Forsaken and Betaken

Chapter 17

by Catherine C. Straub


Forsaken and Betaken
Chapter 17


There are fathers that do not love their children; there is no grandfather who does not adore his grandson.
— Victor Hugo

No birth on earth was more important than the Christ child born unto the Virgin Mary.

At 11 at night – Thomas wide awake drove her to the hospital. He stayed with her at the front desk for her technical work. In due time, she was taken to the maternity floor. Firmly they told him: "return home or wait until early morning a good guess, the child born around four," they estimated. Thomas went upstairs to the waiting room. When tired, he lye down on the davenport, conked out until five.

When he awoke, the doctor was walking toward him with a smile.

"Congratulations, Emmy gave birth to a healthy baby boy weighing seven pound three ounces and 21 inches long. You can see her in ten minutes?"

Thomas went to the hall and called Flo, "please call his grandparents. I'm coming home soon." He went to her room and kissed her cheek. She opened her eyes. "Thomas, she whispered; have you been here the whole time."

"I cheated and slept at eleven fifteen?" She smiled gratefully at him.

"Are you going to see the baby before you leave?"

"I will go now!" Then he planned to return home to sleep until school, if he was lucky? She closed her eyes as he left. She never expected him to be so attentive. He swore off girls and she never expected his aid or concern? She tried Eugene's cell phone. "I had your secretive baby boy, go back to sleep."

"Right on," Eugene responded – wishing she'd give in to wed him. It wasn't really fair to her, besides he did meet a pleasing woman inmate at Bible Meetings.

Thomas gazed at the Sergeant's son... marveling, as he watched him move around – wondering about this new world; he came into? See you later – bud! He rushed to the elevator and out to his car, the night air waking him.

She finally birthed the kid – carried for years it felt like. He hurried home letting the radio blast – to keep awake. There he shut the car off, hurried inside the quiet house – remembering to lock the door. The whole bedroom was his; his stupid brother never again would sleep alongside of him.

Flo was up early, proud of her niece and Thomas for hanging in there. He always did think something of her. He was devastated when she had to break off with Joyce coming home. He knew that was the planned idea. Yeah, everything Flo met up with... except the love Chad and her felt. She had heard Percy still was not responsive to the doctors' ideas, and hardly got out of bed, other than to attend to his bathroom needs. He had to try to come off it and help himself. "The Lord helps those who help themselves." Trudy knew what he could do. The rest of the kin were irate at him for being odd.

Wedding bells were due to ring again that was the happy soul named Thomas.

"Two men are attracted to me, said Emmy. I just don't know whom to wed."

Gilda was sick of this braggart talk for a single girl – and how Gilda loved her dead son. An aide brought flowers. It arrived, as they spoke. "Such lovely flowers who they from are," they gushed when the second batch was brought in. Gilda snatched up the card.

"It says from: Stanley, Landry and family? Who is that?" She peered pointedly at her.

"Landry is the boy helping me. The family comes from the heart of Chicago? Stanley bought them after Landry rang, and wrote his name, first?" How disgusting she privately felt.

"No matter – just wondering who they were..." Gilda remarked, and Flo noticed her strict look? She'd seen her suspicious glances. She hoped her mind never went as far as – taking the child away... Gilda nosed around for ten more minutes, to find a reason, to obtain the baby, and than waved. Flo watched her go and her eyes turned from relief to closure....

"You have to watch what you remark around her...She could take the child with talk of two men wanting you?"

"What is she getting so self righteous about all of a sudden – just because she saw the baby, and lost her son?"

"Just so, and I'm acquainted – that you have to be cautious, what you say?"

"I'm tired, see yah later?" Flo and Marcy kissed her.

Outside the door, Marcy felt aggravated. "She is going to get in trouble if she flaunts it? Gilda and her husband (or one of them) is looking for any reason to replace this baby, for the son; they lost?" Flo turned to her uncomfortable...

"It is hard to think they'd do this," they entered the elevator. He saw Percy many times at their house and talked over a case, said Flo. It didn't make any difference to him – freshly he made Percy out a pervert."

"She's acting dopey, as smart as she is?" They entered the foyer and pushed the door open to the brisk air – real scanty snowflakes – April fool weather. Who was the biggest fool today? They hurried to the car and turned it on? "How are Janice and Grace doing they came home the other night? When do they start their community service for a year?" Marcy eyed her it was a wonder Beth didn't labor for the community; she was so off center not long ago....

"Tomorrow they work for the city doing clean up. They should love that, said Flo. I wish I could trust Gilda and Mitchell not to loose this child."

"They intimate... they're so pure. Trudy and Kieran were going to take Monopoly to play with Percy. There is no way, he would be a police man again... and what do you suggest for him?"

Flo peered her way pulling in her drive – staring at her...? Marcy appeared like she fell asleep. She nudged her trying to awake her... worried with no response... she rushed to the hospital. She dashed inside hollering: "My friend somehow went to sleep?"

