The End of Part II

TH' MARRYIN' KIND

I was sittin at granny's table this one mornin' sippin' on a cup of coffee, an' granny pusht some biscuits jus' outa th' oven in front of me. She'd also made up a bowl of red-eye gravy to drip over th' biscuits.
"Granny," I said. "I wish ye'd teach my Nelly how to make this here gravy."
Granny sat down with her cup of coffee.
"Well, I wouldn' be surprised but what Nelly might already have a handle on that. Her mama's a real good cook, y' know." I nodded, as I dug into my breakfast. "Daw, I'm unner th' assumptshun you an' Nelly are of the marryin' kind ain't ye?"
"Yes, ma'am. That's somethin' we gotta git doin' soon, in fact."
"Well, sooner th' better, Daw. Ye' know that baby could come along any ol' day now. Ye don' want yer baby t' be born a liddle bastard chil'."
"Gosh, granny. I never even lookt at it like that," I said, settin' down my fork.
"Well, you know how folks take t' talkin' aroun' these parts. Fer all they know yer jus' gonna let Nelly bear this chil' alone. That's th' way their minds git t' workin when they can't thinka nothin' else t' talk about." She got up an' she shuffled over t' th' pantry an' come back with a jar o' honey. "Make yerself a honey biscuit," she said handin' me th' jar.
"I love honey, it's th' coler of Nelly's eyes," I said. Granny chucklt. I leaned back in my chair, eatin' my honey biscuit.
"Lesseee...t'day's Tuesday. What about Sunday, granny? Sunday affernoon. Reckon that would be a good day fer marryin'?" Granny sipped on 'er coffee an' nodded.
"Sure. I could marry ye myself if'n ye like."
"Really, granny? Ye know how t' marry folks?"
"Well, o'course. In fac' you an' Nelly might not know, but I was th' one what married Missus Akkerson t' her husban', may he rest in peace."
"You marriet Nelly's mama an' daddy?!" She nodded and smilt.
"Well, somebody's gotta do it. O' course afore I could marry ye, ye'll have t' go down t' the county seat, an' fill out a marryin' form fer th' judge t' sign, an' ye'll probably have to get a health check-up too. The way it works Daw, is that t' be marriet by law ye gotta have a judge sign yer certifikit. But, as far as gettin' marriet afore God, well, mos' anybody kin do that."
"I reckon I need t' go talk t' Nelly an' her mama about all this," I said.
"Sounds like a reasonabl' startin' place t' me," granny smilt.

TH' AMBUSH

Well, I wen' over t' Nelly's house an' tol' her I was goin' t' the county seat t' git th' marryin' papers so we kin git marriet come Sunday. Nelly smilt at first but then put on a poutin' frown.
"Dawson Moorhead, you ain't even askt me t' marry ye' yet! Now you jus' go back out on th' porch, an' come back in an' do this right!" Women's got their ways about things, that's one thing that I was figgerin' out one day at a time. I went an' pickt a daisy from out by th' mailbox, an' then knockt on th' front door. I was surprist when Missus Akkerson opent it up.
"Oh, Hi, Misus Akkerson is Nelly in?" She sorta smilt at me, an' said,
"Come on in, Dawson." Then she hollert t' th' back o' th' house. "Nelly, Catfish is here!"
"Oh, hi, Daw!" Nelly said, like I hadn' jus' been there a minute ago. I steppt up t' her an' got down on one knee, an' said,
"Miss Annalee Ann, would you do me th' kindness of marryin' a poor boy such as me come Sunday?" She put her hands to her face an' took t' gigglin'. I was tiltin' my head back t' see over her big roun' belly. She took th' daisy I was holdin' out, an' went t' pluckin' off th' petals one by one.
"Well, let's see now. He loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not.." Meanwhile, she was droppin' th' petals down on my head an' face. "..He loves me...he loves me not...he loves me!" she said, at last. She reacht down an' took my hand, so I stood up. "So is that a 'yes', Nelly?"
"Well, I reckon yer han'some enuf, but ye'll have to ask my mama's approval seein' as how I'm still such a chil'." I turnt to Missus Akkerson, but she weren't there.
"She's in the front room, Daw," Nelly said, pointin' t' the doorway. I walkt inta th' front room. Missus Akkerson was sittin' in her chair readin' th' newspaper. "Missus Akkerson," I said, gittin' down on one knee again. She laid her paper down on her lap an' said,
"Dawson Moorhead, what are you doin' down there?" I stood back up.
"Missus Akkerson, could I be so bolt as t' ask fer yer daughter's hand in holey matramony?" I could hear Nelly in th' doorway behin' me trying to keep from gigglin'. Missus Akkerson sorta lookt me up an' down.
"Well, I don' know. Yer a right scrawny lad t' my eye. How might I know ye'd take good care of my Nelly?"
"Well," I stammert, "I gradiated from school, an' my teacher tol' me I was quite enterprizin', an...."
"Oh, Daw!" Missus Akkerson said gettin up on her feet an' huggin me. "O' course ye can marry Nelly!" Nelly come over laughin'.
"We was jus' havin' fun, Daw. Yer granny tolt us ye was comin' by t' ask."
"So, ye will marry me, right?" I said.
"Yes, o'course I will. But ask me again like last time so mama can see."
So, I droppt t' my knee again, an' Nelly handed me the daisy with no petals on it.
"Miss Annalee Ann, will you..." Nelly bent down an' yankt on my head. "Yes, Dawson. I will! Now git up here an' give me a kiss." So I kisst Nelly with Missus Akkerson standin' right there watchin'. That had t' be one o' th' mos' embarassin' moments of my life. An' fer some years after at family gatherin's I had t' hear th' retellin' of this story about me askin' Nelly t' marry me.

