“Sometimes a human woman will have an epidural at the doctor's request because the pain is to the point of becoming dangerous for the babe. You're not dilating fast enough for your contractions, and I don't have the medicine that'll help you dilate faster. So, we need to take away some of the pain and hope your body will relax and the contractions slow a little.”
“Your potion didn't work,” said Anthony. He so badly wanted to be able to calm me that he was nearly in tears.
“Try calming me now,” I said. “Maybe in this crazy situation you'll be able to. You were able to once when I slept.” As soon as I got the words out another contraction hit.
At the same time, I could tell he was trying to calm my mind and body because my head broke out in blinding pain. “Stop!” I yelled. The pain ceased immediately. “It didn't work.”
We sat beside the bed for a while, then on the floor and me on a birthing ball, bouncing for all I was worth. After another hour, Healer Rakesha nodded her head and pulled out her phone. “I'm calling Cindy.”
I barely heard her over my attempt to not scream out from the pain. Very little time passed before Cindy walked into the room. I was back in my gown, squatting up and down supported by Elias on one side and Axoular on the other.
“Who all is doing this?” she asked.
“I still don't know what you're doing,” I said, in between contractions, but I knew another one was coming quickly.
“We're going to split the pain. Witches do it all the time, but for some reason the other Unseen view it as a radical solution.”
“Split it among whom?” I asked.
“Whoever is willing to help take the pain. The spell divides it and allows the helper to take half the pain. If more than one person is willing, it'll divide repeatedly and be a lesser pain for everyone.”
“If this is possible, why aren't people capitalizing on it?”
“Oh, sorry, forgot that part. The pain can only be given to those with an intimate connection,” she explained.
“Like sex?” Axoular asked.
“Not necessarily. It could be a parent, best friend, sister. Anyone that is trusted and loved by the person in pain.”
“Then I volunteer,” Axoular said.
“Okay. One at a time, please. You two stand back,” she said to Anthony and Elias.
“One of us can go first,” Elias said. “You don't have to, man.”
“I want to,” he replied.
Everyone else moved away from me and Axoular hugged me from behind, his hands on my stomach. Cindy closed her eyes and put one of my hands into one of Axoulars. Then she circled our hands with hers and muttered words I didn't understand. Her voice took on a deep, resonating quality, and warmth spread across my body.
When the next contraction came, it was considerably better. I could function through the pain. “This is amazing!” I exclaimed with a huge grin, then turned to look at Axoular. He'd fallen back onto the bed, clutching his stomach.
I sat beside him on the bed and brushed his hair out of his face. He needed a trim. “Are you okay?” I asked as the contraction waned.
“That was only half your pain?” he asked. “I thought I was going to die!”
“Oh, my. Yes. That was definitely much more bearable,” I said, trying not to laugh at his reaction to the pain.
“Can we split it again?” I asked Cindy, turning back to face her.
She was trying to hide laughter. We shared a look, understanding how much more pain we were able to withstand than our husbands, and knowing we couldn't say anything about it to them or they'd be hurt.
“Absolutely,” she said. “Who is next?”
Anthony and Elias stepped forward at the same time. She pointed at Elias. “Come on, tough guy. Hold your wife's hand.”
She repeated the process with Elias, and I laughed out loud as soon as my next contraction hit—a full minute later. The pain was still distracting, but so much better I began to cry again.
Elias grimaced and rubbed his lower abdomen. “Owwwww.”
