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Dreaming of this moment was what sustained me for all those months I was trapped on the island. I’m loathe to interrupt, to even say anything at all.
Just watching Hades as he rubs my belly gives me an intense joy that I can’t quite properly express. So instead of coming out of my mouth, it comes out as tears.
He looks up, alarmed. “What? Did I do something wrong?”
“No!” I say tearfully. “Definitely not.”
Magda comes into the tiny room, looking between us with a note of suspicion.
“Everything okay? Persephone, if you would like, I can tell Hades to wait outside…”
Sniffling, I cut her off. “Thank you, Magda. But he didn’t do anything. I’m just a mess of hormones.” I pause for a second. “You must remember what it was like to be quite pregnant.”
Magda slams her medical bag on the counter, making me tense up.
“Not really,” she says drily.
Hades steps back, giving me a look.
“Let’s just let the woman do the exam. Okay?”
I try to sit back and relax as she performs some basic tests, most of which involve her listening to my belly with a (special stethoscope) and asking fairly personal, invasive questions.
Magda does a brief examination of my belly, then gives me a small smile.
“I think your baby is healthy, Persephone. If you are going to be here for long, I would advise you to sign up for a sonogram. We have them here, twice a month. The sonogram truck comes around and we try to get all our expectant mothers in the clinic at least once a month.”
I crinkle my nose, looking up at Hades.
“I don’t really know how long I’m going to be here. Sorry. But I would like to sign up, assuming that I am still here.”
Magda gives Hades a long look. “Ye can’t be carting Persephone around the world, you know. Your brother Eros says that you travel a lot for your work, but—"
“He WHAT?” Hades looks dumbfounded. “Did ye just say that my brother is in contact with ye?”
Magda purses her lips. “Aye.”
He whips out his wallet, shaking with barely-concealed rage. “How much do I owe ye for today? Hmm?”
She clears her throat, looking at me.
“I don’t feel right taking yer money, Hades.”
Hades pulls out everything that he has, throwing it down on the end of the cot.
“There. That should be more than enough,” he says, his voice cold as ice. “Please, for the love of god. Do me a favor. Do not tell the worthless gobshites known as my brothers that ye’ve seen me. Okay? I do not want them to know where I am.” He fixes her with an icy glare. “They are out to harm the mother of my child. Do ye understand?”
Magda gives a slow, hesitant nod. “Aye. I understand, Hades. I won’t tell a soul if that’s yer wish.”
“It is. Now get this IV line off of Penny so that we can leave.” He snakes his arm around me protectively, shooting her a sour look. “I want to take her to our cabin to recuperate.”
She moves to take the IV out of my hand, quickly swiping it with an alcohol pad and covering it with a small sticky bandage. All the while she’s studying my face.
“You can tell me anything,” she says to me. “You know that, right?”
I take a deep breath, looking between her and Hades. There are a ton of unspoken things hovering in the air, just above their heads. But I am tired and honestly, I just don’t have enough fight in my body to say anything.
I reach out, touching her hand, gripping it. She looks at me with a completely surprised expression.
