The Dressmaker's Son (28 page)

CHAPTER 69

Leah and Miriam
were setting the table for Sunday dinner.  Sometimes Kathleen would try to come
for Shabbat dinner, but it depended on her work schedule.  So Rose had asked
her to come today since they hadn’t seen her in a couple of weeks.

It was the
beginning of September and the weather was still quite warm.  Kathleen came in
wearing a long, blue, sleeveless, cotton maternity dress.

“Don’t you look
good,” Miriam said letting her in.  She put her hand on Kathleen’s stomach.  “How
is my little niece?” she asked.

“You keep saying
that,” Kathleen answered, giving her a hug.  “So far it is really mixed.  You,
Mom, and Leah think it’s a girl, and Pop, Joshua and Gabe think it’s a boy.”  A
while back Kathleen had asked Jacob what she should call them.  He told her it
was up to her.  She had replied, “Would Mom and Pop be okay?  I feel like you
are my second parents.”  Jacob and Rachael were thrilled.  In fact, when Jacob
wrote to Solomon he told him about it.

“Do you care what
the baby is?” Miriam asked.

“Not at all.  Just
as long as it is a healthy baby.”

“Come in the kitchen.
 Mama is almost ready.”

Rachael welcomed
Kathleen with a big hug and said, “My goodness.  Sit on one of the stools.  You
look like you are going to burst.”

“I feel that way,
too.  The doctor says I could be a few days early.  I am already starting to
dilate.”

Gabe who was
sitting on the other stool asked, “What is ‘dilate’?”

“It means getting
bigger,” Leah responded.  “Go tell Papa and Joshua we are ready to have
dinner.”

Kathleen giggled,
“Oops. I need to watch what I say.”

“Not really,” Leah
responded.  “Gabe is too young to get it.”

Jacob stuck his
head in the kitchen.  “Kathleen, I didn’t know you came in.  Come give Pop a
big hug, but don’t hurt him.”

“Are you going to
be disappointed if ‘him’ is a ‘her,’ Pop?”

“Of course not.  I
didn’t know my mother, but each time Rachael and I were having another child my
Papa would say, ‘Just let it be healthy and have ten fingers and ten toes.’ So,
I just tease because the other side says it’s a girl,” he said, winking at
Rachael.

Dinner was always
good from Rachael’s kitchen.  “What kind of meat is this?” Kathleen asked.  “It
is so tender.  And the gravy is amazing.  I’ll never figure out why Sol wasn’t
fat from your wonderful cooking.”

“Brisket,” Rose
answered. “And you cook it very slow so it will be tender and the potatoes and
carrots will soak up the flavor.”

When the girls got
up to clear the table before dessert, Kathleen stood up to help but went to the
bathroom instead.  She was in there quite a while so Rachael went to check on
her.  She knocked gently, “Kathleen is everything okay?”

“I think my water
broke,” she answered through the door. “Please, come in.  The door is
unlocked.”

Kathleen was
standing up with wadded up toilet paper in her hand.  “I tried to wipe it up,
but I think it might be time to go to the hospital.  I’m having some
contractions, too.”

Rachael took
charge.  “You just sit down.  Miriam will call your mother and tell her to meet
you at the hospital with your overnight bag.  You have one packed, right?”

“Yes.  It is next
to my bed.”

“Papa and I will
take you to the hospital.  I’m so glad you decided not to use a midwife.  Now I
will get a towel for you to use and tell Papa to call the taxi.”

The next hour was
a blur.  Rachael and Jacob took Kathleen to the hospital and her mother and
father met them there.  Then Kathleen was taken away.  She was very calm.  This
was the hospital where she worked, and she knew she would be well taken care
of.

The four parents
were told where to wait for news of the birth.  Mary, Kathleen’s mother, and
Rachael kept up a conversation while Jacob and her dad, Michael, paced back and
forth.

After several
hours, Rachael stopped a nurse to see how Kathleen was doing.

“Just fine, ma’am,”
she answered. “It won’t be long now.”

Ten hours later
the doctor came out and announced that Kathleen had given birth to a beautiful
little girl.  The four parents all hugged; the mothers cried, and Jacob brought
out two cigars he had bought two months ago. ”We will smoke these later,” he
said to Michael.

