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Sunflowers would be perfect.
Flint didn’t know much about flowers, but he knew that the huge yellow things surrounding him were exactly what would make his beloved wife happy. Of course, Hinawa was a happy person by default. It was one of the things that made Flint (and more than a few others) fall in love with her.
Sometimes it still amazed Flint; that the effervescent Hinawa would find herself attracted to the withdrawn rancher. Yet, here they were, three years married, and about to celebrate Hinawa’s first Mother’s Day. Granted, it was only in the most literal sense that they were able to celebrate. Hinawa’s belly was still round with the swell of maternity, the baby inside refusing to come out in spite of her weariness.
She wasn’t sick, at least as far as the doctors could tell, just a normal exhausting pregnancy. Flint still worried. Alec still worried, but he was brushed off more easily. Hinawa had gotten her way for a while, remaining up and about even as her belly grew and grew, but finally once she couldn’t see her feet at all, she had had to acquiesce to Flint’s insistence that she take it easy. The new pup, Boney was proving to be a bigger help than either of them could have anticipated.
Boney sniffed at the sunflowers, curious as ever. Flint scratched the loyal dog behind the ears and set about picking a bundle of the sunflowers. In short order, Flint and Boney were ready to return home. The field of flowers wasn’t far from Tazmily, but getting up had been something of an ordeal, and Flint wondered whether he’d better find another way down.
As if in answer to his thoughts, Boney’s ears perked up and he ran west, the opposite direction from where they’d come. Flint ran after, careful not to jostle his prized parcel too much. Boney had led him to the edge of a cliff, below which the entirety of Tazmily could be seen.
Out of the question.
Boney however, refused to budge, pointing with his nose down the face of the cliff. To Flint’s surprise, a large haystack sat directly below him.
Well, it wasn’t such a tall cliff all things considered. And the haystack dramatically improved his odds.
Flint nodded, and Boney leapt first. Flint winced a bit, worried that the intrepid pooch had made a mistake. Boney however, rolled happily out of the hay and barked up to his master. Flint shrugged. Now or never.
Flint jumped, clutching the flowers tightly. The haystack softened the landing, but it was still a bit of a bump.
“Hey, Flint! Boy, am I glad I happened to put a haystack there.” It was old man Wess, and his son with the shifty eyes and gimpy walk. Buster, or something. It wasn’t important. Wess, as usual, didn’t let Flint get a word in edgewise. “My, those are some lovely sunflowers! Taking them to Hinawa? That’s good.” He then turned to address his son. “Hey, moron! Why don’t you ever take flowers to your mother?”
Flint was pretty sure Wess’ wife was dead, but he wasn’t about to comment. Indeed, he couldn’t comment, as that instant, a crow swooped down and stole the flowers, a spiteful grin on its beak.
“Flint! That Spiteful Crow just stole your flowers!” Wess helpfully exclaimed. “He went into the forest! Let’s hurry and catch him!”
Maybe tulips would suffice. Wess jumped in as though he had read Flint’s mind. “You braved a dangerous cliffside in both directions to find those flowers! And by gum, you’re not gonna let some birdbrained bird get the better of you!”
Well, he wasn’t wrong. How bad could going after one crow be?
Eight hours later, Flint stomped his way down the path, clutching a somewhat tussled bundle of sunflowers, Boney trotting along at his master’s side with nary a care in the world. Wess and Duster (that was his name) had been less of a help, but at least no great hindrance either. Flint got the feeling that had it just been Duster, he would have been more confident and resourceful without his father’s hectoring throwing him off.
Best not to dwell on all that. Flint was almost home. As the house came into view, his heart soared. Staring out at the sea, he could see the silhouette of his wife, her form perfect and shapely from behind. As he approached, she turned with a smile, revealing the fullness of her womb.
“Welcome home,” she greeted, and then gasped in surprise as she saw the sunflowers. “Oh! Flint! Did you—?”
“Happy Mother’s Day,” Flint said, handing her the crude bouquet and kissing her gently on the head. Hinawa took a deep breath, taking in the smell of the flowers, and Flint’s hand found its way to her stomach. “How’ve you been feeling?”
“Tired, same as always,” Hinawa laughed wryly. “You shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble.”
“Of course I did. It’s our first Mother’s Day.”
Hinawa took Flint by the hand and led him into their home. “And it’s the best one yet.”
Flint took in the smell of omelettes as they entered the house. “You made dinner?”
“I did.”
“You know you’re supposed to be taking it easy.”
“I was going to go crazy if I didn’t do something,” Hinawa protested. “We’ve got to get this baby out.”
Flint chuckled. “I don’t think we get much say in the matter.”
Hinawa sidled up to her husband coyly. “Well, there are some things we could do to help it along.”