The hospital brought a bed cart out, and wheeled her inside. Flo frantically stood by trying to find out what was wrong? She took the elevator up to the third floor, waiting around – while they hooked her up to intravenous tubes.

"She had to catch a virus that she couldn't fight?" The aide said.

Flo stared... "She 'did say, she's all in' – but I'm not aware, she caught a bug." She looked about. Is Doctor Chad around?"

The desk ran the intercom for him? In minutes, he hastened toward her...

"DARLING, WHAT IS WRONG? He glances at her worried face. She pointed in the room where Marcy lay hooked up?

"She fell asleep... driving home from here...We did see Emmy and her baby?"

"I see... how odd."

"The last thing Marcy said to me was: she could not believe that Gilda and her husband would try to take the child from Emmy. They come to our parties. Gilda heard unwise talk; two men engrossed with Emmy. She should know better with Gilda losing Mitchell, her son. The only time, I like to go out with Marcy – or is it I, alone in the world now. In the morning, I'm a there from then on? When will she come out of this?"

"For a minute, I mused, you meant Gilda and her obsession? Marcy it is anyone's guess? I hope soon?" He peered at Flo's tearful eyes. He pulled the two seats close, and took her hands. "Don't worry about that relative, on the other side."

Emmy was training to breast feed him – it had to work. She had a close connection to the baby. She worried, Gilda appease herself with the loss of the son, and take the baby from her that really was Eugene's kid? He had his blood tested one weekend and she gave hers. Word, what if a detective comes here?

Flo stayed at the hospital until eleven making calls to Beth and Thomas relaying what happened. She invited them to come over to her place for breakfast in the morning. She may awake during the night? Beth and Thomas went to bed with a heavy heart – what happened to their mother. During the night they both dreamed about the three of them in a trauma and in a week, matters worked out? Beth especially felt bad – the time she gave her mother.

They found she still was in a coma? "I don't want to see sorry faces – you must perform in school? Thomas if you want to go see Emmy come with me. There's been talk that Gilda like to take the child, and I don't like it?" She glared at the wall in anger; her prayer partner was missing....

"A new birth and one falls into a coma, what a day." Kieran made light of it.

"You were not aware... both of you playing Monopoly with Percy. How did he seems?" Joyce listened to them with half an ear – her mind on Emmy in the Hospital. She'd be home soon, and together they'd walk to school.

Flo turned her back – for a few minutes, pouring two more pancakes on the griddle. She was elated; she birthed the baby. Marcy and she prayed and left in the morning, now her life was drastically changed. She'd entreat the Lord at the hospital holding her hand....

She had to awake soon. She did seem a bit tired when she came back from seeing the new baby. When a person yawns that means missing sleep. She'd never imagine; she'd fall into a coma after Emmy gave birth. Nobody could take her place. She had to sit and talk to her for sure? Chad would help her out as much as possible? Her present mind returned – and her inquiry about Percy to Kieran?

"I wish he'd a future to look forward to..." The kids walked to the door. Flo turned; they waved to her and she returned the courtesy.

"Percy is not your concern mother. As fast as that affair went, you could have Christmas shopped." Janice firmly said, as she went out the door....

"I'm so dependent on Marcy coming over, and she's in a coma. As soon as I eat. I'll spend my time between the two until I fix dinner for all of you?" The girls peered at her; she seemed so worried...they were close.

Flo arrived at the hospital, and first saw Chad and the neighbor friend.

"Go in and sit by her, and talk to her. Something could dent her perception?"

*****

That same day Emmy was nursing the baby, a Social Worker stopped by. As soon as she saw her, she had to be sly. "You are a minor with a new baby, and other men."

"I'm sorry madam – I don't recognize what you are talking about. I do not date? I honor my dead to be husband?" She realized how careless – mentioning Landry etc. in front of Gilda? One of them should aid her – making up for Eugene?

"So you'll attend school. Do you have help with the baby?"

"Yes. My Aunt Flo is home. Emmy nearly wept, feeling so concerned. She watched the lady leave. She laid her head back with the nursing baby. In a few minutes, her Aunt Flo came in and noticed; she seemed preoccupied.

"A Social Worker was just in to see me...about my life. I wish I never met Gilda and that husband of hers. I will not stay at the house if they come to see the child? Who needs to be monitored all the time? I haven't indulged in anything besmirching Mitchell's name, she fibbed. I might see Thomas or Landry and I should have known better saying it to Gilda. I will find something out on them?"

"Yes that's the spirit, have spunk." Flo felt jittery with this pointless upheaval. Here her dearest friend was in a coma. Nobody knew what happened to her?

"She said she had to check this situation out. I told her you would be there when I'm in school. They are going to check you out too?"

"They could, and I might say how I enjoyed going out in the morning with Marcy, but now she's in a coma?" What was going on here that woman and her husband came to her house for get-togethers.

"God, what happened to her?" The baby moved, as Emmy shouted.