MY SEKERT PROJECT

I went back t' granny's an' saw Uncle blaine out by th' barn tinkerin' with th' tiller motor. I tol him th' whole story about how Nelly an' her ma had put me through th' wringer. I was thinkin' he'd be consolin', but he just laught his butt off, an teast me even more.
"That's a good one, Daw! I gotta remember that one!" An' he did. He brought it up all th' time. An' after awhile, I took t' bein' a good sport, an' actually took t' re-enactin' th' scene myself.
"So, yeh. I gits down on my knee, jus' like in th' movies, with my hair all slickt back an' ever'thing, an I sez t' Nelly...."

But, I gotta tell ye', I don' know what I'd a done without Uncle Blaine. He tol' me I needed t' git Nelly a ring. I hadn' even thouht o' that.
"Hell, jus' make 'er a ring Daw," he said. I tolt him I wouldn' have no idea how t' do such a thing. He tol' me he'd made plenty a rings fer girls jus' t' git in their pants. He pointed t' th' tattoo of the dancin' lady on 'is forearm. "I made a ring fer that little gal right there." The more I hung aroun' Uncle Blaine, th' more I realizt he had done some wild an' crazy things in his life. We went over t' his place after dinner, an' he showt me how to make a ring fer Nelly.

He showt me somethin' lookt like a bar o' soap.
"This here's cuttlebone. Birds like to peck at this stuff cuz it sharpens their beaks. Now, watch this." He took an ice pick an' started makin' a groove in the cuttlestone, round an' round. "See?" he said, "I'm makin' a circle 'bout th' size of a ring. Now, you do that on th' other side. Ye' gotta try t' imagine her fingers. Does she have skinny fingers?"
"Well, acshuly, she's got purty strong fingers from milkin' cows."
"Well, alright then," Uncle Blaine said, "Try t' imagine that one finger, an' make ye a circle what will go aroun' it." So, I sat there goin' roun' an' roun' with the ice pick tryin' t' imagine Nelly's marryin' finger while Uncle Blaine sippt on a beer. Affer a while, he said, "Alright, that looks good." He went in th' back room an came out with a propane torch an' some wire. "This here is silver solder, Daw. It melts real quick-like. So take this torch an holt it while I light it up. I watcht as he lit it up, an' turned th' knob down 'til there was just a liddle pointed blue flame. "Now, take this wire, an hold it over th' cuttle bone, an' try t' drip th' silver inta th' groove ye made." The meltin' silver was splatterin onta th' floor, but Uncle Blaine said not t' worry about it. He tol' me t' drop the cuttlebone inta some water in th sink. "Now jus' git that cuttlebone, an' break it in half, Daw." I did, an' the ring fell out t' the bottom of th' sink. I pickt it up. It had globs of silver all over it, but it was a ring. "All right," Uncle Blaine said, "Let's call it a night." He gave me a file an' some sandpaper an tolt me t' work th' ring down t' my likin'. On th' way back t' granny's, he askt me if I had some kinda stone t' put in th' ring. I tol' him no. He said, "Well, look Daw, jus' go down by the river an' find ye a little purty pebble. It's got t' be real liddle - no bigger 'an a pea. Tomorry I'll show ye how t' put it in yer ring. Firs' thouh, ye need to shape the ring down, ok?" I nodded.

