Leave a Husband; Come Back a Dad

Chapter Seven

It was four months later the exact due date and nobody had been able to get hold of Helushka and I’d refused to officially announce that I was pregnant. As everybody had figured it out though they’d also figured out why I’d kept it a secret and had started to help on getting the school to stop the block on my communication with Helushka. It turned out he’d been trying to convince them to let him come home with a vampire since he’d gotten there so they’d blocked all his communication with us he wasn’t allowed anything. No visits or letters or anything like that he’d never gotten anything I’d sent him trying to get him to come home and visit so I could tell him our news.

“Shimasani!!” I yelled from the tent and then I just went to a calm breathing but it had felt kind of nice to yell. I had so much pent up lately that I just wanted to explode.

“Baby time?” she asked. I just looked at her refusing even now to admit that I was pregnant. “Baby time.” She sighed realizing it. I knew she wanted to ask me my logic about after the baby was born but we both knew it needed to come out.

The delivery went smoothly and then she placed my sweet little baby boy in my arms. “Just what I wished for.” I whispered.

“Every mother wants a firstborn son to look after any daughters she might have.” Shimasani smiled sitting next to me. “What will you name him?”

“Can I wait a couple days to see if maybe…?”

“Helushka is not going to come home in time to name his firstborn son.” Chief Heammawihio said coming in. “It’s time you stop trying to follow all of tradition. You need to treat this pregnancy like you would if your husband had left the tribe of his free will. He might not know you are pregnant but either way you are and you just delivered a son that deserves a name.”

“I can’t take that away from Helushka…” I shook my head, “Will you choose a name for your grandson, Chief?” I whispered figuring if maybe Helushka’s father had chosen the name it would be like the boy’s father had chosen it.

“If you are refusing to name the boy then I cannot make you but I will not name my grandson for you.” He shook his head and left.

“Are you at least going to let the tribe see him?” Shimasani asked.

“I’m not allowed until he is named. Tell her we’ll see the tribe with Noshi, Ciqala.” I whispered to my son.

“Ciqala that’s a name.” Shimasani told me.

“That’s a nickname. A step-in name for until his father can come and take his rightful spot to tell the tribe that I was pregnant and name our child.” I shook my head.

“I’ll bring you some food.” She sighed and left. When she came back in I was feeding Ciqala with tears falling down my cheeks but she didn’t bother to ask it didn’t take anybody asking to know why I would be upset today.

“I’m sure your nosh will be home soon, Ciqala.” I whispered three days later as I fed him. “Then you won’t be such a Shima’s boy.” I smiled at him.

“Shima’s boy?” a voice said at the door.

“Helushka!!” I yelled but then I felt the baby’s tension at my sudden yell. “It’s okay baby boy. It’s nosh.” I smiled at him and felt him pull away to get a look. “Helushka?” I whispered holding my hand out, “I want you to meet your first born son.”

“Son?”

“I tried…” I felt tears falling, “I wrote… and called… and tried to visit… and waited… and…”

“We have a son?”

“I wanted to tell you.” I nodded, “He was born Saturday.”

“What’s his name?”

“I was waiting for his father.” I smiled handing Helushka his son and wrapping my arms around him.

“You were waiting for me even though you had no idea when I’d show up?” he asked.

“You deserved to name your first born son. I did nickname him though so that I didn’t just have to call him it.” I smiled.

“What’s his nickname?” he smiled at me somehow managing to look at me and Ciqala at the same time.

“Ciqala.” I whispered.

“A nickname that only his Shima could call him for his whole life.”

“I know that’s why I like it.”

“Come sit with me.” He smiled pulling me onto the mat where we slept.

“I missed you.” I whispered putting my head on his shoulder.

“I missed you too.” He promised.

“Wait! Where’s your vampire?” I asked.

“I finished my change yesterday.” He whispered rearranging the sleeping Ciqala in his arms so he could hold me tighter. He finally kissed me though and I sighed when he pulled away after just a short kiss.

“I really missed you.” I promised and he smiled at me.

“I was thinking about maybe Hania?” he asked.

“It’s beautiful.” I whispered smiling as I thought about what Nicolette would say when I told her it translated to ‘Spirit Warrior’.

“Would you like to go show off our son?” he whispered, “I’m guessing by the frantic Posala that followed me to the tent that you’ve been in here since you had him?”

“She’s refused to even admit she was with child.” Chief Heammawihio said coming in, “Welcome home son.”

“You didn’t admit to anybody that you were with child?” Helushka asked me.

“I told Posala.” I whispered, “It wasn’t my place. I’m married and I knew my husband was coming back.”

“So we’re announcing you’re with child and our baby at the same time?” Helushka asked confused at how this was going to work.

“I don’t think it’s necessary.” Chief Heammawihio assured him, “Everybody knew she was with child so we performed the protection ceremony without her on a day she was feeling sick.”

“I should’ve been here.” Helushka shook his head.

“You’re here now that’s all that matters.” I whispered tiredly. Now that he was here all the energy it’d been taking the last few days for me to stay and take care of Ciqala by myself was starting to wear me down to nothing. I felt Helushka’s arm tighten around me and knew he had noticed that I wasn’t feeling well.

“We’ll announce Hania and then go and let both of you rest some.” He promised in my ear.

“I’m fine.” I shook my head.

“You’re dead on your feet… you need a nap.” He shook his head and I didn’t have the energy to argue anymore so I just put my head on his arm relaxing.

“Chief Helushka and wife Aponi…” Chief Heammawihio said but then it clicked with me and I looked up at Helushka. “With my sons firstborn son and with his return home to his wife he will now take over as chief.” He smiled as we moved to stand where Heammawihio and Abedabun had been standing a second before.

“Thank you Nosh.” Helushka nodded, “I would give a speech like most of you are expecting but my son and wife need rest.” He shook his head but there were agreements around the tribe and even some compliments that he was still family first like the tribe declared to be. “It’s my pleasure to introduce to you though my firstborn son Hania.” He finished and then gestured over to Shimasani to come over and tell the vision of our son. She shook her head though and gestured for me to give Helushka back Hania and follow her. We had Medicine Woman business to do that was way more important than a baby ceremony, even my baby ceremony.

“What’s wrong, Shimasani?” I whispered.

“I haven’t seen one vision of your child since you conceived him. It’s almost like he was born a vampire or…”