Oliver shook himself to full consciousness. “I was dreaming about the dog,” He said absently, “He was driving a car in the Grand Prix.”
I was hot and cranky and not at all in the mood for him to make me laugh, either, but I couldn’t help it at that one, “Come on let’s get going then! Get up!”
Ana arrived ten minutes later as if it were noon, hair done and dressed to the nines. “You go on now and have your baby!” She said like she was sending us off for a private supper, “I’ll pop by in the morning to check on you!”
I knew it wouldn’t be long by the time we made it to the hospital, “Take me straight to delivery,” I told the nurse as soon as they put me in a bed, “This is my third child and I’m not playing about this!”
“Let me check your…”
“Now, you listen to me, Miss!” I reached out to grab her by the jacket, but I stopped myself, “I’m telling you, you can check whatever you like, but if I miss my epidural because you want to argue, I’ll do you for it!”
“All right,” She slipped on a glove, “Lie back, please. Well,” She yanked off the glove, “You’re right! It’s off to delivery for you!”
“I want my epidural.”
“That should not be a problem.” She unlocked the bed and gave it a shove.
Oliver was grinning as we hurried down the hall. I tried to glare at him, but it was impossible, “A baby, Sil!” He was dancing around like a kid, “Want to bet a quid it’s another boy?”
“You’re on,” I smiled quickly and looked away as another contraction washed over me.
I remember what I was thinking more during that delivery than the other two. I was thinking about my poor sister believing that she killed our mother and practically killing herself out of guilt during the birth of her own babies. I was thinking about Carolena and Natalie and Antonia and Elizabeth and how they’d all be doing this one day. I was thinking about the Lord and the Lady and wondering how many boon they’d had over the years. And I was thinking how odd it was that I somehow knew without question that this was the last baby Oliver and I would ever have and how that was perfectly fine with me. I had this feeling that this little baby was going to make our family complete. I remembered the Lady’s words when she asked the wind to make me sleep, “By the power of three!” Three was a magical number and I knew in my heart that our number of babies was up.
“Oliver, I love you,” I gave a great push.
“I love you, too, Sil.”
“This is it,” I grunted, “Muffin Magic, Sweetheart!”
“You’re the best!” He swore.
I put my chin to my chest and pushed with all I had. A few seconds later, a baby cried.
“You owe me a quid!” Oliver jumped up and down in place, “I can see! It’s a boy!”
“A boy!” I lie back and smiled. It was the best bet I ever lost. “A wee little muffin man!” The doctor laid him in my arms. “My goodness, he has the biggest cheeks I’ve ever seen!”
“He’s a chipmunk!” Oliver grinned, “We’ve had a monkey, a James Bond clone and now a chipmunk! We’re so bloody lucky!”
“Oh, he’s very handsome! Look at him!”
“His tongue’s all stuck out!”
“He’s still lovely.”
“Aye, he is.”
Not as many people gathered around us that time. Sandra sent another bear and a note saying that she’d reschedule our get together for the following year. Lance phoned in his congrats and gave us the details on his upcoming wedding. He said he’d be by in a day or two to check on us. Penny sent flowers and best wishes. Merlyn was in Sweden on business, but he promised to call later that evening.
Ana and Edmond came to see us while Alexander and Lucy looked after the children. There were just too many and the twin girls were too small at that point to bring them in. When they left, Alex and Lucy came out and stayed for an hour or so. I was too tired to be very talkative. Lucy asked if she could come to the cabin with Nattie, Annie and Bess during the days while Alexander was at work and Nigel went off to school.
“You’re calling them Annie and Bess? How precious!”
“They are,” My sister’s eyes filled. “I’m so glad they’re healthy. Annie gave us such a scare when she was first born.”
“Don’t be silly about asking if they can come out!” I told her, “I’d like it more if we built on a few more rooms and you all moved back in, but I know you need your family to yourself. Just remember how much I love you all, Sissy. Please know that there will never be a moment that you cannot come to me for anything.”
“Same here, Silvia. I hope I can be half the mother that you are.”
“Trust yourself, Lucy. Have faith and you’ll be just fine.”
“I love you so much!” My sister hugged me, “Thank you for what you did for me when I was having my babies. I don’t know what happened. Something snapped inside me. I was so frightened I just completely lost my head. I don’t remember a lot of it, but I must have been a nightmare.”
“Don’t be sorry about it!” I waved my hand at her, “That crap hurts!”
Alexander sat in a corner with the baby propped in his hands, speaking quietly to him in Welsh about things I couldn’t hear. Oliver was beside him, adding to the conversation here and there. They were both grinning and sniggering like outlaws.
“You better watch what you’re telling that sweet little boy,” Lucy warned, “Both of you! Send him off in the wrong direction and his mother will have your heads on a plate!”
“Lucy!” Alexander protested, “I’m hurt!”
“Yeah!” Oliver added, looking stricken, “Me, too!”
“We were telling him about helping ladies across the road!”
“And holding doors open for old people!”
“Oh, stop your lies!”
“She doesn’t believe us, Oliver!”
“No, Alex, I’m afraid she doesn’t trust us at all!”
I sat there and giggled at the three of them.
The truth was that I was more tired than I’d ever been in my life and I was relieved when they decided it was time to go. Oliver went down to the cafeteria to grab a bite while I took a long, hot shower. When I came back to my room, Ollie was sitting in a chair. “They took the baby down to the nursery,” He told me, standing to help me into the bed, “They had to do a couple of tests, nothing to worry about.”
“Come lay with me,” I pushed to the side, “Hold me. I need to be close to you.”
“Of course, Silvia,” He kicked off his shoes, “My pleasure.”
We lay together for a long time in silence. After an hour or so, the nurse brought our new son, “I suppose you want this little guy?” She was an American girl with large teeth and a wonderful smile, “He’s a cutie patootie!”
“Yes, please,” I reached for him and received him into my arms, “Thank you so much.”
“If you need anything, just buzz!” She told us, “Congratulations, Doctor Dickinson! He really is beautiful.”
“Thank you, Jeanne,” Oliver smiled down at our son, “I think so, too.”
She gave me a wink and hurried out of the room.
“Oliver,” I whispered, “It’s time to do our thing.”
Oliver took our son from me and laid him between us. We sat for a long time and said nothing. We just admired that beautiful little boy.
“He has no name,” I said finally.
“I know. We hadn’t decided on what to call a boy.”
“He doesn’t look like a Simon, does he?”
“No, he does not. I know a Simon anyway and he’s a dick.”
“We could give him a mighty, manly name. Like Spike.”
Oliver laughed. Our little unnamed son squirmed a bit, but decided that sleep was more important than complaining. “No, Spike is a bit Spartan in my book.”
“You think so, Sweetie? I mean, Spike Dickinson would command some respect at school. ‘Oh, look out, Mates! Here comes Spike Dickinson …oooooh, he’s very rough!’”
“Yes, yes, it’s a very intimidating thing to be called Spike, but I am thinking something a bit more subtle as not to frighten the other children,” Oliver stared at his son for a long moment, “I am thinking that I’d like to name him after by grandpaddy if you have no objection.”