Hibernation Befalls The Whitlocks

She died.

Eleven months ago, their identical sister Lynn died. Our fraternal brother, Louis, fell into a deep depression and only came out of it after doing a psilocybin retreat in the Netherlands, followed by intense psychotherapy in Munich, Germany. 

Lydia hadn't heard from Lou, but to be fair, no one had heard from Lydia. The torn-asunder Whitlock triplets had gone awry.

Jimmy, Lydia's spouse of four years, didn't hear from her either. Through the closed door, he shouts, "Lydia, can I come in?" Sometimes, it's, "Lydia, are you sleeping?" Or, "Lydia, I love you; Honey, please let me come lie with you and hold you."  

A litany of Lydias. 

To her ears, his tone was whiny, the words garbled. It sounded more like "Lydcha, lady lying; Lydcha slappy lovey. Lydcha bees come by." She wanted him to go away and get away from the door.

The covers were over her head, but she heard birds chirping outside and the sounds of cars careening past the building on the elevated exit ramp. She heard the door slam shut as Jimmy left. Of course, he didn't turn off the television. She screams, "Shut the fucking TV off, will ya?" but it came out "fucking TV, oh." No matter, Jimmy was already gone.

Like a corpse, she lay buried in the blankets, a poly-filled pillow shoved against her breasts and two queen-sized ones holding her belly and thighs. Like a pig on a spit, she turned over every few hours; she will never be finished. Forever, she will be undercooked, blood-rare. 

Lynn is gone. Lydia can't progress through her life without Lynn, let alone finish resting or hiding, and cannot fathom her marriage with Jimmy. Why did we get married? When? What did Lynn think? Did she approve?

"LOU, where the fuck are you?" She cried into her pillow. "Lou, help me, save me, talk to me."

Feeling a full bladder about to burst, Lydia threw off the blankets, swiped her face with a forearm, and headed to the toilet. Head bowed, eyes on chipped toenail paint, the sobs wouldn't stop. She emptied her bladder, carefully scrubbed her hands, and let out another shriek, yelling, "LOU! Where the hell are you?"  

Her hand almost injured her nose in a quick-fisted rub to remove the snot while her eyes darted around the bedroom. "Where is the stupid phone?" "Dammit!" Fury overtook her, and she blasted out curses that would embarrass her dead sister and her damned triplet brother - if he were here. Lydia's mind wandered to Lou, and how he could out-cuss anyone with filthy words strung together into long adjectives no one had ever heard before.

She sat down and yowled in drawn-out bellows. Fizzy, the cat, put a paw on her shin. Lost in despair, she stroked Fizzy's head absent-mindedly.

The phone hunt brought her back to her feet, and she turned into a whirling dervish spinning all over the room, flinging things to find it. Shockingly, her reflection in the full-length mirror stopped her so abruptly that she twisted her left knee.  

The reflection had toes splotched with worn-off nail polish. Jimmy cut her toenails while she had groveled under his hands in her bed cave. Smidgeons of polish remained. A wild bush of hair, not washed for a week, had specks of lint from the flannel sheets. Curls pooled around Lydia's face, puffing out from her head like a lion's mane. Her nose was red from crying and the rough rubs she subjected it to. The reflection showed dark, round, lemur-like eyes, droopy discolored bags underneath, a face blotched from crying, sunken cheeks, a puffy jawline and neck.

Water retention, she mused, stroking her round belly with one hand and her chin with the other hand. Staring at the mirror, she opened and shut her mouth like a ventriloquist's puppet.

***

Jimmy was at the Roadhouse, munching peanuts, throwing the shells on the floor, and working on his second Dos Equis. Chad, his best friend, got them another round and climbed back into the booth.  

Munching nachos, he listened to Jimmy's heartbreaking tale of his home life and how depressed he was at Lydia's hiding in the bedroom. What could he do but commiserate? Lydia had been joyous and fun before Lynn died.

"You have to figure out a way to get her out of that depression, Jimmy. I don't know how, but take her to someone."

"She won't leave the house; she won't watch TV or talk on the phone. If Lou would get his ass back here, maybe he could pull her out of it, but no one knows where he is."

***

Lou was tripping again, doing yoga and tai chi, and taking drugs daily. He was in the Sonoran Desert south of Tucson this week at a spiritual retreat. There were people taking ayahuasca, others smoking weed, some using LSD. Lou had ingested some edibles with a shot of tequila and was waiting for the effect. He no longer had a cell phone or an address. Lou was floating through life, like a shed feather floating on sea currents, heading wherever the current took him.

A redhead bodybuilder in a skin-tight tee-shirt was questioning him on his life's purpose.

"Dude, whaddaya mean?" Lou asked him. "I told you, I am one of three in a sibling triplet trio, but one of us is now dead. I don't have a life purpose other than to live."

The surfer shook his head in amazement. "You have no compulsion to do anything other than meander, high on drugs, moving from place to place? You don't want to contribute to the world?"

