Spartan Heart, Part Two

by Kristine Cheney

  “Is that Evangeline?” Eliza demanded. Her voice was now wide awake.

  “Yes, Doc, it’s Evan. She’s in labor.”

  “What time is it? How long has she been like this?”

  “She’s been like this for over an hour. It is now one o’clock in the morning.”

  “Is she doing all right?”

  “She’s having a hard time, Doc. Evan is in a lot of pain. I’m worried about her.” It was true. His immortal stomach was churning. He felt like he could vomit.

  “This is her first baby, Dorien. It could take many hours. But I can assure you her pain is normal. I’ll get ready now and stop by my office to pick up some pain medication. I’ll be there within the hour.”

  Dorien ended the call.

  How would they all survive another hour…not to mention many?

  This was going to be a long night!

  * * * *

  Evangeline felt like she was dying! The inside of her body burned. Her muscles remained cramped into tight, hard balls. It was relentless. She couldn’t escape. A massive block of ice scorched her insides hot like fire. It was stuck inside her pelvis.

  Could she rip apart from the inside out?

  Eliza had assured there would be time to rest between contractions. But there was no rest, only constant pain. Nothing could have prepared her for the impact of this trauma. Beads of sweat covered her body. There was no way to blot out this pain. Every strand of her wet hair felt like razors stuck to her face. She couldn’t stand or sit. No position helped. All she could do was writhe and fight for her very sanity.

  How could she survive this?

  An hour ago she woke up alone and had changed positions. She felt a pinched, sudden pop. Warm clear liquid flowed and gushed from her body. When realization hit her, so did the train of pain. Black waves were blinding. They refused to ebb. She waited to drown in this rippled sea of agony.

  How long could this last?

  Dorien appeared in the doorway! She could barely see him through the darkness. She couldn’t think of doing this without him. Panting seemed like a natural thing to do. It helped hurry a rushed flow of much needed air deep into her lungs.

  Why was it so hard to breathe?

  Where was Eliza?

  Every scream that drifted from her mouth was involuntary. She became a corpse in a grave of pitch darkness. Her whole existence spiraled out of control. The menacing cloud of agony kept inching closer. She could feel its swirling vortex sucking and depleting the essence of her spirit. The consuming void attacked and completely enveloped her. Trapped and taken against her will, she was imprisoned by the shadow’s opaque net. Evangeline slipped and fell into the farthest realms of her mind. But it failed to protect her from the penetrating gales of pain. Lucid awareness became comatose. She retreated deep into herself.

  * * * *

  Dorien paced the floor with worry. Another two hours had passed. Eliza still hadn’t arrived. Evangeline was caught between screams, moans, and constant thrashing. Nothing could soothe or reach her. Helplessness overwhelmed him. He felt impotent and worthless.

  His brothers rallied around him and were strong in their support. But none of them knew what was happening to her body. But they could feel it from the glimpses of her thoughts. Her misery was so thick and palpable they couldn’t handle it for very long. Dorien could only hope she was progressing normally.

  Curse this immortality!

  This was all his fault!

  Dorien failed to relieve any of her pain by rubbing Evangeline’s belly and back. The distraction techniques they read in her prenatal books were absolutely useless. Clean sheets were replaced often so she wouldn’t have to sit in her own fluids. The ring of his cell phone was barely audible over her screams of agony. Instinct told him it was Eliza who was calling.

  “Doc! Where in Hades are you?”

  “I’m sorry, Dorien! I’m afraid I have a flat tire! Taryn is on her way to come and get me. We will be there as soon as humanly possible.”

  Dorien growled in the back of his throat.

  Mortals!

  “How is she?” Eliza pressed.

  “Her pain is unbearable! I don’t know how much longer she can do this!”

  “Dorien, There is something I need you to do. We must know how far Evan’s labor has progressed. This won’t be easy for you, but it must be done. Knowing Evan’s progression will help me estimate how close the babies are to delivery.”

  “I’ll do anything you ask! Just tell me what to do!”

  “What is Evan wearing? She needs to be in a nightgown with nothing underneath.”

  “I changed her nightgown a long time ago when her water broke.”