THE WAY THE DUST SETTLES

I sat on th' side of my bed that night, filin' an' sandin' away at Nelly's ring. I made some little groove marks all along it I thouht made it look more fancy. Tomorry I need t' find a stone fer it. I got t' thinkin' about lots o' stuff. I was thinkin' about how th' town of Shrewsbury almos' seemt back t' normal; people out workin' th' fields, women folk out hangin' laundry in th' yard, chil'ren runnin' aroun' an' waitin' fer the ice cream truck. Ye' wouldn't know if ye' just pullt inta town, that a few weeks ago the whole town was torn apart, an' death was in th' air, an' clouds of black coal dust was swirlin' all about, an' seven men got buriet alive.

I laid back on my bed an' slid the ring on an' off my pinky finger. I was imaginin' me an' Nelly standin' by th' Rose o' Sharon bush an' vowin' t' always be t'gether come hell or high water, an' kissin' Nelly right there with ever'body watchin' an' knowin' we jus' sealt th' deal.

D DAY

I did find th' perfec' liddle pebble fer Nelly's ring down along th' river. It was quite tiny, but it was round an' colort a yeller orenge that the sun shined throuh. Uncle Blaine said it was quartz. I rollt it aroun' in a wet rag of toothpaste an' bakin' powder 'til it was nice an' shiny. Uncle Blaine helpt me set th' stone inta th' ring by makin' a hole that fit it, an' stickin' it in there with some horse hoof glue. It lookt perfekt, an' th' stone lookt like th' very light in Nelly's eyes.

Sunday, our marryin' day, was on a June 6. Uncle Blaine said it was a good omen, on accoun' of that was th' day in history what markt th' beginnin' of th' end fer Hitler. I likt that idea. Fer me an' Nelly it was th' beginnin' of th' end of our lives in Shrewsbury, an' th' start of a whole new life.

TH' COMIN' OF THE BRIDE

Uncle Blaine tolt me I don' need t' have me a Best Man at th' weddin' 'cause I was my own best man. But I begged 'im 'cause Nelly was havin' a Maiden of Honor; her mama. He fin'lly said he'd do it. Granny tolt me that when th' hour come, I was t' go stand by th' Marryin' Bush an' wait fer my bride. I was a bit embarrassed when I discovert my best Sunday pants was a bit shorter than what they used t' be. I guess my legs had outgrown my need t' go t' church over recen' months, so I was surprist. Th' weddin' was t' be at two in th' affernoon, an' I had some kinda scart feelin' all mornin' fer some reason. Uncle Blaine come in an' I never afore seen him all slickt up. He give me a tie an' showt me how t' tie it. It lookt kinda silly t' me in th' mirror. He kinda lit up when I showt him th' ring all polisht up.
"Oh you got it made now, son. Her liddle eyes is gonna pop out when she sees that!" He tol' me he'd keep it in his vest pocket 'cause as my Best Man it was his job t' hand me th' ring when it came time t' put it on Nelly's finger. He lookt me up an' down an' said I lookt hotter than a two doller pistol. "Alright, Daw. Ye' ain't got a trouble in' th' worl'. All you gotta do is jus' stan' still by the Marryin' Bush an' wait fer yer bride t' show up. Kinda keep an eye on 'er 'cause somtimes gals git all light-headed in times such as this, so ye' wanna be ready t' catch 'er if she goes t' faintin'." I took a big swaller, thinkin' about the idea of Nelly faintin' on me.

TH' MOMENT OF TRUTH

I stood out in th' yard by the Rose O' Sharon bush. Uncle Blaine tol' me that Nelly an' her mama had done slippt in t' the back door of granny's house. He steppt up aside me an' said we prob'ly ought be facin' toward granny's front porch 'cause Nelly would likely be comin' out in a coupla minutes. Granny appeart from aroun' th' side of th' house in her best Sunday dress, an' carryin' a bible. She was wearin' white gloves. She smilt at me as she approacht.
"Yer lookin' right handsome an' respecktabl', Dawson," she said. She pullt off one of 'er gloves an' wet a coupla fingers with 'er mouth an' slickt down th' top of my head a bit. She nodded an' smilt. "Mighty respecktable, in deed."