"I did contribute to the world. I was brother to my two triplet sisters. Now, there is only one left, and she's married. Jimmy, her husband, takes care of her. She doesn't need me. I'm free to travel the world, spending the insurance money I got from my sis Lynn's death." The surfer dude passed his joint over to Lou, who took a long inhale, holding it in his lungs. Sitting quietly, he began a transition into a profoundly altered consciousness. 

"Well, I think your sister still needs you. I would never desert my sister if I had one. Nice talking to ya."

The redhead wandered over to another group, leaving Lou to his drug-induced experience.

***

Lydia found the phone on the floor behind the base of the toilet. She sat on the toilet rim, looking at the face of the phone, but it wouldn't turn on. A phone hadn't been in her hand since after Lynn's funeral. She wanted to scroll through her phone contacts and reconnect to something, but the battery needed charging. "Of course! Fucking electronics!" 

She slung open the door and rummaged through the dresser drawers for a phone charger. Frustrated, she shrieked, threw the phone into a heap of clothes, and crawled under the comforter again. Her depression drowned her, covered her, and soaked her in weariness. The fatigue smothered her ego and soul; she couldn't rise above the overwhelming tiredness she felt every moment.

Jimmy returned to find her asleep when he quietly sneaked into the room. He saw the phone, and knowing she had tried to use it, he took it and charged it while watching ESPN on the television. Jimmy loved the heavyweight fights, MMA, and professional wrestling and was quite vocal while watching them.

***

Lydia woke from her deep slumber, hearing a ruckus from the other room. She smiled briefly, a fringe memory of happy times when she made treats for Jimmy while he watched his sporting events. The happiness left abruptly as she choked on her spit and began coughing. I could choke to death, and he wouldn't know; he makes so much noise. 

"Lydia, I charged your phone, Honey. Did you want to call someone? Can I come in?"

She hunkered down in her bedding, not responding. "Lyds? Hon? Want to watch TV with me, Babe?"

Once again, her depressed consciousness garbled his loving words. She knew he was trying to help, but no matter how she tried, her psyche wouldn't let go of the pain and sadness. She wanted Lynn. No – she wanted Lou. 

Even their cousin Lenny would work. The Whitlock Triplets had been the Three Musketeers; with Lenny, they were the Four Musketeers. 

Where was Lenny? He had disappeared like Lou. Like Lynn. Lydia was alone. No, wait, you dumb bitch, you have Jimmy! She berated herself for forgetting about her kind, loving Jimmy. What is wrong with me? Lynn, why did you have to leave us? 

She burrowed under the covers. Jimmy had gone back to cheer on his athletes again. Lydia admired how Jimmy could compartmentalize his feelings; he kept his stress levels low and quickly let go of anger. She was feeling some guilt over being so depressed and not spending time with her sweet husband. Every time she vowed to shower, dress, put on makeup, and greet him after work, the depression pushed her back into the hole with no way out and no possible action. 

***

A Month Later

*

Lou had decided. It was time to go back now. He was bored and needed more than desert, drugs, and nothingness. He purchased a secondhand car in Tucson, paying cash, and headed home, not hurrying, knowing he had nothing but time. Driving relaxed him, so he stayed at the speed limit and stopped at roadside attractions. When the sun was low in the sky, he found a hotel and parked for the night. Mornings found him slow to arise, then always a late departure after a leisurely breakfast. He played oldies on the radio and made a mental list of his future plans. Lydia and Jimmy were at the top of the list.

*

"Hi, Jimmy."

Jimmy almost jumped out of his jeans when he heard Lydia's voice over his shoulder. He leaped over the couch and stood before her, looking her up and down. She was glorious, with the sunlight gleaming through the window, lighting her pink skin and freshly combed hair. Lydia wore shorts, a tank top, and an oversized shirt. She stood there, smiling at him, feet bare, breasts swelling in the tank, ready to breach the top, one hand on her heavy belly.

"You look beautiful, Lyds." Jimmy gently touched her cheek, running his index finger down her jawline. "Are you feeling okay?"

She nodded. "I'm hot; it's stifling in here."

"We can go outside or for a ride. The car has A/C."

"Hmm, I think the ride, Jimmy."

They held hands, climbing down the stairs. Jimmy opened the car door for her, and after she maneuvered her heavy bottom into the seat, he closed it and ran to the driver's side. Jimmy smoothly entered traffic and headed to a tree-filled city park, finding a space beneath a massive Maple tree.

"Do you want to sit in the shade or walk under the trees?" Jimmy smiled gently at his wife. Lydia wanted to walk, so he ran around to help her out of the vehicle, taking her forearm to pull her up after she swung her legs out. He wrapped her in his arms as she stood, then pointed to Mourning Doves in the tree, his chin resting lightly on her head. "Look, they are loving it up," he chuckled; the birds bobbed their heads and touched beaks. Jimmy took her hand and led her toward the rose garden arbor she loved.

"Jimmy, I'm sorry I've been such a pisser. I miss Lynn so much. She was my other third, you know?" Jimmy nodded and squeezed her hand. 

They sat on a bench looking at the gardens and people strolling by. "Jimmy, do you think Lou will ever come back?"

