Seven years after losing the love of her life in a tragic accident, Agatha has built walls around her heart that seem impenetrable. A successful events coordinator with a sharp tongue and even sharper wit, she's learned to navigate life practically alone save for her loyal cat, Mr. Scratchy, and the two friends, Ralph and Jen, who refuse to let her disappear completely into her grief.
But as Agatha approaches a milestone birthday, she's making one final attempt at the dream she and her late wife once shared: having a child. With her friend Ralph as her donor, this may be her last shot at creating the family she's always wanted.
Life, however, has other plans. A chance collision in a bookstore with a mysterious woman leaves Agatha flustered in ways she hasn't felt in years. When the same captivating stranger keeps appearing, at a drag show, on a city street, always with those mesmerizing amber eyes and that infuriating smirk, Agatha finds her carefully controlled world beginning to crack.
Complicating matters further, her estranged fundamentalist mother resurfaces with news of an unexpected inheritance from Agatha's grandfather, dragging her back into a past she's spent years trying to escape. Between managing high-stakes fundraisers, dodging her mother's manipulations, and trying not to think about the woman who makes her heart race every time they "accidentally" meet, Agatha discovers that sometimes the universe has plans that don't align with the ones we make for ourselves.
A story of grief and healing, family secrets and chosen family, and the courage it takes to open your heart when you've already lost everything once before.
Chapter 1 - prologue
Chapter 2, pt. 1 - Zero
Chapter 2, pt. 2 - Zero
Chapter 3 - Four
Chapter 4 - Six
Chapter 5 - Ten
Chapter 6 - The Fundraising Dinner
Chapter 7 - Twelve
Chapter 8 - Dinner with Friends
Chapter 9 - Fourteen
Chapter 10 - Sixteen
Chapter 11 - The morning after
Chapter 12 - Eighteen
Chapter 13 - Karaoke Night
Chapter 14 - Twenty
Chapter 15 - Twenty One
Chapter 16 - Twenty Two
Chapter 17 - Agatha, you're pregnant
Chapter 18 - The day after
Chapter 19 - Twenty Six
Chapter 20 - Kismet
Chapter 21 - Twenty Nine
Chapter 22 - Growing Closer
Chapter 23 - Thirty One
Chapter 24 - The Court Date
Chapter 25 - Thirty Four
Chapter 26 - Baby Shower
Chapter 27 - Thirty Five
Chapter 28 - Fire
Chapter 29 - Water and Earth
Chapter 30 - Epilogue - Air
If you prefer to read on AO3 click here. Sorry to be intentionally ambiguous in the description but I don't want to give anything away.
Description: Agatha and Rio settle into their new life with Nicky
Wordcount: 17K
Masterlist AO3
Notes: Unfortunately this is the end of their journey (so far - you'll see at the end). I've enjoyed writing this series so much and I hope you've enjoyed reading it. I have plans for more in the future but I have some other projects I want to work on for the time being. I may post some one-shots here and there because these women forever live in my mind, but another series won't be out until the whole thing is written so I can post on a more consistent schedule.
Chapter 30 - Epilogue - AIR
After another week of recovery in the hospital Agatha and Nicky were finally home. As Rio pulled the car into the driveway she chanced a glance at Agatha through the rear-view mirror and found her eyes were misted with tears.
“Everything alright, my love?” Rio cooed as she reached an arm behind her seat to rub at Agatha’s knee affectionately.
“Yes. I’m just so happy to be back. It felt like for the longest time we would never get here but look…” she said, wiping the stray tear that had fallen. “Little bug, you’re finally home!” She said as she gazed down at her son quietly sleeping in his carrier. “Gosh he’s perfect, isn’t he?”
“Perfection personified, cariño.” Rio hummed as she began to gather her things from the car. “Well, my love, shall we?”
“Yes please! I’m dying to take an actual shower and eat something besides that terrible hospital food!” Agatha chuckled.
“Well you’re in luck! Lilia’s been cooking up a feast waiting for us to return home. Let me run in and grab her so she can help us inside, you sit tight.” Rio slid out of the car, quietly closing the door behind her, so as to not disturb the baby, and rushed inside.
“Can you believe it, little bug? Home at last. I know Mami’s excited to show you your room though you won’t be sleeping in there for a bit at least. You’ll get to meet Mr. Scratchy, you’ll probably recognize his purring from when you were still in mama’s tummy. And then of course there’s aunt Lilia.” Agatha said as she watched the woman hustle out her front door and practically run to the car with excitement, swinging the door open to greet them.
“Agatha! Welcome home, honey!” She cheered as she reached across the car seat to gather Agatha in a hug. “Oh, and there he is! The little bambino! How precious!” She said as she gushed over the child. “Rio, come grab your son! We don’t want to keep them out here in the car forever now do we?” she scolded.
“Definitely not!” Rio chuckled as she squeezed past Lilia to grab the car seat. Lilia wandered around to the other door and opened it, offering a hand to Agatha as she slowly crawled out of the vehicle.
“How you feeling, doll?” Lilia asked, wrapping an arm around Agatha’s waist as they headed towards the house.
“Still sore.” Agatha winced as she carefully ascended the stairs. “But much better. Glad to finally be off all those pain meds.”
“Oh I bet! Those narcotics can be nasty! I’ve always preferred a more…natural form of pain management myself. If you ever need something to take the edge off, let me know. I can hook you up, I’ve got a great guy.” Lilia bragged as she swung open the front door.
“Thanks for the offer but I think I’ll stick to Tylenol for the time being if things get too rough.” Agatha chuckled as she headed inside.
“Suit yourself!” Lilia shrugged, closing the door behind them.
The living room was awash in a golden evening glow as the setting sun gleamed through the front windows. It was like stepping into a warm hug after days of a sterile, frigid cold. The house was spotless with everything in its place, though there were a few baby items that had found a new home out in the living room. Rio had settled herself on the couch in front of the carrier which she had placed on the coffee table to stare in awe at the small sleeping child. Lilia quickly busied herself in the kitchen which was alive with simmering pots and microwave beeps and food strewn about on every surface.
“Gods! Lilia, this place smells amazing!” Agatha sighed as she wafted the array of aromas drifting from the kitchen. “What did you make?”
“Eh, a little bit of everything. I wasn’t sure what you’d be in the mood for.” Lilia said as she swapped out one dish in the microwave for another.
“Oh hey there mister!” Agatha chuckled as Scratchy launched himself onto the table to greet her. “Did you miss me?” She said, grazing her fingers through his soft fur, earning a particularly loud and enthusiastic melody of purrs.
“He’s been watching out your front window since I got here. I swear he knew you were coming home.” Lilia said while she stirred a pot of something bubbling and delicious on the stove. Agatha smiled at the thought, her furry companion who had been with her throughout it all, from Wanda through all the drama of the last year, keeping an eye out on the horizon for her return. “You want me to make you a plate dear?” Lilia offered as she shifted her attention to the oven.
“Not quite yet. I’m hoping to hop in the shower before he wakes up again, I still smell like that damn hospital.” Agatha groaned.
“Go on, carino, we’ll be just fine until you get back.” Rio assured as she dared to remove the sleeping baby from his carrier.
“Are you sure? Does he need changed or anything before I go?” Agatha asked, still a little nervous to have Nicky out of sight.
“No, he seems fine! And if he does, I’ve got it! Remember, I’m the diaper expert now!” Rio bragged, laying back on the couch so Nicky could settle on her chest.
“How could I forget!” Agatha chuckled as she started down the hallway. “Well, if you do need anything please come get me!”
“We won’t!” Rio hollered after her.
As she stepped into the bedroom and shut the door behind her she let out a sigh in the silence. No more humming or beeping of machinery, no more poking and prodding of nurses and doctors every hour, she was finally home, embraced by her own creature comforts. For the most part the room was the same save for the bassinet and changing table Rio had set up while she had still been in the hospital. As she gazed around her room she found that everything held a different shine as if she was glancing into the life of someone that she no longer recognized. In truth, whoever she was, whoever she had been before Nicky, before the coma, was no more, and in this new life everything before seemed so small.
She slowly eased into the room, peeling off the sweatshirt and joggers she had left the hospital in, throwing them immediately into her hamper, before making her way into the bathroom. The cold familiar tile caused a shiver to race up her spine as she quickly found a towel and turned on the shower. While she waited for it to heat up she peeled off the few bandages on her arms and found a pair of cosmetic scissors to clip off the hospital band from her wrist. She stared at it briefly before catching her eyes in the mirror and it was as if she could see this new person for the first time.
Though weariness tugged at her lids there was a calmness and a strength she had not recognized before. As her eyes drifted down they scanned the new form her body had taken. Her breasts were heavy and swollen, her stomach held the shadow of her son’s presence, and most notable of all were the still healing wounds of the surgical interventions that had saved her life. She let her fingers dance over the scars as her mind toiled with the memories of the last few days. She felt lucky and grateful to be alive, to have even returned home, yet in that gratitude stung the harshness of guilt and shame. She had almost lost it all, Rio, her son, her own life, and for what?
Soon the room began to fill with steam, drawing her from her dismal thoughts back into the present moment. Surely the shower would help ease not only her physical aches and pains, but those of her mind. She pulled the shower door open and launched herself under the fiery waterfall, the heat immediately distracting her as her muscles melted under the water. She didn’t rush but moved quickly, cleansing herself of the smell and the memories as the suds washed down the drain. The scent of her own shampoo and body wash brought a comfort she hadn’t realized she was missing. A small piece of normalcy after everything that had happened. Soon she was refreshed, albeit a little lightheaded and exhausted at the effort even a shower took, and she turned off the water letting the last of it drip off her body as she gathered herself. Eventually she opened the shower door to grab her towel and as she did so her ears couldn’t help but latch onto the soft cries of her son in the other room. She hurriedly dried herself off, throwing her long hair up in a towel as she slid on the robe Ralph had given her and quickly made her way back out to the living room.
“Is everything ok? Why is he crying?” Agatha asked as she rounded the corner.
“He’s perfectly fine! Nothing to worry about!” Rio assured, pacing around the room, rocking Nicky in her arms. “He woke up and needed a diaper change. And we were not thrilled about that, were we, little bug?” She cooed as she placed a kiss on his forehead. “Feel better after your shower?”
“Much! Gods, I needed that!” Agatha sighed as she settled on the stool at the kitchen counter.
“And you need this too! Eat!” Lilia ordered, placing a heaping plate of food in front of her. Lilia hadn’t been exaggerating when she said she had cooked everything under the sun. There was roasted chicken and spiral ham, green beans and sprouts, braised cabbage and mashed potatoes, a slice of fresh baked bread with melting butter, a hunk of lasagna, and a spoonful of mac and cheese. Agatha barely had time to register each item before Lilia added a bowl of soup, a small plate of salad, and a cup of fruit on the side.
“Wow, Lilia! You really didn’t have to do this! There’s no way I’m going to be able to eat everything.” Agatha gasped
“I don’t expect you to, but I do expect you to eat your fill. You’ll need the energy.” Lilia said as she readied another plate. “Rio, come eat while it’s hot.” She called, setting the plate next to Agatha.
Rio smirked at her as she sidled up next to Agatha. “You want to hold the baby don’t you.”
“Of course I want to hold the baby! Vieni qua piccolino!” she lilted as she took the child from Rio. “We’ll just be over here in the recliner. You two enjoy your dinner!”
“Thank you Lilia, this is really delicious!” Agatha mumbled through a mouthful of food
“Of course dear! You’ve certainly earned it!”
Ravenous at the first bites, Agatha and Rio devoured their feast in near silence, only pausing to glance at Nicky and Lilia who were snuggled together in the recliner. Before long both their plates were cleared and they sat back reveling in the temporary peace.
“You doing alright, my love?” Rio asked, tucking a stray hair behind Agatha’s ear, as she pondered her weary eyes.
“Yes, just tired now that I’ve showered and eaten.” Agatha sighed as she unwrapped the towel from her head.
“I bet! It’s been a long day!” Rio said as she stood to circle Agatha, stopping behind to rub at her shoulders.
“I’m glad Lilia was here. It made coming home a lot easier.” Agatha murmured
“Good! I have to admit I was a little hesitant at first, I wasn’t sure if it was going to be too overwhelming.” Rio replied, slowing her hands to wrap Agatha in a hug.
“No, not at all! It was nice not to walk into an empty house. Besides, it gave us a chance to eat together and not have to worry about Nicky. I’m sure that’ll be a rarer occurrence moving forward. Not that I’m complaining.”
“I know what you mean. It’s been a nice way to ease back into reality, our new reality that is.” Rio said as she smiled lovingly at Lilia and Nicky just as he began to stir and fuss.
“Oh I think someone else might be hungry!” Lilia said as she rose from the chair with Nicky who was growing more agitated by the second.
“Don’t worry little man, I’ll get working on your bottle.” Rio said, heading towards the kitchen.
“No that’s alright, I’ll try and feed him.” Agatha said as she stood and grabbed Nicky from Lilia and headed down the hall to his room with Rio closely behind.
The room was soft and quiet, with the stars Rio had painted glittering above them, save for Nicky’s growing cries as they made their way over to the recliner in the corner. Rio quickly switched on the lamp and bustled about, gathering blankets and rags and pillows.
“Anything else I can get you guys?” Rio asked as she set the monitor beside them.
“No, I think we’ll be alright. Thank you my love.” Agatha hummed as she readied Nicky for feeding.
“Alright, I’ll have the receiver with me so just call out if you need anything!” Rio said as she leaned in for a kiss before heading back out to let Agatha manage.
As soon as Rio closed the door Agatha could feel her nerves start to prick though she tried to remain calm. Breastfeeding hadn’t come as easily as she had expected. On top of all the blood loss delaying her milk supply, she had also been on several medications that restricted her from even trying for at least a few days after she woke. It had only been the night before and earlier that day when they were still at the hospital and had help that she had been able to attempt and it hadn’t gone quite as planned. He was still so small which made him prone to issues with latching and when he finally did it had been more uncomfortable than she had anticipated. At first it felt like another failure in caring for him the way she intended to but with reassurance from the nursing staff and support from Rio she was determined to keep trying.
“Ok little one it’s just you and me.” Agatha cooed as Nicky screamed in hunger, his little face now red and scrunched. “I know buddy, you’re hungry, we can do this.” She said, more for herself, as she peeled back the top of her robe. She settled his face against her chest as he continued to cry, seemingly too upset to even attempt to feed. She began to rock, rubbing her fingers along his head while her other hand patted softly at his back, and humming a soft tuneless melody in hopes of soothing him. He continued to wail, not assuaged by her lulling and she could feel her chest begin to tighten in worry. What was she doing wrong?
She lifted him from her lap to hold him over her shoulder, pressing her cheek to his soft head, as she continued to hum and rock. “It’s ok, sweet boy, it’s ok! Mama’s got you. You’re just hungry, that's all.” Soon his piercing cries softened into whimpers and she brought him back down to try again. This time with his tiny body tucked in at her side he quickly latched and began drinking. “There you go! That’s it!” she nearly cried in relief. “Look at that, we did it! All by ourselves!” She could feel her heart swell as she looked down at the perfect little cherub that had absolutely stolen her heart. She could have never imagined a love like this, so raw, so pure, at times she thought it might make her heart explode. He was her everything, her reason for breathing and though the journey to this point had been more difficult than she could ever have imagined she was grateful for every second of it for bringing her here to this moment with him in her arms.
After a few peaceful moments she heard the door to the room creak open as Rio popped her head in. “How you two doing in here?” she asked as she quietly crept into the room.
“Great! It took a minute but we figured it out.” Agatha hummed as she stared down at Nicky, suckling contentedly.
“I knew you would.” Rio replied with a proud smile. “Do you need anything?”
“If you wouldn’t mind grabbing a glass of water or something, I am dying of thirst.”
“You got it!” Rio said as she spun around to acquiesce the request.
“And Rio?”
“Yes, my love?”
“If you wouldn’t mind finding the pump, just in case he doesn’t get to the other side. It’s already getting uncomfortable.”
“Of course, carino! I know exactly where it is!” Rio said as she headed back out of the room.
Just as the door closed behind her Agatha could feel his feeding begin to slow and stop as Nicky seemed to drink himself to sleep. She pulled him from her chest, sitting his tiny body in her lap as she began to pat along his back. He squirmed for a minute, disturbed by the jostling but quickly relaxed into her hand with a tiny, sleepy, half drunk smile.
“Feeling better, huh little bug?” she cooed as her thumb grazed his plump little cheek. Watching him, she couldn’t help but feel like the luckiest person in the world to have created such a perfect little creature. He was so precious, so beautiful, the very idea that he was hers drew a tear to her eye. Before these thoughts could spin her into full hormonal overwhelm, Rio returned.
“Here you are, mi amor! I can trade you if you’d like?” Rio offered as she set the glass down on the table beside her and handed over the pump as she took the baby.
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Agatha yawned as she chugged the glass of water.
“Maybe when you’re done with that we can head to bed.” Rio suggested as she rocked and patted Nicky on her shoulder. “You look like you’re about to fall asleep in that chair.”
“You’re not wrong!” Agatha said with a tired smile.
“We’re going to go say goodbye to Lilia then we’ll be right back.” Rio said as she headed for the door.
“Oh is she leaving? I can hold off on this for a minute to say goodbye.” Agatha said as she dug herself out of the blankets and pillows to rock herself out of the chair.
“Are you sure?” Rio said with the scrunch of her brow.
“Oh absolutely! After all she did for us! I can’t let her leave without saying thank you.”
Agatha led them out of the room and down the hallway where she found Lilia wiping down her now cleared counters.
“Lilia! You don’t have to do that!” Agatha half scolded
“Well I’m certainly not going to leave you with a mess now am I?” Lilia scoffed dismissively. “Now I’ve put all the food in containers in your fridge so you have something to nibble on for the next couple of days. In the meantime, if there is anything you need, anything at all, you let me know and I’ll be over here in a flash!”
“Thank you Lilia, really, you have no idea how grateful we are to have you.”
“My pleasure, doll!” she said as she gathered Agatha in a hug. “Now you go get some sleep while you can!”
“Will do.”
“And you, my sweet girl!” Lilia gushed as she gathered Rio in a hug. “I know you’ll take great care of them both, but remember to take care of yourself too, don’t try and be a hero. Whenever either of you need a break I am just a phone call away.” she warned them both with a wag of her finger. “And you, mio piccolo gnocco!” she cooed, as she rubbed Nicky’s back. “Try not to give your mommies too hard of a time!” With a soft smile she gathered her things and headed for the door. “Love you all, make sure to send me lots of pictures!”
“We will, love you!” Rio called after her, and with that they were alone at last. “Bed?” Rio asked, turning to Agatha.
“Yes, bed, please!” Agatha sighed as she could finally feel the drowsy heaviness drape itself over her.
The two of them sleepily padded down the hallway into the bedroom where Agatha quickly collapsed onto the bed. “Damnit! I left the pump in the other room.” she groaned as she crawled under the sheets.
“Don’t worry I’ll grab it for you!” Rio said as she laid Nicky on Agatha’s chest and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“Ah! You’re the best!” Agatha yawned.
“I try.” Rio said with a smirk as she headed back out of the room.
Warm under the covers with Nicky snuggled in close, Agatha couldn’t help but let her eyes drift closed. She fought to stay awake but as she breathed in the soft soothing scent of her son, sleep began to take her and in the quick moment it took for Rio to return they were both fast asleep. With a soft smile Rio padded over, placed the pump on the nightstand, and picked up the sleeping child. She moved to the changing table where she swaddled him then placed him in the bassinet at the foot of their bed. With him settled, she padded over to her side of the bed and slid under the covers beside Agatha.
As soon as she felt Rio’s warm body next to her Agatha rolled to snuggle into her side. Rio welcomed her, wrapping herself around her as she pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
“Rio…” Agatha hummed without opening her eyes.
“Yes, carino?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, mi amor.”
—------------------------------------------------
2 Months Later
“Sweetheart, have you seen Nicky’s blanket? The one Sharon made?” Agatha asked as she bustled about the house half dressed, trying to put on a pair of earrings.
“It should be in the drier. I had to wash it after that blowout in the carseat yesterday.” Rio replied as she stood in the kitchen, hurriedly eating a piece of toast with one hand while she rocked Nicky on her shoulder with the other.
“Ugh! How could I forget! Thank you, dear.” Agatha said as she grabbed her cup of coffee and pressed a kiss to Rio’s cheek.
“Don’t mention it!” Rio said through a mouthful of toast. “What time were you wanting to leave?”
“Well his checkup is at 9 and I should try and feed him before we head out but I still have to pack the rest of the diaper bag and finish getting ready myself.” Agatha sighed, overwhelmed by the day ahead already.
Rio turned, setting down a plate of food for Agatha at the counter. “You eat this and finish getting ready, I can feed him and get the bag ready.”
“Are you sure?” Agatha asked as she stood, grabbing her piece of toast.
“Oh, absolutely! You’ve got enough to worry about today, we can handle this. Right bug?” Rio said as she kissed a cooing Nicky.
“Ugh, don’t remind me! I’m trying not to think about it.” Agatha groaned as she stuffed a bite of eggs into her mouth.
“It’s going to be fine! They’ll understand. And if they don’t, you’re talented, and brilliant, and can always find another job. Not that you need to at this point, considering the sale of your grandfather’s estate!” Rio assured as she grabbed the diaper bag from beside the couch.
“I know! I know, but despite everything, I do enjoy the work that I do and I’d like to keep that job if I can.” Agatha grumbled as she took Nicky from Rio while she assembled the bag.
“Sweetheart you have nothing to worry about. They love you, and if anything they should be grateful that you’re even thinking of returning after what they put you through.” Rio bit, clearly still bitter about the whole situation, as she ran down the hall to grab Nicky’s blanket.
“Please, we both know I did it to myself!” Agatha hollered after her.
“But they shouldn’t have put you in that position in the first place!” Rio spat as she returned and grabbed a bottle from the fridge.
“Maybe, but at this point it’s moot. I just know Herb’s gonna have a coronary when he finds out.” Agatha groaned as she quickly stuffed several bites into her mouth while rocking Nicky on her hip.
“Eh, perhaps, but if he knows what’s best for him he’s not going to fight you on it.” Rio griped as she took Nicky back from Agatha.
“We’ll see. Alright, I’ve got to finish getting ready otherwise we’re going to be late!” Agatha said as she took a swallow of her coffee and bolted back down the hall.
Somehow they managed to make it to Nicky’s appointment on time where the pediatrician had nothing but good things to report about his growth and health. After a few unpleasant shots and some tears they were in the car headed to Music Hall. Neither of them had set foot in the place since that night and though she had received well wishes, and flowers, and gifts of congratulations from Herb and her co-workers, she had heard nothing on the outcome of the festival. Though it had been completely out of her control she couldn’t help but harbor some guilt for leaving them in the lurch. If that wasn’t enough to set her nerves on edge the only reason she was returning was to have a meeting with Herb and HR regarding her plans to return. But she would have Rio and now Nicky with her and their mere presence grounded her resolve that even though this was a tough decision, it was the right one for all of them.
“Are you ready?” Rio asked as she turned off the vehicle
“No.” Agatha sighed, a look of dismay and trepidation stretched across her face.
“It’s going to be fine. Trust me, you’ll feel much better once this is all over.” Rio said as she unbuckled herself and leaned over to give Agatha an encouraging kiss on the cheek before sliding out of the car to gather Nicky.
“I know. I just have to rip it off like a bandaid and then maybe we can go get lunch?” Agatha said as she slid out of the car and grabbed the diaper bag.
“Absolutely! Wherever you want!” Rio smiled as she walked to meet Agatha and take her hand.
“What about that Greek place you took me to on our first date?” Agatha suggested
“Oh hell yeah! It has been a while! Lukas is going to freak when he sees the baby!” Rio cheered
The main entry was eerily silent as they walked through the hall, the only sounds being the click of their heels and a soft coo every now and then from Nicky. Agatha could feel herself shaking as she pressed the button for the elevator. Being back in the building itself was setting her nerves even more on edge. She still only had the vaguest memories of that night but what she did remember made her heart race with anxiety and guilt.
As they rode up together in the elevator Rio could see the stress building as Agatha bit her lip and picked at her nailbeds. She slid her free hand into Agatha’s palm, bringing her hand to her lips before settling their hands between them.
“Just breathe, it’s going to be alright.” Rio hummed as the elevator dinged their arrival.
With a deep sigh Agatha centered herself just as the doors opened and pressed forward with as much confidence as she could muster. She had barely gotten a few feet down the hall towards Herb’s office before she heard a familiar bubbly voice call to her.
“Agatha? Oh my goodness I had no idea you were coming in today!” Called Sharon as she rushed to them from down the hall, waving erratically. “What a delightful surprise! Oh and Rio, honey! It’s so good to see you!” She said as she gathered Rio in a hug.
“Hey Sharon! We were hoping to stop by later and surprise you! How’ve you been?” Rio laughed as she pried herself from the woman’s embrace.
“Oh, just busy as ever these days! What with the wild success of the festival they’re adding more and more to the calendar I can hardly keep up! Oh my and who else did you bring with you?” She said, suddenly catching sight of the carrier in Rio’s hand.
Rio held up the carrier and lifted the blanket that was covering it. “This is Nicholas. Nicky, say hi to Ms. Sharon. She’s the one who made your favorite blankie!”
“Oh my goodness isn’t he just the most precious thing you’ve ever seen?!” Sharon gushed as she pinched at his tiny toes.
“So, everything went well?” Agatha asked abruptly
“What dear?” Sharon replied, too distracted by the baby
“The rest of the festival? It went well?”
“Oh, honey! It was an absolute hit! I don’t think I've ever seen so many people! And every weekend I swear we had more than the last!” Sharon raved
“Good, I’m…I’m glad to hear it.” Agatha replied, somewhat relieved. “Did you have any issues setting up for the other weekends?”
“Oh, it definitely was a bit of a struggle without you, but somehow we managed to pull it off. How are you feeling, dear?”
“Still adjusting but fine overall.” Agatha replied with a curt smile.
“That’s so good to hear! I hate to say you gave us quite a scare that night!” Sharon said as she reached out and playfully grabbed at Agatha’s arm.
“Oh believe me, you are not the only ones!” Rio chuckled.
“Agatha! There you are! So good to see you!” Herb’s booming voice called from behind, sending a bolt of panic through Agatha’s chest as she turned to greet him.
“Herb.” She replied with a tight, nervous smile as he swallowed her in a hug. “Good to see you too.” she groaned uncomfortably.
When he finally released her his hands grabbed at her shoulders as he looked her up and down. “You look well! How are you feeling?”
“Tired mostly, but fine all things considered.” Agatha replied as she brushed him off.
“Glad to hear it! Ah! And I see you’ve brought the little trouble maker in question!” He said, bowing down to catch a glance of Nicky. “Nice to meet you little one! I hope you’re giving your mother less trouble these days.”
“We’ve been lucky, he’s a pretty chill baby.” Rio replied.
“Lucky indeed! I remember with my first born, he had colic and one of us was always awake just trying to get him to stop crying. At the time I thought I was never going to sleep again, but somehow we survived.” He said with a hardy chuckle. “Well, shall we? Janet’s been stressing in my office for the last half hour.” Herb said as he turned to Agatha.
“No time like the present.” She sighed, “I’ll catch you two after?” She said as she started down the hallway with Herb.
“We’ll just be hanging out with Sharon until you’re done!” Rio replied as she flashed her a smile and gave her a thumbs up, silently mouthing the words you got this as she caught the trepidation in Agatha’s eyes.
Once the door to Herb’s office closed behind her, Agatha felt her heart begin to race. She was used to difficult conversations, in fact she thrived on the tension and power she could wield when she could get her way without hardly saying a word. But coming back now, after what had happened that night, set her on edge in a way she hadn’t expected. She felt smothered by a sense of vulnerability and embarrassment at the very idea of discussing it with not only Herb but also HR. But she was determined to hash it out, if not only to move forward for herself, but also for Rio and Nicky. So she plastered on her usual armor of confidence and strode into the room.
“Janet, nice to see you again.” she said flatly as the woman from HR jumped up to greet her.
“Agatha! So good to see you! How are you doing?” She asked with the air of bureaucratic interest.
“Quite well, all things considered.” Agatha replied curtly, earning a nervous look from Janet as she settled into the chair beside her.
“Good…good, we’re glad to hear it. And your son, how is he?” Janet asked with a waiver to her voice, clearly just as, if not more nervous than Agatha.
“He’s doing well, thank you for asking.” Agatha replied with a tight smile.
“Handsome little bugger, if I do say so myself!” Herb chuckled as he settled into the seat across from them.
“Thank you.” She let the words dangle in the room. They clearly were expecting her to begin the conversation but she held fast and silent, letting the tension simmer until Janet couldn’t help but start.
“Well…first I’d like to say, on behalf of the symphony, we are all relieved to hear that you and your son are both healthy and doing well. That is always our main concern following an event such as this.” Janet started, practically shaking like an anxious dog.
“Indeed.” Agatha replied dryly. Another awkward silence lingered in the room as Janet and Herb exchanged a concerned look.
“We…we want to assure you this sentiment continues as we do discuss your plans to return to work…whenever that may be. I know when we first met regarding your pregnancy I had gone over our company’s maternity leave policy as well as some options available to you to extend that if you wish; however, given all that’s happened there are some additional resources that I’d like to go over with you today.” Janet babbled as she rifled through her bag at her side.
Agatha flashed her a polite but guarded smile. “By all means.”
“I’ve compiled everything here for you…” Janet said as she passed Agatha a folder.
“The first document you’ll find is regarding the EAP. Understanding that your experience was likely traumatic…”
“You don’t say…” Agatha said as she flipped through the papers.
“This outlines the details of our employee assistance program. This is a benefit you are entitled to which provides you and your family with mental health and counseling resources at no cost to you.”
“How generous.” Agatha huffed
“And considering the…incident…occurred during a work event you are also entitled to submit for workers compensation, which you will see outlined in the next packet.” Agatha raised her eyebrows in consideration but said nothing. “This of course is offered in addition to your 8 week maternity leave as well as your option to file for FMLA.”
“Good to know.” Agatha said as she slammed the folder shut.
“And do understand there is no pressure to rush into returning.” Herb added. “We are more than willing to work under whatever timeline and parameters best suit your needs. Believe me we want to do whatever we can to keep you. Your work has been invaluable to say the least.” he gushed, clearly hoping this flattery would ease whatever guard Agatha was holding against them.
“Oh? I take it the festival was a success then?” Agatha smirked as she crooked an eyebrow in interest.
“An overwhelming success!” Herb sighed with a breath of relief, feeling as if he had won her over. “We made back our investment in the first weekend alone! We have never been more financially secure moving into a new season as we are today, thanks in no small part to you. The board and our donors are already asking what we have in store for next year. I’m trying to keep their expectations at bay given we haven’t exactly solidified where you stand at the moment.”
“I see…”
“I can say, selfishly, I’d like you back as soon as possible but I understand that’s likely going to come with some accommodations, which we are more than willing to grant.”
“Such as?”
“Flexible work schedule of course, hybrid work plan even. We have the budget now to hire a team to work under you which should take off a significant portion of your direct workload. We’re open to discussing a change in your salary as well. Really, we just need to know kind of where you’re at with everything.” Herb sat forward, elbows on his knees as they bounced nervously anticipating her reply.
“Well, I can tell you I appreciate your considerations and will be taking you up on each of them as I am inclined to return just… not quite yet. This incident, as you say, has put quite a bit into perspective and I need to reestablish my priorities before I can consider returning to work.” She started, not wanting to play her hand too quickly
“Understandable. What timeline were you thinking exactly?” Herb asked
“August…”
“Oh, so like, next week? That would be perfect actually…” He started before Agatha quickly cut him off.
“No. Next August. A year from now.” She said calmly though she could feel her body tremble with nerves.
“A year?!” Herb replied, mouth agape. “That…uh…I wasn’t quite expecting that. I…um…I’m not sure how we would make that work.” Herb babbled as he and Janet exchanged panicked glances.
“Then unfortunately my only other option would be to resign.” Agatha stated matter of factly though her stomach was turning into knots.
“NO! No…I…I just mean it would take some figuring out. We…we could make this work right?” Herb said as he waived at Janet for a reply.
“I…um…well, FMLA would only cover 12 weeks, and technically you’ve already surpassed the 8 weeks of maternity leave. You still have 10 days left of vacation available, well 5 after this week, but all together that wouldn’t cover an entire year. This would be entirely dependent on the board’s approval.”
“Leave that to me! This may take some convincing, but if it means we get to retain you in the long run I’m willing to do what it takes to make this happen.” Herb said determinately
“I’m glad to hear it.” Agatha replied as a wave of relief washed over her.
“Honestly I don’t know how we’re going to manage without you for the next year, but that is my problem to solve. Do you have any other questions for us?”