  Eliza’s voice squealed in panic. “Her water already broke? That ups the stakes! This explains why her labor is so hard. There is no cushion between her cervix and the baby’s head. She has progressed more quick than I thought. Dorien! If you look to your right, you’ll see a large covered tray. I need you to pull it close to you. Have it right next to the bed so you can reach it while having contact with Evangeline.”

  “I got it!”

  “Good! Put on a pair of the gloves. They are in the box on the tray. Tell me when you have them on.”

  “Done! Now what?”

  “Next to the box of gloves is a large tube of lubricating gel. Squeeze a good amount of gel into your hand. I need you to check Evan’s cervix for dilation. I know you can do this.

  “You want me to do what?” Dorien shrieked. He shook as he backed away.

  No way!

  He was not going to invade her body!

  Evangeline belted out a new wave of screams. Philip and Thessalus held her hands. They winced as she squeezed hard enough to break a mortal’s bones. Paraebates wiped her brow repeatedly with a cool wet washcloth.

  Eliza’s voice was riddled with agitation. “Dorien! Do it now or we risk Evan and the babies’ health!”

  That was all he needed to hear.

  Dorien closed his eyes tight in tension. “Okay, Doc. Tell me what to do next.” Somehow, he felt the sudden need for air.

  “Set the phone down and put me on speaker. Lay Evan back as flat as you can. Do not smother her breathing! If she won’t cooperate, your brothers can hold her down while you check her. Once she is down, lift her nightgown and position yourself between her legs. Take your hand with the gel and insert three lubricated fingers deep inside her body. You must press back as far back as you can reach. Be careful not to do this too quick. You don’t want to cause Evan any additional discomfort. By pressing back, you will feel the baby’s head against Evangeline’s cervix. It will feel like a bulging circle. I need you to feel the circumference of this circle and measure it the best you can with the following comparisons, okay?”

  “That sounds easy enough. What are the comparisons?”

  “The comparisons are: a grape, a plum, an orange, and a grapefruit. When you know the size, you can withdraw your hand, take off the gloves, and throw them in the rubbish basket. As soon as you know, you must tell me her progress. I must warn you, this exam will not be comfortable for Evan. It will hurt her like crazy. But I assure you this is necessary. She will be all right. You got it?”

  Dorien sighed in apprehension. “I got it.”

  Why did he suddenly feel so weak?

  Eliza must have guessed his resistance. “Do it now!”

  Dorien placed Eliza on speaker phone. He motioned for Philip and Thessalus to assist him. They helped Evangeline lie on her back as far as she could tolerate. His brothers tried to soothe her as they held her. Evangeline’s breaths were coming strained, short, and blunt. She panted like a wounded animal.

  “Evan, we need to check to see how the baby’s head is progressing. I have to feel inside of you to do this. I’ll do this as fast as I can.”

  The gloves slipped on easy. Celeas placed lubricant in Dorien’s hand. His brothers looked away in respect away as they held her down. Dorien began the examination. Evangeline screamed
in pain. She fought as Dorien’s fingers invaded the inside of her body. She moaned and thrashed. His wife screamed for her life. Eliza urged him to continue over the speaker.

  Philip nodded at him in agreement. Dorien could hear his brother encouraging him in his thoughts. He continued to press until he felt the protrusion of a small infant’s head. It was obvious why Eliza used the comparison models as she did. It was easy to tell Evangeline’s progress. He felt the hard unyielding bulge out of what was left of her dilating cervix. The intimacy of what he just felt stole his breath.

  He had touched his child’s head!

  But things were not in their favor. Evangeline would be pushing soon. She screamed again. Her head thrashed from side to side. Dorien withdrew his fingers and threw away the gloves. His brothers relaxed their hold on their Queen.

  Dorien mumbled in tribulation. “Okay, Doc.”

  “What fruit are we talking about, Dorien?”

  He really didn’t want to answer that question.

  “Dorien! What is the blasted fruit?”

  “Grapefruit.” he whispered. There wasn’t anything he could do about it.

  “Oh, no! She’s about to start pushing!”