"I don't know, Sweetheart. He is a tough nut, and I've not figured him out. Wherever he is, he is okay. Just so you know, your phone is charged, but you can't call him." She interrupted him with a 'Why can't I?' "His phone is disconnected, and he hasn't contacted me or Lenny." 

Lydia's eyes erupted in waterfalls, and her efforts to breathe deeply and control the sobs and tears didn't work. Jimmy sat with his arm around her and let her sob, frowning at stares from curious people.

Jimmy pulled a small piece of paper from his pocket as her sobs subsided. He uncrumpled it and handed it to her.

"What's this?" She was looking at a short list of names:

Girl: Lana, Lacey, Lorraine, Mia, Marie, Marcy

Boy: Lyle, Lincoln, Leo, Mory, Mason, Marc

"Do you like any of those names, Lyds? L names for the Whitlock triplets and the M ones for your dad."

"I hadn't thought about it, Jimmy. Whatever you want, I don't care."

"Baby, you have to care. Please, please care!"

"All right, Jimmy, I will try. Let's go home, I'm tired." He agreed immediately, hiding his disappointment. As she began to lumber into the passenger seat, she doubled over, huffing loudly, "Owwwww."

"What is it? Did you hit your head?"

"No! Jimmy, it hurts, it hurts." She was blowing, trying to breathe through pain, holding her belly mound.

Jimmy was startled by a voice behind him. "Hi, can I assist? I'm a nurse." He stepped back to let her talk to Lydia.

"I'm Amy. What is your due date, Hon?"

"I, I," Lydia stammered. "My goodness, what's today?"

"It's August 5th, Babe," Jimmy said.

Amy was holding Lydia's hand, breathing, and coaching her.

"My due date was July 26th."

"So. Jimmy, right?" Amy looked up at him. "Jimmy, you had best call her doctor and get her hospital bag ready. This is your first, correct?" 

Jimmy was trying to be calm but not succeeding. "Jimmy! Call her doctor now!" Jimmy put Amy on the phone and held Lydia's hand while Amy consulted with the doctor's office.

"Jimmy, how far do you live from here?" When he answered, she took charge. They all drove together to pick up the hospital bag, Amy in the back seat with Lydia. Once they arrived at the hospital, Amy explained what was happening to the charge nurse, wished them well, and left. She gave her phone number to the nurse and said it was okay if Jimmy wanted it.

*

Lou was close to home now, deciding whether to go to Lydia's or find a place to stay first and then check in with her. After a person exited the crosswalk, the stoplight turned green; he accelerated into the intersection only to be struck by a Dodge Durango. His neck whiplashed, and his vehicle spun around. The driver at fault apologized, and they exchanged information. The police told him to take photos and file a claim online; they were not coming since the damage was minimal. Lou's shoulder hurt, and his insurance company told him to get checked out.

Lou walked into the emergency room and sat after providing his information and a VISA charge card. A woman was at the corner of the counter talking with a nurse. He overheard her say, "Yeah, I drove with them to their apartment right near the ramp to the freeway so he could grab her hospital bag. She is way overdue, so I hope everything will be okay." 

Lou's stomach flipped; an intuition deep within was tugging on his psyche. He looked at the date on his watch and realized he had been gone for a month. His only triplet sibling had been expecting her first child when he left.

"Where is Labor and Delivery?" The nurse gave him directions after explaining he should stay put.

Lou scurried down the hall and took the elevator, exiting at the reception area of Labor and Delivery. 

"Jimmy! Is Lydia in labor?" He grabbed Jimmy in a fierce hug. 

"Lou. Where have you been? She needed you! She was hibernating in our bed all this time, crying. I hate you for that, Lou. But I love you too! Hold on, how did you know?"

"I was in a fender bender a bit ago. I overheard someone talking about a ride with a couple who lived by the freeway ramp … my gut told me it was my sis. It's a triplet sibling thing. Where is she?"

"Whoa, I guess it's just another weird Whitlock coincidence!" Jimmy replied.

Jimmy and Lou peeked their heads into Lydia's room, seeing her sucking ice chips and stroking her belly.  

"Oh MY GOD, LOU, you came back!!" She then let out a wail that caused them both to leave the room. The nurse told Lou to go to the waiting area and stationed Jimmy at Lydia's head, giving instructions. It wouldn't be long.

*

Lydia's Spring

Lydia breastfed Lincoln, whose birth weight was nine pounds three ounces.

Jimmy talked to the nurse in the hall. "Can you open the curtains wider? I'm hoping the sunlight will chase away her depression. She's been hibernating since her sister died and her brother left town. He's back now, and with Baby Linc here, I don't want her to go back into hibernation again! What steps should we take to ensure she doesn't get post-partum blues?" 

"I'll have the doctor send in a specialist before her discharge."

Entering the room, the nurse observed the sleeping baby beside his mom. She tucked the covers around them, poured some chamomile tea for Lydia, and turned on the diffuser Lou had brought.

"Would you like me to put him in his bassinet?" she asked, but Lydia snored softly.

 "Shhh, you two!" The nurse hushed Lou and Jimmy, two best pals keeping watch over their family.