“My office, how is that being handled?” she asked
“We had a remediation crew in immediately and there are current plans to renovate and update the space which likely would be completed by your return should you choose to remain in that location. We can of course find you another space if you’d prefer.” Janet offered
“That won’t be necessary. The only other thing I’d like to clarify; I assume everyone is well aware of what occurred?”
“Outside of Ms. Hart, who witnessed the incident, the only thing your colleagues are aware of is that you experienced a medical emergency and were rushed to the hospital and there should be no further conversations regarding the matter.” Janet explained
“Thank you, I appreciate the discretion. What exactly should I expect in terms of next steps?”
“I’m planning to meet with the board at the end of the week and will bring this up as a topic of discussion. From there I’ll work out the details with Janet and we should be in contact with you to confirm everything by the end of next week at the latest.” Herb said.
“That works for me. Well, if there’s nothing else you need from me I have a baby to get back to.” Agatha said as she rose and gathered her things.
“Of course! And don’t be a stranger in the meantime. You know you always have a ticket and an invite to any of our events.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” She said with a smirk as she at last headed out of his office.
As she headed back down the hall she felt the weight that had been plaguing her all day finally lift. Her legs could hardly carry her fast enough as she rushed down towards Sharon’s desk. She had the space and the freedom she needed to heal and bond with Nicky and to marry Rio. Now they just needed to start planning.
As she rounded the corner Agatha spotted Sharon bouncing around her desk, holding Nicky as she sang to him. Rio was curled up in Sharon’s chair laughing and smiling as Nicky squealed with joy. The woman was truly a treasure. As Sharon spun around with him again they all caught sight of her.
“Looky there sweet pea! Look who’s back! Is that mama?” Sharon cooed
“If I didn’t know any better I’d say you three were having too much fun!” Agatha said with a smirk as she approached and gathered Nicky from Sharon. “Huh little bug?”
“Oh we were having a blast! He is just the sweetest little thing! Aren’t you?” Sharon gushed as she softly pinched Nicky’s cheek.
“How’d it go?” Rio asked as she slid out from Sharon’s chair.
“It…it went well. Surprisingly so. Herb has to talk with the board but he assured me they’d be able to work something out.”
“That’s fantastic! See I told you there was nothing to worry about. They would have been fools to let you go!” Rio said as she pressed a kiss to Agatha’s cheek. “You ready to go grab some lunch?”
“Gods yes! I’m starving! How about you, little bug? You ready?” Agatha asked as Rio grabbed the carrier.
“Bye precious! It was so nice to meet you! Hopefully I’ll see you again before too long!” Sharon said as they stuffed Nicky back into his car seat.
“Oh don’t worry, Sharon! I’m sure we’ll be taking you up on babysitting sometime!” Rio said as she buckled him in.
“Oh please do, dear! Any time! It was so good to see you both!” Sharon said as she gave Rio a hug.
“It was good to see you too Sharon.” Agatha murmured as she, to everyone's surprise, hugged Sharon as well. “Don’t let Herb run you ragged while I’m gone, and if he gives you any trouble let me know!”
“Will do dear!” She said with a teary wave as they all headed out down the hall.
—----------------------------------
9 Months Later
Early soft light began to trickle into their bedroom. The warmth of dawn not quite reaching through the curtains as Agatha rolled over in bed and curled into Rio. She let out a deep sigh as her body relaxed into this new space when suddenly her mind pricked and her eyes shot open. The room was quiet and still, but too bright for her to just now be waking. She rolled back over abruptly to check the time; 6:10. Much later than her regular 5:00am wake up call from Nicky. She sat up quickly, grabbing the video monitor and turning up the sound. Her eyes squinted at the harshness of the bright screen before they settled in on the peacefully sleeping Nicky, his little arm wrapped around his favorite rabbit stuffy that he wouldn’t fall asleep without. She let out a breath of relief just as she felt Rio stir beside her.
“Everything alright?” Rio grumbled in a gruff morning voice.
“Yeah…yeah everything’s fine. Somehow he’s still asleep.” Agatha said as she set the monitor back down on her nightstand.
“Maybe he knew how special today was and he wanted you to have your beauty sleep.” Rio smirked as she rolled over and pulled Agatha down to snuggle back beside her.
“Or he’s just exhausted after running around Lilia’s all day yesterday and refusing to take a nap!” Agatha snorted
“Perhaps. Either way, we have the morning to ourselves for the time being.” Rio murmured as she leaned in and pressed a kiss to Agatha’s lips. “We should make the most of it while we can.” She hummed as she leaned in once more, winding her fingers through Agatha’s sleep tossed hair and deepening the kiss.
“Rio, my breath is awful!” Agatha giggled as she tore herself away.
“And you think I care?” Rio huffed as she leaned in once again, letting her hands wander and snake their way under Agatha’s sleep shirt to palm at her breasts. Her leg quickly followed as she slid it between Agatha’s thighs pressing at her core.
“Fuck! Rio…I…” Agatha gasped as Rio’s hands dipped lower, grasping at the pillowy flesh of her ass, guiding her hips along the taught muscle of her thigh. As the heat between them began to build, Rio shifted herself on top of Agatha and started sucking and nipping her way down Agatha’s neck and chest as her hips rolled down, pressing into her core.
“Gods you’re so beautiful…” Rio huffed as her fingers glided Agatha’s shirt up over her breasts. “I can’t believe I get to marry you today.”
“Yeah? Try to keep that in mind! I don’t need you leaving any marks!” Agatha chuckled as she wrapped her legs around Rio’s waist.
“I’ll try and restrain myself.” Rio insisted with a devious smile as she dove back down, continuing her trail of kisses down Agatha’s chest and stomach before she stopped just above the hem of her underwear. Rio glanced up, catching Agatha’s hungry gaze as she slowly pressed a kiss to her core through the garment. As her lips made contact Agatha threw her head back onto the pillow with a moan. With a satisfied gleam, Rio sat up and hooked her fingers around the waistband of Agatha’s panties and just as she was ready to pull them down they heard a cry sound from the monitor.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Agatha groaned as she slapped a hand across her face.
“Damn! Sometimes that kid has the worst timing!” Rio snorted as she shifted from the bed. “We’ll pick this up tonight!” she said, pointing to Agatha as she shuffled out the door.
Agatha lay there for a moment as she tried to gather herself. She took a few deep breaths as the wave of heat Rio had worked into a fever pitch began to break. Then she heard the soft sounds of Rio’s voice as it echoed through the monitor.
“Hey buddy! Did you have a good sleep?” At the sound Agatha gathered the monitor and watched as Rio dipped into the crib to gather Nicky whose cries quickly weaned. “Let’s get you changed and then we can go see mama, ok?” Her voice cooed as they shifted out of frame. Agatha set the device back down on the night stand and snuggled back under the covers as she continued to listen to their gentle morning routine. “We’ve got a big day today, mister! Mama and Mami are getting married, so you’ve gotta be on your best behavior.” This was met with a series of coos and soft giggles that quickly drifted back into their bedroom.
“Who’s that, Nicky?” Rio said as she bounced him on her hip in the doorway. Nicky smiled through his pacifier and pointed at Agatha with a delighted hum. Agatha pushed the covers off as she outstretched her arms and welcomed him into her embrace.
“Good morning my sweet boy!” Agatha lilted as she kissed his squishy face. “Are you ready? We’re going to have so much fun today!” He smiled again as he sat back on her lap and took out his pacifier. He threw it over to the side and immediately started pulling at her shirt. “Ok, ok! I know, it’s way past your breakfast time!” She said as she lifted up her shirt and gathered him in to start nursing.
“I’m gonna go hop in the shower. Do you need anything?” Rio asked
“No, I should be fine. Do you know what time everyone’s supposed to get here?”
“I think they said around 9. They’re planning to bring breakfast but I can make you a coffee when I’m out if you don’t want to wait.” Rio offered
“That’s alright, you take your time getting ready. I’ll probably make one myself once he’s done.” Agatha insisted
“You sure? I don’t mind making my wife a coffee.” Rio said as she leaned in for a kiss.
“Then you’ll have to wait until tomorrow. I’m not quite your wife yet.” Agatha chuckled.
The morning slipped by quickly after showers and coffee and a brisk morning walk with Nicky around the neighborhood and soon their home was filled with friends. Jen and Alice had brought a series of gourmet donuts from a local bakery, Ralph had procured everyone’s coffee order, and Nat and Yelena had delivered a savory feast from a brunch spot nearby. They eased into the day, catching up on life and going over plans for the future and soon Nat and Yelena were pulling Rio away to head to Lilia’s.
“Shit! Is it really already 11?” Rio gasped as she looked at the clock.
“Yeah dude we’ve gotta get going so we can get everything set up in time!” Yelena said
“Do you have everything you need?” Nat asked
“Yeah, let me just grab my garment bag and my shoes.” Rio said as she rushed off to the bedroom.
“You sure you don’t want Nicky to come with us? Give you a break while you get ready?” Yelena offered
“No, I’ll be fine. Plus I know if I send him over to Lilia’s he’s not going to nap again and be a little terror all night and no one needs that!”
“No! Not my Nicky!” Ralph said as he bounced him on his hip, earning a giggle from the child.
“I hate to say it but he’s been ornery lately. I think he might be getting some teeth.”
“It is about that time!” Jen commented
“Alright, I’ve got everything, we should be set to go. Goodbye my little bug! I’ll see you and mama later at aunt Lilia’s.” Rio said as she kissed and tickled Nicky who squealed with delight. “See you later, my love” she said, leaning in for a deep kiss with Agatha as their friends erupted in hoots and hollers.
“Oh shut up!” Agatha groaned as she broke away “I’ll see you in 5 hours!”
“It can’t go by fast enough!” Rio sighed as she headed out the door with Nat and Yelena trailing behind.
As soon as the door clicked shut Nicky dissolved into an ever growing puddle of cries and tears. “I didn’t do it!” Ralph said as he held Nicky out for Agatha to take.
“Oh, honey! It’s ok, we’re gonna see mami later!” She cooed as she tried to settle him in her arms but he was having none of it. His cries grew strident as he shifted and squirmed trying to get out of her arms. Worried she might drop him she set him down on the floor where he quickly toddled over to the front door and sat down and cried. “It’s going to be one of those days isn’t it buddy?” Agatha sighed as she grabbed his pacifier and went and picked him back up. “Let’s go have a bath, that should make you feel a bit better.”
————————————————
By the time Rio and her friends arrived at Lilia’s the house was already filled with an array of tantalizing aromas. As they wandered in they found much of the furniture in disarray. The table was pulled apart so that there was a gap in the center where the leaf should have been but somehow that was laid on the couch which had been pushed backwards against the side wall. Streamers and flowers covered nearly every surface. Chairs were haphazardly about and there was something on the stove that was about ready to boil over. Rio set her things down and moved quickly to turn off the stove before glancing around in search of her aunt.
“Lilia?” She called out, receiving no reply.
“Maybe she’s outside?” Nat shrugged.
“Probably. If you two wouldn’t mind moving things around a bit I’m going to go find her.”
“Yeah no problem.” Yelena said as she moved to grab the table leaf.
Rio quickly wandered through the atrium entryway and out into the back yard where folding chairs were scattered about the back garden. Ornate rugs littered the ground like toadstool tapestries. More ribbons and streamers laid about in a trail that led up to the arched trellis that was swallowed by blooming jasmine and wisteria.
“Oh good, you’re here!” Lilia called as she appeared from around the side of the house carrying baskets of freshly cut flowers.
“Yeah, sorry we’re late, I lost track of time. Let me get that for you.” Rio said as she reached to grab the baskets from Lilia. “You know you’re cooking inside right?” Rio smirked
“Yes, yes, I was just running to grab some more flowers, I was only gone a minute.”
“A minute more and the kitchen would have been on fire!” Rio chuckled.
“Oh don’t be so dramatic, I’ve got it all under control.” Lilia huffed as she headed back inside.
“You sure about that?” Rio asked with the skeptical crook of her brow as she followed her in.
“Oh good and you brought reinforcements!” Lilia exclaimed as she entered the living room
“Hey Lilia!” Nat and Yelena chimed in unison
“Hello my lovelies! Did you have a good journey in?” She asked as she headed back over to tend to the food on the stove.
“We ran into some traffic on the way out of Boston but it wasn’t too bad after that.” Yelena explained
“Glad to hear it! It looks like you two have got everything handled in here. There’s lunch on the stove for whenever you get hungry. There’s pushpins in the Hoosier cabinet in one of the drawers and a step stool…somewhere…”
“This it?” Nat asked, holding up a wooden collapsible step stool.
“You’ve got it! If you need anything else, come get one of us in the back yard!” Lilia instructed as she grabbed Rio by the arm and led her back outside.
“If you want to organize the rugs for the runway I’ll get the chairs set.” Lilia ordered as she bustled about.
“Lilia, you ok? We still have a few hours to get everything together. It’ll be fine.” Rio assured as she picked up a rug.
“I’m sure it will dear.” Lilia said with a tight smile as she hurried about grabbing chairs.
“If I didn’t know any better I’d say you’re more nervous than I am.” Rio chuckled
“What?! No, no, not at all. Just… just excited and there’s still lots to do.” Lilia sighed
“If you say so.” Rio shrugged
————————————————
After Agatha battled Nicky in the bathtub she managed to squeeze him into a onesie and finally get him settled on the couch with Alice with some snacks as they watched Finding Nemo. At last free from a fussy infant she was able to start getting ready for the wedding. She snuck back into her bedroom with Jen and Ralph who immediately got to work on her hair and nails.
“How you feeling? Are you nervous?” Jen asked as she secured a press on.
“Not as nervous as I thought I would be. Not yet at least. I mean, it’s not like this is the first time I’ve done this.”
“True.” She shrugged
“Does it feel the same as last time?” Ralph asked as he curled a piece of her hair.
Agatha found herself caught off guard by the question. In many ways it didn’t. With Wanda it had been somewhat spontaneous as they had eloped at a courthouse, wrangling some strangers outside to pose as their witnesses. They had to keep it quiet so as not to tip off Agatha’s mother who would likely have ruined the whole thing, and Wanda’s family of course was on the other side of the world at the time. She remembered being more nervous than excited, hoping everything would just go through without any trouble, that she hardly enjoyed the day.
Today they would be surrounded by friends and family, have an actual ceremony, and get to exchange their own vows. Best of all their son would be with them, even if he didn’t quite remember, she would always treasure his presence there. She found herself more calm and relaxed and overall hopeful for the day. But one thing rang true between them, in the end she would be married to her best friend and she hoped at least this time it would last.
“Not quite.” She eventually mumbled “This time…I just get to be happy.”
“You and Rio really are perfect for each other! Not that you and Wanda weren’t, it’s just…after all you two went through, and the fact that she stuck around…” Ralph babbled
“Watch it!” Agatha warned
“You just know that woman loves you and you deserve that kind of love. You’ve definitely earned it!” He scoffed
“Thank you?” she replied, half puzzled.
“I’m just glad we get to be here this time! I still can’t believe you and Wanda snuck off the way you did and didn’t bring us!” Jen grumbled
“It was a spur of the moment kind of thing! Besides you were preoccupied with clinicals and if I remember correctly Ralph was away on his first cruise contract.”
“Ah! The Maldives! That’s the one where half the performers passed around the clap. And I was such a wee, shy little gay, I missed out.” Ralph sighed wistfully
“Missed a bullet more like!” Jen snorted as she finished Agatha’s nails.
Suddenly they heard a soft cry as the door creaked open and Nicky waddled in followed by Alice.
“Sorry, I was trying to keep him calm and focused on the movie but he noticed you weren’t in the room and started crying. I tried to tell him you’d be out in a minute but he was determined to come and find you.” Alice explained
“Is that right little bug? Were you missing mama?” She said as she scooped him into her arms. “It’s getting close to nap time anyway isn’t it?” She said as she took out his pacifier and settled him on her breast.
“Damn! You really just whip that thing out don’t you!” Ralph gasped, somewhat in shock.
“That’s what it’s for!” Jen sassed
“I know that! I just wasn’t expecting it to happen right now, with no warning, just BAM titty.” Ralph scoffed
“I’ll try and warn you next time, now will you focus and finish my hair?” Agatha grumbled.
—----------------------------------
“People will be arriving in less than an hour, we should probably start getting ready. Nat says she’s cool to help Lilia finish setting up.” Yelena said as she came to gather Rio from the back yard.
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. Is Lilia doing alright in there? She was being weird earlier.” Rio asked as she finished tying one of the ribbons around a chair.
“She seems a little stressed but it’s a lot to pull together. I’m pretty sure she thinks she’s feeding like 100 people. There’s so much food in there!”
“No, no, that's just how she cooks. Be prepared, she’s going to send you home with leftovers.” Rio said as she and Yelena made their way back inside.
“Which I will gladly accept!” Yelena chuckled
“WOW this place looks amazing!” Rio said as she stopped by the living room to grab her things. Hundreds of flowers encircled the room and looked as if they had grown fresh out of the very walls themselves. Ribbons and streamers hung with fairy lights draped from the chandelier and candles flickered on every surface which cast the room in a hazy warm glow. It was cozy and elegant and every bit of what she had always dreamed of.
“Rio? What are you doing? You’ve got to go get ready! Your guests will be here soon!” Lilia chided as she stood halfway out of the kitchen mixing something furiously in a bowl.
“I know! I know! I’m going!” Rio scoffed as she and Yelena hurried out and down the hall to her old bedroom. It had been over two years since she had last stayed here. At the time it had felt like a step back, returning to her childhood home, trying to figure out where her life was headed and what she really wanted. Recovering from yet another failed relationship and wondering if she was ever going to find love, true love. She never could have imagined she’d be here now preparing to marry the love of her life. It was almost too perfect; she could hardly believe it was real.
“You good man?” Yelena asked as she caught Rio staring at her outfit in the garment bag.
“I just…this is really happening isn’t it?” She muttered as her fingers grazed the fabric.
“Yeah, finally! Aren’t you excited?” Yelena asked as she plugged in the hair tools and set out the makeup.
“For sure but also…kind of nervous.” Rio breathed
“About what?” Yelena chuckled
“I…I don’t know. It all just seems very surreal. It's like I’m waiting to wake up and for this to all have been a dream or something.” Rio said, finally turning her attention to Yelena.
“Lucky for you it’s not a dream and in T minus like an hour and a half you get to marry the love of your life.” Yelena said as she peeled Rio’s pantsuit from the garment bag.
“How did I get so lucky?” Rio huffed through a smirk as she plopped onto the bed.
“You’re a good person and you’ve experienced enough shit in your life. It’s finally time for you to have the happiness you deserve which of course is going to seem scary. But don’t doubt it for a second, let yourself be excited and soak up every moment. Now strip.”
Rio shook her head and chuckled at the wizened bluntness only Yelena could impart as she obliged her request. She quickly shimmied into the outfit and as Yelena pulled the zipper closed she turned and saw a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her hair was still a mess from working outside and her face was bare, but standing there in the ivory jumpsuit with a silky cape that draped along her back, the reality finally set in. She could feel her heart stutter at the weight of it all. She would finally have the family she had always dreamed of, that she longed for and she truly couldn’t be happier.
Time raced by as Yelena helped her with her hair and make up. Nat eventually joined and soon it was as if they were back in school getting ready together for a night out. They blasted music and sang along and enjoyed a few pre-wedding drinks and before they knew it the doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of the first guests. She could hear Lilia shuffle about as she answered the door and the lively voices of whoever had arrived soon echoed throughout the house. She felt a prick of nerves trickle down her arms realizing how soon Agatha would arrive and how close she was to saying I do. Before she could truly let her nerves get the best of her, Lilia burst through the door of the bedroom.
“The food is all ready and folks are arriving, are you almost…” she stopped in her tracks as she caught sight of Rio at the vanity. “Oh honey, look at you!” She gasped in awe.
Rio stood and glided over to Lilia, “Do I clean up alright?” she smirked
“You look absolutely exquisite!” Lilia said as she held Rio’s face between her palms then enveloped her in a hug. “Oh my girl! I am so, so happy for you!” she croaked through tears that were welling in her eyes.
“Don’t tell me you’re crying already!” Rio laughed as Lilia broke the embrace to wipe away a few stray tears.
“I can’t help it! Just seeing you like this! I feel so lucky to be here with you. Oh! That reminds me! I have some things for you! Come with me!” Lilia grabbed her by the wrist and led her down the hall to her own bedroom. “Sit!” She instructed as she waved a hand at the bed. Rio, not exactly sure what to expect, did as she was told while Lilia disappeared into her closet. She quickly returned carrying three small packages that she handed over to Rio. Each was carefully wrapped by one of her many handkerchiefs. “Open the blue one first.”
Rio gave her a quick suspicious glance as she set aside the other two and unwrapped the first package. Inside was a small forest green square of silky fabric detailed with an intricate array of hand stitched vines and flowers. Rio carefully pulled it from the box as she let her fingers run over the design. “This is beautiful!” she breathed as she glanced back at Lilia in awe.
“It was your father’s. Your grandmother handstitched the needlework and he wore it when he married your mother. I had found it along with your mother’s necklace and figured I’d give it to you on your special day.” Rio could feel a frog begin to form in her throat as she choked back the swell of tears that pressed at the corners of her eyes. “Now the red one.”
She placed the square to the side and cautiously picked up the next package. This one was slightly smaller but felt just as precious as the last. As Rio lifted the lid she could feel her breath catch in her throat. Inside was a single dried red rose and a cluster of baby’s breath that had been fashioned into a boutonniere with one of her mother’s old broaches. “This…it’s from her funeral isn’t it?” she choked out as she glanced back up at Lilia who nodded solemnly. She held the flower in her hand, studying how rich and satin like the fragile petals had become as a tear fell from her eye. “What are you trying to do to me?” she said with a burst of a laugh, hoping to dispel the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm her as she wiped away the tears. “I don’t know if I can handle any more.” she sniffled as she picked up the final green package and began unwrapping it. Inside was a small little black bowtie, just Nicky’s size.
“This one, I will admit, is not quite for you.”
“I figured.” Rio laughed
“But it is just as special. Another gem among your family things I found.”
“This was his, wasn’t it?” Rio sniffled
Lilia nodded again as she stepped away to gather a photo off her dresser which she handed to Rio. “From his first birthday.”
Rio scanned the worn image. It was of the two of them, her and her brother. She was in a monstrosity of a yellow dress, her hair pulled back by a matching headband, and he was in the tiniest suit she had ever seen. Her little arms were wrapped tightly around his tiny body and she was smiling the biggest smile she could right at the camera. Her brother, however, was looking up at her, his eyes filled with nothing but joy and love. That finally broke the dam that she had been fighting to hold back. Tears poured onto the glass as her finger traced their figures. “Why would you do this to me!” She laughed through the tears.
“Because, my dear, I wanted to give you a piece of each of them to carry with you on your wedding day. Know that they are with you, they always have been and will be as you start this wonderful new chapter in your life.” Lilia said as she gathered Rio into a hug. “Just know that whatever happens, whatever hills and valleys lie ahead, you are always loved my girl!” She said as she dried Rio’s tears.
“Thank you Lilia. For everything.” Rio said as she hugged Lilia again. “I couldn’t do it without you.”
Just then the door to the bedroom popped open and Nat poked her head in. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“No it’s ok. What's up?” Rio sniffled as she patted her eyes dry.
“Agatha’s here. Jen says she needs you. She’s out in the car.”
“Oh, ok. I’ll be right there.” Rio said as she grabbed her gifts. “Lilia, would you help me with the flower?”
“Of course dear.” Lilia said with a soft smile as she quickly pinned it to her chest. “There you are. Now don’t keep your new wife waiting!” She gave Rio a pat on the cheek and sent her out the door.
————————————————-
After Ralph finished her hair, Agatha spent the next hour fighting to put Nicky down for a nap. She walked around with him, rocked him in the chair, read him a book, and sang him lullabies. Throughout he would start to fall asleep but as soon as she moved he would wake back up and start crying for her. She knew he was tired and desperately needed this rest so they could enjoy the rest of the day so she persisted until at last he succumbed and she was able to sneak quietly out of his room.
“Damn, I need a nap after that!” She sighed as she returned to her friends who were snacking on the couch.
“Not sure if you have time for a whole nap but you can relax while I do your make up.” Ralph said as she rose and followed her back into the bathroom.
“Is it always that difficult?” Alice asked as she and Jen started getting ready beside them.
“Not usually. Sometimes he’ll fight me on it but that was probably the worst it’s been.”
“He knows we’re here, he probably just doesn’t want to miss out.” Jen shrugged as she applied her eyeliner.
“Perhaps. Now I just need him to sleep long enough so that he’s not a fussy mess for the wedding.”
By some miracle Nicky managed to stay asleep while she and the rest of them finished getting ready. In fact he slept so long that by the time they were ready to leave to pick up the cake on their way to the wedding, Agatha had to rouse him from his slumber. She crept back into his room where the child was curled on his side, deep in sleep. She hated to wake him but she had let him sleep until the last possible moment. She bent down into his crib and gently rubbed a soothing hand along his back.
“Wake up little bug.” She hummed as he began to stir. His tiny body made a big stretch before his eyes cracked open and he let out a big sigh. He blinked slowly with somewhat of a frown on his lips as he adjusted to waking. She moved to grab a blanket and threw it over her shoulder to help preserve her outfit as best she could and reached down to gather him from the bed. He let out a pitiful tired whine, clearly upset that she had disturbed him, but he quickly settled on her hip and contended with his pacifier, snuggled his face into her shoulder. She pressed her cheek against his head and rubbed her hand along his back as she made her way back out to the living room where her friends were waiting for them.
“Hey little man!” Ralph said as they rounded the corner. “Did you have a good nap?” Nicky grumbled and turned his face into Agatha’s shoulder.
“He’s still waking up. I think I’m going to wait to change him when we get there. Give him some time to settle.”
“Sounds good. You ready to go then?” Jen asked
“Yeah, I’ve got the diaper bag. If you wouldn’t mind grabbing my purse and my spare pair of shoes. There’s no way I’m going to last the whole night in these.”
“For sure. Need anything else?” Alice asked
“No, I think that’s it!”
“Alright! Let’s go get you hitched…again!” Ralph said as he led them out to the SUV.
While the others piled into the car, Agatha struggled to get Nicky settled. As soon as he left her arms he began to fuss and as she tried to place him in his seat he devolved into fit of screams and tears as he fought the restraints.
“Nicky, sweetheart, it’s ok. We’re going to see Mami!” she tried to tell him with a sweet lilt to her voice but he was not hearing it. Eventually she got him buckled in and settled into the seat beside him while he continued to protest.
“Should we get something for him?” Ralph asked as he turned around from the driver’s seat.
“No, just start driving. He’ll settle down eventually.” She insisted as she dug through the diaper bag to grab his stuffed rabbit to help sooth him.
For the first fifteen minutes of their twenty minute journey to the bakery Nicky resisted any kind of appeasement. Toys, books, pacifiers, blankets, each item that she tried to give him he would throw out of his seat as he continued to cry. It wasn’t until Ralph flipped to a classical music station that he finally settled down enough to take his pacifier and keep it.
“There you go, that’s it buddy. See you’re ok!” Agatha soothed as she stroked his cheek. She let out a deep sigh as she tilted her head against the headrest relieved that he was finally calm.
“Dude, I do not know how you do this every day!” Ralph chuckled from the front seat.
“He’s not normally like this. Sure he has his moments but I’ve not seen him this fussy since he got that cold a few months ago. He must not be feeling well. He is kind of warm but I can’t tell if that’s from his nap, him being upset, or he’s actually sick.”
“You said you thought he might be teething?” Jen asked
“Oh I’m quite sure. He bit me earlier when I was feeding him.”
“That can happen when they’re teething, they run warm.”
“I just feel bad, if he’s not feeling well, putting him through this whole day.”
“He’ll be fine! And if he needs some quiet time Alice or I would be happy to chill with him or take him home early if need be.” Jen offered.
“We’ll just have to see how he does when we get there.” Agatha sighed.
At last they pulled into the bakery and Ralph and Alice hopped out of the car to run inside and pick up the cake. They waited and waited and after about ten minutes Ralph leaned out the front door, rolling his eyes as he waved for Agatha to come inside.
“Fucking hell! Can they really not figure out how to pick up a damn cake?!” She grumbled as she slid out of the car. “Mama will be right back Nicky! Auntie Jen is with you little bug.” She said as she closed the door. Despite this assurance she could hear his crying resume as she stepped away into the shop. “What’s the issue?” She huffed as she stepped up to the counter.
“Ms. Harkness I’m so sorry there seems to have been a mix up.” The cashier rambled nervously
“What kind of mix up?” Agatha asked as calmly as she could though her patience was running thin.
“Though the date on your paperwork is correct, somehow when our assistant went to put it in the system they reserved this date next month. So…we don’t have your cake ready today. My deepest apologies.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” She groaned as she massaged her temples with her forefingers. “So where does that put us? What are our options?”
“Well, right now we have what’s available in our bakery case. Based on your order I would say two of our larger cakes would feed the same amount. I’ll tell you the two most popular are the Opera Cream and the Berry Chantilly.”
“Whatever. Just box up one of each.” Agatha said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
“Our decorator is here, would you like us to add anything to them for you?” the woman offered.
“At this point no, I don’t have time to wait. I have a screaming kid in the car and I’m about to be late to my own wedding so what do I owe you?” Agatha snipped
“Oh, nothing! You’d already paid the deposit and since this was our mistake we’ll cover the difference. Again, deepest apologies for our error.”
“Thanks. Do you two think you can handle getting them out to the car? I’ve got to try and calm Nicky down again.” Agatha groaned
“Yeah, no problem!” Alice said as Agatha stormed back out.
“Everything alright?” Jen asked as she settled back into her seat.
“No. They fucked up the order and didn’t have the cake.”
“Oh shit! So, what are we going to do?”
“They gave us two of whatever they had on hand. At this point I don’t care. I just want to get there and get him out of this car seat.” She said as she tried to soothe Nicky once more.
Before long Ralph and Alice returned, stuffing the boxed up cakes in the trunk, before they set off again. At this point Nicky had worked himself up into another tantrum and he was trying his best to break free from the restraints of his carseat.
“I know, I know, honey! We’ll be at Aunt Lilia’s soon and you can get out. Mami will be there too and she’ll be so excited to see you.” Agatha cooed to no avail.
“Not sure if he’d want this but they did give us a cookie for him.” Alice said as she handed over a wrapped, iced sugar cookie in the shape of a flower.
“At this point I’ll try anything!” Agatha sighed as she took the cookie from Alice and quickly unwrapped it. She broke off a piece and handed it to Nicky. “Nicky, look! Do you want to try the cookie?” His crying fell to a whimper as he took the pastry from her, immediately squishing it in his tiny hands before stuffing the crumbs that remained into his mouth. “Is that good buddy?” She asked as she handed him another piece. Fortunately this treat, though messy, satisfied him enough to keep him contented for the rest of the journey to Lilia’s.
Relieved that they had at last arrived, everyone hurried out of the car. Ralph and Alice quickly grabbed the cakes and rushed inside while Jen collected everyone’s things and waited on Agatha to gather Nicky.
“Need any help?” Jen asked
“Can you hand me the wipes out of the diaper bag? He’s absolutely covered in this cookie!”
“For sure!” Jen said as she dug out the wipes and handed them to Agatha.
“Gods! This thing is everywhere!” Agatha groaned as she brushed the crumbs away and thoroughly wiped off his hands and face before pulling him out of the car seat and dusting off his body. “This is why we don’t do snacks in the car. Big mess, huh bug?” Satisfied that he was clean enough to hold against her cream colored wedding suit she perched him on her hip and took him to the trunk to change him. She peeled off his sticky onesie and laid him down as she called for Jen to hand her a fresh diaper. Just as she pulled back his old one he released a stream of pee that hit her square in the chest, soaking her shirt before she could react and cover him with the fresh diaper. She and Jen stood there stunned for a moment before Agatha let out a laugh of disbelief. She took a breath to settle herself before she screamed and then pulled off her jacket and silk shirt.
“You…uh…you want me to go see if I can find a new shirt?” Jen asked
“Just go get Rio.” Agatha sighed in defeat
“You got it!” Jen said as she started to rush off.
“Jen! Wait! Leave the bag. I at least need to finish getting him ready.” She called after her.
“Oh, of course! Here you go. I’ll be right back!” Jen said as she dropped the bag and practically ran into the house.
Agatha quickly finished diapering Nicky before grabbing a few wipes and cleaning herself off as best she could. She took another deep breath and began searching for his clothes in the bag. She dug through the main pocket and found his socks and shoes, but not the rest of his clothes. She shoved her hand in the side pockets and managed to find his pants but his shirt was nowhere in sight. “No fucking way.” She muttered to herself as she dumped the contents of the bag out onto the floorboard beside Nicky, startling him into crying once more. She immediately halted her search and scooped him into her arms. “Oh baby! Mama’s sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you!” She hummed as he wailed into her shoulder. She swayed and bounced as she rubbed a hand along his bare back but the motions did nothing to soothe him. Feeling as if she was at her breaking point she turned and sat against the edge of the car and cradled him in her arms. Through shuddering sobs his tiny hand pulled at her bra, demanding to feed and though she was tender from earlier that day she immediately relented. As he sat there feeding she could feel the weight of all that had gone awry press down upon her and bring a tear to her eye. Why did this have to happen, today of all days?
