Chapter 3

The motel had a much different look now, than when Robert left on his solo journey. More vehicles were in the parking lot. Dan and Bill had been busy adding things to make life more comfortable. There was several more fuel trailers parked around the sides. The pool had been cleaned and there was evidence of use. towels and swim ware were laying on the patio recliners. They had been living just fine without him.

Bringing the carriage to a stop by the main office, Robert tied the horses to a sign post, then helped Yawny down out of the carriage. She moved carefully with one hand on her belly to stabilized herself. With Robert helping, they were almost to the main office, when Helen came out of the lounge. She’d seen the two through the window, and knew the girl was going to be birthing soon. She had questions, but they could be answered later. For now the girl needed to be inside.

The arrival of Robert and Yawny brought home some excitement and hope. They’d feared there would never be another face added to their group. Now, not only was another one joining them, but she would soon give birth to another. Gloria was ecstatic that Yawny was going to have a baby. She made the comment several times that she herself, had thought about pulling the birth control device out of her arm. Now she wished she had. Gloria assured Yawny that she was going to see to it, that her baby had a playmate in the not too distant future.

Taking Roberts hand, Dan said he was glad to have him back. He and Bill had been boring each other to death with the same old stories. Now they would have some new ones for a while. He wanted to celebrate Roberts return with a drink, but Helen put the kibosh to that plan. She ordered him to bring the ambulance around, it was one of the new vehicles added to the parking lot. It would be a comfortable ride for transporting Yawny to the clinic. They would be staying at the clinic for a while. At least until the baby came.

Dan had brought an Ambulance from the fire station in town, just so they could have transportation if one of them got hurt. He was delighted that it was being put to better use. Most rode into town in the Ambulance, ready to put the equipment to use, should Yawny need it. Stella drove the car so as not to crowd the Ambulance. Bill stayed back and took care of the horses. He was uncomfortable around women in pain, and he was sure there was going to be a lot of wailing during the birth.

After the baby came, they would decide then whether to stay or move back to the hotel. Robert pointed out; they couldn’t very well raise crops in a town. A garden maybe, but they needed to start farming in a big way. It would take constant care to protect it from animals. They might have to move to a completely different place.

They still had all the seed packets they’d collected, but never did anything with. It was time to start growing their own food, especially if they were going to stay in one place. The available supplies that the town had, would give out before long. They needed fresh produce, for a healthy diet. A new baby would be needing more than just a mother’s tits. It was up to them to start doing something with the land.

Yawny had her baby a few days later. Helen made sure Stella and Gloria were there to learn all they could about being midwives. Robert had started it, and now they all would be trying to make babies. They had to master many things, to restart civilization. They didn’t have a special staff to handle health care problems. It was all up to them now.

Stella hung back. Staying away from Robert, but pitched in to help and take care of Yawny. The women treated Yawny like the little girl she was. Being protective like mother hens, and keeping Robert at a distance while she healed up from her labors. No one had asked who the father was, it was obvious. They decided not to discuss it. When Yawny recovered and was taking care of the baby, they would approach Robert with a request to abstain from further sex with Yawny. The birth had been more than difficult for the girl. Helen feared Yawny might not be able to carry another child. The girl couldn’t become a birthing machine.

Helen tried to get Dan and Bill to have a talk with Robert, and see if they couldn’t get him back with Stella. She’d talked with Stella, with the understanding, she would make herself available to Robert. Learning that Stella had done just that before Robert left, Helen went to Dan and Bill hoping they could reason with him. With Stella willing to have sex with Robert, it could mean a better beginning for all of them.

What Dan and Bill understood from talking with Helen, was that Yawny’s delivery had damaged her so that she might not be able to have more children. Helen had to spell it out for them, that the girl might not live through another Child birth. The two men decided only one of them would bring the subject up with Robert. Dan being the oldest, figured to be the best one to have the talk with him. Bill was relieved as he could see where if he was in Roberts shoes, he would have done the same with the girl.

While going over plans to plow up a fenced field, to plant a huge garden. Dan said It would be best if there were no more children until they had a nourishing food supply. It struck Robert funny, and he explained to Dan that the baby wouldn’t be eating anything besides mothers’ milk for a long time.

When Dan finally got to the point and revealed how the women were repulsed with Roberts behavior, the man didn’t react like Dan figured. He expected Robert to get mad, but Robert just said he’d leave. They could take care of Yawny and the child. Dan reared up, saying him he had fathered a baby, and now was obligated to raise the child, and take care of the mother.

In Roberts eyes, they wanted him and Yawny, to raise the child like husband and wife. Only he wasn’t to have sex with the girl. Laughing, he told Dan, they had to come up with a better idea than that. He wasn’t going to let Helen or the other women set rules for him. When Yawny was well enough to travel, they would take the baby and leave. That was when Dan informed him, if Yawny wanted to stay with the women, then Robert would be leaving alone like he’d said earlier. The talk hadn’t cleared anything up, just muddled the waters.