Tina's Story Chapter 59 New Beginings
TINA"S STORY CHAPTER 59 NEW BEGININGS
After she got her morning coffee, Tina returned to Felicia's cubicle, to find the Siamese hybrid staring at the computer on her desk, as if it were an alien spaceship.
"Poor dear" Tina cooed. "You've never seen one of these before, have you? Well, this is a computer. C-O-M-P-U-T-E-R. Pretty soon, this will be your best friend. Let's start by turning it on. Can you turn it on? Start with that big, green button. Push it. Good. Hear it buzz and whirr? That means it's working...and pretty soon, you will be too! Now, Let's type something. We start by taking the mouse.....that's the big white thing in your right paw....Sorry, you're a CAT! You'd know what a MOUSE is.....drag it over to this little thing that says 'Microsoft Office' and push the left button with a digit...any digit....good. Now, click on 'word processor'. Good. Now type something for me. What? How about 'Tina teaches typing'
Tina watches as Felicia picks out single characters, with a painful lack of speed.
"Alright. To type fast, you'll have to learn touch typing. "
Tina pulls a book off the shelf.
"We can start with some drills. Start with lesson one, and practice until you can show me you've learned how to do it."
Tina picks up her cup, smiles, and heads back to Colleen's office.
"You're EVIL" Colleen offered, in perfect deadpan. "Anyone else would have been offended with such condescension. I'm not sure she noticed...."
"Maybe I can get a few things done before she does...." Tina replied, grabbing her coffee as she headed out the door.
This first day, Felicia did the first lesson, and started a second. At lunch time, they let her sit at the suspension division lunch table. Felicia was in too much shock to object. She was used to being ignored, or humored. She had never actually had anyone demand anything of her. Felicia said little, but then, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.
Five o'clock came, as it always does, and the workers all went home. Colleen, Lydia and Sean spent a quiet night in the apartment. They had dinner together, but Lydia wasn't really hungry. After they cleared the table, and loaded the dishwasher, Sean went to play on the computer, while Colleen sat on the sofa, with the latest issue of 'Vogue'. Lydia, who was naked, lay on the sofa, face up, head in Colleen's lap. As she read, she would stroke Lydia's head, or sometimes her big pregnant belly. After some time, Lydia spoke.
"We haven't done a lot to prepare for the babies"
"I suppose you're right" Colleen agreed. "I guess I was so afraid I'd jinx this whole thing, I just never did much"
And they hadn't. There were a couple of cribs, and the few things that the girls got at a shower their friends had given.
"I just feel so....unprepared."
Colleen kept stroking the Afghan's head.
"Don't be silly. You've done this before."
Lydia looked straight up.
"It was kind of different. There was my family, his family, lots of women who just pitched in. We've got....each other. I just hope that's enough."
Colleen could see that Lydia was beginning to cry. That wasn't unusual. Lydia cried a lot. For sadness, For happiness. For frustration. To get her way. Lydia was a crier. And it worked. Colleen bent over, and kissed her on the forehead.
"I'm sorry, dear. If you'd like, we'll start working on that tomorrow."
Looking down, she saw little beads of sweat on Lydia's forehead. Feeling with her paw, the Setter laid it on Lydia's forehead.
"Maybe a little warm. Better take your temperature."
Colleen went to the bath, and came back with a damp washcloth, and a thermometer. The washcloth went on Lydia's forehead, the thermometer, up her tail hole. It was the only way, as dog's don't have lips to do it orally.
"A little warm. We better keep an eye on you. "
Colleen sat down again, Lydia's head in her lap. This time, however, she seemed a little restless. Since she wasn't feeling well, Colleen put up with the distraction.
Over the course of the next hour, Lydia was not doing much better. She tried getting up, and walking around. She tried laying down, only to get up again. Her pacing was beginning to get on Colleen's nerves.
"Are you really sick? Should we get you to the doctor or something?
"It's coming. It's time."
"Time for what, dearest?"
"The pup. It's coming. "
"You're joking, right?" Colleen asked, half scared of the answer.
"Nope. " Lydia sat down on the arm of the chair "The pup is coming"
The reality of Lydia's words finally sank in.
"SEEEEEEAAAANNNNNN! Get in here!
Sean was a big, strapping Irish Setter, but when he heard Colleen's ear splitting shreik, he knew to heel. He clicked off the 'Tail hole doggies' web site, heeding his master's call.
"What is it?" Sean inquired
"Lydia" Colleen stammered "Having her pup"
"I'll get the car. You put a bag together. Meet me downstairs."
As Sean went downstairs, Lydia and Colleen went to the bedroom to pack a bag. Lydia sat on the bed, while Colleen put things in a large duffle bag.
"Be sure to pack my "I don't do mornings" shirt" Lydia reminded
"No!" Colleen insisted "You're beautiful. I won't have you dressing like trailer trash."
Once Colleen had collected clothes and toiletries, she helped dress Lydia in a simple dress, no undies, and a coat. Colleen was combing Lydia's hair, when she was racked by a wave of contractions
"Perhaps...UGH!....we oughta go" Lydia suggested.
"How long was your last labor?" she inquired
"Not sure. Maybe, uh, ten minutes?"