  Dorien’s chest constricted. “I figured as much.” According to Demona, labor would be the easiest part where Evangeline was concerned. She still had yet to deliver the babies.

  “How in the world did she dilate so fast?” Eliza demanded. Her voice was riddled with suspicion and worry. “Is there anything you need to tell me, Dorien?”

  “Not right now, I don’t! Hurry up and get here! If she is going to deliver soon, we will all feel better with you here!”

  Eliza tried to belt out instructions but she was cut off. A different kind of scream erupted from Evangeline. Everything changed in an instant. Evangeline placed her hands on her knees and pulled them up towards her chest. Unable to stop panting and screaming, she pushed as if she would die if she didn’t. She moaned as she pushed. Dorien fought the urge to crumble to the ground. Philip jarred him and helped him put on a new pair of gloves.

  “Evan, are you sure it is time to push?” Dorien was sure she wasn’t going to answer. But by his surprise, a tiny ray of Evangeline’s lucidity returned. She nodded in answer while rolling her head back and forth.

  “Dorien! It burns so bad! I feel like I’m splitting in two! Please don’t make me do this! Cut them out! Rip them out! Just please don’t make me push them out!”

  “I’m going to help you, Evan! You have to trust me. I have an idea, but it’s going to hurt.”

  “Help me, Dorien!’ she begged. “I don’t care what you do! Just do it and get these things out of me! Please help me before I die!”

  The impact of her words forced her brothers to lean against something solid for support. Somehow they all faded a few shades paler than their average immortal blanch. They didn’t look so good.

  “You’re not going to die, Evangeline. You’re going to help me deliver our babes. I’ll never let you go.”

  She screamed. Tears of pain and exhaustion gouged trails down her face. She bore down and pushing again. A tiny blonde head began to crown. Evangeline screamed and thrashed. They all felt wretched and helpless. The fragile walls of Evangeline’s body struggled to stretch around the baby’s head.

  Dorien waited for enough protrusion before placing a heaping glob of lubricant onto his gloved hand. Nodding to his brothers, they held her down. Placing his fingers on either side of the baby’s head, Dorien lubricated the bulged stretch of skin. In spite of another blood-curdling scream, the baby’s head refused to budge any further. Dorien prodded Evangeline’s thoughts. He felt her grow weak from exertion. Dorien knew the exact moment his wife gave up.

  “I can’t push it out. The baby’s too big. I can’t do this anymore!” she screamed as another pain ravaged her. “It feels like there’s ice inside of me! It’s so cold it burns!”

  Dorien winced in the knowledge.

  It was his immortal babies inside of her.

  Evangeline became desperate. “Please knock me out, Dorien! Hit me in the head! Please, I want to die! My babies are going to die!”

  Dorien couldn’t take this anymore! If he could lead his men into battle walking the fine line of life and death, then he could help his beloved wife through childbirth! He must proceed with his idea. He didn’t have any other choice. If he left Evangeline to her own devices then she and the babes would surely die! “You are not going to die! Evan, help me! We will get the twins out now. But I can’t do this without you!”

  “Ohhh! Ohhh! Ohhh!" she wailed. Another urge to push overwhelmed her. “I need to push, Dorien! Please help me!”

  “Evan, I need you to push as hard as you can. I will help the babe deliver. If you will trust me, I promise the baby will be out in a less than a minute.”

  “I don’t bloody care what you do! Just get it out!” Evangeline was panting again. Her delicate hands flew back to her knees. She pulled them towards her chest and pushed. The entire tube of lubricant squeezed into palm of his hands. Dorien rubbed his fingers together. The babies were immortal, he couldn’t hurt them! All he had to worry about was Evangeline. With a nod to Philip and his brothers, he telepathically informed them of the plan. Nods of agreement came from around Evangeline’s bed.

  “Hold her shoulders for me, Thessalus. Celeas and Paraebates, hold her legs. This is going to hurt her!” Dorien placed his hand underneath the bulge of the baby’s blond head. Immortal strength pressed his hand deep into Evangeline’s body.

