Nora Ray (Ray Trilogy)

chapter Twenty One

Nora came home to an empty house every day after school. She felt bored to tears and missed Jeremy terribly.

She asked a couple of her Medical School professors which hospital she should put in applications which would place her in the best advantage to get to know the right people when she began her serious medical training. She wanted a part time job to give her something to think about in the evenings other than missing Jeremy.

She went to her appointment on Thursday and with her experience and studies, she was hired on the spot. She would report to work on Monday evening at five and work until nine, Monday through Friday. Perfect she thought. I’ll have some extra spending money to fix up the apartment.

When Jeremy arrives tomorrow night, I’ll have some news for him she thought excitedly.

When Jeremy ran up the stairs to the apartment and burst through the door, she could see he was happy. He said, “I have news!”

He told her all about speaking to Professor Dave Bradley and the result of that visit. His face shined explaining it all to her.

She stood there in amazement with her hands on her cheeks. “That’s more than I ever dreamed! You may be famous someday!”

She gave him a big hug and he whirled her around hitting her foot on the chair leg in the tiny dining room, so in self-preservation she wrapped her legs around his middle. That gave Jeremy other ideas. It was a while before he remembered that he was hungry.

Nora had a casserole in the oven in anticipation of his coming home. She hoped it wasn’t too cold by now.

Soon they had filled their plates and were sitting at the tiny table when she remembered that she had news also. “Jeremy, I have something to tell you, too,” Nora beamed, “I applied at the hospital and have a part time job after school, Monday through Friday.”

Dismissing her excitement, Jeremy unenthusiastically said, “Nora, I would rather you not work. Don’t you have enough to do?”

Nora lowered her head and became very still before she looked up at him again. “Jeremy, this is Nora you are talking to,” she pointed to herself. “I will be a heart surgeon someday. I will work the rest of my life.”

Jeremy explained, “I know that, I meant just now.”

She shook her head, “No, Jeremy, I need to keep busy. That’s who I am.”

“Okay, Sweetheart. I didn’t mean to cross you. If you want to work, do so. I just want you to be happy.” Jeremy decided he had said enough. He wanted to drop the subject before he got himself in more trouble.

In her senior year, Nora discovered she was pregnant. Jeremy hated that he couldn’t be with her all the time but she assured him that she was fine. She continued with her school work and also kept her job at the hospital. They both were in their senior year and would receive their bachelor’s degree in May.

Both their families made the graduations. In spite of being five months pregnant, Nora didn’t need maternity clothes yet.

Now that she had completed the Pre Med phase of her training and received her Bachelor’s degree, she still had to take the MCAT, Medical College Admissions Test, scheduled June first, before she could continue her studies in Med School.

Oklahoma State University offered Jeremy a job in their agricultural extension office in Tulsa. He decided to take it so that he could be with Nora during her last months of pregnancy and be there to help her with the baby.

Nora and Jeremy agreed that she would continue her Med School for the next four years, while he worked in the extension office. When she completed this phase of her schooling, she could apply to take her first year of internship in Stillwater during which time he would return to the University to complete his Master’s degree. He decided to take at least two evening classes a week and drive back and forth to Stillwater. He hoped by the time she finished with Med School he could easily finish in one year.

Before Jeremy adjusted to his new job, he came in one day and had to walk sideways to get through the house. His mother brought Dennis’s old baby bed and stroller while he was gone.

“Nora,” Jeremy called.

She answered from the bedroom, “Yes?” She came to the bedroom door.

“Are you as ready as I am to look for a larger place to live?”

She looked at the things piled in the floor, “Yes, I am.”

“If we pile this stuff on top of the couch, we couldn’t sit on it but we could walk across the room, at least,” Jeremy offered lifting the heavy objects and placing them carefully in order to pile them all on it.

“I see your mother’s manipulation in this,” Nora nodded her head assured she was right. “This was her way of saying, without saying, that it is time for us to get a larger apartment.”

Jeremy laughed, knowing his mother, “I think you’re right.”

“Seriously, as soon as I get my first paycheck, we will be able to afford something bigger.”

