A Woman of Independent Means
Or, Necessity and the Mother of Invention
Heather Lisinski was a wonderful mother. Everyone in town said so, in fact, everyone in town claimed they'd known she would be all along. She adjusted quickly to the six babies, and soon after they came home from the Alternate Birthing Centre, she went back to work in her garage, bringing them with her every day.
Motherhood did not keep Heather from holding onto her fierce independence. She accepted gratefully the casseroles people put on her porch and the play-dates her friends at the commune tried to arrange out at their ranch, but for the most part, she took care of her family all by herself. Even more amazingly, she continued to work wonders in her shop, fixing everything that came her way, from radios and sophisticated communication devices to washing machines, from alarm clocks to tractors. She tended to her children and her machine repairs and engines, running back and forth around the garage, and delighted in the peace and quiet, with no one there trying to tell her what to do.
It impressed everyone, but it also concerned her friends. April, Mary and Trish often discussed their worries, after dinner as Eric did the dishes or rocked Ruby and Violet to sleep. They wondered what they could do to provide further assistance, without breaking the doctor-counselor-receptionist-patient privilege necessary to their practice. Surely at least one of the candidate fathers could be convinced to help shoulder the burden of six children, but how to convince Heather to accept such paternal interference? On one of her weekly visits, Gail overheard her daughters-in-law, who had elected to do the dishes that night while Gail and Gray played with their grandchildren and Eric cleaned mushed peas off the floor. Gail had asserted that it was only Heather herself who could make her decisions, and that they should respect the ones she'd made. Privately, though, she'd resolved to go check in on the new mother herself.
This was how Gail came to be standing in Heather's workshop, surrounded by the various car seats and bouncy chairs that Heather had arranged in a semicircle. "So they're sleeping better now?" Gail asked.
"Oh, way better," Heather said, putting her screwdriver down on the table in the centre of the room. She had taken apart an engine of some kind, and the high wooden table was scattered with tiny parts. "They're all really good about it. Even Betsy sleeps through the night now." She smiled affectionately at her noisiest offspring. "And she fusses less during the day."
Gail nodded, surveying the babies with a grandmotherly air. "And how about you?"
"Me?" asked Heather, concentrating on attaching a wire. "I'm fine."
Gail recognized that stubborn look of independence, so she was careful with her next question. "Are you sure?"
Heather looked slightly frustrated, but continued with her task. "Never better. Having a great time. John Adams, careful!" She picked a bottle off the ground and put it back on the car seat tray, only for it to be promptly knocked down again by a little fist. Gail reached to pick it up, but Heather got there first.
"You know, the girls sent you some things," said Gail, holding up the bag she'd been entrusted to deliver. "Stuff Violet's outgrown now."
"Won't Trish need it all soon?" asked Heather, wiping spittle off little Georgie's chin.
"No, they've got it into their heads to start making clothes. They've got this big batch of green dye. Something about it being easier to dress them all the same," chuckled Gail, though she'd actually been impressed with her daughters-in-law and their latest enterprise. "I guess you wouldn't want to dress these little ones the same. Wouldn't want to mix them up."
"Oh, I'd never mix them up," laughed Heather. "Kids are like cars. They've all got their own distinct personality. I feel like I already know them all so well. Johnny hates it when I leave the room for a second, but Georgie hates it when any of the other babies are out of sight. Abby loves peekaboo, but Betsy gets scared when I jump out at her. TJ always falls asleep when he hears me using power tools. And Libby, she watches everything I do in here. Look at her." She motioned to the bouncy seat where the blond baby was indeed staring at them with big eyes. "I wouldn't trade this time with them for anything in the world."
Gail smiled. "I know, dear. Exactly what you mean." Heather smiled back, and turned back to her tinkering with the engine, which Gail noticed now, baby Libby was indeed watching with rapt interest. Gail turned back to look at the younger woman, so hard at work. "Maybe you should take some time off from your work, then. You can still spend time with them, just let someone else do some of this mechanical repair work."
Heather shook her head, holding up two screws to compare them in the light. "I've got to keep at it. Keep contributing to the town. We're on our own here and we need all the help we can get."