As the tears slowly streamed down her face she heard Rio’s voice call out from the other side of the car.
“Agatha?”
“Back here.” She called out as she wiped away the few tears that had fallen.
“Jen said you needed a shir…” Rio stopped suddenly as she rounded the vehicle, spotting Agatha teary eyed in her dress pants and bra feeding Nicky. “Carino, what happened?”
Agatha let out an incredulous breathy laugh, “I don’t even know where to start. This whole day is practically ruined already.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Not sure if you noticed but I’m missing my top, thanks to your son who decided to pee as soon as I took his diaper off.”
“Oh my son is he?” Rio chuckled, causing Agatha to glare at her.
“He’s been in a mood ever since you left this morning. I don’t think he feels good. He cried practically the whole way to the bakery and would have done the same on the way here if it weren’t for the cookie. Which, by the way, the bakery fucked up our order so I just have two random cakes. I don’t even know what they taste like. And on top of all that I forgot his shirt at the house so he’s going to be half naked for all the pictures! And…OUCH!” she yelped as she flinched herself away from Nicky. “HE KEEPS BITING ME! It just feels like nothing has gone right!” Agatha shuddered as she tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall once again.
“Sweetheart, I’m so sorry! That sounds awful!”
“It is awful and I’m exhausted and I wish I could just go home right now and not worry about disappointing you and the dozen or so people inside, but I just don’t know if I can do this today!”
Rio sighed feeling the weight of all Agatha had laid bare. She could see the stress that all of what was said had worn. This of course was not what she had expected or ever wanted for either of them. She wanted to marry Agatha more than anything but if now was not the time she knew she was willing to wait until Agatha was in a position to enjoy herself and their special moment, whenever that day would come. “Then we’ll go home.” She murmured
“What?” Agatha sniffled as she wiped her face dry with the back of her hand.
“I don’t want you pushing through for my sake or anyone else’s. We know how that ended last time. I will marry you anytime, anywhere, any day of the week. If today is not that day, then so be it.” Rio shrugged
“No…no everything is already set! We’re here. We can’t call it off now!”
“If that’s what needs to happen then that’s what we’ll do. They’ll understand and if not? Fuck ‘em.” Rio said matter of factly.
Agatha let out a breathy laugh, hardly able to reason what she was hearing. This person, who she loved with all her heart, who she wanted to marry more than anything in the world, was willing to postpone the whole thing moments before they exchanged vows for her sake and wellbeing. Though she should have expected it at this point, given how deeply devoted Rio had always been to her, it still took her by surprise. At that moment she wanted nothing more than to marry the woman.
“You look stunning.” Agatha said as she pulled Nicky from her breast and held him against her shoulder.
Rio snickered, “Thank you. Though it’s not quite what I had expected, you look absolutely breathtaking, my love.”
“Why am I not surprised? I’m sure you’d prefer me like this anyway.” Agatha smirked.
“Mi amor! You should know by now, I’ll take you any way I can get you!” Rio gleamed wickedly. “What do you say? Ready to head home?”
“Not quite.” Agatha smiled, “I think I’d like to marry you first.”
Rio bit her lip, trying to hold back her excitement. “Then marry me you shall! But first, I’ve brought you some shirts.”
“Really?”
“Yes, unless you prefer your current attire?”
“No, I’m absolutely freezing, besides, I’m pretty sure I’d give Herb a heart attack if I walked in half naked.” She chuckled
“Well, here you are. Jen helped me pick out some of Lilia’s that she thought might work.” Rio said as she handed over three shirts in exchange for Nicky. The first one was white and had a frilly collar and puffy sleeves. It reminded her of something a pirate might wear, it would have worked if it had been the only one but given there were two other options she quickly tossed it to the side. The next one was a silky lilac tank top. The texture was similar to the shirt she had lost but the color was not what she had imagined for her wedding day. The final shirt was a cream colored fitted turtle neck. A little more modest than she would have picked but overall it seemed to be the best out of the three so she quickly slipped it on.
“What do you think?” She asked as she tucked it into her dress pants.
“Gods you really do look hot in anything!” Rio gasped. “What do you think bug? Isn’t mama so pretty?” Nicky smiled through his pacifier and pointed at Agatha as he babbled something along the lines of mama. “See, it's perfect!”
“If you two say so.” Agatha smirked. “Now, what are we going to do about you, little nakey bug?” she said as she tickled his belly earning a giggle.
“I’m sure Lilia at least has a onesie we can throw on him if nothing else.”
“I guess it’ll have to do.” Agatha sighed. “Well, shall we?”
“I’m ready if you are!”
“Then let’s go get married!”
—-------------------------------------
Not twenty minutes later they were under the arched trellis, hand in hand, as Lilia’s voice rang out to the small crowd seated around them.
“Welcome dear friends! We gather here today as witness to the divine union of Agatha Harkness and Rio Vidal. We stand between the worlds today, in a time outside of time, as these two souls weave their destinies together. Love is the oldest magic, the truest spell, the most powerful force in the universe. Today, through that love, Agatha and Rio choose to bind their lives together, not as two halves seeking completion, but as two whole beings choosing to walk their paths side by side. I ask you now to each take the other’s left hand in yours.” Lilia instructed as she reached for cords laid on the small table beside her.
“Handfasting is an ancient ritual, a visible symbol of an invisible bond. These cords represent the intertwining of your lives, your past, present, and future woven together through the end of your days.” She held aloft a purple cord and spoke, “This cord of purple represents the magic you bring to each other, a spiritual connection, intuition, and the mystery of two souls recognizing one another across time and space.” she said as she wrapped it around their clasping hands before holding up the next. “This cord of green represents growth, abundance, and the fertile ground from which your love will flourish, ever renewing with each season.” she said as she wrapped a green cord. “And finally, this cord of white represents purity of intention, new beginnings, and the blank page upon which you'll write your story. As these cords bind your hands, so your lives are bound, not in constraint, but in support, not in limitation, but in strength multiplied.” As Lilia held their hands together, they felt the bond between them fusing into one, their pulses echoing in harmony against the other’s hand until at last she unwrapped their bindings.
“At this time, we give space to share the vows you have each prepared.”
Agatha could feel her heart stutter as she turned to Ralph to grab the paper she had taken weeks to write.
“My love…” she began as the tears already clung to her eyes. “From the moment our paths crossed, you’ve shown me a depth of kindness, care, and devotion I never dared believe could exist in this world. You didn’t just enter my life, you saved it countless times, in more ways than words can capture, in ways I’m still discovering. And Nicky… from the moment you knew him your heart never wavered, you stayed by my side and his through our darkest times. You’ve been the most extraordinary mother to him, loving him with a fierceness and tenderness that takes my breath away. You’ve given us everything I could have ever hoped for and more.
So what can I possibly offer someone who has given me everything? Only this, everything in return.
I vow to be your anchor when the storms rage, your unwavering constant when the world spins wild around us. I vow to be your light in the deepest darkness, the hand you reach for and always find waiting. Through every season, through every turning of the wheel, through the bright days and the shadowed ones, I will stand beside you.
As we grow old together, as our hair turns silver and our story deepens with time, as the years carve their wisdom into our skin, I will still choose you. Every single day, with every breath I take, until my very last. I choose you. Today, tomorrow, and for all the tomorrows we’re granted…always you.”
By the time she uttered her last words tears were pouring down both of their faces. Rio squeezed her hand as she reached for her fathers pocket square to dry her eyes. “Fuck!” She laughed as she pulled herself together. “I knew you were going to be hard to follow.” She chuckled as the audience around them laughed in response.
“Ok…” she breathed as she held Agatha’s hands and looked into her crystalline tear stained eyes. “Mi amor, I have always said it was fate that brought us together for the universe has always been on our side. When you literally fell into my arms in the bookshop I knew, this is who I wanted to give my heart to. Though our journey here has been nothing if not unique and hard fought, I would relive every second to be standing with you here today. You too have given me everything, a place to belong, arms to call home, and a family with Nicky that I had long given up on ever having before you.
I vow to you, to both of you, to treasure every small miracle, every quiet moment, every joy that passes between us. When the world grows heavy and overwhelming, I will be the voice that calls you home, the steady ground beneath your feet, the hand that pulls you back from the edge.
I vow to remind you, each and every day, how precious you are, how loved, how cherished, how irreplaceable. And should anyone dare challenge that truth, should any force threaten what we have built together, I will stand as your shield, fierce and unyielding.
You are not just my everything, you are the reason my heart beats, the purpose behind every breath I draw. You are the answer to questions I didn’t know to ask, the home I didn’t know I was searching for. My heart belongs to you, completely and irrevocably, from this day forward until time itself runs out, until my last breath leaves my body and beyond, into whatever comes next.”
Not an eye was dry when Rio finished speaking. The depth of her words had sunk so deeply they all took a moment before Lilia continued.
“Beautiful. You have spoken your words of love and promise to each other’s heart. I now ask that you affirm these vows to those who have come to bear witness to your union. Agatha Harkness, do you take Rio Vidal to be your bonded partner, to walk beside her through all seasons of life, in darkness and in light, through joy and sorrow, for so long as your souls are intertwined?”
Agatha held fast to Rio as she gazed into her honey amber eyes, “I do.”
“And do you Rio Vidal take Agatha Harkness to be your bonded partner, to walk beside her through all seasons of life, in darkness and in light, through joy and sorrow, so long as your souls are intertwined?”
Rio gleaned as she stared into Agatha’s stormy, ocean blue eyes and said, “I do.”
“If you would, gather the rings.” Lilia instructed to which Agatha turned to Jen and Rio to Nat to each gather their bands. “The circle is a sacred symbol, infinite, eternal, without beginning or end. These rings, like the cycles of the moon and the turning of the seasons, represent your love that has no end. Agatha, if you would repeat after me… I, Agatha.”
“I Agatha…”
“Place this ring upon your finger…”
“Place this ring upon your finger…”
“As an everlasting symbol…”
“As an everlasting symbol…”
“That binds us in love through the end of our days.”
“That binds us in love through the end of our days.” As she slid the silver band along Rio’s finger she felt an overwhelming sense of calm and surety wash over her. As if this had always meant to be, the peace and security and love that she never imagined she would find again.
“Now Rio…”
“Yes?”
“I, Rio…”
“I, Rio…”
“Place this ring upon your finger…”
“Place this ring upon your finger…”
“As an everlasting symbol…”
“As an everlasting symbol…”
“That binds us in love through the end of our days.”
“That binds us in love through the end of our days.”
“What has been joined today in love let no being tear asunder. May the moon light your path, may the stars guide your way, may the seasons turn in your favor. With the honor and power bestowed upon me I declare you bound in love and life. You are handfasted, heartbound, and wed, and you at last may seal this union with a kiss.”
Lilia’s words had barely left her mouth before Agatha had pulled Rio’s lips into hers. As their love and passion sealed their fate the crowd around them spurred into joyous cheers and applause. At last they were married, their love forever sealed with rings and a kiss. At last they had each found a home within the other that could not be broken.
As they broke free from their kiss they turned to face all of those that had cared and supported them throughout their journey as Lilia made the final pronouncement.
“Go forth now into this new journey as partners, as lovers, as co-conspirators in this grand adventure in life, and let us all take joy and feast and celebrate in the love that you have shared with us today!”
As they stepped away from the arch, Rio gathered Nicky from where he had contentedly watched them on Sharon’s lap and snuggled him between her and Agatha as they walked down the aisle and into their new lives as a family at last.
—--------------------------------------
The reception had been a blur of food and music and dancing. Nicky had managed to stay up long enough to enjoy bits of the mystery cakes that ended up being better than what they had initially ordered. They celebrated long into the night to where much of the wedding party, including the brides and their son, crashed on various beds and couches at Lilia’s only to be greeted with a breakfast feast the next day, curing many a hangover.
They took the rest of the weekend to relax in the blissful afterglow of their nuptials, enjoying the quiet moments that Nicky granted them, and reveling in the boisterous moments he did create, until at last Monday arrived and they prepared to leave on their honeymoon.
The entire morning Agatha rushed around folding and organizing laundry, packing for her and Rio and for Nicky, she made lists upon lists and checked them twice in hope that nothing would go amiss while they were away. Rio spent the time entertaining their child while making sure all the dishes were done and the place was clean for when they returned home.
“Sweetheart, have you seen Nicky’s jacket? The blue one?” Agatha asked as she came barreling down the hallway with blankets and a pair of shoes in hand.
“It’s over here by the door. Do you really think he’ll need it?”
“Yes! It’s supposed to rain the third day we are gone and I want to make sure Lilia has it. Did you pack any of his food yet?”
“No, Lilia said she had it covered.”
“By covered I assume that means she’ll be feeding him whatever she manages to cook up.” Agatha scoffed
“Probably.” Rio shrugged
“Well we’ll at least need to send some milk with him for bedtime. I have some bags labeled in the freezer if you wouldn’t mind putting them in a cooler with some ice.”
“Can do.”
“Oh and we should probably send some formula just in case.”
“I’ve already got that in the bag.”
“AH! Thank you, you’re amazing!”
“I try.” Rio smirked “You good? Need any help packing?”
“No, I’m nearly done. Just folding this last load of laundry and double checking our suit cases and we should be set!”
“Ah! I’m so excited. I can’t believe we get to go on one of Ralph’s cruises! I’ve never been on a cruise!”
“Me neither! I’m just praying I don’t get sea sick!”
“You’ll be fine! Plus I grabbed us some dramamine just in case.”
“Fantastic! Will you let me know when Lilia gets here? I want to go over everything with her before we head out.”
“For sure, she should be here any minute.”
“Oh my little bug! I’m going to miss you so much!” Agatha gushed as she pressed a kiss to Nicky’s squishy baby cheek. “Ugh, I can’t, if I think about it any more I’m going to start crying again.”
“No! No more crying. Go finish the laundry!” Rio said as she shooed her back down the hallway.
“Oh! I’m going to miss you too little bug but I promise you’re going to have the best time with aunt Lilia. I just know she is going to spoil you rotten while we’re gone!” Rio said as she squeezed him close and peppered him with kisses. Just as Nicky was dissolving into a cacophony of laughter there was a knock at the door. “Ah! Whose that?” Rio asked as she and Nicky looked at each other. “I think that’s aunt Lilia, right on time!” She said as she set Nicky down who went racing for the door as fast as his little legs could carry him. Rio followed after him and carefully moved him to the side as she opened the door.
“Hey! Lilia I…” She paused in shock and confusion as a stranger stood on the other side. “Oh…uh…hi. How can I help you?” she asked, hurrying to pick up Nicky as she eyed the woman up and down.
“I…um…I was actually looking for Agatha. Does…does she still happen to live here?” The woman asked trepidatiously.
“That depends…did her mother send you?” Rio glowered as her defenses began to rise.
“What? No I… I’m just…an old friend. I happened to be in the area and thought I’d stop by.” She babbled innocently enough, though it felt thick with anxiety.
“Honey!” Agatha’s voice called as she marched into the living room. “I’m only packing two of your books, there's no way you’ll get through all five so I need you to tell me which…” Agatha froze as she caught sight of the figure in the doorway, dropping all of the books in her hands as she felt the blood drain from her face in shock.
“Hi Agatha.” The woman said as she waved gingerly.
“No it’s…it’s not possible!” Agatha babbled as she crept closer. “Wanda?!”
DUH DUH DUUUUUHHH!!!
Yes Wanda is back - yes at some point I'm planning to write a second story exploring this but it definitely needs it's own work. So until then...thanks for reading :)
You make a new acquaintance in the neighborhood and invite her over for dinner, little did you know what that would unleash with your ghostly roommate.
Words - 8.5K
Warnings - dub-con, oral, magic strap, magic bondage, rough sex, I'm sure I'm forgetting something so just be warned, it's horny.
I may not have finished in time for kinktober but I did finish. As promised, pt. 2 featuring Rio.
Over the next few months, despite your unexpected but not necessarily unwanted housemate, you managed to settle into your new digs. You fixed the dripping and patched up the hole in the guest room, resolved the pest problem which luckily turned out to just be a few mice, and relaxed into a comfortable routine. You enjoyed coffee and breakfast in your back sunroom, watching the sun rise and peek through the branches that now held a collage of amber and rust as the season began to change and a crisp chill filled the air. During the week you’d prepare yourself and head off to work, on the weekends you’d quickly find a project or two around the house to keep you busy and every evening you’d enjoy a walk around the neighborhood, familiarizing yourself with your new surroundings and the odd neighbor here and there.
For the most part you didn’t see your friendly apparition during the day, though there were always signs she was about. A candle or two toppled over of their own accord, a dish or a plate completely out of place, and once, when you had tried to ignore her presence while you were deep in a repair, you heard a loud clatter in another room only to rush in and find your collection of books and records strewn about haphazardly. It was a bit difficult to be too frustrated with her, while you had the whole world at your fingertips it appeared she was resigned to this domicile, only truly visible at night, with you as her only companion, and quite a companion you had become. Though you tried not to make a habit of it, you found yourself more often than not succumbing to her advances late in the evening when the odd glass of wine had given you a lustful haze. And why not? You had no one else to share your bed with and managing your needs on your own never seemed to scratch that itch in the same way after that first time. These encounters also had the added effect of quelling Agatha’s spirit and your house would remain peaceful for a few days after. It was like living with a succubus and a petulant child all at once.
One day, as you were out on your evening walk one of the neighbors that you had passed by dozens of times, who always seemed to be busy about her garden and would flash you a smile and throw you a wave with the twinkle of her fingers, broke your familiar routine and strode up to you with a confidence and determination you had scarcely seen before as she shouted for your attention.
“Hey! Hey you!” You looked around, startled by the call. “Yeah you!” She said as she threw off her gardening gloves and drug her fingers through her silken, ebony, shoulder length hair, flashing you a smile that seemed to glint with a desire you hadn’t noticed until she strode up to you. “You’re the one who moved into the old house at the end of the street, right?” she asked as she stopped much closer than you had anticipated. You nodded meekly as your eyes darted around a bit confused. “That’s what I thought.” She said with a sly grin. “The name’s Rio.” She said as she jutted her hand forward in greeting.
“Y/N”
“Nice to meet you, Y/N. How you liking the old place so far?” She gleamed as her honey amber eyes bore into you with a bit more than neighborly charm.
“Oh, it’s…it’s fine. Needs a bit of work but it’s starting to feel like home.” you murmur shyly as she gazes at you intently, looking you up and down with curiosity.
“Glad to hear it!” She smirks as her eyes land back on yours, “Though, I have to say, I’m a bit surprised.” she chuckled
“How so?” you ask with a scoff.
“That house has a reputation for driving people away. They tend to stay for maybe a month or two before the moving trucks show back up in the driveway. Most of the folks around here seem to think it must be haunted or cursed.” She explains with an inquisitive yet flirtatious lilt to her voice, as her eyes flashed brightly, almost prying for the truth.
“Oh? And what do you think?” You find yourself asking, braver than you expect as you return the advances. Oh, if only they really knew what secret the house really held!
She snickers as she tucks her tongue into the hollow of her cheek before replying. “I have my suspicions. It could just be the ancient plumbing and the lack of central AC driving everyone away but where’s the fun in that? A ghost would certainly make things more…interesting. I hate to admit I have been curious. Seen any specters about?” she asked as her eyebrows twitched with intrigue and a sultry smile crept across her lips.
You chuckle nervously as you ponder how to reply. Sure she was being nosy, and incredibly enticing but you couldn’t quite tell her not only had you seen the ghost but she had, on more than one occasion, piloted your body into an otherworldly state of pleasure. “I…uh…may have heard a bump or two in the night, but hadn’t really thought much of it.”
“Oh really?” she snorted, seemingly in shock. “Well, I hope my curiosity doesn’t get you thinking too much and scare you off. I’d hate to let someone like you slip away.” She admitted as her eyes glinted with a particularly lustful spark. Then you can feel yourself blush as she flashes a toothy smile.
“Believe it or not, I’m not scared that easily.” You manage to reply, though a bit shakily.
“I believe it, you seem kind of spooky yourself.” She shrugs with a final once over. “I’ll see you around?” she smirks as she starts to walk back to her yard.
“Yeah…see ya!” you call after her as you stand frozen, watching her longer than you realize before you continue on with your walk as a giddy bubble of desire sparks in your chest.
——————————————————————
Over the next week, whenever you pass by her house, Rio manages to catch your attention. At first she stops you again for more polite, yet somewhat charged conversation. Then one day the conversation lingers on and on and before long you find her continuing the walk with you. This becomes the new daily routine, swinging by Rio’s house and the two of you walk laps around the neighborhood getting to know each other. She seems genuinely interested in you, your past, what brought you to the house you now occupy. And you start to learn a bit about her as well. She owns the flower shop in town, big fan of women’s basketball and plays in the local softball league in the spring. She has a pet rabbit named Scratchy and was previously married but her wife passed away a few years ago and she’s been living on her own ever since.
After a week of these walks you can feel the spark of attraction growing into a small flame burning in your chest until you can’t help yourself but risk asking the question that’s been buzzing on the edge of your lips since you first started talking.
“Hey Rio…” you start just as her house comes back into view. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course, y/n. Ask away!” She replies with her ever enchanting smile.
“You…uh…you can totally say no…but…uh…I wanted to see if…maybe…you’d like to come over for dinner?” You stumble with your eyes darting around as you try to not be completely awkward.
“Dinner?” She asks with a chuckle.
“Yeah, sure, tonight…or…whenever really, if you’re up for it that is.” You stammer, still not sure if she’s actually interested.
“I’d love to!” She replies quickly as the lustful spark returns to her eye. “I’ve got a few things to do around the house, and I should probably get cleaned up first but I can be over later. How does 7:30 sound?”
“7:30? Yeah! Yeah, that’s perfect. It’ll give me some time to get things together myself. Cool. So I’ll see you at 7:30?” You ramble, anxious and excited.
“7:30 on the dot at that haunted house of yours.” She said as she made her way up to her door. “Later, spooky!”
As soon as the door closed behind her you could feel your heart drop. Shit! In the moment you had completely forgotten about Agatha. You weren’t sure how your apparition would take to this budding romance of yours but somehow you suspected it wouldn’t go over too well.
——————————————————————
When you walk through the front door you can hear things clattering about in various rooms of your house and you grimace. With your mind so focused on your budding friendship and potential romance with Rio you had neglected to show your ghostly housemate much interest and this disregard was seeming to come to a head just in time for your impromptu dinner arrangements. You take a deep breath as you throw your keys onto the credenza in the entryway and shuffle further in.
“Agatha?” You call out, more timid than you were hoping, and you hear the rustling, now upstairs, cease. You wait silently for a moment, surely she heard you, but you get no response. You gather your nerves and call out again, more confident this time. “Agatha! Can you come down? Please?” You stood in silence for another moment until the lights began to flicker and shut off just as the new planter you placed by the stairs shakes and topples over, shattering into pieces. “Seriously?” You groan just as the lights turn back on and Agatha appears reclined against the staircase.
“Looking for me, hon?” She lilts with a smirk and twinkle of her fingers, her voice silken and sultry as if she hadn’t just been rearranging the contents of your home.
“Yes.” You reply sharply, unable to hide the nervous frustration that’s building. “Did you really have to break that? I just bought it!”
“Please! I did us both a favor, that thing was hideous!” She scoffs as she glides away from the staircase to circle you. “You seem tense, honey! Long day? Need to…relax a bit?” She hums into the shell of your ear as her icy fingers slide themselves down your arms leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. You can feel a familiar heat rise in your core that you rush to tamper down. You have to focus.
“Not right now.” You say as you wave your hand dismissively through her face at your shoulder causing her to dissipate and reappear seated atop the credenza.
“Ugh! You’re no fun these days!” She scoffs. “So what do you want?”
You swallow hard, trying to prepare yourself for whatever Agatha might throw at you. “I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor?!” She gasps, clearly off put by your request. “You’ve been ignoring me for ages!”
“I haven’t been ignoring you.” you correct dryly
“Walking around this house like I don’t even exist!” She grouses as her ghostly form rises to float around, pacing in anger in front of you.
“I am well aware that you exist.” You mumble frustratedly at her tantrum.
“I let you live here and now you have the audacity to ask me for a favor!” she complains, flailing her hands about and whipping around to glare at you.
“Agatha please!” You half beg
She crosses her arms and hitches an eyebrow as her lips purse in annoyance. “What exactly is this favor you’re asking of me?! Hm?”
You swallow hard and gather your nerves, “I’ve invited a…friend over for dinner, and I was hoping you might make yourself scarce. I don’t want to scare her off.”
Her eyes flash in shocked amusement “A friend? Since when do you have friends?” She scoffs
“I have friends!” You growl back at her, “This just happens to be a new one, and I’d like not to ruin it.”
“Oh? I’d ruin it would I?” She groans as she floats into the kitchen and you follow closely behind.
“That’s not…I didn’t mean it like that…it’s just, well you are a ghost.”
“Excuses!” She dismisses with a waive of her hand.
“And not everyone is as cool about a haunted house as I am.” you try to explain.
“Is that what you tell yourself?” She snorts as she walks through your kitchen island.
“Please! Just for one night can you keep your poltergeisting on lockdown?” you plead.
She whips around with her body still enmeshed with the counter so only her torso is visible. “If I agree…what’s in it for me.”
You roll your eyes, realizing you should have expected this. “If you can keep yourself from scaring her off we can fool around later tonight.”
“Ha! Sweetheart, that’s just another Tuesday at this point. If you want me to be good you’ll have to offer something a little more enticing.” she taunts as she breezes back past you into the foyer.
You close your eyes and let out a deep sigh as you can already feel yourself regretting what you’re about to offer. “Fine!” You half yell as you turn around to follow after her. “If you can be good while she’s here and help me clean up whatever mess you were making…”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She shrugs in an attempt at innocence.
“Then I’ll… I’ll let you take my body out on Saturday.” you blurt out before you can stop yourself.
Her eyes flash as a wicked grin creeps across her face. “She must really be something!” She murmurs as she drifts back over to you. “Fine!”
“Really?”
“She’s clearly important to you, for whatever reason.” Agatha sneers. “I guess I can keep my mischief to a minimum.”
“No, if you agree I don’t want to hear a peep. No hauntings or tauntings or mischief of any kind!” You warn.
“Ugh! Alright! I’ll squirrel myself away in the basement. I’ll be quiet as a mouse.” she promises.
“Thank you. Now, I’m going to get cleaned up if you wouldn’t mind fixing your mess.”
“It’s upstairs! It’s just dinner. It’s not like either of you will…” she stops as she catches your glare. “Oh! Honey! I knew you were easy but come on you can’t be that desperate!” She snorts as your cheeks begin to flush in embarrassment.
“Upstairs! Now!” You shout as you rush through her spectral form and up the stairs.
———————————————————————
The next couple of hours fly by as you shower, rifle through half the clothes in your closet as Agatha gives unhelpful criticism with every change until you land on an outfit that you can both tolerate, and then rush downstairs to prepare what is sure to be an underwhelming pasta dish by your own standards. You’re just able to stash most of the dirty dishes from prep in the dishwasher when the doorbell rings sending a spark of nerves down your spine. Your head whips around as you glare at Agatha who is lounging across your kitchen island, in no rush to hide herself away. You wave your hands shooing her off the counter as you make your way to the front door. You take a quick glance back just as your apparition fades through the basement door before turning with a deep breath to welcome your guest.
What you didn’t realize, but probably should have assumed, was that Agatha had no intention of hiding herself away. Her new plaything had found a friend, more than that by the sound of it, and she was damned if she wasn’t going to keep an eye on the whole evening. So, invisible, from the hallway she watched as the door swung open onto the last person she had ever expected, her former wife, Rio Vidal. A violent rage overtook her and she flung herself into your body.
“WE DON’T WANT ANY!” You heard yourself shout before slamming the door in Rio’s face and locking it. You felt yourself take a few timid steps back, staring at the door as you did so. It took a moment to register what was happening but as soon as you did you began shouting internally.
“Agatha! What the fuck!? Get out of me! You’re supposed to be in the basement! We had an agreement!”
You catch sight of yourself in the mirror as Agatha whips your head around. “HER?!” You see yourself shout as your eyes glow with purple rage. “RIO IS YOUR NEW FRIEND?!”
“Yes! Will you stop shouting you’re going to make me look crazy!”
“You can’t be serious!” You see Agatha mutter furiously through your lips
“Why? I don’t understand the issue!”
“She…that’s my wife!” Agatha groans
“She WHAT?!”
“Ex-wife…kind of. It’s muddy at this point! You cannot have dinner with her! For all I know this is a plot to get back at me!” She stammers through your lips just as there’s a knock at your door and your head turns.
“Agatha, give me my body back! Now!”
“This is a bad idea, you can’t trust her!” She warns
“Agatha!”
“Fine! It's your funeral though!” You hear yourself groan just as the semi-paralysis lifts and you once again have control over your own body. You feel a quick shudder run through you as you glance around for any sign of Agatha but she’s gone. Her wife? No! She can’t be! Rio’s wife is…dead. Fuck! You don’t have time to parse this out as another knock sounds and you hear Rio chuckle. You do a quick check in the mirror, settling your hair from the brief possession as you psyche yourself up to answer. This is fine! Everything’s fine! Agatha was just jealous right? You try to tell yourself as you open the door once more.
“Hey! Sorry about that! Thought you were the guy that’s been going around trying to convince me to buy a new roof from him! I am so not interested!” You laugh nervously, hoping she won’t question the little white lie.
“Yeah…no worries.” She chuckles though you can tell there’s an air of suspicion in the way her eyebrow hitches. “So…can I come in?”
“Oh! Oh my gosh! Yes, please come in.” You step to the side and allow her entry as she looks around.
“I like what you’ve done with the place! Not as spooky as I was anticipating.” She comments as she wanders into the living room.
“Thanks! Yeah, it definitely had a creepier vibe when I moved in. A few more cobwebs and mice than I expected but now it definitely feels like a home.” You explain as you wring your fingers nervously.
“Smells homey too! What have you cooked up for us?” Rio asks as she turns back, her enchanting stare bringing you back into the evening.
“Nothing too exciting, just some pasta. Are you hungry?”
“Starving!” She replies with a grin.
“Then right this way.” You smile back as a blush creeps along your cheeks and you lead her into the kitchen. “Can I get you something to drink?” You offer as you gather some plates.
“Water would be great. I also brought some wine if you’re interested.” She says as she sidles up next to you and places the bottle on the counter as you turn to meet her gaze. “If you show me where the glasses are I can pour us some.” The words melt out of her lips as her chocolate amber eyes flit between yours and take a quick dip down to catch your lips before returning to your lust drunk stare.
“I uh…yeah, they’re… they’re over in the hutch by the table” you nod as you hold her glance. She bites at the corner of her mouth trying to conceal the smirk that’s pulling at her lips. As she steps away her hand grazes across your lower back and you feel a warmth settle in your loins as your blush from earlier creeps down to your chest. You quickly refocus yourself and turn back to plate the food just as Rio returns with the glasses and begins pouring the wine.
“Care for a taste?” She asks as she raises the glass to you, offering the first sip. Her dark eyes linger over you as you take the glass, fingers brushing as you do so. You can feel a spark from the touch as the burgundy liquid crests your lips and you take a hard swallow, your eyes never leaving hers. “What do you think?” She asks as she takes a sip of her own.
“Delicious.” You mutter as you find yourself getting lost in her ever darkening orbs.
“Shall we take this to the table?” She asks as she gathers the glass from you and heads that way. You scurry to gather the plates and follow on wobbly legs to sit beside her.
You quickly tuck into the meal and with the wine, easily slip into conversation. Before long your nerves have dissipated, the alcohol has loosened you both to the point that you’re laughing at the smallest thing, and you feel relaxed. Swimming with more confidence you dare yourself to ask the question Agatha had sparked when Rio first arrived.
“Rio…” you start as you playfully bite at your bottom lip.
“Yes?”
“I hope you don’t mind me asking, and you don’t have to answer if this is too intrusive…”
“Just ask.”
“Your wife…what was she like?”
Immediately you could feel the air in the room shift as her gaze dropped to the tablespoon of wine left in her glass which she began to swirl. She lets out a breathy laugh before knocking it back and finally looking at you. “She…she was a force to be reckoned with, I can tell you that much. Brilliant, confident, alluring, and stubborn as all get out. She had this commanding presence that would suck you in to where she was all you could think about…” As her words fade her attention seems to drift off as if she’s lost in memory.
In the silence your mind zeros in on the only question you can think of. “Do you miss her?”
“Every day.” She half whispers with a wistful smile as she rises from the table. You can feel your chest tighten in worry and think, did I just fuck this up? until you hear her at the counter.
