Chapter 52
March Stephenson
Maxieplus.
We all were very excited when May came home, she rested mostly and we all passed little Rosie around but she also spent a lot of time with Mason. She was constantly cuddling him and telling him she loved him and asked about his play school each time he went and if he had done any oil, things like that. I was smitten with bubs, and March was the same as May, even though she couldn't talk yet and her eyes were barely open. She did smile a lot when he held her and I didn't have the heart to tell him it was probably just wind.
We were sitting outside the cafe on our own, May had taken Mason inside and March was smiling.
"What's up?"
"Oh I don't know Nicky, but I feel so contented with the world."
"You are probably picking up on May's mood."
"No, I think this is my mood I like happy people around me it makes my life easier."
"Well, anytime you want some happiness around you I can organize that."
"Not that sort of happiness Nicky, the family sort of happy."
"Oh that sort, well there's plenty of that around nowadays."
"And life is good." He closed his eyes and smiled again.
It had been a nice day and he had told me that the snow would stay away this year, he knows about these things. I was looking forward to sleeping in front of the fire and cuddling with my man. I was also going to bring back my snowman I had seen a styrofoam one at the hardware shop, I will put him in front of Mase's little house with some bud lights. The one thing I won't be doing is going anywhere near the clearing until it's summer again.
May came out with Mase, Jason was behind them and he had the stroller. She placed Rosie in it and looked at March and me.
"Ready?"
"Ready sis, ready Mase?"
"Yes, daddy."
I grabbed Sunny's leash and March lifted Mason onto his shoulders. As a family we walked slowly towards the library, people once again stopped to look at bubs and Mason, it took us ages to drop him off.
Louise had to have a look and Mase started picking out toys for her, she is going to be one spoilt bubs I am sure of that.
"Do you think Mason will feel abandoned Nicky?" March said to me later on.
"Not at all baby, he has us to entertain him, he relies on us, not May. I doubt whether he has discovered jealousy yet and abandonment isn't even in anyone's vocabulary around us."
"So we give him more to do then, more playthings or time with us."
"March we don't do anything different, just make sure he's a happy little boy, that's all we can ask for."
"I might go back and have a word to Louise, she will notice things better than us." Before I said a word he was off the seat and two shops up.
I sent Louise a message to warn her he was on his way with abandonment questions. She wrote back, she had the answer.
I sat and had another coffee and waited for my husband to return, when he did I could see his red face from fifty yards down the street. He sat heavily
"How did you go?"
"She gave me this book to read." He placed it on the table, I picked it up.
"Parenting a difficult child. Good title March."
"He's not difficult Nicky why would she give me this one?"
"I think it was meant for me March."
"What? no. I think it's for me."
"No March it was meant for me, and aimed at you."
"Why aimed at me?"
"I only have one difficult child in my life at the moment and that is you. Mason is the loveliest gentlest little boy, who is difficult only on some occasions, but you on the other hand."
"Oh, sorry Nicky." He blushed.
I went to get him another coffee because his had gone cold, mum was smiling behind the counter.
"What has he done now?"
"Being difficult again, he thinks Mason will feel abandoned and shunned now the bubs is here, so he went to talk to Louise about it."
"I see, and where does he get these ideas from?"
"I think he's feeling left out and ignored mum, but I haven't seen any proof of that yet."
"He's jealous Nicky, it happens. For all their lives May and him have been together, now there is a bub in between them he's no longer top dog so to speak. We have to convince him his worries are unfounded and of his own making." She smiled and went on.
"May doesn't treat anyone differently if the truth be known she's going all out to make sure no one feels left out."
"I know, but March is March and between you and me it gets a bit old."
I took the coffee out and smiled, then slowly winked at him.
"No way I'm exhausted."
"Just checking March." And once again I nearly collapsed into laughter.
Jason was a very proud father and if anyone held bubs the most it would be him, he has taken to sitting out the front with her and talking to the passerbyes, he wasn't up to taking her to work with him yet, but he has plans. He was telling March, Rosie won't be leaving home at all, and if she ever gets a date, he will be going with her.
