Dreamed This Up (Dreams, Book 1)

Chapter 17: Aftermath

They arrived at the shop. The men carefully lifted Rofin's pallet down, and then helped Sophie climb down. The doorway was narrow and she waited until they went through. A small hand slipped into hers. "Pala be OK?" 

She patted the child's head, "Yes, ta  Loklin will fix him up - AH!" 

Another spasm hit, and the children swarmed around her, pulling her to sit on the bench. 

"Giya, sit!" "Is she OK" "Is baby sick" "Move, you gonna squish her!" "bad men hurt our giya!"

The pain passed and she smiled at them, "No, it's fine."

The tiny tot who had said "hooray!" had been holding a badly bedraggled fabric animal, and now pushed it on her. "Hold Tib. Feel better"

Sophie felt like crying. "Thank you, Lissen." Stretching her arms, she embraced as many of the children as she could reach, and they all clung together, waiting to hear some news.

****

A short while later, though it felt like hours, Loklin sent for her. Shaking off the worried children, she entered, wincing. He raised an eye at her, but lead her in. Rofin was lying on the pallet in the back room, very still. But when he heard he enter, he lifted his head, "Sophie"

She leaned over carefully, brushing back the stray hairs, "I am here."

Loklin commented. "Nothing broken, although he will be very, very sore for a few days. Any idea why he was attacked?"

Sophie shook her head, "I have no idea. They were discussing our case at the Council today though. Do you think there is a connection?"

Rofin reached up to touch her face. "I believe so. Loklin, have you heard anything?"

The older Rifan shook his head. "Nothing worthwhile. You said the attackers were Rifan, also?"

Rofin said, "Yes. I think they were hired, they had no insignia to identify them, but were not mere street thugs."

Sophie kissed his forehead, "I am so sorry. I never knew this would happen."

"How can anything be your fault?" He gingerly lifted a hand, wincing slightly, to pull her closer. "I didn't exactly stop you. This is our life together."

She sighed, "I know, I just feel AH-" gritting her teeth, she bit back a scream. 

Loklin was at her side immediately, pulling her back and making her sit, "Relax, what hurts? Rofin, you didn't say she was injured!"

"I didn't know! Soph, what happened?"

"One of them kicked, AH, kicked me." She turned to Loklin with tears, "AH! it hurts. She sat on the edge of the pallet and concentrated on breathing. "Too soon! It's too soon. It's only been, AH! five ... eee! months." 

Loklin swiftly crossed the room and returned with a small vial. "Drink that. Then come here and lie down, I need to see what's going on."

She downed the contents, and took several more deep breaths before attempting the steps to the other pallet. Once she was there and he began, she asked, "Will the baby be alright?"

He only said, "Mmph. Lie still. I have to see what's wrong"

After a few minutes, he helped her sit up. "You'll be alright. But you'll have to rest. No more rounds for you. I don't want you to deliver early. You need at least another month. I think you'll need about seven and a half altogether."

She carefully sat up. Whatever he had given her seemed to do the trick, her body was no longer racked with spasms, and she felt better. "Among  harac the time is nine months" 

He shrugged, "Among Rifans it is a mere six. I want you to get at least to the halfway point of the two, seven and a half, before you deliver." 

She mused on this. "But it might be before?" 

He nodded. "Yes. That's why you're to be on  rest for the next month or two at least."

"What! I can't ... he needs me!" Loklin patted her arm. "Wait a moment" He left and returned with a few of the bigger children in tow."Anset will stay with you for a few hours every day, and her cousin Lak will run errands. Sivan can help as well." Lissen toddled in, and behind him the others crowded in, "We'll all help!"

Loklin sighed. "Out of my exam room, all of you!"

"But it's our pala!" "And giya!" "You can't keep us out!" "We want to help!"

Behind them Rofin laughed softly, and at once the children swarmed the pallet. 

"Are you sick?" "Get up, get up!" "We chased the bad men away!" "Yeah!" "You have a boo-boo!"

With these and other cries they seemed on the verge of overwhelming the injured Rifan.

"OUT! OUT! OUT of my sickroom! You want to help, go you can gather um, DANDELIONS! Yes, I could use more of them, now, SHOO!"

As one the children scrambled back out the door, and Loklin swiftly bolted it. "I ... don't know ... how you do it." He sighed.

Sophie grinned and helped Rofin sit up, sitting beside him, "They are a handful. Thank you for arranging for the helpers."

He scowled. "If only to keep you two from re-injuring yourselves. I believe the men will take you home just as you arrived. Sophie, off your feet as much as possible. And NOTHING strenuous for a few days at least. Bed rest" He looked at Rofin on the last sentence. She slid an arm around him, "I understand."

Still grumbling, Loklin opened the door, and looked out carefully. "Alright, it's clear. Come now. You should be able to make it home. Anset will come with you."

Carefully, they rode home.

~~~

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a76/TaliaG/WattPad/11351630_1457426177884126_483687771_n_zpstcg6wpi2.jpg

Pala: Children's familiar term for doctor. Like saying Papa instead of Father

Ta: honorific. Can be used like Mr.

Giya: Big sister or aunt. Used of a family friend, too

~~~

PS Hehe, just for fun here's a picture I came across that has Sophie's expression once she gets Rofin home and is ready to KILL those ............. that attacked them

http://www.ringoame.notcliche.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/hms_09_21.jpg

I can't figure out how to do hyperlinks but if you copy the line above you will see the picture