Amid all the chaos of welcoming little Mase while trying to reassure Dub that everything is okay, ma gets up and decides to remove Dub from the situation altogether.
Prosperity: Come with Granny, Wade. Let’s get you something to eat.
I appreciate ma for being the only one thinking clearly enough to recognize that Dub might need food. But he isn’t the only one. After feeding Mason, Me-Me also leaves the room in search of sustenance.
Me-Me heads downstairs, leaving me alone with Mase for the first time. But unlike Dub as a newborn, Mase is calm and soon closes his little eyes and drifts off to sleep. I’m standing there staring at our second son when I realize I’m not feeling my best. I’m suddenly feeling dizzy and shaky on my feet. Maybe I can use something to eat as well.
Downstairs, Me-Me is feeling some bizarre symptoms of her own. Her head is hurting, and she’s weak – both of which she brushes off as side effects from delivering Mason.
Peri can see that something is wrong.
Prosperity: You need to get some rest. I’ll take care of the babies – go lay down and regain your strength.
Me-Me doesn’t argue or protest. Her head is pounding, so after she has eaten, she leaves the room to do what Peri suggests.
I ignore my symptoms, thinking that food will help it all go away. But, it doesn’t take ma long to see something wrong.
Prosperity: Kai, honey – you don’t look well.
I try to play it off.
Kai: I’m just feeling a bit dizzy, ma. I’ll be okay after I eat.
Ma is not convinced.
Prosperity: Have you looked at yourself in a mirror? You’re breaking out with something.
I sit down with my plate and feel my head. It’s warm, and I can see strange spots on my arms. I can’t afford to be sick – not right now. There’s work to do, and the babies need care. But at this rate, I won’t be able to tackle any of it.
Prosperity: Wait here. I think I have something that’ll help.
Ma returns with a brown bottle of liquid. Only the nastiest things come in brown bottles. I scrunch my nose up like a child.
Kai: Nah, ma. I don’t want that.
Prosperity: It doesn’t matter what you want. You can’t be around here getting your wife or these kids sick. Drink it up, and I promise you’ll feel better soon. I’ll be upstairs watching the babies if you need me.
After ma leaves, I consider pouring the stuff down the sink and pretending that I drank it, but I realize that ma is right. I cannot pass whatever I’m suffering from to Me-Me or the kids. So I take a deep breath, hold it – then swallow the nasty concoction in one big gulp.
Like a miracle, I immediately begin to feel better.
I feel like I’m on a medicated high. Maybe I can get something done today after all. So while Me-Me is upstairs resting and Ma sits with the babies, I go outside.
Evan, our gardener, is off today, so all of his tasks are on me. But thanks to ma and her help watching Mase and Dub, I can get started.
It’s the last day of Spring, and it’s beginning to feel like it. It’s warm out, so I rip off my tank top and stuff it into my back pocket before pulling out to heavy machinery to help get the weeding done.
Meanwhile, inside – Me-Me wakes up from her nap feeling much better. Although she realizes that rest is necessary after giving birth to a whole baby, she still feels terrible leaving the care of Mason and Dubbie to someone else. She’s sure Dubbie is wondering where his mommy is.
She enters the nursery and sees that Peri has everything under control. Dubbie is content and calm, and Mason rests quietly in his crib – while Peri knits.
Melisa: Thank you, Peri! What would we do without you?
Prosperity: No thanks necessary. It’s my pleasure.
Me-Me is in the middle of feeding Mason when Dubbie begins to get restless. So he walks over to his mommy.
Wade: I want a book, mommy. I want a book now!
Melisa: One second, Dubbie. I need to finish up with the baby first.
Now comes the tears.
Wade: *crying* No baby! I want a book.
Peri can see how this could quickly escalate, but there’s a thin line between helping and interfering. Although she wants to help, she decides that maybe she’d better let Me-Me handle this.
Without requiring a please or a thank you, Me-Me takes the path of least resistance and gives in to Dubbie’s tears. She sits down on Dubbie’s bed and pulls out a book. Peri can see that Me-Me has just reinforced an unwanted behavior in Wade, but she doesn’t believe it’s her place to point it out. For now, the tears have stopped, and Wade is content. So Peri leaves well enough alone.
(Generation 3 Chapter Summaries)
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