Part 9
Part Eight
Although she hated to admit it, Kay knew that the newsgirls taking care of her was a lifesaver. Things were much more difficult for her now. She would need assistance in emerging from chairs and bed, and now, she needed to use the backhouse every other hour. Her eating had increased again, and she looked and felt ready to burst.
She was sleeping peacefully with one arm around her stomach when Autumn peeked in to check on her. She had awakened at the door opening, but did not open her eyes. When Autumn left, she fell asleep again. Not long afterward, the door opened again.
Thinking it was still Autumn, she kept her eyes closed. Then, she felt lips press against her face in a tiny kiss. She smiled, stirred and opened her eyes. Pie Eater was home.
�I�m back.� He kissed her lips softly. �I knew you weren�t asleep.�
�Actually,� she shifted carefully, �I woke up when you came in the door.� She raised her hands. �Help me up?�
He gently heaved her to a seated position. She groaned and held her stomach once she was upright.
�You okay?� Pie Eater wondered.
�The baby�s just kicking.� She moaned softly. �He�s been turning lately. He used to kick me down below, and now it�s more toward my ribs.�
�Ain�t that a good thing?�
�Yes. It means he�s getting ready to come out.�
He sat beside her and placed a hand on her stomach. �A whole other month. Can ya believe that?�
�I hope I can last that long.�
�You will.� He kissed her again. �How would ya feel if I told ya we could move out right away?�
Her ears perked. �What does that mean? Did you get a raise?�
�I got �nother offer.�
�From who?�
�Pa. He came down to th� wharf today t� tell me he was th� one who gave us th� baby furniture.�
�I thought so. Did you thank him?�
��Course. Anyway, �e also gave me �n offer. He says �e needs help in �is workshop. Since I used t� be apprentice to �im, he wants t� hire me. It pays well, an� �e�s got a room �e can let us use till we need t� move out. Whaddaya think?�
It seemed so wonderful to Kay. Good pay, and a free place of their own. But the baby was due in a month. She still needed constant care in her position. Could they move out right away?
�I think it�s wonderful.� She replied. �But�I don�t think we should move out right away.�
�Wanna wait till th� baby comes?�
�Yes. The girls are helping me out so much and now I�ve got two to help every day. I don�t think I could last without them here.�
�So ya think I should take th� job, but hold off on th� room?�
�Just until the baby comes. But yes, I say you should take the job.�
He grinned, then leaned her back onto his arm and kissed her again. She giggled, then grimaced.
�I think our baby wants to come out now.� She pressed a hand to the spot where kicking was occurring.
�Well, �e�s gotta wait at least �nother month. Then we�ll be ready.�
* * *
Pie Eater was needed to work another week before he could begin the carpentry job with his father. After receiving his last payment, he invested it and began working with Joseph.
Because it had been four and a half years since they had last worked together, it was difficult to return to the old pattern in which they had worked before. Still, Pie Eater adapted quickly and remembered all of the skills his father had taught him.
�Impressive.� Joseph observed.
�What?�
�That you�ve remembered everything I used to teach you. Do you still remember how to cook like your mother taught you?�
�Yup! Learned some new stuff after Karen�s �n� my honeymoon.�
�Good. I�ve needed help with the cooking here, too.�
�Ya mean ya don�t cook as well as ya used to?�
�Oh no, I can still cook. But I�ve been expanding on my menu and it�s hard working on my own. I�ll be glad to have you back here to help.�
�I will be too.�
Joseph beamed proudly. �So, the baby�s due in three weeks?�
Pie Eater nodded. �Yup.�
�Have you decided on any names yet?�
�Uh huh. If it�s a boy, we�re gonna name �im after me.�
�And if it�s a girl?�
�Gonna call �er Deborah Karen, after Karen of course.�
�They both sound like good names. But you didn�t mention a middle name for a boy.�
�We�re still discussin� that. We ain�t too sure on that yet.�
�I see.� He applied polish to the rocking chair he had just pieced together. �How is Karen doing, now that the due date is coming up quickly?�
�She�s scared, but excited too. She�s also got two girls helpin� �er out around th� lodging house when I�m gone. Those girls�ve been so great.�
�How many girls are there?�
�Nine, not includin� Karen. They�re all real great.�
�Are any of them getting married?�
�Not now, but I know some�re discussin� it.� he snickered. �Won�t be long b�fore th� lodging house is full of newly married couples!�
�I wouldn�t doubt that.� He paused. �Are you going to miss your life of being a newsie?�
�Yeah. It�s great workin� with friends. If I hadn�t been a newsie, I never woulda met Karen.�
�Well, I�m sure you�ll be able to stay in contact with them.�
�Me too. Most�ve th� guys got bets runnin� on what th� baby�s gonna be, an� when it�s due. Can you believe that?�
�Actually, I can. Do you think I could add a bet?�
He laughed loudly. �Ya serious?�
�Of course I am!�
�Then ya�d better come with me t�night. Race�ll love havin� more money t� bet with!�
* * *
It was evident by now that the girls were growing weary of caring for Kay. Although they were still more than willing to help, it was a tiring job. And Kay still had another week to go.
