Mail Order Barbara by Elissa Strati

Author:Elissa Strati [Strati, Elissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Elissa Strati
Published: 2020-06-05T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20 – Measles

Emily was the one who found the wrapped bundle set at the top of the stairs, during Gracie’s wedding. It was a newborn and had a severe rash, which Emily discovered when she bathed the child.

She recognized it as measles from when her sister had had them. No one knew why Emily hadn't broken out as well, but Barbara had caught them from the little boys next door. By the time the outbreak in her apartment building had ended, she had been the only one not to fall prey to the disease. Even one or two adults who had not had them as a child broke out in spots.

Mr. Anderson had had rather a hard time with breathing for a while but he eventually recovered as did everyone else she knew. She finished bathing the infant and swaddled it before calling over softly to Sister Anne, who had volunteered to stay behind so Sister Teresa Rose could attend.

“Don't come near me!” she said, causing Sister to stop in her tracks. “This child has measles and we don't want to infect anyone else if we can avoid it.”

Sister nodded decisively.

“You are absolutely correct. Why don't you stay where you are until I've had a chance to prepare a room for you and the child. Have you had measles?”

Emily shook her head. “Almost everyone in my building caught them, but I seem to have been immune.”

“Well just because you didn't catch them the first time doesn't mean you might not get them now. Although I have not heard of people getting them twice. I recall having measles as a child, but I don't want to come in contact with you and then expose others to the risk. So we're going to treat this with a bit of isolation. Will you be all right with that?”

Emily smiled her gentle smile. She had rather suspected that would be the case.

Sister Anne quickly arranged for a small cubicle to be cleaned and prepared for Emily and the baby.

Sister Teresa Rose, who had left the reception early to let Sister Anne enjoy some of the supper, arrived to relieve her, but was warned to stay back.

As Sister Anne explained, Sister Teresa Rosa watched as Emily tried to get the infant to accept a bottle, placing a few drops of liquid on its lips and rubbing.

“You have the honor of naming the child, Emily,” commented Sister Anne.

“I rather think Rufus would be appropriate,” she said slyly.

“Rufus?”

“Why yes, for his red coloring.”

Startled, Sister Teresa Rose laughed aloud, joined swiftly by chuckles from the other two women.

Here was an Emily she had never met, one with a sense of humor. Was she finally going to be restored to herself fully? Oh how wonderful.

The measles progressed rapidly. Emily had finally gotten Rufus to suckle and he was given plenty of fluids and bathed in calamine to reduce his discomfort, but he had been dehydrated and half-starved when he arrived and was too weak to survive the ailment. He did not live more than a day despite Emily’s careful nursing.

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