Nell was seated on the porch of her father’s ice sculpting studio. Watching the proceedings from the comfort of an enormous cushioned high backed cane chair. Yellow disco balls hanging from the porch ceiling around her, like miniature suns, sparkling away. Nell, in a dark blue dress that matched her eyes, her honey-brown hair swept into a loose side plait, looked earth mother gorgeous.
Except the expression in her eyes simmered with heat and frustration. Thankfully the family assumed it was because she was uncomfortable, ten months pregnant, and just impatient for her daughter’s arrival. The fact that Drum loomed over her constantly, scowling, was perfectly normal behaviour on his part.
The only speed bump so far was Maat and Apep’s absence. The duo sending word they had been called to Mount Olympus for an emergency meeting. Everyone knew it was a ruse to keep them away. But the two deities had reluctantly agreed to go along with it, not wanting to let their enemies know they were on to their scheme and have them cancel or worse, change their invasion plans.
Two hours into the party, things were going smoothly. The buffet tables were being picked over constantly by her heavily drinking relatives. Gigi noting that the dried lemon zest and spiced large sun shaped cookies appeared to be a favourite. Canary, lording over the sweets table like a little furry King on his diamanté studded raised cake stand, scoffed down every treat that her relatives shoved in his tiny mouth. Thankfully remaining a solid dark purple colour following every bite. His necklace du jour a starburst of tiny yellow diamonds.
At the savoury table Nico’s staff could barely keep up with the demand for his prawn cocktails, beef empanadas and barbeque pork sliders.
Gigi had thought it would be difficult trying to keep her relatives contained. They were a curious lot and liked to wander. But Darcy had come up with a genius idea. Requesting her father create a large ice sculpture of a sun. Challenging him to make several of the extended solar flares from it functional so they delivered cocktails. Lemon drop martinis. Frozen lime margaritas. Pineapple daquiris.
And with Maat’s Warriors heading off any wanderers and casually herding them back towards the bar, their plan of keeping the relatives contained appeared to be working.
The only thing worrying Gigi was Nell. Her cousin was snappish. Uninterested in any of the food fetched to tempt her, and she kept squirming, as if the cushions beneath her were made of rocks.
“Where are they?” It must have been the tenth time Nell had asked.
“They’ll get here when they get here.” Drum brushed his hand across her cheek and for just a moment Nell relaxed, smiling up at him. But the smile dropped abruptly as she winced, shifting position again.
Oh, Heavens, Gigi had a sudden, horrifying thought. Sidling over to the large chair Gigi bent over, whispering as quietly as possible into her cousin’s ear. “Are you in labour?”
“Of course not.” Nell hissed out the side of her mouth, from between gritted teeth.
“Problem?” Drum queried.
“Nothing, He-man, Gigi was just asking if I wanted more cold water.”
“I’ll get it.”
“Thanks.” Nell smiled fondly up at him, though the moment Drum stepped off the porch the smile disappeared, pinning Gigi with a hard look. “You can’t say anything to Drum.”
“Nell. The baby is coming.”
Nico took three steps closer. “You’re in labour?”
“Shussh, not so loud. And for pity sake, smile you two.” Nell forced a gritted smile of her own as an example. Damn, she looked in pain. “I’m perfectly fine. Babies take forever to arrive. Labour can last for days you know.”
Nell’s demeanour, her snappishness, her lack of appetite. All were major red flags in Gigi’s book. “And how long, exactly, have you been in labour for?”
“Nine, maybe ten hours now.”
Merciful Lady, give her strength. “How far apart are the contractions?”
Nell’s only response was to clamp her lips together stubbornly. Seriously? This was supposed to be her sane and calmest cousin.
“I’m guessing you wince every time you have a contraction….” Gigi watching closely and though she was pretty sure Nell tried to hide it, she couldn’t. “Three minutes. Three minutes!”
“Shussh, here comes Drum.” Nell accepted the glass of water, taking a big gulp. “Honey, would you fetch Devon for me, I just remembered I forgot to tell her about yet another complaint I received concerning her hideous lack of bedside manner.”
“Devon? Why Devon? She’s an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist.” Gigi frowned, the wind had shifted slightly and she could smell something unusual on the breeze, something a little sour and chemical.
“Well I’m not letting Cousin Carl deliver my baby—”
“Knock out gas!” Gigi yelled loudly as the combination of elements registered.
Those on duty sprung into action. Two of the Enforcers creating invisible shields around the crowd at the bar and nearby buffet tables. Several family members though had been excluded, Flynn and Dash in the process of rounding up their protesting asses and herding them towards a waiting Enforcer with shield abilities.
Drum, Devon on his heels, just made it onto the porch of the ice sculpting shed before the fourth Enforcer with a shield ability raised the final one. Problem with shields, they were great for keeping physical entities in or out, gases not so much, since people inside them still needed to breathe.
