TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF BIRTH, LABOR, AND OTHER SENSITIVE SUBJECTS

READ WITH CAUTION

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Goodspring Plantation was filled with the sounds of screams that morning.

Willamina was seated in the morning room, book in hand, but she wasn't reading it. The sounds of Abigail's pained shrieks drowned out all thoughts. A chill ran down her spine. The only thing she could think about now was how she would have to suffer through the same pain some day.

"If having a child is that painful, I don't think I want one," she said quietly.

"It is a woman's duty to provide healthy sons for her husband." Evangeline spoke almost robotically, as if it was something she had recited many times.

Willie looked over at her cousin. The blonde was seated in a chair a few feet away focused on her needlepoint.

She didn't say anything, too stunned by what Eva had said. She had said it as if giving birth to a baby boy was more important than the life of the mother. She wanted to argue, but knew it was pointless. Eva was stuck in her ways.

Time seemed to crawl. Willamina opened her book once more in an attempt to read. For a while, the screams quieted and even her Uncle Theodore seemed to grow worried as he paced throughout the house. Elliot had gone outside to avoid the screams of his mother.

She stared at her open book but was unable to process any of the words inside. Her aunt had gone into labor late the night before. The midwife had been sent for shortly after.

Finally, the cries stopped. The Porter house fell silent.

Willie looked up at her uncle, who went upstairs without a word to either of the girls. She hoped- for the child's sake- that it was a boy.

Both of the girls waited in silence.

After a moment, Evangeline stood and moved to wait at the bottom of the staircase. Willamina moved to wait with her. She wore a bright smile, eager to finally meet her new cousin. She wondered if it was a boy or girl and what its name would be.

Eventually, she heard the sound of a door creaking open and Theodore's tall figure appeared at the top of the stairs. He made his way down the carpeted stairs, expression blank.

"Is a boy or a girl, father?" Eva asked, smiling up at the man.
When he reached the bottom of the stairs where the girls were standing, he paused for a moment. "It's dead." Without another word, he walked out the front door.

Willamina sucked in a sharp breath and her stomach dropped. Beside her, Evangeline let out a cry and dashed up the stairs.

She remained in her place, staring at the door her uncle had gone through, wondering why he hadn't stayed by his wife's side during this difficult time. She remembered when her baby sister was born- stillborn. Her father had stayed by her mother's side for days afterwards as they all mourned the loss.

When no one else came down the stairs, she decided to go up. The sound of muffled sobs flowed into her ears when she reached the second floor. The door to Abigail's bedroom was slightly parted. Through it, she could catch glimpses of what was happening. A flash of Evangeline's blonde hair. The back of an unfamiliar woman stepping into view.

She crept towards the room and carefully pushed the door ajar.

Abigail was seated on the bed, her back propped up against pillows. Her hair was a mess and a mixture of sweat and tears dripped down her face. The sheets below her were stained with blood. She had a bundle of blankets in her arms. Evangeline was seated on the bed as well, staring at the bundle with tear-stained cheeks.

It took Willie a few moments to realize that the bundle of blankets in her aunt's arms was not blankets. It was the baby. She stared wide-eyed at the scene for what felt like an eternity until someone noticed she was there.

"Would you like to come and say goodbye to him?"

It was the midwife who spoke to her first. Her gaze slowly turned from the bloody sheets to the stranger in the room. The middle aged woman had red hair that was beginning to gray and kind, but sad eyes.

Willamina shook her head quickly, heart pounding.

"Willie, come meet your cousin." Abigail's voice was weak and strained, and she didn't even look in her niece's direction.

Tears formed in Willie's eyes and she shook her head again.

Abigail's agze finally turned to her. Her eyes were filled with the pain of someone who had just suffered an immeasurable loss. "Willamina Genevieve Porter." Her voice was more stern this time. "Come and meet him."

She spoke as if the baby was still alive.

The midwife gave Willamina a gentle nudge in the direction of the bed. Her feet seemed to be glued to the floor. Hot tears streamed down her face as she reluctantly moved to the edge of the bed. Abigail leaned over with a sad smile and held out the baby for her to see.

She stared at her deceased cousin and her breathing grew heavy. She only looked at the baby boy for a moment before moving away. Her body shook in a mixture of fear and sadness. She watched as her aunt pulled the baby back into her chest and hummed softly to it.

~~~~

The funeral was three days later and consisted of just the family, the midwife, and the preacher. The sky was cloudy, threatening to rain on the family as they stood around the grave.

Willamina had wondered where Theodore disappeared to the day the baby was born. It wasn't until the day of the funeral that she learned he had gone to dig a grave for his son. Perhaps the man wasn't as heartless as she previously thought.

For the most part, she tuned out the preacher's speech about a life taken too early and how the good Lord had called him back home. She was tempted to ask the preacher why, if God was so good, would He take the life of an innocent baby. It wasn't the first time in her life she had wanted to ask that question.

As soon as the sermon was over, Theodore walked away. Elliot stood there another moment before running after him. The preacher prayed with Abigail for a while, then left. The midwife followed shortly after.

After a few minutes, Evangeline started to walk away and tugged Willamina along with her. "Leave Mama alone for a while," she said softly.

Willie felt bad for leaving the woman alone, but followed. "Shouldn't we stay with her?" She asked, glancing back at her aunt. The plump woman was sitting at the foot of the unnamed child's grave.

Eva shook her head. "She likes to be alone when this happens."
Willamina's head quickly snapped back in Eva's direction. "This has happened before?"

The clouds finally gave out and it slowly began to rain down on the two of them as they walked back to the house from the family cemetery.

"She lost one before me. Then two more after Elliot," Evangeline replied, not quite meeting her eyes. "None of them ever made it to full term. They were always born too early. Didn't you see their graves? We passed them as we walked in."

Willie felt guilt wash over her. She had hardly paid attention to anything the entire time. Her whole body had felt numb as memories of her sister flooded back. "No, I didn't see them," she admitted.

"Mama thought this would finally be the one," Eva told her.

The two girls remained silent the rest of the way.

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Word Count: 1295

Thank you for reading.

I'm sorry for the sad chapter, but losing a child was a sad reality of life in the 19th century.

What are your thoughts of the characters, particularly Abigail and Theodore?