For a long time, she heard nothing but America's ragged breathing. Virginia's legs grew painfully numb. Irrationally, she felt that if she moved, even to stretch, America would become aware of her presence. Every time he made a noise in the bedroom, moaning or whimpering, Virginia tensed up, holding her breath. How long was this going to take? When had it started?
***
Against her will, Virginia was having trouble keeping her eyes open.
She pinched the skin on her wrists. She dug her nails into her palms. She tried not blinking, but her eyes got dry, she'd have to blink, and her eyes would then shut for too long. Falling asleep and waking up--sometimes within seconds--was making her jumpy.
A yelp from the bedroom scared Virginia wide awake. Was something wrong? America hadn't been that loud before, why was he now? She listened hard; all that came next was more heavy breathing and groaning. Eventually, even that died down, and she couldn't hear anything.
Virginia had calmed and was getting sleepy again when a new noise made her jump: it was enraged screaming, and it was not America who was doing it.
It felt like hours before the wailing stopped, though Virginia knew it couldn't have been that long. When America quit moving around in the bedroom, Virginia got to her feet. She waited for the numbness to leave her, as she worked up the nerve to open the door and check on America--she hadn't dared try while she knew for a fact he was awake.
***
To Virginia's relief, America was asleep, exactly as she'd guessed he'd be. He looked alright, just dead tired.
Emboldened by the thought that America probably lacked the energy to yell at her if she woke him up, Virginia sat on the bed beside him to get a closer look at the baby. She couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl. Wrapped in a sheet and curled up on America's chest so its face was pressed against America's skin, there was almost no part of the baby that was visible. Its cheek looked bruised; there were delicate spider veins spreading across the skin.
She wanted to see if the spider veins were all over its face, but poking the baby at first did nothing, then made it angrily rub its face hard at America's chest. Which woke America.
"Hey, stop poking your baby brother," he mumbled. He was too tired to even keep his eyes opened.
Virginia didn't say anything, afraid America was going to order her out, but he reached for her, pulling her to him, and lying next to her father, Virginia stared at her baby brother some more, as America went back to sleep.
***
New Netherland was an ugly little thing who, for the first several weeks of his life, resembled a skinned animal more than a child. Somehow, he managed to look unimpressed by everything his father and older sister did. He even sneered in his sleep.
Virginia adored him, even if he'd been given a ridiculous name. For all New Netherland's outward contrariness, he was the calmest baby Virginia and had ever seen. He only cried when he was hungry. The rest of the time, he was content with lying like a boneless lump against his sister.
America thought it was sweet how devoted Virginia was to her brother. But when he could only get New Netherland back to feed him, America found the situation losing its charm.
"Go play outside," he snapped one day at Virginia.
"Can I bring New Netherland with me?"
"Of course not. Leave him here."
"Then I'm staying inside."
"You're a child. Go act like one!"
"You're a child too," Virginia sassed, even though America did not look that young anymore. No one in the settlement would have believed him to be Virginia's father, but the age gap between them appeared larger, and it was going to look considerably less suspicious, Virginia--and now the new baby--being under America's supervision.
"Give me my son," America commanded. For the first time that Virginia could recall, he looked displeased with her.
She handed her brother over. She was willing to push limits with her father, but there was only so far she'd go.
***
In Arlington, Virginia ended her call with New York. She stay near the phone, in case Canada was planning to call her next.
All is Not As it Seems - 5b
***
Against her will, Virginia was having trouble keeping her eyes open.
She pinched the skin on her wrists. She dug her nails into her palms. She tried not blinking, but her eyes got dry, she'd have to blink, and her eyes would then shut for too long. Falling asleep and waking up--sometimes within seconds--was making her jumpy.
A yelp from the bedroom scared Virginia wide awake. Was something wrong? America hadn't been that loud before, why was he now? She listened hard; all that came next was more heavy breathing and groaning. Eventually, even that died down, and she couldn't hear anything.
Virginia had calmed and was getting sleepy again when a new noise made her jump: it was enraged screaming, and it was not America who was doing it.
It felt like hours before the wailing stopped, though Virginia knew it couldn't have been that long. When America quit moving around in the bedroom, Virginia got to her feet. She waited for the numbness to leave her, as she worked up the nerve to open the door and check on America--she hadn't dared try while she knew for a fact he was awake.
***
To Virginia's relief, America was asleep, exactly as she'd guessed he'd be. He looked alright, just dead tired.
Emboldened by the thought that America probably lacked the energy to yell at her if she woke him up, Virginia sat on the bed beside him to get a closer look at the baby. She couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl. Wrapped in a sheet and curled up on America's chest so its face was pressed against America's skin, there was almost no part of the baby that was visible. Its cheek looked bruised; there were delicate spider veins spreading across the skin.
She wanted to see if the spider veins were all over its face, but poking the baby at first did nothing, then made it angrily rub its face hard at America's chest. Which woke America.
"Hey, stop poking your baby brother," he mumbled. He was too tired to even keep his eyes opened.
Virginia didn't say anything, afraid America was going to order her out, but he reached for her, pulling her to him, and lying next to her father, Virginia stared at her baby brother some more, as America went back to sleep.
***
New Netherland was an ugly little thing who, for the first several weeks of his life, resembled a skinned animal more than a child. Somehow, he managed to look unimpressed by everything his father and older sister did. He even sneered in his sleep.
Virginia adored him, even if he'd been given a ridiculous name. For all New Netherland's outward contrariness, he was the calmest baby Virginia and had ever seen. He only cried when he was hungry. The rest of the time, he was content with lying like a boneless lump against his sister.
America thought it was sweet how devoted Virginia was to her brother. But when he could only get New Netherland back to feed him, America found the situation losing its charm.
"Go play outside," he snapped one day at Virginia.
"Can I bring New Netherland with me?"
"Of course not. Leave him here."
"Then I'm staying inside."
"You're a child. Go act like one!"
"You're a child too," Virginia sassed, even though America did not look that young anymore. No one in the settlement would have believed him to be Virginia's father, but the age gap between them appeared larger, and it was going to look considerably less suspicious, Virginia--and now the new baby--being under America's supervision.
"Give me my son," America commanded. For the first time that Virginia could recall, he looked displeased with her.
She handed her brother over. She was willing to push limits with her father, but there was only so far she'd go.
***
In Arlington, Virginia ended her call with New York. She stay near the phone, in case Canada was planning to call her next.