The Delivery and the Ping
Jessica was nowhere near ready for the end of her first pregnancy. She had avoided Lamaze, her doula, and any advice until it became a competition between her and Amber—and by then, it was too late. She gripped Albert's hand so tightly that she found herself apologizing profusely each time her own muscles spasmed from being locked in a circulatory choking hold.
Now she was exhausted and within the final throes of a long but relatively uneventful labor. Albert gently blotted her scalp with a cool, damp towel—as if she were a fragile piece of artwork that deserved reverence as well as care. He whispered softly into her ear even as he continued to massage her lower back.
She smiled inwardly. She never understood the fullness of his love for her—but then again, she never understood love in the first place. Now she worried about losing him and brooded over the fact that she was having another man's baby before she had his.
Another contraction hit and she beamed down and pushed through the pain—her protector was right there, grasping her hand and kneading her back. The first baby seemed to slide out and a wave of pressure immediately released from her being. She exhaled in relief and leaned back into Albert. He kissed her temple and praised her strength and fortitude.
She closed her eyes and prepared herself for the next round.
In the luxurious waiting area, a nurse entered and all conversation and motion stopped. She smiled softly. "The first baby is delivered. A healthy five-pound boy. He is doing well and we expect him to want to nurse soon." She looked to Gladys. "Ms. Lance has said you can be with the wet nurse when she feeds your son."
Gladys beamed and nodded to the nurse as the older woman turned to leave the room—but it was Amber who spoke next, before she could leave. "And how is Jessica?"
The room seemed to go blank, as if there were a computer glitch or everyone had forgotten a "Jessica" ever even existed. The nurse's face went red as she looked to Amber. "Mother is doing well. She is actually holding up strong, considering she decided to forego the epidural."
The nurse finally left and the room was in shock. Angelica's voice, full of worry, broke the silence and woke them all from their daze. "My poor baby! How could she endure this without pain medication?" She turned to Amber slowly. "She didn't do Lamaze, right?"
Amber looked to her mother sympathetically and gave a slight shrug. "She only just started about three weeks ago." She looked to Dan as if seeking corroboration. "But Albert was a very good partner. He was attentive in the classes and asked really good questions. I have a feeling he is the one helping her through this."
"He is really very good for her, isn't he?" Angelica smiled with pride and a sense of hope. Everyone in the room knew she was hoping Jessica had found love and would always be happy with him.
"He certainly is. I wonder how he does it?" Everyone looked to Virginia, who simply shrugged and sipped her juice. "I am not being mean, Mommy. I am just saying what the rest of us are thinking."
Angelica looked to the faces around her and realized that her youngest daughter was right. She wanted to defend Jessica, but she was not totally blinded by her love for her eldest daughter. Amber saw her mother's face turn to despair and came to the rescue.
"You're right, Ginnie, but let's give her a chance—let's give them both a chance. I think he is even trying to overcompensate to make up for, or mask, her shortcomings. That is true love." She looked to her father. "He has even invested in Trace Progressive and Blue Serene and is asking to help with the mental health clinic project. So far, he is a pretty good guy."
No one spoke, allowing Amber's words to sink in, with many of them becoming stuck on the phrase, 'So far he is a pretty good guy.'
Amber was right—so far, he was.
As Gladys and Christopher's five-pound, six-ounce baby girl was born, there was a small internal commotion at the spa at the Blue Serene Lake Resort. One of the techs had gone to fix a problem with the lighting in their sensory immersion lounge and found some odd wiring within the electrical box.
His mind froze for a moment as he realized it was wiring for an audio and visual feed. He frowned as his gaze roamed over the wall above the junction, as if he could see through the liquid stone. Instead of hunting, he called his supervisor, who called the new head of security of the newly founded Blue Serene Corp.
All of this led to a text notification on Samuel's secure cell. He frowned as he read the information, his eyes flicking to Virginia, who had focused on him as soon as he surreptitiously went for his phone. His brow furrowed and her posture changed slightly.
Amber caught this move, then traced her sister's line of sight and frowned at Samuel's concerned look. She leaned into Dan to whisper, "Something is going on. Go talk to Samuel while I run interference with my parents and the Patricks."
Dan nodded without a word and they both casually slipped off to opposite sides of the lounge.
The couple was about to see the very tip of an iceberg poised to destroy their lives.