A Warm Welcome

The winters were always cold, but this winter seemed to want to freeze us to death. I shovelled driveways to make a buck while my office was closed due to a faulty heating system. It seemed to make more sense for us to freeze at home instead of while miserable at work. Don’t get me wrong; my work is satisfying. Being stuck in place longer than our Windows ‘98 computers - not so great. I’m not alone in shovelling the driveways, although it feels like it most of the time. My buddy Chase has been helping me out with the driveways in our area. He’s a people person, whereas I am far from it. It always seemed to surprise him that a woman would be so terrible at speaking to other people because apparently, that’s “all we’re good for.” So after I punched him, he changed his mind, and I guess that’s how we became good workmates. He deals with the customers we - no - I shovel for. I’m the muscle of the operation and I’m certain I barely have any strength left after the weeks of relying on the repetitive task for income. 

We were on the last driveway for the day and we were far from certain to take the homeowner’s offer for the job. This elderly couple practically was trapped inside because their driveway was too much for them to handle. It was pretty understandable for them to struggle with it, I mean, the place was a mansion. Chase and I stood at the edge of the driveway looking at the snow and ice that blocked us from the door. He, for once in his life, put down his coffee and took a shovel to help me shovel at least a path to the door. Only after a few minutes, Chase and I were left gasping and sweating from shovelling barely a dent into the couple’s driveway. We knew that we couldn’t stop or the sweat would freeze us to the ground right there. Keeping up our pace, I heard Chase start to sound like he was in pain, so I called over to him where he was. 

“Are you okay Chase? You sound like you’re giving birth rather than shovelling!”

He let out a slight laugh. “It’s a bit of pain I’m getting in my head”, he replied.

“Is it a migraine? Like the ones you’ll usually get around this time of the year?” I waited for his reply but he seemed to stop altogether. “Chase?” I turned to see he was just standing still, looking up to the sky.

“Mel, does it look like it’s going to snow some more?” He turned to me and I saw a slight panic in his eyes.

“It kind of looks like a storm is coming”, I said. Suddenly, panic hit me too. We were three quarters done the driveway when the mansion’s door creaked open revealing a slim man wearing a parka and snow boots with a shovel in his hand. 

“I’ll dig from this way to help you guys get through faster! They’re calling for a bad storm heading our way!” The man seemed anxious but I doubted it was from the oncoming storm. As he shovelled, he kept looking back at the door as if in hopes for someone to be there. We finally broke through the pile and met in the cleared path. He told us to bring the car up on the driveway so we could stay inside for a bit now that the storm was growing eerily close. Chase pulled up, taking his time, while I went inside upon the man’s invitation. He took off his hat, scarf and coat revealing a stronger build of a man with a complexion that looked nearly coffee in colour. He gave a slight chuckle as I realized I had been looking at him for too long. 

“I guess this is your first time in this area? You’re pretty trusting for not being able to see my face.” 

“Why wouldn’t I trust you? My business partner and I know of the couple that lives here. You’re obviously their son.” He seemed very welcomed by my statement and I couldn’t quite place why. Was I good at talking to people after all?

As if the storm was right behind him, Chase came rushing in with his papers, my bag, and his coffee in hand. I took the things from him and he ran back to the vehicle to bring the shovels inside. Out of breath, he tried to explain his eagerness to come inside. “The storm looks like it’s a few blocks away...but it’s not snow.” We looked at him with defeat as he said, “It’s freezing rain. We’ll be here for a while.” The man who invited us appeared to have an idea and headed towards the large pantry in the kitchen when a minivan suddenly pulled up outside the house, startling Chase, who’s back was turned to the door.

A man rushed out of the driver’s side of the vehicle and assisted the passenger beside him out of the car as well. I stood in panic at the sight of his passenger struggling desperately to make it to the house’s front door. 

“Please help us! I’m begging you to let us stay until the storm passes....we can’t make it to the hospital in time and the car is no place for someone to stay in her condition.”

Chase stood aside and gestured for them to enter so they came in, rushing to find a comfortable place for his wife to lay down. I was still standing at the doorway when the room fell silent as the man who invited us, came back in to see we had let two more complete strangers into his home. Instead of seeming annoyed or bothered by the additional people, he turned to the woman who was now laying on his couch and asked, “When are you due?” She turned away from him and her husband spoke up. 

“Possibly any minute now.” He sounded desperate but his wife seemed to just want to suffer in silence. I spoke out of turn and it seemed to startle the heavy silence. 

“So I’m Mel. That’s Chase. We work together. Who are you guys?” I looked at everyone’s blank stares and saw Chase give me a stern look in disappointment. 

“They are the Reed family. One of our higher-end clients,” Chase mumbled at me. At that moment, the wife’s expression changed to one of confusion. 

“You mean, this isn’t your house, Mel?” She seemed near worried. 

“No, Chase and I were just working on clearing the driveway when the storm was getting closer, so he invited us in.” I pointed to the man standing with a tray of food in hand. 

“Ah yes, I’m Carter. My parents own this home, they’re actually upstairs right now.” He looked around the room at everyone’s understanding expressions until he locked eyes with the pregnant woman who looked absolutely disgusted with him. He continued to speak warmly despite the sense of sudden tension. “Are you alright ma’am?”