“Care for another glass?” She asks as she returns with the bottle.
“Oh definitely.” You breathe as a relieved smile blooms across your face and she pours you another glass.
“Maybe we could take this to the couch?” She asks as she extends a hand to pull you from your chair. You let her lead you to the dimly lit den where she slides into the corner of your couch and rests her arm along the back. With a nod and a smirk she invites you to settle in beside her and you slink into the hollow at her side. Her arm slides down from where it was resting and curls it around your side as she pulls you in close. “Much better.” She hums as she smiles and takes a sip of her wine. You can feel your body tingle at the closeness and as you breathe in her woody, earthy scent you can feel your heart start to race and a warmth grows in your core. You can sense the charged energy between you but you can’t yet bring yourself to push things further, even as she lowers the glass and drinks you in with darkening eyes. So your mind drifts back to lingering questions as you find yourself stalling.
“So…um…what happened to her?”
Rio chuckles as she bites at her bottom lip, letting her eyes wander back down to your lips as she replies. “You don’t really want to talk about that right now, do you?” When her eyes lock back into yours it’s as if they’re two black holes sucking you into their dark abyss. You shake your head as your breath becomes shallow and you feel the distance between you shrinking. You’re close enough that you can feel the heat of her breath on your lips and smell the spiced cassis and plum from the wine as your eyes flutter closed, and just as you’re about to make contact…
BANG! CRASH!!
A disturbance upstairs draws your attention away.
“What was that?” Rio asks as her eyes flash to the ceiling above.
You wince and draw a pleasant smile to your face as you turn back to her. “I…uh…must have left a window open.” You pull yourself from the couch and start to head for the stairs. “Excuse me, I’m just…I’ll be right back!”
You rush up the stairs just in time to hear another crash coming from your bedroom. You groan as you barrel through the door finding your lamp and side table knocked over and your dresser rocking from side to side of its own accord.
“Agatha!” You scold as quietly yet forcefully as you can as to not alert Rio. The rocking stops and the lights flicker before your abhorrent apparition appears before you. “What the hell are you doing?” You yell under your breath.
“I can’t take it anymore!” She shouts as her figure floats back and forth. “She’s using you to get to me! I just know it!”
“Keep your voice down!” you command as quietly as you can
“She always does this! Can’t let me have anything for myself!” she continues to rant, ignoring your request.
“Agatha, you have to calm down!” you’re begging now, praying the noise isn’t drawing attention.
“I will not calm down! She’s been trying to draw me out of this house for ages and it won’t work!” she bellows as her ghostly hair grows wild with her rage.
“How do you know?”
The question stops her in her tracks. “What?”
“How do you know? Have you talked to her?”
“Well…no…not…not since.” She gestures broadly at her form.
“Then maybe you should!” You bark back at her just as you hear a creak of the floorboards behind you and spin around to find Rio in the doorway.
“Everything ok up here?” Rio asks as she steps cautiously into the room. “Were you talking to someone?” You turn back around to find Agatha has disappeared again and you roll your eyes in frustration. You ponder for a moment if you should try to cover up the truth but you find yourself tired of being stuck between your apparition and her former wife.
“Actually, yes.” Rio frowns slightly as a smirk plays at her lips. “You know how we joke about this place being haunted.” Rio nods as her smile widens. “Well, it is. Very haunted, by your wife apparently.”
Rio lets out a bursting laugh. “I knew it!”
“Wait, really?” This is not at all the reaction you were expecting.
“Like I said I had my suspicions.” She hums casually as she steps further into the room.
Your heart starts to race as your mind descends into a panic. “Is…is that why you…?”
“At first, yes.” She replies, cutting you off as she amusedly examines your confusion and trepidation. “But truly you are quite endearing. I can see why she likes you.” Rio shrugs as she stops mere inches away.
You face contorts from confusion to grief as the questions spill out. “So this was all to get to her? None of this was real?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t go that far!” She smiles deliciously as she raises a finger to trace along your jawline. “What we were both feeling downstairs was quite real.” Her finger stops to pull at your bottom lip with her thumb. “Let’s just say there’s some…unfinished business…to attend to with my wife before we can go any further.” She takes a step back to call out into the room. “AGATHA!”
As she shouts you can feel the air around you chill as the lights flicker once more. The hair on your arms stands to attention as the air moves around you. You hear a cackle ring out as your furniture begins to shake then, one after another, your lights burst, plunging you both into darkness. You sigh deeply as you bring a hand to your temple, wondering how the hell you managed to find yourself in this situation. All of a sudden the wind stops, the shaking furniture stills, and you feel a force pummel you from behind, knocking you to your hands and knees. Shit.
You can feel yourself panting as a smirk tugs at your lips and your body pulls itself to its feet. Your head twists side to side with a crack here and there as Agatha once again adjusts to your body. With a roll of your shoulders and toss of your wild hair she zeros in on Rio.
“Well…fancy seeing you here.” you hear yourself scoff.
“I could say the same for you.” Rio sneers as she steps closer once again. “What? Too afraid to face me on your own, you needed to hide yourself away in this poor girl’s body?”
“Poor girl nothing! She’s come to enjoy sharing her vessel now and again. Isn’t that right sweetheart?” At the question you can feel yourself being pulled forward as if pressed against the glass of your own body.
“Rio…help…you have to...” and just as suddenly you’re sucked back into the corner of your mind and Agatha has control once again.
“You always have to make everything so difficult don’t you?” Rio growls as she inches closer.
“I know how you like a challenge.” Agatha taunts as she tilts your head to the side, eyeing Rio head to toe.
“Agatha, let her go.” Rio urges calmly
“Fat chance! I know for a fact the moment I leave this sultry creature you’ll banish me to whatever pit of Hell I’ve earned and I’m not quite ready for that. Especially when I have this delicious little plaything at my disposal.” She says as she trails your fingers along your collarbone and sidles closer to Rio.
“Agatha…”
“Come on! You can’t deny she is quite a delectable little thing isn’t she?” Agatha says as you circle Rio. “Almost makes you want to take a bite.” She breathes against Rio’s ear, ending with a gnash of your teeth, narrowly missing her lobe.
“That seems unwise given her current state.” Rio replies cooly.
“Oh trust me, hon! She’ll enjoy it, as will I.” Agatha slinks your body over to the bed as your fingers begin to unbutton your blouse and you shrug it to the floor. As she turns your head to glance over your shoulder you catch Rio’s hungry gaze. “She was ready for you the moment she walked through that door, bustling about cleaning, cooking. I’ve not seen anyone so hungry with desire in ages.” Agatha explains as she sits your body against the plush surface.
Slowly, a smirk pulls at Rio’s lips. “Are you jealous?”
“Jealous?! HA!” Your voice echoes through the dark room “Hardly! She and I have been having our own fun, and I’d hate to see that come to an end.” Agatha replies as she strips you of your skirt, leaving you in the lacy black matching set she helped you pick out earlier.
“All good things must someday.” Rio replies with a shrug, though her eyes can’t help but devour your image.
You can feel your face tighten in anger. “You’re relentless.”
“It is my job after all.”
Your body lurches from the bed and charges at Rio. “That’s always been your excuse. Too duty bound to leave good things where they are.” Agatha barks at her as your hands begin to tingle with energy. “I’m not leaving!”
Rio glances down to see the purple glowing sparks at your fingertips. “Agatha, you don't want to do this."
The energy grows stronger and you can feel it reach a tipping point as your arms begin to rise. “Oh don’t I?” Agatha hisses through your lips just as the sparks leave your fingertips.
Almost as soon as the purple tendrils lick Rio’s body you feel yourself yanked back onto the bed. Your head tilts up to find your hands bound by creeping vines and as your head turns down you see them wrapped around your waist.
Your eyes flit up just in time to see Rio crawling up your body at the end of the bed. Though your heart is racing you can feel the heat building in your core at the compromised position you’ve found yourself in.
“AH! Just like old times, I knew you couldn’t resist.” Agatha moans through your lips as she pulls against the vines.
Rio crawls the length of your body, settling her hips between your legs and planting her arms on either side of your chest. She leans in close so that you can once again smell the faint hint of currant and spice on her lips and you think she’s about to kiss you when she murmurs “Agatha, get out of her.”
You can feel your lips curl into a devilish smile just as your fingers wrap around the vines holding you to the bed posts. With a sharp snap the vines are broken and dissipate just as Agatha draws your leg around Rio toppling her onto her back so you’re straddling her with your hands at her neck.
“Make me!” Agatha growls as she leans in and takes Rio’s lips hungrily in yours. You can feel her pulse quicken under your fingertips as they begin to spark and glow with purple energy that wraps itself around her neck. Agatha licks your tongue at the soft muscle in her mouth and despite yourself you revel in the sweetness of her taste. As a passenger in this unexpected reunion you find yourself awash with a mix of fear and desire as the passion between them builds. Though you’re not quite sure where this ride will end you can’t deny a large part of you is enjoying it for the time being.
As your right hand maintains control at her neck your left hand begins to wander, grasping at her breast through her shirt. You can feel Rio writhe beneath you as she draws her knee up between your legs adding pressure to your now aching core. Agatha rocks your hips against the hard muscle as one of Rio’s hands grabs your right wrist and the other curls against the back of your head. You hear Agatha breathe out a moan as Rio bites at your bottom lip causing your body to pull back and for a brief moment it’s you behind your eyes, hungrily gazing at Rio. You see her familiar smirk tug at the corner of her mouth as she raises her eyebrows in question, silently checking in. You nod just as your brief control is overtaken and Agatha’s power surges through with a flash of purple that tangles its way through Rio’s hair and she hisses in pain and delight.
Agatha raises your body to straddle Rio’s hips as she slowly brings your hands together to rest above Rio’s heart, though the purple magic remains wrapped around her throat. In a swift forceful movement she gathers the edges of Rio’s button down in your hands and rips the shirt open revealing her bare breasts to the cool air. Agatha cackles as she runs your fingers down the soft caramel skin causing her nipples to pebble at the touch.
“I should have known! You always were so eager!” Agatha sneers as she brings your hands up to cup Rio’s breasts.
“What can I say? I know what I want.” Rio smirks as her hands trail along your thighs, squeezing a bit as they near your core.
“And unfortunately for you my dear, so do I!” With that Agatha digs your fingers into the fleshy tissue causing Rio to gasp and you see the purple tendrils begin to wind down her body and arms and tighten like ropes as they wrap themselves around her. Her arms are pulled together and connected at the wrists. “AH! It’s been far too long since we’ve had this much fun, wouldn’t you say, hon?”
“It always is an adventure with you, my love!” Rio grunts as the current tightens around her throat.
With Rio now restrained, Agatha slides your body down to hover at her waistband. She dips your face down to her core and takes a deep breath in savoring the musky sweetness emanating through her clothes. She draws your fingers up to undo the button then slowly slides down the zipper with your teeth and you can see Rio’s eyes darken further as she stares at you in awe. Agatha gathers your hands at the fabric on either side of Rio’s hips and with a strong tug and a flash of purple, rips them clean off her body leaving her in a lacy black thong already drenched with arousal. “And to think, we’re just getting started!” Agatha tisks.
Agatha dips down again, grazing your lips and teeth across the sheer fabric and you can feel Rio shudder beneath you. She dips your arms beneath Rio’s thighs wrapping them around her hips to hold her in place as she nips at the delicate skin just beyond the hem of the underwear. Rio lets slip a soft gasp before biting at her bottom lip to stop the sound from growing. “Don’t be shy! Let me hear those pretty little sounds I know you can make!” Agatha moans at her core as she slides your finger against the gusset. Rio’s eyes roll back as her head flops onto the pillow and she moans, “Fuck, Agatha!”
“Ooo you know how I love it when you say my name! Now tell me…” she hums as she hooks that finger around the fabric sliding it along her soaked folds. “How badly did you miss me?” Rio lets out a whimper but doesn’t say a word. Agatha pulls the fabric taught and lets it slap back against her cunt causing her to cry out.
“Not a badly as you missed me, sweetheart!” Rio chuckles breathlessly.
“Hmm let's see if you feel the same way when you’re begging me to let you cum!” Agatha slips your thumbs beneath the sides of the fabric and with a tug and another flash of purple the garment is discarded. Now fully bare, you can see the extent of her arousal as it’s practically dripping onto the bed. You feel Agatha bite at your bottom lip before swiping your tongue along the dripping slit pulling a shuddering moan from Rio. You feel your eyes roll back in your head as you savor the taste and an electric bolt of desire shoots down to your now pulsating core. You can sense Agatha’s hunger deepening as she lets your eyes flit open to scan the vulnerable and now pliant position Rio is in. Rio’s lip is quivering as her black, desire drenched eyes stare back at you. Agatha leans your head forward and presses a soft kiss against her swollen clit with your lips and you see whatever resolve she still has shattered as she collapses once again onto the pillow. Agatha curls your lips into a wicked smile as she digs your fingers into the muscly flesh of Rio’s thighs and you see the familiar purple tendrils begin to wind their way around her legs, spreading her open further.
Unable to deny the heat building within you, Agatha surges forward lapping at her entrance, releasing a guttural moan from Rio. You can feel her walls already beginning to flutter as Agatha dips your tongue between the folds, soaking up her river of arousal. As she surfaces to suck at the swollen bud, you can feel your left hand release its hold to grasp at your breast before dipping down to toy at your own drenched sex above your underwear. The utter pleasure at the touch causes you to gasp and release the suctioning hold with a pop. Once again you are floating against the surface of control as you lock eyes with a panting, sweat drenched Rio. You let out a shocked, breathy laugh of astonishment before you delve back in of your own accord to continue your ministrations.
At that Rio lets out a cry, “Fuck! Yes, Y/N!”
Almost immediately Agatha surges to the surface with a growl and pulls you away from Rio’s cunt. She draws your body to its feet, wiping away Rio’s slick with the back of your hand.
“You want to fuck her so badly, huh?” she snarls as she curls your fingers, commanding the purple tendrils to lift Rio from the bed and hold her, hovering before you. “Well have at it!” With a snap the purple magic disappears and Rio falls to the floor. Agatha reaches your arms back and unhooks your bra, slides it off and drops it on Rio’s head. She then drops your lacy underwear to the floor before crawling onto the bed to display you seductively before Rio who is now standing and staring with hungry eyes. “And no holding back! Our girl likes it rough.” You hear Agatha hiss as she palms at your breasts.
“You always have to do things the hard way don’t you.” Rio scoffs as she runs her fingers through her hair, clearing the sweat from her face.
“Don’t pretend you don’t enjoy it.” Agatha snarls then bites at your bottom lip and lifts your eyebrows suggestively. At the invitation Rio steps forward and grabs your ankles. In one swift movement she topples your body onto its stomach then you feel yourself dragged back to the edge of the bed so your legs are dangling half off. You can sense Rio as she steps forward between them and then to your own surprise you feel a sharp slap against your ass as Agatha lets out a yelp. “Is that all you’ve got?” You hear your voice chuckle before a second, harder slap rings out on the other side. “Now that’s more like it!” you hear Agatha moan.
“Oh shut up!” Rio groans as she palms at your fleshy ass before her hands dip down to grasp at your hips. You can feel her grip tighten before she pulls you back against her. You’re startled to feel not only the warmth of her body but also the rigid presence of a protuberance you hadn’t quite expected pressed against your soggy core. Agatha arches your back, sliding your clit against the hardened surface and you could almost cry in pleasure. You feel Rio’s hand slide against your spine until she’s pressing your face into the bed, wringing her fingers through your hair. She leans forward, gathering both of your arms behind your back as she whispers in your ear, “Enjoy it while you can, my love, this may well be your last ride.”
You can feel as Rio draws back one hand, while the other holds your forearms in place. Agatha whimpers as Rio’s fingers slide down your crack to collect the wetness between your folds. There is a brief pause before you feel her draw the head of the toy against your clit. Your body shivers with anticipation as the heat builds to an unbearable ache. Rio aligns the toy with your entrance then pulls your arms towards her, easing you back onto the member. You feel the tip push through your folds with a pleasant ache and before you can adjust Agatha pressed your body back to swallow the rest of the length. It’s longer and thicker than you have experienced before and you can feel a tear draw to your eye at the pain and pressure, yet no cry leaves your lips. Instead Agatha lets out a cackling, breathy moan and you can feel your hands begin to spark with energy. Rio stills, buried in you as Agatha begins to writhe, trying to vie for control even in this position.
“Give in, Agatha. Let me take you.” Rio murmurs in the stillness
“Not happening.” Agatha growls as she tries to turn your head to see her.
You hear a deep sigh before Rio softly replies, “Then I have no choice…” She brings her free hand down to grasp at your hip while the other is still tightly holding your forearms behind your back. Slowly, she pulls herself from your body and you can now feel the true length of the toy as it seems to go on forever before the tip is just hovering between your folds. Just as you think she’s going to pull out completely and leave you empty and aching, her hands tighten at their perch and she thrusts in to the hilt creating a loud slap between your bodies. At this Agatha lets slip a moan from your lips before a quick breath in as Rio retreats once more. At first she sets a leisurely but forceful pace, allowing your body to adjust before she begins to quicken. As the rhythm escalates, and the wet hot sounds of your bodies are creating more pleasure than pain, her hand at your hip shifts to gather your hair. With a forceful tug she draws your body up to arch against hers. Her hand quickly shifts once more to wrap around your neck, adding a delightful pressure to the tightening heat building in your core.
Agatha is grunting with every thrust as she turns your head to capture Rio’s gaze. You can see the lust and focus on her face as she continues to stroke, but as your eyes meet she leans down and takes your lips in hers. The passionate kiss is brief as Agatha draws you away to gasp, “More…”
“More?” Rio pants as her playful smirk returns to her face.
“More…my love, I need more!” Agatha begs causing Rio to chuckle.
“You always were insatiable!” Rio heaves as her thrusting stops and she throws you back against the bed, empty and waiting. Agatha draws your arms from behind your back to rest at your side as she tries to catch your breath. There’s stillness for a moment as the breathing is the only sound you hear from either of you, then you feel a soft tickling begin to snake up your legs. You want to turn and see what’s causing the sensation but Agatha doesn’t move, she only chuckles to herself as a smile creeps across your face. Before long the tickling at your legs is joined by the same sensation at your hand as they grow across your body to meet at your center. At last Agatha blinks your eyes open and you can see you are covered practically head to toe in vines. You can feel a panic begin to overtake your arousal until you hear Rio coo behind you.
“Ready, my love?”
“Always…” As soon as the words escape your lips you are hoisted into the air by the vines which move to spin you to face Rio head on. Agatha has your gaze locked on her but in the periphery you can see that the entire room is now covered in a variety of flora and fauna. You’re suspended in mid air, the vines cradling your body as you sway forward and back.
Rio grabs hold of your ankle and pulls your body towards her. With her other hand she wraps her fingers around the back of your head and pulls you in for a kiss. It’s a heated mesh of tongue and teeth as you devour each other. Agatha draws your now free arms around Rio pulling her so close your bodies could almost meld into one and you can feel the heat between your legs return tenfold. Before the aching desire can overcome you, Rio reaches between you and presses the toy slowly back between your greedy lips. Agatha sighs a whimpering moan as your head lulls back and Rio works kisses down your neck and chest.
With one hand wrapped around your vine laden back and another gripping furiously at your thigh Rio resumes her thrusting. Immediately you feel your legs begin to quiver and your lips begin to flutter against the toy. She eases you into her pace but soon you’re feeling the benefit of your new position. With every stroke you’re rocked in the viney hammock returning every thrust with the same amount of force she’s giving, like an erotic Newton’s cradle. With each connection the toy dips further into your cunt drawing out a louder and louder smack of your bodies. The pressure builds quickly as the coil within you tightens beyond recognition. You can hear Agatha wailing in pleasure as Rio’s thrusts grow in fervor and passion. With every swing you climb higher, nearly sailing into the stars.
You can feel the sweat dripping off your body and through your hair as Agatha chances a glance back at Rio. Her eyes are completely black and wild with animalic lust. Her typically casually mussed hair is wild and soaked with sweat and her tits are bouncing in rhythm with her thrusts. As your eyes meet she draws up her hand to grasp at your throat and this time the added pressure sends you toppling over the edge. Your body arches back, almost unnaturally as your legs wrap around her hips, holding her deep in place as you violently shake through your orgasm. Wave after wave of pleasure descends over you as a sound you didn’t even know you could make rips through your throat. Slowly the vines lower you back onto the bed as your body pulses from head to toe with an electric energy so intense you think you’re going to burst into a million pieces. But before you can explode the energy lifts and separates, hovering above you.
Heaving, you slowly raise your head to see Agatha’s ghostly form limp and silent above you and realize you at last have control again. Your body is heavy and exhausted and your legs drop from where they’re wrapped to hang loosely off the bed as Rio gently pulls herself away from you. You gasp at the sudden emptiness but you’re too exhausted to do much else but watch.
The vines and plants carefully begin to creep away as Rio steps back, once again fully bare. Her fingers twist and turn as she fixates on Agatha’s ethereal form and it begins to float towards her. Rio steps back, guiding her to the door which swings open, revealing a swirling green and black portal. Delicately she eases Agatha through the swirling vortex, gently closing the door behind her. She rests her head against the wooden frame and sighs, “Goodbye my love.” before turning back to face you.
You struggle to raise yourself to your elbows, still heaving and exhausted, as she makes her way over to you. “Are…are you alright?”
“Better than alright!” You huff. “Sorry about your wife.”
“It’s alright. It was about time she was exorcised out of this house.” She says as she plops down on the bed beside you and snuggles in close.
“And to think…I was worried about scaring you away!” You laugh to yourself.
“Like you, my little spooky, I don’t scare easily!”
Description: Rio makes it to the festival and finds Agatha in trouble
Wordcount: 14K
Warnings: hospital drama
Masterlist AO3
Chapter 29 - Water and Earth
When they arrived in the emergency room that night Rio found herself caught in the maelstrom of doctors and nurses jumping into action as they raced her off towards surgery to try and stop the bleeding. Almost as soon as she had been wheeled out through the doors there was a nurse at Rio’s side prying the baby away from her arms as she stood in shock and worry.
“Tiny little thing isn’t he?” The nurse had said as Rio stared numbly at his fragile body, afraid that if she looked away he might stop breathing. “Just 5lbs and 16.25 inches.” the nurse announced.
“Yeah, he’s a bit early. He…uh…I believe he’s starting to show signs of RDS. He’s been having trouble breathing.” Rio mumbled to the nurses who were getting their initial checks.
“You are, aren’t you buddy? Poor thing! Don’t worry, Delaney’s getting your oxygen ready then we’ll take you up to the NICU.” The nurse said gently as his little chest heaved and he began to make little grunting noises.
“Are you mom’s friend, sister?” Asked the woman who was seemingly in charge.
“No! I’m her fiancee! This is my son!” Rio growled rather sharply
“Oh…oh I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to assume. We’re going to take him up to finish getting checked out. I’d like to send you out to the information desk so we can keep you updated about your fiancee. We should be able to get him settled in the next hour or so and can have them let you know where to come check on him when he’s ready.”
“NICU…third floor.” Rio mumbled, still in shock, still staring.
“Y…yes actually…how did you…?” The nurse frowned in confusion
“I work here. Very familiar with that wing actually.” Rio answered flatly
“Oh, good! Well…not good…but you know where he’s headed at least.” The woman babbled, seemingly incapable of keeping her foot out of her mouth. “And I’m sure you know the team here is gonna take great care of him!”
“No doubt.” Rio grunted dryly as they started to wheel him away. She followed along behind him until they passed through to a restricted area where they had to part ways. Though her heart ached at the separation she knew, even if she had had her credentials, it was best to give the team space to stabilize him. Besides, she did need to head to reception and give them her information so they could keep her updated on Agatha, when she was out of surgery and what room she would be taken to. Eventually she pulled herself away from staring at the closed doors and headed for reception. As soon as she pushed through to the other side she heard Jen and Ralph’s voices hurry towards her.
“Rio! Rio! Hey! How are they? How is she?” They asked as they rushed to her side, Jen still in her ruined hot pink pantsuit and Ralph still decked out in his drag best, though he had removed the headdress.
“They…uh…they just took him up to the NICU, he was having trouble breathing. Agatha…Agatha was being prepped for surgery. They couldn’t stop the bleeding on the way in and…and her blood pressure was starting to drop.” She managed to choke out through the lump in her throat.
“Shit!” Jen gasped as she clasped a hand to her mouth
“I…I uh, I have to go…” she cleared her throat “go check in at the desk…so they can give me updates.” Rio muttered as reality was starting to set in.
“Do you want us to go with you?” Alice offered.
“Would…would you come with me?” Rio asked Alice directly.
“Yeah for sure! If you guys wanna have a seat we’ll come find you.” Alice instructed as she guided Rio away. They took a few steps across the room and lined up behind an irritated looking woman. “How are you doing?” Alice asked gently to a particularly stunned Rio, still covered in the remnants of what now felt like a living nightmare as she stared blankly at the head in front of her.
“I…I don’t really know right now.” She mumbled, not breaking her stare as her mind continued to race over everything that had happened and everything else that might, trying not to let the despair seep too far into her consciousness.
“Fair enough. I’m sure you know this but we’re here for you too, just as much as we are for Agatha.” Alice muttered caringly.
“Thanks, Alice.” Rio replied a little teary eyed before they fell into a patient silence as they waited for their turn at the reception desk.
After what felt like hours but was closer to 30 minutes they had confirmed Agatha was actively in surgery and redirected the group to the surgery waiting area down the hall and around the corner. There they took Rio’s phone number and gave her a patient ID to track her progress on the large TVs on either side of the room, as if they were in a macabre airport. They all quickly settled into a nervous quiet, Jen and Rio pacing back and forth, narrowly missing each other each time they crossed paths. Alice had curled herself into a ball in a chair beside Ralph who was leaning forward onto his knees as his legs bounced restlessly in his red and gold sequined dress. After nearly an hour with no update Rio circled back to the surgery desk.
“How can I help you?”
“I…uh…just wanted to see if there was any news on this patient.” she asked as she slipped them the paper they had given her. “I have a baby that was admitted to the NICU but I don’t want to leave and miss something.”
“Let me check with the nurse and see if I can get you any info.” The man said as he walked back to call the nurse’s station.
“If you want to go check on him we’ll stay here and wait for any updates.” Alice offered as she walked up to stand beside Rio. “I can send Jen up if we hear anything.”
“Thanks. I’ll see what the nurse says and we can go from there.” Rio sighed nervously as the man returned.
“She’s still in surgery, they said they can send someone out in a couple hours to give you an update.” A couple hours? It felt like an excruciating eternity, the thought of not knowing, not being able to do anything to help. She felt the tightness in her chest clench further with this news.
“Great. Thank you.” Rio replied solemnly as she and Alice returned to the others.
“Any update?” Jen asked, her eyes wide with concern.
“They said it’ll be a couple hours before we hear anything.” Alice replied, seeing Rio begin to retreat into herself again in worry. “I think we might go and check on the baby. You two ok to hang out here for the time being?”
“Yeah! Yeah, of course! I’ll come get you if we hear anything!” Jen replied reassuringly as she resumed her pacing.
“Come on, let’s go check in on the little guy.” Alice suggested as she draped an arm around Rio and led her out into the hallway. They wandered into the main entrance as Alice looked around, trying to get her bearings.
“Third floor.” Rio mumbled as she started to lead them to the elevators. They shuffled in along with a host of medical staff, a patient in a wheel chair, and a dad with two small children clinging to his legs. As they rose Rio could feel her stomach start to sink. She had been in this elevator countless times and thought nothing of it, but now with Agatha in an indefinite surgery and on her way to see her own son in the ward she had sent many of her own patients to, the box felt hollow and crushing all at once. As the elevator announced their arrival on the third floor she and Alice squeezed their way through the small crowd and headed down the hallway towards the NICU. As they approached the reception desk Rio caught sight of a friendly familiar face.
“Dr. Vidal! I didn’t know you were working tonight! I thought Dr. Jones was on duty.” chirped Gloria, the nurse receptionist she had passed by a hundred times before.
“Hey Gloria.” Rio mumbled as she tried to force a smile but it only made her look more weary and dismayed. “I…I’m actually here as family. Patient’s name is Harkness.” She could feel her stomach drop like a stone in water as the words left her mouth.
“Oh, dear! I had no idea! Let me see if they’re ready for you.” Gloria said as she bustled about back into the wing.
“Of course, take your time.” Rio sighed as she turned to Alice with a panic now rising in her chest. “Alice I…I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Do what?”
“I feel sick, and dizzy.” She groaned as she leaned against the wall. “I know what I’m about to walk into and I…I just don’t know if I can see him like that. It breaks my heart just thinking about it.” She groaned as tears began to prick her eyes.
“Rio, I’m…I’m so sorry! I can’t begin to imagine what you must be feeling right now! We can come back later if you’re not ready to do this yet. I just thought it might put your mind at ease to see that he’s alright at least.”
“I thought so too. But now I…” Rio was cut short as Gloria returned.
“He’s all set back there, sweet little thing! Are you ready to head back?” Rio gave a quick glance to Alice before taking a hard swallow, gathering whatever courage she could muster, and nodded to Gloria. “He’s in bay 3.” she noted as she opened the doors for them.
Rio walked cautiously forward as the familiar cacophony of beeps and whirring called her in. She knew every corner of this facility but in the grip of fear and anxiety it all had a haze of unease that further unsettled her. It felt like stepping into the twilight zone. The frigid glow of the overhead lights sent a shiver down her spine and prickled her arms with goosebumps as she eased closer and closer to bay 3. As her eyes landed on the incubator she felt the lump return to her throat and tears return to sting at her eyes. Just beyond the glass she could see his tiny body splayed on the striped hospital blanket awash in the glow of the incubator lights. A series of wires and pads were stuck to his little chest as it rose and fell in a calmer rhythm than she had last seen. They had fashioned a little blue cap to his head and a tiny cpap machine was attached to his face. His eyes were closed and he seemed at ease in a peaceful slumber. Though it was indeed jarring at first, Rio felt a wave of relief at seeing him safe and sound, which surprisingly released the floodgate of tears she had been holding in from the moment they had arrived.
“Look at him!” She sobbed to Alice as her hands rested on the glass. “He…he looks good, better than I expected. He’s already got his color back!” She breathed through a teary smile.
“He looks great! Handsome little guy!” Alice chuckled as she rubbed a comforting hand along Rio’s back.
“Ugh! He looks so peaceful. Miles better than when we got here.” she sniffled.
“Hey! Dr. Vidal!” called another familiar voice. “Gloria said you were in here. Is this one really your’s?”
“Hey Holly. Yeah, this is our guy.” Rio sighed as she dried her eyes.
“Oh my gosh! Congratulations! I knew you guys were getting down to the wire but I didn’t realize how close!”
“Yeah, closer than we realized I guess. He…uh…he seems to be doing well. Already breathing better.”
“Oh yeah! Carly and I got him hooked up as soon as he got here and started the surfactant therapy about an hour ago, he’s already doing much better.” Rio’s chest eased further at that news.
“Did everything else check out alright? Any other issues?” She asked as her gaze drifted back down to the sleeping child.
“No, he’s perfectly fine otherwise. As long as he continues to improve I’d say he may only need a day or so of therapy before he’s breathing on his own. How’s your girlfriend doing?”
“She…uh…she’s in surgery now, so we’re…we’re still waiting to see.” Rio admitted solemnly
“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry! I…I didn’t realize” Holly gasped in worry
“It’s ok. I know she’s in good hands, it’s just very nerve wracking with him here and her…”
“Oh of course! I can’t even imagine! If you need anything please let us know!” she insisted
“Thanks Holly, I appreciate it. Is…is it alright if I touch him?” She asked cautiously as her gaze bounced back to the incubator.
“Oh, of course! You know where the sanitizer is, I’ll go grab you a chair.” She said as she rushed off to the other side of the room. Rio shifted past Alice and took a dollop of hand sanitizer from the dispenser mounted on the wall before squeezing back next to the box. “Here you go!” Holly said as she rolled up a chair behind her. “Take as much time as you need.” she said with a comforting smile before stepping away to manage another patient.
Rio tucked her good leg underneath her as she sat and brought a hand up to open the porthole by his feet. She carefully slid a hand in, brushing the edge of his tiny foot with the back of her fingers causing him to flex his toes and pull his leg back. She let out a small laughing gasp in astonishment. She was reminded of all those times she had snuggled against Agatha’s bump, feeling him twist and squirm beneath her skin, and now here he was, still somewhat of a barrier between them, but she could touch him, feel the softness of his skin and see his legs kick about at her touch. She delicately unlatched the other porthole by his head and snuck her other hand inside, grazing his plump little baby cheek with the tips of her fingers.
