April 17, 2022
One Year Ago
Syn
I fixed the sandwich on the plate and took it back to the couch and sat down. I glanced blankly at the reality TV show playing and contemplated changing the channel, but decided against it. Cleo had been a maniac these past few months. I didn't want to set her off by doing anything at all.
I accidentally scared her yesterday, making her drop her croissant and she sobbed for hours even after I gave her another one.
I remembered Queen being mildly irritating at times while she was pregnant, but it was nothing like this. Or maybe it was and I didn't mind it because I was in love with her...
My chest ached at the emerging thoughts of her and I shook my head. I didn't have a damn clue where she was or what she was doing...or who she was doing it with. The unfamiliar blindness was aggravating but there was nothing I could do. She wanted nothing to do with me anymore.
I pushed the memories of her to the back of my mind and took a bite of the sandwich. Almost immediately after, I felt breathing on the side of my neck and I jumped. I looked behind me to find Cleo and I let out a huff of irritation. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Can I have that?" She pointed. I followed the direction she pointed directly to my sandwich and I slumped my shoulder. I bought her food on my way home less than an hour ago and I hadn't eaten all day.
"How are you still hungry?"
"Yo, I'm eating for myself." She pointed at herself and then placed her hands on her swollen stomach. "And two babies. You giving me that sandwich won't kill you, Syn. Greed isn't healthy for the soul. You care about your soul...don't you?"
Greed—
She was going to kill me. Our friendship had been rocky up until a few weeks when we patched things up. I almost wished we hadn't though because now she wouldn't let me get a single moment of peace. Out of the kindness of my heart, and from Xavier's begging, I promised to keep an eye on her while he and Caspian went to Juva for business.
It had only been a week since they had left but I was counting down the seconds until they came back.
With a sigh, I passed Cleo the plate and she beamed up at me in excitement as she took it. I sat down, resting my arm over the back of the couch and Cleo plopped herself down a couple of feet away from me. "What are we watching?"
"You're the one that put it on."
"It was a rhetorical question." She rolled her eyes. She got comfortable before taking a big bite of the sandwich and closing her eyes. "Oh shit! This is bomb as fuck." She moaned in delight as she chewed it and I looked at her in both disgust and rage.
"I know it is."
"I'm gonna be honest with you, Syn," she said. "I didn't know you were capable of this. If being King doesn't work out, you can be my assistant and just make me these all day."
"I would rather...die."
She stuffed the sandwich down and carefully stood up from the couch. "That hurts more knowing you already were dead, Syn."
"Good.
"I need water."
She walked around the couch to head to the kitchen and I rolled my eyes. "Don't break my shit again, Cleo!" I yelled over my shoulder. Over the past week alone, she managed to break two plates and three glasses. I didn't know how she did it but my patience was running thin. Especially since I was the one cleaning it up every single time.
I heard a slight wince followed by a laugh. "Have some faith, bestie!" I sighed and pulled out my phone. I let myself focus on replying to messages and checking in with Gabriel. I heard a glass crash down to the floor and immediately stood up to check on Cleo.
When I made it to the kitchen, I saw her gripping the counter with a pained expression on her face. I thought she might've cut herself and walked towards her. I stopped walking once I saw the water pooling at her legs.
"Please tell me you just peed."
"I might've," she said in a high voice as she shut her eyes tight. "But I think my water broke too." She groaned loudly in pain.
"Sh-should I take you to the hospital?"
"I..." she winced in pain and slowly bent over. "I don't think I can make it there. They're coming NOW!"
"Shit!" I cursed. "I'll call Cas and Xavier."
"Later," she waved her hand quickly. "Come and help me to the pool so I can pop these motherfuckers out," she growled, digging her nails into my skin. She waddled ahead of me, pulling me along before doubling over in pain again.
"I don't think that's going to work," I said, glancing outside. It was dark and raining. The pool wasn't exactly close and I didn't want to take any chances and have her fall. "Come on. Put your arms around my neck."
She gingerly did as I said and I wrapped one arm around her back and the other one behind her legs. In a quick motion, I sped up the stairs and into the bathroom. I carefully placed her into the bathtub and she gripped the edges of it and screamed in pain.
I turned on the bathtub and put the stopper in, letting it fill with hot water before rushing down the steps once again. My nerves were a mess as I fumbled through drawers and ran through the house looking for the things I needed. I'm the end, I grabbed as many towels as I could and a pair of scissors.
On my way up the stairs, I dialed Xavier's number. I walked into the bathroom, letting everything clatter to the floor before kneeling in front of the tub. I held the phone between my shoulder and ear, waiting for Xavier to ring as I picked up the scissors.
I let my hands submerge into the water and I cut off any piece of clothing that would be getting in the way. I tossed them on the floor of the restroom in urgency when I heard Xavier's voice sound through the telephone.
"You guys need to come back now!" I growled lowly, still cutting away her bottoms. Almost on cue, a guttural scream came from Cleo and I dropped my phone into the water. "Shit!"
Hopefully, they'd put two and two together and get here as soon as possible but for the time being, we were on our own.
I set the scissors down as I finished and looked at Cleo. Mascara and tears were streaming down her face and her wet blue hair clung to her face. She was taking measured yet wavering breaths as she gripped the tub I picked up a small towel.
I wet it with cold water from the sink and when I walked back to her, I wiped her face. "I don't think this is the first image of you that you want them to see."
