The Delacours

thirty-five.

                After a few hours, I felt something warm on the bed. It pulled me out of the limbo. I opened my eyes. Val's normal sleeping glow was getting brighter. I could hear her holding her breath.

"Val?" I asked, worried.

"I think..." she said through pants, "I think it's time." I jumped out of bed, helping her sit up. Her face was scrunched in pain.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Get Zane... and... get me... outside..." She let out a heavy breath. I ran to Zane's room and opened the door. He jumped out of his sleep.

"Zane!"

"What? What's happening?" he said, scared.

"Baby's coming!" he jumped out of bed and pulled a pair of shorts on. I got Chris up and then went back to Val. I started to pick her up, but she swatted my hands away.

"I can walk!" I grabbed her hand and she walked down the stairs, stopping every few seconds to try and manage the pain. Zane and Chris gathered daisies and piled them in the center of the circle, the sage was still burning. I led Val outside and Zane instructed me to lay her down on the flowers. Zane kneeled down in front of her, and pulled her pants off.

"Val, I have to see how far along you are, so I'm gonna touch you, okay?" Val nodded her head, trying not to let the pain get the best of her. "You still have some time left before you can push. I know it hurts..." Zane grabbed some of the balm and rubbed it onto her lower body. "It should help you get through the next few hours or so. Hopefully they come soon..." Zane and I ran inside to grab towels and he pulled a white cloth from his closet.

"What's that for?" I asked.

"In the fae realm, a baby is wrapped in silk when they emerge. It's supposed to promote strength and calmness. Silk, despite feeling so soft, is really strong. I never understood the whole process, but I'm not gonna skip any details." I nodded and could hear Val cry out. I had to take a deep breath before walking outside. Val's head on Chris' lap, he was keeping her hair out of her face and her sweat from falling into her eyes. Zane put his hand between her legs again.

"We're almost there Val... Just a little bit longer." She sniffled, and Chris wiped a tear off her cheek.

"Okay..." she said quietly. We waited next to her, Val had one hand in mine and the other was buried into the ground under the daisies. Her body's glow was getting stronger. I wasn't sure if Zane was glowing too or if Val was just reflecting off him. She moaned loudly. Zane asked Val to bend her knees and put the bottoms of her feet on the ground.

"Val? From my opinion, I think you're ready but only push if you feel like you need to. It's gonna hurt, but it will hurt less if you listen to your body." She nodded. We waited in silence. I moved towards Zane as Val dug her other hand into the ground.

"Everything look okay?" I asked, nervously.

"I mean, there isn't much to see until she starts pushing. I know she's ready because I could feel the top of the baby's head, but she needs to push when she feels ready or..." He shook his head.

"Zane..." Val said. Zane positioned himself in front of Val. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, she was starting to push. She reached for my hand. She let out a soft cry, but continued to push.

"Val, just a little more... I can see the baby's head." She took another deep breath.

"You can do it, Val..." Chris said, kissing her forehead.