Despite pacing himself, the latte was nearly gone by the time their group had reached the front doors of Brighid’s Well Midwifery. The waiting area was unlike any other medical facility Grayson had ever seen. It was cozy, decorated like a seaside cottage with driftwood tables and antique-style chairs. It was empty, thankfully, other than a kind-faced receptionist who stood to greet them.
“Good morning,” she said. “I’m Amari, and you must be the new hires.” She looked to be in her forties, with a puff of natural hair haloing her face.
Tara beamed back and said, “Nice to meet you. I’m Tara, and this is Jenna, Aureliano, and Grayson.”
“Welcome to Brighid’s Well,” Amari said, tone bright and cheery. “Come on back and I’ll introduce you to your team lead.”
The doors opened up to a wide, well-lit hallway that more closely resembled the medical environment Grayson was used to. Tile floors with doors on either side, though the rich wood of each door maintained the cottage aesthetic from the waiting area. They passed four birthing rooms before the nurses’ station came into view.
Grayson’s stomach swooped at the sight of a Mer in a white coat, chatting with a second Mer over the counter. They both straightened as the group of nervous humans came to a halt in front of them.
“Everyone, this is Dr. Makma Obian and Head Nurse Rorith Weiru. You’ll be training with them today.” Amari grinned at the two Mer. “Good luck.”
Dr. Obian’s face was a shade of brown similar to Amari’s and her scales glittered a muted teal. Her ear fins flared out toward them, the membranes pale green.
“Welcome to your first day,” she said with a smile. “I will be your team lead for the next few months. May I know your names?”
The doctor spread her fins with each self-introduction. Grayson wondered what it meant.
“It is very good to meet you all,” Dr. Obian said. “You are lucky today. We do not have any patients currently, and so we may focus on training for now. Rorith will be assisting me.”
Rorith leaned back in a bizarre-looking chair behind the nurses’ station. It appeared to be pumping water through the backrest and seat. His scales reminded Grayson of brown satin—light and shiny, blending with his face in a monochrome.
“We don’t have many human nurses yet,” Rorith said. “The center only opened last year. But with hybrid births on the rise…” He smiled faintly. “We’re glad for the help.”
“How many births do you see per week?” Jenna asked. With caffeine in her bloodstream, she was back to her usual, enthusiastic self.
“Around four has been the usual until recently.” Rorith shook his head. “We have seven in the books with due dates next week, and six the week after.”
“The number is rising, slowly, but steadily,” Dr. Obian agreed. “It is good to see.”
The sound of a door sliding shut echoed down the empty hallway.
“Hey guys.” Jaeyong joined their group, a clipboard already in hand.
Rorith got to his feet, stretching his arms overhead. His clothing caught the light in a strange way, and somehow seemed perfectly dry despite the water coursing through his chair. A sliver of cool brown skin peeked out from his shirt. Grayson quickly averted his gaze.
“Jaeyong here got a head start,” the Mer said, moving out from behind the desk. “Let’s get the rest of you caught up.”
Grayson stared up at Rorith as he passed. He wasn’t as tall as Vuos had been, and his fins seemed smaller. His tail was nowhere to be seen, and his fingers were free of their webbing. A partial shift?
The air conditioning blew a gust of something sweet and warm across Grayson’s face. It reminded him vaguely of cocoa butter. Rorith was an Omega, then.
“We’ll do a little tour first,” the Mer said over his shoulder. “Follow me.”
Chapter 6
Keld
Keld lay on his back in the water, perfectly still. His ceiling was painted a soothing lilac, the shade of Usoi’s shoreline grasses. With his ears underwater, he could barely hear his phone ringing. If he hummed, he could drown the sound out entirely.
He closed his eyes, willing the phone to stop. But his mother was nothing if not persistent. After five minutes without ceasing, Keld gave up. He snatched his phone up from the pool’s edge and pushed it against his ear.
“Jiei,” he said flatly. “What do you want?”
“Why in the depths did it take you so long to pick up?” hisjieisnapped. “And don’t take that tone with me.”
Keld pressed his forehead to the smooth, granite edge where the apartment floor met his pool. “What happened this time?”
