Gossamer by Rebecca Hagan Lee

Author:Rebecca Hagan Lee
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 1999-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

Nineteen

IT WAS TIME for a change. Elizabeth took a clean diaper from the stack on the bureau and positioned it in the center of the thin cotton pillow atop it. She opened the lid on the tin of talcum powder in preparation and placed it, along with a damp facecloth, within easy reach, then approached the newborn lying in her crib with equal measures of determination and trepidation.

“Need any help, miss?” Delia called from the playroom where she was wiping down the small round table and setting out the bowls and spoons in preparation for the luncheon of chicken and rice Mrs. G. was sending up to the nursery for the Treasures.

Help? She didn’t need help. She needed rescuing. But she wasn’t about to let Delia know that. Instead of handing over the diaper, the facecloth, and the talcum powder as any normal obviously-out-of-her-depths woman would do, Elizabeth called back, “No, thank you, Delia. You finish the lunch preparations. I’ll take care of Diamond.” She leaned over the crib and lifted Diamond out of her little bed, carefully supporting the baby’s head as she had watched James do, and carried her over to the bureau. “We can do this, can’t we Diamond?” Elizabeth flattened her lips into a thin, determined line and prepared for battle. “We can do this.”

To Elizabeth’s immense surprise and satisfaction, Diamond seemed to agree. She demonstrated her cooperation by quietly submitting to the procedure, enduring Elizabeth’s awkwardness and inexperience with grace and patience.

When Diamond’s fresh undergarment was pinned firmly into place, Elizabeth, feeling the first flush of renewed confidence, gently eased the baby’s arms out of the sleeves of her nightgown, then pulled the damp garment over Diamond’s head and replaced it with another white cotton gown. She lifted Diamond from the cotton padding and held her cradled securely in the crook of her left arm, while she deftly gathered the dirty garments and facecloth and deposited them into the laundry pail. Wanting to share her victory with someone, Elizabeth hummed beneath her breath and rocked Diamond to and fro in her arm as she reentered the playroom.

“That was fast, miss,” Delia commented when she looked up and saw Elizabeth standing near the doorway with Diamond in her arms.

“Yes, it was.” Elizabeth’s voice fairly crackled with triumph. “I changed her diaper and she slept right through it.”

“You’re lucky, miss,” Delia said. “Some babies ain’t so accommodating. My mam always says she ain’t going to risk bothering a peaceful baby just to change a nappy.” She circled the table, setting a small wooden bowl and spoon in front of three chairs. “Besides it’s a waste to change ’em every few minutes when they’re just going to need another changing soon as they suckle or wake up from a nap. Lots of times my mam doesn’t even bother with a nappy on the little ones.”

“They go without clothing?” Elizabeth was shocked. “Inside the house?”

“Of course, inside the house,” Delia told her. “The little ones are too small to be outside yet.

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