A different sort of Christmas present

[pure_inheart]

Let's pretend it's Christmas, shall we? Christmas day, and, after a few hours of pain and screaming wherein she was absolutely convinced she was going to die, little Wendla Bergmann is now a mother

Comments

[thirdinhisclass]

Here's Melchi, then, who was totally here the whole time. Anyway, he's watching Wendla and wee Brigitta in something that's very close to awe, with a huge smile on his face.

[pure_inheart]

Wendla looks down at Brigitta and then over at Melchior.

"Melchi? Would you like to hold her?"

[thirdinhisclass]

"Oh--! I ..yes, I would." He steps close, a little nervously.

[pure_inheart]

Gingerly, she scoots over to make room for him, smiling a little.

"Come sit with us." And then, to Brigitta, "I'm going to hand you to your papa, alright?"

Papa. It's strange to think of Melchior as papa and herself as mama, but there it is.

[giveme_yourhand]

Moritz approaches shyly, nervously. He's not quite sure how to act around Wendla, still, and Wendla with a baby is even more intimidating. So he stands by the door and waits for permission to enter.

"Congratulations, Wendla. How are you feeling?"

[pure_inheart]

Wendla is, quite honestly, rather surprised to see Moritz, of all people, at the door. But she just doesn't have the energy to be awkward today.

"Sleepy, but I'm alright. Would you like to see her, Moritz? I think she ought to meet her uncle."

Well. As close to an uncle as she was going to get, in any case.

[giveme_yourhand]

"... uncle?" He blinks a few times, but moves closer to the bed. "I'm her uncle? I -- I'm honoured, thank you."

[pure_inheart]

Wendla shrugs. "You're his best friend." And that's all she's going to say about that.

She sits up a little and holds the baby up a bit. "Moritz, meet Brigitta."

[wherethefigslie]

Ernst pokes his head in the door, holding two carefully wrapped packages in his arms (one quite a bit bigger than the other).

"Wendla -- hello? Ohandthelittleone! Oh my she's so small. I heard the news -- I've gifts for you both. Belated Christmas presents, of a sort. But if you're too tired I can come back...?"

[pure_inheart]

"Oh, no, please come in!" Wendla sits up a little and smiles at him. "Presents! Oh, you didn't need to--"

But she's awfully touched that he did.

[wherethefigslie]

"But I wanted to!" He moves quietly to the edge of the bed and gives her a peck on the cheek. "The larger one is for you, the smaller one is for the baby. Oh -- should I open them for you, or do you want to wait..."

[pure_inheart]

"Open them, open them!" Because she is, first and foremost, still a fourteen year old girl, and presents are a very exciting thing.

[childofsunshine]

Ilse hovers in the doorway, wide-eyed but smiling, and can't seem to take her eyes off the small bundle in her friend's arms.

"Wendla?"

[pure_inheart]

Wendla glances up upon hearing her name and just about beams at her friend.

"Ilse! Ilse, come in!"

[glacianbitch]

Karla's head appears first, cautiously, her face very worried and extraordinarily sheepish. She hesitates for a moment, then takes another step and knocks cautiously on the doorframe, fiddling with her hands anxiously.

[pure_inheart]

Wendla blinks a little. "Karla? Karla, it's..." She's very touched Karla would come and pay her a visit, and she smiles at her. "Come in! Come and see what's happened!"

[glacianbitch]

Karla strolls in as casually as she can manage and goes over to Wendla, looking at the baby. Her eyes well a little. "She's beautiful," she says in a hushed voice.

[pure_inheart]

"I know. She's lovely. Her name's Brigitta." Wendla gives Karla a smile. "What are you doing here? I thought you didn't..."