Charlotte Figg Takes Over Paradise (25 page)

M
arlabeth hollered orders like a drill sergeant.

"Asa! Run to my trailer and get my medical bag. It's just inside the front door."

"Marlabeth has a medical bag?" I said to Ginger.

"Of course she does. We're not hillbillies."

"Edwina," Marlabeth said. "You go get me some clean towels. Lots of clean towels."

Gwendolyn stood over them with her fist in her mouth, shaking like a frightened bunny rabbit. Rube put his hands on her shoulders and walked her away from the scene. "It's okay, Gwen. Fleur de Lee is going to be just fine. Just fine."

Fleur de Lee held Jaster's hand like she was hanging on for dear life. He had a look on his face that spelled fear and excitement all at the same time. "She's having the baby," he kept saying. "She's having the baby."

I noticed the Thunder still stood frozen on their side like a clump of trees.

"Maybe you should send them packing," said Clara Kaninsky. "Can't play softball with a woman giving birth on second base."

That was when the umpire strolled over. He turned his back as he spoke, like it was too much. "Should we call the game?"

I looked at him like he had just asked the stupidest question ever.

"No, Mr. Umpire. The women can just jump over the pregnant woman on their way to third base. Why don't we just give Fleur de Lee a glove so she can catch grounders?"

He slinked away.

Marlabeth spoke to Fleur de Lee in a calm, assured tone."Just keep breathing, honey pie. You're doing fine. The baby just decided to be born a few days early."

"I told you so," Fleur de Lee said between huffs. "I told you this baby was ready."

I felt frantic. "Is that okay?" I said. "Will the baby be all right?"

Marlabeth looked up at me. "Yes. The baby will be okay. Where's Asa with my bag?"

Fleur de Lee cried. She squeezed Jasters's hand tighter. His face was as red as a pomegranate. Tears streamed down his face. "I love you, Fleur de Lee. I love you."

She looked up at him. "The baby is coming out now, Jaster."

Marlabeth snapped her fingers in Fleur de Lee's face. "When did your water break?"

"My water?" She huffed and puffed and squirmed.

"The contractions are coming closer," Marlabeth said. She lifted Fleur de Lee's dress up and pulled off her underwear."Where's those towels?"

"That's Elsmere underwear," Hazel said.

Cash appeared and ripped off his jersey. "Here, use this. Cover her up."

"Now, Fleur de Lee," Marlabeth said. "You remember I told you about your water breaking. Did you leak all over? Or just in dribbles?"

"We thought she just peed her pants last night," Jaster said."We thought since the baby wasn't set to be born yet that she just peed."

"I told you it was a lot of pee," Fleur de Lee said.

"I'm sorry," Jaster said. "I just thought it was—"

"Men ain't supposed to think during childbirth," Greta said."You did your part nine months ago. Fleur de Lee will do fine, Jaster."

"Hold on, now," Marlabeth said. She reached under the softball jersey draped across Fleur de Lee's knees. "You must have been in labor all night. You're already at ten centimeters. This baby's coming."

I stepped back a few feet and joined Rose. "You stay here," she said. "I'm going back to the trailer. I think I need to get into God's palm to pray."

I nodded and she took off with Ginger.

Asa returned with Marlabeth's medical bag, and Edwina arrived with enough clean towels to open a linen store.

Fleur de Lee cried and moaned. "It hurts. It hurts so much."

Jaster reached down and kissed her sweaty forehead. "I'm here, Fleur de Lee. I love you."

Marlabeth, who still had her hands under the jersey, instructed Greta to put the towels over her. "And keep two for the baby. We'll need to swaddle him."

She opened her bag and set it nearby where she could reach it.

Fleur de Lee screamed and then moaned. "I want to push him out," she said. "Just like you said, Miss Marla, I need to push him out."

Marlabeth stuck her hands under and then she looked. "The baby's crowning now. Fleur de Lee, you start pushing. Jaster, you sit behind her on the ground and hold her up. Matter of fact, get me Rube back."

"Rube?" Greta said. "Why him? He don't know nothing about birthing babies."

