| STORY 2 Page 33 |
| "Where have you two been?" Rick looked annoyed at having to watch water boil, but he was also nervous about witnessing yet another birth- those were intense, man. Gabrielle and Jonathan looked at each other briefly, but Gabs couldn't hold it in: "We're getting married!" "What?!" Evelyn was shocked. "Yeah! Jon just asked me and I said yes and now we're engaged!!" "Oh my Allah!! That's magnificent!" Evie walked over to Gabs and gave her a huge hug, "Hey! We'll be sisters!" Evie started crying with joy- her brother was getting married! "Hey, congratulations, Jonathan. You guys'll be very happy together." Rick, smiling widely, came over and gave Jon a manly-man type hug, then moved on to Gabs and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks, Rick- I know we will be." Jon was beaming. "Oh, this is wonderful! A baby and an engagement all in one day!" Evie hugged her brother close. "Hey? What's going on?" Kit asked the question as Alex, Senbi, and he came walking in to see what all the ruckus was about. "Gabs and I are getting married." Jon got to break the news this time. "NO!" Senbi shouted out his first thought, but quickly recovered, "I mean, uh, congratulations..." He walked to Gabs and gave her a hug then gave Jon a very awkward handshake, "Uh, you're, uh getting a wonderful girl, you know." Then, with a very serious sincerity, "Take care of her." Gabs smiled as Jon answered, "I know, and I will. Thanks, Senbi." "Uncle Jon! That's so great! Can I be best man or something at the wedding?" Alex's first thought, of course, was for his own self-interest. Jon laughed, "Of course you'll be in the wedding, Alex- you're my favorite kid- you know that!!" "Hey, congratulations to you both." Kit was surprisingly polite and quiet as he genially shook Jon's hand and then hugged Gabs and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Kit." Jon saw the sincerity in the young man's eyes and was truly touched. "Thanks." "Oh, well, we have to get to work- the baby's coming any moment now. Rick, is the water boiling?" Evie had to concentrate now to the task at hand, even though her heart was over-flooding with joy at her ever-growing family. "Yeah- finally!" Rick was glad not to have to watch water anymore. "Ok, um, Gabs? Could you go fetch Ardeth for me and send him to the main room? Jon- you stay with him and try to keep him calm, um- Gabs, stay with Nefret and put cool towels on her head." The two nodded and got to work at their new tasks and tried to sober up in preparation for the birth, "I'll finish washing up. Alex, Kit, are all the sheets torn?" "Yes mum, they're all ready." Alex was eager to help. "Ok, let's get going..." ~*~*~*~*~ A young Med-jai walked in to wake up the head Med-jai. "Sir? Sir?" The older man woke up with worry on his mind. "What happened? What's wrong?" A Med-jai is not waken without reason. "Sir, the prisoner has escaped..." The old Med-jai mumbled something incomprehensible, "Oh, and Sir?" The old Med-jai was getting up with a concerned frown on his face because the escape of this prisoner could not be a good thing, and he answered offhandedly, "Yes? What else?" "He's taken the Black Book with him..." Marion ([email protected]) April 13, 2003 After Gabrielle had left to help Nefret, Jonathan went to go sit with Ardeth as Rick, Evelyn, Kit and Alex continued to make preparations for the birth. Her contractions had started eight hours ago, and she was beginning to get tired of the pain. Her muffled moans could be heard through the window of the hut they were in now. Evelyn sped up the heating of the water as much as she could by coaxing the flame under the pot a little higher, and Alex and Kit frantically ripped more sheets, just in case they were needed. Just as she was lifting the pot from the fire Senbi came running in� �Trouble, the baby is in trouble!" �What!?� Evelyn shrieked. �What do you mean in trouble?� �Well something�s wrong!� Senbi�s face had gone ashen and he fell to the ground, cold. �Come on Evie, let�s go!� Rick grabbed her hand, and with the other hand grabbed the pot of water, slamming a lid down onto it to keep the heat in. �Alex, Kit, stay here�� They quickly raced out the door and into the other hut where Nefret lay on a straw pallet on the floor. Her nightgown was bunched up around her waist and she was lying in a pool of blood, screaming, in agony. Evelyn turned her head away for a moment in shock, too dumfounded to speak. Her hand went up to her mouth as her eyes squeezed shut, but then she regained control over herself and bent over the screaming, sweating, shaking Nefret, and grasped her hands. She spoke in Arabic �Come on Nefret, breathe, honey, breathe. After you have done that you need to tell us exactly where it hurts, ok?� She got a meager nod in return. Ever so slowly Nefret�s breathing returned to normal, but her grip on Evelyn�s hands did not slacken. She took a deep breath, and let it out. �It hurts all over� Everywhere� I am scared Evelyn, what�s happening?� �Gabrielle, get Ardeth, just in case...� Her voice trailed off as she diverted her attention back to Nefret, �Just hold on Nefret, we are going to figure this out, just hold on.� Rick squated down on the straw at Nefret�s side, not liking the surprising turn of events. He had witnessed many births in his life, but he wasn�t too keen on any of them, especially when they went wrong, and by the looks of this one, something was terribly the matter. �Rick, do you think it�s a breach?� Evelyn�s eyes were filled with fear. �I think that�s exactly what it is, and something has to be done, but without being in London we can�t wait, I am going to have to help deliver it Evelyn. But, I need you to stay right where you are with Nefret, and I need you to tell her exactly what I am going to do, as I am doing it.� �Oh God Rick, you really think it�s that bad?� He just stared at her, his eyes betraying everything. She gasped, but then turned to Nefret on the floor while Gabrielle had a cloth wet with water and was washing her face, cleaning the sweat from it, trying desperately to cool the poor woman down. �Nefret�Nefret?� Evelyn repeated when she did not get a response. Nefret�s eyes were clamped shut and her jaw was clenched as she fought against the pain. Evelyn squeezed her hand gently and that seemed to rouse her. �Rick is going to try to help you, but this is not going to be easy. It�s going to hurt a lot because he has to�� she paused. �He has to what Evelyn?� �He has to reach inside you to get the baby. It might be the only way to stop you from bleeding and to save your child, it�s a breech birth, and the baby�s head is not going first like it�s supposed to. Just be strong.� Evelyn could see her eyes go wide when she told her what was going to happen, and she truly felt for her. �Oh Allah, help me here this day!� Nefret prayed. |