Minority Rules

By Donna and Toni

"Do you know what a perfect example of minority rule is?" Katherine asked Ceara as she packed up her overnight bag so that she could return home to Lornadoon. Connor had brought Doireann over to be with her mother, and the midwife had spent the night and most of the next day making sure that Charity's newborn twins were doing fine. Even though neither one of them had reached the six pound mark on the scales, both of the dark haired little girls were healthy, and nursing well. And now that she was allowed to get up and move around as much as she liked, Charity was happy too, even though she was so tired from the delivery, anytime she wasn't feeding the babies or herself, she was usually taking a nap. 

"No. I mean, I know what the term means, but how does it apply here?" the young redhead asked. 

"A perfect example of minority rules is having a baby in the house," Katherine chuckled. "You all will learn that rather quickly. One is bad enough, but two is exhausting. It's a good thing you are here to help her out, at least for a little while. But I don't want you overdoing it either," she said sternly, shaking her finger at the red head, who was now pregnant with her own child.  

"I won't, don't worry. Pat still insists on coming over in off hours to help out with the heavier work around here, now that I'm 'in the family way' myself; most of what I do will be helping Charity with the babies and light work around the house." She smiled as she thought of her pampering husband. 

"Good girl!" Katherine said. She checked one last time on the twins, and then picked up the basket with her own sleeping daughter in it. "If you need help, I'm just across the road. Don't be afraid to ask." She gave Ceara a hug, and then she was gone.  

And now it was just her to help Charity. Ceara pushed back her nerves and peeked into the bassinets that held her small charges, who were both awake and looking up at her. "Don't you worry, little ones; everything'll be fine for us and your mommy and daddy, I know it will." As she touched Samantha's cheek gently, the baby turned her mouth towards Ceara's finger and started sucking on it. This brought a smile to the young woman's face, as she thought of what it was going to be like when she started teething! 

Samantha decided that she wanted something other than a finger to suck on and announced her decision to the whole world. Charity stirred from her own nap and sighed, "Is it time to feed her again?"  

"I'm afraid so...I'm sorry. It was my finger that got her going," Ceara sighed. Just then, inspired by her twin's idea, Michaela decided to put in her own claim to some of what her sister was getting! Now Ceara really felt bad! 

Charity slid out of the bed and went to her babies. "Shhh, Mamma's here. Don't fuss so much." She picked up Samantha, who was the smaller of the two. "Ceara, would you bring Michaela to me once I get situated?" Nursing two at a time was still a bit of a juggling act for her, but she was getting the hang of it.  

As Charity went to her rocker with the one daughter, Ceara picked up the other one, cuddling her until her mother was ready to serve her meal. The little girl must have been hungry, because this time, she grabbed the ends of her babysitter's hair and started sucking on that! Chuckling, Ceara brought her to her mother, finally, and smiled, "All right, who's the one with the bigger appetite here, you or Sam? That's obviously who this one takes after!" 

It took a little finagling, but after a few minutes, both of the twins had latched on and were happily nursing away. "Be glad you will most likely only have one!" Charity teased her friend. "How is the diaper supply holding out? Do I need to wash some more?"  

Ceara, a little nervous at the "most likely" part of her sentence, told her, "We were getting a little low, but I've got some that I washed earlier today hanging up drying. It should be enough to get us through today, then tomorrow morning I can do some more. Remember, Mom, I'm here to help, in any way you need it." She squeezed Charity's shoulder in support, as she watched the two little ones eating hungrily. 

"I don't know what I would do without your help!" Charity said sincerely. "If you need a break though, Sam said the Norwegian twins both offered to come help. You need your rest too!"  

"I know....I'll be okay. Would you believe Pat also offered his services as a babysitter! He said he could tell them stories to keep them occupied." She couldn't help giggling at the thought of that! 

Charity chuckled. "Until it came time they had to be picked up, that is!"  

"Yes...though he's good at holding them, he said he prefers the actual picking up be done by someone else. He's afraid he'll do it wrong, not support their little heads right or something. Don't worry, I'll break him of that! At least he's said he doesn't mind doing diaper duty. That's kind of rare in a guy!" 

They continued to chat until first Samantha, and then Michaela fell asleep. Ceara took one while Charity took the other, placing them in their bassinets and covering them with warm blankets. "So beautiful," the new mother sighed softly. As they tiptoed away, she asked Ceara if she wanted help making lunch.  

"I would, thanks. I wish there was some way we could keep an eye on them at the same time! Where's a baby monitor when you need one," she chuckled, as they walked into the kitchen. 

Lunch was roast beef sandwiches and mashed potatoes, along with some carrots that Charity had canned the previous summer. As she stirred the brown gravy, Ceara set the table and poured four large mugs of cold milk. No sooner was the gravy done than Sam Grey and the Irish immigrant he had hired to help out with the farm chores came in to eat. "Wipe your feet!" both Charity and Ceara called out.  

Which of course they did most diligently, rather than risk the wrath of the two women! Lunch was a comfortable affair; that is until the Irishman, making polite conversation, inquired as to whether or not Ceara knew how many babies she was having yet. Pushing down her nerves as to how she'd cope if it was any more than one, she managed to smile and tell him, "No, not yet." 

"Don't worry," Charity told her. "Unless twins run in your family, its actually pretty rare. I should have expected it! My grandmother had two sets! And two of my aunts each had twins as well."  

Ceara felt relieved to hear that; she knew they didn't run in her family, and though Pat came from a large family, he'd never mentioned any of them being twins, so maybe she was safe. She stroked her still-flat belly instinctively, then realized what she was doing and, blushing slightly, got back to her meal. 

Charity managed to actually finish her lunch before one of the twins let everyone know that she was awake, her diaper was wet, and she wanted someone to come and get her right now!