When The Stars Align

chapter thirty three | the fine art of delivering a baby

a/n: looking back, i don't know the reasoning behind half the chapter and this is probably 100% inaccurate to how to actually deliver a baby

THE VERY PREGNANT woman was sitting in the back corner of the room, making me question how I hadn't noticed her when Lysander and I were talking back here. She was in pain, and didn't bother to hide it. I mean, she had no reason to hide it. Any mother in the room would have probably experienced what she was going through.

The man limped quickly to be by his wife. He sat down next to her, spreading out his bad leg. He held an arm around her shoulders, and it almost seemed as though she was no longer in pain, with her husband beside her. She continued breathing: two breaths in, one breath out.

A nurse was also by the couples side. When she saw the doctor approach, the nurse got up and walked towards her. She looked worried. Lysander and I stood close behind, listening in.

"It's the weirdest thing," the nurse started. "The delivery, I'm sure it's going to be fine but... there's blood, red and... and gold, if you can believe that." She looks back at the woman, who seemed to be doing fine. She was holding on, at least. It probably wasn't a good idea to just leave her unattended.

Dr. Maxwell bit her lip, then turned to see me. I couldn't remember if she knew the reason why behind the different coloured blood, but she knows I have one of an unusual colour. She continues to talk to the nurse while she looks at me. "I think you should tend to the other patients. I can deliver this baby on my own, with a little bit of help."

The nurse opened her mouth to object. "She probably doesn't know how to-"

I began to shake my head as the doctor walked to me, handing me a pair of gloves. "I can lead you through it, you just have to follow me. I'll do most of it."

I couldn't breathe again. "You're making a mistake."

"I can't have others asking too many questions, and I know you know what's going on, better than me, even."

I closed my eyes and took the gloves from the doctor. The woman - the soon to be mother - looked at the doctor like she was insane. A teenager was going to deliver her baby in the middle of a tent, where most people were dying. What a crazy birth story this kid's going to have.

The soon to be father, though, looked calmer, more at piece. He knew who I was, I know he does. When I crouch down next to the pregnant woman, waiting for further instructions, the man looks at me with hopeful eyes.

Dr. Maxwell approaches and turns to the man. "If you could give us some space, you can stay nearby." The man nodded, releasing his grip on his wife. Immediately, the woman screamed in pain. Her face began to turn red, struggling to hold herself together.

"It's going to be okay, alright?" Dr. Maxwell assured the woman. "I need you to continue breathing, my nurse tells me that this pregnancy was very difficult for you, but the delivery shouldn't take too long."

The woman nodded. Tears began to appear in the corners of her eyes. "Nolan, Nolan please come back." The woman reached out for her husband, who stood behind her now.

The doctor looks to me. "I need you to support her and keep her calm, okay? Rub her back, remind her to breathe. Also, keep her upright. And - shit - I don't have an epidural patch. It's going to be painful."

The woman screams in pain again. I shift my position as I help to hold her up and calm her down. I keep repeating the words "it's going to be okay", not sure if any of it means anything. Nolan - which I learn is the man's name - takes a couple steps back, but not before his hand accidentally touches my back.