"I need him to help support her with Jaster back there."

Greta hollered for Rube like she was calling a hog. He came running from the sidelines. "What's wrong, Greta?"

"Get behind Jaster," Greta said. "And hold her. Give her support like you're a big old couch or something."

Rube slid behind Jaster and held on to both of them with his big, strong arms.

"Shouldn't someone call an ambulance?" I asked.

"What for?" Marlabeth said. "She is not sick and she was planning to have the baby at home anyway."

"I just thought."

"It's okay," Marlabeth said. "We'll get her to the hospital after it's all over."

My mother took my hand. "Now's not the time to think, Charlotte."

"Charlotte," Marlabeth said. "You come over here and grab hold of her right knee and push back. You, Charlotte's mother, you get the other. She needs something to push against."

"Me?" Mother said.

"Just do it, Mother."

"Go on," Hazel said. "I'd do it but with my brittle bones I'm afraid she'd snap my arm."

Mother did as she was told, and there we stood with Fleur de Lee's legs in our hands, helping her give birth. For a second I felt like I might faint. But my mother locked eyes with me, and I realized this was the closest we would ever come to sharing a child.

"You can do it, Fleur de Lee," I said. "Just do what Marlabeth tells you."

Jaster, who was now sobbing like a little girl, was no help. Rube did all the bull work, holding everyone up so gravity could have a chance to do its thing.

"Okay, Fleur de Lee," Marlabeth said. "Just a couple more pushes and the baby will be out. Put your chin on your chest and push."

My mother looked down. "Jumpin' blue lizards!" she hollered."The baby is coming out."

"You really didn't need to look, did you, Mom?" I said.

"Yes, but close up it's—"

"One more push," called Marlabeth. "One more big one and the baby will be out."

Fleur de Lee strained and pushed. Jaster continued to cry like a baby. Rube had a good hold on him and Fleur de Lee."It's okay, Jaster buddy. Your wife is doing fine. They all look like this when they're birthing babies. Why, you shoulda seen Greta. She screamed like—"

Greta smacked the side of his head. "You shut up about that, Rube."

He smiled at her. "I love you, Sweetie."

"Push, Fleur de Lee. Push!" Marlabeth hollered. "The head is out!" And then, plop. The baby practically fell into Marlabeth's waiting hands. "Happy birthday, little girl," she said.

She held the baby by her ankles and cleared her mouth with her index finger. The baby wailed. I cried. Greta cried. Rube swiped some tears. I looked to the sidelines, and the Thunder were all sobbing like little girls. Even Cash Vangarten was moved. He reached out and hugged me. "I'm sorry I lied to you. I'm sorry I said what I said."

"This is not the time, Cash."

He nodded and backed away.

"Is that my baby?" Fleur de Lee said. "Is she mine?"

Marlabeth laid the baby on Fleur de Lee's chest. The new mommy reached for and touched her newborn. "Hi, baby," she said. "Is it a boy or girl?"

Jaster touched the baby's forehead. "A girl. We have a little girl."

"I'm so happy," I cried.

"You can put her leg down now, Charlotte," Marlabeth said.

Mother took me aside. "Is it, you know, normal?"

"Mother, don't say such things now. I don't know if they can tell yet."

"She looks perfect," Cash said. "Just perfect."

I wrinkled my eyebrows at him. "And how would you know?"

"I just do," he said.

Marlabeth reached into her bag and pulled out two things that looked like funny, short-nosed scissors. She secured them to the umbilical cord and then cut the cord with a scissor.

"She's all yours now, Fleur de Lee."

"What should we do now?" Rube asked after Marlabeth finished.

Marlabeth pulled off her rubber gloves and wrapped them in a towel. "Now I think it would be a good idea if we get her and the baby to the hospital."

"Hospital?" Jaster said. "Why does she have to go to the hospital? Is she okay?"

"Yes, yes," Marlabeth said. "But I think it's a good idea to let a doctor take a look at her and the baby. She'll be home tomorrow. And they'll teach her how to take care of— Do you have a name?"

Fleur de Lee kissed her baby. "Yes, Miss Marla. I got the best name now."

