“William will know what to do,” Ana reassured her sister, though her own heart thrummed with trepidation. “Rest now. I’m here.”
Izzy nodded, her eyelids fluttering like moth wings before succumbing to their weight. Ana watched over her. She cared about all of her patients, but her concern for Izzy was strong.
The infirmary door swung open with a gentle nudge from William’s shoulder, his arms occupied by an assortment of glass vials and cotton bandages. The sunlight filtered through the windows, casting a somber glow on Izzy’s pallid face. Ana had never seen her sister so still, so fragile beneath the white sheets.
“Ana, could you help me with these?” William asked. Ana nodded, her hands moving mechanically to assist him.
“Thank you,” he said. “Izzy, tell me what’s wrong.”
While William talked with and examined her sister, Ana felt a chill run down her spine, her fingers tightening around a glass vial. She knew the signs, had learned to read them as well as any book. But knowing did not quell the dread that rose within her like floodwater.
“You’re expecting,” William announced, a gentle smile softening the gravity of his words.
Izzy’s breath hitched, her hand fluttering to her abdomen in disbelief. Ana’s heart ached at the sight, the joy and fear warring on her sister’s face.
“Expecting?” Izzy echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes,” William confirmed, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. He spoke of new life with reverence, yet Ana’s mind raced with thoughts of the birthings she’d witnessed—the screams, the sweat, the blood.
“Congratulations,” Ana murmured, the word feeling like a stone on her tongue. She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Thank you, Ana.” Izzy’s gaze met hers, seeking solace in shared understanding. “I must tell Rosie.”
*****
THAT AFTERNOON AS THEtriplets sat together in Ana’s parlor, Izzy looked at Ana and then sighed. “Rosie, I need to talk to you,” Izzy said.
“Of course,” Rosie replied, setting aside her sewing. “What is it?”
“I’m...We’re going to have a baby. Albert and I.” Izzy’s voice trembled.
Rosie’s eyes widened, a myriad of emotions flickering within. “Oh, Izzy, that’s wonderful!”
“Is it?” Izzy bit her lip, the uncertainty gnawing at her. “Albert has never spoken of wanting children. And after all the births Ana has seen...”
“Shh,” Rosie soothed, reaching across the space between them to squeeze Izzy’s hand. “He loves you. This will bring you even closer.”
“I hope you’re right.” Izzy attempted a smile.
Ana watched from the doorway, her fears mirrored in Izzy’s cautious hope.
“We need to start sewing for the baby then, don’t we?” Ana asked, smiling. She loved the idea of making something special for her future niece or nephew.
A plaintive wail pierced the hum of conversation. Ana turned, her eyes narrowing as she sought the source. The sound came again, a baby’s cry, insistent and raw. Without a word, she rose.
She reached the door, the coolness of the handle seeping into her palm. There, on Ana and William’s porch, bundled in coarse blankets, lay an infant. Its face was ruddy, its tiny fists punching the air with the ferocity of its cries.
Ana knelt, the hem of her skirt collecting dust from the boards. Her breath caught as she took in the sight, the enormity of what lay before her dawning slowly. She extended a trembling hand, her fingertips brushing the soft down of the baby’s cheek. The crying ceased for a heartbeat, curious eyes locking onto hers.
“Who would leave you here?” she murmured, more to herself than the child. The baby’s gaze held a depth that seemed impossible for one so young.
Ana gathered the infant into her arms, the warmth of its small body seeping through the layers of fabric. She stood, cradling the bundle close, her mind churning.
As she held the baby, the silence of the house behind her felt suddenly profound. The sisters’ laughter and chatter had ceased, and Ana knew they were watching, waiting for her to turn back with answers she did not possess. She gazed down at the child, feeling its steady heartbeat against her own, their lives momentarily entwined by circumstance.
For a moment, Ana closed her eyes, taking in the scent of the infant. There was nothing quite like the smell of a new baby. When she opened her eyes, resolve hardened within her.
“Let’s go inside,” she whispered. Her heart was heavy with questions, but she carried the child with tenderness.