“Hey there little bug!” She hummed tearily as her finger wandered down to press at the palm of his tiny hand which quickly curled around it. “You made it! They’re gonna take good care of you here. Holly’s the best. And I’ll be here, Mami’s got you.” She said as she rested her head against the box and let her eyes flutter closed as the tears began to stream down once again. She was so grateful, he was indeed safe and sound and well taken care of, yet her heart ached at being unable to hold him, only able to graze her fingers along bits and pieces of his fragile body. She longed to swaddle him close, feel his tiny breath against her skin, the only piece of Agatha she could touch in this purgatory of agonizing waiting. The not knowing, the waiting, not being able to do anything for either of them was creating a burning ache in her chest that she didn’t know how to extinguish.
She sat there for another hour or so, not breaking contact as she studied every detail about him. Meanwhile, Alice had drifted off to sleep in a chair nearby, her head resting against the wall. A string of drool began to drip out of the corner of her mouth just before she was startled awake by a hand gently shaking her knee.
“Shit! Jen! You scared the crap out of me!” She gasped as she stretched herself awake.
“How’s he doing?” Jen asked as the commotion caught Rio’s attention.
“He’s doing alright.” Rio hummed as she cupped a hand around his tiny head. “Any news?”
“They said they’re going to send someone out to give us an update. I thought I’d come grab you if you’re ready.”
“Yeah…yeah. Just…uh…just give me a minute I’ll meet you out in the hallway.” Rio sniffled, turning back to the baby as Jen gathered Alice and they headed out into the hall to wait.
“Alright, little bug. I have to go see how Mama’s doing. I promise I’ll come back as soon as I can, ok? You be good for them while I’m gone.” She sniffled as she withdrew her hands and pressed a kiss to the glass. “Mami loves you sweet boy.” She muttered as she stepped away at last, tears once again pricking at the corners of her eyes.
As she walked out into the hallway, teary-eyed, Alice and Jen flanked her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and waist in a hug as they guided her over to the elevators. None of them said a word as the car descended back to the first floor, the air was too thick with worried anticipation and Rio could sense the sinking feeling return as she stepped out and headed back down the hall to the surgery waiting area with Jen and Alice in tow. As soon as they entered the receptionist popped up from behind the desk and led them into another room off to the side where Ralph was already waiting.
“They should be in shortly to speak with you.” The man said as he closed the door behind them.
“Did they say who was coming to talk with us?” Rio asked as she began to pace the length of the small room.
“No, but I’m guessing it’s the surgeon.” Jen replied, her leg bouncing anxiously
“Do you know who was on duty tonight?” Rio asked as she began to pick at her nailbeds
“No clue.” Jen muttered as she interlocked her fingers with Alice’s, who sleepily leaned her head against Jen’s shoulder. The room fell into a hushed anticipation, each of them too anxious to breathe properly as the time stretched on and on. Then, at last, there was a soft knock at the door. Their heads snapped up at the noise and Rio stepped forward to answer.
“Woah! Full house!” said the surgeon as he stepped into the room. “I’m Dr. Stark, just to make sure I’m in the right place, you’re the family of Agatha Harkness, correct?” he asked as he looked at his chart.
“Yes, I’m her fiancee, how is she?” Rio practically barked at him
“It was touch and go there for a while but we’ve finally got her stabilized. Are…are you all family? I only ask because of HIPPA…”
“Yes, that’s her sister and her wife” she said pointing to Jen and Alice, “and he’s the father of the baby!” Rio spat, “Now, tell us what happened!”
“Oh…ok, alright! Just needed to be sure. It appears she had a placental abruption that was causing her to hemorrhage. It was a struggle to remove the rest of the placenta so we could find the source of the bleeding but in the end we were able to locate the source and cauterize it. In the meantime she required several transfusions before the issue was finally resolved. Given the amount of blood loss and the seizures…”
“Seizures? She had more seizures?” Jen gasped
“One as we were prepping her for surgery and another right before we found the source of the bleeding. Given that, we’ve elected to put her into a medically induced coma and she’ll be transferred to the ICU for the time being so we can closely monitor her recovery. These next few days are going to be critical so we want to make sure we can provide the care she needs. She’s very lucky she got here when she did, if it had been even a few minutes later we might be having a very different conversation.”
Rio stood there stunned and numb as the reality of what he was saying slowly seeped into her. Agatha was stable, but just barely by the sound of it. She had come within a breath of losing her forever and that truth was crushing. She felt the slightest trickle of relief that Agatha had survived but the river of fear at the fragility of the next few days was nearly drowning her dry.
“When…when can I see her?” Rio choked out as tears leaked once again from the corners of her eyes.
“The anesthesiologist and the rest of the surgery team are getting her ready to transfer now, as soon as we have her set in the ICU we’ll let you know what room she’s in and you can see her, though they may only let a couple of you up at a time since it’s after visiting hours.”
“Right, of course.” Rio mumbled as she wiped her raw, tear stained cheeks dry once more.
“Do you have any other questions for me?” He asked. Rio shook her head along with the others. “Alright, hang tight. We should have her settled within the hour.” He said before making a quick exit.
“Fuck!” Jen gasped as her head flopped into her hands.
“Holy shit!” Alice snorted in disbelief as she banged her head back against the wall.
“At least she’s alive.” Ralph mumbled hopefully
“At least? Dude she’s in a fuckin coma!” Jen spat
“I get that! I’m just trying to stay positive. It could be worse!” He groaned back at her
“Not by much!” Jen growled
“Guys! Shut up!” Alice scolded them as her gaze fell to Rio who was silent, still staring blankly at the closed door. “Rio? How are you feeling?” Alice asked cautiously as she rose to stand behind her.
“She’s ok…” Rio whispered to herself as she squeezed her soggy eyes closed. “She’s ok, she’s going to be ok, she has to, she has to be ok…” she continued to repeat quietly under her breath, hoping if she said it enough it would dispel the very real fears that loomed in the back of her mind. She could feel her spine prickle with dread as Alice placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, breaking her from her meditative focus and pulling her back into the horror of what was actually happening. Her chest clenched in panic and she could feel her limbs start to tingle as her breath became trapped in her lungs. As her eyes shot open they darted around the small room catching the stares of everyone watching her begin to come apart. It was suffocating, the room, the attention, the knowledge that Agatha had only just survived. It all seemed to close in on her at once. She turned quickly, fumbled with the door handle as her hands began to shake, then swung it open wildly as she stormed out through the waiting room and out into the hallway with the other three following closely behind.
She rushed through the lobby, narrowly avoiding several other patients and hospital staff as she barreled through the exit doors out onto the sidewalk of the receiving bay, all the while struggling to catch her breath as the panic seemed to seep further. She continued down the sidewalk and around the corner where she could feel her legs begin to wobble as her mind began to swim in a dizzy lightheadedness. She stumbled sideways, catching herself just barely on the side of the building as her body succumbed to the hysteric fear that was growing inside her and sank to the floor. Her head fell back against the cement structure as she tucked her knees in close to her chest feeling it heave as her heart pounded furiously throughout her body. She closed her eyes once again as the tears streamed out from the far corners of her eyes and she exhaled deeply, trying at last to calm herself as best she could.
“Rio?...RIO?” She could hear them calling for her as their hurried footsteps grew closer.
“She’s over here!” Jen shouted as she rounded the corner. “Hey, Rio, you ok?” she asked, crouching down as the other two rushed up behind her.
“No, I’m not fucking ok!” She heaved, glaring at Jen. “I….I…I almost lost her…I..I still might!” she sobbed. “I knew…I knew this would happen!” she wailed as she tucked her head against her knees.
“You did?” Ralph asked, confused.
“I told her! I told her to take it easy…she was pushing herself too hard… and now look! Look where we’re at! She nearly killed herself!” Rio screamed as she collapsed back against the wall. “I…I should have done something! I shouldn’t have let her do this stupid festival! I should have taken her away when I had the chance! Then maybe none of this would have happened!”
“No! No, don’t do that to yourself! There’s nothing you could have done!” Alice cooed, settling beside her.
“I could have insisted! I could have taken better care of her!” Rio cried
“Rio this isn’t your fault!” Jen insisted as she shifted to sit in front of her. “Should she have taken a step back? Probably, but knowing Agatha that was never going to happen. And even if by some miracle it did this still could have been a possibility. Even under the best of circumstances shit can go sideways quickly. Don’t blame yourself. If anything you saved them both!”
“Yeah that shit you pulled in her office to get him to breathe? Fucking heroic dude!” Alice lauded
“And the way you took control and had Sharon call the paramedics when she did, it clearly saved her life!” Jen praised. “I know this is a horrific nightmare right now but you will get through it, both of you. You know how excellent the staff is here, they’re going to take great care of her and help her make a full recovery.”
“And that baby of yours is strong as hell and will be breathing on his own in no time.” Alice added
“And we’ll be there for you, both of you, whatever you need, every step of the way.” Jen insisted with a comforting smile.
“Y..yeah?” Rio shuddered, coming down from the peak of her wailing.
“Of course dude! We’re family after all!” Alice chuckled
“Yeah, her sister? Really?” Jen snorted
“I mean…practically. It was the first thing that came to mind.” Rio shrugged as her mouth twitched in the shadow of an amused smirk.
“We’re just lucky he didn’t give it a second thought!” Alice scoffed
“He was probably too afraid to question it with the crazy eyes Rio was giving him!” Ralph snorted.
“Yeah, you looked like you were about to rip him apart!” Alice chuckled
“I almost did.” Rio huffed. “I’d waited long enough at that point.”
“Touchè!” Jen chuckled. “Well, I don’t know about you but I for one have had enough of sitting on what may be the most disgusting surface I’ve come into contact with today, and considering earlier, that’s saying something.” Jen groaned as she moved to stand.
“And since I didn’t get a chance to try any of the food trucks and all I had was that feuerzangenbowle, I am absolutely starving!” Alice grumbled as she rose and helped Rio up from the ground.
“And I refuse to walk around a hospital barefoot but if I don’t change out of these shoes soon I might combust.” Ralph groaned.
“How about this, now that she’s relatively in the clear, Ralph, you and I can run back to their place and clean up a bit. You can get out of whatever that sequined monstrosity is and I can stop wearing this biohazard of a pantsuit. Rio, we’ll bring you back some fresh clothes and toiletries and shit since, let’s face it, you’re not leaving this place any time soon, and you and Alice can hunker down in the cafeteria until she gets assigned a room.”
“That sounds like a plan. Thanks, Jen. I guess I probably should try to eat something, I haven’t touched anything since lunch earlier today.” Rio admitted
“Yeah, we should definitely get something in you, it might help you feel a bit better, relatively speaking.” Alice shrugged
“Oh and while you’re there can you make sure to feed Scratchy? I’m sure he’s climbing the walls right now.” Rio added as she and Alice started to make their way inside.
“Oh, absolutely! Pretty sure he’d kill us if we didn’t” Ralph snickered as he and Jen started heading towards the cars.
“We’ll let you know when we’re headed back. Just send us an update when she has a room!” Jen hollered after them to which Alice gave her a thumbs up.
Still in somewhat of a delirious haze Alice and Rio wandered up to the hospital cafeteria where they scrounged to find the most edible looking items from the remnants that were left. Alice built herself a smorgasbord of snack foods while Rio settled on a soup that had been sitting in the warmer for way longer than it should have, the warmth of which soothed a bit of the aching nausea that was still plaguing her. Neither of them spoke as they tucked into their meal, opting to let the tension breathe as they ate. Then, as Alice finished her fourth bag of chips, Rio got an automated text from the hospital.
Patient 016931031 has been transferred to ICU bed 333
As her eyes flitted across the glowing screen Rio could feel her heart skip a beat as a fresh wave of anxiety washed over her.
“She has a room.” Rio muttered as Alice tilted the bag over her head, dumping the crumbs into her mouth.
“Nice! You ready to go see her?” Alice asked as she crumpled the bag in her hands
“Yes…and no.” Rio replied as she stirred the spoon in her half eaten soup.
“Understandable.” Alice sighed. “There’s no rush. We can go whenever you’re ready.”
Rio stirred her soup silently a few more times before she responded. “I don’t know that I’ll ever be ready. It was hard enough seeing him in the NICU when I knew what to expect. With her…I…I don’t even know how to prepare myself.”
“I don’t think you can. Which, I know, isn’t particularly helpful, but it’s the truth. It’s probably going to be overwhelming, let it. Don’t try to avoid it. You’ll be no good to either of them if you bottle this up.”
“Putting that psychology degree to good use I see.” Rio smirked
“Hey, it’s gotta come in handy sometimes doesn’t it?” Alice snorted
“Fair enough. I guess there’s no point in delaying it any further then.” Rio mumbled as she grabbed her soup container and pushed herself up from the table.
“Right behind you man.”
They walked silently into the elevators and pressed the button back up to the third floor.
“At least they’re close together.” Alice muttered.
Rio quirked a solemn smile. “Silver linings, huh?”
“Silver linings.” Alice repeated
They stepped out into the now barren hallway and walked through the ICU waiting area, up to the reception desk there. After a brief security check they were granted entry and the large mechanical doors clicked to unlock and swung open. With it being after midnight the lights in the ward were dimmed, a smattering of nurses hovered at the station in the center as the rooms splayed out in a circle around them. They passed by a few rooms where the curtains were drawn, the mumbling of a TV could be heard behind one, behind another was the moaning and crying of a tired and confused man. Then they arrived at 333. Rio stilled before the curtain, the sounds of monitors beeping and the wooshing of a ventilator seeped through the thin divide. She drew up a shaky hand, clutching the rough fabric and took a deep breath as she pulled it to the side.
There, splayed in the middle of the hospital bed, highlighted by the empty glow of the under lights with dozens of wires strung off every limb and a breathing tube strapped to her face was Agatha. Her color was pale and sallow, her cheeks hollow and her eyes closed, heavy and dark. Her long hair was woven like a dark shroud around her, half matted and dripping off the edges of the bed.
Rio’s heart dropped and her breath stuttered at the sight. She slowly crept into the room and up to the side of the bed. Her hand reached out as she neared the edge and grazed the tips of Agatha’s fingers. They were cold, clammy and felt almost lifeless. Rio startled at the touch, then her gaze lifted, fixating on her pallid expression. She raised her hand drawing it to Agatha’s cheek as she grazed her thumb against the surface. It too was disturbingly cool to the touch. She bit her lip back as she felt the tears begin to swell once again. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head before resting her forehead against Agatha’s.
“Oh, my love.” she whispered against her temple. “I…I thought I’d lost you!” she gasped as the emotions that had been building through the night finally overcame her. “You’re…you’re going to be ok…You’re going to make it through this…you have to.” she whimpered as she drew her fingers through her hair. “I need you…our son needs you.” she sobbed as the words sent a dagger through her heart. “I saw him, I saw our boy…He’s beautiful…Agatha, he’s perfect… I wish…I wish you could see him too.” she could feel the pain in her chest tightening with every word. “You will, you will see him. You’ll get through this, baby. And I’ll be right here...” she sobbed as she collapsed into a pool of tears around her, holding her as close as she could manage.
Cautiously Alice walked up beside her, laying a caring hand on her back as she grieved Agatha’s condition. Slowly Rio rose, drying her raw face as she turned to Alice.
“It’s…it’s worse than I expected.” She shuttered “Seeing her like this, and I can’t do anything. It’s torture.” Rio groaned
“I’m so sorry, Rio. I wish there was anything else I could say to make this easier for you. But truely, I am so, so sorry.” Alice said as she gathered Rio in a hug just in time for her to dissolve into a puddle of tears. They stood there for a moment as Rio finally released all of the pain she had been holding in since they arrived. Eventually the storm of grief passed and she pried herself from Alice’s embrace.
“This fucking sucks.” Rio huffed as she dragged the back of her hand across her face.
“It does, but it’s not forever. She will get through this.” Alice offered reassuringly
“Gods I hope so. I… I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her after all of this. I don’t think I could survive.” Rio shuddered
“Don’t even think of it! She’s going to be fine. I’m sure she’s through the worst of it.” Just then Rio felt her phone buzz in her pocket.
“Oh, Jen and Ralph are back.” She sniffled.
“You rest here.” Alice insisted as she started to head out. “I’ll go down and grab them.”
“Th…thanks Alice. For everything.” Rio sighed as Alice gave her a comforting smile and dipped out behind the curtain.
Now alone, Rio turned back to face Agatha’s battered, vacant form. Though the sounds of the machines told her that she still clung to life it was clear by her appearance that it was only by the skin of her teeth that she did so. It felt as if at any moment she could slip beyond the vale leaving Rio forever. With that fear in mind Rio returned to her side and eased her way onto the bed next to her, careful not to disturb any of the equipment as she did so. She rolled onto her side, cradling Agatha’s body as best she could. Rio rested her head in the crook of her neck as her fingers threaded themselves with Agatha’s, mindful of the IV line as she did so. If this indeed was their final night together Rio would cling to her until her last breath.
—----------------------------------------
She didn’t remember falling asleep, nor anyone returning, but as her eyes blinked open with the morning light streaming in through the blinds she caught sight of Jen and Alice snuggled tightly into a recliner in the corner. And as her mind adjusted to consciousness she heard the steady beeping of the medical devices around her, signaling that Agatha had at least survived the night. She slowly raised her head and examined her in the fresh light. Though she still appeared pale and fragile, Rio could feel a warmth that had begun to return as she grazed a thumb along her cheek. She let out a small sigh of relief as her eyes fluttered closed and she rested her head against her cheek.
Suddenly her stillness was broken as the curtains scraped to the side and a nurse walked in.
“Oh! Sorry, hope I didn’t wake you! Just need to do my final rounds before shift change.” she whispered, creeping around Jen and Alice as they slept to get a read on the machines.
“Oh, no, not at all. I was already up.” Rio yawned. “How is she?”
“Doing well so far. Her vitals stayed steady throughout the night. No major issues. The doctor’s making his rounds now so he should be in shortly. He’ll be able to give you a better update on where she’s at and the timeline moving forward.”
“Amazing, thank you! What time is it, exactly?”
“Just about 7. Is there anything I can get you before I head out?”
“No, no I should be fine. Thank you.”
“Of course! I know this is the last place you want to be right now so if there’s anything we can do just let us know.”
“I appreciate that! Will do.” Rio sighed as the nurse left and she snuggled back into Agatha’s side.
“Morning.” She heard Jen hum from the recliner beside her.
“Morning.” Rio sighed with a smile
“How’s she doing?” Jen yawned
“She’s still alive. The nurse just said the doctor would be by in a bit to give us a better update. You guys didn’t have to stay.”
“It was like 1:30 by the time we got back up here. There was no way I was driving home at that point only to wake my ass up and come check on you two in the morning. How are you doing?”
“Better after some sleep.” Rio yawned
“Glad to hear it.” Jen groaned as she stretched her way out of the chair.
“Knock knock!” Called a voice before the curtain swiftly swung open, startling Alice to wake. “Oh wow! We’ve got the whole crew here!” Admired the doctor as he sauntered into the room. “Hope your stay wasn’t too unpleasant!” He chuckled to which they all glared at him. “I’m Dr. Banner, the attending. I understand we had a rather eventful evening?”
Jen and Rio side-eyed each other. “You could say that.” Rio groaned, irritated by the chipper casualty he addressed them with.
“It looks like things have calmed down a bit post surgery, though. Our vitals have remained stable, organ function looks good. Looks like the seizures have stopped as well. All good signs!”
“Glad to hear it.” Jen scoffed, unamused by his demeanor.
“I’m going to take a quick look at the incisions and make sure there isn’t any additional bleeding.” He said as he snapped on a pair of gloves. Rio slid off the edge of the bed and made her way over to stand by Jen with her arms crossed as they skeptically watched his examination. “There’s definitely a bit of swelling but I don’t see any additional or continued bleeding which tells me we’re on the right track.”
“No shit!” Jen snickered under her breath as she rolled her eyes.
“So with that in mind, here's kind of our plan moving forward. Dr. Stark wants to keep her under for 24-48 hours, depending on how things go, to limit as much stress as possible so her body can focus on healing. We do have her scheduled for a CT scan later to reconfirm that everything internally is still in good shape. After that we’ll likely reduce the sedation a bit to check her general responsiveness and overall progress.”
“What kind of complications are we looking out for?” Jen asked
“Any sign of infection or sepsis, blood clotting with the transfusions, then of course organ damage. So far she’s not showing any signs, but it is a little early to say we’re completely in the clear. ”
“When do they have her scheduled for the CT scan?” Rio asked
“Looks like 1:00. And the sedation vacation should be around 2:30.” They all stared at him stunned and unamused. “Any other questions?”
“No, I think we’re good.” Jen replied dryly
“Alright! Well you folks have a good day!” He said rather cheerily as he scooted out of the room.
“What the fuck was wrong with that fucking guy? Sedation vacation? Read the room dude!” Jen groused
“He’s young. Hasn’t honed his bedside manor yet.” Rio replied flatly
“No shit! I was so close to wiping that fucking smile off his face. Does he think this is some kind of joke or something?” Jen spat
“He was probably just trying to lighten the mood.” Alice suggested.
“It didn’t lighten shit! If anything it pissed me the fuck off!” Jen barked
“Sounds like someone needs her morning coffee!” Ralph chuckled as he pushed his way through the curtains carrying a tray of coffees and a bag of food.
“More than you know!” Alice snickered as she grabbed the drinks from him and handed them out.
“How’s our girl?” Ralph asked, unpacking the bag of food.
“Not completely in the clear but improving according to Dr. Smiley.” Jen grumbled before chugging her iced latte.
“Dr. Smiley?” Ralph frowned amused
“Don’t ask.” Rio and Alice groaned in unison as they tucked into their breakfast.
“How’s the kid doing?” Ralph asked through a mouthful of breakfast burrito.
“Shit! I meant to go back and check on him last night but I passed out. I…I need to go.” Rio said as she set down her food and started to head out before Jen stopped her.
“Girl, chill. He’s fine. Eat while you can. We can go and check on him in a bit. Besides, you should probably change out of those nasty ass festival clothes at some point.” Rio glanced down, only now realizing she was still in her dress pants and button up from the night before.
“A shower probably wouldn’t be a bad idea either.” Ralph added.
“Last night was a lot. Agatha and the baby are taken care of and safe, you gotta take care of yourself for a bit.” Alice reminded her.
Rio said nothing but a soft smile tugged at her lips. Slowly she made her way over to grab her breakfast and sit at the edge of the bed as the others settled into comfortable conversation around her.
After a satisfying breakfast, a quick shower in the staff locker rooms, and a fresh change of clothes thanks to Jen, Rio was beginning to feel like a person again. She swung back by Agatha’s room to check on her before heading to see the baby. Alice and Jen, having found their favorite murder doc series on the TV, were more than happy to keep Agatha company while she popped out for a couple hours. Ralph, on the other hand, practically jumped at the chance to go with her.
“I’m like the only one who hasn’t met him yet! Which I think is rude considering he has like half my dna or whatever.”
“It’s not our fault you were busy shaking your plastic tits while Agatha was squeezing him out.” Jen scoffed
“I was with Sharon flagging down the ambulance! There was no way they were gonna find her in that crowd! I, on the other hand, could have been spotted from space and cleared their path on the way in.” He bragged, defending himself.
“You do know how to clear a room, I’ll give you that!” Jen snorted.
“Whatever. So can I go? Pretty please?” Ralph begged
“Yeah of course.” Rio laughed, shaking her head at their antics before leaning down to give Agatha a kiss goodbye. “I’ll be back in time for your CT scan, my love.”
“Can she hear you?” Ralph asked, perplexed. To which Rio shrugged as she headed out of the room.
“Later bitches! I’m going to meet the baby!” He said as he started to follow her out.
“By daddy!” Jen teased
“Ew! I hated that!”
As they approached the reception desk Rio found herself filled with more excited anticipation than the dread she had carried with her the night before. With the reassurance that Agatha and the baby were both healing and on their way to recovery she had a renewed sense of calm about their situation. As the doors to the NICU swung open and she stepped inside she could feel a spark of joy ignite in her chest at returning to her son, this was only heightened by Ralph’s buzzing anxious excitement as he followed her in.
“You nervous?” She asked as they rounded the corner.
“A little bit.” He admitted “I want to make a good first impression!”
“I’m sure you will.” She chuckled, “though I doubt he’ll remember it.”
“He probably won’t, but I will.” He laughed nervously.
With a beaming smile on her face Rio approached the incubator. “Hey little bug!” She cooed down at him through the glass. “How you doing? I missed you!” She hummed as her eyes grew misty watching him squirm as she spoke. He seemed more lively than the night before. “I brought a friend to come meet you.” She glanced over her shoulder to Ralph who was standing cautiously several feet back. “What are you doing?” She laughed. “Get over here!”
“Sorry! It seemed like you two were having a moment!” He said as he crept forward. He craned his neck as he approached and his eyes grew wide in shock as they landed on the baby. “Woah!” He gasped
“What?” Rio snickered
“I…I don’t think I’ve ever seen a baby that fresh before! Granted this probably the third baby I’ve ever seen but damn! It’s wild! He’s so tiny!”
“Yeah, he’s pretty small. That’ll change quickly. It’s hard to believe seeing him now but in a year he’ll be running circles around all of us.” Rio chuckled as she imagined chasing the tiny being around in the back yard.
“Fucking wild! Do they ever let him out of this box?” Ralph asked, his eyebrows scrunched in concern.
Rio chuckled, “Eventually, yeah. Until he’s breathing on his own they keep him on lockdown.”
“So you can’t like hold him or anything?”
“No, not yet.” She sighed wistfully. “But you can touch him. Give him a little handshake.” Ralph looked at her skeptically “if you want.”
“You sure?” He asked as Rio moved to get some sanitizer.
“Yeah, it’s fine, I promise.” She assured as she opened the porthole. Ralph slathered himself in sanitizer then eased his hand towards the opening but stopped just before entering.
“I’m nervous, I don’t want to break him.”
“You won’t break him!” Rio laughed. “Just be gentle, you’ll be good.”
Ralph took a deep breath then slowly pressed his hand inside. He gently snuck a finger into the palm of his tiny hand causing the little digits to clasp around it. “Woah!” He gasped as his eyes grew wide once more.
“Pretty crazy huh!” Rio chuckled
“This is insane!” He huffed, in awe
“You did that, man! For Agatha…and for me.”
“It was nothing…” he replied half in a daze of amazement.
“It was everything. Really Ralph, I can’t even begin to thank you for what you’ve given us.”
“You don’t have to. Just take care of them, like I know you will. If the last, what, 36 hours have shown me anything it’s that you are going to be a bomb ass parent and Agatha is so fucking lucky to have you!”
“Thanks Ralph.” Rio replied as a soft smile danced across her lips.
“Hey buddy! Nice to meet you.” Ralph murmured as he wiggled his finger in the baby’s hand. “I’m your uncle Ralph. Despite what your moms may think, I’m here to tell you, you got your good looks from me!”
“I don’t know about that!” Rio scoffed. “If anything he inherited your instinct for dramatic flair.”
“You certainly did make quite an entrance didn’t you?” He chuckled. “What’s his name?”
“I…uh…we…well we hadn’t really settled on one.” Rio stammered, somewhat nervously.
“Seriously?” He scoffed as he whipped his head around to glare at her in shock.
“Agatha said she was narrowing it down but she didn’t tell me to what.”
“So he just doesn’t have a name?” He asked, arching his eyebrow, not hiding his judgement.
“I mean technically no, not yet. Agatha can decide when she wakes up.” Rio insisted
“So what have you been calling him? Baby?” Ralph laughed
“I mean according to the hospital he’s baby boy Harkness until she names him. But, he’s…he’s just little bug. That’s what we’ve been calling him at least.” Rio explained
“Little bug?” He repeated, eyebrows raised in skepticism as he turned back to look at the baby. “Eh. I can see it. He is kind of squirmy. Well, nice to meet you LB!”
“Hey Dr. Vidal! Holly said you’d probably be stopping by.” Called a friendly voice, drawing their attention.
“Hey Summer! Yeah, had to come check on the little guy. How’s he doing?”
“Dr. Jones was in here about an hour ago. Said his lung function has significantly improved. They’re taking him down to just nasal cannula and looking to try some formula later this afternoon.”
“Seriously? What time?” Rio gasped in shocked excitement.
“Probably around like 4:00 if you wanna stop by and help.” Summer offered
“Oh absolutely!” Rio practically shouted at her in joy.
“After everything we’re gonna take it slow and see how he does throughout the night with the feedings but you should be in the clear to hold him tomorrow.”
“Really?” Rio asked, starting to get choked up.
“Yeah really! He may have been early but he was ready!”
“What…ah…what time tomorrow?” Rio asked, trying to clear the frog from her throat.
“I’d say if you want to stop by after shift change in the morning I can get you two set up.” She smiled excitedly.
“8:00?”
“8:00 is perfect!”
Rio dove forward gathering her in a hug. “Thank you! Thank you so much!”
“Of course!” Summer laughed. “Anything for you Dr. V!” She said as Rio finally released her. “I’ll see you this afternoon?”
“See you then!” Rio called as she left to tend to a patient. “Ah! Did you hear that?!” Rio yelped with glee as she turned back to Ralph.
“He’s a champ! Fucking miracle baby!” Ralph cheered as he brushed a finger along the baby’s cheek.
“Feeding tonight then I’ll hold you in my arms tomorrow! AH! Mami’s so proud of you little guy!” She cheered before she quieted and a painful thought tugged at her heartstrings. “I wish Agatha could be here for this.”
“I know.” Ralph sighed. “She will be, soon enough.”
After another hour or so of ooing and awing over every movement and sound the baby made, Rio and Ralph reluctantly left to grab a bite to eat before heading back to Agatha. Jen and Alice dipped with Ralph to get some rest at home while Rio remained with her as they took her for the scan. The CT scan went off without a hitch and confirmed the doctors findings from earlier, the bleeding was stopped and hadn’t resumed. As soon as they settled her back into the room the anesthesiologist and Dr. Stark arrived and began weaning her sedatives.
“She should start to wake within the next hour. If you want to go grab some coffee or a snack we can come get you when the check is complete.”
“Thank you, but I’d prefer to stay.” Rio said as she shuffled to Agatha’s side. “I need to be here when she wakes up.”
“While I understand the inclination, I really must insist. Though I’m sure the results will be positive, the process can be quite distressing.”
“As a medical professional myself, I understand that and am prepared for that potential outcome.” He started to protest before Rio cut him off. “Don’t fight me on this. You will not win.”
“Fine.” He groaned. “All I ask is that regardless of what happens you don’t try to interfere.”
“You have my word.” Rio said as she resigned herself to the recliner next to the bed.
Rio sat and watched carefully as the minutes ticked by. For a good while Agatha remained still and silent, the only sounds in the room being the wooshing of the ventilator, the beeping of the machinery, and the heavy drumbeat of Rio’s heart in her ears as she waited for any sign of consciousness. After what felt like ages she saw the tips of her fingers begin to twitch and she heard the nurse call Dr. Stark to attention.
“She’s beginning to wake.”
“Very good. Ms. Harkness, can you open your eyes for me?” he asked as he leaned over the head of her bed. Rio watched with bated breath as her eyebrows scrunched slightly and her eyelids began to flutter. She seemed to struggle for a moment before finally her eyes cracked open revealing her hazy blue orbs. As they began to search the room a look of fear and confusion overtook her face. Rio stood at the periphery, hoping her presence might bring her some comfort. “Good. You’re safe. You’re here in the hospital and you have a breathing tube in. Try to remain calm as best you can, ok?” She blinked back at him as her face scrunched further in discomfort. “Can you squeeze my hand?” He asked, to which she responded weakly with the action. “Very good…”
“Her heart rate is climbing.” signaled the nurse.
“Are you feeling any pain?” she nodded slightly as a tear crept out the corner of her eye. “Let's give her 2 milligrams of morphine IV push.” He indicated to the nurse. “You should start to feel better in just a moment. Now, I want you to try and take a deep breath for me.” Her eyes began to widen in panic as her hand came up to grasp at the tube. “No, no, that’s going to stay in place for now. Just breathe around it.” She took a gasping breath in as her chest began to heave.
“Respiratory rate 18, tidal volumes good, she’s triggering the vent well.” said the nurse as she monitored.
“Very good. I just want you to keep breathing for me.” Dr. Stark continued his checks as Agatha’s eyes began to dart around the room, taking in her surroundings but never quite landing on Rio. As she did so Rio could see a sense of panic begging to rise within her. Her hands began to wander to the wires and lines attached to her then she tried to pull at the covers around her.
“Ms. Harkness try to remain calm, just focus on breathing.” Dr. Stark urged to no avail. Rio held her tongue and her position as she watched Agatha struggle to come to terms with what was happening. She had promised the doctor she wouldn’t intervene but every fiber of her being was aching to comfort her.
“Her blood pressure is rising.” The nurse warned.
“Let’s go ahead and resedate, I don’t want her going into cardiac arrest.” He ordered.
The nurse moved to administer the medication and just as Agatha’s panicking eyes finally caught sight of Rio they fluttered closed again. Rio bit the inside of her cheek as she fought to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill. It was harder than she thought, but in the end she was glad she had stayed, Agatha at least knew she was there.