A couple of granny's lady friends appeart an took t' talkin' with granny a bit. A woman I think was Missus Akkerson's sister came out of th' house an come up t' me, an' shook my hand. She was real frien'ly an' tolt me she was glad t' meet me. An' the mail man, Arnold, even showt up along with Matty Jenkins, an ol' timer, an' long-standin' friend of my gran'daddy's. Then, it seemt ever'thing got real quiet, an' ever'body was sorta lookin' off t' th' front porch. Then there was th' sound of music comin' from an open winder off th' front room. It was granny's ol' record player playin' weddin' music.
"Don't ferget t' breathe," Uncle Blaine whispert in my ear.

I heard the screen door squeak open, an' then there was Nelly, an' her mama standin' at th' top o' th' stairs. They was arm in arm as they begun slowly steppin' down. I could tell Nelly was tryin' to look down over her belly not t' miss a step. She had a bouquet of Black-Eyed Susans in her hand. Then, there she was, comin' across th' grass. She lookt like somethin' outa a fairy tale. Her dress was white an' lookt like gauze, an' it went plum down t' her ankles. An' there was a chain of white daisies wrappt aroun' her head like a halo. She was lookin' right at me, an' smilin'. I felt a bit dizzy, an' my knees took t' quiverin' a liddle 'til Uncle Blaine pokt me in th' ribs with his elbow. Then there she was standin' there right in front of my eyes.
"Hi Catfish," she said, an' there was a liddle giggle went throuh th' crowd.
"Golly, Nelly," was all I could manage t' say. Granny cought a liddle, an' we turnt t' look at her. The music went off with a loud scratch like somebody jus' yankt on th' needle. I felt in a daze, an' there was a liddle gust of air that made th' hair on th' back of my neck stand up as granny took t' talkin' th' marryin' words.

"Today marks th' beginnin' of a holy an' eternal bond between a man an' a woman. Jeremy Moorhead and Annalee Ann Akkerson stand here t'day t' join their hearts t' gether as one." Th' soun' of granny's voice seemt t' be goin' in one ear an' out th' other faster than I could ponder a thing she was sayin'. My eyes went to a bumble bee over granny's shoulder snugglin' down into a Rose O' Sharon blossom.

"Jeremy Moorhead, do you take Annalee Akkeron t' be yer lawful wedded wife?.... Jeremy??" Fer a brief minute there, I had plum forgot my own name.
"Yes ma'am, I do." Then granny took t' recitin' the various circumstances like, "...fer better or worse?....in sickness an' in health?....from this day forth?"
"Yes ma'am. Yes ma'am. Yes ma'am...." Then she went t' askin' Nelly them same questions. Nelly's eyes was wellin' up like a river about t' spill th' bank. "Jeremy," granny askt, "Do you have a ring?" I nodded, an' Uncle Blaine tugged on my arm an' handed it to me. Nelly helt out her hand an' it was shakin' a liddle. She lookt down an' gaspt as I slippt it on her finger. Somehow, it got stuck on her middle knuckle. She pullt it off an' lickt it an' handed it back t' me.
"Now try it," she said. There was liddle giggles goin' off in th' circle of folks aroun' us.
"Annalee, do you have a ring?" granny said. I hadn' even thouht about that. But Nelly nodded, an' took a ring her mother handed her. I recognized it right away. It was her daddy's weddin' ring. She had showt it to me a long time ago. It was loose on my finger when she slippt it on. I guess Nelly's daddy had bigger hands than me. Granny then pronounct us husban' an' wife an' tolt me I could go ahead an' kiss my bride. Nelly had a coupla liddle tears runnin' down her face, so I kisst 'em off, an' then kisst her on th' lips while ever'body was clappin' hands an' cheerin'.

Aroun' th' back of granny's house an' unner a big Sycamore, there was a table wih a purty cake sittin' on it, an' plates of cookies, an' things. Granny had done went an' made a chocalate cake that was four stories tall. Four layers, anyhow. It musta been a foot tall if it was an inch! There was a little man an' woman on th' top. I knew right away they was granny's salt an' pepper shakers that Uncle Blaine brung her from Japan when he come home from th' war.

