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On May 3rd, 1937, at about 5 pm, Bobby had just gotten back from rowing practice, bringing coach Ulbrickson home for dinner, and Hazel had just taken dinner out of the oven when Abigail suddenly groaned and clutched her belly. “B-Bobby,” she gasped, “I-I think the baby’s coming!”
Bobby’s eyes widened, and he rushed to his wife’s side. “Are-are you sure doll?” he stammered. “We’re still a few weeks out…” he stopped, grunting when Abigail squeezed his hand almost tight enough to break all the little bones.
“I’m sure,” she gasped. “Aunt Hazel, please call the doctor!” She cut herself off with a fresh gasp of pain.
“Of course dear,” her aunt replied, hurrying to the telephone. After informing the doctor of the situation and giving him the address, she sent her husband to fetch clean towels and other supplies.
At that moment, Don, Roger, Joe, Joyce, and Bobby’s sister Marjory knocked on the door. Not realizing that they would become parents so soon, Bobby and Abigail had invited them over for dinner as well. A moment later, a very pale coach Ulbrickson opened the door. At the same time, Abigail screamed. Her labour was speeding up, and she was in an incredibly amount of pain. Outside, the boys, Joyce, and Marjory looked at each other in shock and concern. Was Abigail..? “Mr. Ulbrickson?” Joyce asked, “is Abigail.. is she having the baby?”
The coach nodded. “You’d best stay out here, boys,” he said. “You two girls are welcome to come in though. Hazel’s the only other woman in the house, and Abigail.. well, I think she’s going to need some more support.”
The girls nodded, nervous but determined. Entering the house, they headed upstairs, where they could hear Abigail’s cries of pain. Entering the master bedroom, they saw Abigail in bed, propped up by at least five large pillows, and wearing a nightgown. Bobby was seated next to his wife, holding her hand. He looked terrified. “Marjory, Joyce!” Abigail gasped. “W-what are you doing here?”
“Bobby invited Marjory, Joe, Don, Roger, and I over for dinner, remember?” Joyce responded. “The boys are outside on the porch. Now, how can we help?” Marjory nodded, her eyes filled with tears as she saw her sister-in-law’s pain.
“Would one of you please hold her other hand,” Bobby asked, “she’s squeezing mine really hard..” he winced.
“Of course,” Joyce agreed. Walking over, she sat down next the bed and offered her hand. Abigail grasped it tightly. Joyce gasped, but didn’t pull away. She hoped this would be quick, as she would hate a broken hand, and she figured Bobby would too.
A moment later, Hazel Ulbrickson entered the room with the doctor.
“Aunt Hazel!” Abigail gasped. “T-this.. really hurts,” she groaned, squeezing her husband’s and best friend’s hands harder. Joyce winced, and Bobby yelped. His finger was broken.
“Hey Margie,” Bobby groaned, “would you mind holding her hand too?”
“Why, what’s wrong?” Marjory asked, confused.
Bobby pointed to his finger. “Ow,” he mouthed.
His sister’s eyes widened. “Uh, sure!” She squeaked, hoping the same thing wouldn’t happen to her.
Meanwhile, the doctor had been unpacking his medical bag, getting ready to splint Bobby’s finger, and Mrs. Ulbrickson was checking whether her niece was ready to give birth.
“Abigail, dear,” the older woman spoke up, “it’s almost time for you to have this baby. I’d say you’ll be ready to push in around two hours.”
At 8:30, Abigail was finally ready to push. Before she started though, the doctor sent Bobby, Marjory, and Joyce out. Wanting to stay with his wife, Bobby protested fiercely, but his objections were dismissed. He looked to Abigail, and she nodded. “I’ll be fine Bobby, don’t worry about me.”
“I can’t help it,” he answered, kissing her before leaving reluctantly. The three of them quietly headed downstairs, and sat with their friends. Joyce went straight to Joe, and an uncharacteristically quiet Bobby sank down between his sister and Don. His finger throbbed, despite the splint, and all he could hear were his wife’s screams. Don placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder in an effort to comfort him. All of the boys were ghostly pale, not having realized just how much pain a woman endured during childbirth.
Just then, Shorty walked past with a girl on his arm. Glancing over, he noticed his friends sitting outside. “I say, what’s going on?”
For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Abigail screamed again. Shorty’s head snapped up. His eyes widened, and he noticed just how tense Bobby was. “Is Abigail.. is it uh, baby time?”
“Yeah,” Roger answered.
“Oh. Ok…” Shorty replied. Turning to his date, he told he’d take her home and then he’d come back here to sit with his buddy, who is going to be a father in just a few hours. She nodded, and they left. Five minutes later, Shorty was back.