“Ms. Vidal…”
“Dr.” Rio corrected.
“Dr. Vidal, as you can see she’s not quite ready to come out from under sedation. Her body is still weak from the blood loss and she’s in quite a bit of pain, though breathing wise I’m happy with where she’s at. For the time being she’ll remain intubated with partial support to relieve stress on her cardiovascular system, though if we’re able to keep her relaxed enough tomorrow during our check I'm inclined to extubate.”
“She might be more relaxed if she knew I was here with her.” Rio grumbled
“We can see during tomorrow’s check, but this type of agitation is common when waking up from that level of sedation. For now we’ll just try to keep her comfortable.”
“What time?” Rio murmured as her gaze fixated on Agatha.
“As long as I’m not roped into a surgery I should be by around 1:00.” He said on his way out.
“Alright. Thank you doctor.” Rio mumbled as she wandered back over to Agatha’s now limp form. She eased onto the bed beside her, brushing her fingers along her hairline as her other hand grasped at her palm. She leaned forward and pressed a teary eyed kiss to her forehead and as she did so she felt a soft squeeze at her finger tips. “Oh, my love.” Rio sighed solemnly “ I’m right here with you. You’ll get through this.”
As the time drew nearer to 4, Ralph returned to keep watch over Agatha while Rio left to go feed the baby. Her heart was still heavy at leaving her beloved after the traumatic awakening earlier that day but she couldn’t bear the thought of missing out on their child’s first milestone.
For the first time since their arrival she slunk into the NICU alone with a spark of joy that was just beginning to shine. As she wandered up to his incubator which was now open exposing him to the room. She immediately noticed his little face beaming back up at her. The CPAP had indeed been replaced and she could at last see the details that had been hidden by it. His plump little cheeks and tiny button nose which held the cannula supporting his breathing. His mouth was scrunched in a cute little pout that instantly reminded her of a face Agatha would make when she was being bashful or begrudgingly amused.
“There you are, little bug! Miami’s so happy to finally see you!” She cooed as she reached a hand down to cup around the top of his head. At the touch and sound of her voice he turned, opening his eyes to blink up at her. Though they still had the misty sheen of a newborn she could see a shimmer of Agatha’s icy blues staring up at her and her heart clenched in bitter sweet joy.
“Hey Dr. V! You got here just in time!” Summer lilted. “I just got his formula ready.”
“Ah! Amazing! Where do you want me?” Rio practically squealed
“I’ll have you come around to the side here.” She instructed. “And if you want to put a hand under his head there we’re going to prop him up just a bit.” Rio flexed her fingers nervously then gently scooped her left hand under his head as she lifted it up. The size of it barely matched that of a softball in the palm of her hand. He squirmed a bit as his arms flung out in reflex before he quickly settled.”Perfect! Just like that. Now, here’s the formula.” She handed over a bottle the size of a large syringe. “Just go slow, we’ll see how he takes it.” Rio eased the bottle towards his face and as she brushed the nipple against his lips he opened wide and immediately began to suckle. “Look at that! He’s a natural! You both are!” Summer praised.
“You are! Aren’t you, little bug!” Rio cheered as her eyes grew misty. “Mami’s so proud of you!”
“I’ve gotta run and check on another patient. Holler if you need anything.” Summer lilted as she crept away.
Rio blinked away the wetness from her eyes as she watched him drink. She couldn’t help but be in awe of the tiny creature blinking back up at her. After all they’d been through he had recovered well and was progressing quickly. She ached for Agatha to reach the same fate, to have her by her side soaking in these life changing moments. She hadn’t thought of it before but seeing him now she wondered, what would happen when he was released? It seemed like sooner rather than later he would be freed from the NICU, but Agatha, after her brief bout of consciousness earlier, seemed further behind and likely to linger in the hospital at least for a while. What would she do? She couldn’t leave Agatha but the idea of managing a newborn through her recovery in the hospital seemed daunting and ill advised. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind for the time being, determined not to let her fears spoil the joy of the moment, but she knew as soon as she left she would have to come up with a plan.
Just as he finished the last of the bottle Summer returned to help relieve her. “I told you! He may have been early but clearly he was ready.” She said as she gathered the bottle and handed over a blanket. “If you want to roll him over we can try and burp him a bit before he lays back down.” Rio rolled him onto his side with the blanket in front of him to catch any dribble and began to pat his back.
“He’s so quiet!” She noted as she watched him start to fall back to sleep. “Has he been like this the whole time?”
“For the most part, yes. He got a little fussy when we were putting the tubes in but he settled back down pretty quickly. He’s just been taking everything in.”
“Is that right? You being a good boy? Not giving them any trouble?”
“He’s pretty perfect! Just gotta hope it lasts.” Summer chuckled just as he let out a tiny burp. “There, that should be good if you want to lay him back down.” Reluctantly Rio eased him back down onto the bed and pulled her hand away. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you like. I’m out of here at 7 and I think Holly will be back in for the night shift.”
“I’ll probably dip out once he’s asleep but I’ll be back bright and early tomorrow morning.”
“Awesome! I’ll see you then!” Summer smiled and waved as she stepped away once again.
Rio turned and looked back down as she grazed her fingers along his forehead. She watched as his eyes blinked back at her, growing heavy as sleep quickly tugged at him. Her mind swirled with a mix of pride, and hope, and fear at the coming days but that was drowned out by the love that swelled in her heart as he drifted off to sleep.
————————————————
The next morning she woke with the dawn as she peeled her face from the side of Agatha’s bed. Though her body ached from sleeping in a seated position, her mind pricked with excitement as the moment she had been waiting for quickly drew nearer.
“Today’s the day, carino.” She hummed as she placed a kiss on Agatha’s cheek. “I get to hold our boy! He’s doing so well, I wish you could see him. He’ll be out of here before we know it.” She murmured as she brushed her fingers through Agatha’s hair. “And you will too, my love. I hate to leave you, but I have to go get ready. I’ll be back, though. I’ll be here when you wake. For now, Ralph is here.” She said, glancing over at the snoring pile of clothes in the recliner on the other side of the room. She crept past his sleeping form and readied herself for the moment she had been anxiously awaiting.
At 8:00 on the dot she was through the doors of the NICU, practically vibrating with excitement.
“Morning Dr. V!”
“Morning Summer! How’s my boy?”
“Holly said he did great last night, the other feedings went well. I just got him changed so he’s all ready for you! If you wanna grab a seat I’ll bring him over.” As quickly as she could Rio settled into the nearest recliner and readied herself as Summer gingerly lifted him from the incubator. She could feel her heart begin to race with excitement as she drew nearer and nearer. She leaned down and carefully placed his tiny body against her chest and quickly wrapped a blanket around them both. She could feel his hands and feet squirm against her body as she struggled to adjust and he started to let out a soft whimper.
“Shhh, shhh, it’s ok, little bug. Mami’s got you.” She hummed as her hands moved to wrap around him. She soon felt his head relax onto her chest and she leaned down to kiss him with tears pooling in her eyes. “Oh, little one! You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hold you in my arms.” She sighed as a stray tear broke free. “Te amo mucho, mi pequeño bichito.” She rocked gently as she savored the moment, feeling at last like a small piece of her was healing through this ongoing trauma. She closed her eyes and hummed a soft lullaby she pulled from the depths of her childhood memories, a small piece of her mother that until then had been lost to time.
An hour quickly passed before Summer was back to check on them. “How we doing?”
“I don’t think I can ever move again.” She sighed as she brushed a thumb along the back of his head.
“I can’t blame you, you two look pretty comfy!” She chuckled. “It is getting close to feeding time though. I’m happy to bring the bottle over if you want to feed him again.”
“Oh, absolutely!” Rio nodded vigorously.
“You got it. I’ll be right back.” Summer chuckled as she stepped away.
“You hear that, little bug? Feeding time!” She hummed as she pulled him away from her chest to cradle him in her hands. His little arms wiggled in shock but quickly settled as he blinked back up at her. It was then that she noticed he had no breathing assistance. There were still a few cords attached tracking his vitals but he was breathing free and clear on his own. “No oxygen?” She gasped as Summer returned
“No, we took him off just before you got here.” She smiled as she handed her a blanket and the bottle.
“And he’s doing alright?”
“Everything’s stable. As long as he keeps this up he’ll be transferred to the nursery tomorrow morning.”
“Tomorrow?!” Rio gasped, half excited, half terrified. “You hear that bug? You might be graduating tomorrow! When do you think he’ll be cleared to leave?” she asked as she began to feed him.
“Well, technically he’d be cleared to go home but they’ll need to finalize the paperwork before they can let him leave. They’ll need his name for the birth certificate and social security.”
“Oh right.” Rio sighed, dismayed at this hiccup.
“But we’re not going to rush you. I know mom is still recovering. How’s she doing?”
“She’s…she’s doing alright. They’re going to wake her again this afternoon so we’ll see how that goes.”
“Well, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.” She said with a caring smile.
“Thanks, Summer.” Rio sighed
“Of course. I’ll be back to check on you two in a bit.”
As she and the baby were left alone once again Rio began to feel a nervous tension start to creep in. She knew it would be a while before Agatha would be well enough to go home and the idea of having him cooped up in the nursery, nameless for the time being, set her on edge. Yet there was nothing she could do but wait. Wait until she was awake. Wait until she gave him a name. Wait until they could finally go home as a family. And when would that even be? Given her condition just that morning it seemed like an eternity away. For the time being all she could do was revel in the joys of a healthy baby and hope that Agatha would come around soon.
Rio stayed as long as she could, holding the baby close, feeding him, changing him, telling him of the love both she and Agatha held for him, until at last it was time to leave. She managed to settle the sleeping child back in the incubator with little help and sneak out just in time to grab a bite to eat before heading back to Agatha. Just as she was leaving the cafeteria with a sandwich in hand her phone began to ring. She fished it out of her pocket only to find Lilia calling her.
“Hey! Lilia! I’m so sorry I’ve been meaning to call you!” She said as she answered.
“Oh, not a worry at all dear, something tells me you’ve had your hands full! How is she?” Lilia lilted back
“Agatha?…well, she’s alive. They have her sedated in the ICU.” Rio could hear a heavy sigh radiate through the phone.
“I was afraid of that. How are you? How’s the baby?” She asked rather melancholicly.
“I’m doing alright. Just trying to hold everything together while she heals. The baby, he’s doing great actually. They’ve had him in the NICU but it looks like they might release him to the nursery tomorrow morning.”
“That’s wonderful news, dear! Have you been eating? Getting any sleep?”
“Sleep has come. I wouldn’t say it’s been restful but I’ve managed to get a few hours in. You actually caught me grabbing lunch, I just left the baby and am on my way back to see her. They’re supposed to be waking her up here again soon.”
“Well then I won’t keep you. Just wanted to see how you were doing since I hadn’t heard anything in a few days. My intuition was tingling.”
“Well, per usual, your intuition was spot on. Thanks for checking in.” Rio chuckled mirthlessly.
“Of course, sweetheart! Feel free to say no, but I cooked up a big pot of my stew, any chance I could bring you some for dinner?”
“That would be amazing, actually.”
“Wonderful, then I’ll plan to bring some by. Does 6:00 work?”
“Yeah, that sounds great.”
“Alright, dear. I’ll see you then.”
“See you then. Love you Lilia.”
“Love you too sweetheart.”
As she hung up the phone she could feel a warmth fill her chest. Having been caught up in the malaise of the last few days it was comforting to hear from Lilia. She hadn’t realized how isolated she felt, despite their friends being there, but the realization that Lilia would be coming gave her a sense of solace she hadn’t realized she had been missing. And now in particular, as she walked in for what was bound to be another stress inducing ordeal, she was grateful for that support to look forward to.
As she entered Agatha’s room Dr. Stark and the nurse were already at her side and Ralph was now hovering anxiously in the corner.
“Hey, sorry, Lilia called me on my way back. Everything ok?” She asked him.
“Yeah, they got here like 10 minutes ago. You mind if I head out and grab some food. I don’t really wanna be here for this.” He sighed.
“Yeah of course. I’ll let you know when they’re done.” Rio assured as she waved him out. “How’s she doing?” She asked, turning to Dr. Stark.
“So far so good. Blood pressure’s a little low but that’s common at this level of sedation, it should level out when she wakes up. We just stopped the propofol so it should be about 20 to 30 minutes. We went ahead and administered some pain medication to avoid agitation this time. The plan today is to extubate and see how she does.”
“Then…will she stay awake?”
“Possibly. It depends on her comfort level when we wake her. If she’s not handling it well we may put her back under but it would only be a fraction of where she was before.”
“That sounds like good news.”
“Her body’s responding well, the swelling has already gone down significantly and she’s had virtually no complications. It's more about pain management at this point. The more comfortable she is, the faster she’ll heal.”
“Naturally.” This time as they waited Rio situated herself on the edge of the bed next to Agatha, holding her hand as she brushed her fingers through her hair. She couldn’t help but notice that her color was nearly back to normal, the sunkenness of her eyes had lessened and there was a rosyness about her cheeks. She let a small piece of herself hope that maybe once she awakened she would be well enough to remain that way. Before long she felt Agatha begin to stir as her fingers closed around her hand. “I think she’s waking up.” She announced to the doctor and nurse.
“Good. Ms. Harkness, can you open your eyes for me?” This time her eyes blinked open easily and quickly found Rio. “Alright, I’m Dr. Stark, do you remember me from yesterday?” She nodded as her hand reached up to try and pull at the tube. “Careful! Careful! We are going to try and remove that today but first you need to relax and breathe.” She took a struggled, gulping breath at first as she remembered how, then quickly eased into a steady rhythm. “Very good. We have your partner with us today. She and your friends have hardly left your side since you’ve been here.” He nodded towards Rio who looked lovingly down at her. A tear immediately drew to Agatha’s eye as she blinked back up at her.
“You’re doing so good, carino.” Rio hummed as she stroked her fingers through her hair.
“Are you in any pain?” Dr. Stark asked to which Agatha nodded. “Can you show me with your fingers on a scale from 1-10, 10 being the worst?” Agatha slowly lifted her hands, drawing one away from Rio, to hold up 6 fingers. “Alright, we’re going to adjust your pain medication a bit so you should be feeling better soon.” He said as he nodded towards the nurse. They continued to monitor her as she eased further into consciousness.
After a while Rio could feel Agatha begin to relax at her side as the medication began to take effect. About 30 minutes in, Agatha reached over to gather Rio’s attention.
“Yes, my love? Are you still in pain?” Agatha shook her head as she attempted to mumble around the tube. “No, no, don’t try to talk, not yet.” Agatha let her eyes flutter closed as tears once again began to well in them. When she opened them again they held a sense of fear and urgency, then she brought Rio’s hand down to rest on her stomach. “The baby?” Rio asked to which Agatha nodded and cried. “He’s fine! He’s perfectly healthy.” At that Agatha began to sob further.
“Please try and relax Ms. Harkness, you’re doing great, we’re nearly ready to take the tube out.” Dr. Stark urged. “How’s her blood pressure?” He asked the nurse.
“Slightly elevated but steady.” she replied
“Good. I’m not going to prolong this any further. Ready the respiratory therapy.”
“Yes, doctor.”
“Alright, Ms. Harkness, this may be a little uncomfortable but it’ll be over quickly. I’ll have you take a deep breath then I’m going to need you to cough for me, ok?” Agatha nodded and took a deep breath in as Dr. Stark readied himself. “Alright, and cough.” She let out a horrendous hacking sound as he pulled the tube free then the nurse quickly stepped in and placed a breathing tube at her nose as she continued to cough for a bit.
“You did so well, sweetheart.” Rio cheered as she leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead.
“Rio…” Agatha rasped shakily.
“Yes, my love?”
“What…what day is it? How long have I been out?” she croaked
“It’s Sunday afternoon. You’ve been out for almost two days.” Rio replied
“Two… two days?!” She gasped. “Where..” she started but coughed again. “Where is he? Where’s my baby?”
“They sent him to the NICU when we first got here but he’s already doing so well, they’re going to transfer him out tomorrow.” Rio said, trying to ease her worry.
“Please! I want to see him!” she begged through ragged breaths as tears streamed down her face.
“You will, Ms. Harkness, but for now you need to rest. You’ve been through quite a lot and your body still needs some time to heal.” Dr. Stark insisted
“When…when can I see him?” she panted
“Let’s see how you’re feeling over the next few hours. This is not something we want to rush, it could cause further harm and delay the healing process.” he warned
“I promise, as soon as I can I will bring him to you.” Rio said as she cradled Agatha’s face in her hands, urging her to look at her.
“Rio…Rio what happened? I don’t remember anything after…” She trailed off as her face scrunched, searching for the memories. “I remember the festival…and Herb…and I…I was having contractions. I was going to find you but someone stopped me…I…I don’t quite remember what happened but I ran to my office and then…it’s all kind of fuzzy after that. Rio…I…I’m so sorry…I didn’t mean…this…this is all my fault!”
“It’s ok, it’s alright. Don’t worry about that right now. You’re safe, you’re both ok. That’s all that matters.” Rio hummed as she pressed her forehead to Agatha’s
“Dr. Vidal.” Dr. Stark called Rio over to where he was standing near the curtain.
“I’ll be right back, my love.” Rio cooed as she pressed a kiss to Agatha’s cheek and hurried over. “Yes?”
“Despite her being understandably upset, I’m satisfied with where she’s at. Her heart rate and blood pressure are stable so we aren’t going to sedate her any further at this time, though we may revisit that later this evening to make sure she rests through the night.” Rio let out a sigh of relief. “We’ll see how she does over the next few hours but I’m inclined to let her see the child sooner rather than later.”
“Seriously?” Rio gasped “That…that would be amazing.”
“Though I would like to keep the visit short, I think it would bring her some peace of mind and help her relax.”
“I completely agree!”
“In the meantime, I know you’ve had a host of visitors but she needs rest, I’d hold off on having anyone come by for the time being.”
“Understood.”
“Very good. A nurse will be in around four to see where we’re at. In the meantime I’ll try and arrange for them to bring him after.”
“Wonderful! Thank you doctor!”
“Of course.” He muttered as he exited into the ward.
Rio turned back ablaze with relief and excitement as she wandered over to Agatha.
“What did he say?” She groaned sleepily
“That you’re doing great. He’s happy with where you’re at, but you need rest so no visitors.” She explained as she snuggled in beside her on the bed.
“Visitors?” Agatha grumbled
“All your friends. We’ve been worried sick about you! Ralphs downstairs now in the cafeteria. Jen and Alice have been in and out. I talked to Lilia a little bit ago and she was going to stop by later but I’m going to have her hold off until tomorrow.” Rio babbled as she texted everyone the update.
“Mmmm, but you’re staying right?” Agatha hummed as her eyes drifted closed again.
“Of course, my love, I’m not going anywhere!”
—------------------------------
The hours passed quickly and before long a nurse was drawing back the curtain once more, waking them both from sleep.
“Hello Ms. Harkness! How are we feeling?” He asked.
Agatha blinked herself awake again as she grumbled her response. “Sore, and somehow tired.”
“That’s to be expected, the sedative is still working its way out of your system. You’ll likely feel groggy and a bit out of it the rest of today at the very least. How’s your pain on a scale from 1-10?”
“About a four. My back actually hurts more than anything.”
“I’m not surprised. You’ve been in roughly the same position since you arrived. Though you’re not quite ready to move around just yet, we can adjust the bed so you’re a bit more comfortable.” He offered as he began to prod at her abdomen, checking the wounds. “Any change in pain?”
“No but that’s definitely uncomfortable.” She groaned.
“Very good. Well, I’m not going to poke at you any more today. We are planning to give you another dose of pain meds in about 2 hours. Is there anything else I can get you in the meantime?”
“Some water? My throat is so dry!” She croaked.
“Unfortunately I can’t give you any liquids just yet but I’m happy to grab you some ice chips.” He explained.
“Whatever you got, I’ll take anything at this point.”
“You got it! I’ll be right back! Oh, Dr. Vidal, would you mind helping me for a minute?”
“Sure!” Rio yawned as she stretched out of the bed. “I’ll be right back, Cariño.” She said, placing a kiss on Agatha’s cheek before she shuffled out of the room behind him.
Agatha lay there for a moment, slowly coming to terms with everything that had happened while she waited for them to return. She was still so tired and in truth her body ached from head to toe. The room around her still didn’t feel quite real. What exactly had happened? She slowly peeled back the blankets and lifted up the hem of her hospital gown only to find a bandaged wound on her somewhat deflated stomach. The memories of that night were slowly coming together in pieces. She now remembered waking up in Rio’s arms. She heard vague echoes of Jen coaching her to push. Then there was the brief feeling of holding her baby on her chest, his tiny warm body squirming against her as he let out a soft cry. The mere thought of him drew tears to her eyes. She wished now more than anything she could hold him in her arms. As she wiped a few stray tears away the nurse wandered back in.
“Here you go hon! Anything else I can get you?” He asked as he handed her the small cup.
“No, I should be fine. Do you know where Rio went?” She asked
“She just stepped out for a bit. She should be back any minute.”
“Alright. Thank you.” She mumbled.
“Of course! And I’m just a button push away if you need anything!” He said pointing to the call button before stepping back out.
Agatha leaned back and slipped an ice chip into her mouth. The cool cube was soothing as it melted and trickled down her sore throat. She let her eyes flutter closed for a moment as she reveled in the sensation. As she opened her eyes to grab another piece she saw the curtains of her room begin to flutter then Rio popped her head through sporting a delighted smile.
“Where did you run off to?” Agatha chuckled weakly.
“Just down the hall and around the corner.” She shrugged.
“Well are you going to come back in or just hover in the doorway?” Agatha sighed
“That depends, are you up for a visitor?” Rio asked, cheekily arching an eyebrow.
“I thought the doctor said no visitors.” She frowned, unclear what Rio was getting at.
“Well, he did make one exception.” Rio beamed. “Close your eyes.”
“Haven’t they been closed enough?” Agatha scoffed.
“Come on! Close them!” Rio urged
“Alright, alright.” Agatha agreed as she leaned back and did as she was told. She listened closely as she heard the curtain scrape and then Rio’s footsteps shuffle in and up by her side then pause. “Can I open them?”
“Just one second!” Rio replied and she heard her shuffle around.
“You better make it a quick second before I fall back asleep.” Agatha quipped.
“Alright, you can open them.” Rio said at last. Agatha cracked an eye open in the direction of Rio’s voice then her eyes suddenly shot open. Rio stood beside her, carefully holding their swaddled son in her arms. Immediately tears of joy began to stream down her face as she reached out her arms for him. Rio inched in closer, sitting on the edge of the bed as she passed the tiny sleeping baby to Agatha.
“H…hi.” She murmured in shock as he settled quickly into the crook of her arm. “I…I can’t believe you’re here!” She gasped softly as she grazed a finger along his little plump cheek. “My sweet little bug!” She cooed as she gathered him close and pressed a kiss to his forehead, breathing in the intoxicatingly sweet scent of her child. Her heart swelled with a love so vast she thought it might explode. He was here, now, safe in her arms and she had never felt more whole. “Rio…he…he’s…”
“Perfect, isn’t he?” Rio hummed as she snuggled in beside them.
“In every way!” Agatha sighed as she pulled him back to take him in more fully. “He’s really ok?”
“Clean bill of health! He’s quite resilient, just like his mama.”
“Oh my baby!” Agatha sighed as she felt a wave of emotion wash over her seeing his tiny fragile form. “I’m so sorry I left you!” She sniffled as the tears began to stream again. “I didn’t mean to! Mama loves you so much, little one!” She cooed as she drew him close once more and pressed her lips to his forehead. “But… I know mami took good care of you while I was gone.” She sniffled as she at last looked back at Rio. “Thank you!” She sobbed as she collapsed onto Rio’s shoulder.
“Of course my love! I’m just so glad we’re all together again.”
“Me too.” Agatha huffed as she quelled the tears once again.
“There is just one thing still missing.” Rio smirked
“Oh? And what’s that?” Agatha asked as she dried her face with the back of her hand.
“Our little bug needs a name!” Rio chuckled.
“Ha!” Agatha gasped out a laugh. “You’re right! I don’t think we can call him little bug forever.”
“Well we could but that might not go over well when he gets into school. Do you know what you want to call him?” Rio asked
“I have an idea, I just hope you’re ok with it.” Agatha admitted as she bit her lip nervously
“I’m sure whatever it is, it's perfect for him.” Rio assured
“I was thinking, Nicholas.”
“Ni…Nicholas?” Rio replied in shock. “That was my brother's name.”
“I know. I remember when you said it in the car. It always stuck with me, and now that I see him. It just…fits. Is that ok?”
“Is it ok?!” Rio let out a laugh of astonishment. “Oh, Cariño! I didn’t think I could love you any more than I already did.” She sighed as she pressed a kiss to Agatha’s lips. “I am honored that you would name him after my brother. He would have loved being an uncle!”
“I’m glad you approve.” Agatha beamed. “Nicholas Aloysius Harkness.” She announced as she grazed her fingers along his head.
“Aloysius? Really?” Rio snickered
“He needs a little bit of both of us.” Agatha shrugged.
“Fair enough.” Rio laughed, "Oh, little Nicky, you are so loved.” She sighed as she rubbed a finger along his cheek.
I really enjoyed Possessive Possession. Is there any chance of more Agatha x reader stories?
Oh absolutely! I’m just getting into fic writing and finishing up my main work but once I’m done I’m planning on doing more one shots like this. Agatha X reader is probably my favorite category. Happy to take requests too!
You recently purchased an old house, built in the early 1900s, that had laid vacant for years before you bought it. It came along with all the problems you’d expect, and one you didn’t.
I've written some smut in my series but this is pretty much my first one shot. Hope you enjoy!
It was a crisp autumn day as the movers struggled to unload the one van of items that contained all you had managed to salvage from moving out on your own, away from your nightmare of a roommate. It wasn’t much. A queen sized bed, a love seat that would function as your couch for the time being, a dresser, a TV, and the few odds and ends that would allow the space to feel like your home and not like you were squatting in a vacant dilapidated house.
The home you purchased was vast and in its time had been grand. Though now it was a shadow of its former glory. It had laid vacant for at least the last year and had a rotation of homeowners before that, none of which seemed to last more than a year or two. Dust clung to nearly every surface and cobwebs hung in nearly every corner, but that didn’t bother you. You could see the potential, where the hardwood just needed some love and a new bit of stain. Where the walls needed a fresh coat of paint and the vintage lights just needed a polish. Sure you probably needed a new furnace and there was that dripping hole in the ceiling problem in the guest bedroom but nothing that time and a little elbow grease couldn’t fix. Because of all this it happened to fall within your restricted price range and the sellers seemed more than eager to agree to your below asking price offer, making some of the major repairs before you moved in. So now with the day finally here, you were excited, thrilled, to start this new chapter of your life.
The day went by quickly with movers shuffling in and out of the house and by the time the sun began to set, your bed was made, the power was on after a laborious phone call with the power company, and you had even managed to dig out a plate to eat the mediocre pizza you ordered on. You wandered out onto the back porch to enjoy the warm glow of the sunlight as it dipped behind the trees in your back yard as you ate. Though there was still lots to unpack you felt settled, you felt home, and finally happy on your own.
With half the pizza gone and the cool air of the autumn night beginning to seep into your bones you headed inside. You set your plate on the counter next to the large farmhouse sink, content to leave it for the next morning and headed up to get ready for bed. After searching through a few bags you had packed you managed to find a tooth brush and your skincare products and set about your nightly routine. As the water ran and you scrubbed your face clean you think you hear a clank and a clatter somewhere about the house. With your eyes still shut and covered in soap you fumble to turn off the water and listen.
Silence.
Nothing but the hum of the ancient furnace pumping through the house. You brush it off as an old house quirk and continue about your business. Weary and sore after a day of moving you quickly crawl into bed and shut off the lamp beside you as you snuggle under the covers. You let out a sigh, relieved to have the weight of your sore bones cradled under the plush warmth of your comforter, and quickly drift off to sleep.
As the night passes you delve into a series of fitful dreams, wading through endless swamps, running through dense, dark forests, being chased by an unknown pursuer, falling off a towering cliff and just before you make contact with the ground below you wake up suddenly in a pool of sweat, your breath labored and your heart racing with fear. Realizing it was just a trick of your own mind you hurry to settle yourself, slowing your breathing as you let your eyes flutter closed and urge yourself to fall back to sleep. As you start to slip into the haze of twilight between wake and slumber you catch a creaking sound just outside your door. Your eyes flash open and you turn your head to where the sound emanated. You hover for a moment on alert waiting for another sound to ring out in the night but again you are met with silence. You brush it off again as odd sounds you’ll grow used to as you spend more nights in your new home and roll over and finally fall into a dreamless slumber.
The next morning you wake and set about unpacking boxes in your room and cleaning off dusty surfaces. As you make your way down to the kitchen to try and scrape together some semblance of a coffee your eye catches something odd. You could have sworn you left your pizza plate on the counter but here it was broken in two in the sink. The clatter you heard the night before had something toppled it over causing it to break? It’d be too heavy for a mouse to move. A rat maybe? The idea makes you grimace and you make a note to not leave food out for the time being and pick up some traps when you head to the store.
You continue about your day, getting most of the few things you had unpacked, successfully setting up the WiFi and the TV, and even running to the store for groceries and those rat traps. Exhausted and dirty after a full day of sweat and dust you ease into a steaming shower as you ready for bed. The lava hot water soothes your sore muscles and the scent of your lavender and vanilla body wash eases you into a sleepy calm. You shut off the water and let it drip down the contours of your body as you step out naked onto your bath mat. The air is thick and quiet as the steam hangs curling in the air. You turn and reach for your towel and you swear you hear a lecherous whistle. You head whips around peering out the window to see if a passing neighbor may have caught sight of you but there’s no one. Not a soul. You frown in confusion, you’re tired, you're just imagining things. You shake your head as you wrap your towel around you and head into your bedroom.
You lay on your bed for a moment reveling in the relief the hot shower brought you as you let your eyes flutter closed for a moment. This silent pause is suddenly interrupted by a creaking of the floorboards at the foot of your bed. Your heart stutters as your head flies up. You half expect a person to be standing at the end but there’s nothing. You look around quickly, still expecting to catch something moving at least but you are alone. You slide off your bed leaving the towel behind and shuffle over to your dresser and begin searching for a cozy night shirt and underwear. As you’re digging through the drawer you feel a chill pass by you and your nipples pebble at the sensation. You shiver as you quickly select an outfit and put it on before diving under the covers. You tremble for a bit as the sheets take a moment to bring the warmth back to your body. As the heat slowly returns you reach an arm out and switch off the light. You snuggle down deep under the covers and slip into a deep slumber.
This night, instead of being plagued by night terrors you find yourself being touched and caressed by delicate hands working their way along your body, grasping at your plump breasts and teasing your nipples. You can feel a heat begin to pool in your core as a warm breath dances across your collar bone and soft lips begin to kiss and nip their way down your neck. The hands wander, perching themselves at your hips, the fingertips digging in before they begin to dip lower where the heat is blooming like a wildfire. They spread across the tops of your thighs before inching their way closer to where you’re craving them most. Then, just as they’re poised to sink into your aching heat, your alarm blares.
You groan as you shut it off. Cursing the fact that you have to rise and face the day ahead instead of giving in fully to the pleasure you were so close to reaching. You throw the covers off your body and roll out of bed with a grumble as you ready for work.
The day draws on long and slow and you ache to return to the comforts of your new home, and work out the tension that seemed to linger in your loins even as you carried out your tasks at work. As you fight your way through the evening traffic you can feel the desire sharpening to an almost unbearable ache. Finally you reach your home only to rush in heading straight for your bedroom to satisfy the itch that, at this point, was poised to consume you whole.
You throw your bag on the ground and hurry to dig through the remaining boxes you had yet to unpack in search of your reliable vibrator. You spill the contents of a few boxes before finding what you need and you jump to plug it in as you slip out of your trousers and throw yourself onto the bed. With your wand in hand you click it on to a familiar setting and throw your head back onto the pillows as you dive between your legs. The sopping wetness pooling at your core makes the thrumming work of the machine struggle to maintain contact with your clit, building you up time after time only to slip right as you’re about to spill over the edge. You groan in frustration and throw the device to the side, resigning yourself to take a break and try and calm down before going again. In the still silence you hear a cackle grow before a voice calls out into the room.
“Having trouble, hon?”
You shoot up in bed, your hands and arms wrapping around you tightly as your eyes search the room for the voice.
“Who…who’s there?” You try to shout more forcefully than your voice will muster. The room is empty but the wickedly delighted cackle echoes out again in the room. A shiver runs down your spine as you leap from the bed and bolt towards the door only to be stopped in your tracks by a stunningly beautiful glowing figure with long white wavy hair and a flowing purple dress hovering in the open doorway.