Well, we all had some o' granny's cake, an' then we was just standin' an' sittin' aroun', an' ever'body seemt t' be talkin' at th' same time. I jus' kept lookin' over at Nelly bein' frien'ly with ever'one, an showin' them her ring. Uncle Blaine give me a key t' his house an' tol' me he an' granny had cleaned it up an' made it comfertable if'n we wanted to have our weddin' night there. Funny as it seems, I hadn' even given a thouht t' where me an' Nelly was gonna be sleepin' now that we're marriet folk.

MR. AND MRS. MOORHEAD

We was plenty tired by th' time we said goodbye an' thank you t' ever'one, an walkt down th' road t' Uncle Blaine' house. Nelly was barefootin' it in th' dirt an' carryin' her purty shoes. The front porch light was on at Uncle Blaine's place. There was a note on th' door. It said: 'Welcome home fer awhile'. It was signt by granny an' Uncle Blaine. I opent th' door an helt it fer Nelly.
"Daw,' she said. "Yer su'post t' carry me over th' threshold." I reacht both arms aroun' her an' picked her up by her bottom. "Daw," she gigglt, "Not thata way!"
"Too late now," I said, haulin' her on inta th' house. So that's how our first night together as husban' an' wife began. Granny had made Uncle Blaine's bed up with fresh linens an' a purty quilt. An' Uncle Blaine had set a bottle of wine, an' two glasses on th' table by th' bed. I reckon, at this point, I'll jus' leave th' rest to yer imaginashin. I will say, we woke up th' nex' mornin' naked an' feelin' embarrasst about it somehow. But, we got over that, an' wound up stayin' in bed at leas' another hour.

CORALOO AKKERSON

That was 'er name, Coraloo. Mos' folks callt her Curly, 'cause she had th' curlies' hair ye' could imagine. She was Missus Akkerson's sister an' she livt on down th' river about an hour if ye' was rowin' a little with th' curren'. Curly was a bit younger 'an Missus Akkerson, an' she was an intarestin' gal. Ye' could tell she had her some educatin' on accoun' of th' way she talkt, an' th' stuff she talkt about. She could talk about somethin', an then talk even more about it.

Like there was this one day we was all sittin' out on th' porch at Nelly's mama's place, an' Wishbone came a trottin' acrosst th' yard. When he come a waddlin' up th' steps, Curly said,
Why Nelly, yer liddle pig's got cherry eye!"
"One of 'is eyes has been lookin' sorta red th' pas' few days," Nelly said, as Curly bent down t' look at Wishbone's face.
"Yep, that's cherry eye, alright," she said. "Pigs git it all th' time rootin' aroun' in slop." I askt 'er if it would go away affer awhile, an' she tol' us that
sometimes it does, but sometimes it don't. She said if'n ye' don' keep an eye on it, it can run away on ye' an' ye'll wind up with a blind pig on yer hands. Well, Nelly likt t' had a fit when she heard that.
"Oh no! We gotta git Wishbone over t' the vetranaryian, Daw!" she said with a scart look on 'er face.
"Nelly, don't git yer unnerpants all tanglt up," Curly said. "Ye kin fix this all by yer self." She wen' in th' house an' come out with a big leather bag, like a saddle bag. "Here's what we're gonna do," she said fishin' aroun' in 'er bag. She pullt out a big squeeze bottle what lookt a bit like a baby's bottle. She handed it t' Nelly. "Now, you kin do this, Nelly," she said. "Dawson, you hold onta Wishbone an' try t' hol' 'is head still. This here is saline solution, Nelly. Ye' kin make yer own with reg'lar table salt an' some warm water. Now you just go on an' squirt some of it inta that cherry eye." Nelly squatted down best she could an' grippt th' bottle with both hands. The water went squirtin' all over Wishbone's face, an' on me too. When Curly tolt 'er t' hold it closer t' Wishbone's eye it workt a lot better. Curly said if we was t' do that fer a coupla days, Wishbone's eye should clear up ok. I askt her if it was callt sailin' solution 'cause of all th' salt water in th' ocean. But she tolt me it weren't 'sailin' solution, it were 'sayleen s'lution.