With that, Colleen grabbed the bag, Lydia, and her mink coat, and went downstairs. Sean was waiting at the curb in Colleen's Sebring convertible. Colleen stuffed Lydia, her stuff, and herself into the back seat, and Sean pulled away smartly.
The Sebring moved silently through the night. The mercury vapor lights gave the Chrysler's Aztec gold paint an other worldly look. Sean focused on his driving, while Colleen comforted Lydia in the back seat. Colleen looked out the window at the star filled sky, while Lydia nuzzled into the Setter's thick fur coat.
"I....love you."
"What was that?" Colleen asked
"I said 'I love you'" Lydia responded softly, but with resolution.
"Oh, my dear!" She gathered her friend up in her arms "I love you, too! More than you know...."
In the dark of the speeding car, you wouldn't have noticed, but there were tears in Colleen's world weary eyes when they arrived at the hospital. Sean had phoned ahead, and there was a gurney waiting when the Chrysler arrived. No sooner was Lydia strapped in when another round of contractions hit. She bit her lip, but remained silent. Lacking time, they put Lydia in the ER. When the attending doctor arrived, Lydia was in hard labor.
"Hi, Lydia, I'm Doctor Vicstrom. Let's take a look there.....
The doctor looked down between Lydia's legs, just in time to see a little red head crowning.
"Push, if you need to...."
Colleen stroked her friend, while Sean looked on. With a grunt and a push, a tiny anthro pup emerged. He was bright red, with a striking black mask. His features were softer than those of an Afghan, but, of course, he was but a pup. The doctor laid him on Lydia's chest. She was beaming when she saw her son for the first time. Colleen and Lydia leaned in close, to see the little one for the first time.
" My son." Sean declared, simply, but with great pride.
"And a fine son he is" Colleen agreed.
Once everything was attended to, Lydia was moved upstairs. Within an hour or so, she was in a private room, and tucked into bed. In no time at all, she was asleep, her work done. Sean was by here bedside, napping in a recliner with a borrowed blanket. And Colleen slept on the other side, using her mink as her blanket. She, too, fell asleep, but awoke a few hours later. Not feeling well, she got up to look for a bathroom, not wanting to disturb the others. She got up, and made it to the hall, when a powerful cramp overtook her. She dropped to the hall floor, where a nurse rushed to her aid.
"What's the matter?" the nurse asked
"Don't know...don't feel well."
"How do you feel?"
"Bad. Like...food poisoning."
"What hurts?"
"Cramps. Bad cramps."
Just then, the pain hit Colleen particularly hard. She winced from the pain.
"Orderly!!" the nurse ordered "Get a stretcher"
"Where...are you taking me?" she inquired weakly
"To be examined." the nurse replied "I think you might be having your baby"
And then she was gone.
Moments later, Colleen was the center of attention in the obstetrics ward. A doctor was called in, and conducted an exam. He checked her over, set her up on a monitor, then he spoke.
"Colleen, you're in labor. It's premature, but we're going to let you deliver. I think it's close enough to term that you and the baby will be fine. It may be a while, so try and rest."
"Easy enough for you..." Colleen observed, with wry humor.
And so she did. Try to rest , that is. The pain came with increasing frequency, but still, nothing happened.
2am...3am...4am.....By seven am, Colleen was exhausted.
"Please, just knock me out, and wake me when it's done? She begged
The doctor was sympathetic.
We're going to give you some Pitocin, to assist your body a little....
Which finally worked. By 7:30, the contractions were hard and close, and everyone was in place for the impending delivery.
Meanwhile, Sean woke to find Colleen missing. He looked around the room, checked the bath, and then waited. Finally, he asked the nurses if they had seen her.
"The tall Setter? She's in the delivery room. Been there since early this morning."
With that, Sean raced down the hall. He burst through the doors of the delivery room, just as the doctor lay a beautiful red Setter girl on Colleen's chest. Ray stood there speechless, taking in the moment. Looking up, Colleen finally saw Sean.
"Well, Dad, what do you think?"
"I think she's the prettiest Lass that I've ever laid eyes on. "
It was Sean's turn to cry.......
Meanwhile, another day had begun at the DMV. Tina was just getting ready to start her day, when Rosa came running in.
"Rosa, whatever is the matter?" Tina asked
"Meese Lydia have her baby last night...then Meese Colleen have hers!" Rosa replied, spitting out the words in one continuous stream.
"Thanks, Rosa " Tina slumped in her chair. She had no idea how she would run the department, and train Felicia, too.. She sat in the office for a bit, and thought. Then she called an office meeting. They all gathered in the break room.
"Lydia and Colleen had their babies this morning" she declared , to smiles and cheers "But I'll need your help. We're going to have to do our jobs without Colleen here to guide us. We'll want her to be proud of us. Can I count on you?"
Everyone smiled, and nodded. She continued
"I'll need help getting our newest team member Felicia up to speed; Can I count on your help?"
People looked at one another, but, ultimately nodded agreement.
"Good. We've got work to do. We better get busy. KC, can you take the collection to send something to Lydia and Colleen?"
KC nodded agreement, and Tina went back to the office.
KC leaned over to Rosa...
"She's being awfully.....nice to Felicia......"
Rosa leaned in to speak....
"Old Mexican saying...."Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer...."
KC smiles; Rosa smiled, too.