Opensesame54321
Lost in Limbo
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Posts
- 4,754
Julie blew a wisp of hair hanging down in front of her eyes. She was hot and tired and had been working since before dawn. There were times when it felt as if she was the only one doing her job. Ever since Aemilia had gotten sick, she had been working to prepare special food for the woman. But that was not the problem. It was that Decima still seemed to be in the throes of her wedding night. Granted, she was also periodically checking in Aemilia and applying the special oil to her belly so to sooth the baby. But the girl had taken to staring off into space or taking a break, probably to “check” on Jovian.
Maybe if she talked to the Master, he could hire someone who was set aside to do all of these small tasks that had fallen on Julie’s shoulders. After all, the household was growing with Paula and her baby and the Master and Aemilia’s baby that would eventually be born. And presumably the Master would hire someone else to be the laundress since Helena could not keep up doing both jobs.
About then, Decima wandered into the culina with a stupid grin on her face. Not meaning to, she snapped at the young woman.
“Do you think that you could spend some time helping me prepare the noon meal? I am running out of energy.” She realized as she spoke those words that she sounded harsh and shrewish. She didn’t mean to, and Decima colored and mumbled an apology before picking up a knife and beginning to quickly chop up the various fruits.
“I’m sorry Decima. I realize that you are young and in love, but I am completely exhausted.”
“I am so sorry, Julie. It is my fault. What else can I do to help?”
And with that the two of them got busy. They spent the better part of the next two hours preparing the food.
————-
She heard a bird tweeting outside the window. The air felt clean and she had stopped coughing. Poor Quinn, bless his heart, had stayed by her side for the night, giving her water. Things had eventually calmed down and sleep had finally caught up with her. Yes, she was a bit tired but with her cough gone and her stomach calmed down, she was feeling somewhat better.
Looking around the room, she could see where her husband had tried to sleep. She hoped that things would settle down and perhaps be able to get back to normal. Or what would pass for normal.
Carefully she got up and dressed herself. Just a simple toga, she could see that in the past couple of days the baby had grown a bit bigger. It was slight, but definitely bigger. She let her hand gently stroke her belly where the baby was resting.
Before she could leave the room, Decima stuck her head in.
“What are you doing out of bed? You just get back into bed.”
Aemilia smiled at her and gave a laugh. “I feel much better. Do you know where my husband has gone?” It felt so wonderful to be able to say that.
“I am not certain but…. Are you certain that you feel fine?” Her friend looked at her, a bit worried.
Aemilia nodded and smiled. A frown crossed Decima’s face. “Then I need to get back to work.” Aemilia could tell that something was wrong.
Taking a deep breath, Decima proceeded to make her aware of just how overworked and under staffed they all were. She could see that she might want to talk to Quinn about this. She assured her friend that she would do so before following her into the culina.
Julie also proceeded to lightly scold her about being out of bed but she did comment that Aemilia’s cheeks were rosy and her complexion was clear. “Motherhood seems to agree with you.” Aemilia gave a laugh and thanked her.
For the next period of time she wandered around the villa looking for Quinn. He wasn’t anywhere but a glance in the bathhouse looked inviting and she thought that maybe they could bathe together. She would love to do that.
Meanwhile, everyone that she met smiled and remarked about how happy they were to see her up and getting about. She peeked in on Paula and found the woman feeding her baby. The new mother looked up at her. “Soon you too will be feeding your baby. Do you think that your baby will be a boy or a girl?”
“I have no idea. But whichever it is, I just want it happy and healthy.”
Eventually she wound up in the garden, enjoying the flowers and the birds flying around.
Maybe if she talked to the Master, he could hire someone who was set aside to do all of these small tasks that had fallen on Julie’s shoulders. After all, the household was growing with Paula and her baby and the Master and Aemilia’s baby that would eventually be born. And presumably the Master would hire someone else to be the laundress since Helena could not keep up doing both jobs.
About then, Decima wandered into the culina with a stupid grin on her face. Not meaning to, she snapped at the young woman.
“Do you think that you could spend some time helping me prepare the noon meal? I am running out of energy.” She realized as she spoke those words that she sounded harsh and shrewish. She didn’t mean to, and Decima colored and mumbled an apology before picking up a knife and beginning to quickly chop up the various fruits.
“I’m sorry Decima. I realize that you are young and in love, but I am completely exhausted.”
“I am so sorry, Julie. It is my fault. What else can I do to help?”
And with that the two of them got busy. They spent the better part of the next two hours preparing the food.
————-
She heard a bird tweeting outside the window. The air felt clean and she had stopped coughing. Poor Quinn, bless his heart, had stayed by her side for the night, giving her water. Things had eventually calmed down and sleep had finally caught up with her. Yes, she was a bit tired but with her cough gone and her stomach calmed down, she was feeling somewhat better.
Looking around the room, she could see where her husband had tried to sleep. She hoped that things would settle down and perhaps be able to get back to normal. Or what would pass for normal.
Carefully she got up and dressed herself. Just a simple toga, she could see that in the past couple of days the baby had grown a bit bigger. It was slight, but definitely bigger. She let her hand gently stroke her belly where the baby was resting.
Before she could leave the room, Decima stuck her head in.
“What are you doing out of bed? You just get back into bed.”
Aemilia smiled at her and gave a laugh. “I feel much better. Do you know where my husband has gone?” It felt so wonderful to be able to say that.
“I am not certain but…. Are you certain that you feel fine?” Her friend looked at her, a bit worried.
Aemilia nodded and smiled. A frown crossed Decima’s face. “Then I need to get back to work.” Aemilia could tell that something was wrong.
Taking a deep breath, Decima proceeded to make her aware of just how overworked and under staffed they all were. She could see that she might want to talk to Quinn about this. She assured her friend that she would do so before following her into the culina.
Julie also proceeded to lightly scold her about being out of bed but she did comment that Aemilia’s cheeks were rosy and her complexion was clear. “Motherhood seems to agree with you.” Aemilia gave a laugh and thanked her.
For the next period of time she wandered around the villa looking for Quinn. He wasn’t anywhere but a glance in the bathhouse looked inviting and she thought that maybe they could bathe together. She would love to do that.
Meanwhile, everyone that she met smiled and remarked about how happy they were to see her up and getting about. She peeked in on Paula and found the woman feeding her baby. The new mother looked up at her. “Soon you too will be feeding your baby. Do you think that your baby will be a boy or a girl?”
“I have no idea. But whichever it is, I just want it happy and healthy.”
Eventually she wound up in the garden, enjoying the flowers and the birds flying around.