She let out a bitter laugh but it was quickly cut off by a groan and she grabbed my arm. Her fingers dug into my skin sharply but I fought the urge to pull away. It may have hurt like a bitch but she was in a lot more pain than I was.
"I need to push!" she screamed.
"Don't you want to wait for—"
"If I could glue my pussy lips shut and wait for them I would fucking do it!" She snapped at me in anger. "But they are coming NOW!"
"Okay," I said quickly. I moved to the other side of the tub but it was hard to reach her. Seeing as I couldn't exactly help from the side of the tub either, I took my shoes off and stepped into the bath.
I cringed as my socks became soaked along with my pants but I ignored it and sat across her. Her cries became unstoppable as the moments passed and I placed my hands on her knees. "Listen, I know it hurts but it's temporary, okay? You're one of the strongest people I know. You got this."
That seemed to calm her a bit and she nodded quickly before slightly sitting up and holding the tub. "On three, push, okay?"
"Okay," she whispered as tears flowed down her face.
"One," I said.
"Two..."
"Three." As the word left my mouth, Xavier and Caspian burst into the restroom. Cleo snapped her head in their direction but didn't acknowledge them as a shriek left her body. Xavier and Caspian were shocked by the sound but quickly moved to her side to comfort her.
As she pushed, I rolled up the sleeves of my soaking shirt and put my hands into the water. I could feel something smooth I assumed was the head and nodded at Cleo, encouraging her to continue.
And she did...
But moments later, I could see the water around us becoming red with blood. Her eyes were shut as she pushed so I remained silent hoping not to frighten her. When Xavier noticed it, a concerned look appeared on his face and I silently shook my head "no".
Dread filled me at the possibility that I might be delivering a dead child. I couldn't imagine how I'd live with myself if Xavier lost a child. I'd ask myself every day if it was because of something I did.
With one last push, the first baby made it into my hands and I lifted it out of the water. A tiny cry came from the small creature and I let out a breath of relief. "It's a girl," I said.
Cleo cried tears of joy at the sound of the baby and Xavier has a look of awe and adoration stuck on his face as he held on to Cleo's hand. I was happy for him, but I couldn't help but think about my own daughter.
I quickly snapped out of it and grabbed the scissors from Caspian's hand, cutting the umbilical cord. He wrapped one of the small white towels around her body and carried her from my hands. Tears were streaming down his face as he looked at her and knelt back down next to Cleo.
"Hey little girl," he whispered. "I'm one of your daddies."
Cleo cried at the moment as she looked down at the girl and Xavier ran a hand down his face in unspoken emotion. The moment however was shortly cut short when Cleo groaned once again. "Ready?" I asked.
This time, was much easier than the first. I wasn't sure if seeing her daughter gave her the strength to continue or if she was used to the pain, but in one long push, the baby was out and I lifted it. Another small cry came from it and Xavier helped me cut the umbilical. "He's a boy," Xavier announced as he carried the tiny child in a white towel.
Cleo took a look at him, sobbing as she reached out to touch him. She did the same with her daughter and then she looked at me. "Thank you," she whispered. "I don't know what would have happened if you weren't here."
I just gave her a single nod.
I remained sitting in the tub as they admired the two little children. I so badly wanted to stand up and go, but Cleo was still in a world of pain. Since my legs were under hers, any movement I made would hurt her. So I waited.
"Do you want to hold her?" Caspian asked me.
"Um," I shook my head slightly. "No, it's alri—"
"Come on." He walked over to me and bent down, leaving me no choice but to quickly hold my hands out. He placed her in my hands and I used a few fingers to support her head. She was tiny. I felt like she would break in my hands if I wasn't careful enough. "Her name is Phoenix," he said. "Phoenix Syn Deveaux...or Young...or Moore. We haven't decided."
"Oh." I looked between him and Xavier and Cleo who were all smiling at me. "Y-you don't have to."
"We wanted to," he said. "We wouldn't have ever gotten to this moment if it weren't for you. We met Xavier...because of you and you're our family now. Plus, you're their godfather so it's only fitting."
"Devil-father," I corrected.
"Sure." He grinned as Xavier laughed with Cleo.
"Okay." I nodded, looking at the child. She wasn't mine. None of them were, but I instantly knew that I would lay down my life for them if the need ever arose.
"And this is Ember," Xavier said holding up his son.
I let out a breath, recognizing the name from one of the many cartoons Xavier and I used to watch. "Nice name."
"I know," he said.
"I guess we didn't really need Cyrus, did we?" Caspian asked Xavier.
"Who?" Cleo asked.
"He's a warlock doctor in Juva. We gave him a call on our way here, but I'll call him and let him know we're okay."
Just then, I got a sinking feeling in my gut that something was extremely wrong. I looked down at the bloody water in front of me and watched as it slowly swirled into a black ink color. Immediately, Cleo screamed out in pain. A scream worse than any of the ones we had heard before. Waves of blue light radiated from her, shattering the light bulbs illuminating the restroom. The bathroom became pitch black and the babies began crying like they were in agony.
Cleo cried. "I need to push again!"
Push what?
Caspian turned on his flashlight, shining it down at the tub and my eyes widened at the black fog descending from the charcoal-colored water.
Knowing that this only meant one thing, I glanced at Xavier, sending one million and one apologies through my eyes. "What's going on?" He asked.
I swallowed a breath. "You need to tell the warlock to hurry."
꧁꧂
(Author's Note In Part 2)