“What? Sorry Cassey I zoned out for a minute there.” Emma shoved her left hand into her body warmer pocket and held the phone to her earwith her right. Before she could even think of relaying any of this oddity to her friend, a stranger started to waddle up the driveway. She was inher early twenties, African American, had beautifully intricate thin braids spirallingon her head and shimmering down her back with delicate looking blue and tealbeads. Her eyes were honey brown and she had a big smile on her face. None ofthis put any alarm into Emma, but her massively swollen belly did! “Gotta go Cas, catch you later.” Emma hung up and chucked the phone onto the smallentrance table, before rushing out to meet the woman on the front porch.
“Good morning neighbour.” The woman spoke and huffed, herhands on her lower back as she tried to ease some of her discomfort. “I’m Mary-Ann,and I live straight across the road from you.” She nodded over her shoulder briefly and giggled when Emma stared at her with her hands raised and her hazel eyes wide.
“Th-third trimester?” Was all she got out of her mouth,before a man came running across the road from said grey and white house. He was also back, build like a wrestler and moved like a sprinter. He wore a darknavy fire fighter’s uniform with the station badge on his left peck. His hair was shaved short to his head and he had deep brown eyes.
“Mary-Ann what are you doing over here?!”Hecame up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “You should be resting,not-”
“Introducing myself to our new neighbours and who ishighly likely to be the one delivering our babies?” Mary-Ann counteredand dismissed her partner with a huff. “This is my overly protective husband Dillon. We are first time parents, so he’s practically got me in bubble wrap.”She laughed and offered Emma her hand.
“-b-babies?” Emma accepted the hand, darted her eyes downto just how large her stomach was, and nodded. “Yes, you look like you’recarrying multiples. Twins?”
“Yes mam.” Mary-Ann chuckled and settled into her husband’s arms naturally. “Do you have a name or am I to call you ‘the new midwife’ as we talk nothing but shop?”
“You probably caught her off guard is all.” Dillon tried to coax his wife back to their house gently. “She only arrived yesterday, give her some settling space honey.”
“No, no I’m sorry.” Emma palmed her face and pressed her reset button. She offered her hand to Mary-Ann, who took and shook it with a smile. “I’m Emma Carter. I did just arrive with my family, and Ben Walker, yesterday so I’m a bit out of sorts here.” Emma couldn’t help but do avisual appraisal of the two of them out of habit. They seemed very comfortable together,and she couldn’t see any signs of malnutrition or illness in either of the prospective parents. “I haven’t even met Deloris yet, who Ben told me would be taking me on as her apprentice.”
“Oh Del can’t wait to meet you mam.” Dillon chuckled deep on his throat, and shared his amusement with his wife. “Every visit we hear about her old bones and how she’s looking forward to having fresher eyes and faster hands at the helm.”
“Oh? So she is expecting me then?”
“Girl? Aunty Del has been expecting you for the last year!”Mary-Ann giggled and reached out for Emma’s hands. “Come on. I can see you want to have a feel. Feel free.” He beckoned her with a roll of her wrists, but Emma held her hands up politely.
“I wouldn’t feel comfortable giving you an examination in public, or without Deloris present. But I’m hoping to meet her today at the…clinic?” Emma didn’t want to miss the opportunity facing her. With a bigs mile she pointed down the road, which was becoming more space now the families had moved on. “Where abouts is it again?”
“Oh you can’t miss Del’s place.” Dillon grinned and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. He flipped through various compartments until he nodded and found an off white card. “Here.” He handed itto Emma who examined it eagerly. “Everyone knows where Hatherway Clinic is, but not everyone has the number so Deloris had these cards printed out for parents to take with them.”
“This is great, thank you.” Emma felt like she held theholy grail.
Deloris Clark, Senior Midwife.
Family planning, prenatal checks andscreening, foetal imaging, first time parent birthing classes, parent booster classess, health visitor services and of course, delivery suite.
Hatherway Clinic, Main street off Churchlane.
At the bottom she saw two numbers, for in and out of office hours. Emma grinned and pocketed the card for later. “So har far along are you? If you don’t mind me asking?”
“You’re my new midwife? Of course I’ll tell you.” Mary-Ann giggled and absently held her stomach. “I’m 35 weeks. At the end of my 8thmonth.”
“Exactly.” Dillon gently held her shoulders and steered her to turn back towards their house. “Only two weeks away from term, with triplets, so can you please stop nesting, meddling, and just let me dote on you? Please?”
“Only on one condition!” Mary-Ann comically swung herhead around her husband to beam a cheeky smile at Emma. “Emma comes over to see me. Open invitation. Call it a social call with a new neighbour, or checking in on a pregnant lady about to pop, but you come on over.” It was a instruction not a request, and Emma noted the desperate look on the firefighter’s face. Hekept looking to her with a plea in his brown eyes, and then back over towards their house. Like it was the nest and he wanted to get her back in there and ‘bubble wrapped’.
“Of course.” Emma agreed just as Ben came out of the house. He startled her by dropping a hand on her shoulder, and even laughed ather reaction.
“Dillon Marsh? And the lovely Missus is with you too? How are you doing? Home stretch now yeah?”
“Oh yeah.” Mary-Ann patted her stomach with both handsand smiled through a grimace. “Between the lack of sleep, constant need to pee, back pain, nausea and of course, my organs being kicked and punched at will, I am ready to get these babies out of me.” Emma laughed and held oneof Mary-Ann’s hands in both of hers.
“No long now. Multiple births tend to trigger laboursooner than a single baby. Less room in there. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were induced to be on the safe side. Are you having weekly or daily check-ins now?” She asked innocently, so she might be able to bring up to Deloris she’s me tone of her patients already and would like to sit in on the next appointment.
