Chapter Eleven #2
Annie looked horrified and tears started in her eyes. ‘But I can’t be. It’s too early.’
Peggy solemnly shook her head. ‘Not if it’s Alex’s baby, it ain’t.
It’ll be bang on time. You knew there were a chance o’ this happenin’.
But you sit there now while I go an’ get the neighbour to fetch Nurse Borne.
An’ don’t panic, first babies have a habit o’ takin’ their time.
’ Even as she finished speaking Annie suddenly gasped as the first contraction started.
‘Ow, oh don’t leave me, Peggy. I’m scared.’
‘There’s nowt to be scared of,’ Peggy told her gently. ‘Givin’ birth is one o’ the most natural things in the world. Now sit still, I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.’ And with that she disappeared out of the door.
Annie started to cry. What would she say to Monty? But it was too late to start worrying about that. She would have to cross that bridge when she came to it.
Peggy was back in no time and seemed to have the situation completely under control. ‘Right, the next move is to get you up to bed an’ get some hot water on to boil, not that we’ll likely need it fer some hours yet.’
Annie grimaced as another pain gripped her.
It seemed to be sharper than the last one, so she waited until it had passed and then allowed Peggy to lead her upstairs where she helped her change into a nightgown.
She then lined the mattress with newspapers and towels before helping Annie onto the bed.
Mrs Bell returned to tell them that Nurse Borne would be there shortly and when she had gone Annie whispered fearfully, ‘What am I going to tell Monty?’
‘You’re goin’ to tell ’im that the baby ’as come early,’ Peggy told her firmly. ‘There’s no point in breakin’ his ’eart over sommat that can’t be changed.’
The nurse arrived shortly after and once she’d examined Annie, she told them, ‘You’re going to be some time yet, so I’m going home but I’ll be back to check on you in two or three hours’ time.’
‘But what if I have the baby while you’re gone?’ Annie panicked.
The nurse laughed. ‘I very much doubt that. But you just try and rest now and save your energy for the birth. I’ll see you in a while.’
As the afternoon progressed, the pains got worse and by the time Monty came home from work, Annie was in agony. Peggy met him in the kitchen and told him what was happening and he went into a panic.
‘But why didn’t you send for me? And isn’t this a month too soon? Will the baby be all right?’
‘Now calm down, you’ll be no good to Annie like this,’ Peggy scolded.
‘And in answer to yer questions, I didn’t send fer you cos there was nothin’ you could ’ave done even if I had.
An’ yes it’s early but babies ’ave a habit o’ comin’ when they’re good an’ ready.
And finally, yes, of course it’ll be all right. ’
‘What can I do to help?’
‘You can keep the water on the boil an’ keep the midwife supplied wi’ towels when she comes back, which should be anytime now. And stay down ’ere, there’s a good chap. The birthin’ room ain’t no place fer a man. Annie will be perfectly fine wi’ me an’ the midwife.’
Levi was the next to appear. Eve had told him that Peggy hadn’t come back after going to check on Annie and he’d called to make sure all was well.
So now Peggy had two men in a panic to contend with.
Luckily the midwife appeared not long after Levi, and while she went upstairs, Peggy sternly wagged her finger at the men.
‘Now you two can keep each other company. Oh, an’ a cup o’ tea wouldn’t go amiss.
Leave the tray outside the bedroom door when you’ve made it.
’ And with that she hurried away to join the midwife and Annie.
Monty began to pace the floor like a caged animal as Alfred lay with his head on his paws watching him. His tail and ears were down and he sensed something was wrong.
‘What will I do if anything happens to her, Levi? She’s my whole world.’ He was beside himself with fear.
‘She’s a tough little thing is our Annie,’ Levi told him, although he was worried sick too.
‘She’s come through far worse than this.
Now get that cup o’ tea down yer while I take this tray up to the womenfolk.
All we can do now is wait. And could yer please sit down!
You’ll wear a hole in the lino at this rate! ’
Annie’s baby was born at eleven minutes past eleven on the eleventh of November 1922. It was a little boy and she fell in love with him at first sight. He weighed just over seven pounds and had a shock of downy hair almost as dark as Annie’s.
‘He’s a bonny little thing,’ the midwife commented as she passed him to his mother. Peggy was crying tears of joy and could hardly wait to hold him herself.
‘I’d better go down an’ give the men the good news while the nurse finishes up ’ere wi’ you,’ she told Annie and skipped down the stairs.
‘You’ve got a son, a beautiful little son,’ she told Monty, and just for the most fleeting of moments she thought she saw something like pain flicker in his eyes. But then it was gone and he was vigorously shaking Levi’s hand.
‘Congratulations, lad.’ Levi was thrilled with the news. ‘A son to carry on the family name, eh? Let’s hope he’ll be the first o’ many.’
‘I very much doubt that,’ Monty answered.
Peggy found this strange, but she made no comment.
‘So when can I go up to meet them?’ Monty asked.
‘As soon as the nurse ’as finished wi’ her an’ I’ve cleaned the little chap up.’ Peggy shot off back upstairs while Monty opened a bottle of malt whisky he had been saving especially to wet the baby’s head.
‘Any idea what yer might call him?’ Levi asked.
Monty smiled. ‘We’ve had a few ideas but I’ll leave the final choice up to Annie. She’s the one that’s done all the hard work after all.’
Three-quarters of an hour later, Monty was allowed upstairs to meet the new arrival. As the midwife left and Peggy went downstairs to join Levi, he entered the bedroom where Annie lay propped against pillows with the baby on her chest, looking tired but radiant.
He approached the bed and stared down at the baby with a look of wonder on his face.
‘What do you think?’ Annie asked softly.
Tears came to his eyes. ‘He . . . he’s just beautiful.’ Monty was so choked up with emotion he could barely speak. ‘But how are you, my love?’
‘I feel wonderful,’ she said, and she meant it. For the first time in her life, she had someone she could truly call her own flesh and blood.