Sweet Satisfaction (Purple UGC Winner 2014)

Sweet Satisfaction - Seventy-Six

Seventy-Six

Emma passed Natalya a knife to cut the umbilical cord and a cloth to wrap the placenta in. Natalya lifted the shrieking baby into Mother’s arms. I had a baby sibling! Tears rolled down my cheeks, tears of happiness. Father sat with his arms around Mother, as they gazed down at their new child, Mother still regaining her breath. King hovered awkwardly in the background.

“It’s a girl, Issy, a beautiful baby girl,” Natalya whispered. I had a sister. I swallowed; there was so much love and pride in my heart for this tiny creature.

Suddenly, Mother let out a gasp, leaning forwards violently. My eyes widened. My heart leapt.

“What is it?” Father cried. Mother started to make the ‘mmrggh’ noises again.

“Elsie, take the baby,” Father snapped, and I hesitated, “Take the baby!” My sister tumbled into my arms. I looked down at the tiny bundle, rocking her as she wailed.

“Take Mother’s other hand!” I told Mary frantically, as everyone gathered round. Natalya’s face was blanched white, and she peered under Mother’s blood-stained shift. What was happening?

Mother clutched her stomach and grinded her teeth. She gave another heave, face crumpling as she screamed.

“What’s happening to me?” Natalya looked up, mouth dropping down.

“Issy, I can see a head!” Mother blinked, trying to breathe as tears poured down her cheeks.

“W—w-what?” Mother said faintly. I blinked myself, and then snorted with laughter.

“Mother, everything is alright, you’re having twins. Twins…” I trailed off, and we stared at each other, horror-struck. What would happen if fate repeated itself? If it was a boy, it would bring back so many memories of Benjamin. But it was a girl.

*****

Three minutes later, after more groaning on Mother’s part, I had another sister. Mary was fondling the other baby, a strange, unreadable expression dawning on her countenance. I wondered how hard this was for her. My heart was swelling with affection for this little baby, as I wrapped her in a blanket, for Mother was too tired. She was huddled against my Father, racked by sobs.

“The pain, Albert, the pain.” Her face was all creased up, and she was struggling to keep her eyes open. I looked down at my baby sister. Everything about her was so petite. I couldn’t believe I had two new little sisters! This had all happened in such a quick succession and I was struggling to take it in.

“Do you want to hold her, Mother?” I asked, realising I was being a bit selfish by cradling her myself. Mother shook her head. Her face was snow white and she looked dreadfully distraught.

“I think there’s another one coming.” I felt the whole room blink and have their jaws drop at the same time as myself. Another baby? Another sister for me? This was absurd!

Mother was so tired by now she could only pine, her voice hoarse from her tortured screeching earlier. She had no strength to push. Her face merged into grotesque expressions of silent pain.

“Make it stop. Let this end,” she whispered, as my Father held her up with his arms as she lolled, trying to keep her eyes open. She gave a hoarse gasp, body slumping. Was it over? I bit my lip.

Natalya took the knife and cut the cord, trembling. A thin feeble wail protruded from the tiny lips of-

“Another girl,” Natalya whispered, but none of us were smiling. In our hearts, we knew something was wrong. I wanted to scream and yell and cry and tell someone to find a doctor. This baby was no bigger than a loaf of bread in Mother’s arms. My new sister and my Mother were both fighting to keep their droopy eyelids open. Mother was barely looking at her new child. The grip on the sniffling baby in my arms tightened, as something twisted in my chest.

I could feel my heart thumping and hear my own shaky breathing. Mary’s hand reached out for mine and we curled our fingers together like we did when we were younger, when we were scared. The room was silent. King had crouched down beside Mother. Anastasia, Emma and Alice hovered behind Natalya. Mother turned her pale face slowly to us, forcing a smile.

“Name them.”

I was about to protest, that that was Mother and Father’s task, but I didn’t have any strength left to fight. I felt so drained. I looked at the baby in my arms, this warm bundle, and then at Mother.

“Minnie?” I said hesitantly, a lump in my throat, although it was more befitting the tiny child cuddled close to Mother. She nodded.

“Annabel,” Mary whispered. The whole room was painstakingly silent. I pressed my lips together. No. No.

“Look after your sisters, Elsie: Mary, Annabel and Minnie,” Mother croaked. A sob escaped my trembling mouth, the enormity of what she was saying breaking my heart. Mother bowed her head, nodding, tears falling onto the waif in her arms. I was trapped in time, and all I could do was cry silently, unable to form any words.

“Isabella.”

“Issy.” Father and King were crying, as Mother leant against them.

“I love you King. I guess I love you in some way, Albert. I love you so much Elsie, and Annabel and Minnie. I do love you, Mary, you stupid, stupid girl.” Her voice was rasping, drifting, and she could barely keep her eyes open. I felt like my throat was being throttled and my chest was being pressed on; the grief paralysing me and stabbing me. This couldn’t be happening.

Mary burst into tears as Mother’s trembling arm reached out for her, but dropped short. Mary let out a horrified gasp, snatching her hand up, shaking and shaking it. My eyes widened, breathing quickening. Someone was screaming ‘no, no’. It was me. Natalya rushed towards me and put her arms around me, put I fought her off as best as I could with the baby in my arms, struggling, struggling like Benjamin.

“Someone get a doctor!” I managed to gasp out, hardly able to breathe myself, clutching Minnie tight to my chest, which was aching.

“Benjamin. Mother. Emmelina,” Mother murmured, smiling, looking at the still baby in her arms, as she closed her eyes.

She and my baby sister drifted off to sleep.