Over the past week, she had had several episodes of false labor pains. Each time, the girls attending to her ushered her outside to a cab so to see her to the doctor, and each time, they came back, frustrated. But out of all of them, Kay was the most frustrated.
Goosey and Balla had put together a plan for when the time came for Kay to deliver the baby. One girl was to call a cab, while the other would attend to Kay and help take her and her suitcase outside. Everything seemed to be perfect and ready for anything at any time.
Kay had hardly left the bedroom at all that day, and neither had Psyche or Fantasia. To keep her entertained, they read a book to her aloud, and would use goofy voices for each character. As the afternoon grew later, Kay announced that she had a craving for a sugar coated doughnut. Psyche volunteered to buy one for her and left.
After she left, Fantasia took Kay to the backhouse. However, she seemed to be taking longer than she usually did and grew a little worried. She was ready to ask if everything was alright when she heard Kay gasp loudly.
�Kay, are you alright?� Fantasia cried frantically.
�Get me inside.� Kay said. �I�m having another false labor pain.�
She helped Kay out of the backhouse and returned her to the bedroom. She helped her to lie down so the pain would pass. She attempted to fall asleep, but nearly eleven minutes afterward, she felt pain again.
This was unlike the false pains she had suffered over the past few days. These pains were similar to menstrual pains, but different in some way. It lasted less than half a minute, and subsided. Ten minutes later, the pains returned, and were at least a minute long. Her eyes widened.
This wasn�t a false labor pain, this was a contraction!
�Fantasia!�
Fantasia was instantly at her side. �What�s wrong!�
�I�m having contractions!�
�But it�s too early! This isn�t supposed to happen for another week!�
�Kay,� she smoothed Kay�s sweaty bangs from her forehead. �You�re having those false alarms again. It�ll pass.�
�Help me up.�
After five minutes of huffing and puffing, Kay�s feet were over the edge of the bed. She was gripping her stomach oddly, and Fantasia grew worried.
�It�s all right, Kay.� She said. �These pains won�t last.�
�Fantasia, this isn�t a false alarm!� Kay growled. �I�ve had two already, and they�re maybe ten minutes apart. And each one lasts a minute! These are contractions!�
�They�re�contractions?� she stammered.
�Yes!�
Fantasia dropped to the floor in a faint. Because Psyche was still gone, and no one else had returned from selling newspapers yet, Kay was all alone. She began to howl pitifully. She felt as helpless as a turtle that had been knocked onto its back.
Another contraction occurred. Although there was only minimal pain involved, she continued to cry and gritted her teeth. Where was Psyche?
Psyche entered in the middle of the contraction. When she found Fantasia unconscious on the floor and Kay gripping her stomach the way she was, her eyes widened.
�Kay�?�
�It�s time!�
Psyche fainted as well. Hopeless again, Kay wailed. The contraction passed, and neither Fantasia nor Psyche were regaining consciousness. By the time the next contraction occurred, Pie Eater had returned and was shocked to find the unconscious girls in the floor.
�What happened here?� he wondered. �Karen?�
�I�ve been having contractions!� she shrieked.
His eyes bulged. �Yer what?�
�The baby�s coming!�
�He can�t come now! Tell him to wait!�
�Wait? How can I tell the baby to wait? When the baby�s coming, there�s no stopping it!�
�The baby�s�he�s comin��oh�oh Lord.�
Another unconscious form thudded to the ground. By this time, Kay was so frustrated with herself that she was ready to throw herself off the bed in order to find help by herself. Thankfully, Kloppman entered and was more experienced in this field.
�The baby�s coming!� she cried.
