She Needs You

Richard Bothel provides fictional snapshots of the isolated populations living in the river bottoms and backwoods of Texas.

“Time for the young one?” Rosa raised her head up squinting from the bright sun.

“She needs to pop him out right now. You need to get there.” As she passed through the opening, he immediately closed the limbs behind her.
“She did well with the last one.” You could see Rosa’s coal black eyes give Jonah a knowing stare.

“Yah, she should be doing it herself. I guess your help spoiled her the last time, though.” In his own way, Jonah was trying to get Ada help, but he did not want to sound too sympathetic. It was not the way of a macho man living in the river bottoms.

“Let’s go.” Rosa motioned to Jonah with a feeble wave of her hand.
“Na…nope. Not me. You go ahead.”He wanted to maintain his aloof status. “You just tell her you happened by to check on her. She doesn’t need to know I was here.”
Without another word, Rosa headed out on the trail to Ada’s.
“I’ve got stuff to do.” Jonah went in the opposite direction. He did not know where he was going. He just headed out in the woods. Already, he’d shown too much compassion for Ada. He kept on going over in his mind women is to have babies. That’s what they’re made for. Don’t know man need to waste his time with her having that kid.

Rosa knew the way to Ada’s well. She used short steps moving through the narrow trail through the brush. She looked her 70+ years. However, there was a certainty about her that let you know she could handle whatever came her direction. In her own way, she had pride of her own. She never looked back at Jonah.