"You do?" Jaster said. "You do?"

"Angel. I want to call her Angel on account of she was born on Angel Field."

"Angel," Jaster said. "That's the prettiest name in the world."Then he kissed his wife. "How 'bout we call her Angel Fleur de Lee?"

"That's beautiful," I cried.

"Now I'm glad we didn't call the team The Tornados," Greta said.

"The nurses will teach Fleur de Lee how to care for Angel, bathe her, feed her, change her diapers."

Jaster snickered. "Diapers. I am not changing any poopy diapers."

"Oh yes you are," Fleur de Lee said.

Rube cradled Fleur de Lee and the baby in his arms and carried them to his waiting station wagon. "Greta and me will take them over." Rube wiped his eyes.

"I'll be right behind you," Marlabeth said. But I didn't think Fleur de Lee heard her. She was too busy admiring her Angel Fleur de Lee.

My mother took my arm.

"Charlotte Louise Figg. I never would have imagined such a thing could happen. I mean, I heard of babies being born in elevators and cabs but—"

"Isn't it wonderful, Mom? A baby was just born. Right here. On second base."

"It is wonderful, Charlotte. Just precious."

I put my arms around my mother. "It was amazing. I never experienced anything like that. Imagine that. A brand-new life."

My mother squeezed me back. "I remember when you were born," she whispered into my ear. "I screamed like a banshee."

I laughed. "I remember. I was there."

She snickered and pushed me away so she could look in my eyes. She didn't say anything. She only looked and smiled. And for the briefest moment I thought she was seeing her newborn baby.

We all watched Rube drive off with the new little family.

Cash sauntered up to me. "Guess we'll replay this game. Unless you want to concede."

"The Angels never concede, Mr. Vangarten. You get the ump. We'll be here."

I looked over at what was left of my team, and they nodded their heads like those little dolls in the backs of cars. Must be something about watching a woman give birth that spurs a team on. "And we're going to win," Edwina said. "For Angel Fleur de Lee."

Cash took his cap off and scratched his head. "You are gluttons for punishment. I'll call tomorrow and let you know when."

"We'll be ready," I said.

The Angels, minus Rose, Ginger, and Greta, stood around like they didn't have a clue what to do. Gwendolyn stood near second base sobbing. "Someone will have to clean up this mess."

There was a little blood, a little goo, but all in all it wasn't too bad. Marlabeth did a good job keeping everything in Edwina's towels.

Asa and Studebaker pushed a wheelbarrow of dirt toward us. "We'll just cover it up. Good as new."

"Well, I am not touching that base anymore," Gwendolyn said.

I shook my head. "Now, don't get yourself upset over nothing. You always do that. It's a perfectly fine base, and only Fleur de Lee's head rested on it—nothing else."

"Nothing else?"

I crossed my heart.

"I guess we'll just put the equipment away," I told Asa. "We might pick up the game tomorrow."

"I can't wait," said Edwina. "We're gonna win, somehow."

Thomasina, who had been uncharacteristically quiet through the whole experience, spoke up. "Charlotte, I have never seen such a thing in my life. But I am so glad I did and I want you to know that I will do my best to catch every pop fly that comes my way, every line drive, every grounder. We are going to beat those no-good, lying Thunder girls."

Frankie led the team in three cheers. "Let's not lose this determination," she said. "We have to win for our littlest team member, Angel Fleur de Lee."

Thomasina put her arm around Edwina's shoulders. "It's getting dark. Let's go home."

The sun, now completely below the horizon, left behind a steel gray and plum purple sky. "What do you say, Mom. Supper?"

"This late? Charlotte."

I touched my stomach. "I couldn't eat before the game, too nervous. And now I'm famished for some reason."

"Okay, but nothing too heavy. I'm tired and need my sleep."

I looked around and noticed Hazel was gone. "Where's Hazel? Did you see her leave, Mother?"

"Yes, yes. Long time ago."

"By herself? Through the woods?"

"She's a sturdy little thing," Mother said. "Even with that hump. You'd think it would throw her balance off."