The Healer's Secret by Helen Pryke

Author:Helen Pryke [Pryke, Helen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pink Quill Books
Published: 2017-12-14T22:00:00+00:00

When Luisa found out she was pregnant once more, she lay on her bed and cried for hours. Little did she realise that this was to become the pattern of her life for the next three years. After Bruna came Teresa, and then Antonio. Ernesto was over the moon that he finally had a son.

“Every man needs a son to carry on the family name,” he said, proudly holding Antonio in his arms while Luisa quietly suffered the attentions of the midwife. She leaned her head back on the pillow, exhausted, as her husband took the baby to show everyone waiting outside. She could hear exclamations of joy as he was passed from person to person. Tears filled her eyes.

“I know, you’re tired, aren’t you?” the midwife said kindly. “It’s normal after giving birth, and you’ve delivered three in the last three years. And with all that’s going on with the war, too. You should get a bloody medal! Go ahead and cry, it’s fine by me.” She smiled at Luisa and passed her a handkerchief. “I always keep one on me, most new mums need it sooner or later.”

Luisa dabbed at her eyes, grateful. But how could she explain that feeling of emptiness she had inside her in only a few minutes to the midwife?

The door opened and Ernesto waltzed in, the baby in one arm, a glass of whisky in his free hand, and an unlit cigar between his lips. He plucked the cigar out of his mouth, sloshing whisky on the floor, and burst into song.

Bruna came running in behind him, and threw herself at his legs. “Papà, can I hold him, please? Papà, let me,” she squeaked, breathless from excitement.

Ernesto held the baby up high out of reach, and shook his head. “You’re too little, Bruna, you’ll drop him,” he barked, pushing her away with his leg.

She fell back onto her bottom, a shocked look on her face. “B-but I only want to see him,” she wailed.

Luisa beckoned her over. Bruna stood by the bed, a couple of large tears rolling down her cheeks.

“If you’re really good, you can hold him later on, after you’ve had a bath. What do you think?” She didn’t dare look at Ernesto. She could feel his fury from the other side of the room.

“OK, Mamma, I promise I’ll sit still and I won’t drop him.” She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. “I’ve never dropped Teresa, have I?”

“No, you haven’t,” Luisa said. “You’re a big girl, I know you’ll be careful.”

Bruna ran out of the room to the waiting relatives, laughing and skipping. The midwife glanced at Ernesto.

“Baby needs to eat now, if you’d like to hand him over to Mum,” she said quietly.

Ernesto hesitated, then passed the baby to Luisa. She put him to her breast, smiling as he hungrily latched on and started sucking. She lay her head back against the pillow, fighting the urge to fall asleep.

“I’ll just take away these things, then

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