Delia's Gift (Delia 3)

Suddenly, Amigo pulled back and turned to trot away from me.

“Hey,” Gerry Sommer called to him. “Something spooked him,” he said, and then we both looked behind me and saw Mrs. Newell charging in my direction.

“Uh-oh,” I said. “I’m in trouble. That’s the warden.”

He laughed. “Can’t help you there, Delia. I find it easier to get along with horses. Good luck,” he said, and practically fled to the stable.

I started toward Mrs. Newell.

“Are you a complete idiot?” she began. “Do you think I’m going to waste my time on someone who refuses to listen to me? Give me back my watch,” she snapped. “It was obviously worthless to let you borrow it.” She held out her hand. “Give it to me right now.”

I took it off and handed it to her.

“Did you even bother to look at it?” she asked as she put it on.

“I did, but I was having such a good time, and I felt—”

“And you go the stables? Didn’t Mr. Bovio tell you not to go there? Weren’t you warned?”

“I don’t see why—”

“You don’t see? You’re the patient. You’re supposed to be listening to me. I will not tolerate such disrespect. I will not work under these conditions. You’re on your own. I’m packing up and leaving,” she said, turning and walking away.

The shock of her anger and her decision sent a chill up and down my spine. I felt as if my baby were twisting and turning every which way inside me. I had read that at this point in their development, babies could begin to hear. Perhaps he had heard my fear. Perhaps it was true that babies shared every emotion, every feeling their mothers had while they were still in their mothers’ wombs.

I took a step forward, my legs trembling. Señor Bovio would be very angry, and Dr. Denardo would be as well. I never expected that she would d

o something like this. She was behaving more like the spoiled one now, having a tantrum. Of course, I would be the one to blame. Panic drained the blood from my face.

“Mrs. Newell!” I called. I called louder, but she didn’t turn back. “Wait. I’m sorry.”

I started after her, practically running, holding my stomach as I did. My whole body shook. I knew I was very awkward. I called to her again, but she didn’t stop, so I tried to go faster and faster. And then, suddenly, I felt a horribly sharp pain in my groin, a pain so sharp it stole away my breath. I gasped, paused, and looked down, because I felt something. There was a thin trickle of blood moving in small jerks and turns down the inside of my left leg.

I screamed a scream louder than I thought possible.

Mrs. Newell finally stopped and turned. She didn’t move until I squatted and fell over onto the grass, clutching my stomach.

Then she ran back to me.

Above me, the clouds seemed in a rush to part so that the sunlight could warm me and drive away the chill.

But the pain was not easing, and my stomach felt as if it had turned into stone. I closed my eyes and mumbled prayers. I felt the tears streaming down my cheeks.

I sensed her kneeling beside me and thought I heard her say, “You fool.”

And then, just before I lost consciousness, I was positive I heard Amigo neigh.

It sounded like a shrill cry of agony and accompanied me down a deep, long tunnel of darkness.

9

Little Adan

I drifted in and out but knew I was being carried and then driven somewhere. The moment I opened my eyes and became fully conscious of what had happened and where I was, I asked, “Did I lose the baby?” Or at least, I thought I had asked. No one seemed to have heard me. I saw I had been changed into a hospital gown.

I heard all of the movement going on around me and lifted my head slightly to see Mrs. Newell standing beside Dr. Denardo at the door of the hospital emergency room. Señor Bovio approached them and listened to Dr. Denardo. He had his head down the entire time the doctor spoke to him. I struggled to keep my head up to hear what they were saying, but there was a buzzing in my ears, and my neck ached too much. I looked to my right and saw that I was getting blood. Another nurse was working on me, and a technician was closing down an ultrasound machine.

I fought to raise my head again. Dr. Denardo stopped talking, and now all three turned to look at me. Dr. Denardo squeezed Señor Bovio’s arm gently to reassure him and then approached me.