“Does it look like I’m alright?! I’m going to give birth and we’re nowhere near the hospital!” She became very cross with Carter for what seemed to be no reason and initially I chalked it up to the possible contractions, but something seemed very off with when she reacted. I couldn’t quite place why she was angry and found myself unknowingly zoned out while looking at Carter again. There was just something about him that seemed approachable and kind, unlike the people I’ve worked with or knew when I moved here. My odd train of thought continued as he spoke with Chase and the couple until the sound of Mrs. Reed screeching in pain sliced the conversation apart.

Mr. Reed let go of her hand in an attempt to save his own as he began to descend into a panic. Just as I was about to ask how I could help his wife in labour, Carter spoke with urgency, “Sir, I know this isn’t ideal, but I believe your wife will be having this baby here. I am a nurse and I can assist in the birth of the child.”

Without a second thought, I piped up, “And I’ll help!” Carter smiled my way and we looked for some sign of confirmation from Mrs. Reed. She looked between the two of us, sweat rolling down her face now. 

“Only she can deliver the baby, I don’t want you touching him when he’s born.” Her voice remained fairly steady despite the pain.

“I can’t deliver the baby! Are you out of your mind, just let him instead. I’m certain the baby will be safer in his hands!” All she could do was shake her head at me so Carter left and I followed closely beside him, genuinely happy that I could leave that conversation. 

We headed up the stairs to a linen closet where Carter silently gave me blankets and cloths to carry as he filled a bucket of hot water from what appeared to be his bathroom. He gave a gesture for me to come in, so I did and he proceeded to close the door behind me. 

“Sorry, I know my parents are asleep at the moment...they haven’t been feeling so well recently.”

“Oh, so that’s why we’re in here.” He gave a slight laugh at my response.

“I can tell you’re a good friend. I wish I could get that woman to see me the way you seem to. I could help so much more during the delivery but you are going to have to just be good at following directions for now. I can’t go against what she wants, that wouldn’t be right of me.”

“She’s just stubborn and -” The sound of Mrs. Reed struggling interrupted my train of thought. 

“Mel, we’re going to have to hurry so please don’t space out no matter what you see, okay?”  I nodded in agreement, growing more and more nervous about what was to come.

~

Carter miraculously managed to get Chase and myself to a point in the delivery where at least the baby’s head was out enough to see there would be no complications but then Mrs. Reed suddenly stopped pushing and once we turned our attention to her, we saw she looked about as pale as the sheets.

“Is she prone to fainting?” Carter hurriedly asked Mr. Reed who was looking as though he was about to cry. 

“She’s had some issues before but I’m- I’m not sure.” Mrs. Reed began to try to readjust herself on the couch.

Cater realized he really had no way to explain to us how to help her with the pregnancy. So there he was; the first person to ever call me a friend, on his knees begging Mrs. Reed to let him help her. And still, with her life and the life of her child on the line, she was as stubborn as she was before but suddenly, she looked to me instead. She saw how I looked at Carter with wide eyes and finally, she gave Carter consent to help. Mr. Reed looked relieved as if his pulse finally normalized. 

Carter stood and I couldn’t help but watch in amazement like a little sister watching her older brother do what he’s best at. He placed a hand on her forehead and asked for Chase to get a cold compress. Seeing him in control of the situation suddenly gave me the courage I needed to help to the fullest. 

“Do you need me to do anything, Carter?” He looked between myself and Mr. Reed. 

“Mel, you stay where you are. Make sure you still see the baby’s crown until I’m able to get Mrs. Reed pushing again.”

I looked at Mrs. Reed’s determined face as the ice pack wrapped in a paper towel was placed under her neck.

“Mr. Reed pass me those pillows behind you. I’ll need your help with this.” I stayed in my place as Carter and Chase each took one of her legs as Mr. Reed pushed the additional pillows under to take off pressure from her spine. As if right on queue, Mrs. Reed found her strength to push with her husband beside her. Moments passed of Carter coaching me through holding the baby as it comes out and the whole room finally took a breath when we heard the baby cry. I never expected to feel so overjoyed when I saw Mr. and Mrs. Reed with their new baby boy. I stood up to go wash my hands when Carter came up beside me to do the same. He looked down at me with a caring smile.

“So, um, I’m still really surprised you trusted me to deliver the baby, Carter.” I tried to avoid looking at him in the eyes but somehow he found a way for me to look at him.

“It’s really only fair. You trusted me when I invited you in and you stayed after you saw how I looked.”

“But nothing is wrong with the way you look.” I genuinely couldn’t understand what he meant. 

He continued to explain. “It’s really sweet that you still don’t understand. I wish my friends were more like you. She didn’t want me to deliver the baby because I am much darker than her. But I appreciate that it doesn’t phase you.”

“Wait... seriously! That’s why? How are you putting up with this right now?”

He grinned at hearing the baby coo. “I put up with it because that baby’s life is worth it.”

I reached out my hand to shake his and when he did, I looked into his eyes to make sure he knew I wasn’t lying.

“Consider me the first friend who will never judge you because you’re black. But you must promise me something in return because I think that’s what friends do.”

“What? Don’t judge you because you’re ginger?” He let out a hearty laugh. 

“No…” He looked surprised at my seriousness, “Don’t ever tell Mrs. Reed that I was born and raised in South Africa. I think she’d ban me from holding her son if she finds out.”

And just like that, I laughed and smiled genuinely for the first time in what felt like years with Carter. 

Chase seemed to be in awe across the room at my ability to hold a conversation since that was the one thing I could never do. 

Maybe all I needed was a true friend to talk to.