Chapter 22

[Protection]

Melissa had her baby, a boy the three of them named Charles. Our community is growing from the inside with babies. I have been busy as an OB doctor to many. We haven't lost any babies or mothers. That's good because we are gradually losing some of the advantages of our formerly mechanistic society.

When manufacturing stopped, it was the little things that are missed most and soonest. At least, it seems that way to me. Tongue depressors and ear swabs are running low. I now guard them along with bandages and similar items. We can put together replacements but they have to be crafted. Fuel is in short supply and tires are becoming dry rotted. I believe car and truck motors will last if there were a way to operate them. We looked at solar power and that works but you need batteries. You can't order that stuff off the Internet any more! The lack of electrical power is an issue for some of our citizens. We can do some things but can't do others when power is lost. We are making do but all of us know deep down that we will all lose our power at some time.

Our area lacks much in the way of hills, which prevents the use of hydroelectric power. We were still looking at that idea. Darryl is spearheading that initiative when he has time. The old adage that it's difficult to remember to drain the swamp when you're hip deep in alligators still holds true. Growing food and children take precedence over dam building. We are right at the edge of being able to have people to do things not connected with one of those two things. We have a number of projects that suffer from "fits and starts."

I have been blessed again with my fifth child, a beautiful little girl named, Elizabeth after Amos' first wife. Everyone calls her, Bess. She is a happy baby and Jane, Judith, and I are enjoying our lives very much. We work the farm, raise children, and go to church.

The only issue is the growing frailty of Abe. He wasn't young when The Day occurred and more years and the spiritual strife of keeping us together had taken its toll on his usually healthy life. More and more, Alan is leading church and preaching. Abe is still available to pray and offer counsel. He tells me that our community has passed its testing and its now up to us to live properly and grow over time. I like that idea. We have lost enough people before their time and there is enough effort in living that outside problems are not on my "want" list.

As I write this, I notice that good times don't create much news but happiness is that way. I just received a flash. Missy, who married Blaine, thinks she is pregnant. She's coming over with her husband to be examined. I hope she is. She and Blaine make a great couple and give Amos and Doris much joy and help on their farm. Blaine came to us without any family. His parents were on a plane that crashed when its pilots were incapacitated by the virus. He came from our northeast where he had been in college in Kentucky.

I confirmed the pregnancy and Missy looks healthy and all is well though it's too early to tell much. They have decided not to find out the baby's sex but will decide upon names either way. Many people are doing that. It does make the event of having a baby more exciting.

Missy and Blaine have now had their first child, a boy named Amos after his grandfather. The parents and grandparents are overjoyed. The Baptism will be this Sunday. I am looking forward to it as I have so many others since I delivered every single one of them. Judith says that I seem to be as proud of the births as the parents.

Angela just came to the house asking for us to go to Abe.

I arrived in time to do nothing but listen. Abe talked to Angela and Claire telling them that he loved them and appreciated their care for him. He told them to look for another husband or husbands because they should continue to have joy in life. He next talked to Alan for a long time quietly telling him things Abe had kept in his heart over the years that Alan would now need to know as he took over the spiritual care of our community. Abe prayed over Alan and laid hands upon his head after asking me to join him in blessing Alan as our pastor for the future.