It was a nice day and May came back to sit with us. March handed her a stack of money from his top pocket, then he pulled some out of his other two. She shoved it all into her bag and said she would do the banking in the morning.
"You had better hold off on that May, I have a big biscuit tin full at home, I will drop it off in the morning," I said.
"March why have you been walking around with so much money, I was only away for at most a week?" May inquired.
"Well I forgot about it with the fire and the funeral, and then with bubs, it has been a month or more since I cleaned it out." I could have screamed but I didn't.
"March someone might have knocked you on the head and robbed you?" It was May who said something. March's face went pink but he did answer her.
"I forgot about it, ok? One mistake, I make one mistake and you are all jumping on me."
"I'm not." I smiled.
"In your head you are, I know it." He answered.
"True, but because I didn't say it, it doesn't count."
"You had better settle up your food bill with mum, before I bank this. Some of these checks are a few weeks old."
"Is there any more in the office March?" She asked.
"Probably, and some in my other overalls I should imagine. It has been a while."
I rolled my eyes at May and she handed bubs to me.
"I'll be back, I know his hiding places Nicky." She walked over to the garage and into the office. I looked at my man and smiled.
"I was busy, so sue me."
It was then I laughed, disturbing my niece in the process. One thing I can say about her, she has some powerful lungs, much louder than Masons. Rose dashed out and took her, she got her to settle down a bit then May came back with a small bag half full of cash and checks. She glared at March he blushed again then she went about calming her daughter. She then went inside to store the money and to change bubs.
"I could do it when I do mine March, I go to the bank once a week." I offered. He stared at me so once again I shut up.
"It's not that I don't want you to do it Nicky, it's just that May has done it forever and she is good at it."
"That is fine March, I just thought with the new baby she would want a rest from all that tedious everyday stuff."
"No, I like her doing it, we have about the same money and I want her to know she's not losing out." I felt I was being shut out again. I guess I will have to wear it. I don't need to know how successful his business is anyway. On reflection sometime ago we almost had the same conversation.
"Okay, what are we doing about Mason?"
"I think we will leave it and don't do anything different."
"You have been talking to May haven't you?" He blushed so I got my answer, now I have abandonment issues.
The days rolled by and March settled down, I had passed the biscuit tin to May and she counted up the hundreds of dollars I had stuffed into it. I watched as she made a list and totaled it all up.
"How much has he been holding back?"
"Can't tell you Nicky, private banking business." I glared at her then finished my coffee and stood up.
"Then I will leave you to your private matters."
This is the first time I have ever wanted to berate May, I loved her but I guess she knows what she's doing, and I only wanted to know because I don't like having so much cash in the house all that much.
I walked across the road and almost slammed the door, the heads lifted and looked my way.
"Sorry guys it slipped out of my hand." I lied.
Opening the laptop I began to read some emails, mostly spam, and some inquiries. I set about answering them then a payment was dealt with, they can have their secrets I don't need to know anyway.
March poked his head in smiling.
"Mason pick up Nicky."
"I'm going for a run, can you do it?"
"He will expect the both of us Nicky, come on." I closed the computer down and started out the door. I ran the opposite way to the library down past the sad little park I had sat in on my first day in town.
I have to lose this feeling of being shut out and the best way of doing that is to run, as I said earlier my best thinking is done when I run. I ended up at the oval next to the lake, there was no one around so I did some laps. I wasn't exhausted just over it. I was being selfish and if I was to be honest a bit jealous, which has never been a part of my feelings before. I am usually confident that people around me will do the right thing by me regardless of how stupid and crazy I sometimes get.
I sat under the football club verandah and looked over to the lake, I even contemplated a swim but it would be cold, my phone lit up and I looked at it, March was calling.
"Is he okay?"
"Yes Nicky, but he was upset you weren't with me, he has things to tell you. Where are you?"
"At the footy oval I did some laps I will be back soon."
"Stay right there I will bring our lunch."
"If you like, but I can come back now."
"Stay there." He hung up and I sat and waited for the most important man in my life to arrive.
Ten minutes later my man and boy with his dog arrived, he collected his kisses then Mase got his hugs, he and Sunny ran onto the oval to explore and March sat down.
