Free The Fancy by Mercedes Keyes, Lawrence James

not hurt, but I’ah help
    to make it mo'easy.” Suga explained, taking over,
    never looking Quinton's way after entering the home.
    The wife was trying to relax – but she was afraid of
    the next wave of contractions, they were growing
    steadily stronger, giving her a sensation to push.
    “Gone – move! Make sure we got lots of clean, hot
    water to clean up wit' – gone!” Suga ordered, the shy
    woman that Quinton knew was left behind in the face
    of what had to be done.
    She sat next to Erwin's wife, whose eyes were
    intensely upon her, “It hurts so bad, I've never known
    such agony, what am I doin' wrong?” She begged.
    “You been pushin'?” Suga asked.
    “I feel like I have to, to get it out.”
    “Ain't too sho' it's ready to come out yet, gone
    have to look and see – you gone lemme look?”
    El en eagerly nodded, glad to have a woman
    with her.
    with her.
    Outside of the curtain, Quinton stood
    wondering should he step forward, and thought he
    would ask, cal ing out, “Suga?!”
    Of course being in the same room she heard,
    “Yes sa’?”
    Hearing her address him that way froze him,
    then it occurred to him, they were before others, he
    sighed in acceptance, “You gonna need me?”
    “I'mo need me a bowl o'fire, string, need that
    now.” She answered. Both men looked at each other
    and then at the fire place roaring and crackling.
    “Wel ?” Quinton posed the question to spur the
    husband, Erwin, on. He rubbed his face – a nervous,
    looking around the room. As an idea came to him,
    he quickly took a baking pan and grabbed a smal
    chip of burning wood – flames clinging and licking
    the air; immediately finding his wife's store of wicks
    he brought the items to Suga, “Here you go.”
    “Put’em down, now gone!” She ordered him
    away.
    Taking out her pipe, she stuffed it with a strong
    smel ing herb; lit it with the wick she’d used to pick
    up the flame, puffed on it to get it going, and handed
    it to El en.
    “Smoke that, inhale al it, til i's gone an' ain't no
    more.” El en looked at the pipe, then at Suga,
    steeling herself, she took it, she hadn't a clue why –
    but she was wil ing to do anything she was told not to
    hurt so much, however the herb caused her to cough,
    she looked up at Suga.
    "Don't matta', it'ah do that, keep smokin' it."
    Obediently, El en finished it, Suga emptied the pipe,
    cleaned it out and set it back in her bag of tricks.
    “How you feelin' now?” She asked El en.
    “Ever so strange – something coming over
    me.”
    “Good, let it, hopin’ it get in ya' fo'that pain
    come back. When it do, don't get scared, just let it.
    You gots’ta’ride it like you on a big'o'mean bul – an’
    let that baby do what it got t'do t'get here! My mama
    say, you got to let go, open yo'body, t'free that baby,
    hol erin' and screamin' lock it inside you, the baby
    die, you die – 'cause you fightin' somethin' you can't
    win. Don't fight – calm yo'self, let everythin' loose so
    it can happen – you hear me.” El en smiled, nodding
    her head, “I hear you, Suga? That your name?”
    “Yes ma’am, Suga my name.”
    “Nice to meet you, Suga – pretty name – for a
    pretty gal.”
    “Thank ya'. An' wha's yo'name?”
    “I am El en, El en Udora Murray.”
    “Tha's a pretty name too.”
    “You stay by my side Suga, don't you go
    nowhere.”
    “I'mo be – right here. When yo'body start doin'
    what it need fo'yo'baby – i's gone take yo'breath
    away, but you can't let it – you got's just – keep on
    breathin' and let it help that baby to come on out - but
    you can't stop it - you hear me? Just keep breathin'
    an’ ride that bul – don’ matta’ how it hurt.”
    “Okay Suga, I'l do what you tel me.”
    “I'm gonna have to look, see if I see it, no
    matter what, don't you go pushin' yet. Pushin' too
    soon make it harda' on you, on yo' baby - i's got to
    get where it need first.”
    “Okay Suga...” Suga checked and didn't see
    any sign of the baby's