A Spoonful Of Sugar

Chapter five

Mary Poppins gripped Bert's hand. "You are sure the ambulance is coming?"
    Bert nodded. "It's pourin' have patience."
     "Easy for you to say." Mary Poppins said and let out a heavy breath. She closed her eyes and pursed her lips. "This is nonsense. We won't make it to hospital." She said.
    Bert looked at Mary Poppins. "Ya don't mean-"
     "The baby is sure it's going to make its appearance now."  She said.
     Winifred walked down the stairs. "You're certain you won't make it to the hospital?"
     Mary Poppins opened her eyes. "Quite."
     Winifred nodded. "Ellen! Set up the guest room! Mary Poppins is having her baby."
     Ellen walked out of the kitchen. "Here?"
     " 'fraid so." Bert said.
    Ellen nodded. "Very well." She said and walked up to the guest room.
     Mary Poppins gripped Bert's hand tightly. "You just had to make my last day with you enjoyable?"
     "Very appropriate Mary. You're the one 'ho married me." Bert said.
     Mary Poppins glared at him. "So I did." She said. Ellen walked downstairs.
     "The rooms ready." She said.
     Bert helped Mary Poppins stand only for her to fall to her knees with a painful contraction. He picked her up and carried her up to the room.
      Mary Poppins looked at Bert. "Are you ready?"
     He let out a breath. "Not even close."
  
     Mary Poppins couldn't hold back her cry. The lost painful contraction yet racked through her. She pushed again this time and fell back in the bed.
     Cries filled the room. Mary Poppins looked at the baby that Ellen gathered in a towel and wiped clean. "It's a boy Mary Poppins."
     Mary Poppins nodded. "So I see."
    Bert picks duo the baby. " 'e looks like you Mary."
     Mary Poppins only nodded. She felt her usual magic flow through her and heal her body. After a minute her body was full back to its normal self.
     Mary Poppins stood up and gathered up the bedding.
     "Mary look at 'im. 'e's your son." Bert said.
     Mary Poppins set the bedding a basket in the corner of the room. "I should like to think he's my son. I did carry him for eight months." She said.
      "Then look at 'im!" Bert snapped.
    The child began to cry. Mary Poppins dropped her arms. "Now you've done it." She said and held out her arms. Bert set the child in her arms.
    The child stopped crying and Mary Poppins looked at him. "Strong lungs." She said and sat on the bed. "You must be hungry." She said and began to feed him. She didn't speak to him. She simply did what the child needed.
     Bert sighed. "You don't even look at 'im like a mother would."
    Mary Poppins said nothing. The baby finished its meal and Mary Poppins cleaned herself up. Bert blinked and the baby was in a fresh set of clothes.
     The child looked at Mary Poppins.
    Mary Poppins stood up. She handed him to Bert. "I must finish cleaning up now. After all it is my mess." She said and picked up the basket.
     "I can't believe you." Bert said and shook his head.
     Mary Poppins walked the basket down to the wash room and set it down.
     She leaned on the washing machine. In all honesty she was terrified. She didn't know how to be a mother. It wasn't like being a nanny.
     Mary Poppins walked upstairs.
    Bert was in the nursery. All the rest of the family was in the room. Elizabeth looked at the baby. " he's cute."
     Mary Poppins entered the room. Everyone looked up.
     "You should be resting." Winifred said.
     "Nonsense. I'm practically perfect." She said and walked over to the group.
     The baby began to cry in Bert's arms.
     Mary Poppins looked at him. She gently reached out and touched the baby's cheek. "Hush. No sense in crying over nothing." She said.
      The baby stopped its crying and looked at his mother.
     Bert looked at Mary Poppins. "Must you be so stern?"
     Mary Poppins withdrew her hand. She crossed her arms and straightened her back.
    "You can have as much time as you need off Mary Poppins." Winifred said.
     Mary Poppins held in her hand. "I won't need anything but my usual second Tuesday off." She said. "Thank you very much."