Steady Love

A Storm

I enjoyed my job, although it wasn't a glamorous career or high paying, it was enjoyable and not as mundane as some would think.
I worked in a local farm store, about 15 minutes from my house. I spent my days cleaning chicken tanks and sweeping up busted feed bags, and running a cash register. It was a Tuesday, which was a morning day for me. I would open the store and be off the clock at 2pm. I hadn't slept well the night before, and was beginning to feel the effects of tossing and turning so much.
I waddled thru anyway, praying all day that god would see me thru the work of the day and I I could be home resting this evening, tea in hand before a nap on the porch.
     By the time my shift was over, Mrs.Franklin, the wife of the store owner, had me out the door half an hour early, suggesting I spend my afternoon resting.
     The sky was getting dark on the drive home, and I knew that we would soon feel the affects of the storm brewing in the clouds above us. So, I hurried home.

     I sat barefoot , on my porch , with my feet up in the swing beside me, a tea cup in my hand and a warm blanket across my legs. The weather was starting to chill, the September air wasn't as full and warm as august had been, and the later the month got the more signs of fall appeared. Leaves turning, chilly nights, and thunderstorms filled the days and nights and it was peaceful to breathe in the rain and hear it hitting the tin roof of the little house.
     I closed my eyes and tilted my head back. I was so full of stress and worry. I felt as though I would never feel a calmness again. I kept my eyes closed as the tiny baby moved around in my belly. I enjoyed feeling the baby, especially in the evenings when it was quiet and just the two of us.
The sky rumbled and churned, and I heard raindrops begin to fall on the roof. The power would be out soon, I thought to myself, as the wind howled around me.
I breathed deeply, enjoying the smell of the damp earth. After the storm I would go check the chicken if it wasn't too dark, I decided. But right now I needed to light some candles.
I opened my eyes and stood, folding my blanket up and taking my tea cup inside with me.
I padded around the house barefoot, lighting candles and straightening up some as I went.
The clock on the stove told me it was almost 5 o clock. I should start dinner before the power went out also, I decided.
I gathered ingredients and began humming hymns as I busied myself with cooking, and focused on the tiny baby moving, and kicking. I pondered names, and prayed as I moved also.
I was almost finished putting a heavy soup on when there was a knock at the door. I finished my task and went to answer, but I was too late.
"Cor!" A voice called thru the house from the side door.
I smiled to myself.
"What in the world are you doing on your feet after working all day, Miss?"
The tall blonde bounced down the hall way, her skirt cascading around her as she helped herself in. I noticed a bag from a local bakery in one hand, and her medical bag in the other.
Francis Hamilton. She was the best friend I'd ever had, in the whole world. She was also my sister in law, and my midwife. She was taller than me, standing about 5'6, and had cornsilk blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes. She was as beautiful as a super model, and as modest as a flower. I thanked god for her.
"I'm so glad to see you." I said, pulling her into a quick hug.
10 minutes later I was laying in the couch, and she was giving me the once over while I gave her the details of the last couple of days.
"My goodness. It's no wonder you're swollen. A handsome cowboy and a million dollars 'll do that to ya." She oogled half heartedly.
We both giggled. "Ugh, why does this stuff have to happen to me? And right now? I'm due in just a few weeks and I don't want anything to interrupt my delivery."
She helped me sit up and waved a hand at me. "You'll do fine delivering, I have no concerns." She assured me. "I do, however, have concerns for this storm." She said, walking over to the window.
She wasn't the only one. Usually, storms settled me, but this one felt different.
"My bread'll fall if I don't get it in the oven." I stood and went to the oven, putting the Dutch oven in and praying it kept heat to cook.
"You better get home before it gets too bad. Seth will be worried about ya." I said, smiling my thanks.
"You're right. I do love that man, but he is a worry wart." She hugged me and was on her way. I prayed for her safety.
The storm worsened quickly, and after a text from Francis letting me know she made it home safely, I felt a bit more at ease, but was still a bit nervous as the wind got heavier.
I spent the rest of the evening attempting to stay calm as alerts of tornado warnings came in and the house shook around me.
The power was out, and had been. I had a fire going in the fire place, but was quickly running out of wood from the stack is brought in.
I eyed the wood shed out back. The wind had calmed some, and the rain was still heavy but I could put on a coat.
I had to have wood, it was chilly out.
I dredged thru the yard, barefoot, with a sweatshirt over my big t shirt and shorts, trying to find my way to the woodshed. The rain was obscuring my vision, and there was no real direction of it, it felt as though it was pelting me from all sides.
My teeth were chattering. I was freezing cold and shivering.
I couldn't see anything, and my ears aches. The wind was picking up again and I felt my hair whipping around me. My heart beat picked up and I began to panic. I closed my eyes, and prayed to God. I needed to get back into the house safely, with the baby.
Before I could open my eyes again, I felt a hand on my back, and suddenly I was off the ground. Warm arms wrapped around me, and I knew I was safe.
I was chilled to the bone, and could barely speak by the time I was set in front of the fire place. I looked up at my savior, and was met with familiar eyes. Cal.
Why was he here again? I wasn't sure, but at that moment I wasn't in a position to argue.
"Take your clothes off, you're soaking wet." He said, trying to help me pull off the sweatshirt I had slipped on.
I managed to shake my head. I didn't even have a bra on. He couldn't see me like that.
He huffed. "Dammit, Corrine, you have to think about the baby. You have to get warmed up."
He was right. I let him pull my clothes off and slip a blanket around me. I noticed him looking above me, not at me. I was thankful.
I was also thankful for the help. I couldn't have done that myself, I was shivering too violently.
"Where's the bathroom?" He asked, his voice fervent with worry.
I managed to point and nod in the direction of the bathroom. He was off, boots tracking water thru the house, he headed for the bathroom. I heard the bathtub start and realized he was drawing a bath.
He was back in front of me quickly. He didn't ask me to do anything this time, he only scooped me up and carried me.
He sat me on my feet in front of the bath, ordering me to get in, and then, after he was sure I could get myself in, he left the bathroom silently.
I wasn't sure how long I'd been in the bath, but I was sure it had been a long time. I was trying hard to ignore the aching in my pelvis and lower belly, and relax my body, so I spent extra time in the hot water.
I wasn't sure when the pains had started. They weren't intense but they did hurt. I put a robe from the bathroom door over my now warmer body, and padded into the living room.
There was a bigger pile of wood by the fire place, and the fire was now going better than the small one I had stoked before.
I grabbed a blanket from the quilt rack in the corner and curled up on the couch, feeling exhausted and warm.
"Drink this." I opened my eyes to a cup of tea in front of me. Cal was holding it, bent down next to me, on one knee, with wordy still all over his face. I must have drifted off some.
I sat, but it was painful, with pressure in my pelvis and surges still coming every so often.
"Can you do me a favor?" I was too exhausted to hold a phone. Or even the tea cup he was trying to hand me still.
He furrowed his brow "yes." He said, his voice as calm and even as always.
"Get my phone, and call Francis."
He didn't ask who Francis was, or where my phone was, or anything else, he just complied and then came back to me.
"She didn't answer. I called twice." He said, bending back down beside my place on the couch.
I felt my stomach turn. This couldn't be happening.