My Children Are More Precious Than Gold (21 page)

“
Of course, but I got to
warn ya, this might not be an easy birthen.”

“
Which one of em has been?
Ya tell me that cause ya’ve been there fer them all,” Nannie
moaned.

“
Nannie, ya know what I
meant. Ya should let Doc. Beanpole have a look see at
ya.”

“
Doctor Jensen would tell
me the same things ya do. Stay in bed , take it easy, and be
patient.”

“
Pect that’s so fer right
now, but I’m worried about when the birthen starts,” Genon
confided. Seeing the stubborn look on Nannie’s face, she changed
the subject. “I brung some dried chamomile to make tea. It’ll hep
ya rest easier, and I got some ginger root to boil to ease an upset
stomach. Maybe that will hep yer appetite some. All
right?”

“
Thank ye kindly, Genon,”
Nannie smiled up at the midwife and patted her hand.

“
I’ll be back by in a
couple weeks, but if ya need me afore that jest send one of yer
younguns by to fetch me, ya hear?” Genon stood to leave and picked
up her jacket.

Nannie nodded and closed her eyes, too
weary to answer.

Genon emerged from the bedroom and
walked over to where Jacob sit in a ladder back chair by the
fireplace. She plopped down in the chair beside him. He turned to
look at her. “Well, how do ya think Nannie is doen?”

“
Not good, Jacob. If the
truth was told, I figure she’s feelen far worse than she’s letten
on. I askt her to get the good doc out here to look at her, and she
said no. That wife of yers is a stubborn one. She says I kin handle
the birthen good as him.”

“
Kin ya?”

“
Usually I’d say yep and
better, but I have a feelen this ain’t gonna be a normal birthen so
be prepared to send a youngun fer me as quick as ya kin. The older
boys know where I live.”

“
Humph! I reckon they do
fer sure, Genon,” Jacob said then grinned. “I been meanen to ask ya
all how much ya charged my boys fer that haunt powder they got from
ya awhile back.”

“
I’d not charge boys of
yourn fer haunt powder. Ya should knowed that Jacob. I said fer
them to pay me ifen it worked, and I heard tell that it didn’t
work. Hee, hee.”

“
I’m here to tell ya they
did use it, but it was me they used that stinken powder on. The
reckus em boys made in the barn that night was enough commotion by
itself to scare away a haunt without usen that God awful
stuff.”

“
Hee hee. Now, Jacob, ya
know that yer boys will be boys. They’s cut off the same cloth as
their pappy. That’s fer sure,” Genon cackled as she rushed for the
door, cutting the conversation short. On the way out, she called
back over her shoulder, “I’ll see ya in a couple weeks unless ya
need me sooner.”

A few mornings later, Bess went into
Nannie’s room after breakfast to pick up her mother’s plate. “Mama,
do ya want somethin else to eat?” The plate, laying beside Nannie,
held two untouched fried eggs surrounded by a ring of cold
lard.

“
Nope, I’m not hungry this
mornen, Child.” Nannie’s face held a drawn, pained expression, but
she smiled weakly at Bess to reassure her.

“
All right, Mama. I’ll
take yer plate. Ya jest rest now.”

Setting the plate on the work counter,
Bess turned to Alma and Cass at the cookstove. “I think Mama is
feelen real poorly, and she’s tryen not to let on.”

“
What make ya say that,
Bess?” Asked Alma.

“
Well, fer one thing she
didn’t eat her breakfast, and she looks to me like she’s in pain.
Do ya suppose Pap ought to send fer Genon?”

“
I’ll go get Pap,” Cass
offered. She quickly slipped her coat off its nail and went out the
door. She took a deep breath of the crisp, winter air to clear her
head as she walked across the yard. Looking at the overcast sky,
Cass noted that it looked as bleak as the family’s mood. It sure
was going to be hard to have a joyful Christmas this year with Mama
feeling poorly, and everyone so worried about her. “Pap, Pap,” she
called when she got to the barn door. “Ya better come see about
Mama. Bess says she’s looken like she’s in pain. Genon Mitts may
need to come look at her now.”

Jacob dropped the pitch fork full of
bedding he meant to throw in a stall and headed in long strides for
the house. Cass had to skip to keep up with him.

