A Reason to Stay

Chapter sixteen

The next week was so full of activity that it seemed to fly by. Everyone at church just had to meet the Berry family and everyone wanted them to come and visit. It wasn't very often that folks visited these parts they were told. Payton was glad to have her mother around. She had helped to relieve some of the burden off her. Her father too. Joshua didn't have much to do in the fields but the animals still needed to be tended and he liked to hunt in the woods close by. Nathan had went out with him a few times. He enjoyed it but the cold seemed to creep into his bones much soon than Joshua's.

Her parents had been with them for twelve days, Payton was in the kitchen mixing bread dough when the first pain gripped her. She almost dropped the bowl she was holding. “Oh!” she cried out.

Helen was at her side, “What's wrong, honey? Is it the baby? Is it time?”

Payton waited for the pain to pass. “I think it might be. Can you send Joshua after Doris.”

Helen went to the door and called Nathan to the house. Quickly she explained to him that it was time and Joshua needed to get the midwife.

An hour later Joshua still hadn't returned and Payton was being torn apart by the pains. “This isn't like the other two, mama. I feel like I'm being torn apart in the middle.” and then another pain ripped at her stomach. “Oh, Lord help me!”

Helen could tell that something wasn't right and she took Payton to the bed. Nathan was playing with the children who had started to grow concerned about their mother. Helen sent him a worried glance and mouthed, “Pray, Pray hard.” Nathan nodded and tried to get the children to play with the dog.

When Helen was sure that Payton couldn't continue Joshua drove up with Doris and another woman from the church.

Doris rushed inside and took charge. First she ordered someone to put some water on the stove to boil and then to cut some strips of material to put in the water. She helped Helen ease Payton into bed and went about examining her. “Payton, your baby is breach.” she told her, “It's lying sideways. We need to pray that the Lord will turn it. I'll try everything I know but it might not be enough. We'll just have to let God have his way. You just need to stay calm and let us try and get this baby here.”

Joshua could hear the women that were waiting on his wife. Doris came out with a grim look on her face. “Joshua, I want you to be prepared.” she said, “The baby's turned wrong. Just like it was with Eliza but...but..” she said and put a hand on his shoulder when she saw devastation on his face. “I've been with women before who've delivered healthy babies and everyone was okay. Of course you know the worst end but lets let God have his way. There is nothing we can do but wait and see if things will change. Just pray.”

Joshua left the house then and went to the barn. It was as if he were loosing Eliza all over again but this time it was Payton. It was Payton who was facing death and the death of her child. Joshua got down on his knees and put his face to the ground, “Oh, Lord,” he cried, “Oh, Lord, I'm as low as I can get. I don't know what to do. Please don't take Payton away too. I know that if you do I'll have to go on but God please I don't think I can endure this again.”

Payton wasn't sure of the time but she knew that she had been in labor for a long time. The sun was setting outside and they were lighting lanterns inside the room. Her mother was wringing her hands in the corner and crying into her handkerchief. Maybe God had sent them so she could see them one last time. Maybe it was so that when they went home they could take her children with them. But then what about Joshua. She had never told him that she loved him and that she wanted to stay. She had never heard those words from his lips. Would she ever hear him say he loved her.

“I need Joshua.” she told Doris. “I need to...see Joshua!”

“I don't think he should be here right now, Hon.” Doris said. “There ain't nothing he can do that we haven't tried.”