Birth
December 10th 1861
A baby girl is pushed into the world. Squalling and covered in her mothers blood. The Alexander women never birth easy. The midwife frowns. Its cold and nearly christmas and this babe is like to have killed its mother. "Quickly now Essie, go get Mr. Gilpin. I've never seen this much blood before, she won't last long." For one moment. Like a trophy, a reward for the endevors of labor the babe is placed in the mother's arms. Clean soft downy head she is finally at peace and nestles happily hearing the heart beat that was her comfort in the womb, and far to young to understand why its getting weaker and what that means. And for the first time she hears her name. "Evalyn, Oh my darling wife." And this strong man is crying. Andrew Gilpin can tame the nastiest horse and cower the most ardent of street theives from his perch on the coach. But his heart was won long ago by the beautiful Evalyn Alexander. And while his wife has given him a daughter. She has paid much to bear him this child. Evalyn smiles at her babe and smiles at her husband and the next breath out is not accompanied by its mate.
Andrew weeps and the midwife voice soft takes up the babe. "Name her, and hold her and love her. She is all that is left of your wife."
Stunned all Andrew can say is "Evalyn," and he clings to the now squalling child as if she were his life.
A baby girl is pushed into the world. Squalling and covered in her mothers blood. The Alexander women never birth easy. The midwife frowns. Its cold and nearly christmas and this babe is like to have killed its mother. "Quickly now Essie, go get Mr. Gilpin. I've never seen this much blood before, she won't last long." For one moment. Like a trophy, a reward for the endevors of labor the babe is placed in the mother's arms. Clean soft downy head she is finally at peace and nestles happily hearing the heart beat that was her comfort in the womb, and far to young to understand why its getting weaker and what that means. And for the first time she hears her name. "Evalyn, Oh my darling wife." And this strong man is crying. Andrew Gilpin can tame the nastiest horse and cower the most ardent of street theives from his perch on the coach. But his heart was won long ago by the beautiful Evalyn Alexander. And while his wife has given him a daughter. She has paid much to bear him this child. Evalyn smiles at her babe and smiles at her husband and the next breath out is not accompanied by its mate.
Andrew weeps and the midwife voice soft takes up the babe. "Name her, and hold her and love her. She is all that is left of your wife."
Stunned all Andrew can say is "Evalyn," and he clings to the now squalling child as if she were his life.