What am I doing wrong?"
"Nothing, sweetheart, nothing," Tiel said soothingly.
"Katherine doesn't know how to be a baby any more than you know how to be a mom. You learn your roles together.
That's what makes it so wonderful. But I've heard that a baby can sense the mother's frustration. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be. Take a few deep breaths, then try again."
A second attempt was no more successful that the first.
"Know what? I think it's your position," Tiel observed. "It's awkward for you and for her. Maybe if you could sit up."
"I can't. My bottom hurts too bad."
"What if Doc supported your back? It would relieve the pressure down there and enable you to cradle Katherine more comfortably."
"He'll see me," she protested in a tearful whisper.
"I'll fix it so he won't. Wait here. I'll be right back."
Earlier she had noticed a rack stocked with souvenir T-shirts.
Before Ronnie could even ask what she was doing, she dashed to it and snatched one from the display. It was dusty, she noticed, but there was no help for that. Just as she was about to turn away, she yanked a second shirt from the rack.
By the time she returned with the T-shirts, Katherine was well into a wailing fit. Everyone else in the store was maintaining a respectful silence. Tiel spread one of the extra-large T-shirts over mother and baby. "There. He won't be able to see a thing. All right?"
"All right."
"Doc?"
He was there in a blink. "Yeah?"
"Could you please get behind Sabra and support her back, like I did during the birth?"
"Sure."
He knelt down behind the girl and helped ease her into a semi-sitting position. "Now, just lean back against my chest. Come on, relax, Sabra. There. Comfortable?"
"Yes, I'm okay. Thanks."
Tiel raised a corner of the T-shirt just enough to peer beneath it. Katherine had stopped crying and was once again on her instinctive search. "Help her, Sabra," Tiel instructed softly. Sabra acted on instinct too. With only a little maneuvering and finessing, a tight suction was formed between breast and baby, and she began to suck vigorously.
Sabra laughed with delight. As did Tiel. She dropped the corner of the shirt and smiled at Doc.
"I assume everything is okay."
"They're pros." Tiel's bragging brought a wide smile to Sabra's chalky lips. Tiel asked, "Had you decided ahead of time to breast-feed?"
"Truthfully, I hadn't really thought about it. I was so preoccupied with worry that somebody was going to find out about the pregnancy, I didn't have much time to think about anything else."
"You can try it, then if it doesn't work out, you can switch to bottles. There's no shame in bottle-feeding."
"But I hear that nursing is better for the baby."
"That's what I hear too."
"You don't have kids?"
"No."