From the Beginning: The Old World (25 page)

Epilogue

When labor started, it was Jamila who had taken on the role of midwife.

~*~*~

In the months prior to this birth, we had already experienced many deliveries. One after the other, the women of the tribe gave birth, and once again I had found myself pulling out from the depths of my soul the ancient knowledge and the ability to deliver babies and assist the new generation on their journey into the world.

Jamila and Violet usually accompanied me. Violet quit after a short period of time when she delivered hers and Roan’s first born boy, who earned the nickname “Purple” after the birthmark shaped like a leaf he had on his thigh, which was crimson purple in color.

“Only until we find him a proper name!” Roan used to joke, but as time went by the name stuck, and it became his real name. Apart from Purple, Roan and Violet had three more large and strongly built sons.

 

Not long after Violet gave birth, Jamila went into labor. This time I delivered the baby, with Jihan at my side as an apprentice midwife with all that it entailed. We rejoiced when a healthy and beautiful baby boy came into the world. He was named ‘Alam’ (world) for he was born in the new world.

After Alam, Jamila and Ibrahim had five more children—three girls and two boys with Alam being the first to be born in the new world. Apart from those born in the new world, Ibrahim and Jamila were parents to Jihan, Thallal and, adopted Dawn, who turned out to be full of life, and joyful; and playful Jonathan grew up to be a captivating young man, one whose charms were hard to resist.

Ana gave birth to Chassan’s daughter and called her Edith after Eddie.

Billy, who was initiated by me, brought two boys and three girls from five different women into the world. One of his daughters was Rebecca, Jezebel’s first-born daughter, who was born when she turned eighteen and was named after Jezebel’s beloved grandmother. A few years later, Jezebel gave birth to her second daughter Gail. Her father was Thallal, Jezebel’s best friend since childhood.

One after the other, more and more children were born, and in the following years, the tribe grew bigger. For a long time, Jamila and I were entrusted with the most important mission of delivering the babies with Jezebel and Jihan accompanying us observing from the side, learning and visually memorizing the details of the craft, fully aware that in the future this important job would be passed on to them.

 

It was Jihan who took a special interest in everything related to the study of herbs and medicinal plants, and as the days passed, she showed promise with her healing and prediction abilities just like her mother. Soon she was knowledgeable on all the secrets of the plants on the island and the many concoctions she could make from them, surpassing her younger friend Jezebel. Jezebel on her part willingly relinquished the honorable role of healer to Jihan, who in time would be her personal advisor.

 

I have made many journeys to the Island of Dawn, instilling the ways of peace and love to the new-forming tribe. I brought them offerings from the island of peace, observing closely the bad weeds that had taken root after Cole’s cruel deeds.

But the farther along I got with my pregnancy,  I sailed there less and less, leaving the task to Jack, who was unaware of the dark prophecy and the little black birds that were about to come into the world, and what I would need to do with them.

The bigger I got, the less I went up to the sacred cave to receive my visions and perform the moon fertility ritual. My stomach was so big and puffed up that I was most concerned about the size of my baby and the hard labor I could expect. I knew well that I was carrying a girl, but I could not have foreseen what happened at the time of my delivery.

~*~*~

Sharp pains started at first light. Jamila and Jihan supported me as we settled in the cave of the waterfall where I felt I should give birth. Connor, who was ordered to remain outside the cave, was pacing back and forth like a caged lion, becoming more and more restless as the delivery grew longer.

Only around noon did my baby girl crown, her head poking from between my legs and the awaited delivery had finally reached its peak.

A perfect little baby girl came into the world, clean and pure, without a drop of blood on her flawless pink skin. A blond fuzz crowned her head, and a few seconds later, she had already opened a couple of clear green eyes, that had a deep gaze, and her big heart was reflected from them. “Libby, my Libby,” I whispered lovingly to my little girl, now nestled in my arms. Connor joined me now that Jamila had given him permission to enter the improvised delivery room. He showered us both with his love, gently kissing his daughter’s head who had already started suckling with hunger, and he kissed me the most loving kiss I have ever felt in my life.

“Grace, my sweetheart, she’s beautiful!” Connor glowed with pride and joy when I placed her in his arms for her first bonding with her father. “She’s so tiny and delicate,” he welled up as he kissed her gently on her face.

 

“Grace!! Grace!!” Jack stormed into the cave. He had just returned from his last trip and came running into the cave. When he caught what was happening, he froze on the spot. His eyes checked out all who were present and sighed in relief when he saw the little baby girl in Connor’s arms.

“I was so worried about you! I had a terrible nightmare last night, and I had to come back here to make sure you are safe and sound. I am happy to see it was your birth that hasted me back to the island,” he released the tension he had built up and kneeled beside me, also kissing my forehead.

