Birth Party Prep
“Darling,” Ska-drek-a said. Jellia looked up from the fish that she had cooked. She would need to use more spices next time, this fish tasted too strong all by itself.
“Yes, Mother?”
“Darling,” Mother said, and then looked at Ska-drek, who nodded. “Darling I am going to be giving birth soon, in the next few decas. And it is, umm, code and custom here for you to be present.”
“Really, Mother?”
“Yes. Ska-drek told me and I have read up on it. Apparently it is meant to be quite an open thing. Kesh-u are meant to learn about what it will be like for them.”
“Oh, well, I might be at school.”
“The school understands these things and will dismiss you,” Ska-drek said.
“Oh.” She rememberd a few kesh-u had missed some class days and when they came back had said, merely, ‘birth’. But she hadn’t been brave enough to ask what that meant.
“And, Darling. Normally a kesh will have cousines and things and they will invite them to the birth, too. But since you don’t have any, well, code and custom says you should invite your friends.”
Mother was a flaming red, so Jellia said, “You don’t seem like you want me to invite…”
“My wishes are not important, Darling. It is code and custom.”
“How many should I invite? I’m don’t think any of them will want to come.”
“They will want to come, Daughter,” Ska-drek said. “And you should invite at least ten. Try to invite kesh-u who haven’t been to too many births. Ask you teacher to help you prepare the list. But definitely invite those closest to you. From school or work or wherever.”
“Yes, ska-drek,” Jellia said. Yet another bizarre custom. And poor Mother.
“And you should work on it rather quickly, Daughter,” Ska-drek said. “So as to have everything in place. One cannot tell when these things will arrive.”
“Yes, Ska-drek.”
As soon as she had dinner cleaned up she raced upstairs. And then, just because she could, she raced down and back again… arriving puffing at her room where she threw herself on her bed and opened her wristcomp.
Jellia: Leah! You there? I neeeeed you!
Nothing came back and she ran into the fresher and then came back.
Leah: Ok, I’m here.
Leah: And now you’re not.
Leah: Still waiting
Jellia: I’m here! I need you!
What’s up, Dear?
Jellia: Ska-drek has told me I need to invite some Kesh-u-i to Ska-drek-a’s birth. Can you help me?
Leah: Can I come?
Jellia: First on the list if you want to be. Why do you want to come?
Leah: I’m about to pop myself and want to see how its done! Besides, I love parties. How many did he tell you to invite?
Jellia: He said at least ten
Leah: OK, so twenty.
Jellia: Ummm… he said ten
Leah: No, he said ‘at least ten’. That means 20 if you are obedient.
Jellia: Oh, Ska-drek-a will hate that.
Leah: Tough takeoff for her. You need to be obedient. Bad day to get a chastisement.
Jellia: Yes! Ewww! There will be a bunch Ska-drek-a’s friends too… or co-workers that would be totally humiliating. Like that one time at work!
Leah: Eww, yes. OK, so, twenty. Minus me, that’s nineteen. Now, you should split them between your classes, and invite half from work. I count for both. You need to invite Lydia, she’s for bio and they always want to come.
Jellia: Ok, that’s eighteen…
—
“Ok, Kesh-u, here’s what we’re going to do. I would like you all to learn a bow for Mother’s birth party.”
“You have a bow for a ska-drek-a giving birth?”
“Well, not specifically. The bow I want to teach you is ‘Bow to woman in difficulty’. Although given the gesture that goes with it I wouldn’t be surprised if it started with a pregnant woman. You place your right hand in the middle of your belly, like this, put your left hand out as if offering a helping hand, and then you bow, all while keeping looking at her… which is not the regular thing you do.
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Von also writes as ‘Arthur Yeomans’. Under that name he writes children’s, YA, and adult fiction from a Christian perspective. His books are published by Wise Path Books and include the children’s/YA books:
The Bobtails meet the Preacher’s Kid
and
As well as GK Chesterton’s wonderful book, “What’s Wrong with the World”, for which ‘Arthur’ wrote most of the annotations.
Arthur also has a substack, and a website.
Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,
Von