“She’s beautiful,”
Kathleen said when the parents were finally permitted to see her. “Have you
seen her?”

“Yes, Kathleen,” Rachael
answered, bending down to kiss her on the cheek. “She is the most beautiful
baby I have ever seen.”

A tear slid down
Kathleen’s cheek. “Her father will be so proud.  We must take a picture as soon
as possible to send to him.”

Her mother held
her hand. “Of course. And what will her name be, Kathleen?”

“Rose,” Kathleen
answered.  “We decided before Sol left. It’s after Mom’s mother.”

Jacob and Rachael
looked at each other and then Kathleen. Now it was both of them who let a tear
slip out.

“And I asked the rabbi
about the middle name.  I didn’t’ know if it had to be after someone Jewish.  He
said not at all, as long as the person was deceased, so we picked Alana after Grandma
Alana, Mother.”

Mary smiled. “That’s
beautiful, Kathleen. She would be proud.”

  Kathleen looked
at Rachael.  “And I also asked him about the baby naming and he said we could
do the naming whenever we wanted, even if we wanted to wait for Sol to come
home.”

“Whatever you
want, Kathleen,” Rachael responded.  “My mama would also be proud to know her
name is remembered.”

“Then she turned
to Jacob.  “Come, Jacob. Kathleen needs to rest.  We will come back tomorrow.  Let
her spend a few minutes with Michael and Mary.”

CHAPTER 70

Solomon lay on his
bunk with the letter from Kathleen in his hand.  He opened it slowly savoring
the thought that it was from her.  When he unfolded the letter, a small picture
dropped out and fell on his chest.  It was a picture of Kathleen and the baby.  He
turned it over.  On the back it read, “Rose Alana Shearmon, September 6
^th
,
1918.”  

“Oh my God,” he
said out loud to himself.  “I’m a Papa.”  He couldn’t stop looking at the
picture.  Finally he opened the letter.

           
September
8th

Dear
Papa,

It
is true.  You are now really a papa.  Our daughter is just beautiful.  She
seems to have your angular features and my eyes.  Her hair is jet black.  She
weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces.  The birth was long, but not that difficult.

You
would have laughed had you been here.  My water broke at your parents’ home
after dinner, but before dessert!  Your mother took over immediately.  You
should have seen all our parents at the hospital when they took me to the
birthing room.  You would have thought I was going to have life or death
surgery.

I
hope you like the middle name.  It is after my grandmother on my mother’s side
who died when I was very young.  I asked the rabbi and he said that was fine.  We
are going to wait and have the baby naming when you get home.

Both
of our parents have cribs for her at their homes.  They will take turns
watching Rose when I return to work which should be in about four to six weeks.
 My supervisor said she will work with me on my schedule.

I
miss you so.  I talk about you to Rose when I am feeding her.  She is only two
days old, but I swear she smiles when I say “Papa.”

We
all read the papers every day to see what is happening with the war.  I hope
your training is going well.  The weather should still be okay there for now.

They
are bringing Rose to me now to feed.  I’m going to stop so I can get this
wonderful news in the mail to you.  Joshua is coming by to mail it for me.

I
love you with all my heart,

Kathleen

PS
Kisses from Rose.

Solomon read the
letter a second time.  He could picture Kathleen in the hospital bed holding
Rose to her breast. Bursting with pride and excitement, he had to share his
news with someone.  He went to look for Roger.

He found him in
the canteen sitting with another soldier having what they labeled coffee.  Solomon
almost shouted as he walked up to him, “Guess who is a father?”

“Let me see,”
Roger joked. “Is it Dan here? I understand there is the possibility that he
could be a father several times over.”

Solomon punched
him lightly in the arm.  “Very funny.  No, look!” he said taking the letter out
of his pocket and getting the picture. “Kathleen had the baby on September 6th.
 It’s a girl.  Her name is Rose.”

Roger took the
picture from him.  “She is beautiful, Sol. You should be proud.”  He showed it
to Dan.

“Yeah,” Dan echoed.
“Congratulations, Sol.”

Roger got up from
the table.  “Come with me, Sol.  I need to show you something.  It’s in the
bunk.”

