FALLING STARS
Chapter Twenty-Six
Rose’s pregnancy progressed normally. The
older children were surprised and thrilled about their new sibling, even
Gregory and Libby, who each had several children of their own. The only one who
wasn’t so happy about the new baby was Andrew, who suspected that his parents
had decided to have another baby just to embarrass him. As far as Andrew was
concerned, old people like his parents shouldn’t be having babies, and to his
fifteen-year-old mind, fifty-two and forty-nine were very old. He complained
that his friends would make fun of him for having a sibling so much younger,
but his parents just laughed, remembering the reactions of Gregory and Libby to
Andrew’s birth. They too had been embarrassed by the fact that their parents
were having another baby. They had eventually gotten over it, after the very
embarrassing little brother was born.
The grandchildren were also happy about the
new baby, especially Gregory and Emily’s children, because they lived in
Philadelphia and would get to see the new baby often. Moira was almost eleven,
and begged her grandmother to let her baby-sit once the newborn arrived. Rose
wasn’t so sure that she wanted to leave an infant in the hands of an
eleven-year-old, but agreed to let Moira help. One question that puzzled all of
the Dawson’s grandchildren was whether the new baby would be their cousin,
because it would be younger than them, or an aunt or uncle, which made little
sense because they were all older than the baby would be.
Jack and Rose explained that the baby would
be an aunt or uncle, but because they were older, they wouldn’t have to address
the child as such. Addressing the baby by its first name would suffice. They
expected that in a few years they would have some younger grandchildren anyway,
as Gregory and Emily were still quite young, as was Libby, and their three
other surviving children had not yet married.
Rose was more tired during this pregnancy
than she had been during the previous six, but she and the baby remained
healthy. They didn’t know whether the baby would be a boy or a girl--there were
no reliable techniques to determine that in the 1940’s--but they looked forward
to the baby, whatever it might be.
*****
Rose went into labor on the evening of
January 31, 1945. She had been feeling brief pains all day, but they grew
stronger during dinner, and finally progressed to the point where she was
certain that the baby was on its way. Jack left Andrew in charge of the house,
telling him where they would be and reminding him that he could call Gregory
and Emily if a problem came up, and drove Rose to the hospital.
Once there, it was confirmed that Rose was
indeed in labor, and Dr. Meyer was called. Despite disapproving looks from some
of the nurses and other doctors, Jack was allowed to stay with Rose for the
birth.
Jack was at Rose’s side the whole time,
encouraging her, holding her hand, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Rose was
grateful to have him there. It was relatively unusual for a father to be
present at a birth, but Jack had been present at the births of all their
children, and this last one was no exception.
Rose’s labor continued into the wee hours of
the morning, but, despite strong contractions, she made little progress. Her
body was refusing to dilate, and the infant’s heartbeat grew weak.
Finally, Dr. Meyer made a decision.
"We’re going to lose both her and the baby if we don’t do something
now," he told the nurse and Jack.
Jack was growing increasingly worried.
"What’s wrong? Why isn’t she making any progress?"
"She isn’t dilating enough to give
birth. I’m going to have to perform a Cesarean section."
"Is this safe?"
"It’s safer than letting her continue as
she is. She’s getting weak, and so is the baby."
Rose gritted her teeth as another pain moved
through her abdomen. When it was over, she looked up at Jack.
"Don’t leave me," she pleaded with
him.
"I’m staying right here, Rose. Listen,
something’s gone wrong, and they’re going to have to do an operation to get the
baby born. Do you think you can handle it?"
"Yes." Rose clenched her teeth as
another contraction ripped through her. "I can do it. For the sake of this
baby, I can."
Dr. Meyer began to prep Rose for the surgery.
After she had been given ether and was sleeping soundly, the nurse tried to
escort Jack from the room. "Mr. Dawson, we’ll need you to wait
outside."
Dr. Meyer stopped her. "Nurse Brooks, he
can stay."
"But, Dr. Meyer..."
"He wants to be present for this
birth." He looked at Jack. "I trust that you’ll stand back, and not
try to interfere?"
"I’ll just watch," Jack promised
him, watching as he bared Rose’s distended belly.
Jack stood back, watching nervously, as Dr.
Meyer made the incision. He hated to see Rose in pain, and had to remind
himself that the ether kept her from feeling anything. Worried, he watched as
Dr. Meyer opened Rose’s womb and removed the baby.
At first, there was no sound. The baby lay
limp and unresponsive. Then, when the infant was given a hard smack on the
bottom, it whimpered, then began to cry louder, bringing air into its lungs and
getting its heart pumping. The baby’s skin turned a mottled red as it wailed.
"It’s a boy!" Dr. Meyer announced,
handing the newborn to Nurse Brooks. He finished taking care of Rose, and sewed
up the incision. Nurse Brooks took care of the baby, cleaning him up and
checking him over, and then wrapped him in a blanket and handed the squalling
bundle to Jack.
"Here’s your son, Mr. Dawson," she
told him.
Jack looked at the newborn baby, who had
finally decided to quiet. He had a headful of blonde hair that stuck out every
which way, and blue eyes. His features were rounded, and he bore a distinct
resemblance to himself. The boy waved his tiny fists, succeeding in getting one
thumb into his mouth. Jack touched the other tiny hand, and the baby wrapped
his fingers around his father’s thumb, clinging tightly.
Rose awoke some time later. "Jack?"
she asked groggily.
"I’m right here, Rose. How do you
feel?"
"I...don’t feel so good."
"It’s the ether," Nurse Brooks told
her. "It often makes you feel sick to your stomach."
After a short time, Rose felt a little
better. "Jack?" she asked again. "How’s the baby? Is the baby
all right?"
"The baby’s fine, Rose." He held
the blanket wrapped bundle out to her, and Rose noticed for the first time that
he had been holding the infant. "It’s a boy."
Rose took him, cradling the newborn in her
arms, ignoring her sore midsection. "He’s beautiful. He looks just like
you."
Jack pulled his glasses from his pocket,
examining the baby more closely. "He’s perfect, and healthy. Both of you
are."
"I don’t think I’m going to have any
more babies," Rose told him.
"I don’t think so, either, but I’m glad
that we have this one. What do you want to name him?"
Rose answered without hesitation. "Harry
Adam, for our son-in-law and son. Harry Adam Dawson."