Chapter 5 #3
“Got it,” Bam said, opening and closing cabinets until he found the fish fry to batter the oysters, and the flour and seasoning to put in it for battering the squash.
“Some fruit juice Popsicles,” Barron said.
“Why?” Emmalyn asked.
“More sugars and nutrients in you,” Barron said.
“I’m about to eat squash and oysters. Don’t want Popsicles. Got grape pops right here.”
“Em, I know you want squash and oysters, but I’ll be surprised if you can hold them down. I’m surprised you’re holding down the grapes,” Barron said.
“I just won’t eat them until Momma gets back with medicine.” She ate another few grapes and put her head back on the pillow.
Barron looked over at Everly.
Everly nodded, then winked at Barron. “I’ll get juice Popsicles, and whatever else I think might help.”
“Thank you,” Barron said.
Somebody knocked on the door as Everly was getting her purse.
“Whoever that is, tell them to go away! Emmalyn does not need an audience,” Barron snapped.
“On it,” Everly said, going straight to the door.
She pulled it open and did a little excited gasp.
“It’s Daisy! Hi, Daisy. How are you, honey?
” she asked, pulling Daisy in the house to both get her off the porch with all the flying nighttime insects, and to hug her tightly.
“Come on in, Daisy. I’m running to the store real quick.
” She hugged Daisy and kissed her cheek, then shouted to everyone else over her shoulder as she went through the door. “I’ll be back!”
Daisy looked around the living room. “Hi.”
Barron lifted his chin in greeting, then suddenly realized Daisy could help heal Emmalyn, at least take away some of her weakness.
“Daisy! Come on in,” Barron said, jumping up to better greet her.
“Hey, everybody. Uncle Bam,” she said, smiling at him as Barron guided her to Emmalyn.
“Hey, sweetie,” Bam responded as he flashed her a smile and finished slicing the yellow squash.
“Em, look who’s here, baby,” Barron said.
Emmalyn, who’d let her eyes fall closed, opened them and angled her head to look at Daisy without actually lifting it. “Hey,” she said, her voice weak and shaky.
“Why didn’t you let me know you were sick? I’d have come to heal you by now. I could have made you better.”
“Well, it’s not exactly sick, sick,” Emmalyn said.
“What do you mean? You’re either sick or you’re not,” Daisy said.
Emmalyn sighed sadly and tears started streaming from her eyes. “I’m pregnant, Daisy. And I can’t stop throwing up, and I’m so sick. And I’m not sure I should be doing this at all. I’ll be a horrible mother. I’m so screwed up, Daisy. What is my kid going to come out like?” she started sobbing.
“Oh, Em,” Daisy said, dropping to her knees right in front of the sofa Emmalyn was lying on.
Emmalyn threw herself into Daisy’s arms and Daisy immediately began soothing her, murmuring to her and stroking her back.
Daisy glanced over at Barron and smiled encouragingly at him.
“I’ll go help Bam,” he whispered.
Daisy nodded, then went back to trying to calm Emmalyn.
“You can’t really believe that your child will be anything other than spectacular, can you?” Daisy asked.
“Yes,” Emmalyn sobbed, pulling back to better see Daisy.
Daisy reached out and used her thumbs to wipe the tears off Emmalyn’s tear-stained face. “Can I tell you what I think?”
Emmalyn sniffled and hiccuped, while giving an effortless shrug.
“I see one of the strongest females I’ve ever known.
Of our generation, you’re the strongest. And I see your parents…
how many times have we been told the stories of their badassery?
Nobody has a story like theirs. And Barron…
wow, he is the most calm of all of us. And stronger than most. You know how I know that? ”
Emmalyn shook her head.
“Because he tamed you. You knew that he was strong enough to allow you to let down your guard and let him in. You know he’ll never let you down. Right?”
Emmalyn sniffled and nodded.
“The love you two have for each other is enviable. The both of you have this passion for each other that just screams that’s my person and I’ll destroy any who even think otherwise, and that faith you have in each other makes you stronger and helps you grow to be better than you were yesterday, everyday.
So, what that tells me is that the same love you two have for each other is what created this child.
It’s going to grow up surrounded and supported by that.
You’re going to cover that child with endless confidence and the purest love, and they will never, ever doubt who they are and what their place is in this world. ”
“What if they end up like me?”
“What, stubborn and a pain?” Daisy teased.
Emmalyn huffed a quick laugh.
“If he or she does start to close herself off because she thinks it makes her stronger… you’ll recognize it immediately because you lived it. And you’ll know how to guide them through it. You’re going to be the best mommy.”
“You really think so?” Emmalyn asked.
“No, I don’t. I know so! And when you get overwhelmed, because you will, every mom does, you’ll overcome it and know the absolutely right thing to do about it, because that’s who you are. You never let anything win, but you.”
Emmalyn laughed through a fresh set of tears as she nodded.
The entire time they’d been talking, Daisy had been holding Emmalyn’s hands in hers, and by the time she’d finished, most of Emmalyn’s nausea had subsided, and her panic had calmed.
“You okay?” Daisy asked.
“Yeah. I’m just so tired and so weak.”
“Here, slide down here on the floor by me, and we’ll eat some frozen grapes and watch some T.V. until your dad has your food ready. What are you watching?”
“I don’t know.”
“We’ll find something.”
“Okay.” Emmalyn slid from the sofa onto the floor and cuddled up with her head on Daisy’s shoulder, bundling her comforter around them both. A few minutes later, Emmalyn lifted her head and looked right at Daisy. “Is there a particular reason you came by. Did you need something?”
“Nope. Not a thing. I just felt like you missed me,” she said, smiling brightly and not confessing at all that she was having her own issues.
Emmalyn chuckled and leaned her head against Daisy’s. “Will you get sick because I was sick?”
“Nope. Some of it was because of the baby. Some was because of your anxiety. I took enough to make you feel better, but not enough to flood my system.”
“Smart,” Emmalyn said. “Oh! Ghosts! Let’s watch that!”