Aubrey (Axis Rising)

044:

*****044:

Aubrey

I couldn't roll to a side, but my legs were aching, and my back hurt really bad, my butt was indescribably painful. I had to get up. I hate beds for this long and especially in the day. It was still day right?

"Aubrey, you need to rest. Let me help you if you have to get up." This was the sweetest voice on earth, the most melodious, the most obeyed. This was the voice of my mother.

"I need to get up. I can't lay here like this. It's killing me. Where are we by the way?"

"The Birth Place."

"Oh." I had delivered babies here many, many times. Now my eyes focused, and even though the curtain was closed, I knew it was a room I'd delivered in. I leveraged my legs, rocking back and forth till I got enough momentum to sally onto my butt cheeks.

I felt mom's hand on my back, and not gently, but firmly, like a midwife, or a labor nurse. Oh yeah, because-- haha, she is one!

"Where's Rafe?"

I sat on the edge of the bed now, swaying slightly, thinking how uncomfortable hospital rooms actually were from a patient's point of view. No wonder they all wanted to have their kids at home. Cheaper and more welcoming.

"He went home to put the kids to bed and spend a little quality time with them."

I knew immediately by her tone that her words were only half true. I wondered why. Were they worried about my blood pressure? Gees! It hadn't even been that high!

"What's my pressure now?"

She walked over and hit a button on the monitor, and the cuff that was already pinching my fat arm, started airing up and pinching it even further. I was determined not to cry as it squeezed, and each moment, I thought, that hurts! Stop! No, No! I can make it, it can't last much longer, but it did!!! It kept squeezing.

"130 over 85." Mom said. "A little high, but not as high as earlier. You need to control that temper, my girl. I was told you were a little hot under the collar."

"Just plain hot all over, mom. It's so awful hot outside!"

"Heat alone cannot do that to your left side resting blood pressure reading in an air conditioned room. High blood pressure can be a sign of pre-eclampsia."

Only mom would even consider bugging me about possible toxic complications. I hugged my arms under my breasts and felt the weight of the babies in my lap, as if all five were there, outside already, in my lap at the same time, unsupported, unclaimed. I felt really sad, and wanted to cry.

"I don't think I can do this." I moaned.

Mom stroked my hair and lifted it off my neck to blow on it and then twisted it up into a better, higher bun. "Come on, baby, it's time to settle down and think clearly. I want you to get to go home tonight, you know?"

"I am going home tonight." I said firmly, looking into her light blue eyes, accented by still golden tawny hair curled and recurled in on itself like mine. Hers straggled as much, or more than mine did, not liking containment at all. "Mom!" I moaned. "How did you do it carrying seven all that time? This is torture! It hurts! Did it hurt as much, or am I being a wimp?"

"You are not being a wimp." She laughed. "I remember it hurt. A lot. My back felt like the mother alien was inside against my spine and pushing from one area to the next with her claws and teeth. Sharp pain."

"Sometimes it's sharp." I admitted, lowering my hand to the spots where it felt more tender than I could bear. "And mostly it just aches."

"So, I was thinking. I have this dress I wore to have some pics taken when I was carrying the seps. We didn't do prego pics the way your generation does back in my day, not exactly, but having the world's only naturally conceived septuplets carried past twenty-four weeks, made me decide to take some. How about we do that with you on the beach tomorrow? I brought the dress. It isn't garment worthy, really---- you can't wear anything with it, it kind of drapes like a gown, but it will billow in the breeze and look incredible. Want to?" She sounded eager, too eager. We'd already had a few prego pics with the gigantor belly.

Although none in mom's cool dress, a portrait of which hung in her dressing room , practically as life size as she was, framed in gilt. I'd seen it all my life.

"Why do you want to?"

"I'm spending the night, thought it'd be fun. If you're not up to it, well----."

"No." I hesitated. "We can. It's just, you seem too willing. Like you're thinking of things to distract me. What are you trying to distract me from? Mom? Mother?"

At that moment, Rafe came waltzing into the room, and not only did he look comical striking a pose so I could view his whole self, but it was his way of announcing that all was not right in our little world. I forced myself to slip back to a sitting position, so as not to pass out again.

I know the bruises and broken nose from a punch to the jaw when I see one. No amount of "I fell down the stairs" is going to convince me otherwise.

"Good, you're sitting." He dropped the pose and came to kiss me. I fingered the jaw line carefully, turning it to view from every angle, but also testing the muscle agility and range of motion in the neck. "Well, Aubrey. There's something I have to tell you."

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