1960s: Burglars, death and a birth
The very next day the worlds stands still as the news spread that John F Kennedy has been shot in Dallas. Around the country people are watching in horror as the footage is shown over and over again. In the Pinnacles, the three women sit stunned while staring at the TV, and in Strangerville and Oasis Springs, the same is true. Regardless of whether they voted for him or not, everyone is horrified at the news. For all of them, the world feels a bit less safe than it did yesterday.
She returns later, exhausted, but with a little bundle of joy with her. So, what is it? Alice and Cora asks, nearly at the same time. "A girl," Barbara tells them. "Meet Abigail."
"You're naming her after mum?" Alice says, visibly touched.
"From what you’ve told me about her, it seems like a name with some backbone. With no daddy around, I think this one could probably use a bit of of that grit. But I'll call her Abby. Abigail is a bit of a mouthful, don't you think?"
And while she might have been persuaded to have Abby in the hospital, nothing will persuade her not to breastfeed. If it's there naturally, it has to be the right thing, right?
For Thomas and Betty their feeling of safety is not approved when a burglar hit their home just a few nights after. Winston, asleep in the living room wakes up, and then wakes them up, but old as he is does nothing to chase the burglar away but instead runs in and hides with Betty. Thomas, however, confronts the thief while Betty, frightened, calls the police. As the burglar takes off, Thomas hugs Betty close. "He was in our bedroom!" she says, visibly shaken. Thomas, on his end, wants to know why someone would bother stealing their bathtub when the TV and stereo was just in the other room.
The next day Thomas stays home from work, and takes the time to install a brand new burglar alarm. It's not entirely easy, especially as it needs to be hooked up to the phoneline, but eventually he's finished, and Betty feels safer.
"I don't know it I'd feel at all safe here when you are at work otherwise."
"I know," Thomas says, before patting Winston on the head. "You could be a bit better at being a guard dog, you know."
But whether he could have been more aggressive or not, Winston is the love of everyone in the family, which is why it hits them so much harder when he, the night before Thanksgiving, passes away. It's a normal day otherwise, Winston has not taken ill or been complaining more than usual. Maybe he's been a bit more tired lately, but he's old, so no one worries too much.
That night, Thomas is helping Steve with his homework, while the older kids are working on a school project together. It's Thomas who first notices Winston on the floor, and calls out to him, only for him not to respond. As the situation dawns on them, the family gathers around his lifeless body as the acute pain of the loss slowly seeps into all of them.
In Del Sol Valley, Alice and Cora are planning for Thanksgiving together. Normally, this would be in Oasis Springs, but with Barbara pregnant it's easy to persuade the family - or at least most of it - to come to them instead. Barbara has made a necklace for Alice, as a thank you for letting her stay and gives it to her before the guests arrive. Cora, as usual, prepares the dinner, and soon everyone files in. It's a good dinner, but the festive spirit doesn't really take hold. Barbs has been feeling off all day, she's tired and her back aches. Thomas, Betty and their children are stricken with the loss of Winston and not at all in the mood for being thankful. So even if the food is good and the company nice, it's a short celebration as everyone seems eager to go home.
For Barbara, this is good news, for not long after she feels a sharper pain in her lower pack, and then she's doubling over with pain. The baby is on its way.
Barbara has been debating between hospital birth and a more natural birth at home, but Alice will hear none of it. "You might have been born at home, because your mother could not afford otherwise, but there are good hospitals that will make sure you and the baby is safe," she tells her, and so Barbara takes off in the waiting taxi to the hospital Alice has arranged for her.
The next day Thomas stays home from work, and takes the time to install a brand new burglar alarm. It's not entirely easy, especially as it needs to be hooked up to the phoneline, but eventually he's finished, and Betty feels safer.
"I don't know it I'd feel at all safe here when you are at work otherwise."
"I know," Thomas says, before patting Winston on the head. "You could be a bit better at being a guard dog, you know."
But whether he could have been more aggressive or not, Winston is the love of everyone in the family, which is why it hits them so much harder when he, the night before Thanksgiving, passes away. It's a normal day otherwise, Winston has not taken ill or been complaining more than usual. Maybe he's been a bit more tired lately, but he's old, so no one worries too much.
That night, Thomas is helping Steve with his homework, while the older kids are working on a school project together. It's Thomas who first notices Winston on the floor, and calls out to him, only for him not to respond. As the situation dawns on them, the family gathers around his lifeless body as the acute pain of the loss slowly seeps into all of them.
In Del Sol Valley, Alice and Cora are planning for Thanksgiving together. Normally, this would be in Oasis Springs, but with Barbara pregnant it's easy to persuade the family - or at least most of it - to come to them instead. Barbara has made a necklace for Alice, as a thank you for letting her stay and gives it to her before the guests arrive. Cora, as usual, prepares the dinner, and soon everyone files in. It's a good dinner, but the festive spirit doesn't really take hold. Barbs has been feeling off all day, she's tired and her back aches. Thomas, Betty and their children are stricken with the loss of Winston and not at all in the mood for being thankful. So even if the food is good and the company nice, it's a short celebration as everyone seems eager to go home.
For Barbara, this is good news, for not long after she feels a sharper pain in her lower pack, and then she's doubling over with pain. The baby is on its way.
Barbara has been debating between hospital birth and a more natural birth at home, but Alice will hear none of it. "You might have been born at home, because your mother could not afford otherwise, but there are good hospitals that will make sure you and the baby is safe," she tells her, and so Barbara takes off in the waiting taxi to the hospital Alice has arranged for her.
She returns later, exhausted, but with a little bundle of joy with her. So, what is it? Alice and Cora asks, nearly at the same time. "A girl," Barbara tells them. "Meet Abigail."
"You're naming her after mum?" Alice says, visibly touched.
"From what you’ve told me about her, it seems like a name with some backbone. With no daddy around, I think this one could probably use a bit of of that grit. But I'll call her Abby. Abigail is a bit of a mouthful, don't you think?"
And while she might have been persuaded to have Abby in the hospital, nothing will persuade her not to breastfeed. If it's there naturally, it has to be the right thing, right?
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