"I got you a roast beef roll and chips Nicky."
"Thank you I am a bit peckish."
"What's the matter Nicky, the guys said you were slamming doors, has something come up I don't know about?"
"Not at all baby, the door slipped out of my hand I will get onto having that automatic one done, health and safety and all that stuff."
"May said she might have upset you." I don't want to talk about it, especially with him.
"No she didn't, and I'm not upset. I just got the urge to go for a long run that's all."
"Good then, I don't need to worry."
"You don't, it's nice here isn't it?" I took a bite of my roll and changed the subject.
"Mase come in closer baby," I had noticed Sunny was a little agitated and wouldn't stop barking, it was just after I said that, March stood up and rushed towards Mase.
"Snake!" He yelled.
I didn't know what to do as I watched him swoop our baby up, Sunny was now really going to town so I ran over and grabbed him.
"Has he been bitten?"
"It doesn't look like it Nicky, get them back to the truck and we can check them over properly, I told you Sunny would see it first."
"Where did it go?"
"Slithered off that way, brown snake, venomous and dangerous."
We took the 'kids' over to the truck and I stripped Mason off and we both checked every inch of his little body. It was decided that he wasn't bitten. There were limited checks we could do on Sunny, but he was still watching the oval and barking.
"Let's get back to town March, we have to get him to the vet."
"I think he's okay Nicky, if he was going to have a reaction it would have happened by now because he's so small, just watch Mason's breathing."
"Okay, I'll sit in the back." Mason on the other hand was playing with Sunny in the back seat, he wasn't affected at all.
We pulled up outside the cafe, my roll had been forgotten and the wildlife would probably dine on what was left of it.
March told May and Mum what had happened and I tried to calm down.
It was when Rose bought out the coffee that it all started again. March looked at me and tried to speak his breathing was laboured and he was wheezing.
"Call triple 0 mum, we need an ambulance, brown snake bite." I rushed inside and grabbed May's medical box then when I got back, I helped March strip off his overalls. I checked his legs and sure enough a big red spot had appeared on his ankle.
After emptying the contents of the box on the ground I grabbed what I needed, a thick bandage and tie strips. I wrapped the bandage around the ankle tightly as March was gasping for breath.
"How is his breathing Nicky?" Mum called out.
"Laboured, anaphylaxis shock maybe, tell them to hurry mum."
I laid March on the pavement and tried to start CPR, but he resisted by pushing me away, his lungs wont take much more of this, I looked at dad and called to him.
"Dad go and get the defibrillator from the gym, we may need it." I looked at a terrified May and winked, that might calm her down a bit.
"March calm down and try to breathe slowly, that is best for you. Now breathe slowly listen to the rhythm in my voice and match it. I talked slowly with a sort of rhythm and he nodded at me and matched it. Dad came back with the machine which was one of the first things I had bought for the gym. Just in case his breathing got worse and he went into cardio arrest, at least I had something nearby.
"Now everything is going to be all right March, just listen to my voice the ambulance is on its way. I love you so much March Stephenson and I won't let anything nasty happen to you."
But it did, he started convulsing, May and Rose both screamed, Mason was upset and taken by dad, he tried to settle him down. I tried everything and was about to start giving him CPR when I heard the siren.
His convulsions kept up and he was gasping for breath so I pinched his nose and started giving him some life-saving air. My mouth went over his and I breathed into his lungs, I had no time to think about the alternative, I just did what I had been trained for and breathed out then listened to his heart.
"Brown snake bite, convulsions, difficult breathing his lungs were previously damaged." I rattled all I knew off to the ambos, one went to get some anti-venom and the other resuscitated him with a bag valve mask. March had calmed down after the injections were administered.
"Well done Nicky, we can take it from here." The ambo smiled at me. I had been laying on the footpath holding onto March, I didn't know how tightly I had held him until the ambo pried my fingers from his arms.
I stood and watched them work on March and mum placed her arms around me.
"He's going to be okay son."
"His lungs, they won't cope."
"We will see to it they do." She kissed my cheek and I suddenly came out of my self-induced trance. There were people everywhere someone must have posted an announcement and it looked like the whole town was arriving, but I maybe was overreacting to the numbers.
