bed wearing a plain, square-cut night-gown that looked as though it were made of rough sheeting. She smiled at me.
"I'm having fine pains now," she said. The woman was holding her wrist and timing the pains with a watch.
"That was a big one," Catherine said. I saw it on her face.
"Where's the doctor?" I asked the woman.
"He's lying down sleeping. He will be here when he is needed."
"I must do something for Madame,
coach outlet store, now," the nurse said. "Would you please step out again?"
I went out into the hall. It was a bare hall with two windows and closed doors all down the corridor. It smelled of hospital. I sat on the chair and looked at the floor and prayed for Catherine.
"You can come in," the nurse said. I went in.
"Hello, darling," Catherine said.
"How is it?"
"They are coming quite often now." Her face drew up. Then she smiled.
"That was a real one. Do you want to put your hand on my back again, nurse?"
"If it helps you," the nurse said.
"You go away, darling," Catherine said. "Go out and get something to eat. I may do this for a long time the nurse says."
"The first labor is usually protracted," the nurse said.
"Please go out and get something to eat,
cheap coach," Catherine said. "I'm fine, really."
"I'll stay awhile," I said.
The pains came quite regularly, then slackened off. Catherine was very excited. When the pains were bad she called them good ones. When they started to fall off she was disappointed and ashamed.
"You go out, darling," she said. "I think you are just making me self-conscious." Her face tied up. "There. That was better. I so want to be a good wife and have this child without any foolishness. Please go and get some breakfast, darling, and then come back. I won't miss you. Nurse is splendid to me."
"You have plenty of time for breakfast," the nurse said.
"I'll go