Golden Poppies by Laila Ibrahim

Author:Laila Ibrahim [Laila Ibrahim]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-05-31T22:00:00+00:00

Momma wasn’t back by the time May needed to eat, so Sadie decided to manage on her own. First she unwrapped the little girl to give her a clean diaper. Sadie studied the scrawny body looking for changes, evidence that her daughter was growing. The fur that had run over May’s shoulders was gone, and cartilage had grown in her ears, keeping the tops up, but May’s narrow face still had no trace of fat.

The baby’s stomach jerked in with each breath, and her skin was a mottled red and pink. The doctor was surprised that her lungs were so strong. He’d attributed it to her being runted, as if he were talking about a piglet. In the next sentence he warned that they should listen for sounds of stress in her breathing, as this was the weakness that signaled doom for premature infants. He said it so matter-of-factly, as if he wasn’t stabbing another fear into Sadie’s heart.

May’s eyes blinked open. They were still a strange color, a muddy shade not seen in adult faces.

Sadie brought May and a thin blanket to the rocker where first Momma and then Diana had fed their children. She felt their love and strength when she sat in it.

She massaged her breast until a drop of milk glistened on the end. She held May up against her bare chest, cradling the baby’s head in her left hand and her back with the other. May did not open her mouth. Sadie needed to tickle her lips with her nipple, but when she let go of May’s head, it flopped away from Sadie’s body.

Sadie slid her left hand forward, cradling May’s head and body at the same time. She held her breast and tickled the tiny chin to get her to open her mouth. The girl’s jaw opened wide and she curled up her arms, blocking access to her mouth. May started sucking on her own fist.

Sadie sighed. She repositioned May, pulling her arms back. May mewled in protest.

Sadie let out a large exhale just as Momma walked into the bedroom. Despair must have shown on her face.

“Let me help,” Momma said gently.

Sadie nodded, relief surging through her. She simply could not get everything positioned correctly. Sadie held May’s head with one hand and her breast with the other. Close at her side, Momma gently pulled May’s arm under Sadie’s. Momma tickled the tiny baby’s cheek until May turned her head into Sadie and opened her small mouth wide. Sadie pulled May forward, placing her nipple as far back as possible. Holding her breath, Sadie prayed that this time she had hit the spot that would cause May to start sucking.

May’s jaw moved up and down, followed by the sharp twinge Sadie longed for. A shiver of relief ran through her body.

“Thank you, Momma,” Sadie said. “We have been at this for twenty minutes. I feared she would fall back to sleep without getting any food.”

Momma returned with a pillow for Sadie’s arm. Sadie shook her head at her own forgetfulness.

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