It turnt out Curly knew a lot about babies, too. She'd even delivert a few. She askt Nelly if she could take a look at 'er belly. So, we wen' in t' Nelly's bedroom an' Nelly laid down. Curly slid Nelly's dress up. I was kinda bendin' down t' watch.
"Quit lookin' so hard, Daw!" Nelly said. Curly run her hands around on Nelly's belly.
Don' take t' fussin' Nelly," Curly said. "He needs t' know about all this as much as you do. Yer a'dominal muscles feel purty strong, that's good," Curly said as she felt aroun' on Nelly. "An' yer baby's azackly where it oughta be. Nice an' low, an' head down. "Now, let me go scrub up my han's, I need t' check on another thing or two, but I think yer lookin' good, Nelly." Nelly yankt her dress back down when Curly left.
"Quit lookin' at me so much, Daw. It's embarassin'."
"Well, I got t' Nelly. I gotta know such stuff about my own wife. What would happen if'n we was off by th' river, an' the baby started comin' out? I'd have t' deliver 'er all by myself."
"Well, ok, I reckon," Nelly said. "But, ye' don' have t' look like yer enjoyin' it so much."
Curly come back in, and set down aside Nelly on th' bed. She put some vaseline on her fingers. "Now, Nelly, this won't hurt, darlin'. I'm jus' gonna feel aroun' a bit an' see if ever'thing seems alright fer ye t' have this baby, ok?"
"Daw," Nelly said, "Go sit down over there yer blockin' th' light." I could tell Nelly was gittin' flustered, so I backt off a bit an' set down. Hell, I guess I'd feel a bit funny too with somebody feelin' up inside me.

All right Nelly," Curly said. "Yer pelvic wall feels good an' healthy, an' yer pelvic bones is nicely spread. I think that baby will come a poppin' right outa there when th' time comes."
"Do ye reckon, its a boy or a girl?" Nelly askt.
"Well," Curly said, wipin' her han's with a cloth, "Lookin at the way yer baby's percht, an' jus' feelin' the easy way it moves aroun', If I had t' guess, I'd say its a girl. But I could be wrong, wouldn' be the firs' time. But you know how boys are," she said, glancin' over t' me, "They tend t' kick an' fuss a lot."

I likt Curly. She seemt t' always know what she was talkin' about. An' I was more than happy when she tol' us she was plannin' t' come an' stay at Missus Akkerson's place a week afore th' baby was due. She said they wasn't a thing t' worry about, an' she'd be right here t' help.

Y'know, I try t' be brave in th' face of th' unknown. When yer up agin a wall, ye jus' gotta try yer best t' get over it, or aroun' it, or even unner it if ye have to. But, it helps t' have somebody in th' sitiation with ye. So, I was mighty relieved t' know that Curly aimt t' be lendin' a hand. I gave her a big hug when she left.
"Don' worry, Daw," she said. "I'm gonna help ya'll git through this. You jus' act nice an' calm aroun' Nelly, even if yer not quite feelin' thata way It'll help Nelly t' jus' relax an' git ready."

ELLE ARRIVE!!

That's what Coraloo said that night above th' sound of Nelly screamin'. She said that in this case it meant that th' baby's here. They was French words. But, t' make th' short story long, let me tell ya about that night. It was a Thursday. July th' 'leventh.
Nelly was goin' about th' house with one hand down on her lower back, an' th' other rubbin' aroun' on her very big belly. An' she was mutterin' stuff like, " Oh, I jus' feel tight as a big ol' tick," an' "Oh, me, I fell like I'm about t' pop! I'm like a big ol' balloon about t' pop!" I wisht she wouldn' keep talkin' about poppin'. I been nervous ever since Curly said she thouht th' baby was gonna 'jus' come poppin' right outa there'. I was beginnin' t' think maybe I needed t' have a big ol' apple basket on hand t' catch this flyin' baby! I sat on th' couch with 'er, an' tryt t' rub her back an' her shoulders. One minute she'd say, "Rub me harder, Daw. Do it really hard." Then th' nex' minute she'd say, "Ow, dammit! Don' rub me so hard, Dawson!" I knew women was complicat'd, but I was really jus' beginnin' t' know jus' how complicat'd.

