“Mary! Stop pulling Isis tail.” Cora corrected her. She had planned to give Robert a dog for his birthday, but this puppy was dumped and needed a home. She would find something else for his birthday later this year.
“MARY!” Mary was 14 months old now and full-on toddler. Cora got up with difficulty, and guided Isis away from Mary. Her little one looked up and put both hands in the air.
“Darling, mama can’t pick you up.” She took her hand and walked back to her chair so she could take Mary on her lap.
“We need to be gentle with Isis, she has really sharp teeth, and I don’t want her to bite you. Ok?” Cora tickled Mary and she started belly laughing.
Cora tried to give as much attention to Mary as possible, the new baby could come any day now. And her attention would go to nurse that one. The day of the birth couldn’t come soon enough for Cora.
+++
When Robert came home, he found a laughing Mary on Cora’s lap. Isis was wagging her tail, he picked her up. Gave Cora and Mary a kiss and sat down, to play with Isis. Mary climbed down Cora’s leg to join.
Cora tried to get his attention, but Robert was laying on the floor with both Isis and Mary climbing over him and didn’t hear her. She got up and walked to the kitchen to start dinner.
Her back was hurting, and it was hard to reach the stove. Her belly was so big, she had to stretch to be able to stir. Her walking was more like a wobble. The baby had dropped and was pressing on her pelvis and hips. She couldn’t stand very long anymore; her legs were swelling up the moment she stood.
Grumbling she checked the vegetables, they needed a little longer. Cora contemplated, sitting down on a kitchen chair to give her back and legs some rest, but having to pull herself up again or just power through it. The baby moved and planted itself on her bladder. She almost wet herself.
Robert walked into the kitchen with Mary on his arm and Isis in his wake. “What’s for dinner?” He asked.
Cora was trying to set the table. As fast as she could, she turned around, smashed the utensils down and hissed. “Take a look for yourself!”
Robert gave her a puzzled look.
Cora walked out of the kitchen, she wasn’t hungry and only wanted to lay down. With some effort she lowered herself on the bed. She forgot a pillow for her legs, but she wasn’t able to get up again.
+++
Robert had made sure Mary got her dinner, gave her a bath and put her to bed. Then he walked to the bedroom. “Sweetheart?”
“Don’t sweetheart me!”
He walked over, Cora was laying on her side, she didn’t look at him.
“Can you tell me what’s wrong? Is the baby coming?” He touched her side.
Cora swatted Robert’s hand off. “It’s bloody time that baby is coming, I am 40 weeks pregnant, and I am done. My body hurts and my husband only wants to play with his dog and daughter when he comes home.” Her eyes shot fires.
“Darling, how was I supposed to know you needed help?”
“Maybe you could take a look at me? Just look at me, you really think it is easy to care for Mary, carrying this weight around? And here you are, playing with your dog!” She looked down.
Robert was stroking Isis’s head, she had sat next to him. Robert pulled his hand back. “Sorry, I didn’t realise how hard it is for you. I can hire a nanny to take care of Mary?” That last sentence made Cora even more angry.
“Or you could just come home earlier and make dinner? So, I can sit down at the end of a long day? But no, we need a nanny!”
Robert got up and walked out. Leaving a steaming Cora.
He returned with a cup of tea and some biscuits and her nursing pillow under his arm. He helped her put the pillow under her belly and in between her legs, so her hips would align again. Then he got the other nursing pillow and moulded it to her back. He took of her slippers and socks and started rubbing her feet. He followed with her legs and moved to her back. He felt Cora sigh from relief.
“I am truly sorry; I didn’t pay attention to your needs.”
+++
Cora sat on the couch, watching Robert help Mary build a tower out of blocks. Every afternoon he was home now. They had just finalised the plans for the new home. All rooms would be remodelled. All bathrooms would get walk in showers and the one in the master bedroom a big bathtub too. The conservatory would become the living room, she couldn’t wait to sit there on a early spring day watching Mary and this new baby play. The kitchen would get new equipment.
Furniture was something for after the birth, Cora wasn’t in the condition to go shopping. Maja came over everyday to check if she needed something. Their friendship had grown over these last months, and she was fortunate with a friend like her.
Cora moved her body to go lay down, she felt some discomfort and tried to get in a position it was easier on her body. Robert saw her struggling and got up to help her. He tucked her in with a blanket and gave her a kiss.
+++
Cora woke up from a sharp pain, she instantly recognized it. For a second, she got scared, the memories of the pain came back. She calmed herself down and woke Robert up.
“Robert, it is time. My contractions have started.”
This time Robert knew what to do. He called Rosamund to pick up Mary and he called the midwife.
She had said, they needed to time the contractions and she would check on them in a few hours.
Robert did his best to coach Cora through the pain. He insisted on Cora eating something, he knew that later on she would have (neither) time or energy. For now, there was enough time between her contractions, and they seemed not too bad.
Her contractions started to speed up and Robert had called Sarah the midwife, again
+++
“You are perfectly getting dilated; you are at 9 centimetres. Just a little bit longer and you can start pushing.” Sarah said.
Cora was breathing away a contraction, she felled the urge to push, but Sarah told her to wait. “Just hold it a little bit longer, if you can.”
Cora squeezed Robert’s hand to pulp but managed not to push.
Finally, Sarah gave her green light and before she knew, there was a little baby crying on her chest.
“Congratulations, another baby girl”
Cora saw a whiff of disappointment on Robert’s face, but he quickly recovered himself and said: “Welcome to the world. Edith Josephine Crawley.”
“Your sure about Josephine? That’s Mary’s middle name already”
“My grandmother was called Josephine, as was yours, so now both are represented.” He kissed Cora on her forehead.
+++
Rosamund had brought Mary back home. Mary was looking with big brown eyes at Cora, who was feeding Edith. Robert had sat her down on the bed next to them. Mary’s little hand reached for Edith.
“This is you baby sister Edith.” Cora said in a soft voice. They had tried to prepare her. Mary had hated Isis the first day Cora had brought her home. But fell in love with the dog after a few days. Cora hoped this would go easier.
Mary, scooted closer to Cora. She wrapped her free arm around Mary and pulled her close. “Now you are a big sister.” She smiled.
Edith started crying when she lost Cora’s nipple. It startled Mary and her hand slapped Edith’s leg. “Mary!” Cora exclaimed.
“No.” It was the only word Mary said, besides papa and mama. Again, a firm “NO” she crawled over to her father and stretched out her arms. She pointed at Edith and said again: “NO”
Verhalen van Traan 