“…what?” the Marshes looked at her with confusion. “…we haven’t had a check up for a month.”
“Should she be seen that often now?” Dillon rose to his full height and seemed to become very intimidating. This change made Emma takea step back, only to feel Ben’s hand between her shoulder blades to steady her. “Ben?” He directed up at the older man.
“Now calm down.” Ben held his right hand forward as if tosooth a scared animal. “Emma has come from the city where they do things differently.”
“Well you’re here now, so can’t you see me?” Mary-Ann askedwith big pleading eyes, and Emma’s heart sank. She wasn’t certified to begiving out prenatal examinations! She was a student nurse!
“W-well I’m just a student, so I’d have to ask Deloris first. Whom I haven’t even met yet.” Emma stressed with an anxious chuckle, and then did something she had never done before. She looked to Ben forback up. He wants to play the role of protective father does he? Then save me already! Ben got the message and moved his hand from her back to give her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. He straightened up and wore a big grin through his beard.
“Let the poor girl settle on in. She just got here from Seattle, and I haven’t even shown her around town yet. Don’t be getting my Em in trouble with her new boss for being over eager before they’ve even been introduced now?” Ben diffused the situation with his laid back charm. “Are the little beans jumping around in there? My mother always said as long as they are moving around in there, all is well.” Mary-Ann patted her stomach and beamed asmile.
“Like little acrobats, despite running out of space.” When she relaxed, so did Dillon…mostly. “Ben’s right. Look at us? Pouncing on the new midwife the day after she arrives in town? Shame on us. I’m just so excited and anxious for the pups, you know? First time parents.” Ben tensed oddly beside her, and watched carefully for Emma’s reaction.
“Pups huh?” Emma chuckled, oblivious to the way tense way Ben watched her. “Let me guess? You’re having the lucid dreams of giving birth to puppies rather than babies right?” She was eager to smooth over the situation and used humour to do that. “Puppies, kittens, even piglets are quite common.” She didn’t see Ben shaking his head at the Marshes to not correct her. “If you have lots of movement, you shouldn’t worry. The golden rule though? If you’re unsure, ask your midwife.”
“…which is you…?”
“N-not me.” Emma chuckled nervously. “I’m just a student nurse, and I’ll be starting my midwifery apprenticeship this year. Don’t get me wrong? I’d love to be there for the birth if that’s allowed, but Deloris is the experienced and qualified midwife. She should be there.”
“Agreed.” Dillon nodded firmly and rubbed his wife’s shoulders. “Have a good day. I’ll get my Mary back home and settled before I go down to the station. Welcome to Glen Valley Emma.”
“And you’re welcome in my home any time.” Mary-Ann got in just before she was turned about to be guided home. Dillon pulled his cell outof his pocket and started dialling even before they crossed the street. Ben exhaled deeply and looked down at Emma.
“Thank you.” She got straight in there as they walkedback into the house. “I needed that evac back there. Though, for the record? Having triplets makes her a high risk pregnancy and having gone so long withouteven a check up wouldn’t have happened back in Seattle.”
“I’m sure you’ll find a lot of things in Glen Valley aredone differently, but that isn’t a bad thing.” Emma raised a coppery brow. If differently puts a high risk pregnancy at risk, then yes, it absolutely is a bad thing. But I don’t have the patient notes, and I’d prefer to speak toDeloris first before deciding the prenatal care here is substandard… Ben sensed her scepticism and his smile became strained. “Listen, Em, I just know you’re going to love it here. Do me a favour? Don’t judge us until you’ve gotten to know us well enough, okay?”
“I’m not judging you.” She folded her arms, and it was histurn to look at her sceptically. “I’ll be open minded.” He didn’t look convinced, so she rolled her eyes and sighed. “I promise not to judge mental until I have all the facts, alright?”
“I’d take that if I were you!” Beth skuttled out into thewalk way and rushed between them. She turned on her heels and stood on the porch facing them. She wore converse trainers, baggy pale blue jeans, a long green tank top and even longer pastel pink woolly cardigan. Her long wavy ginger hair was a messy mop around her cute rounded face. Her camera hung froma yellow lanyard and she grasped it in both hands. “It’s as laid back and accepting as she’s going to get.”
“Hay!” Emma laughed at her sister’s remark. “Not all of us can be as laid back as you, you mini tornado.” Beth just shrugged and laughed, nodding to Ben.
“So let’s go then! Let’s go walking Walker family!” Beth declared loudly and jumped two steps at a time down to the sidewalk. Joanna hurried out after them, beaming with joy.
“I call shotgun!” Joanna wore her favourite long blue summer dress and brown cardigan and gave Ben a peck on the cheek as she passed him. Emma didn’t miss the quick hungry look they shot each other in the stolen moment. Once her mother was in the car Ben took two long strides after her,before turning back to look at Emma. She was stunned and watched the three ofthem for a moment. Walker family, Beth called us. Wow. It dawned on herthen that it wasn’t just her mother who wanted this family unit to mesh together and work out. Beth was invested in this too.
“Are you coming Em?” He asked and held his hand out for her to take.
“Yeah.” She nodded and smiled, pushing the various redflags she’d collected so far to one side…for now. “But no way am I being stuck on baby Beth duty as she shoves that camera here there and everywhere.” She swaggered over to Ben and put her arm around his. “And I expect to meet my new mentor today.” Emma wasn’t asking.
“Agreed, and agreed.” He chuckled and the ‘Walker family' got into the pickup truck. Joanna sat beside him with an adoring look in herbig brown eyes. So happy to have all the people she loved together at last. Beth had her window down and the lens of her camera pointed out of the truck to snap a picture at a moment’s notice. Emma sat beside her with her arms folded and smiled. Alright Glen Valley. Let’s see what you’ve got.
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