“Whatcha hopin’ for, kiddo?” Philip asked Jondi while he was setting things up.
“A baby!” he said, his eyes growing wide.
“Good answer!” Philip winked at him and adjusted his hat.
A few minutes later we were all looking at Baby Lavender on the screen. She was tiny and perfect, and I couldn’t wait to meet her. A sob tore from Jade and I kissed his cheek. Jondi squirmed in his chair. He always ran to Jade if he cried and we had to explain many times that it was just the stuff that helped the baby grow that made his dad cry. Jade waved him over with one arm and Jondi hugged him, careful to avoid bumping into Philip’s hand which was still holding the wand to Jade’s stomach.
“It’s okay. She’s pretty, huh?” Jondi whispered.
“She is,” Jade sobbed and Jondi hugged him tighter. “Her name is Lavender.”
“Hi, Baby Lavender,” he waved at Jade’s stomach. “I’m your big brother. When are you coming out?”
“Not for another month or so,” Philip smiled at him. “But that’ll pass before you know it.”
“She’s going to be born during summer vacation?” Jondi asked and Philip nodded.
“Will she swim?” Jondi asked.
“Maybe when she’s older,” Jade said.
“I’ll teach her!” he grinned.
I’d drain every body of water on Earthside to find a lost rock for that kid.
Chapter 30
Jade
Guardians of Glitter Bomb Territory
The last month of my pregnancy passed quicker than I wanted it to. There were still so many things to get ready from meal prepping to going over everything with Jondi again. He needed to be prepared for when the baby came but also in case he was home when I went into labor. He’d be staying with Eran and Vatten while I had the baby. Labor was loud and scary if you didn’t understand what was happening and I didn’t want him to hear that echoing around the house and wonder if I was dying. I’d opted out of a hospital birth because I wanted my baby to come into the world in her home if at all possible. Both of my parents would be there. My carrier would stay with me no matter what. My sire would be my legs if I needed something. If something went wrong and I needed an unlikely (knock on all the wood in the GGB) emergency c-section it would be my carrier who went in with me. It would be Beryl’s job to explain what was going on to Jondi. He didn’t like the idea of possibly leaving my side during an emergency, but we had two kids to take care of now.
Jondi buzzed with energy as he settled into summer vacation. He was in and out of the house all day. His comings and goings around the farm made me a little nervous, but Ferrick was gone and the farm was filled with people and kids doing the same thing. Now that the immediate threats had passed I couldn’t let my anxieties keep him inside. Though, Icould send Beryl to follow him around. Occasionally, Delin and Volex took up the task. Beryl and Delin might never act like father and son, but they were becoming friends at least.
While Beryl was out with Jondi and I was home alone on the paternity leave Zevna practically beat me over the head with, I talked to Baby Lavender. I told her all about her nursery and about her family. I talked to her about the farm and the school she’d eventually go to. I told her that I couldn’t wait to meet her and for her to meet everyone who already loved her. Talking to her kept my inner monologue from spiraling into worry and panic. It was easier to be optimistic while speaking to my unborn baby because no one wanted to stress out their baby.
Days rolled by until I was a week past my due date and ready to eat every person who crossed my path if they didn’t get the baby out of me soon. I was big and heavy and even getting up to pee left me feeling like I had two boulders tied to each of my feet. Still, I had to pace. For the last two days, that’s all I wanted to do. Everyone said maybe it was early labor. I wasn’t sure, but my back hurt a lot less when I paced. My feet and ankles didn’t agree but my back vetoed their constant requests to be propped up.
Jondi went to spend the weekend at Eran and Vatten’s house because Beryl was certain that my water was going to break mid-step. He was wrong. My traitor of a body waited until I finally found a comfortable position on the sofa to nap in before everything started moving. My water broke and my body seized. For the half a second before I opened my eyes, I was certain the dead mercenary bears had resurrected themselves to slice me right down the middle. I hesitated and Beryl came running, naked because he’d gone to shower while I took a nap.
For a second, neither of us knew what to do. We both froze in place with the realization that what we had spent months preparing for was now happening. Beryl took a deep breath and sprang into action. We’d set up a birthing place for me in one of the extra bedrooms. I wasn’t sure whether or not I’d shift before giving birth, but either way, I wanted to be in the most denlike place possible to keep my lion calm. After I was out of my wet pants and settled into the den as well as I’d ever be, Beryl texted my parents, Eran, Doctor Lawngry, and Philip.
Since he lived on the farm, Philip was the first to arrive. Thermos of coffee and black medical bag in hand. He hadn’t stopped to put his boots on, but he had his ever-present hat on.
“When’s the last time you ate, Jade?” he asked in lieu of hello.
“Before my nap I ate a whole roast,” I said through my teeth.
“And how long did you nap for?” Philip asked and I glanced at Beryl.
“Maybe twenty minutes, if that,” he said. “I barely had time to start showering.
“I see the soap in your hair. Go wash that out!” Philip said, his tone leaving no room to argue. “And maybe put some pants on. Carmine doesn’t want to see that!”
I laughed and immediately regretted it as my whole body seized up again. I held my breath, trying to find the inner quiet place, but my lion roared and snarled as if we were under attack.
“We’re not going to have any of that now,” Philip said, his voice gentler than when he spoke to Beryl. “Baby Lavenderneeds you to breathe. It’ll be a whole lot easier if you do. Now, let’s see where you’re at.”