IN TH' NICK OF TIME

I knew Coraloo would be comin' that affernoon, an' I was glad about that. I kept havin' these pichurs in my head of th' baby suddenly poppin' out, an me runnin' fer th' basket. I was sittin' there holdin' Nelly thinkin' about that, when Nelly said in a very quiet voice,
"Uhh Ohhh..." I lookt down where she was lookin' an' there was a puddle formin' aroun' Nelly's slippers. I said,
"Don' worry, darlin', that's happent t' me afore too." Nelly said,
"I didn' jus' pee myself, Daw. My water jus' broke." Well, ye' might as well have rung th' four alarm bell. "Oh no! Yer beginnin' t' pop!" I said. I ran t' th' back door an hollert t' Missus Akkerson who was hangin' out clothes. "The baby is comin'! Th' baby is comin'!" She come arunnin' in a hurry. We run in th' house t'gether, an' there was Nelly standin' there moppin' up th' water with a rag unner 'er foot.
"My water done broke, mama," she said, wipin' her foot aroun' on th' floor. Missus Akkerson lookt at me.
"Dawson, I'm glad ye callt fer me, but jus cause 'er water broke don' mean th' baby's about t' come flyin' out like Tinkerbell. Nelly, you go clean yer self up, an' put on a fresh gown, y' hear? I'll come an' help ye' in a minute. Ye' need t' jus lie down now."
"Yes, mama," Nelly said.

I sat out on th' front porch steps lookin' up an' down th' road fer Coraloo. I was a fish outa water, fer sure. I somehow started thinkin' about noodlin' in the river with gran'daddy, an' about ol' Catfish Cooper. An' it occurrt t' me that havin' a baby is sorta like noodlin'. Mos' th' time yer jus' patien'ly waitin', an' then when that ol' fish come poppin' up, ye' grab it fer dear life. It made me feel a bit better t' think about that baby like it was a catfish 'cause I'm quite good at catchin' catfish.

I could see red dust risin' down th' road, an' I heard th' rattle of Coraloo's ol' panel truck, an' then th' motor backfirin' as she geart down aroun' th' bend. I made a note in my head t' tune her motor up for her. An' then there she was pullin' up t' th' house.
"Len' me a han', Daw," she said as she climbt out. We wen' aroun' back of 'er truck an' she opent th' doors an' handed me a stack of towels. "Run these in t' Charlie," she said.
"Charlie?"
"Charlene, Daw," Curly said. "My sister. Nelly's mama. I jus' always callt 'er Charlie."
That was th' firs' time it acshuly occurt t' me that Missus Akkerson had a firs' name.
"Nelly's water done broke," I tol' her.
Curly nodded an' reacht inta th' truck fer her saddle bag, an' some other stuff.
"That's good," she said. "Yer gonna be a daddy t' night," she said, tossin'' me a big smile. "Are ye' ready?" I nodded, but I don' know if any body kin acshuly be ready to see a whole new baby come inta th' world. Nevertheless, I sight a sigh of relief knowin' Curly was here. I didn' have t' act like I was the cap'n of th' ship anymore. Curly could be th' cap'n, an' I'd try t' be her handy first mate. An' now we was about t' venture out on th' sea of life.

THE CLOCK TICKT ON AN' ON

We had us sev'rel chairs pullt up aroun' Nelly's bed. There was a coupla candles an' a oil lamp flickerin'. There was a 'lectric light in th' ceilin', but Nelly said it was too bright. Curly an' Missus Akkerson an' Nelly talkt sorta quiet back an' forth. I mos'ly sat there holdin' Nelly's hand. Her palm was sorta sweaty.
"Daw, git yer Nelly a nice col' cloth t' wipe 'er face with," Missus Akkerson said.

I was in th' kitchen wringin' a rag out at th' sink when I heard Nelly yell somethin' awful. When I hurriet back in, she was sorta huffin' an' puffin'. Curly lookt at her watch.
"Seven minutes," she said.
I wipt Nelly's red face down. She had her eyes closed.
"Don' leave me, Daw," she said almost like a whisper.
"I ain't goin' nowheres, Nelly," I said.

Th' nex' half hour or so was like bein' on a roller coaster. There'd be minutes of quiet, an' then what seemt an eternity of moans an' screams, an then quiet again. Nelly even cussed a few times. An' onct she grabbt at my arm so hard, her fingernails drew blood. Curly tol' me three times t' go wash my hands. I don' think my han's has ever been so clean. Missus Akkerson an'Curly helpt Nelly scoot down t' the bottom edge of th' bed. An' Nelly had her knees drawed up.

"Ok, here we go," Curly said, it's startin' t' crown." I lookt over her shoulder an' could har'ly believe it. The pink wet top of th' baby's head was slowly pushin' out from b'tween Nelly's legs. Curly stood up from th' chair between Nelly's legs an' said, "You best be sittin' down fer this, Daw." She pushed me down in th' chair. That was th' firs' secon' I realizt Curly was plannin' on me catchin' this baby when it come flyin' out. Curly laid a towel across my lap. "Jus' hol' yer han's down here, Daw," Curly said, pushin' my arms down. Nelly was makin' gruntin' soun's, an Curly was sayin' "Nice an' steady, Nelly. Jus' nice an' steady."

