Dark Chaos (# 4 in the Bregdan Chronicles Historical Fiction Romance Series) (8 page)

             
“You need to be getting on to the school,” June said suddenly. 

             
Rose knew it was almost time for the afternoon session of school to begin.  “Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

             
“Bring me in a fresh bucket of water.  If Simon’s fever starts to grip him again, I’ll be ready.  I’ll just sit here with him while he sleeps.”   June gazed into her baby’s face.  “I think I’ll just be here and talk to God about my little baby for a while.  I reckon that’s about all I can do.

Rose struggled to ignore the heavy fatigue pressing her down as she walked slowly toward the little white school in the center of the camp.  She gazed around to take her mind off it.   Newly planted gardens
had just begun to sprout green life from their sandy soil.   Laundry flapped in the breeze while women, holding infants under one arm, washed clothes with the other.  The camp was mostly women and children.  The majority of the men served in the army now that it had been opened to blacks.  Those working at the nearby fort put in long days; they left at sun-up and didn’t return till after sundown.  No one complained.  A war was going on to guarantee their freedom.  They would do whatever had to be done. 

             
“Miss Rose!  Miss Rose!” 

             
Rose smiled and knelt down to wrap her arms around the little girl snuggling up to her side.  “Hello, Carla.  How are you today?”

             
“I be doin’ just fine, Miss Rose.”  Carla drew herself up proudly, her black eyes burning intensely.  “I made me a decision last night, Miss Rose.”

             
“And what would that decision be?”  Rose asked seriously.  It was easy to love the little girl with long pigtails and light skin.  Her mother and father had helped Moses make it to the camps with June and baby Simon, who had been born in the woods during the escape.  All of them had become fast friends. 

             
Carla took a deep breath, allowing the suspense to build.  Finally she spoke.  “I done decided I’m going to be a teacher like you, Miss Rose.”

             
“I thought you wanted to be a doctor?”  Rose asked in surprise.

             
“Well, I reckon I did,” Carla replied, pursing her lips in deep thought.  “But then something just wonderful happened,” she said excitedly.

             
Rose hid her smile.  “And what would that be?”  She knew Carla was about to burst with whatever she was holding inside.

             
“I done taught my little brother Andrew to read last night!” she cried, breaking into a glad little dance.  Rose settled back in astonishment.  Carla just laughed and nodded her head vigorously.  “I did - sure enough!” 

             
“How in the world did you do that?”  Rose asked, fascinated.

             
“Why, I just showed him how you showed us at school.  Andrew has been wanting to learn all winter, but he done been too sick to go to school.  I decided to bring school to him,” Carla explained as if there were nothing spectacular about what she had done. 

             
Rose just stared at her.  At eight years old, Carla had taught her six-year-old brother how to read.  She shook her head in amazement.  “I’m so proud of you,” she finally murmured.  She wished all the people who thought blacks were inferior to whites could meet the little girl cavorting in front of her.

             
Carla stopped dancing and snuggled up to her again.  “You think I’ll make a good teacher, Miss Rose?  You think I’ll be as good as you?”

             
Rose hugged her warmly.  “I’ll think you’ll be incredible at whatever you decide to do, Carla.”  A sudden thought struck her.  “I have an idea.”  She smiled at the expectant look on the girl’s face.  “How about if you help me with the younger children?  Sometimes there just aren’t enough teachers to go around.  You could help them the same way you helped Andrew.”

             
“Really?” Carla breathed in disbelief.  She drew her slender frame up importantly and spoke quickly.  “I’d be most obliged to help you, Miss Rose.” 

             
Just then a call from the porch of the school drew Rose’s attention.  She stood awkwardly, swaying a little as another wave of fatigue washed over her. 

             
“You okay, Miss Rose?”  Carla asked anxiously.  Her little face grew serious.  “My mama said last night that she reckoned you would be having your baby anytime.  You reckon your baby is coming?” 

             
Rose took a deep breath, trying to fight off the dizziness sweeping through her.  She had over a hundred women and children waiting in the school house for her.  As close as she could tell, she still had two weeks before her baby was due.  “I’m okay, Carla,” she replied weakly. 

             
“You want me to get my mama?”  Carla persisted.  “You’re looking real sick, Miss Rose.”

             
Rose shook her head, straightened, and began to walk toward the schoolhouse. A sharp pain ripped through her body.  She doubled over, gasping in agony.

