Three Converts

Part 49

Frida took it upon herself to negotiate with the owner of the canoe rental to lease the little room above the canoe hut. She moved out, and we patted ourselves on the back for successfully transitioning a Robe into society.

In the meantime, I worked my first shifts at the medical center. There were no births the first day, which was fine with me because I was busy learning the ins and outs of the building. The staff was not unfriendly, but didn't seem ready to invest in me. That was fine. They told me where to find supplies and how to make coffee in the break room. When I came in the second day there was a woman already in labor. She was still in labor five hours later when my shift ended, but I stayed on, unwilling to miss the action. Fido curtly agreed that was fine, but I wasn't getting paid beyond my agreed upon hours.

I stayed with the woman and her husband, bringing him cups of water and her washcloths and a little bucket. When she threw up, I went for Fido. "She's ready to push," I informed him. He looked skeptical, but came back to the room and checked her. "Sure enough," he muttered. I didn't get to deliver this baby, but I took note of every thing Fido did. For a such a harsh man, his hands were gentle as clouds floating the baby into the world. He expertly cleaned the baby's nose and handed the wrinkly, wailing, infant to the woman. Any sign of Fido's abrasive manner was gone. He asked me (almost politely) for warm soapy water. I provided the dad with scissors to cut the umbilical cord, and Fido with the water, which he used to gently clean the woman. That was my biggest lesson of the day. I vowed if I was ever lucky enough to deliver babies on a regular basis, I would always, always take the privilege of cleaning the mother afterward.

"Well, there you go!" Fido said to me. "Your first delivery!"

"It was wonderful. You were great. It's not myfirst delivery though." He raised an eyebrow at me. I turned back to the newmom and dad. The baby was already nursing, so Fido and I left them alone. Goinghome seemed so mundane after watching a baby take its first breath, but that'swhat I did. Rocco was just leaving for his night shift and high-fived me as wepassed each other in the doorway. I was a person who delivered babies andhigh-fived my friends now. My heart was full to bursting.