"Right, he's stable to travel, the next twelve hours will tell us more but we are hopeful we got here on time, Nicky do you want to ride with us?"
"Yes, yes of course, Mason where is Mason?"
"Here son, we have been talking about cars."
I hugged my son and told him to be good for Nana and pa, it tore my heart out to leave him there but I couldn't cope with two patients, and for now, March was paramount,
"Sunny, is he okay?"
"Yes Nicky, hes having a nap." Rose looked under the table and reassured me he was ok.
I looked at May and said.
"This is all my fault May, I'm sorry." She moved to hug me and I started with the tears. They got me into a seat and then loaded March in, surprisingly his eyes were open and he was looking at me.
"There is no shock Nicky, we just have to clear his lungs and keep him on observation for the next twelve hours or so, then he's yours again." The ambo smiled at me, I knew his face, he was one of the men who took May to the hospital.
"Thank you, when it's all said and done this is the second time you have saved my ass."
"Third Nicky," I smiled and took March's hand, it took me a while but then I realized he may have been one of the ambos that came to me in the clearing that awful day. I didn't know because I was out to it.
They found him a room on his own and the monitors were hooked up immediately. I sat silently in the corner and watched them check him over, and the doctors pumped more fluid into his body.
One turned to me and said.
"Well done Mr. Stephenson, he will be okay now. I have to do a lung test but that can wait, his breathing has improved and he will be discharged as soon as the anti-venom does its job."
"Thank you doctor, you have no idea how much this means to me." I sat back and breathed out.
When they left, the nurse placed a chair next to the bed and I moved over to look him in the eyes.
"Well that was a nasty bite Nicky." I heard him whisper.
"Rest March, save your breath and I will watch you."
"I know you will baby, I always feel safe with you around. Mason?"
"He is with mum and dad, he's fine and they might bring him here, or he will have a sleepover."
"Good, then we all will be together again, thank you Nicky."
"You are so very welcome March Stephenson. How are you feeling?"
"I feel safe Nicky, and I want to go home. My breathing is normal I still feel a bit icky inside, but that will pass. Why did you run off on us?"
"I felt a little left out and ignored, you were right, it was something that May said to me that made me want to have some time on my own, it's not important now, I only wanted some me time"
"Money?"
"It's none of my business. I have all this money hanging around my home and I can't ask about it. I am over it March, and I am sorry I will apologise to May the next time I see her. But you must know my night in the snow was the result of money and our home being invaded."
"You don't have to apologize Nicky, she knew her snipe had upset you. We had agreed that she would do the banking because she has done it for years, it's probably the only thing she does for me now, and she was being possessive of that. May excelled in maths at school and I just thought she could continue. I didn't want to place any more pressure on you, there was no hidden agenda."
"I know, but all I did was ask a simple question, one that I thought your husband was entitled to know. I didn't want to take over the banking. I just wanted to know how much you had been carrying around that's all."
"We will fix that Nicky, it is time you know everything that happens in my life." His eyes closed and he dropped off to sleep, I sat and watched his monitors and his breathing, sending Mum and May a message, I felt so guilty.
I have added to March's stresses and I didn't want to do that, how could I be the one to cause him harm, I led him to that oval and I caused him to be attacked. I will never forgive myself for being such a baby over something so trivial, it's not like me to let something like that get under my skin.
More checks were done and the nurse looked at me and said.
"Hows his blood pressure been?"
"Perfect." I smiled.
"When he wakes up I will go get him some coffee, in the meantime how do you like yours?"
"White with one, thank you." She went to get me one and I made myself comfortable then fell asleep.
My awakening was brought on by gentle kissing, and when I opened my eyes March was sitting on the side of the bed leaning into me.
"March thank you, but can you lay down please?"
"No I feel fine Nicky, the doctor has done his tests and I am allowed to go home when I'm ready. I rang mum, she and dad are coming to pick us up."
"So soon?"
"We have been here overnight Nicky, you fell asleep." He smiled.
"Have you had coffee?"
"Yes and some food, so I am good to go I will cook you breakfast at home. They will need more tests done over the next week but I will be fine."
