Epilogue
The sharp pains stole her breath as they rolled over her stomach.
Clarice wasn’t frightened this time. She knew what to expect, unlike Reginald’s delivery when nobody explained what happened in childbirth, and she thought her insides were being torn apart and she would die.
She also had the support of a midwife and their family physician.
“Where’s Samuel?” she asked Letitia. Another pain hit, and she moaned through it.
Letitia appeared worried. “I’ll get him.”
Clarice turned her head and watched Letitia open the door, gasp, and say, “You startled me. Clarice is asking for you.”
A white-faced Samuel, the love of her life, stepped around Letitia and approached her bedside.
“I’m here.” One hand clasped hers while the other brushed her damp, sweaty hair back from her forehead.
“I’ve been right outside, pacing the corridor, going crazy with worry.
” Concern radiated from his grey eyes. His mouth was tight, and his brows furrowed.
“Everything is progressing normally. Just as I remember it from before.”
Bending down, he brushed his lips across hers. “I love you. Perhaps with the new baby, our life will settle down and become boring. I might enjoy boring for a while.”
She laughed, then started to loudly groan. “Don’t make me laugh. It hurts. And boring? Samuel Radcliff, what would we do with boring?”
“I said for a spell. Not forever.” He squeezed her hand. “Life with you will never be boring.”
“Ouhhh,”
“I see the head,” Miss Trumball said. “Next contraction, push hard and long until I say stop.”
Clarice felt the urge to push, so she did, and moments later, she heard loud crying. “It’s a healthy girl,” Miss Trumball said as she passed the baby to Dr. Hughes. He cleaned her off, wrapped her in a blanket, and handed her to Clarice.
“Congratulations. You have a healthy baby girl, Your Graces,” said Dr. Hughes.
“Look at her,” Samuel said with a beaming smile. “She is beautiful. What shall we name her?”
“I was thinking Mary Elizabeth for my mother and yours.”
He bent down and kissed first his lovely wife and then his daughter’s forehead. “It’s perfect. Our mothers would be honored.”
Another wave of needing to push hit her. “Is that the afterbirth?” she asked through huffs of painful breaths.
“No.”
Clarice tried to sit up and look, though she knew it wouldn’t help—her stomach was still large and she couldn’t see. “What is it then?”
“Another baby,” Dr. Hughes said with a smile.
“Push,” Miss Trumball said.
Clarice barely had time to push when she felt the baby slide out of her body, followed by more cries.
“It’s a healthy boy,” Dr. Hughes said as he cleaned the baby and wrapped him up, handing him to Samuel, whose mouth hung open in shock. “Congratulations, Your Graces. A girl and a boy. You have your heir.”
Within thirty minutes, the room was cleaned, the bedding changed, Clarice was washed and changed into a nightgown, and the family of four was alone.
“Have you thought of a name for him?” She suspected Samuel would want to use either his father’s or his brother’s name. “Alexander Edward Radcliff. I think it’s a fitting name for my heir.”
“It is. I always loved the name Alexander.”
He put his hand on his chest. “I’m wounded.”
“Lean down so I can kiss you.”
He did, and she did.
“I love Samuel, as well. The name and the man.”
This time, he kissed her.
“Remember when you hoped for boring?” Clarice said as a baby suckled at each breast. “I have a feeling twins will be anything but boring.”
Hearing her husband’s laughter and having two babies to nurture and love brought tears to her eyes.
Tears of joy. Of rebirth and new beginnings.
THE END