CHAPTER THREE

Molly hesitated at the open door. Although night had fallen, the light from an elegant, kerosene lamp by the bedside allowed her to see Sukey had already placed folded sheets under the Missus and a wet, folded cloth on her forehead. From the doorway, she could also see Sukey sitting in a straight chair, leaning her head over on the bed, and she noticed the stark contrast of the Missus' very pale hand held in Sukey's. Molly wasn't sure whether Sukey was praying or whispering something to Missus, but she could hear her mumbling. As she drew closer, she saw the ghostly appearance of Amanda's face; so pale it was almost as white as the cloth covering her eyes and forehead. Working in the house all her life, Molly had seen plenty of pale white folks when they were sick or in pain, but never had she seen anyone as colorless as Missus Jennings. She joined Sukey at Amanda's bedside where she asked, "Sukey, what's can I do?"

          Before Sukey could respond, Amanda whispered, "Molly, please help me." She hesitated, "You've delivered many babies. Can you please help me?"

          Wringing her chubby, dark hands, she replied, "I's gonna do my best, ma'am, my very best. I brung a knife ta cut da pain and an axe to help stop da bleedin'." Then she ordered, "Sukey, you puts the knife under her pillow and I'll put the axe under the bed."

          With the two tools Molly always used for birthing in place, the two women tried to calm Amanda, doing all they could to make the mistress of the house as comfortable as possible until the doctor arrived. Tiptoeing, the two black women went out to the wide hallway where they huddled just outside the door. Whispering, Molly asked, "What's we gonna do? Dat baby's not supposed to be birthed yet, and I's brung lottsa black babies in ta da world, but never has I he'ped with a birthin' of a white woman's baby." Then, she admitted, "I'm scared. What if sumpin' goes wrong and da masta' done blames us?"

          "I'm hoping the doctor will get here soon, real soon." Sukey sighed and added, "I just wish Master Jennings was home." She looked down at the floor as she said, "Molly, I'm also afraid. Missus acts strong, but she's not. Her spirit is strong, but her body isn't. Besides, she's not much bigger than a littl'un herself, and that baby is gonna be big."

          Molly's eyes widened with worry. "Lawdy, I hopes she be fine, just fine. As fer as white folks go, Missus is a real fine woman, and she's been a wantin' ‘dis here baby so bad." She hesitated before adding, "'Did ya know dat woman has never raised her voice to me, not once in all da years I been here. Some white folks' littl'uns can be real mean...jest like some of the growed up ones can. But from da first day I was brung here, back when Missus was a littl'un, not bigger than knee high to a duck, she's been nice, real sweet like."

          With tears welled in her eyes, Sukey agreed. "I know. Even though she didn't know how to help, she was there for me when Thulani was born." She paused for a moment. "When she got word I was in labor, she came right out to the kitchen house and climbed up to the loft. There really wasn't anything she could do, but she let me know she cared."

          "I does remember. She didn't get squeamish like most of da white women I's knowed. She stayed right ‘der, and held yo'r hand da whole time."

          "And afterward, she brought her Bible to the loft so I could watch her write Thulani's name in it."

          "I didn't knows ‘dat. ‘Dat's what I means by her being nice."

          Carefully carrying a large, porcelain water pitcher, Moses entered the second floor hallway from the back stairs. "What's you two doin' out here in da hall? You's supposed to be a'takin' care of Missus Amanda."

"Poppy, we got her fixed up, but Molly and me don't know what to do. She's resting right now, but she's as weak as water and bleeding bad." She paused before adding, "The sheets and towels I put under her are already nearly soppin' wet."

          Shaking his head in annoyance, he said, "Well, you ain't gonna he'p her none by standing out ‘chere in da hall. Sukey, take ‘dis hot water and put it in da washing bowl so ‘da doctor will have it when he gets here. I's got a lot more water heatin' up in da kitchen."

          Sukey turned her head toward the large front staircase. "Poppy, I think I hear horses out front of the house."

          "Well, it's ‘bout time! You two get right back ‘der to he'p da Missus." The old man was already headed for the front staircase when he heard a loud knock. Under his breath, he said, "Jest hold yer horses, I's a gettin' there as fast as my ol' legs'll take me." He secretly hoped it would be the doctor, and not the overseer. Although Jack Mills had no control over Moses or any of the house slaves, he detested the man, and Moses, who was almost always kind toward anyone, loathed Jack Mills for good reason.

          When Moses opened the heavy oaken door, he was relieved to see Doctor Miller's face. The old doctor knew the family well as he did most of the household servants, so Moses just pointed toward the staircase. "Doctor, go right on up dem stairs, da Missus is a'waitin' fer you there." He hesitated ever so briefly before adding, "And please hurry; sir, da Missus is in a real bad way."

          Carrying a small, leather case, Doctor Miller ran upstairs to find Sukey and Molly waiting for his instructions. Before he reached Amanda's bed, he said, "Sukey, I need some hot water."

          She sheepishly pointed toward the washstand, "Doctor, der's hot water in dat der pitcher."

          Without speaking to the two women, he hurriedly washed his hands, and then said, "All that Mills told me was to hurry on over here for Missus Amanda. Do tell me what's happened, Sukey."

          As the doctor approached Amanda's beside, Sukey offered a brief explanation, "Missus Amanda collapsed after she got up the stairs. Poppy carried her in here to the bed. From what I can tell, it looks like her water broke, and Doctor, she's bleeding."

          The doctor moved Sukey's chair aside, and removed the cloth from Amanda's face. Her eyes stayed shut as he held Amanda's wrist, and asking, "Amanda, it's Doctor Miller. Can you open your eyes for me?"

          In a voice so soft he had to strain to hear, she said, "Doctor Miller, help me, please help me and my baby."

          "Amanda, I need to ascertain what's going on with the baby, but I must lift your garments to do so." Her only response was a soft moan.

          Doctor Miller asked for Molly's apron to protect his clothing. Without question, she removed it, hurriedly handing it to the doctor. After a quick examination, he washed his hands again, but this time he washed off blood, Amanda's blood. He whispered, "Sukey, we need more clean linens." When he returned to Amanda's bedside, he announced, "Amanda, your baby will be born very soon."

          Amanda courageously managed a very faint smile, but said nothing.

          "Sukey, you and Molly prepare Missus Jennings." The two women hurried with birthing preparations while the doctor removed a pair of iron forceps from his little black bag. Having only heard of forceps, their eyes widened in horror as they watched the doctor use the black tong-looking object to grip the baby's head. Amidst screams mixed with fear and excruciating pain, Amanda MacCloud Jennings became a mother. Within just a few minutes, the doctor was smacking the new addition to the Jennings family on the behind and announcing, "It's a girl!" The newborn let out a robust cry just as her mother quieted down. After tying and cutting the cord, he handed the baby to Sukey. Carefully and quickly, she cleaned the baby's face, holding the infant so Amanda could see her clearly see her baby girl.

          "I want to kiss her," Amanda whispered to Sukey. With a tender mother's kiss on the baby's cheek, Amanda sighed softly and smiled weakly. "She's beautiful."  Her voice became even fainter as she added, "Please name her Grace." Within moments of her child's first breath, Amanda took her last breath on earth while saying her newborn's name. Amanda MacCloud Jennings peacefully closed her eyes for the last time.