“BOO!” Gasps the woman with a sneer as she lurches towards you. You stumble back in horror falling onto the floor pulling another cackling laugh from the creature.
“A… a ghost!” You stammer as you scramble back against the wall.
“Indeed, dear!” The woman lilts playfully as she floats towards you. “Don’t worry! I don’t bite…much.” She says as a sly grin creeps across her face and she stops just inches away from you. You can feel your breath coming in quick panicky bursts as the air around you begins to chill and she crouches down to your level.
“Wh…who are you?” You manage to ask in spite of your fear.
“The name’s Agatha Harkness!” She announced with a flourish. “Very nice to meet you, dear.” She smirks as her gaze washes over you. “It’s been ages since I’ve had a pretty young thing such as yourself in my humble abode.”
“Y…your abode? This is my house! You…you’re dead!” You spit back at her, feigning confidence.
“Dead?” She giggled, floating over to lounge across your bed “Not quite, but as close as you can get on this side of the veil, if you’re cunning enough.”
“Ha…have you been watching me this whole time?” You stammer as you scramble to your feet.
“Hard not to with the show you’ve been putting on! It’s been very…entertaining, to say the least. Like I said, those before haven’t been nearly as…enticing.” She bit with a wicked grin.
You glance down at your half naked body, suddenly remembering what exactly you were in the middle of, and your hands lurch to hide your exposed bits.
“Ha ha! Don’t be shy now! You were just getting to the good part!” She snickers “though not quite. Am I right, hon?” She hums as she lifts herself from the bed to hover back over near you, her long hair flowing wildly behind her as her glowing eyes seem to pierce right through your shirt to the rest of your vulnerability. A blush creeps along your chest and cheeks as you divert your gaze, landing on the device that hadn’t quite been able to scratch the right itch. “No shame in needing a little hand, dear.” She coos as she brings a shimmering hand to graze across your cheek to tuck a loose strand of hair behind your ear. You shiver at the frigid touch. “I’m happy to be of assistance, though I will say, in my current state it might be a little more challenging than it once was.” She shrugs as she drifts back to sit at the edge of your bed, leaning back on her hands as she puffs her chest forward. “But that’s not to say it wouldn’t be as…pleasurable, for the both of us.”
You stand there dumbfounded, frozen in fear and confusion. Was this ghost really trying to fuck you right now? The idea tumbles around in your head as you feel the aching pulse return to your core. “I…I think I can manage on my own. Alone.” You say almost half heartedly.
She gives you a pouting pitiful look as she rises once again to float only inches from your face. She crooks an icy finger under your chin as she studies you. As she does you can’t help but notice her inhuman beauty. Cheekbones that could cut diamonds, eyes that glimmer white hot and frigid cold as they devour you from the inside out, and her wicked smile that seems to stretch the entire width of her face like she could take a bite out of you at any moment and you’d crave the touch. With her long finger pressed to your chin you can feel the pulse in your cunt growing heavy and urgent. You imagine just for a second what it would feel like to have those frigid digits deep inside you and the thought sends a fresh, sopping wave of pleasure right to your core.
“Are you sure?” She asks with a tantalizing grin as her finger flicks off the end of your chin and a soft moan escapes your lips. She lets out a delicious cackle. “That moan says otherwise! And I must confess, it’s been far too long since I’ve had any pleasure of my own. It’d be a shame to leave us both…unsatisfied. Wouldn’t it, dear?” She whispers into the shell of your ear before floating gently back.
You can feel your heart race down into your cunt. You can’t seriously be considering this, right? Yet the wetness leaking out of you as she sizes you up with her devilish gaze begs to differ. What could possibly be the harm? You nod. “Ok, Agatha. Just this once.”
She grins widely like the cat who ate the canary. “We’ll see if you feel the same afterwards.” She cackles as she floats up and aims herself towards you.
“Wait…wait. NO! What are you doing!?” You screech as she barrels toward you and shoots herself into your body. You feel yourself blown back and crash into the wall behind you before you crumple to your knees on the floor. You try to push yourself up but you can’t move. Then you feel yourself shift back onto your knees as your head lobs back and you inhale a heaving breath. Your face stretches in an unnatural smile as a haughty cackle leaves your lips.
“Ahhh!” You sigh. “It’s even more delicious than I expected!” The words leave your lips but not of your own accord. Then your hands begin to wander around your body, hugging your curves, squeezing at your breasts then sliding down between your legs to prod at your sex. You hear a gasp leave your lips as your hand draws away. “My my! We were worked up weren’t we!” You hear yourself say as your fingers spread before you with your arousal strung between your digits.
All of a sudden you feel your whole body prickle as if it’s wired into the house itself. A bolt of energy ripples down your spine and through your left arm and just as it reaches the tips of your fingers a crackling purple light manifests in your palm. You laugh out deep and maniacally. “Even better than I expected! This is going to be fun!”
Your body jumps to its feet and you rush into the bathroom to stare at yourself in the mirror. Your hair is wild, almost appearing windblown, your body turns examining every divot and curve and then you catch your gaze. Your eyes are glowing amethyst and electric. You can feel yourself begin to panic but the expression doesn’t read on your face, instead it’s plastered with giddy joy and delight. “Oh, honey! I couldn’t have crafted a better body if I’d tried! It feels…divine!” You hear Agatha moan as you bite your bottom lip before your gaze shifts to the bed in your room. A smirk tugs at your lips before your body rushes forward to pounce on the plush surface.
You roll around in the covers for a moment huffing in the heady scent of orange blossom and sandalwood as you bury your face in the freshly cleaned linens. You squeal with glee as you push yourself to your feet on the bed then you begin to jump about before quickly flopping back down on your back gasping for breath.
“Honey, we’ve gotta work on your cardio! You should not be this out of breath!” Agatha laughs as your hands begin to wander across your form once more. “Well, shall we?” She giggles as your fingers pinch at your nipples through your shirt and you feel an electric bolt shock them as your fingers depart, sending a shockwave of pleasure throughout your body as you gasp. “Ugh…even better than I remember!” Agatha moans through your mouth.
You sit bolt upright and shed that final layer of clothing exposing your naked body to the chill of the room. You can feel your skin prickle as the cool air settles around you and you slowly settle back. “Let’s start off slow, don’t want to overwhelm you too quickly, especially since you’re already so close and we haven’t even begun!” Agatha drawls through your lips before tucking your teeth around the bottom one as your hands return to your now naked breasts.
You’re trapped, a passenger in your own form as Agatha uses your hands to dance gracefully across all your most sensitive parts. A finger lingers on the tip of your lips before trailing down, dragging your nail around your chin and down your neck. Your nails then scrape across your collar bone before wrapping around your neck and giving it a gentle squeeze. They slide down in tandem, dipping into the valley between your breasts before cupping beneath the tender fleshy mounds. Your thumbs graze against the pebbled buds once more, sending another shock of energy as they connect, drawing a whimpering moan from your lips.
“So sensitive…” Agatha hums “so pliable! It’s going to be hard to restrain myself, but trust me dear, it’ll be worth it in the end!”
Your mind wars between panic and pleasure as your hands continue to travel down your body. There is something enticing about being a stranger to yourself, letting the sensations come and having no power to control when or where. Yet still, in the back of your mind hangs this fear, will she let me go once her needs have been satisfied?
Your hands skate past your most aching need to perch at the peak of your knees. Your fingers curl into claws as your nails scrape down the length of your thighs to rest at the vale of your hips leaving reddened markings in their wake. Your fingers drum in little patterns at this crest, sending shooting purple sparks that curl and wrap around your thighs back up to the tip of your knees. The feeling is pain and pleasure, teasing you towards what you crave most.
Your fingers dip toying at the crease then your left hand shifts and swipes your middle finger through your folds savoring the wetness that’s gathered there. You feel your body hum in delight as a pulsing wave of energy radiates from the crown of your head down to your core. Your finger brushes up licking once at the sensitive, swollen bundle of nerves and you feel yourself shiver at the touch.
“Ohm…” Agatha gasps before biting down at the corner of your lip. “I haven’t felt this turned on in ages!” She sighs as your eyes flutter closed. She brings your right hand up to fondle your tit as her left hand dares to go deeper. She brushes past the bud and dips your middle and ring finger easily into your drenched core and curls them inside you, stimulating the soft spongy surface within. You feel yourself keen as your other hand reaches up further to rest at the center of your chest.
As the ball of your left hand presses down on your clit Agatha begins to pump your fingers slowly in and out drawing out more wetness with each thrust. You feel the tips of your fingers on your right hand begin to tingle and suddenly you feel the same pulse of energy that wrapped around your legs crawl up to circle your neck and move up into your hairline behind your head. There is a sweet and dull pulsing rhythm with your heartbeat that tightens and loosens as it snakes and binds. You can hear the panting of your breath grow more ragged as the coil in your core draws taught.
Soon there is a buzzing, warm energy growing in your left hand and as she sneaks your index finger through your folds to join the other two. You feel a rush of energy fill you whole and you each cry out, arching in pleasure as your legs begin to shake. “Uhh…you feel so good! Fuck!” Agatha groans.
Your right hand draws down to rest at your navel, tightening the bind as it continues to grow and creep up the underside of your chin, pulling at your bottom lip and jaw. You whimper as the pleasure continues to climb, your core tightening as she continues to pump her fingers in and out, pulling you closer and closer to the edge. The sensations are so overwhelming, so intense you can’t begin to imagine how you haven’t combusted yet.
Higher and higher you climb as sweat begins to drip down and onto the sheets below, mingling with the arousal practically pouring out of your body. You can feel your eyebrows scrunch as a moan escapes your lips. “Yes! Yes! Ugh, you’re so close!” She digs the nails of your right hand into your chest, tightening the bind once more, just as a fresh wave of powerful energy pulses through your cunt spilling you at last over the edge. Your legs tremble violently and your toes curl as your body arches high off the bed and your eyes roll back into your head as you scream out a gasping moan. Your body radiates in ecstasy as electric shocks of pleasure cycle from head to toe.
Then, all at once you feel the fullness release and the bind relent as your body goes limp atop the bed, your breath coming in gasps. You blink your eyes open and your fingers twitch in your right hand. You slowly curl it into a fist and let it drop to the side. You pull your other hand up from between your legs feeling it drenched in your juices and wipe it off on the sheets beside you. Having full control of yourself now you glance around the room, still heaving, searching for any sign of the ghost who pulled the very soul from your body, but there was nothing.
Silence.
You roll yourself to the edge of the bed and swing your legs over the side as you push yourself to sit. You slide off the edge onto wobbly legs and nearly lose your balance as you stumble towards the bathroom. You throw open the bathroom door.
Still no sign of her.
You turn towards the mirror taking in your utterly ruined reflection. Your hair is somehow wilder than before, your body is drenched in sweat and there is a sheen stickiness glistening on your upper thighs. A satisfying soreness is settling in your core as you catch sight of your gaze once more. Though the glowing amethyst has gone from your eyes, in its place has returned your natural human shade. You then glance down to see the marks your nails made across your body, bright red and claiming. You sigh wondering how long it will take for them to dissipate.
And then you catch it, out of the corner of your eye, a glimmer sparkling over the bathtub. You spin around suddenly to find Agatha perfectly content, stretched out in the basin as swirls of otherworldly smoke linger about like bath water.
“Hate to say I was a bit rusty but I certainly enjoyed myself!” She gleamed as she shot your stunned figure a lecherous smirk and quirked a taunting eyebrow. “How about you hon?”
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I am thinking about doing a part 2 of this with Rio. Thoughts?
Description: Rio makes it to the festival and finds Agatha in trouble
Wordcount: 7K
Warnings: Traumatic Birth
Masterlist AO3
Chapter 28 - Fire
“Come on guys! Let’s go! You can make out later!” Rio hollered from the living room.
“We weren’t making out!” Jen spat as she rounded the corner from the hallway in a hot pink pantsuit. “Sorry it took a fucking minute to wash the hospital stink off but after the day I’ve had and the fluids I’ve encountered there was no way I was going to this thing without a damn shower!”
“What’s your excuse?” Rio snickered as Alice trapsed out after Jen.
“Jen was taking a shower, obviously I needed to be there…for moral support!” She shrugged as she straightened out her burgundy blazer.
“Why am I not surprised?” Rio laughed. “Well, you look ready now, let’s fucking go before we have to park a million miles away and show up late!”
“Doesn’t this thing go until like midnight? Who cares if we’re late?” Jen scoffed
“I do! I told Agatha we’d be there for the kick off so if you don’t mind let’s get our asses in the car and go!” Rio urged exasperatedly
“Alright! Alright! Don’t get your panties in a wad! I just need to put my shoes on and grab my bag then we’re set!” Jen said.
Rio slapped her hands to her face and slowly let them slide down to keep from losing her shit. “I’m…I’m gonna go get in the car. Just make sure the doors are locked on your way out.” Rio said in a huff as she turned and hobbled out.
“Jeez, what’s her problem?!” Jen scoffed
“Eh, she’s been on edge ever since the knee thing. Then of course she’s also stressed out about Agatha and the baby with this whole festival.” Alice explained
“Oooo I bet she is what with Agatha’s due date being pushed up a bit.” Jen snickered
“Wait what? I thought that was just a maybe kind of thing.” Alice frowned in shock
“Oh no, Vicky’s pretty confident she’s probably gonna pop in the next couple of weeks, not June like they had originally estimated.” Jen chuckled as she slipped on her shoes.
“No shit! …Huh.” Alice huffed looking puzzled.
“What huh?!” Jen scoffed
“That was not the impression I got at dinner the other night!” Alice snorted
“What do you mean?” Jen frowned
“You might have been in the bathroom when we were talking about this but they were telling us about some babymoon thing they were going to do at the end of the month. I guess Rio had finally convinced her to take a few days off. Though Agatha did say they made it a point to stay in town because there was a slight chance he could show up early.”
“HA! More than slight! I’m betting she’ll make it to the end of next week, tops!” Jen scoffed “Man, I knew she was in denial but damn! I swear, sometimes that woman can be thicker than a bag of rocks.” Jen tisked as she shook her head. “Well come on, we better go before lover boy out there has a conniption!” She said as she headed out the door.
“Right behind you, dear!”
————————————————
By 5:50 they were ascending the immaculately decorated and surprisingly lively monumental staircase of Music Hall. An LED light display set the building awash in digital flames, jets of fire were bursting intermittently from the tops of pedestals and performers, clad in ornate orange and red costumes, trapsed up and down the stairway gathering everyone in for the ceremony.
“She really pulled out all the fucking stops for this didn’t she?” Jen mumbled under her breath as they reached the doorway which was draped in flowing satin fabric.
“She said they spared no expense!” Rio shrugged.
“I cannot begin to imagine how much all of this cost!” Alice gasped as they entered the foyer.
The three stood in awe as they marveled at the transformed space. From the ceiling three floors above draped down a series of thin shimmering fabrics in reds and golds that were hung along the bannisters as they fell all the way to the ground floor and pooled in the corners of the atrium. Hung along the railing of the balcony above were tiny metal dragons that shot sparks from their mouths every so often. In the center of the floor was a small roped off area with pillars in each corner that hosted large bowls with flickering flames swirling about atop them. As they looked about at the throngs of people before them, dressed to theme in shades of red and splashes of gold, they began to mingle their way through the crowd in search of Ralph.
“She should definitely be thrilled about the turnout! I don’t know that I’ve ever seen this many people here before!” Jen shouted to Rio up ahead.
“I told her it was going to be a hit! She was nervous that no one would show up.” Rio called back
“That is definitely not the case tonight!” Jen chuckled.
“Where did she say he was going to be?” Alice hollered from the back.
“Over here on the left. He should be right by the bar!”
“Figures!” Jen scoffed.
They quickly found the bar where bartenders were mixing cocktails with a flourish of tricks, sending cinnamon sparks atop one drink, lighting shots on fire, and one that came in a particularly unique mug with a lip that held a small blue flame.
“Oh shit! They’ve got feuerzangenbowle!” Alice shouted as they passed.
“Did you just fucking sneeze?” Jen snorted
“Gezundheit!” Rio chuckled
“No! It’s this German drink where they soak a sugar cube in basically moonshine then light it on fire and it melts into the drink. They usually have them at Christmas markets and stuff. They’re amazing and I’ve been wanting to try them out at the bar but the permits to do it are fucking insane!” Alice babbled to which Jen and Rio shared a confusedly amused look.
“I’m gonna go get one! You’ll get it if you try it!” She insisted as she stormed off towards the bar.
“If you say so honey!” Jen shouted after her.
“There! I think I see him!” Rio cheered at last as she pointed to Ralph on the other side of the bar, who indeed stood about six and a half feet tall with an enormous gold and ruby headdress on.
“You go ahead, I’m going to wait for Alice. We’ll meet you there in a sec!” Jen said as Rio started towards him.
“Well, well! Hello Mami! You made it just in time!” He beamed as she pushed her way up to him. “They just made it to the podium!” He said as he pointed to the second floor balcony.
Rio whipped around to where he was pointing just in time for Agatha to spot her in the crowd and smile. Immediately her heart fluttered at the sight. She couldn’t ever remember her being more beautiful, radiant in her flowing Venetian red dress, the particular shade illuminating her ocean blue eyes that were so piercing they sparkled all the way down to the ground floor. Her long hair was carefully tucked behind her ear as the length cascaded down her shoulders, and being perched so high above in the balcony, glowing in the halo of the spotlight, it was as if she was a goddess that had descended from the heavens. If Rio could have sprouted wings she would have flown to her in that moment.
All of a sudden a brief pageantry of strings and horns sounded from above and silenced the surrounding crowd. Once the music stilled Herb stepped up to the mic and began his welcome speech.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, friends and neighbors! It is my distinguished honor to welcome you all to what I am sure will become a notable tradition in our community…”
She could feel the hum of excitement hovering throughout the room, among the people around her, all enchanted by the atmosphere and the eloquent tale Herb was weaving, though she herself heard none of it. Her focus was solely on Agatha, her mere presence locking her in a hypnotic trance. She watched as Agatha’s eyes zeroed in on Herb, seemingly focused intently on every word he was saying, though she likely had heard this speech dozens of times at this point. The way her smile seemed to widen almost into a grimace before she bit down somewhat nervously on her lip. She then shifted uneasily from foot to foot, inching her way to the bannister where her hand lifted surreptitiously to rest as she leaned slightly towards it. Odd, Rio thought. Perhaps she’s tired after another long day?
“Through months of trial and careful preparation we have endeavored to deliver a most unique sensory experience, encouraging you to explore the depth of culture our great city has to offer…”
As Herb droned on she continued to study her. Beyond her beauty and radiance Rio began to notice the signs of wearied fatigue that were beginning to poke through her polished facade. Her glimmering, crystal blue eyes held a heavy exhaustion, her chest seemed to heave as if standing there required nearly all of her energy, and the gleaming smile she had arrived with had now sunken into a tight, pursed almost sneer. Then, if that wasn’t enough, she noticed her grip on the bannister had tightened to the point that her knuckles were as white as bone and her free hand had seemingly disappeared into the folds of her dress as if soothing the tempestuous motions of their son. She was more than tired, that much was clear. In fact, she seemed on the brink of collapse. Rio felt a worried tightness curl in the depths of her chest. This was too much, she was pushing herself too far and she needed to rest. She wasn’t sure how but she knew as soon as Agatha descended to greet them she would find a way to convince her to go home, at least for tonight.
“...and so, dear friends, it is without further ado that I invite you to join in the visual delights of the Ignis Nocturne accompanied by members of our very own symphony!”
As soon as Herb’s speech ceased the lights throughout the hall cast them into darkness save for the glowing bowls of fire atop the pedestals surrounding the stage. For a brief moment Rio’s attention was caught by the troupe of dancers making their way to the stage as the fifth movement of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite rained down from the balcony above. The dancers lit their instruments in the flaming bowls about the columns and began an enchanting and spellbinding performance. They twirled and threw batons that licked at the edges of the audience. A few of them expertly extinguished flames in their mouths before carefully reigniting them. After that they began a series of acrobatic tricks where they were standing atop one another juggling flames and even tossed each other up into the air. Then as their performance neared its end additional performers rushed forwards with the edges of the draping fabric and launched themselves into acrobatic feats that carried them nearly to the ceiling three floors above. And just as the music crescendoed to its peak they unwound themselves in a dramatic plunge that landed mere inches away from the checkered marble floor just as all the fires were extinguished leaving the hall in stunned pitch black. As the lights began to rise revealing all performers unscathed in a circle facing out towards the crowd they were met with thunderous applause and cheers. Yet, in this renewed visibility, Rio’s gaze diverged from the performers to find Herb standing alone applauding on the balcony.
Rio looked around the balcony and saw no sign of Agatha. She must be on her way down, trying to beat the crowd. She told herself. She let her attention fall back to the performers who were bowing once again and she joined in the seemingly endless applause until at last they dispersed to a flurry of chatter, awe, and excitement.
“So that was fucking wild!” Jen gasped as the group turned their attention inward.
“Yeah, I was not expecting that! When she said there’d be performances and music and stuff I was thinking like oh, scenes on a stage or something, not fucking Cirque du Soleil!” Alice chuckled.
“They’re local?” Jen asked Ralph
“Yeah, if you consider New York local.” He scoffed.
“You pulling anything unexpected out of your ass later?” Jen snorted
“I’m not bending myself in half if that’s what you're asking, but I will have some fun costume quick changes, though after that it might be a little underwhelming.” He admitted with a grimace.
“You good?” Alice asked Rio who was too busy searching the crowd for Agatha to participate in the conversation.
“Yeah…yeah, just trying to keep an eye out for her.” Rio replied as she shifted anxiously trying to see around heads and bodies for any sign of her.
“I’m sure she’ll be here in a bit. She probably just got caught up talking to donors or something.” Jen insisted
“Yeah, you’re probably right. We still cool to hang out here for a bit until she makes it over?” Rio asked
“Fine by me.” Jen shrugged
“Yeah, of course!” Alice added
“I don’t really have anything until my set at 10:30 so works for me.” Ralph said.
As they waited they talked over the different events that were happening throughout the night, Ralph told them about the different vendors they would need to stop by and Alice made each of them try the flaming German drink which was met with varying degrees of disappointment. All the while Rio kept a close eye on the crowd, looking for any sign of Agatha moving about towards them. After ten minutes she grew concerned, but she was probably just caught up in conversation right? So she continued to wait. By fifteen minutes in, she had completely stopped participating in the conversation and was solely searching the crowd. She tried to find Herb and Sharon in the rabble but they were nowhere to be found either. Perhaps they were caught up in some administrative bullshit? She tried to remain calm but every passing second grew heavy with worry. Then, when the grand clock in the hall announced that twenty minutes had passed with the chime of its bells she couldn’t wait any longer and decided to search for her.
“I’m going to make a round and see if I can find her.” Rio said decisively as she began to hobble away.
“I’ll go with you, and maybe we can stop by the bathroom, those drinks went right through me!” Alice said as she started to follow Rio.
“We’ll wait here in case she decides to show up!” Jen shouted after them.
They scoured the packed crowd of people that were still bustling about the hall. A few times Rio thought she had caught her out of the corner of her eye but when she would turn to try and catch her it would end up being someone else entirely. She wracked her mind trying to think of where she would have gone, she had been the one to decide where to meet. By the time they reached the other end of the hall and the bathrooms Rio was starting to work up a panic.
“Maybe she’s in the bathroom” Alice shrugged as she pushed her way in and rushed to a stall. Rio took a deep breath, trying to calm herself enough to keep her head straight, and walked through the door in search of Agatha.
“Agatha?” She called out as she limped down the first aisle of stalls. “Agatha!?” She hollered as she rounded the corner with no response and began looking at the feet under the occupied stalls. “AGATHA!” She shouted as she circled back to the entrance
“I don’t think she’s here!” Alice shouted back as she exited the stall.
“Well where the fuck is she then?” Rio sighed exasperatedly.
“I don’t know man, try not to panic just yet, I’m sure we’ll find her. Maybe she’s already back by the group now.” Alice said, trying to be as reassuring as she could with wet hands. Just then, Sharon pushed her way into the restroom breezing past Rio on her way to a stall. “Sharon! Sharon, hey!” She shouted as she barreled up behind her.
“Oh…oh, hello dear!” She said a bit shaky and surprised. “What…um…what are you still doing here?”
“What do you mean? I came to see Agatha for her opening night. I’m actually having trouble finding her and was wondering if you might know where she went.” Rio asked as calmly as she could muster by that point.
Sharon’s eyes bulged in horror and her face turned white as a sheet. “Oh, honey! Did she not come find you after the kick off?”
“No?!” Rio replied as her heart started to race again at seeing Sharon’s concern.
“Oh, dear. Have you tried calling her?” She asked rather urgently.
“No, not yet. What’s going on Sharon?” Rio pressed.
“Well…um…she said she was going to come find you. She’s…well…” Sharon babbled nervously
“Out with it Heart!” Rio half shouted.
“She was having some contractions earlier.” Sharon admitted meekly
“She WHAT?!” Rio roared in fury and fear.
“She said she would be able to get through the speech and come find you.” Sharon cowered.
“FUCK!” Rio hollered in a panic as she whipped out her phone and froze. There was a missed call from Agatha and a voice message. She could hear her heart pounding in her chest, and a cold trickle of fear drip down her spine as she clicked on the notification and began to play the message aloud.
“Rio…my love…I…I need you to…ahhh…AAAHHHAAGHHH…” as she continued to grunt in pain, the sound of hands slapping onto a hard surface could be heard along with the crumpling of papers. Then there was a gasping breath before a sharp inhale of shock.“No…no not yet…please no…I…I need more time…I need…I nee…” the words lost their shape and fell into heavy panting breaths before there was a loud crashing clatter and then a soft muddled thud…then…nothing.
Rio felt a new wave of disquiet rattle her as her spine prickled with fear and her hand that held the phone began to shake. Her breath then began to fracture coming in short shallow bursts. Agatha was in pain, she was in labor, and from the sounds of the clattering at the end, in crisis. She had to find her immediately, but where? Music Hall was a sprawling campus and with the festivities about, she could be anywhere. “Fuck…FUCK!” She shouted as she began to pace. “We have to find her. We have to find HER!” She shouted as she burst out of the bathroom with Sharon and Alice closely behind.
Her eyes searched frantically as she tried to think of where to start. She was up on the balcony, had she even made it down to the main floor? Could she be in the stairway? Or stuck in the elevator? She started to charge towards that corner of the room and immediately saw a group exiting the elevators. Not in the elevator. She continued on towards the stairwell and yanked open the door as she started calling her name which echoed into the nearly empty tower. She hobbled all the way up to the second floor with Alice and Sharon closely in tow and thrust her way through the door out to the second floor balcony. Her eyes quickly scanned the sparse clusters of people mingling on this level and still saw no sign of her. She stumbled over to the balcony and collapsed against the bannister, head in her hands, as she tried to wrack her brain of where to look.
“For an injured person you are quite fast.” Huffed Alice as she and Sharon caught up to her.
“She has to be somewhere close, she can’t have gotten far in her condition.” Sharon insisted, causing Rio to lift her head from her hands to glare in her direction.
“WHY DIDN’T YOU CALL ME?!” She shouted as she stormed towards the woman and she cowered back.
“Hey, Rio, chill!” Alice urged as she stepped forward to hold her back.
“It was only a few hours by the time we noticed, she said you’d be here and she wanted to wait until after the kick off to tell you. I’m…I’m sorry.” Sharon whimpered shakily
“Rio, it’s not her fault, she didn’t know, she just did what Agatha asked her to.” Alice insisted
“But why? Why did she ask her to do that?” Rio gasped as her rage fell to fear and teary eyed worry and turned into Alice.
“I…I don’t know man. It’s ok, it’s going to be ok. We’ll find her.” Alice reassured as she held Rio for a moment. Rio quickly peeled herself away and wiped the few tears that had fallen away from her eyes as she turned away to glance at the crowd below as she gathered herself. There as she stood above the rabble it dawned on her. Red. All the people milling about below, clad in every shade of red one could imagine. The drapery, the decorations, the fire itself burning red. What was it Lilia had said? She tried to rack her brain to remember the exact phrasing. When you lose her in the red sea…look for the silver lining. Silver! But what silver? Her eyes darted around the room searching for anything that could remotely be considered silver, but the only other color she could see against the red was gold, not silver. She turned to Alice and Sharon as she began muttering to herself. “Silver…silver…”
“Silverrr…what?” Alice asked as she exchanged a confused glance with Sharon.
“Something silver, silver lining…” Rio muttered in explanation
“You’re making no sense.” Alice said as she stared at her dumbfounded.
Rio continued to search, bringing her gaze up to the second floor where they were standing. She turned slowly scanning the room, and that’s when she saw it. The back hallway to the administrative offices. Nearly the only area in the entire hall that wasn’t decked out in a fiery motif. Instead it glowed with a single silver blue light that radiated off the silver metal frame of the doorway that closed it off to the rest of the building. Of course!
“Her office!” Rio gasped as she stumbled in that direction
“What?” Sharon asked as she and Alice began to follow
“Her office! She’s in her office!” Rio shouted as she made it to the doorway. She pushed in on the bar, hoping to release the lock but found it unwilling to budge. “Fuck why is this locked? It’s never locked!”
“It’s because of the festival. We didn’t want just anybody wandering back there.” Sharon shrugged.
“Sharon, please, please tell me you have a key!” She gasped urgently
“I do! I have my key card!” She yelped excitedly as she dug through her hand bag to pull it out and grant them entry.
They rushed in as soon as the door gave way and Rio ran down the hallway, as fast as her knee would allow her with Alice and Sharon even struggling to catch up. In the blink of an eye she made it down the hallway and around the corner and up to Agatha’s office door which was held ajar. As she reached a trembling hand for the handle her heart was racing so fast she thought it might explode from her chest. She burst through the door with Agatha’s name on her lips and was halted in shock as her gaze caught her unconscious body lying in a heap on the floor in front of her desk. Her long hair splayed wildly around her, the bottom of her dress dark and stained with what she hoped wasn’t blood though the room was tinged with the smell of iron. As quick as she had stopped she lurched forward collapsing onto the floor beside her, her hands grasping at pulse points and eyes searching for any signs of life. She quieted, barely letting out a breath until she felt a faint thrumming pulse at her wrist and saw the slow shallow movements of her chest as she breathed. She closed her eyes and let out a small sigh of relief, she’s alive! She’s still alive!
It wasn’t until she heard a sharp gasp and an “Oh shit!” behind her that she realized Alice and Sharon had made their way into the room. She turned sharply towards them with a shuddering breath.
“Sharon…Sharon!” She shouted, pulling her attention from Agatha’s limp body. “Go call 911! Then go outside and wait for them to arrive!” She commanded to a stunned Sharon. “Go! Now!” she yelled, spurring her into action.
“Alice! Go…go get Jen!” She urged, trying to hold in the gravity of her panic.
“Y…Yeah, you got it!” Alice replied as she bolted from the room.
Rio turned back to Agatha’s unconscious body and rolled her over to her back before gathering her face between her hands. She could still feel her faint pulse thrumming through her arteries though her skin was cold and clammy. She brushed her hair away from her face as she called at her to return to consciousness.
“Agatha, Agatha baby please! Come on, don't do this to me. Come back! Wake up! Wake up please!” She pleaded with tears stinging her eyes as she patted her hand against her cheek. After a moment that seemed to stretch on forever Agatha’s eyes rolled back into focus as she took in a deep gulp of air.
“R…Rio?” She croaked out, barely more than a whisper.
Rio let out a heavy sigh of relief as she fell forward pressing her face into the crook of Agatha’s neck. “Oh thank the gods!” She gasped as she held her as close as she could. “You’re ok, you’re ok!” She began to repeat as she sat back up and took in more of the scene, her free hand darting around unsure of what to do or where to check next. “You’re going to be ok!”
Agatha reached out, stilling Rio’s anxious hand as she pulled it in close to her chest. “Agatha, what happened? Are you in pain? Sharon said you were having contractions.”
“Yes.” Agatha gasped as tears quickly drew to her eyes and began pouring down her face. “Rio…I’m sorry! I’m so so sorry! I…I thought I had more time!” She sobbed.
“It’s ok, don’t worry about that right now! We’re getting you help. Sharon called the paramedics and Alice went to go find Jen.”
“Rio, the baby! There’s something wrong! Ahhh…AGHHHH…AHHHHH.” She gasped just as another contraction took her.
“Come on baby, breathe! You got this!” Rio coached as Agatha struggled through the pain before gasping for air as it passed.
“Rio…it hurts!” She cried “it hurts so much!”
“I know! I know Cariño, you have to fight through it and stay with me! Ok?” She begged as she pulled Agatha’s head into her lap and began stroking her hair comfortingly. They sat in silence for a moment as Agatha breathed heavily with tears still streaming down her face, coming down from the gut wrenching agony.
“It broke!” She sighed through sobs
“What did?”