Quietly, Jacob slipped into the
bedroom to look at Nannie. She seemed to be resting, but her
breathing was labored. She clutched her stomach as if to ease some
discomfort. Without saying anything to her, Jacob tiptoed out of
the room. He was afraid that if he spoke to Nannie she’d try to put
up a good front and tell him not to bother Genon yet.

“
Ya girls are right. Yer
mama doesn’t look right. Its close to two months too early fer her
time, but something seems to be wrong so I’ll send Lue to fetch
Genon. Keep things quiet so yer mama kin rest until Genon gets
here. Not a word about Genon comen though soens yer mama won’t get
upset about us fetchen her.”

Genon began to pack a bag to take with
her while Lue told her what he knew about his mother. She glanced
out the cabin window to the north and decided to put in her spiked
shoes just in case the brewing storm turned into an ice storm. When
she made the return trip home, she might need those spiked shoes to
get a grip on the icy hills.

“
All right, youngun. Let’s
go,” Genon said. The frigid air gave her goose bumps as she left
the warm cabin. She shivered, pulled down her wide brim hat over
her ears and pulled up her jacket collar around her neck, preparing
to face the north wind.

“
Nannie, its Genon. Is ya
awake?” Genon spoke softly so she wouldn’t startle the expectant
mother.

“
Mercy sakes, it been two
weeks already?” Nannie rubbed her eyes to wake herself
up.

“
Nope, nope. Jest passen
by and thought I’d stop in to say hey,” Genon fibbed. “Ya look a
might puny today. Are ya haven any pains?”

“
A few little ones. Nothen
to brag about yet,” Nannie confided, licking her dry
lips.

“
Jest rest easy. I’ll have
yer girls heet ya up some chamomile tea. Maybe this here is jest
false pains, and it’ll go away directly,” Genon patted Nannie's
hand and noticed it felt feverish.

Genon returned to the living room. She
looked gravely at Jacob as he stood up. “I better stick around.
Nannie’s got fever, and she may be birthen soon. Are ya sure ya
don’t want to fetch Doc. Jensen?”

“
Her time’s not fer a
couple months yet!” Jacob cried in alarm.

“
It should be, but
somethin is wrong. Has been from the start, and it don’t look good
now, Jacob. What about Doc. Jensen?”

“
There’s a storm comen.
Doc might get caught in it along with one of my boys tryen to get
him here. Nannie would have my hide if I let somethin have to Doc
or one of the boys. Nope, besides Nannie jest wanted y'all here.
Jest like always.”

“
All right, me ya got,
Jacob. Gals, keep some water bilen and some clean rags
handy.”

“
We already have that
done,” Cass replied softly.

“
Good fer ya, Cassie. Ya
remind me of yer mama more and more ever day. Ya are as handy as a
pocket on a shirt,” Genon praised. “Kin I have a cup of that coffee
I’m smellen? Its right chipper out yonder, and I had a long, cold
walk getten here.”

Genon scooted a chair from under the
table over by the fireplace. She plopped down, stretched her legs
out to feel the warmth of the fire on her feet and held her hands
palm out toward the flames while she watched the girls scurry
around the kitchen.

Later that afternoon, a distressed cry
in the bedroom broke the silence. Startled, Genon nearly knocked
her chair over when she jumped up. Waking out of a doze, it took
her a second to get her bearings.

“
I’m comen, Nannie,” she
yelled as she headed to the bedroom doorway. “What’s the
matter?”

“
Genon, yer still here.
Thank goodness!” Nannie cried. Her face was twisted in pain, and
she had a white knuckle grip on the bedpost above her head with
both hands.

“
Younguns, bring hot water
and rags in here now,” Genon ordered before she shut the bedroom
door.

“
Bess, go get Pap from the
barn!” Cass said, reaching for the hot dish pan with a folded up
dish towel in each hand.

The hours stretched on and on.
Wordlessly, Jacob and the children picked their way through supper
then settled down by the fireplace to wait. The flickering
yellow-red flames crackled and danced over the logs, mesmerizing
everyone. Behind the children, different size shadows moved back
and forth on the wall as the Bishops changed their
position.