Flint was liking where this was going, but at that moment, he felt oddly damp. Hinawa tensed up. They both looked down. A large puddle was on the floor directly between Hinawa’s legs.
“Wow, speak of the devil,” Hinawa laughed, then winced at an oncoming contraction. “You remember what to do?”
“Try not to panic?”
“Well, yes, that, but also remember who to get?”
“Ah, right! Be right back!”
Flint dashed out of the house, Boney hot on his heels. They passed a startled Reggie, nearly bowled over Lighter and Thomas, and scared the living daylights out of Isaac. In record time, however, Flint had made it to the Yado Inn.
“Flint! What’s the commotion? You can’t just barge in here causin’ a ruckus like that!” Jackie protested.
“Tessie, I need Tessie!” Flint shouted over the protests of the proprietor.
“Tessie? What d’you need Tessie for?”
“It’s time! The baby’s coming! Hinawa needs Tessie right away!”
Jackie sprang into action, flailing about in place for a few seconds. “I’ll get her! You go on and round up any of the other women you need! Don’t worry Flint, I’ll send her right on to your place!”
“Much obliged! Flint called out as he raced out the door. Where to next? They’d routed it out so carefully, and now his mind was a complete blank.
His problem was solved when he spied Abbot and Abbey in the village square.
“Abbey! It’s time! We need you!”
Abbey knew instantly what Flint was talking about. “Go back home, Flint, I’ll grab Caroline and be right behind you!”
Flint nodded, starting to feel nauseous with anxiety, and ran home as fast as he could.
Hinawa was sitting on a chair, looking pained as another contraction tightened her belly. Still, she looked up in alarm at the look on Flint’s face before bursting into laughter.
“Flint, you look like you’re going to be sick.” When her husband didn’t respond, Hinaway took his hand and held it firmly. “I’m not dying,” she said patiently. “This sort of thing happens all the time. You got everyone? Then I’ll be fine. Why don’t you go out and get some fresh air?”
Flint was too dizzy to argue, and before he knew it, he was standing on his front porch as the women of Tazmily entered his home to help his wife through her labor.
Sixteen hours passed in a daze for Flint. He wanted so badly to go to Hinawa’s side, but the women wouldn’t have it, even as Hinawa’s cries and screams tore at Flint’s heartstrings. Finally, Tessie came out to the porch.
“Flint, I think you’d better prepare yourself for a surprise.”
“Is Hinawa okay?!”
“She’s fine. In fact, she’s overjoyed. I think you’ll be too when I tell you the news. It’s not that you won the lottery though.”
“Well what is it then?”
“Hinawa had twins.”
Flint lost awareness of his surroundings for a moment. He was vaguely aware of Tessie grabbing his arm and pulling him back to earth.
“Twins?”
“Yes, two boys. Would you like to meet them?”
Boys. Plural. His sons. Flint shakily stepped over the threshold of his home and into the bedroom. Hinawa laid in bed, looking exhausted and yet more radiantly beautiful than Flint had ever known her. In each arm, a small bundle.
“Hi Flint,” she greeted wearily, tears of joy streaming down her face. “Surprise!”
Something about that moment made reality come crashing in all at once, and Flint laughed and cried all at once as he went to embrace his wife and look at his sons.
The following days were a blur. Alec arrived of course to meet his grandsons, but the entire village was in and out, eager to help with the new arrivals. A second crib had been hastily, yet no less lovingly, fashioned, and the twins rested as their parents looked on.
Flint held his wife as he saw the future in the two cribs. “To think we would be blessed with two children at once…”
Hinawa smiled warmly and with pride. “I bet they’ll accomplish things together that they couldn’t alone.”
“I’m sure they’ll argue a lot, too.”
Hinawa looked up at Flint reprovingly. “And I can see them helping each other out when they need it.”
She was right, of course. Boys would be boys. They’d play, fight, argue, laugh, cry, but most of all love each other. Flint reached down and gently stroked the cheek of the older twin. “Claus…”
Hinawa likewise brushed the hair out of the face of the younger. “…and Lucas.”
Flint chuckled. “I’ll bet we mix them up a lot until they’re bigger…”
“Claus…”
“…and Lucas, huh…”
“How do you want them to grow up to be?”
Flint didn’t hesitate. “To be kind, just like you.”
Hinawa laughed. “Oh, I was just going to say…to be kind, just like YOU.”
Flint reddened. When he thought of himself, he thought “hardworking” and “serious.” But kind? Well, he supposed it wasn’t untrue. Of course, it would be Hinawa who would think of that. But now that she’d said it, he couldn’t argue with it.
“Great. Then it’s decided.”
“Claus. Lucas. Make us proud.”