I picked up my now cold drink and gulped it down, my throat was so dry.
Mum and dad came into the room with Mason and when he saw us his eyes lit up. March was the first to greet him then he passed him over to me, a little moaning but that was expected, he was still tired. I asked mum if everyone was ok and she said yes but the local page has been lighting up all through the night.
"Come on lets go home." March took Mason and we all walked out to the nurses desk to sign him out.
Mum started breakfast and I got Mase settled on the couch with his milk for some more sleep. Sunny watched him and I silently thanked the furry friend for his help yesterday.
"Do you need to take any pills?"
"I have three to take today, but I need to go to the chemist and pick up some more. I have to take them for a week."
"Okay we will get that sorted out, I want you to stay home today and rest. I will get the prescription done and apologize to May, then I will be back."
"Nicky there was fifteen grand found, it was my fault with everything happening around us I plain forgot. I understand your concerns for keeping money here and I will clear it out when I get the time."
"Clear what out?" he stared at me, dropped his head, then said.
"Come with me."
He put a bathrobe on, it had turned cool and all he had was his shorts and t-shirt, I followed him to the second bathroom.
"May has the same in her home Nicky, I got Ron to do this one when he renovated. It all started when I was working so hard to keep the farm going, I started putting some money aside. What you are about to see is my insurance. The farm money is mum and dads, this money is mine." He went over to the window and ran his hand up the side of it, the frame bounced open and there hidden away were stacks of cash and a few precious items he had gathered along the way.
"We hide the cash mainly because of the tax, May is very good with juggling the books Nicky, that's the reason she still does it. I call it my insurance, so nothing like that dark times ever happen to me again." Now I understand.
"My God March, what have you done, there must be tens of thousands in here?"
"I don't know how much Nicky, but when I go to the bank they will tell me."
"No, don't do that, keep it as it is, that's how you paid Ron and the others cash for their jobs?"
"I did, saves them declaring money also, it's like a mini bank." I looked deeper and saw an item I thought I had lost, a small key ring with a shiny N, mum and dad had bought me when I got my first car. I picked it up and showed him, he went bright red and dropped his head.
"I found it the first week you came into town, I needed something personal of yours so I kept it, sorry."
"Well you keep it safe for me baby, I had no idea where it went."
"It was in the middle of the road, honest Nicky I didn't steal it from you, I found it. I loved you even back then, you were a piece of sunshine in my life and this trinket shined so brightly I kept it."
"Finders keepers March, we will leave it here with your other special things."
His face lit up and he started showing his stash to me, just things like worn bolts, a few rings and some dog tags with their names on them, the sort of things a farm kid would keep in a tin box, but special things that meant a lot to him.
When he had finished I pushed the frame back and it clicked into place, no one would know this is here, and I do believe my husband loves me enough to be so daring as to steal my trinket away.
"Breakfast time boys." Mum announced.
"Coming mum." I yelled.
March took his pill and I checked his blood pressure, Mason slept on.
"Fine, you are good to go."
March and I ate our bacon eggs and mushrooms, and when our eyes met he smiled and I shivered, this morning could have been so different.
The doorbell went and I let May and Jason in. They had bubs sleeping in the carry basket and she was placed in Mason's room.
"Have you had breakfast yet?" Mum asked.
"Yes mum, how is the patient?" May rubbed March's head.
"Good, he's just having his food, and by the looks of it, half of mine too." March giggled and mum went to get me some more.
May was asking March how he felt and Jason was looking at me, he winked and then placed his hands in front of his smiling mouth.
"Now coffee?"
"Yes please." They both said.
Jason followed me over to the kitchen to help me then he whispered.
"Take it as a tired mum, not thinking properly Nicky, she will apologise but can we leave it at that?"
I kissed his cheek and said back.
"Nothing to apologize for Jason. I read it all wrong but to be honest it did make me feel a little isolated. I realized too late that it was just a March, May thing and I didn't have to know."
"Thank you Nick, she was up half the night worrying more about you than March. Snake bites are common at the farms around here she knew you would see him right."
"No more said Jase, let's just go back to being a happy family."
"And what are you two talking about?" May doesn't trust me with her husband I think.
