Fangs of a Butterfly

CHAPTER 42

The day Cecile's water broke and her child was born everyone was home. I was at the dining table already and Cecile when coming for dinner when she collapsed onto the floor, Gregoire and Laurel sweeping down to catch her. Cecile cried out in pain and we saw water leak out.

"Her water broke!" Laurel announced to Shannon, who nodded swiftly and made way for them to bring her somewhere in the room on the first floor.

Only Veronique, Laurel, and Shannon—not even Gregoire—was allowed in. They took turns going out for more cloth, fresh water, or even to carry out bloody cloth and from their focused faces we couldn't tell how it was going.

"Is it painful?" Lark asked, sitting on my lap. She was big and it was kind of numbing my legs but I held her tight.

"I think, it's like pushing out a baby from your belly."

"Scientifically I think it's from the vagina," Bernadette said. Lark didn't laugh at the word as she used to, and only held my hand firmly.

"Why is there so many blood?"

"Well, the flesh gets torn—right, Bernadette? Can you explain it?" I asked, wanting to know too.

Bernadette looked on sadly and didn't say anything. "I don't know either."

"It's been hours, I think five?" Adalyn said, eyes traveling to the grandfather clock. We sat at the dining room as Yves and Uriel comforted Gregoire who stood by the door to the room. I could faintly hear Cecile's moans and groans increasing in volume one moment and gone another, making my heart jump.

"It may take days sometimes," I said.

"No!" Lark began to cry, and I also wanted to. Without a word she leapt off my lap and as she was about to go to the room, I held her and pulled her back, but she smacked my hand away.

"I'm asking Veronique—"

"No!" I snapped, "You can't do anything! What are you going to do, put more pressure on Cecile by wanting her to hurry? Worry her by crying outside the door and making her uncomfortable?"

I was so strict I surprised myself, and Lark wiped at her face.

"Fine, I'll wait," she said obediently.

Although she sat down I stood up myself. "I'll check with Gregoire and tell you three how it's going instead. I'll be fast."

I closed the door behind me and hurried towards the three men pacing about the hallway.

"How's Cecile?" I asked Yves. Gregoire seemed too fragile, and Uriel was—was a different story.

Yves looked at me with a rare expression. It made my stomach fall.

"What is it? Is it a miscarriage?" I whispered softly so Gregoire couldn't hear.

"No, Cecile has a hemorrhage. I think the baby is coming out soon, would you stay here?"

"Why?" Those words seem ominous.

"I only want—I want Cecile to have her husband and friend outside."

Shannon came out, this time carrying more bloodied towels that smelled heavily. Gregoire and I swarmed her.

"How's Cecile?" he asked.

"Is she still bleeding?" I asked.

"She's very, very tired. I think she might be fine as of now, but the baby is out."

"But the bleeding?" Gregoire asked.

Shannon shook her head.

"Can I see her?"