It seemt my eyes was stuck wide open. I ain't sure I was even breathin'.
"Nice 'an quiet-like, Dawson," gran'daddy said. "Jus let that ol' catfish come to you." Th' baby's head was gittin' bigger. I could see its liddle nose. "Put yer han's unner its head Daw," Curly said. "Jus' nice an' still like. That's it. Don't try to pull on it. Jus' let it slide on inta yer palms. Thata boy."
"I think that ol' catfish is about ready t' make its move, Daw," gran'daddy whispert. I nodded.

The baby's head got free an' suddenly turnt t' one side. "Perfect," Curly said. "Jus' cradle its head, Daw. Slide one hand unner its back. That's it. Here it comes. Th' baby's arms slippt out an' they jerkt inta th' air like tryin' t' catch somethin'. My han's was wet an' slipp'ry, an' there was steam comin' up from between Nelly's legs. "Jus nice an' steady, Daw," Curly said, bendin' down close t' me. "Here it comes, jus' cradle it right down on yer lap."
"Holt onta her, boy," gran'daddy hollered. It seemt like it jus' plopped right down on my lap all of a sudden. "It's a girl!," Curly announct. The baby lookt all slimy an' bloody, an' it was wavin' its arms an' kickin' its feet, an' cryin' like a wil'cat. I could hear Nelly cryin' too. Curly took t' wipin' on th' baby's eyes an' nose, an' mouth.
"What's wrong with 'er," I said.
"Ain't nothin' wrong with 'er, Daw. She's perfekt," Curly said.
"Why's she screamin' then?"
"Its when they don't cry you worry, Daw. Now, wrap yer towel aroun' her an' lift 'er up here t' her mama. Bring 'er right up here 'tween Nelly's legs."
"What about th' cord?" I said, lookin' at it danglin' out from th' towel.
"We'll git t' that in a minute. Jus' put 'er up there on Nelly's belly." Nelly's han's reacht out fer it.
"Its a girl," I said.
"I know, Daw," she sobbt. "Its Robin Bluebell."
I wen' up aside Nelly an' watcht her rub her fingers aroun' on Robin Bluebell's face. She was gigglin' an cryin' at th' same time. I put my face down close an' lookt at th' liddle baby. She was lookin' right back at me.
"Hello, Robin Bluebell," I said. I knew right there in that moment, smellin' Nelly's hot breath on my face, an' lookin' inta Robin Bluebell's eyes, that I was a goner fer sure. And to this very day, that remains true.

"Go ahead an' see if'n she'll take yer tit, Nelly," Missus Akkerson said. Jus' rub it agin her mouth, an' milk it a liddle. There ye' go." I stood hypmatized watchin' that liddle baby suckin' on Nelly. Her liddle fingers was even tryin' t' hold onta Nelly's tit.
"Come 'ere, Daw," Curly said. "Feel on th' cord. Do ye feel any pulse?" I felt it an' shook my head no, as I lookt at th' cord danglin' down 'tween Nelly's legs an' disappearin' inta where it all started. Curly rollt th' baby over a bit on Nelly's belly an' handed me a string. "Tie a good ol' fashiont' knot right there, Daw," she said, pointin' up close t' th' baby's belly. "Tie it good an' tight. Perfekt, Daw!" she said. She handed me another string. Now tie ye another one right about there. She pointed a few inches further down. "You get th' honors, Daw," she said, handin' me a straight-edged shavin' razor. I har'ly recall ezackly, but, I cut th' baby loose. Curly laid out a towel unner Nelly's bottom, an' a pan t' catch th' after birth. Missus Akkerson give me a big hug, "Congratulations! Yer a daddy!" I nodded, but I was a bit weak in th' knees, I don' mind tellin' ye. Then Curly hugged me. I hugged her back real hard, an' thankt her fer bein' here. "Why I har'ly had anything t' do," she said. "You brouht that liddle girl inta th' worl' all by yerself, didn' ye? Nex' time ye needn' be callin on me t' help. Yer a natchural!"
"Ye got 'er, Dawson!," gran'dady hollert. "Yer a born noodler! Lord, what a fish!"

End of Part II