Gail considered this for a moment, and considered her next words carefully. "Sweetheart, it's not that we aren't all very grateful to you. And it's not that we don't admire everything you're doing. I, for one, am very proud of you. The way you've stepped up to this challenge, taken such good care of these babies, and the way you're always ready to help everyone else. But I think maybe it's time you let everyone else help you too."
"I don't need anyone else," Heather said quickly.
"But you don't need to do it all yourself," said Gail gently. "You have friends who care about you, people who love you, and you're not the only one responsible for these little ones -"
"Oh, did he tell you to come here, say that?" asked Heather, for the first time showing irritation.
Gail ceased smiling and fixed her with a kind, but firm look that meant business. "I did not come here as Jake's mother, Heather, or as a grandmother. I came here as the mayor's wife. It's important to me to take care of things in our town, and to take care of the people in it. You are an important member of our community, we value everything you do for us, and I wish you could accept letting someone else do something for you."
Heather shook her head throughout this speech, looking down at her work and pretending not to be taking the older woman's words seriously. "Heather," said Gail firmly. Heather turned to look at her, but her expression showed she was clearly just humouring Gail. "I also came here as your friend." Heather's eyes softened for a moment, but she continued to regard the older woman with wariness. "I want to make sure you're doing what's right for you, and for your children. What's going to make you all happy and healthy. Staying in here by yourself, it's not going to be good for you, or them, in the long term. You need to get out, take breaks, get to enjoy yourself a little. For all of your sakes. When was the last time you even went for a walk?"
"I..." Heather trailed off. The answer was obvious.
"Trying to do this all by yourself, it's brave honey, but you can't even go for a walk if you've got to take six babies around with you."
"Well, that's the problem then, isn't it?" asked Heather defensively. "I can't fit them all in a double stroller."
"Heather," said Gail, attempting a soothing voice again. "I'm just saying, let us help you. Let someone watch them, and you go for a walk, or let someone help you take them for a walk. Things would be so much easier, if you let someone help."
An unspoken understanding seemed to pass between them, and Heather shook her head. "I don't need anyone! I can do it myself, and I will." With that, she stormed over to the small supply closet in the corner of the garage and began rummaging around noisily.
Johnny and Betsy both began to cry loudly. Gail scooped one up in each arm and swayed from side to side, shaking her head at the dismal failure of her mission.
The next day was a beautiful spring day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and a gentle breeze kissed the faces of the inhabitants of Jericho. Many people went out for a walk that day, and so many people stopped to stare when they saw Heather Lisinski passing by.
Heather took no notice of them at all, of course. She'd gotten quite used to people staring. She merely enjoyed the feeling of the sun on her face, smiled as she pointed out the sights to her children, and laughed at the looks on their faces as they took in their surroundings.
I was on a patrol that morning, so I was one of the many who bore witness to the debut of Heather's latest invention. At first, I was taken aback, as it was like nothing I'd ever seen before, and amazed that she could walk around so easily, but if anyone could design something like that and make it work, it was Heather. Jimmy stopped and stood in place, looking across the street at the Lisinski family. "I didn't know they made those...for more than one," he whispered.
"Usually, they don't," I answered, unable to keep the amazement out of my own voice. Heather had fashioned herself a baby carrier, just like the kind I'd seen Eric carrying each of his successive children in at town events, only unlike that knapsack, this one was designed to seat six. Somehow, Heather's knapsack had six rotating seats, suspended around her like a ferris wheel, so that she could get to each child if she needed to. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never think such a thing could work, but Heather had designed it so well, she could easily support it as she walked, turning to look around and wave to friends and acquaintances.
She waved as she passed, and one of the babies, the little girl with the darkest hair, squawked loudly as Jimmy and I waved back. As she continued on her way, I couldn't help staring after them. Jimmy did the same. "Heather sure comes up with some strange things in that workshop, doesn't she?" he mused.
I nodded as Jimmy continued to talk about Heather's mysterious shop, and how no one had ever been allowed behind the counter. I agreed with him out loud, that it certainly was intriguing, but I was remembering another mysterious workshop that was even harder to penetrate. I didn't know exactly what it housed at the time, but I'd had a suspicion it was something a lot bigger than some childcare devices. I had to keep that one a secret from Jimmy, so I stayed quiet, but my mind was going back to another warm day, out at the Richmond farm...