Persephone

47. Harebell ✔

Hades

Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck, fuck.

She's about to give birth. My wife is about to give birth. I'm driving through town like a madman. Almost crashing into a few cars on the way to the hospital. Poseidon and Hera, are in the backseat, keeping her company.

"Hades, what's taking so long?" Hera yells.

I step on the gas and drive faster, "We are almost there honey bun."

"Tilemetaforés," Poseidon yells and the car drops down at the emergency entrance of a hospital.

"Don Poseidon Jones, what have we said about using your powers in public?" Hera scolds.

Persephone screams and attention immediately turns back to her. I just got out of the car and Poseidon help Persephone out of the car, I pick her up bridal styles and rush into the building.

"Help, we need help. My wife is in labour." I yell.

Nurses come rushing in our direction, one of them has a gurney and I place her in. there is a lot of talking between the nurses and I barely catch any of it. Holding onto my wife's hands and speaking kind words.

"Please don't leave me, baby," she cries, "I can't do this without you."

"I'm right here honey. I'm not going anywhere." I reply, kissing her hand. We get into the delivery room, and they get me all dressed up, while the others attend to Persephone.

"She's at seven centimetres." One of the nurses yells and everyone in the room looks at each other.

"She just got here, the gynaecologist says, as he takes a seat in front of my wife. His hand goes between her legs.

"Okay, we've done the epidural, it's time, let's rumble people."

I rush to stand next to my wife and she's groaning, twisting, and turning.

"I hate you, Hades." She screams, "You just to break the condom with you big, holy shit."

"We are going to need you to start pushing Persephone, okay." The gyno says.

Persephone nods.

"You've got this honey, come on."

She takes in a deep breath and groans.

"That's good Persephone, keep pushing," I whisper into her ear.

She pushes again and the gyno gives us a thumbs up.

"You're doing great baby, keep pushing, she's almost here," I say, kissing the side of her sweaty head.

"Hades," she cries, "Somethings wrong with the baby."

I refuse to entertain her, "No baby, everything is okay. There is nothing wrong with the baby."

"Keep pushing Persephone, the head is almost out okay." A female nurse says.

Persephone takes in a deep breath and gives one big push, and she lets out a blood-curdling scream and that's when I realise that there could be something wrong with the baby, or her.

"We've got the head," the gyno says, "A few more pushes and you'll have your baby."

Persephone gives a few more pushes and I don't realise how tight she was holding my hand until I see that my fingers are white, not pale, white.

The doctor announces that the baby is out, and we had a baby girl, I look at the doctor's face and I could tell that there was a problem. They cut the umbilical cord and they take our baby to the cleaning station; they don't say a word for a while and then the doctor turns to me.

"Doctor what's going on, why isn't she crying?" I ask worriedly.

"The baby is alive but she's struggling to breathe, we think maybe she could have underdeveloped lungs, so we are going to take her to the children's ward, assess her and then we'll let you know what's going on and that the solution is."

I nod and I kiss Persephone's hand.

"Can I hold my baby?" Persephone cries, "Please."

The doctor nods and a nurse bring our baby girl to us, Persephone takes her into her arms and all she does is cry.

"Oh, my baby. My sweet, Rose."

"She's gorgeous," I say with a quivering lip.

Her skin was pale, her lips were blue, and her eyes closed, she looked beautiful anyway. She was going to live, she had to live.

"Please stay with us baby, we promise to treat you like the princess that you are. Come to mommy and daddy okay." Persephone says to our daughter, she gives her to the nurse, and she turns to me, and she starts wailing.

I hold her and whisper in her ear, "Everything is going to be okay baby, I promise."

Persephone is moved out of the delivery room and is taken to her private room, by my request. She's put on a sedative, and I go downstairs to meet with my family. I get to the lobby, and everybody is there, Demeter, my parents, my siblings, and Hecate. My mother walks up to me expectantly but when she looks at me, she puts her hand on her mouth and walks back to my dad, who engulfs her in his arms.

"She's alive but I'm not sure if she'll make it," I speak.

Immediately everyone's energy drops.

"What did they say was wrong?"

"Underdeveloped lungs but they are going to run some tests."

"I can help," Demeter says.

"No, you'll just finish her off, I don't want you anywhere near my niece," Fifi says furiously.

"Please, she's my granddaughter, I think I deserve to try everything I can to save her," Demeter argues.

"Fuck no, we gave you a chance to make it right with your daughter and what do you do, you screw that up!" My mother cries.

An argument breaks out and I feel my blood boil, we shouldn't be fighting. We should be doing everything we can to save my baby does not beat down each other.

"Shut up, everybody shut the fuck up."

Yes, yes, Hades. Lose your shit and then eat their souls.

"Shut up."

You're not worthy to be a father, monsters don't deserve second chances. You're just as good as Demeter.

"No."

"Hades?" my brother, Zeus calls out.

I look at him and he steps back.

If your own family is scared of you. What more that little girl?

"No, shut up. Shut up."

"Hades, he's lying. don't listen to him, okay son." My father says.

I dig my fingers deeper into my palms and I feel a piercing pain, but I don't care, I deserve it. I deserve it.

My mother walks up to me and takes my hands, she looks at me and tells me to open my hands. I slowly open my hands, feeling my claws pull out of my skin, she gives me a small smile and I open my hands full; she kisses my palm and the wounds close; she does the same with the other and it also heals.

"Don't listen to that man in your head baby, whatever happens, don't hate yourself. We are here for you, and we will support you and do everything we can to help you."

My body can't hold me up anymore, I fall to my knees and cry. My mom kneels beside me and holds me in my arms. My dad kneels beside her and my siblings follow.

"We love you Hades, don't ever forget that." I hear Don say.