  Evangeline sucked in a ravaged breath and belted out a scream of horror. Her hips bucked. In instinct, she tried to close her legs against his invasion, but his brothers held her firm. Her manicured fingers dug into the mattress. The tips of her fingernails snapped and broke. They clutched at the fitted sheet on the bed. Her whole body shook and rocked in convulsions. But Dorien refused to stop. He pressed deeper into her body, until he looped his fingers under the baby’s armpit.

  “Evangeline, push now!” he told her.

  Evangeline drew in a deep, haggard breath and bore down. She screamed as she strained. The striated muscle of her womb compressed tight from her efforts. Dorien slowly pulled the baby towards him. The child was moving!

  “Another push! Give me another push!” Dorien’s free hand pressed her belly towards him. His other palm was facing up deep inside her body. “Push, Evan. Push!” he yelled louder. Dorien pulled as she pushed. Listening for any sounds from her body, he refused to allow her tender flesh to tear any more than was necessary. Evangeline kept pushing until the creak of the bedroom door resonated behind them.

  Eliza and Taryn both gasped of horror. “What are you doing to her, Dorien?” Eliza demanded. She tried to pull his hand from of Evangeline’s body.

  But Dorien and his brothers didn’t waver. Their immortal muscles could not be moved.

  “Keep pushing Evangeline! Now!”

  Taryn ran next to Evangeline. She grabbed the wet washcloth from Paraebates. With tenderness, she wiped Evangeline’s brow. “Hello, angel, are you okay?”

  “No, Taryn. I want to die. Please, just let me die.”

  Taryn filled with fear. Her kitty gaze pleaded with Dorien. “This is too much for her! Evangeline needs to go to the hospital!”

  Dorien shook his head. His voice sounded lethal, like he was on the verge of declaring war. “Evangeline can’t get the baby out. She’s been pushing for too long. The babies will tear her apart or kill her if I don’t help her get them out!”

  Eliza stepped forward. “Let’s get her to the hospital now! I’ll do an emergency cesarean! Evan and the babies will be fine!”

  “No! If you do a cesarean, you will sentence her to death!”

  Eliza and Taryn inhaled a sharp breath in unison. Evangeline bore down and screamed in desperation. With another agonizing push, a slippery baby flooded safe into Dorien’s arms.

  * * * *

  Dorien felt the sudden absence of Evangeline’s pain
. She fell back pale and exhausted, completely drenched in sweat. An invisible blanket of peace washed over everyone in the room. Dorien gently massaged their baby. The little one sucked in its first breath and began to cry. He cleaned the baby, taking care not to disturb the umbilical cord. With a chuckle he placed the naked, screaming infant on Evangeline’s chest. Evangeline’s hands shook as her delicate fingers wrapped around the unhappy baby.

  “Evangeline, look at our beautiful daughter.” Dorien choked in jubilation. He felt his chest constrict. His sob was involuntary.

  Evangeline’s arms cradled their little girl. Her tears of pain were replaced with tears of joy. They glistened down her lovely, glowing face. Everyone shouted in happiness and relief.

  Dorien swore he felt the pricking sting of tears in his eyes. If a living heart was beating in his chest, it would have burst from pride. “You did it, my love. You’re a Mummy.” Dorien felt the welling of emotions in his brothers. They were awestruck and speechless.

  “She’s so perfect, Dorien.” Evangeline whispered.

  “That’s because she looks like her mother. Look at all those blond curls! She has your eyes, Evan. Once again, Gorgo has passed the copper color of her eyes. What are we going to name her?”

  He already knew the answer.

  But he wanted to hear her say it.

  “Helena Danae Agiad…after my mother.” Tears filled Evangeline’s eyes. She ran her delicate finger through Helena’s honey-wheat curls.

  Dorien kissed his wife’s brow so tender. “Fitting Greek name.”

  Helena watched them in wonder. She kept blinking her sleepy, copper eyes. And then she yawned and fell asleep against the warmth of her mother’s breast.

  “Evan, I’m going to cut your umbilical cord now.” Eliza announced.

  “No!” We must to wait for the placenta to detach and expel itself first!” Dorien thundered.

  “Dorien, what is going on? Why can’t we do a caesarean or cut the cord?”