Yorkshire Lady

Yorkshire Lady part 31

Part 31

December 11th,  Simone's due date  came and went   with no sign of hers or Caroline's labours.    Rick and John were getting worried until reassured that the babies were moving.

'It's quite normal to be 2 weeks overdue'.     Simone told them.   The 4 of them were in the car going into the village   for the ladies to see the midwife.  ' They wouldn't  think of inducing us before then either,'  Caroline groaned.  'Not unless there was a problem'.

Clare the midwife was lovely.   She had been very accommodating about giving Caroline and Simone their appointments close together.

She was accustomed to dealing with anxious fathers to be  when the due date was past.  'These babies are fine'.    She told them letting them hear the strong heart beats.  'They're just too comfy in their wombs that's all.'

'You might like to try having a curry,   that can bring labour on if the conditions are right.   And of course making love can do it too.   If the ladies aren't too tired'.

Rick suggested that they have a take away curry together that evening.  Caroline suggested that the Sowerbys   might also like to stay over at the Manor that night too.

She was booked for a home birth and her parents would come to look after the boys  while she and John were busy.

'We can keep each other company'   she suggested. 'And if you need to go to hospital  Henry can be safe here until Rick's parents come for him'.

This seemed a  sensible idea and the 3 boys were happy with it.   They were excited by the possibility that their babies might soon be born.  'There's no  guarantee of course.'   Rick told them.   'We might still have to wait,   but we're going to have a good try'.

Chicken Biryani and vegetable Rogan Josh went down very well.   Afterwards the ladies snuggled back in their husbands arms and they all chatted for a while.   The idea of making love to bring on labour was too good to miss however despite it only being 9:30  and wishing each other good luck they went off to bed.

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It worked.     By 1 o clock in the morning  both Caroline and  Simone were strongly suspecting they were in labour.    By 3 o clock they knew for certain.    Caroline's waters were leaking  and Simone's had broken completely  soaking the bed  so   Rick made arrangements to take her to hospital.    The women hugged happily.  'Soon be over  now love,   for us both'.    Simone said.   'Now you go and get some rest while you can'.    John and Rick hugged each other too,   both looking a little pale,     then the Sowerbys were off.

Caroline's parents arrived  at  5 o clock and were sent off to bed by Caroline.  'I'll be a while yet.  Mum',   she told a clucking Doreen.  'I know where you are if I need you'.

Simone's labour went very quickly.    At 8o clock   John answered the phone to a delighted over emotional   Rick who just half an hour before  had seen  the birth of   9 lb  4oz   Luke Anthony  Sowerby.    'It's amazing  John bl**dy amazing.    You're going to be bowled over'.

He then went on to speak to his eldest son.     Who he promised to pick up from school and take him straight to the hospital.   

Caroline's pains  were getting stronger now so John rang for Clare.    Doreen couldn't work out  who looked most worried  about her.    John or the boys.

' Mum'll  be fine'.   She told the boys gently  while she made John a cup of tea.  ' She's done this before when you 2 were born  and when the baby's here she'll forget about the pain.

You boys get off to school  with Granddad and we'll let you know when you have a brother or sister'.

She went to  be with Caroline while John checked for the hundredth time that he had remembered everything  Clare said they needed.

She chatted to distract her daughter from her pain  though the conversation kept being interrupted  by  increasingly vicious contractions.

Every groan of agony from his wife was hitting John right in the heart.   When he opened the door to Clare he was looking  rather pale.

' How's she doing lovie?.'  She asked  cheerfully  and saw  John wincing at the sound of another  contraction.  'Is that  normal ?'  He asked. 'Should it be hurting like that ?'

'I'm afraid so'.   Clare told him, ' but she'll be fine.   If you look in the car  you'll see a cylinder of  Entonox,  Gas and Air.  If you could bring it in please'.

At   11: 30 am  on December 12th   Caroline pushed an  8 lb 2 oz baby girl into the world.   Entonox helping her to cope with the pain.

 John was speechless.   Struck dumb with awe and almost worshipping admiration  of his wife.  He sat on the bed  oblivious to the mess and pulled  Caroline against his chest pressing his lips to her sweat soaked forehead. 

They were both in happy tears. Both besotted with their little daughter who  was now taking her first feed from her mother.   They'd  decided to call her  Elise  from their favourite piece of  piano music 

 Beethoven's  For Elise   http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LQTTFUtMSvQ

and Marjorie  for John's Mum.

'I do hate to break you up'  Clare smiled.  ' But I think Caroline might welcome a shower when Elise has  finished her feed.   A good time for Daddy to get properly acquainted.'

Doreen took her daughter and a clean night dress to the bathroom to get cleaned up.  Clare gave John a demonstration of how to put on Elise's nappy and baby grow,  then left him cuddled up with her.   She herself went down to the kitchen and made tea and toast for everyone.

With Caroline  back  and Elise asleep in her  bedside crib they all had their tea and toast.

John with his arm firmly round Caroline was ringing round with the good news.

Freddie and  Charlie  brought to the  head mistress's  office  were noisily excited.   They had  a  long list of questions  that couldn't wait until they got home and had to speak  to their mother to make sure she was alright.

Doreen  collected her grandson's from school. Getting back to the house  she found  that Phyllis and Albert were  on their  second  new baby visit of the day.   'They're both absolutely beautiful'.    Phyllis  was  beside herself with glee as she hugged  John and Caroline.

An hour later the visitors left and the Standring family were left together.   The boys were

delighted with their new sister.    John made it clear to them that they were just as important to him as she was.

John had  bathed the boys and Elise.   The boys lay on the bed   at either side of their mother who was feeding Elise.   John sat cross legged at the bottom of the bed reading a story.  They were on  The Hobbit  at the moment.     the boys loved how John  read stories  or more accurately  performed them and he captured their rapt attention.

His expressive  baritone voice, always easy on the ear,    brought stories vividly to life.  It was a newly discovered skill and he was rather proud of it.    Particularly when  Caroline was smiling her blessing on him as she was now.

Charlie and Freddie were in bed.   Elise  full of milk and clean was asleep in her crib.   So at last  John and Caroline were alone together.

John stripped down to his boxer shorts  and climbed into bed.  ' Time for sleep with my own little Earth Goddess.'.  Caroline chuckled softly.

' I'm so proud of you.  He spoke into her hair.  I knew you were strong  but what you did today was amazing  and you've given me 3  children in just a few days.   Thank you'.

And he kissed her with heart warming tenderness to which she responded in kind.

'I want to thank you too.   I couldn't have had Elise without you and you've given yourself as a father to my boys. You couldn't have given them more than that'.

TBC