For the next 45 minutes they sat there, tense and nervous. Joyce sniffled and buried her head in Joe’s shoulder. Joe held his girlfriend. Roger’s leg shook anxiously, and, in an effort to distract himself, he began reading the newspaper, although he couldn’t seem to focus on what he was reading. Shorty ran his hands through his hair. As for Bobby, he sat there, shaking, and blaming himself for the agony his beloved wife was currently in. Only Don and Margory’s hands on his shoulders could prevent him from running back upstairs to be with her.
Finally, Abigail’s screams stopped, and were replaced with the cries of a baby. Bobby’s head shot up so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash, and he ran for the door, Marjory, Joyce, and the coach on his heels. The boys grinned, and followed them into the house. Bobby rushed upstairs and into the bedroom. Abigail was lying in the bed, a huge smile on her face. In the crook of her arm was a tiny bundle. “Bobby, I’d like you to meet our daughter.”
Upon seeing the baby, Bobby’s eyes grew misty. Abigail started crying and Bobby rushed over to her. “Abigail, are you alright? Please don’t cry!”
“I’m fine,” she whispered. “I just… she’s so perfect! I can’t believe that nine months ago, she didn’t even exist, my love for her didn’t exist, and now…”
Bobby nodded. “You can’t imagine life without her. I know, I feel the exact same way. She.. she’s incredible. YOU’RE incredible.” He kissed his wife softly on the lips. “I love you both so much.”
At that moment, there was a knock on the door. “Hey, can we come in?” It was the coach.
Bobby looked at his wife, and she nodded. “Sure,” Hazel Ulbrickson answered. “Just one or two at a time, please.”
“Alright,” Al Ulbrickson answered. He opened the door and walked in. Then Bobby chuckled. The boys, Marjory, and Joyce were all crowding around the doorway.
“Hey guys,” he grinned. “It’s a girl!”
The guys cheered, and the girls clapped their hands. Unused to the noise level, the baby started to cry. Joyce elbowed Joe, frowning at him and the others.
“Shhh!” Hazel hushed them.
“Oops, sorry,” they apologized. After a moment, the baby settled down.
“May I hold her?” Marjory asked.
Bobby and Abigail nodded, smiling. Marjory came in and sat next to her sister-in-law, and Bobby gently handed his daughter to her aunt.
“Make sure you support her head,” Abigail chimed in from her place in the bed. Marjory nodded.
“She’s so precious,” Marjory said. “What’s her name?”
Bobby smiled. “Marilyn Joyce Moch.”
From the doorway, Joyce gasped. “You.. you named her after me?”
Abigail nodded, beaming at her friend. “Of course, you’re one of my best friends! Come on in,” she continued.
Joyce walked in and sat down. “May I hold her too?” She asked, after Marjory had handed the baby back to her sister-in-law. Abigail nodded and handed her the baby, who curled her little finger around Joyce’s finger. Joyce gasped. “Oh my gosh she’s so cute!”
Joe came in and sat next to his girlfriend. He said “hi” to the baby, and she gazed up at him with wide blue eyes. Don walked in a moment later, and smiled at the baby. “Wow,” the shy stroke oarsman whispered. “Congratulations, Bobby and Abigail. She’s incredible.”
The new parents smiled and nodded. “Thanks Don,” Bobby answered, smiling. “You wanna hold her?”
“Um, sure,” Don gasped. He hadn’t been expecting to be allowed to hold the baby, because unlike Mrs. Ulbrickson, Marjory, or Joyce, he wasn’t female or a relative. Bobby handed his friend the baby, and Don took her carefully, suddenly very aware that compared to her mere 12 inches and 5 pounds, at he was a giant at 6’2” and 172 pounds. As the baby stared up at him, the stroke oarsman was overcome by the fact that this child hadn’t even existed 10 months ago, and she had only been born less than an hour ago. As he realized that, his eyes began to grow misty.
“Don, are you alright?” Bobby asked, noticing the emotion in his friend’s face.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Don answered. “It’s just that she’s so small, and new.”
“Well, what’d you expect?” Shorty chimed in from the doorway. “She’s a newborn, not, say, a six month old,” he continued cheerfully, before walking in. As he leaned over Don’s shoulder to see the baby, he gasped. “Wow.. you’re right Don, she is tiny.”
“Golly…” Roger breathed.
Just then, Hazel walked back in. “Now boys,” she said, “Abigail and Bobby need some rest. Especially Abigail,” she continued, as her niece stifled a yawn. Following his wife into the bedroom, Coach Ulbrickson nodded. “Hazel is right boys,” he said.
The boys and Joyce nodded, noticing that despite their wide grins, the new parents were clearly exhausted. “Goodnight,” they told their friends, who nodded, smiling as they echoed the goodbye.
“Oh, and boys,” the coach added,” practice is canceled tomorrow.”
The boys nodded, and Bobby jumped in. “If Abigail is feeling up to it, you guys can come back the day after tomorrow, the whole crew.” Abigail nodded, smiling. “Probably later in the afternoon, though,” she added.
The others nodded. “See you in a few days then!” They waved goodbye, and filed out of the room, closing the door behind them.