The Nurse

Chapter 20: The Birth of a Child

Nine Months Later: July 1917

A hot, stale wind brushed against Eloise's face. Slowly, she eased down onto the top step of the orphanage. Her hands instinctively rested on her mounded stomach, feeling her child move within her. Nine months had crept by slowly as her days were spent at the orphanage. Day after day she would sit in silence staring at the horizon, waiting for some form of news. She had no knowledge of anything of the outside world. Her thoughts were always on Albert, wondering where he could be. As the child within moved again, she could feel Albert in the touch.

Her eyes roamed around the small square of land where she had surrendered her freedom. She watched the children, who had been affected dramatically by the war, forget the monstrosities created by the world leaders. Their laughter cheered her momentarily. The smiles written along their faces beamed as brightly as the sun as they chased each other. For a moment Eloise could see peace.

A group of nuns passed by her, offering her a kind smile. The language barrier between them was difficult. The amount of English and French words in her vocabulary were scarce, but on occasions she could communicate with the women. The sense of being foreign weighted her heart, wishing she could have a friend in her most dire time of need.

The puttering of a motorcar alerted the children and the women. Eloise gently rose and approached the children, gathering them into a neat line. A silence came over them as they watched a medical car nearing them. The blurred visual of two men was apparent, yet nothing else was known about the nearing strangers.

The familiar smell of burning fuel pricked Eloise's nose as the car halted beside her. Upon looking in, the familiar face of General Thomas Ramsay stared back. Her eyes became astonished at the sight of him. Nine months had passed slowly since the last she had saw him.

When the door swung open, Thomas appeared before her. The medical uniform that Eloise remembered vividly had vanished and the man that stood before her was unfamiliar. During his time away, his appearance had changed. A freshly pressed uniform hugged his slender body in a way Eloise had never saw before. The black leather boots at his feet had been recently polished and shone dapperly in the sunlight.

"General?" She asked in disbelief, shaking her head. "Is that really you?"

"Yes, Miss Eloise," He removed his hat and bowed respectfully toward her, "It is I."

"I almost did not recognize you in such a fancy uniform. Where have you been?"

A wide smile quickly appeared on Eloise's face. Never once did she think that seeing his face would create so much joy in her heart. She hurriedly approached him. "General," she spoke softly, "I am so glad to see you."

He smiled at her pleased reaction, "You look well. How do you feel?"

"I feel fine. I imagine that any day now I should have my child."

"We miss you on the field. It has taken us three nurses to do the job that you did." Thomas informed her, "We would like to see you return once you have your child."

She quickly frowned and glanced away at the remark. Her mind did not wish to recall the world of the field hospitals. It did not wish to think about death. She only wanted to think of life.

"Why the long face, Eloise? Was it something I said?"

"Is that why you came here?" She ignored his question, "To take me back to the butchery? I will not go, sir. If that is all you desire, General, please excuse yourself from my presence."

"I came to see how you were fairing." He motioned toward the other officer who was gathering crates from the car, "and bring some salvaged supplies to the orphanage. I figured that you may be in need."