you took a polaroid of us,
then discovered,
the rest of the world was black and white,
but we were in screaming color,
and I remember thinking
are we out of the woods yet?
••••••••••••••••••••••••••...
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TWO MONTHS LATER (37 weeks pregnant — 9 months)
The hot morning summer July sun beamed on me, casting a golden glow over Alexandria. The garden was thriving, with rows of vegetables and herbs stretching out under the clear blue sky. Everything in Alexandria– as well as the other communities– had been thriving and growing stronger day by day.
New construction had taken place in Alexandria, we had new buildings, a larger and more secure wall, bridges connecting different parts of the community, a windmill that helped provide us power, and a handy water purifier that connected to our beautiful lake. Our community had turned into a truly beautiful home for all the people of Alexandria.
Rick and I had been great at leading the people of Alexandria. We were partners in every sense of the world, balancing each other's strengths and weaknesses. Rick was the strong, steady hand guiding us through the tough challenges and battles we faced, and while I had also been involved in the tough decisions, I had mostly taken the nurturing role, tending to the emotional and physical needs of our people.
I glanced over at Maggie, who was kneeling beside me, carefully weeding the garden. She was about 20 weeks pregnant now and I was 37 weeks, both of us had decided to get more active due to my due date being any day or week now.
At the last check-up I had, Denise told me that my due date would most likely be in early August, but since it was now nearing the end of July, I was afraid I could give birth any day now.
The thought of giving birth scared me in many ways, simply from the fact that Lori had died when giving birth to Judith, but it wouldn't be the same thing, right?
I tried to push the thought out of my mind, but it lingered, a shadow over the bright day. Lori had been in a different situation–less medical care, less preparation. We had Denise, a more equipped clinic, and more medical supplies– though we unfortunately didn't carry epidurals.
I was also most cautious due to the fact that Rick had left early this morning to go on a supply run with Carl and Daryl for what was supposed to be a quick trip. They were searching for a few specific items we needed– mostly medical supplies– and while I knew it was important, the timing couldn't have been worse.
Rick had assured me that he'd be back by nightfall but as the hours ticked by, the nauseous swirling in my abdomen only grew stronger and more consistent. A small tightness was felt in my lower stomach as I moved, causing me to inhale sharply.
It's just another Braxton Hick.
"These tomatoes are lookin' good," Maggie said, breaking the comfortable silence between us.
I nodded, trying to focus on the conversation instead of the discomfort building in both my abdomen and mind. "Yeah, they're comin' along nicely. We should have a good harvest this season."
