On The Other Side

Chapter Nine: Exasperating To Heart-Stopping

That woman! That woman! Why is she so exasperating! These thoughts are, of course, internal. I only wish I could shout them. Claire, oh excuse me, Ms. Claire, who is 6 months pregnant, is currently on hands and knees mopping the damn floor.

I pull aside the curtain separating the back room from the store, spying on Claire, making sure she doesn't start giving birth on the floor of my store from overworking.

I yank the curtain closed, I'm supposed to be taking inventory, we're getting pretty low on the shelves. I need to write up an order, see if Matteo can get me the harder to find items. Meat is pretty scarce nowadays, even milk is hard to come by, the farmers going bankrupt, killing their livestock to cull the heard or feed their families.

The canned goods sell rather quickly, the contents able to last when fresh food would spoil for people without an ice box or refrigerator.

I remember the days at my clinic, seeing patients, helping the sick, delivering babies. Honestly, I miss it. I don't mind the store, I'm grateful for it, thankful Craggy took me on, handed it down to me. But being a doctor is in my blood, it's what makes me who I am.

When things get better, when the
economy picks back up, opening a clinic is my top priority. Families in the neighborhood still come to me for medical advice, call on me when their little ones are ailing, when babies are about to be born. Those are my favorite times of the week.

I hear Claire talking to Aggie, their laughter wafting to the back room, wrapping around my heart. Well, actually, those two are my favorite part of the week, if I'm being honest. The days they come to work in the store and the nights Claire prepares dinner, are the days I look forward to the most.

Little Aggie's blue eyes, her smattering of freckles, her sweet tooth that matches mine. And Claire...my thoughts are interrupted when I hear a thump, a groan, Aggie screaming for me.

"Dec, Dec! It's mamaí!" I run out, see Claire lying on the floor, holding her swollen stomach, Aggie frozen in fear, tears running down her cheeks.

"Craggy," I shout. "Crag, bring me my bag, quickly." With my heart in my throat, I lean over Claire. Gently running my hands over her stomach, I press a hand to her forehead. M "Claire, can ya hear me? Claire, come on, wake up." Sweat beads at her brow, dampening her red curls.

Craggy hands me my bag, taking Aggie by the hand, leading her away from this scary sight, her mama on the floor, unconscious. "There now, come along, girl. Let Dec take care of your mama."

Claire's eyes flutter open, I lean over her, our foreheads nearly touching. "Claire, honey, can you hear me?"

"Dec?" she whispers. "Why are you on top of me?" She pushes me away, tries sitting up, but collapses back down in dizziness.

I roll my eyes, pressing my hand to her shoulder. "Can you just stay put, just let me help you. You and Aggie were playing and then you passed out." I place both hands on her stomach again, feel it tighten. "How long have you been having these pains?"

"I wasn't having any pains. Aggie and I were twirling, dancing, then the pain hit me. I think that's what made me pass out. The pain was sudden and intense."

I touch my hand to her forehead, feeling for a fever. She pushes my hand off, rolling over.

I pull her back down. "Lie still, I promise I won't ravish you right here out in the open." Her green eyes flash dangerously. I shrug, saying, "You're the most exasperating woman I've ever met."

I start rambling, not making any sense I'm sure, but once I get started, I can't stop. "I find you out here, six months pregnant, in a heap on the damn floor. Then you have the nerve to ask me why I'm on top of you." I shake my head, putting the stethoscope to her stomach, listening quietly for the wee one's heartbeat.