Baby

her.
    “I still love you, Netty. And I love Baby. I just don’t know if I can handle this. I need time to think. I’m exhausted. I’ll sleep in the barn tonight.” Grabbing his winter overcoat off a hook and an extra blanket kept at the foot of the bed, he walked out.
    ###
    Netty knew crying herself to sleep would be fruitless. In the early hours of the morning she felt Baby, who had crept to her bed in the night, open the cabin door and slip out.
    She woke late in the morning, the chill of the cabin a telltale sign the fire faded sometime in the night, just like the high hopes for her and Wil. She felt empty, swollen and numb, as she went to her bedroom to change into her work skirt and apron. Baby was still missing. Probably went with Wil to turn out the Jerseys. She wondered where they were now. Had they gone to collect fieldstone as originally planned? Might Wil be planning to leave? She didn’t think she could survive that. He was her love, her companion, her best friend. Could she go on living without him? Would she want to?
    She nervously considered what she could do. She really wanted to climb back to bed but the farm could not wait. Going out to the barn, she saw the wagon was missing. It appeared they turned out the Jerseys, then continued on with their chores. Lunch time came and left. Why were they not back? Maybe Wil still wanted to be alone to think. Netty realized he must be starved. The night before, he hardly touched his dinner. She decided she should bring him some lunch and some cold well water even though she hesitated to face him.
    Walking slowly down the road to the field, she speculated on whether or not Wil could accept her after her revelation. Before Wil, her changes turned her life into a nightmare, but she learned to live with it. Physically, it was not such a big deal. If the situation happened in reverse , she could accept it. Couldn’t she?
    Netty looked up at the vibrant sun, noticing the unusual warmth for a late spring day. As she approached the field, she spotted the wagon with Maggie grazing nearby, Wil and Baby, nowhere in sight. She walked along the rock pile spotting them both, further down the line. Wil rested on the ground. It looked like he had fallen asleep. Baby appeared asleep, curled up next to him. The closer she got, she noticed Baby seemed to be stroking Wil’s hand. What? Breaking into a run, she screamed his name.
    Dropping to her knees she held his face. Wil writhed in extreme pain, his breath labored with consciousness fading in and out. Looking up at the piles of fieldstone, she easily identified the deadly problem. Quickly grabbing his arm, she dragged him away from the rock pile. Looking back, Netty spied a huge timber rattlesnake. Clambering over the rocks she spotted numerous juvenile snakes. It looked like Wil inadvertently discovered a nest of newborns. Their bites could be just as bad as the adults. They had not yet learned to conserve their venom for prey instead of a big dumb human just looking for rocks.
    “Baby, Wil is hurt. Why didn’t you call me?”
    The pressure and rainbows whispered calmly, “Brother is dying.”
    “Dying? What do you mean, Baby? Wil can’t die, we need him.” Netty screamed, raising her head to the sky, “Lord, my Father, please help us.” Looking down she pleaded, “Make him better, Baby.”
    “It would be wrong. It is forbidden.”
    “Baby, you fixed me. Just do it again for Wil. Don’t you love him?” Netty ran over to Baby in time to see him rise as a snake struck out and bit him. He slapped out at the snake, getting bitten again.
    “Baby … g et away from there .” Netty ran toward Baby then turned back as she heard moaning from Wil.
    “Oh my God, someone, please help me,” she screamed helplessly. Baby wobbled over to her, his arms outstretched, fingers working spastically. She snatched him up, looking for signs of the snake bites. Inexplicably, she found no signs of the bites. She held him close, trying to calm him. Setting him down again, she turned to Wil, wringing her hands. He could hardly breathe, ugly purple swellings appearing all over his body. The venom rapidly attacked his tissue. He would probably die. Without thinking, Netty lifted her skirt, sat down and cradled his head. From somewhere far away came the feeling of pressure with the smell of sulfur. Netty looked up and saw her own tail in the air with a mature membrane receding back inside. She felt light, fulfilled, complete.