When they got to
their barracks Roger took out a box from his foot locker.  He reached in and
pulled out two cigars.  He handed one to Solomon.  “Here,” he said. “When you
told me Kathleen was pregnant I made a point to get these when I was home.  Let’s
go have a smoke to celebrate.”

Solomon was really
touched.  He gave Roger a hug.  “Thanks Roger.  You’re a great friend.”

Solomon had never
smoked a cigar in his life.  When they finished smoking and had to go back to a
training session, he was a lovely shade of green.

“Hang in, Sol,”
Roger told him. “It will pass.”

“When?”  Solomon
asked as he threw up all over the place.

“That should
help,” Roger answered.

CHAPTER 71

It had been two
weeks since Rebekah and Samuel had been in Helsinki.  She had really gotten to
know Joseph and Rose’s family well and they were wonderful people. Although she
helped as much as she could around the house, she still felt that she wanted to
do something special for them. Her chance came when she found out that their
granddaughter was getting married in six months.

“Let me make her
wedding dress,” Rebekah asked excitedly.

At first they said
it wasn’t necessary, but Rebekah got with Mildred who knew exactly what she
wanted.

“Why don’t you let
me do a couple of sketches for you and see if you like them?” Rebekah had
replied.

Mildred agreed,
and when the sketches were ready, Mildred asked for a couple of changes to the one
she just loved.

“We’ll get the
fabric and notions and I’ll get to work,” Rebekah told her. “But first we
should show it to your grandmother.”

Rose fell in love
with the design but insisted on paying for the materials since she knew
Rebekah’s funds were limited.

The fittings had
gone well, but Mildred didn’t even want her mother to see it until it was
completely done. “This is some of my best work,” Rebekah said to herself as she
finished sewing on the last of the seed pearls around the hem of the veil. 

She called Mildred
to come try it on, and when she was dressed brought Rose in to see it. Tears
streamed down her grandmother’s face. “You look exquisite,” she said through
her tears. “Rebekah, you are amazing. I know your career will blossom again
when you return to America. And what timing!  I was just coming in to tell you
that Joseph has gotten your tickets and paperwork and you will leave day after
tomorrow.”

Rose came into
Rebekah’s room while she was packing. They were leaving the next morning. “We
are really going to miss you and Sammy,” she said, sitting down in the corner
chair.

“I’ll miss you
too, Rose.  You and your family literally saved our lives.  Benjamin really
understated when he said I didn’t need to worry because you were good people. 
And Samuel has had such a good time with George. He will really miss him. ”

Rose smiled.  “I
sense your family would be no different, Rebekah.  I really wish you would
change your mind and stay for the wedding.  You could see your handiwork in
action.”

“Something tells
me I need to get home as soon as possible, Rose. It’s hard for me to explain,
but it’s like something is pushing me.  I pray there is nothing wrong. Since there
was room on the Bergensfiord for us to travel, I think it is time.”

“I understand,
Rebekah.  I know you’re worried about your family, but I think you were right
about not writing.  You had no way of knowing what Misha’s father-in-law might
have done.”

“I know, but it
won’t be long now before I’ll be home.  And I think Joseph was right to get our
tickets under different names just in case.  I don’t know how he got the papers.
 I am so grateful to him.”

Rebekah closed up
the two suitcases and she and Rose headed down to the living room.  Samuel was
already dressed and waiting with George.  “I’m going to write to you, George,”
he was saying, “And someday you will come and stay with us in America.”

George shook his
head.  It was obvious he was trying not to cry.  Suddenly Samuel went and put
his arms around George.  “I’m going to miss you, too, George,” he said his
voice choked with emotion.

Rose took over.  “Okay
everybody.  The carriage is waiting.  Let’s walk Rebekah and Sammy out.”

Rebekah had said good-bye
to Joseph and the rest of the family the night before, but George had insisted
on sleeping at Bubbe’s so he could be there when Sammy left.

As the carriage
pulled away, Rebekah and Samuel waved good-bye.  Samuel didn’t stop until they
were completely out of sight.

“I’m going to miss
them, Mama.  Will we ever see them again?”

“I hope so, Sammy.
 Meanwhile we will write and keep up with them.  And we will never forget how
they helped us.”

“Yes, Mama,” Sammy
said, a very solemn seven year old.