The Forgotten Witch

2 ~ Hades

Under any other circumstances, Hades would have intervened. He would have called upon his years of experience to offer practical advice. But whenever his beloved, Lexi, was involved, practicalities flew out the window. And the fact that she had gone into labor with their third child far from home and rather unexpectedly only proved his point. She was in charge, and everyone in the room knew it.

"I don't need painkillers, I need to have a baby!" Lexi said her piece from the hospital bed, her thumb fixed on the button controlling the mechanical backrest.

"But the baby has not turned." The doctor glanced away from her disgruntled patient to look at a clipboard. "Your due date is still three weeks away."

"Well, the baby has decided that today is the due date. So, what can you do to help make that happen?"

"A C-section is the safest route."

Lexi waved a dismissive hand at the doctor. "You won't be cutting me open to get this baby out. Next suggestion."

The woman looked up from her chart, meeting Lexi's blue high beams head-on. "ECV is the next best option, Mrs. Carrington. It stands for External Cephalic Version. I would physically manipulate the baby using my hands and ultrasound. The procedure has a fifty percent success rate, and there is some pain involved."

Lexi scowled, looking like an angry mare ready to kick anyone daring to cross her. Hades took the opportunity to carefully interject. "This is a simple case of breech positioning. Women have given birth this way for centuries. I have seen it done, and both child and mother were no worse for the inconvenience." When Lexi looked at him, he explained further. "My ex with her second."

Lexi scowled again, but this was due to a contraction, and a hush fell over the room as she fought her lone battle. "So, you watched the birth but did not assist?" she asked him as she palmed a bead of sweat off her forehead.

"I'm afraid so, but I'm a quick study." Hades offered Lexi a wink, knowing she would get his meaning.

"Any other suggestions from the room before I say yes to more pain?" Lexi said.

"You could labor in a more conducive position," the assistant offered behind the doctor's back. "Forward-leaning inversion relaxes the pelvic muscles. You get on your hands-and-knees with your head facing down and your rear in the air."

Lexi threw a glance at Hades as her cheeks bloomed. Forward-leaning inversion was her favorite love-making position. But if the child had not turned in all the times she had assumed it during her pregnancy, Hades did not hold out hope this time would be any different.

"Fine. Let's go with that." Lexi got the mechanical bed whirring, bringing her body upright, then she leaned forward to crawl across the sheet, dragging a pillow with her. Hades helped her get comfortable as she positioned her bottom away from her audience. Then she shooed the staff.

"I'm good for now. Go check on your other patients. And I apologize for my crankiness. It's hot as hell in Boston and I expected to be somewhere else when this happened."

"I'm glad we're here to assist." The doctor's countenance brightened as she and her assistant left the room, both probably happy to be excused.

Lexi's mother, Lilith, left her place on the vinyl chair and took up the doctor's position at the end of the bed. "What do you plan to do, Lexi? You'll opt for the C-section if the child's life is in danger, won't you?"

"Mother, this child will survive with or without medical intervention," Lexi offered patiently.

Lilith responded with an uncertain nod. "I know, but it doesn't keep a mother from worrying."

The door swung open and a sword-wielding youngster bounded into the room. Ely was followed by his twin sister, Elm, and Lexi's father, Charles.

"The cavalry has arrived," Charles said as he leaned over Lexi's head and kissed it before dangling a take-out bag in front of her. "You still hungry, baby girl? You gotta keep your strength up. That's an interesting position." Lexi accepted the bag, although she didn't look very sure about it. "I know you had plans to give birth at home and not in Boston on a stifling day in July," Charles went on, handing out breakfast sandwiches. "We should have heeded your wise husband's warning."

"But you were being named Boston's CEO of the year. That's a prestigious honor," Lexi told him as she rearranged herself, tucking the pillow under her large belly.

"How much longer?" Elm complained from the vinyl chair she had commandeered, opening her sandwich wrapper on her lap and dipping her finger into the melted cheese.

"Babies have their own timing," Lexi said. "And it's our job to cater to their whimsss..." Choking out the last word, Lexi closed her eyes and powered through another contraction.

Frowning at his mother, Ely tucked his sword under his arm to rub her back. "Why do baby's hurt when they come out?"

Ely's bold question brought on mute shock from his audience, and Hades stifled a laugh. It wasn't as if the boy had asked to run naked through the maternity ward showing off his wares. Of course, Hades had no problem catering to the youngster's whims.

"All living things struggle to be born, son. Look at the caterpillar. He spins a cocoon and is trapped there until his body sprouts wings. Or the sapling seed who has to break his shell and shoot through the earth to become a tree."

"Like the trees in the grove," Ely said. "Did I hurt you when I was born, Mommy?" He rested his head on Lexi's robust belly, ignoring the sandwich his grandfather held out to him.

"A bit, but when I saw your beautiful face, I felt so much love I didn't think about the pain."

"But Elm was born next. So, you didn't get to rest," he said.

"I rested some. Long enough for your father to arrive and deliver her."

Ely turned his inquisitive, gray eyes on Hades. "Are you going to deliver our new baby?"

"I don't think the doctor would approve," Hades said. "The hospital has rules about who can deliver babies here."

"But, it's your baby."

Ely argued his point, and rightly so. It was Hades's baby, and he was lord of the underworld. And if Lexi willed it, he would deliver his child with or without mortal approval.