A Love Unbowed

Chapter 3

I  have finally passed the eighth moon mark and revel in the feeling of our child making its presence known, but I am tired. Carrying another being in one's body is not easy. I have not seen anything past my protruding belly in the past four moons. Mohe loves when our child kicks but as I get closer to the ninth moon it gets most annoying. 

"Amadahy! " I call out in panic, as the I felt the contractions getting closer together," The baby is coming."

"Your water has not broken yet ."

I nodded, and tried to control my breathing the way the midwife had taught me," It broke over an hour ago when we were in the river."

My mother in law looked at me in alarm, "Nigolgana ayoli. Come we have to get you to the tepee."

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Inside our living space, Mohe paced in worry and excitement. 

"Why did you not call for me sooner?" He came to my side and kissed my cheek before his mother shooed him away from the tent,"  Gageyui nihi."

I nodded, in too much pain to form the words on my dry tongue. After Mohe had left, Amadahy stood in between my parted legs, "You are crowning, time to push."

I grit my teeth together and willed myself not to scream and pushed. God, it hurt. It felt like I was being torn in two. Three hard pushes later my daughter was born. A piercing scream was heard as the new Grandmother slapped the squirming child on the bum.

"Ah, a strong one. " The woman praised.

"Unitsi !" I screamed as I felt an overwhelming pain grip me once more."I have to push again."

Her eyes lit up in excitement, "Twins!"

Amadahy guided me through the tiring process once more and I birthed a boy.

After taking care of the afterbirth and both the children and I were cleaned up, Mohe was called in.

He rushed to me in excitement, "Two babies! My beautiful wife has honoured me !"He laughed, pressing a kiss to my flushed cheek.

"What will you name your children ?" I asked, smiling at his joy

"Our children, our son will be Sequoyah, meaning sparrow and our daughter, Ayita, first to dance.

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I awoke to the sounds of crying. More sat with Sequoyah and Ayita trying unsuccessfully to quiet them. My poor babies were hungry and here I was sleeping away.

"Mohe, come bring me Ayita. Let me feed her ."  

As soon as Mohe lay his sister in my arms, Sequoyah began to fuss." Bring him too." I sat up with Ayita latched to my right breast and shifted so that Sequoyah could latch onto my left. Silence enveloped the teepee, the only sound heard was the sleepy suckling of the twins.

"Magic! " Mohe whispered jokingly as he laid next to me, caressing Ayita's smooth cheek."They are beautiful Rose."

"We both played our parts," I replied cheekily.

A sleeping Sequoyah was placed in the cot he shared with his sister in a corner of the teepee. Ayita was still suckling on and off, watching me, her father's eye's staring up at me, occasionally blinking dusty lashes. "Ayita," I cooed softly, "Aren't you tired little one?"

"Is she asleep ?"Mohe asked getting back into the warmth of our furs."No, she's staring at me." I laughed tiredly." Watch how she looks at me like she understands whats going on in the world as if she knows us."

"Well, we both know she recognizes your voice. " Mohe smirked smugly.

"I am not that loud! " I slapped his side, I could feel the blush travelling up my throat.

"Don't be embarrassed my love. I love that you respond to my love that way."

I rolled my eyes at his obvious pride. " What language do you want them to learn?"

"Both.." He paused, searching for the appropriate words," When they grow up, they will eventually leave and want to search the world. " Mohe answered smiling, at the face, I made" They will not stay with us forever."

"Hush. " I replied angrily. I finally had a complete family why would I want to think of anything else? I knew that I was being unrealistic but it upset me greatly.

When Ayita had finally fallen asleep, I placed her in the cot next to her brother and returned to bed, my back turned away from Mohe.

Mohe huffed angrily when I shifted away from his touch.

" I am going to stop speaking in your tongue. Every time I do, I say something wrong and you become upset with me." He said in Cherokee, as he flipped the covers off his body and stormed outside.

I punched the furs above my head. I didn't even know why I was upset. I didn't want to be angry, the events of the day have taken a toll on me. Childbirth is not easy but I should not have taken it out on Mohe.

I walked outside, pulling a heavy blanket around my shoulders. He wasn't very far, I found him sitting on the side of the teepee, his face a mask of confusion. I stood in front before sitting on his lap and taking his face in my hands," I'm not angry. And I understand what you were saying, I just don't like the thought of any of you leaving me. You're the only family I have. I don't like it when we fight ."

Mohe wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer," Uyo ayeladi. "

"I love you and I am sorry too, nothing is wrong with your English, come let's go back to sleep."

"