A Tourist in Mayberry

5/9) Hero: Sienna

All mothers are heroes, especially young mothers because having a baby is scary. To believe you can do it and make a home for a baby and a better life, well that is brave.

This place was shit. Did Damien believe she was going to make a place for a baby here? It was cold and damp in the winter. She froze her ass off. Colder than a witch's titty. And now it was a thousand degrees, hotter than an outhouse in July. And stinkier than a one hole shitter. She must quit cussing, even in her brain, she thought. She needed to set a good example for the baby on the way. No more cussing.

Sienna did have a little cradle ready. It was really a dresser drawer, but it was big and she made a little mattress out of two stuffed pillow cases. Not too fluffy, that could be dangerous. She had bottles and some baby blankets she admired at a yard sale. Sienna perused the yard sale bargains with no money in her purse, but the lady selling took one look at her belly and knew a mom in trouble. She gave her an arm load of items for nothing, including a there's-about-to-be-a-baby book. Some mothers are mothers to more than their own children. They take care of other people's kids too.

Sienna had an uneasy feeling. Something with her situation was not quite right. She was comfortable and well fed. She had magazines to read and her music and a TV to watch talk shows on. Her meals were full of vegetables. Damien made sure she ate healthy which was the oddest thing of all. He worried about what she was eating. She knew this was best for the baby, but damn once in awhile, you just wanted some greasy fries covered in ketchup and ranch dressing.

Sienna was worried. Damien was acting strangely. One minute he would act all concerned about her. He took her to the free clinic regularly and made sure she took her prenatal vitamins. Then, the next day he would get drunk and come so close to smacking her that she could feel the wind from his hand as it went by her face. He would punch a wall instead. He said he wanted to go home, but it was not safe now. Damien would not let Sienna call home. She missed her mom. She knew her mom would be worried. Sienna was afraid because Damien seemed afraid. Was the old man who cut his finger off going to find them and hurt Damien again or hurt the baby?

Damien talked to someone on the phone. It was not his mom. It was a man. She could hear a male voice. Oddly, this man wanted to know about her and the baby. She didn't think it was the old man because of the questions. Sienna could hear Damien answering questions about her when he thought she was sleeping. Was she eating healthy? What did the doctor say? Had the due date changed? While she was glad someone cared about her and the baby's well being, she was uneasy. Sienna could not imagine what man Damien was telling this info to. Neither of them had men in their lives who cared about them. Sienna asked Damien, and he told her it was someone trying to help them out. When she asked who, he looked like he was going to smack her, but he did not. This made her uneasy too.

Like all mothers, Sienna thought about her baby and the future, and she planned and prepared. She was going to make sure her baby was safe.

At the next yard sale visit, Sienna stole a folding serrated hunting knife. She kept it in her sock, just in case.

Author's Note: That What-to-Expect book was my Bible when I was pregnant with my first child. How about you other moms, did you have a copy?