“I think we need a two bedroom apartment, but I still want to be near the campus. I also want to be involved in choosing it this time,” she stated.

“Sure,” Jeremy looked at her surprised. “The only reason Dad and I picked it out last time was because you were shopping for your wedding dress. Dad said we could take care of it and spare you the time.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love your Dad, but he never does anything without a double motive.” Nora declared with her hands on her hips, “He took you instead of both of us was because he wanted to find something cheap. After all, he was paying for it himself.” She stood nodding her head at him. “Remember he found it in one afternoon?”

He stood thinking for a moment with his head cocked to the side, then he laughed, “I had no idea you could see right through both my parents so easily.”

They found a suitable duplex with two bedrooms and a tiny yard in the back. Nora continued to work which surprised Jeremy considering she was in her second trimester. “Graduate school comes expensive.” She told Jeremy, “I need all the money I can earn to pay for the tuition.”

He knew she was right. Her scholarship ran out when she received her bachelor’s degree. Paying for a master’s degree cost much more.

She had already received her scores from her MCAT, so plans needed to be made to attend four years of med school, not that she doubted for a minute that she would pass. During the first two years the emphasis concentrated on education then it would gradually introduce them to the specialties they preferred. They also worked in the hospital to get some firsthand experience. Nora always looked forward to working with the patients even if it was mostly observation.

Jeremy walked around in the tiny back yard and decided to build himself a small greenhouse. He made a mental note to bring his microscope from the flower shop. He had brought his entire research portfolio home from the university when he graduated. Now, he was anxious to continue his work at home. He was so close; he could smell success in the air when he checked the plants he grew. Every generation of his plants seem to be rewarding him with increased nutrition. He felt that if he kept cross breeding his new plants that eventually he would achieve a level that would be dependable and saleable.

When the Fall semester began Nora started into Med School. She quit her job, it took all her energy to work four hours a day anyway. With her studies she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep up.

“I’m beginning to waddle now and it hurts to be on my feet very long,” she told Jeremy as she entered her eighth month. “He was already cooking the meals and washing the dishes.”

It seemed to take all her energy just to keep up with her studies and to attend class. “I have trouble sleeping at night because this baby is beating me up every night. My ribs are sore and so is my pelvic,” she complained.

The night before the baby was born, she told Jeremy as she lay spread eagle on the bed. “I feel swollen like a toad.”

He snickered at her, “You are a beautiful toad, how about a little loving, Baby?”

“Don’t you dare touch me, Jeremy Littlefield!” she spat back at him.

“Uhm,” he contemplated as he stood there looking down at her. Her face and ankles were swollen; she couldn’t get her shoes on. Her neck and cheeks were blotchy. “I think I remember when Mom was serious, she used double names like that, too,” he said with a mischievous grin.

He lay on the side of the bed beside her, and tried to kiss the side of her face.

She pushed him away.

“I think I can out run you right now,” he grinned hoping to cheer her up.

“Seriously, Jeremy, my back really hurts.”

“Okay, Nora, I’m taking you to the hospital right now.”

“What if they just send me back home?” she asked not wanting to go to the hospital and be embarrassed if she wasn’t actually in labor and they sent her right back home.

“It’s okay. If they send you back home then I’ll bring you back home,” he stated calmly.

When they got to the hospital, the nurses agreed that she was indeed in the first stages of delivery. While they took care of Nora, Jeremy called both of their parents.

Donald, Samantha, and Laura all arrived together two hours later.

At three fifteen in the morning of October 20, 1960, Lauren Aimee Littlefield made her appearance in the world crying and flailing her fists letting everyone know that she thought she was being mistreated.

Laura fell in love at first sight. She cuddled the baby with tears in her eyes and declared, “She is the spitting image of Nora as a baby.”

After Nora returned home from the hospital, she soon was able to continue her school work until the end of the semester at home due to special permission from her instructors. She only had to take the finals at school.

Sometimes she and Jeremy would hold hands and watch baby Lauren sleep. So peaceful! So beautiful!