             
“Miss Rose!”  Carla cried.  “Miss Rose!” 

             
“Get your mama,” Rose managed to whisper. 

             
Then she collapsed.

The sun was sinking low on the horizon when Rose regained consciousness
and fought her way through the dark cloud enveloping her. 

             
“Take it easy, Rose.”

             
Rose turned her head toward the soothing voice.  “Diedre...  What happened...?”

             
Diedre squeezed her hand reassuringly.  “My little Carla came runnin’ to get me as soon as you done collapsed on that road.   I sent her to the fort to get some men to carry you here.  We been waitin’ a right long time for you to come to.” 

             
Rose studied her face.  Diedre’s eyes betrayed the calm way she was speaking.  “What’s wrong with me?”

             
“I’d say you done wore yourself right out, young lady,” Diedre said sharply.  “I done been tellin’ you for months that you needs to take care of yourself better, but you didn’t heed nothing I said.”

             
“So much to do,” Rose murmured tiredly.

             
“Ain’t nothing gonna get done if you kill yourself in the doin’,” Diedre rejoined sharply.  Then her voice softened.  “Everybody in this here camp knows you’d give the very last drop of yourself.  That don’t mean you have to do it.”

             
“My baby?” Rose whispered anxiously.  “Will my baby be all right?”  Diedre hesitated, obviously not knowing how to respond.  Rose’s heart tightened in agony.  “What’s wrong with my baby?”

             
“I don’t know that there be anything wrong with your baby,” Diedre protested.  “But it ain’t good for a woman to let herself get in such a state as this.  When was the last time you felt your little one kick?”

             
“This morning,” Rose replied.  Her voice tightened.  “And then maybe once - right before I fell.”  

             
Diedre peered at her sharply.  “What do you mean, maybe?”

             
“There was a sharp pain right before I fell.  I don’t remember anything but that.”

             
Diedre’s lips tightened.  “You ain’t takin’ another step, Rose.  Not until this baby be born.”

             
“I can’t just lie here,” Rose protested.

             
“That’s exactly what you gonna do!”  Diedre snapped, her kind eyes filled with anxiety.  “I ain’t gonna let nothin’ happen to you, or to that fine baby you be carryin’.  You done pushed yourself way past what you can do.  I got half a mind to put you on a boat to Philadelphia.”  She snorted.  “I would if I thought you’d have any chance of makin’ it.  You don’t,” she stated firmly, “so that means I got to take care of you myself.”  She stood and put her hands on her hips.  “For once you’re gonna listen to what people tell you.  I don’t care if you be some fancy teacher.  I be the one that’s been a midwife longer than you done been alive.  I ain’t gonna have you arguing with me.  You got that?” she finished threateningly.

             
Rose opened her mouth to argue, then closed it, and nodded meekly.   “I have to admit, it sounds pretty nice, Diedre.  I guess I’m more tired than I thought.”

             
Diedre stared at her for a minute; then obviously satisfied Rose would follow orders for once, she turned to where June sat watching from a corner chair.  “I told you I could do it,” she grinned.

             
June laughed, shifting Simon in her arms.  “I haven’t never seen anyone handle Rose like that.  I’m impressed.  She won’t listen to a word I say.”

             
Diedre just snorted.  “Even a hard-headed young thing like her knows when someone is talking sense.  Especially someone as old as me.”

             
Rose watched the exchange with tenderness filling her heart for these two women who loved her.  “Simon?” she asked weakly.  “How is he?”

             
June smiled.  “I reckon he knew there could be only one sick person in this house at a time.  His fever done broke a couple hours ago.  Now I’m just trying to satisfy his appetite.”  She shifted her weight and glanced down at him lovingly.  “My boy done drifted off to sleep.”

             
Diedre swung back to the bed.  “When was the last time you ate somethin’, missy?”

             
Rose shrugged and then admitted.  “Early this morning.  There just wasn’t time before I went to school.”

             
Diedre shook her head knowingly, proceeded toward the door, and stuck her head out.  “Carla.  Get yourself in here.”  Seconds later with anxiety etched on her face, Carla appeared in the doorway.  “Go get your teacher some food.  I done baked up some sweet potatoes this morning, and there be a passel of cornbread on the table.  Bring a pitcher of water, too.  Both her and that baby need somethin’ in them.”