Sing to Me

Chapter 30

"Did your mother call?"

"Yeah, she said the crib is set up and everything's ready."

Delilah had reached the 8-month mark in her pregnancy. May was in full swing, bringing sunshine and an occasional shower to New York. June was quickly galloping down the east coast and would be in the Big Apple in due time. And, with June came the new baby. It seemed as though the months had some sort of deal worked out. June was going to bring the baby, so May got to bring stress.

The last 2 to 3 months had been difficult, financially and mentally. Valentin had been fired from the steel mill, along with a handful of others. They were replaced by men who were actually born on American soil. Finding work as a Puerto Rican man in New York during a depression was comparable to finding a tear in the ocean. He began doing odd jobs around their apartment building for the landlord in return for paying little to no rent. He had began to sell some of their belongings to pawn shops for a few extra dimes. He went to the upper west side in Manhattan to try to sell some of their things to wealthier people in an attempt to make more money than the pawn shops would have given them. The one thing he wouldn't sell was the record player and their records. Besides him, music was the one thing that would bring peace to Delilah. Once a week, he managed to buy a ball of yarn for about 2 cents. He'd bring it home and just watch Delilah knit something for the baby while a record played.

Now, with the approaching birth of their baby, they realized they couldn't manage living this lifestyle with a baby in the picture. And, with Ramon coming back and forth between them and his mother, they knew something had to give.

Delilah swallowed her pride and spoke with her parents. Up 'til that point, they had been all buy begging Delilah to accept their financial help. They had even argued that moving in with them would be the best option for them and the baby. But, having Ramon would make the situation stickier than what it already was. They agreed financial support would suffice.

Valentin's mother demanded they move in with her. After the rabbit dealings, Valentin explained how his mother was a nurse back in Puerto Rico. She retired some years after they came to the states. She still served as a nurse and midwife for most of the Hispanic population in the Bronx. With Delilah being able to go into labor at any moment at this point, she decided it was best that she was close by. Valentin and Delilah agreed, so they're packing up their clothes, the crib, and a few belongings.

Everything they were taking was packed up in 3 suitcases and a pillow case and his mother was expecting them within the next 2 hours.

"Ready, mi amor?" Valentin grabbed all of their things in his arms and walked to the front door. He didn't want Delilah to carry anything and strain herself. He placed them right beside the door, so they can grab them and leave when they came back.

Delilah walked into the living room and looked at him before nodding and following him out the door.

They walked out of the door, hand in hand, and outside. Valentin tried to wave down a taxi for 7 minutes before one stopped in front of them. He opened the door for her and helped her in, before closing her door and rushing to the other side. He got in and closed his door.

"Where to?" The taxi driver asked, glancing in the back at them.