if it is a girl she should have my mother's name!" Candy said as she took a bite of the Christmas cookie she had just baked. Jeremy took a bite of his cookie as well.
"I agree, but don't you think we could name her Margaret Elizabeth?" Jeremy said as he popped the cookie in his mouth whole. Candy gasped at that and almost the cookie!
"Jeremy, please don't put a whole cookie in your mouth, that is so immature!" Jeremy looked at her and smiled.
"I really prefer her name to Elizabeth Margaret, after all she will still be a Pruitt!" Candy said as she turned around to Jeremy who had another cookie sticking out of his mouth. He had a mischievous look in his eyes…
"Oh, no Jeremy, no!" Candy said as he slowly moved closer to her and grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close. So close that she had to take a bit of the cookie herself. Once she had done that he put his lips on hers and they kissed. Candy broke away first because she started to choke on the cookie crumbs. Jeremy was laughing he had already swallowed his cookie.
"Oh, no, They are at it again!" Said Molly as she ushered Christopher out of the kitchen.
"Molly, I wish they wouldn't do that while we are here?" Christopher said
"I know, but we just came in, so they did not know we were here. I guess we will have to check the next time." Molly said, Candy came into the room she looked okay, so they did not say anything. Jeremy came in after her with two cookies one for each of them.
"Well, here you go, I knew you would like a cookie!" Jeremy said and he gave one to each of them. They said thank you.
"Christophe, Molly what would you like to name your niece? We have two names, Margaret, and Elizabeth. What do you think the first name should be?" Candy asked them. They looked at Jeremy, then they looked at each other and said:
"Whatever you want to name them!" they said it together, but Molly volunteered a name:
"How about combining them? Like maybe Eliza Margie? Maggie Beth? Or better yet, you two decide, we are going back out to play!" She grabbed Christophers hand and ran out the door before Candy could say anything.
"Well, we know were they stand!" said Candy as she and Jeremy looked at each other and smiled. They were so happy together. It was almost Christmas; Candy was close to having the baby and they had been prepared for everything that could happen even asking Dr. Wright to be available for Candy that Christmas. Unfortunately, Dr. Wright was not available, so Emily Perkins and Lottie were ready to help Candy with the birth. There were two more who would be able to help as well, Lisabeth and Marcia. They had been the girls who had taken Ben and Emily's baby to save it from the 'grown-ups.' But they had also returned the baby and ended up helping with the baby themselves. They were now fine young women about 15 and 16. They still had some strange notions, but they had proven themselves very competent as midwives and were often called upon to help deliver babies when the doctor was not around. Their father had passed away during an epidemic, so they had resided in the same house that they had been living in.
"Lisabeth, if Candy is having her baby on Christmas Eve, do you think they will have church the next day?" Asked Marcia, who was quietly placing the tea cups on the table.
"I suppose so, why do you ask?" said Lisabeth
"Well, I was just remembering all the events that happened for Emily, and how we had gotten confused on what happened with the baby Jesus?" said Marcia. Lisabeth looked at her sister, she did recall that time. She was glad they had returned the baby, and that Emily and Ben were all right. They were so all right that now Emily and Ben had two more children!
"I think if we keep to what we have been doing and make sure the baby is okay, we should not have to hide it from anyone at the time. We know everyone here in town and we know that they do not want to hurt any baby." Said Lisabeth confidently.
"What if someone we know comes to town who doesn't know the baby? Should we hide the child then?" Marcia asked. Lisabeth looked at her sister, her dear sister was sometimes a little off. Father had not seen it when he was alive, but Lisabeth knew. She had known there was something about her sister that wasn't right.
"Marcia, we will take care of that bridge when we get there. Right now, there is no need to hide any child!" said Lisabeth, feeling that the idea was settled, she would keep an eye on her sister, she seemed to have a problem with reality and fantasy sometimes and so Lisabeth would often make sure the doors were locked from the inside. She did not want her sister to be sent to an asylum.