At intervals, the silence was broken
only when the logs popped and crackled, sending showers of sparks
up in the air to glow like shooting stars in a black sky before
they died out on the stone hearth. Once in a while a log would give
way, falling in a rush of flames to disintegrate into glowing, red
coals.

The children sat close together as
much for comfort as for warmth. Once in a while, muffled moans or
stifled screams leaked through the closed bedroom door causing
everyone to be startled as they glanced worriedly at the door and
then at each other.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

“
Listen, Pap!” Lue spoke
in a hushed voice. “Ice hitten the tin roof. The storm is
here.”

‘
Yep, I heared it,” Pap
nodded. “But we’re all in here together safe and warm. That’s what
counts. Right, younguns?”

“
Pap, ya know what I think
that tappen on the roof is?” Lydia, her face taking on the look of
a cherub, suggested. “I think it’s angels dancen on the roof,
watchen out fer Mama and the baby.”

“
Oh, Lydia - - -.” Always
realistic, Veder started to give her opinion, but Pap shook his
head to stop her.

“
Ifen we ever needed
angels, it would be now, Veder. I reckon, Lydia, ya could be
right.” Pap picked the little girl up, placed her on his lap and
gave her a hug. The rest of the children crowded a little closer to
Pap for comfort. Once in a while when the tapping was particularly
loud, they’d steal glances at the ceiling as if to see if an angel
or two might be descending upon them.

Finally as the night lengthened, the
younger children couldn’t keep their eyes open. They curled up on
the floor, basking in the warm glow of the fireplace, and Jacob
didn’t have the heart to make them go to the cold upstairs. He knew
they wanted to be near their mother. Jacob sent Cass go upstairs
for quilts from their beds to cover the little ones with right
where they lay.

It was just after midnight, when the
bedroom door squeaked slowly open. Genon slipped out, carefully
shutting the door behind her. Jacob looked at her hopefully, but
Genon leaned against the door and sadly shook her head no at Jacob.
He jumped up to rush to Nannie’s side, but Genon put her hand on
the door facing to stop him.

“
Jest peek in at her and
don’t disturb her, Jacob. She’s sleepen, and she needs the rest,”
Genon said firmly. “There’s nothen more we kin do til mornen. Ever
one of us is fagged out. I can see that from here,” she said,
looking over at all the children rolled in quilts on the floor near
the fireplace. “Get me a cover soen’s I kin make a pallet on the
floor by Nannie’s bed. I’ll stay with her the rest of the night. Ya
best get em younguns up to their beds now, too.” Genon turned to
reenter the bedroom then turned back and said softly, “Jacob, it
was a boy. The poor little thing was backward and never breathed.
The cord was around his neck. I felt it in my bones that this
wasn’t goen to be an easy birthen.”

“
Thankee fer all ya done
though, Genon,” Jacob said. “Cass, fetch Genon and me some covers.
I’m goen to bed down by the fireplace soens I’ll be close to yer
mama. Boys, hep these younguns up to bed. Genon, did ya hear the
storm?”

“
Yep, it sounds rough
outside. I felt that ice storm comen in my bones. I brung my spiked
shoes jest in case.” Genon paused to watch the children. Their
sleepy heads hung low as they dragged their feet and stumbled up
the stairs.

She said in a hushed voice, “I wrapped
the baby up in a towel, and laid him beside Nannie ifen ya want to
take a peek. Ya need to get busy on the coffin tomorrow. Jacob,
Nannie said she wants the name, Richard Jacob, after ya all put on
the marker.”

“
I’ll get at it first
thing in the mornen, ice storm or no ice storm.” Jacob rubbed his
forehead as if to help him clear his thoughts, “Won’t take long to
make a coffin that babe’s size.”

The next morning, the sun woke
everyone up, rising to shine on the ice covered surroundings. The
whole world around the Bishops sparkled like fine
crystal.

The middle of the morning not far from
the cabin the ringing sound of a pick ax bounced off the ridge as
Elmer Litwiller worked to loosen ice covered, frozen soil and
rocks. He was digging a hole for a small grave in the Bishop family
cemetery. Tutt Jones, squatting with his backside to a small stick
fire, waited to shovel away the dirt and rocks loosened by Elmer’s
pick.