[for ariel and lily] dated to December 24

[anneoftheisland]

While her discomfort had begun some time in the night, waking her irregularly and forcing her to change positions often, it wasn't until some time after dawn that Anne realised these weren't the same kind of false contractions she'd been experiencing from time to time over the past couple of weeks. They were more regular now, a little stronger, and as she had already just passed her due date it seemed likely this was not another false alarm.

Still, she didn't say anything for a little while for it would still be some considerable time before the baby came anyway and she wanted to be quite sure this was time. Instead she sat quietly at her sewing machine - which was not at all as easy as it once was! - and put the finishing touches on a few items for the baby she'd been working on. It seemed she was going to need them very soon. Finally the early contractions grew too distracting for even that simple task, and she moved from the sewing machine to sit in a sturdy nearby chair.

"Ariel?" she said.

Comments

[sickof-swimming.livejournal.com]

Ariel was sleeping, and quite soundly at that. She didn't stir much, but she did respond to her name with a soft, "Mm?"

[island-anne.livejournal.com]

"Ariel," Anne said again, a little louder for as she had just gotten comfortable she didn't want to rise again to gently shake her shoulder. "Ariel, the baby's coming."

[sickof-swimming.livejournal.com]

"Huh?" Ariel asked sleepily, and opened her eyes. Anne's sentence didn't make a whole lot of sense. She rubbed an eye, trying to wake up. "Coming?"

[island-anne.livejournal.com]

Anne rubbed her belly gently and was in no hurry for Ariel to come to full wakefulness. It was going to be some time before she even felt the need to fetch the midwife.

"The baby's coming today," she said. "Much later today, but today nonetheless."

[sickof-swimming.livejournal.com]

That, Ariel understood. She sat up in bed, eyes going round. "How do you know? Are you having contractions?"

[island-anne.livejournal.com]

Anne nodded her head, still rubbing her belly. "Since some time in the night," she said, "but they're starting to get stronger. I feel quite sure now that it's started."

[sickof-swimming.livejournal.com]

"What should we do?" Ariel asked at once, and got up, sliding her feet into the slippers left next to the bed.

[island-anne.livejournal.com]

"Well, there's not much we can do at this point," admitted Anne, "except wait for things to progress further. I must confess, I woke you mostly because I wanted the company until the time came to fetch Mrs. Strombeck." While she had seen others through this, she had never been through it herself, and the comfort and reassurance would be more than welcome at this point.

[sickof-swimming.livejournal.com]

"Oh god, of course," Ariel said, and went to Anne, taking her cool hand between her own warm ones. "You should be covered!" She took the large quilt from their bed and draped it over Anne, tucking her in.

"Are you sure I shouldn't go get Mrs. Strombeck yet?" she asked.

[island-anne.livejournal.com]

"I'm quite sure," said Anne. "It'll likely be hours before we need her, and if we bring her now she'll have nothing to do. I promise I shall let you know the moment things get to the point where we might need her. But right now... oh, this might sound silly, but do you think you might sing for me?"

[sickof-swimming.livejournal.com]

"Sure," Ariel said, and settled in next to Anne in a second chair. "What should I sing?"

[island-anne.livejournal.com]

"Anything at all that comes into your head," said Anne. "I don't suppose there'll be anything to soothe the baby now, but perhaps something to soothe me."

[sickof-swimming.livejournal.com]

"Hmm..." Ariel thought a moment, and then began to sing what she knew was one of Anne's very favorite songs.

"Alas, my love, you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously
For I have loved you well and long
Delighting in your company

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my lady greensleeves..."

It was a long song, but Ariel sang it all the way through.

[island-anne.livejournal.com]

It was just the sort of thing Anne needed to hear, not just the song but the sound of Ariel's voice. If they could keep on like this for the next little while, calmly and comfortably, she would be in fine shape when the hard part came.

"It's still snowing outside, isn't it," she said, glancing towards the window. "I can hear it."

[sickof-swimming.livejournal.com]

Ariel hadn't even noticed. She looked out the window, but couldn't see much from the glare of the firelight against the glass. She got up and peered outside. "It is! I hope we don't get snowed in, it's coming down kind of heavy..."

[island-anne.livejournal.com]

"Lily hasn't far to come," said Anne, though she too did hope they didn't get snowed in. There was a doctor ready to come should there be any problems, but that wouldn't be quite so easy in heavy snow. "I like the snow. It's very soothing, don't you think? So pretty and clean and white."

[sickof-swimming.livejournal.com]

"Yes, but cold." She turned, smiling at Anne, and sat down on the bed. "I like it in here, where it's nice and warm.

[island-anne.livejournal.com]

"It is cold," Anne had to agree, and despite her increasing discomfort this was nice, this was just how she wanted it to be, sitting with Ariel and talking and passing time before the moment came.

She did coax Ariel to sing for her again (though truthfully it hadn't taken much coaxing at all), and Anne herself had told stories of her time in Avonlea, and hours later, as the contractions grew more and more difficult to ignore, she said in a moment free from pain:

"I think it's time to go fetch Mrs. Strombeck now."

[sickof-swimming.livejournal.com]

Ariel paled some, which was possible because she still had some island tan left from before the snow. "Oh dear. Alright. I'll just-- I'll hurry."

Ariel quickly got dressed, boots, scarf, mittens, hat. "If she isn't home what should I do?"

[island-anne.livejournal.com]

"She'll be home," said Anne confidently. After all, Anne was already a day past due and Lily would be expecting to hear from her any time. In fact, Anne wouldn't have been at all surprised if she popped in just to check on them. "But if for any reason she isn't, just find someone else to go up to the compound to fetch her and then come back here to me. Don't worry, there's still plenty of time."

[sickof-swimming.livejournal.com]

"Alright," Ariel nodded. She leaned in for a quick kiss, and moved back to the door. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Holly will be with you," she added with a smile, and disappeared out the door.

[ooh-lily.livejournal.com]

Lily had been at home.

She came through the door with Ariel with her boots unlaced and the sleeves of her sweater pushed up to her elbows.

"Hello, mom," she said. "How're we doing?"

[island-anne.livejournal.com]

"As well as can be expected," said Anne, who'd taken to pacing the cabin in Ariel's absence. "I hope the snow didn't give you too much trouble; it does seem to be coming down just as hard as it was when I woke this morning."

[ooh-lily.livejournal.com]

"I didn't have far to come," said Lily, moving around the hut, getting ready as what was to follow. "And it's been snowing pretty steadily all day."

[island-anne.livejournal.com]

"We've been watching out the window," said Anne, glancing at it once again. "Things have been going as I expected so far; I haven't had anything happen I thought was out of the ordinary."

[ooh-lily.livejournal.com]

"Well, that's good," said Lily. "That's definately something. Looks like we're going along quite well, eh?"