“What was the dream about, Jack? What is the horrible thing you saw in your dream?” I asked with curiosity when a strange vibe rose again from my womb.

“I don’t remember, I woke up in a panic and the dream vanished, but it left a clear sensation that I had to come back here and be by your side. I am happy to see that everything went well and that you gave birth to a beautiful and perfect little girl, who is as pretty as her mother.” He smiled at me with love and went over to Connor to look at the little baby that was sleeping in her father’s arms.

“Congratulations Connor,” he patted wholeheartedly on his friend-rival’s shoulder, and they smiled at each other with understanding. “She’s a little smaller than you thought, isn’t she, Grace?” He scrunched his eyebrows when he surveyed her size remembering the deep concerns I had in the last few months.

“Now that you mention it, I also think she’s a little small.” Jamila came closer and looked again at little Libby. “This strange-” but before she managed to complete the sentence and make her ruling on the matter, another cry shook the cave, when a sharp pain contracted my uterus again.

“Jamila!!!” I called out to her, “something is wrong! Maybe the placenta didn’t come out, help me!! It is tearing me apart!!” I called out to her in fear, with sharp pain cutting through me.

“Connor, you take Libby out! You not help now—you only look on baby. Jihan, you bring more herbs! Jack!!! You help with Grace—’Yallah’!! (come on) ‘Imshee’!! (go),” she urged everyone to hurry up, practically shoving Connor out of the cave with little Libby in his arms and a look of concern on his face. His squinted eyes were fixated on my face, and until I pleaded with him as well to go out, he still lingered for a few more seconds.

 

“Watch over her Jack, I am counting on you. And you too Jamila—take care of her and make sure nothing bad happens!” He made them swear and left the cave with a heavy heart.

Now that the three of us remained in the cave, Jamila started to work quickly, instructing Jack.

“You stand behind, hold her hands under shoulders!” she instructed him to support me so I could squat into the proper position.

“Jamila? What are you doing to me? It is just the placenta, just take it out of me!” I called out when another contraction tore at my stomach.

“You not talk now! You only push when Jamila tell you. I think I know what to happen now,” she leaned between my thighs and extended her hand into my uterus, feeling around.

“You not come back for nothing!” A wide smile spread on Jamila’s face. “You come back now because son of you want you here when he come!” Her smile turned to Jack’s blue gaze and stunned face.

“My son…? But how is it possible? Grace? Did you know about this?” he sounded confused and thrilled.

“Grace not know. No one know. But it is miracle! She to be pregnant same day from two of you.” Jamila guessed what had happened nine months earlier, on one of the moonless nights before I left for the Black Island.

“I have a son?? But how do you know, Jamila? He didn’t even come out yet!” he adjusted his grip under my arms, supporting me, understanding the great responsibility that was now entrusted to him.

“Jamila know long time you give Grace son, but I not think it happen together with girl from Connor!” She raised her eyebrows in apology for her misguided prediction, but the happy spark in her eyes made it clear she wasn’t sorry at all!

Her face was showing only joy, when she guided me again through the labor, telling me when to push and when to stop and rest. After fifteen minutes, Jack’s son came into the world, clean and flawless like his sister before him, but with a fuzz of dark hair growing on his head and his skin was darker. When he opened his eyes, I was astounded from the deep blue that was looking at me.

“Jack, look at him, he is so beautiful!” I whispered, tears choking me from excitement. I couldn’t have asked for a greater gift than giving the same happiness to both of the men I loved.

“Grace, my dear beloved woman—you have given me the most wonderful gift I could ever ask for in this world. After the great flood, when I lost my wife and three children, I felt I would never love again. I didn’t believe I would have anymore children, but you Grace, you gave me a reason to live and the ability to love again—and I do love you so much!” he concluded with a teary loving kiss, pouring all of his emotions into my lips, holding my face in his hands caressing it gently.

He looked at me as I was nursing his son, and the tears kept pouring from his blue eyes.

The tears didn’t stop even when I put his son in his arms, and he held him for the first time. Salty drops ran down Jack’s face and on his son’s dark hair as he was crying with bliss. He kneeled next to me, kissing me and his son in turn until he calmed down catching his breath.

“I want us to call him Idan,” he smiled at me with love, his blue eyes moist and sparkling as he touched my heart so deeply. “Idan after the son you lost,” he explained his request.

I welled up as well to hear his statement and choked when I answered him in a loving whisper, “There is no need to call him after anyone. We shall call him Idan (era) as he was born into an era of love and peace. Idan shall be his name because he was born at the beginning of the new world!!”

To be continued…

©

All Rights Reserved to the Author

Timna Kurtz

 

[1]
(Idan – derived from ancient Hebrew, means an era, or age of time)

 

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