�Alright, Kay.� He said calmly. �Just do as I tell you and everything will be all right. Are you having a contraction right now?�
�Yes.�
�How long are they?�
�A minute, maybe a little longer.�
�How often have they been occurring?�
�Over the last hour.�
�When?�
�Every ten minutes, I think.�
He nodded. �Good. Now stay calm, and I�ll take care of everything.�
�What do I do now?� she wondered frantically.
�Can you move?�
�Yes.�
�Lean against the wall, and set your chin on your chest and breathe slowly. The baby won�t come for a while.�
�How long is a while?�
�A few hours, at least.�
She groaned loudly. �Hours? How can I stand hours?�
�Don�t worry about a thing, Kay.� He reassured. �I�ll get Jack to call a cab. Then I�ll take care of these weak-hearted knuckleheads.�
His simple joke brought a smile to her face, and he told her once more that everything would be fine. Then he left the room and sought out Jack. He calmly announced to the few newsies who were present at the time about the current situation, and every one of them leapt at the chance to help. Several newsies went to the streets to call a cab.
He then recruited Snoddy and Boots and told them to bring buckets of water with them. He brought them downstairs, and told them to splash the unconscious newsies with the water. They did as they were told, and all three awoke in an incredulous manner.
�C�mon, Pie Eater!� Kloppman yanked the newsboy up by his arm. �You�d better get ready, because in a few hours, you�re officially gonna be a father.�
* * *
Joseph lit his pipe and leaned back to read the newspaper. He thought of Margaret, of Pie Eater, and the grandson or granddaughter that was on the way. He was going to be a grandfather. �Thirty-eight years old and I�m a grandpa. I was hoping I�d be at least forty when this time came.�
He glanced at the clock. Six twenty-three. He puffed on his pipe some more and continued to read. Although the baby wasn�t due for another week, he had already prepared that upstairs bedroom for his son and daughter-in-law.
He had pieced together a bed and bought a soft mattress and quilts for them to sleep on. He had also added a dresser and mirror he had crafted, and a special dresser for the baby�s things. The top part had another small mattress on top for when the baby needed its diaper changed. Above was a shelf with diaper changing items that would definitely be needed.
There were supposed to be forest green curtains set up, but the shipment was late and wouldn�t arrive till later. However, he did not need to worry, for the baby still wasn�t due for another week.
Then, without warning, there was imperative knocking on Joseph�s door. He frowned, knowing that he had turned the sign in the front window over to say that the shop was closed. Shrugging, he set his pipe down in the ashtray and went to the door. He found one of Pie Eater�s newsie friends at the door.
This boy, perhaps around the age of fourteen or fifteen and was short. He had curly brown hair, and his face was red from having run here. There was a sense of urgency in his appearance. Joseph unlocked the door and stepped outside.
�The shop�s closed.� He said.
�Ain�t here for th� shop, sir.� The boy answered. �It�s gotta do wit Pie Eater.�
�Pie Eater? You mean�my son?�
�Yeah! Kay went int� early labor! Th� baby�s comin�!�
Joseph left the boy briefly, and returned just as quick with his keys. He locked the front door, the shoved the keys into his pocket.
�What�s your name?� he inquired.
�Snipeshooter.�
�Snipeshooter, did they head for the hospital?�
�B�lieve so.�
�Alright. Thank you.�
* * *
With all of her equipment sterilized, Evelyn put them away and relaxed. She had been working all day without a second of rest, and now, she was officially off duty. She heated some water and made herself some herbal tea and sipped it daintily.
She seated herself in her favorite red chair and worked her shoes off. It felt so wonderful to finally have time to herself. Yet as her thoughts drifted, her memories directed themselves to Nathan.
Her heart ached whenever she thought of him. However, she was proud of herself that she had not forced Kay into the same situation. Now, this baby was due in a week, and the pregnancy had been going as planned. �I hope everything works out for them.�
She finished her tea, then began to doze off in her chair. Once she was almost completely asleep, she heard knocking at her front door. Moaning unhappily, she willed herself from the chair and to the door. She opened it to find one of the newsgirls that had come to visit Kay when she was ill.
�May I help you?� she offered.
�No, ma�am.� Balla said. �But I got some news.�
�Oh?�
�Yes. It�s Kay. She�s been having contractions.�
Evelyn sighed heavily. �My work is never done. Was she taken to the hospital?�
�Yeah.�
�Very well. You run ahead and tell them that I�m on my way. I�ll be there shortly.�
* * *