"How stupid I have been, and May my sincerest apologies. I shouldn't have
run off like that."
"Well I was expecting one of your smart assed answers Nicky, but it didn't arrive." She smiled.
"No need, we will always be good May. I love you as much as I love your brother." I kissed her cheek and hugged her.
We took the coffees over to the table and all I could see were smiles.
"By the way mum, remember that small key ring you bought me when I got my license?"
"Yes son, when you said you lost it, I searched high and low for it at the house."
"I found it, March Stephenson stole it."
"I did not, don't tell them that I didn't steal it mum, honest. I found it in the middle of the road. Nicky, I am still sick don't be so awful to me. I found it."
"Sure you did." I smiled.
"Nicky why are you always causing trouble for me, I told you I found it."
"You stole it then you probably slept with it, damn country pervert." May started laughing at March's now red face.
"You're not out of the woods yet May Atkins, I didn't hear a return apology from you." I stared at her lifting an eyebrow, she shut up.
"I'm sorry."
"Louder I don't think your brother heard you."
"I'm sorry." She shouted and bubs woke up, I collapsed in a heap laughing.
Mason moaned and May said.
"Get that small one for me Nicky, nappy change." She gloated.
March was laughing again and May was still my best friend, mum and dad had a good giggle then dad fed Mason his eggs. I wasn't out of the woods yet, while May fed Rosie I had to listen to all the events of yesterday from Mason, he was playing catch up.
I did have to go to the chemist so I took my son for a drive while the family entertained my husband. The questions were coming at me thick and thin by the staff and passer the byes. I got the pills and headed for the car. When I looked around I yelled.
"He's all good and will be back at work tomorrow. I will get him to post something when I get back home."
I drove off laughing once again.
When I got in mum and dad had gone, and May was keeping up the fluids, Jason was playing with Mase and Sunny out the back.
"You had better put something on the local page March, I was just mobbed down at the shops."
"Already done Nicky, I was sick of trying to answer all the questions," He smiled. I opened my phone and looked, sure enough March had posted.
'This is March Stephenson, I was bitten by a brown snake at the oval yesterday. Thanks to the exceptional efforts of my husband Nicolas Stephenson I am alive today. A night in the hospital fixed me up and although I still feel queasy I am in tip-top condition, please no flowers.'
Typical March I smiled at his simplicity, it could have been worse but thank God it turned out ok.
I placed my phone on the table and looked at him, he was grinning from ear to ear.
"Now Nicky, I will show you how to do the banking in the morning please don't muck up all my good work. March could get into a lot of trouble if it is." May said.
"I only wanted to know how much he had been carrying around on him, it was money that bought Matt here and money that placed me in the snow. I don't want it hanging around here like a beacon."
"I get it, and I am sorry Nicky, he was carrying around fifteen grand, he knows he is not supposed to do that he has to give me the daily funds every day.
"I forgot May thats all, how many times do I have to say it." March moaned.
"May I don't want to do his books but I can help with the money, I can collect it off March every day and give it to you."
"So we are good then Nicky, and yes that would be even better you can get into places I can't go to." She grinned.
"May we are fine."
"Good, now do you want me to do your banking?"
"Would you, I have no idea what I'm doing?"
I didn't tell her March showed me his stash, that secret is best left between the both of them.
Jason came back and insisted he get May and bubs back home, both needed a rest, so they motored off and we said we will see them after lunch.
"There's no way we can snake-proof this place is there?"
"No Nicky, they usually don't come near any towns, the one at the oval came from the gully probably trying to catch the last of the sun. They will go into hibernation as soon as it gets cooler, but it's always good to check."
"Well, it scared me March, what if it was Mason who got bit, he's so small." He shuddered.
"He wouldn't be here now Nicky, we just have to not overact and keep him near especially in summer."
"Want your bravery award now?"
"Yes please, I was worried that you had forgotten me." I knelt in front of him and went to town.
It took me three weeks to stop looking under beds and around corners, especially the cubby house, I know we had Sunny but we all would be so devastated if he or Mase were attacked, I watched the both of them closely until I realized I was over thinking things again so I pulled back a bit.
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