"Calm down, Rohan. We don’t need all those things the book ntioned. I told you, I’ve witnessed a childbirth before and even assisted as a good Samaritan in Aragonia. I know what we actually need, and I had everything prepared yesterday while you were out."
Rohan beca a bundle of nerves despite her reassurance. Belle shouldn’t have found it amusing, but she couldn’t help smiling covertly at how thrown off and pale he looked.
He helped her up, and she told him to take the cooking pan off the stove before they burned the house down. Then she went into their room to begin preparing. But not long after, Rohan followed her inside and found her stripping the bed.
"What do you think you are doing?"
"Getting the bed ready for the labor."
"I can do that!" he snapped, stomping inside in long strides.
"So can I. Rohan, please... listen." She dropped the corner of the quilt and clasped his wrist. "I’v learned that it’s best if I keep moving. You have nothing to worry about, all right? It could still be hours before the actual ti."
He moved her aside and began yanking the pink bedspread off the mattress. He was angry, Belle realized, but she couldn’t tell why.
"I don’t see how you could’ve just sat there on my lap, letting joke around while it had already started," he scolded, clearly displeased. "Do you even know the risks that co with childbirth? Ninety-five percent of won lose their lives to it, especially one who isn’t even of her own kind?"
"So what else should I do?"
"I don’t know, but damn, Isa, there I was, pulling at your ankles, making you sit on like that. What if I’d hurt you?"
She moved as if to resu her task of preparing the bed, and he snapped.
"I said let the damn bed be. I’ll fix it! Just tell what you want on it."
She obediently stepped back and told him what should be on the bed: parchnt papers to cover the mattress, thick pads made from folded cotton sheets on top of that, and finally a muslin sheet. No blankets at all.
The bed looked so bare and dical, it scared him more than anything else. But as he stood there, frozen and staring, she threw another surprise at him.
"Can you go to the stable and get a pair of leather straps?"
"Straps?" His eyes narrowed. "What for?"
"We’ll need them. And you might as well start bringing in water. Fill the big pot on the stove, the water tank, and the kettle. We’ll need both warm and cold water ready. Now go."
"What for? What do you need those leather straps for?"
"Rohan... please," she said, her voice patient but worn-out.
She was trying to be the more collected among them, as she could tell no matter how strong her husband was, he was anxious and sensitive about the labor. If one of them did not co up strong enough to do this, they might end up ssing things up.
Rohan dashed down to the stable, cursing himself for not realizing that the baby was going to co unannounced. He had thought, because they had so kind of communication with this baby, it would let him know beforehand when it was ti.
Less than three minutes later, Rohan panted into the bedroom doorway.
He found his wife sat poised on the edge of a hard wooden chair, back arched, eyes closed, her hands gripping the seat tightly like a lifeline.
"Isabelle!" He dropped the straps and fell to one knee before her.
He had never before used her full na, and hearing it from him now, Belle smiled.
"I’m all right," she managed breathlessly, her eyelids still shut. "It’s another contraction, but going away now."
He placed trembling hands on her knees. "Isa, I’m sorry I shouted awhile ago. I didn’t an to. I was just terrified. I don’t want to lose you to this, and I am not certain what to do to make everything go smoothly."
"It’s all right, Rohan." As the pain passed, she opened her eyes and slowly leaned back in the chair. "Now listen to . I want you to take that strap, lay it flat on the porch floor, and scrub it really well with a brush and soap. Clean it good. And while you’re at it, scrub your hands and clean under your nails too."
"Okay..." he said, rising, subdued.
"Then bring the straps inside and boil them in the pan. While that’s going, use a different pan to boil the scissors and two pieces of hard string, you’ll find them in a cup near the spice bowl on the shelf. We’ll need the string to tie the baby’s cord after it’s cut."
She took a breath. "As soon as the water’s hot, bring so in here. And bring the soap, too. I need a bath."
"All right," he replied softly, backing away, uncertain of everything but obedient.
He followed her instructions, rushing from one task to another, terrified sothing might happen in his absence.
When he brought the empty washtub into the bedroom, he found her at the dresser, bringing out the fresh baby clothes she had brought from Bimrville from the drawer one by one.
He stood quietly as she lovingly folded each item and placed them in a neat stack. Next ca the pink shawl she had crocheted herself, back when she believed the baby would be a girl, along with a pair of impossibly small matching socks.
She turned and saw him watching.
Her smile was peaceful, so calm and confident that it soothed sothing deep inside him.
"Thank God I didn’t leave this behind. Our son will need sothing to wear when he’s born," she said, holding up the tiny outfit.
Rohan couldn’t find that sa calmness within himself, but he gave her a small nod in acknowledgnt of her words. How could she be this composed, when he felt like he was unraveling?
He watched as she fetched the laundry basket from behind the door, emptied it of dirty clothes, and lined it with clean white sheets to make a makeshift cradle. And finally, she spread a receiving blanket, one he had gotten.
"There." She smiled down at the basket with the pride of a queen admiring a cradle lined with gold and gems. "Our son’s bed is ready!"
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