"Some virus hit her, and she couldn't resist it when I was driving home last night. We were conversing... Suddenly, she fell asleep and than when I tried to wake her, I couldn't?"

"That's awful, I hope she awakens!" Emmy fret – was this place kooky too.

The nurse came to get the baby, and she handed him over. Flo noticed Emmy's eyes seemed heavy. She walked out of the room and to the elevator to the upper floor? Her mind distracted about this Social Worker checking them out?

Flo silently walked into Marcy's room. Who'd ever think this could happen. She sat and quietly prayed holding Marcy's hand....

*****

At lunchtime, she visited the cafeteria with Chad.

"You must eats, and that is doctor's orders?" She smirked, walking through the line picking out their chose.

"I could stay here with you all day. I wish 'you'd eat lunch' here more often." She smiled broadly at him, for his thought. "Did I tell you Kieran and Trudy played Monopoly with Percy?"

"Great at least they sound okay."

She kissed him, not caring who's around. "You are the jewel of the earth!" The Social Worker sitting in the corner – carefully watched Flo? So this one was her man, and did he live with her? She approached the two and sat down on the third of the fourth chairs, and Flo froze... Chad gawked at her. He had been caught red handed.

"What do you want Madam? The lady is my engaged? We live apart?"

"I need knowledge? Do you have anybody else watching the child? Don't misunderstand me. We fill in the gap if you go out, who'd be there?"

Flo thought fast, and came up with a nurse, she knew.

"Nurse Macy Nash will do the job if I have to go out – preceding the first month and Baptism, I will take him out with me? This recital seemed to please her.

Chad was ready to top the whole matter off... "This coming summer we're going to 'tie the knot'!" Chad said peering lovingly at Flo.

"I will needs to talk to the woman filling in?"

"She is a private duty nurse. Here is her phone number." She scribbled her address down? The Social worker left staring at them, she did wear a ring.

"Why us, we did not live loose. Why must we marry with no child?"

"I'm hurt. You don't want to marry." He pouted.

"I love you. She seems to think a couple is better for the kid. Is she nuts, it is not my kid? I did feel guilty wed to him. That marriage to Percy was in the Judges office."

"So you don't want to marry me – should we tell Emmy to get out? You should get Emmy and Thomas to wed? I'll help when I can?"

"I'm sorry for minutes, 'I forgot,' I'm a widow and can be married in church."

"That's great 'we can wed' anytime." She was the only woman for him.

"Darling, I'd marry you tonight if you want. We should just go wed. How long will the church make us wait with Pre Cana instructions? I probably am being looked on as a frivolous lady? Do you want a large party?"

"Let's get out of here! He took her arm and they left the cafeteria. I think we should marry quietly, okay dear." He pushed the third floor to the elevator.

*****

Marcy was in a dream world where everything was perfect. Her boyfriend Peter loved her. He'd be around for life. The baby of Emmy's could be lost to the conniving people, who lost their son. It looked like Flo might have to marry, the special voice told her. She heard some one speaking to her from a far... and she still could not hear whom...

Flo sensed for one minute, she's coming back, when her one finger moved.... Chad held his hand on her shoulder, what a day today. They did have to live right? They may lose the baby if the law felt either Flo or Emmy were lax...

Flo pulled in the drive and hurried to her ringing phone.

"Flo here, Oh Emmy isn't you doing your homework... You're waiting for the tutor?" "Chad and I were sitting in the cafeteria....Furthermore to make a long story short; we're getting married in the rectory. I do love him. He said he would help me, as much as he can." "You should never again go to that Landry house."

"Have a good night Aunt Flo, or are you coming out later?"

*****

The Social worker drove into the Morrison driveway? Gilda let her inside.

"Would you like a coffee?"

"Yes. Gilda I could take one. I don't have any good news, the older woman is getting married soon. The younger one denies she has any man. Really she still is taken with Mitchell Junior?"

"Do you believes them?"

"The evidence is: he will marry her this summer. I heard it... as her voice carried... walking away. Gilda looked at her with a question in her eyes?

Yes, she sighed, I also had to check her month marriage – the rush by The Chief of Police Percy. I caution you, to see your grandchild, not let on you called me."

When she left, Gilda sat down at the table considering... She had not told Mitchell about any of this. She would blame it on him, if she had too – he shoved her into the mental home. She never chose wisely for her toddlers when her Albert died. She was sure he did worse wrongs than getting rid of her....

Mitchell saw the car pulls out of the driveway – the woman waving to him. Who was that another kook friend of his wife? He walked into the kitchen, "who was that, she seemed friendly?"

"My friend, Georgia, from Rosary Society, stops over every so often."

Generously he said, "I'll tell you what, let's eat in the cafeteria or elsewhere and see the baby."

Emmy was nursing the baby, and had just hung up talking to Eugene wanting to marry her. How since Flo pushed Thomas, now attentive to her. Gilda and her husband stopped to see her and she covered, the nursing baby? "How are you doing today," Gilda asked. Emmy studied her? She acted so normal it must have been her husband's idea.

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