“My water, it broke and there…ahhh…and there was….AAAGGHHHHH” Almost immediately another contraction gripped her.
“Shit! That was fast!” Rio gasped in shock. “I…I should probably be timing this!” She said as she searched for her phone, eventually pulling it out of her jacket pocket and immediately started a timer.
Just as the second contraction crested Jen and Alice burst through the door before quickly skittering to a stop at the scene.
“Fucking Hell!” Jen shouted
“Oh good she’s awake!” Alice sighed in relief
“Yes but she’s in fucking labor! Jen do something!” Rio pleaded
“Shit! Right!” Jen said as she shook her head and jumped into action, settling herself at Agatha’s feet. “How close are the contractions?”
“I just started timing but not very far apart. She said her water broke.”
“Fuck…ok…ughhhh…yeah it definitely did.” Jen groaned as she noticed the fluids on Agatha’s dress and legs. “Alright…Agatha, I have to check you.”
“What?!” Agatha gasped in exhausted shock.
“I need to see what’s going on. Just trust me alright?”
Agatha gave a reluctant nod before Jen dove under the layers of her skirt and pulled off the blood soaked remnants of her underwear. “Fuck!” She gasped as she threw them to the side, out of Agatha’s view, as she and Rio exchanged a quick concerned glance. “Gods, I hate that I’m not wearing gloves right now! Is there like hand sanitizer or anything in this fucking room?” Jen shouted as she sat back on her heels. Rio and Alice began to search frantically just as Agatha screamed out again in pain. Rio immediately turned back to hold and comfort her through it as Alice threw Jen a bottle of hand sanitizer she found in one of Agatha’s desk drawers.
“Alright what’s our timing look like?” Jen asked as she slathered herself in sanitizer.
As Agatha settled again on the other side of the contraction Rio frantically searched for her phone and found it sitting beside her. “It’s…shit, just over a minute.”
“Fuck! Ok…ok…” Jen breathed as she psyched herself up. “I’m going in, just try to keep breathing, ok?”
“What the fuck do you think I’m doing?!” Agatha whimpered, clutching at Rio as Jen pressed forward and she winced in pain.
“Oh…OH…ok then.” Jen muttered before she withdrew her hand tinged with blood. “Can I get a towel or a cloth or something?” Jen asked, holding her hand aloft. Alice rushed around to dig through Ralph’s bag and pulled out a hand towel.
“Jen, how we looking?” Rio asked urgently as Jen toweled herself off.
“Exactly how you’d expect with the contractions that close. He’s knocking on the fucking door.”
“What do you mean?” Agatha gasped in panic as her focus bounced between Jen and Rio who were exchanging knowing glances. “What does she mean?”
Jen rested her hands on Agatha’s knees as she turned her worried yet insistent gaze towards her. “Agatha, on the next contraction, I'm gonna need you to push.”
Agatha’s heart sank as her body began to shake in the throws of shock, exhaustion, and adrenalyne. “WHAT?! No…NO! I…I can’t…it’s…it’s not time…it can’t be…I’m…I’m not ready.” she began to cry.
“Agatha, you don’t really have a choice.” Jen insisted with a sorrowful lilt to her voice
“Can’t…can’t we wait for the paramedics?” She begged as she felt the tendrils of another contraction begin to tighten.
Jen shot a quick look to Rio before turning back to Agatha, “Agatha, I’m not trying to alarm you, but you’re bleeding, quite a bit. I don’t know where it’s coming from but there’s a chance your baby could be losing oxygen and we need to get him out, now! He’s right there, he’s ready, so when you feel the next contraction you have to push, ok?”
Agatha gave a shaky, defeated nod as she reached back for Rio who moved to have Agatha rest against her chest, arms around her sides, their hands entwining into fists as the contraction deepened and she began to push. She bore down with all her might as the pressure continued to build, constricting every muscle in her body as the pain tore through every cell in her body.
“Come on, baby, you got this! That’s it!” Rio cheered her on as she pushed through the last of the contraction and collapsed back in a fit of gulping, heaving breaths.
“Rio…I…I can't, it's too much!” Agatha whimpered as her head fell back onto Rio’s shoulder
“Yes you can! You’ve got this! I’ve got you, now just breathe.” She urged as she rested her head against Agatha’s cheek.
Agatha lay there for a moment, chest heaving as Rio held her, before rising her head as another contraction came barreling towards her. She took a deep breath and held it as she curled forward and started to push.
“That’s it girl! Just like that!” Jen coached as Agatha grunted furiously, pushing with every ounce of energy she could muster. The pain was searing as it continued to build and she could feel the pressure growing more and more intense as her son made his way further and further down. Just when she thought she might collapse in exhaustion the contraction released and she cried out with a whimpering breath.
“AH! It burns…Rio it hurts… it hurts so fucking much!” She cried as Rio cradled her in her arms and wiped the sweat away from her forehead.
“I know, I know, Carino! You’re doing so well! You’ve just got to keep going, you’re so close!”
“Agatha, you’re doing great! You’re beginning to crown, just a few more pushes like that and he’ll be here!” Jen encouraged.
“You hear that, baby? He’s almost here! Just a few more, you can do it!”
“This…this isn’t what I wanted! It wasn’t supposed to happen like this!” Agatha sobbed through heaving breaths.
“I know, baby, I know, but we’re here now and you’ve gotta push through! I’m right here with you! You can do this!”
She gave a few more heaving breaths before she righted herself and began pushing once again. The pain was white and blazing hot as if it was burning her from the inside out. The pressure between her legs became nearly unbearable as it threatened to split her in half and she cried out in a guttural, primal fury as her legs began to shake. She paused for a moment, catching her breath and gathering every bit of might and power she could as she dug into the depths of her soul to begin pushing again. She fought, pushing hard through to the end of the contraction and as it eased she could, for the first time feel a slight release from the pressure that had only been building up until that point.
“You’re doing so good, girl! You are so close, his head is out. Take your time, catch your breath, when you’re ready you give me everything you’ve got and we’ll get this baby out of there!” Jen cheered encouragingly.
In the wake of the last contraction Agatha lay slumped in Rio’s arms as her chest heaved for air. She could feel a tingling lightheaded sensation as her vision began to grow spotty. She let her eyes flutter closed as her body succumbed to the brief bit of rest she was being granted and she began to drift towards the edges of unconsciousness once more.
Seeing her begin to slip, Rio gathered her face in her hands and urged her to wake, “No…no, come on baby! Hold on, please! You’re almost there! I can see him! I can see our son!”
“Rio…I…I can’t…I don’t have anything left. I can’t do any more! ” She whimpered breathlessly as she struggled to keep her eyes open.
“Yes you can! Just one more! One more and he’s here! You can do this, baby! You are so strong! Jen’s got him, all you have to do is give one more push.” Rio coached
“One more?” she huffed as she glanced down at Jen
“One more, girl! You can do it! Dig deep! Don’t quit on me now!” Jen prodded lovingly.
“OK…” she breathed as she readied herself with the next contraction.
“Let’s go! You got this, Agatha!” Alice cheered from her seat on the couch beside them.
Agatha centered herself as much as she could then took a deep breath in before she began pushing once more. In that moment it was as if her soul left her body and she was nothing but a pure, raw primal force pulling on the very fibers of humanity to deliver her son into the world. As Jen eased him out the scream that tore through her shattered what remained of the person she was before, but on the other side, bloodied and bare, exhausted and drained and limp in Rio’s arms, she was born anew.
“He’s here! Agatha, you did it!” Rio cheered as she held Agatha close and tears began to well in her eyes.
Agatha breathed out a soft, relieved laugh as she slowly lifted her heavy head to look at Jen, who had her son stretched over her lap.
“He’s here…is…is he ok? I…I don’t hear anything.”
The room stilled as if all the air had been sucked out and they looked intently at Jen who was patting urgently on his back trying to get him to breathe.
“Come on buddy, you’re on the other side, take a breath!” she muttered as she continued her ministrations.
“Jen, what’s going on?” Rio finally asked with a nervous waiver to her voice.
“I…I don’t know! He’s…he’s not breathing.” She admitted as she tried to remain calm.
“Jen…please!” Agatha sobbed as she watched her urgent actions take no effect.
“I’m trying! It’s not working!” She replied, her voice raising slightly. “I need suction, I think his airway is blocked but we don’t have anything here! We aren’t exactly in a hospital!” She groaned, growing fearful and frustrated.
“Here, give him to me!” Rio urged as she reached across Agatha to take him from Jen. His little head fit perfectly in the palm of her hand as his body draped against the length of her forearm. She placed her mouth around his tiny nose and mouth and sucked out the blockage, spitting it on the floor beside her before placing him on Agatha’s chest. Agatha held him close as tears began to stream down her face.
“Come on! Come on, just take a breath!” Rio pleaded in a muttering beg as she stroked the back of his head with her thumb.
“Please, little bug! Please just breathe!” Agatha sobbed as he lay still in her arms.
The room fell silent and somber as the seconds passed until a soft mewling whimper broke through the haze. At the noise they all sighed as the fear and tension vanished. Agatha gasped in relieved shock as she felt his hands and feet start to move against her skin. He was alive! Tears of relief and joy burst forth, streaming down her face before spreading to everyone about as they listened to his growing cry.
“He’s ok! Rio, he’s ok!” She sobbed as she looked up into Rio’s waterlogged eyes.
“He’s more than ok, my love!” She said as she pressed a kiss to Agatha’s forehead. “He’s perfect!”
“Jen! You did it!” Agatha gasped through her crying.
“That was all you two! I just caught him. Fuckin, House over here saved his life!” she scoffed.
“You did! Rio, you really did!” She sighed through shaky tearstained breaths.
“I just did the only thing I could think of. I’m just glad it worked.”
“You’re a fucking hero man!” Alice cheered as she gave Rio a hardy pat on the back.
“I…I feel cold.” Agatha breathed as she began to shiver. She could feel her limbs growing weaker as the faint fuzzy feeling quickly returned. She fought to keep her eyes open but the edges of her vision were starting to fade.
“Fuck! I need more towels or cloth or anything!” Jen shouted “She’s still bleeding!” Alice rushed to hand her every fabric within reach which Jen pressed up against the wound.
“Agatha? AGATHA!?” Rio shouted as she watched Agatha’s eyes roll into the back of her head and her body begin to shake. She carefully slid out from behind her and grabbed the baby, wrapping him in her jacket, before Agatha succumbed to a full blown seizure. Just as they were able to roll her onto her side the door burst open and the paramedics rushed in taking over.
“Sorry, it took forever for them to get up here through the crowd!” Sharon gasped in the doorway, clearly having run the entirety of the hall to get there. “There’s more coming up the elevator with a stretcher!”
“Thank you Sharon! You might have just saved her!” Rio sobbed with the baby in her arms.
“M’am, we’re gonna need to cut the cord so we can move her.” said one of the paramedics as they dug through their bag.
“Yeah, of course, I can get it!” Rio sniffled as she rifled through a pocket, pulling out her switch blade and severing the cord as the baby wriggled, crying in her arms. Jen rushed over and tied the loose end in a knot as the paramedics turned their full attention to Agatha. Moments later a stretcher was brought in which they moved her onto.
“Do you want to go with us or do you want me to take the baby?” Asked another paramedic as they began to wheel her unconscious body out.
“I’ll go! I’ve got him, I’ll go with you!” Rio insisted as she started to follow them.
“We’ll be right behind you guys! We’ll see you at the hospital!” Jen called after them as she started to gather their things. “Fuck, I am never going to get to wear this pantsuit again after this!” Jen groaned, seeing the damage that had been done.
“It’s a shame! It looks really good on you!” Alice sighed, “Maybe you can convince Agatha to buy you a new one after all that!” she shrugged
“If she makes it out of this a new pantsuit is definitely on the table.” Jen chuckled though her laugh was hollow.
“You think she will? Make it out of this?” Alice asked, seeing her worry.
“I really hope so.”
—--------------------------------------
Rio hovered in the back of the elevator, clutching the baby now settled into her chest as she watched the team work to stabilize Agatha. They’d strapped an oxygen mask to her face as they collected vitals all the while her head hung to the side with her hair dangling over the side of the stretcher and her eyes remained closed. She was angry, furious that it had gotten that far. That Agatha had pushed herself over the edge to where she gave birth to their son on the floor of her office and now…now it seemed as though she was slipping away. She didn’t get to do that to her! Make her love her so deeply and then leave, nearly destroying them all. How could she live? How could she survive without her? How could she care for their child without her? It wasn’t fair! She needed her! They both needed her! She had to pull through, but would she?
As they exited the elevator into the surprised crowd she heard a faint whimpering sound at her chest.
“It’s ok, little bug!” She hummed as she followed the stretcher. “Mami’s got you, you’re ok. Mama…mama’s going to be ok…I hope.”
The next week flew by in a whirl of highs and lows. While the demands and expectations of preparing for the festival increased day by day, and the aches and pains of late pregnancy only seemed to worsen, in the spare moments Agatha hovered in a surreal cloud of joy and bliss in the aftermath of her engagement to Rio. They celebrated with an utterly shocked and surprised Nat, Hela, and Yelena at brunch the next day. Hosted a congratulatory and welcome back dinner with Jen, Alice, and Ralph that Wednesday. And though she had tried to keep it under wraps as much as she could at work with everything else going on, by Thursday someone had let the news slip to Sharon who was practically beside herself with excitement.
“You’re engaged?!” She shouted as she burst into her office that morning, breakfast in hand.
Agatha groaned and rolled her eyes. “Who told you that?”
“Your dear friend with the blonde hair. I think his name is Randy? I was down at the cafe picking up your smoothie and we were talking about the party on Saturday and he asked if I was there for the engagement. And I said what engagement and he told me sweet Rio proposed!” Sharon squealed in delight.
“Ugh! I knew I shouldn’t have asked him to come and help!” Agatha grumbled as she continued sorting through emails.
“So? Where’s the ring?” Sharon asked, too delighted by the news to be intimidated by Agatha’s sullen demeanor
“Shouldn’t you be meeting with the management team to go over the staff list instead of here prying into my personal life?” Agatha droned as she reviewed her nearly endless list of tasks for the day.
“Oh, right, of course! I didn’t mean to overstep. I’m just so excited for you both! Rio is such a delight and I see how happy you two are and with the baby on the way you’re just going to make the sweetest little family!”
“Focus, Heart! Management team, staff list! I’ll need that before lunch today!” Agatha scolded
“Yes! Yes, I’m on it!” Sharon muttered as she headed to the door.
“Sharon!” Agatha called after her just before she disappeared. “Not a word of this to anyone! I need these people focused on the task at hand, not flittering about gossiping about this nonsense.”
“Oh absolutely!” Sharon twittered.
“And if you see Ralph tell him I need to see him asap!” Agatha barked
“Will do, dear!”
“And…thank you.” Agatha muttered
“For what?” Sharon turned, a bit confused.
“For the gifts. The quilt, and blanket, and stuff. That was…kind of you.” She said without lifting her gaze from her work.
“Oh of course dear! It was a wonderful excuse to craft again. I haven’t made anything like that since my grandson was born and it…”
“I don’t need the details!” Agatha snipped, cutting her off. “Just go get the staff list.”
“Yes! Right away.” Sharon said as she shuffled out and with a click of the door behind her Agatha was alone in her office.
She leaned back in her chair with a sigh as her hand glided around the swollen orb of her belly. Over the last few days, as she trapsed nearly every corner inside and out of Music hall, and in doing so the weight of her son had sunk low pressing into her hips and as he shifted within her it sparked an urgent pain in her lower back. She closed her eyes and breathed through the worst of it with a hum.
“Alright little bug, enough of that now!” She warned as the pain subsided. “I know this week hasn’t been easy but there’s no need to rush these things! There’s still too much to do!” She groaned as she looked back over her list. She added a few more items before her gaze caught the time. Shit! She was going to be late for her meeting with Herb on the opening ceremony. She gathered her things as quickly as she could and heaved herself from the chair. The first few steps were strained as her hips and feet protested the movement but she eased into a tolerable pace just as she reached the door which miraculously swung open before her.
“Hey mama!” Ralph gleamed practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. His light and buoyant energy striking a jealous nerve within her. “Sharon said you wanted to see me?”
“Yes.” She groaned, shoving past him. “Walk with me.” She commanded as she waddled down the hallway toward the elevator.
“Girl! You look like you’re having a rough time today!” Ralph snickered
“Oh, what gave it away?” She glowered
“You’re breathing heavily and walking like a penguin. Can I carry something for you?” He offered
“If you insist, I’m not going to argue.” She grunted as she turned and handed him her things. “Did you tell Sharon about the engagement?”
“She was at the party! I thought she already knew!”
“Well she didn’t, and no one else here needs to know especially right now. I didn’t bring you here to gossip about me to my coworkers, I need you and them focused on getting everything in its place before tomorrow.” She scolded as she pressed the button for the elevator.
“Which is exactly what I was doing before you called me up here!” He scoffed. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep my mouth shut. Even though it’s not as big of a deal as you’re making it out to be. So what if they know you and Rio are getting married?!”
“Shhh! Keep your voice down!” She spat. “I am nothing more than an employee and acquaintance to these people and I like to keep it that way. I don’t need them to know any more about my personal life than they already do.”
“What, you don’t want people to be happy for you?” He huffed
“Honestly no, I’d prefer them to be wary and a little intimidated, makes it easier to get things done and there’s too much left to do. This pregnancy has already broken more of that illusion than I would like.” She scoffed as she glided a hand against the surface.
“I don’t know about that! I think at this point everyone’s just scared if they set you off you might go into spontaneous labor.” He chuckled earning a vicious glare from Agatha
“Not funny!” She growled as she stepped into the elevator.
“Oh come on! It was just a joke! Though I have to say it doesn’t seem too far-fetched, you are looking pretty rotund these days.”
“Ralph!”
“Could you imagine! You’ve done all this work and the kid decides now’s the perfect time to pop out?” He cackled.
“RALPH!”
“Sounds like something I would do! HAHA! Hate to miss a good party you know!”
“Ralph! I swear if you don’t shut the fuck up right now…” She started just as the elevator opened to Herb standing before her on the ground floor. “Heyyyy Herb! I was just coming to meet you!” She lilted, plastering a grin across her face.
“Agatha! Good morning! I was just about to check and see if we needed to move this to your office. I know you’ve been on your feet a lot this week so I don’t want to force you into anything unnecessarily.”
“No need! I’m here now, just moving a little slowly today.” She grimaced
“Understandibly so!” He grinned as he eyed Ralph beside her.
“I, uh, I’m just gonna go back to setting up the vendor booths, I’ll catch you at lunch.” Ralph said as he handed her things back and scurried off.
“Friend of yours?” Herb asked with a frown
“Unfortunately so. Shall we?” She huffed as she headed into the lobby with Herb in tow.
—------------------------------------
The rest of the morning did nothing to ease her aches and pains. After running through the set up, timing, and Herb’s speech a few dozen times for the initial kickoff she had to rush to help manage a sound system issue with the rear stage. Just as she had quelled that fire she was called to the front of the building where she had to walk the lighting and special effects crew through their set up plans for the umpteenth time. By the time lunch rolled around she was barely able to make it back to her office before collapsing onto the couch in the corner. She quickly kicked her shoes off of her aching feet and slumped onto her side. Just as she got relatively comfortable there was a knock at her door.
“Ugh! Whoever it is, go away and come back in 10!” She wined
“Even me?” Rio’s voice lilted from the other side of the door as it began to creek open.
“You, my love, are the only exception!” She sighed as a hint of a smile flashed across her lips.
“Oh Cariño! You look positively exhausted!” Rio cried as she hobbled over with her cane to sit near Agatha’s feet. “You’ve been doing too much again haven’t you!”
“It’s been a bit of a hectic morning running from one end of the building to the other, but nothing I can’t handle.” Agatha chuckled though her eyes betrayed the true strain of the day. “I’ll have enough of a break now that I’ll be able to finish out the day.”
“I thought when you hired Ralph to help he’d be doing more of the running around for you! Wasn’t that the whole point?”
“Oh he is, and it's taken a lot off my plate but things keep popping up and it’s easier if I just handle it myself.”
“Easier for who, exactly?” Rio asked, eyebrows hitched in skepticism.
“Me mostly, that way I know things are being done correctly!”
“Mhmmm.” Rio rolled her eyes and hummed doubtfully. “Tell me you’re not staying late again at least!” Rio urged as she gathered one of Agatha’s feet and began to rub.
“No, no! I should be home by six. There’s just a few more things we have to set for today and then I’m done.”
“And you have to be here for all of it?”
“Ugh! I shudder to think what would happen if I wasn’t! Do you know, they tried to set up the flame launchers along the main stairway out front!”
“Oh how could they!” Rio gasped as if she had any idea what Agatha was talking about.
“Luckily I intervened in time to move them to the proper location along the pedestals, away from passing patrons! The last thing we need is to set someone on fire with some stupid pyrotechnics trick.”
“Good thing you were there to save the day!” Rio chuckled
“And our asses!” Agatha snorted “Ahhh, I’m so glad you’re here, and you’re rubbing my feet, and you brought food, maybe?”
“You know I did! A sandwich from your favorite place!” Rio beamed as she pulled the food out of her bag
“Ugh! I knew I said yes for a reason! You are the absolute best!” Agatha sighed as she struggled to sit, wincing in pain at every movement.
“You sure you’re going to make it the rest of the day?” Rio chuckled skeptically
“As long as this kid stops kicking me in the kidneys I’ll be fine.” She groaned as she pressed a hand to her back, trying to ease another growing ache.
“Sweetheart, you look so uncomfortable!” Rio sighed
“What gave you that idea?” Agatha scoffed
“You really should go home and rest. Especially if you’re going to try and make it through opening night tomorrow.”
“I’ll be fine!” Agatha grumbled as the pain crested and began to release. “As long as nothing else goes awry, this afternoon will mostly be registration prep and printing out credentials for the people working tomorrow. Nothing strenuous.”
“If you say so…” Rio frowned. “I do worry about you.”
“I’m well aware, dear.”
“You missed your medication again this morning!” She scolded as she pulled the pill bottle out of her bag. “You really need to stay on top of this!”
“I know! I know, it just slipped my mind as I was rushing out the door. Thank you for bringing it.” She said with a half smile as she pressed a kiss to Rio’s cheek before heaving herself up from the couch.
“How’s your blood pressure been?” Rio questioned.
“Fine! Perfectly fine.” Agatha replied dismissively as she dug into the sandwich.
“When was the last time you checked?”
“This morning, I think.”
“You think?”
“Or maybe it was last night. I can’t quite remember.”
“Agatha!”
“Sorry, the days just all blend together at this point.”
“Which is exactly why you need to slow down and rest before you end up in the hospital before this baby’s even born! Please! I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you! Either of you!”
Agatha stood frozen and silent in the wake of Rio’s pleading, her gaze avoidant and fixed on the mess of paperwork on her desk. She felt a pang of guilt for the worry and stress she was causing her but what could she do? The success of this event that she had already poured so much of herself into was riding squarely on her shoulders, not to mention her reputation and obligation to the donors. Failure in this moment was unconscionable.
As she struggled to find words of reassurance she felt Rio’s warm and comforting presence ease into the space behind her. Her cautious, delicate fingers entwining themselves in the tresses of her long hair, pulling a heavy sigh from Agatha’s lips as she leaned into the touch. Carefully Rio inched closer, her hands wrapping around the underside of Agatha’s swollen belly, lifting and easing some of the weight she was carrying, eliciting a soft moan of relief as she rested her chin on her shoulder.
“It’s ok to rest. To take a step back.” She whispered, her lips grazing along the shell of Agatha’s ear. “Come home with me.”
Her mind ached in protest, as her body softened at the relief of Rio’s hands fully supporting the weight of their child. It felt like she could finally breathe as the pressure, the strain that had been plaguing her was lifted if only for a moment. She could almost feel tears of relief begin to well in her eyes as her will slowly started to crack.
“Rio, I…” she began, but just as the words left her mouth the door to her office swung open.
“Sorry it took longer than I thought but here is the finalized version of the staff list and then Jerry from the management team wanted…OH! Oh I’m so sorry I didn’t realize you were…that you two were…oh dear I should have knocked.” Sharon blabbered in a flustered panic.
“Hey Sharon!” Rio smirked as she slowly removed her support from Agatha’s bump and took a step back. “No worries, we weren’t doing anything too indecent.” She chuckled with a wink.
“Oh I… um…well, aha-ha, how…uh…how’s your leg doing, dear?” Sharon stumbled trying to recover her composure.
“Doing much better! Still taking it easy. Wish I could say the same for this one.” She pointed a thumb in Agatha’s direction who was standing at the edge of her desk, one arm bracing her weight as the other curled under her bump trying to ease the pressure and aching that had returned all too quickly.
“What…um…what were you saying about Jerry?” Agatha managed to croak out through her unsteady breaths.
“He wanted me to let you know they’re having an issue wiring some of the vendor booths and he needs to go over some options with you.”
“Ok, tell him I’ll be down in a bit. You can put the staff list on my desk for now.”
Sharon dropped the papers on her desk and started to bolt for the door.
“Wait! Can’t Herb handle it?” Rio called out to Sharon.
Sharon’s eyes darted to Agatha nervously as she replied. “Unfortunately he’s rehearsing with the orchestra at the moment.”
“Then what about Ralph?” She asked turning to Agatha.
“He’s a temporary worker; he can't sign off on any changes.” Agatha explained.
“Well then you do it.” Rio half yelled towards Sharon. “I don’t see why it always has to be her!”
“Because I’m in charge, my love.” Agatha sighed as she slid on her shoes and walked past Rio, giving her a peck on her cheek along the way. “It should only take a few minutes, wait here, I’ll be right back!”
Rio let out a huff in disappointment as soon as Agatha was out the door. “Sorry for getting loud with you Sharon. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Oh honey it’s alright. I wish I could have been of more help. Is there anything I can get you while you’re waiting?”
“No, I’m alright. Thank you though. I’ll…uh…I’ll just make myself at home until she gets back.”
“Alright. If you need anything I’ll be over at my desk.”
“Thanks Sharon.” Rio mumbled as she shuffled over to plop on the couch and wait.
20 minutes passed, then another, then just as she reached almost an hour she heard the door handle click.
“Finally! I thought I was going to have to come look…Ralph?”
“Hey Mami!” He gleamed as he snuck into the room.
“You’re not Agatha!”
“Thankfully no! I would not want to be her right now!” Ralph laughed
“Where is she?” Rio glowered
“She’s still dealing with the electrical stuff, it’s a bit of a shit show down there. She sent me up here to let you know, she didn’t want you waiting forever.”
“How thoughtful.” Rio grumbled dryly.
“She wanted me to tell you she’s sorry, if she could leave right now she absolutely would but, and I quote, These fucking idiots wouldn’t know their ass from a hole in the ground let alone how to properly set up these fucking booths.”
“Ah! That bad huh?” Rio huffed “Well… I guess I’ll head out then. Can you keep an eye on her? She really shouldn’t be up and about this place like she is, it’s practically killing her.”
“Oh don’t worry, once she started storming about downstairs I grabbed her a chair and made her take a seat.”
“Thanks, and make sure she eats the rest of this, she can’t be running on fumes either.” Rio said as she handed Ralph Agatha’s lunch.
“That was the other thing she sent me for that and…”
“Her pills?” Rio finished, shaking the bottle as she handed it to him.
“Exactly! Thanks. Are you good?” Ralph asked, seeing her dismay.
“I will be once this fucking weekend is over! I’m hoping that once things get started she’ll actually chill out a bit.”
“You’ve met her right?” Ralph chuckled, “I don’t think that woman has chilled out a day in her life!”
“I know, it’s like pulling teeth to get her to relax, but I’m worried what all this is doing to her and the baby. All this stress, it can’t end well.”
“I get it, I even told her this morning she’s looking a little worse for the wear, and I think she is starting to feel it. Oh that was the other thing, she did say even though she can’t leave just yet she will try and sneak out early.”
“Heh! I’ll believe it when I see it!” Rio scoffed.
“I told her I’d hold her to it. If anything pops up I’ll try and keep her out of the loop and make sure she’s out of here at a reasonable time.” Ralph assured
“Thanks man! It's really good to have you back!”
“And I am so glad to be back! The drama on this last ship was getting to be too much even for me! It’s been nice taking a step back.”
“Ha! Can you tell that to Agatha?”
“I’ll try. And thanks for letting me crash at your place! First time I’ve had that much space to myself in a long time.”
“Of course! I’m just glad it’s getting some use while I still have the lease! Alright, well I’ll catch you later!”
—————————————————-
Early in the evening, as Rio was working through her physical therapy exercises on the floor with cartoons blaring as background noise, she heard the soft click of the door handle before Agatha stumbled across the threshold and she jumped up to greet her.
“My love! You’re home!” she cried excitedly as she took Agatha’s bag from her.
“I told you I’d try to get out early!” She replied with a slight, tired smile.
“It’s just after 5:00.” Rio chuckled, unimpressed.
“Exactly! I made it home before six.” Agatha sighed as she sunk into the couch. “Help, please!” She pouted as she stuck her feet out for Rio to help her with her shoes. Rio perched herself on the edge of the coffee table, willingly obliging the request.
“How’d the rest of the day go? You all set for tomorrow?” Rio asked as she slid off the shoes
“As set as we can be.” Agatha sighed in relief as Rio began to rub the sore appendages. “It took me another hour with that guy after you left to find a reasonable solution to our power problem but thankfully that’s sorted. Sharon was able to get all the badges made for me while I oversaw the set up of the entryway. Now all that’s left is to hope people actually show up tomorrow.”
“I’m sure it’ll be a hit. I’ve seen it all over social media and even heard them talking about it on the news this week when I was at the hospital. People seem excited.”
“Ugh! I hope so! I can’t afford for this to be a flop after all the work and money we’ve put into it.”
“And all that effort shows! The place looked incredible when I left! I can’t wait to see it all come together tomorrow night!”
“I’m so glad you’re going to be there! I don’t think I’d be able to survive the night without you.”
“Of course! I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Rio smiled back though her joy quickly turned to concern as she watched Agatha hiss sharply as her brow furrowed in discomfort. “You ok? What’s going on?”
“Nothing…it’s fine. Just sore, my back’s been aching off and on all day.” She said with a wince
“Contractions?” Rio questioned, a bit concerned.
“No, no, I’m sure it’s just inflammation, a pinched nerve or something from being on my feet too long.” Agatha brushed off with a wave.
“Why don’t I draw you a bath and while you’re soaking I can make us some dinner?” Rio offered
“Ugh! That sounds amazing! Why are you so good to me?” Agatha sighed as she reached out a hand, brushing her fingers lovingly along the curve of Rio’s cheek.
“Because you deserve it! You’ve been working too hard and you need to relax.” Rio leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Agatha’s lips, and then to the bump before she stood and shuffled towards the hallway. “Don’t move! I’ll be back in a bit when it’s ready.” she called before disappearing down the hallway.
As she waited, Agatha settled further into the couch, allowing her eyes to flutter closed as she eased into the stillness. Her body was heavy and sore with all she had been putting it through, her feet swollen and pulsing with the rhythm of her heartbeat. Her hips throbbed with the weight and pressure of her son bearing down into the joints. Every movement either of them made now resulted in pain and discomfort. She was tired, tired of the heartburn, tired of being swollen, tired of peeing every hour, tired of being pregnant.
Yet in her heart the fears still loomed. Though her body was at its limits she wasn’t mentally prepared for what was coming; the labor, the birth, motherhood. It all still seemed too daunting, even with Rio’s attentiveness and support. It was a reality she knew she had to come to terms with but the more she thought about it the further she tried to push it away. She still had time, still had weeks left to go. She could get through these last few hurdles at work and then focus on reconciling the imminent future. Yet even as these thoughts crossed her mind a part of her hummed with anxiety at the shadow of pain that had been visiting her throughout the day and still clung to her now after appearing again moments before. It was nothing…right?
As she washed these concerns from her mind once again she heard Rio’s voice ring out as her footsteps drew close once more.
“Alright, my love! I have everything set, you ready?”
“My heart says yes but I don’t know how I’m going to move at this point!” She cried
“Don’t worry, I got you!” Rio smirked as she hobbled towards Agatha and reached out a hand. She helped her to sit at the edge of the couch then with some effort pulled her to her feet. “You ok?” She asked, seeing the pain in her face as she stood grasping Rio at the shoulders.
Agatha bit her lip as she breathed through her nose, the pain and pressure in just moving to stand was nearly unbearable. “I’m fine…” she grunted as she forced her feet to move. “I shouldn’t have sat down, my whole body is stiff now.”
“It’s ok! Take your time. I’ve got you!” Rio encouraged as she guided Agatha away from the couch.
“Oh yeah?” Agatha huffed as she cracked a smile. “You and that bum knee of yours?”
“My knee’s fine! I’ve got the brace on and the therapist says I’m good to walk around the house at least.”
“If you say so.” Agatha sighed as she waddled down the hallway, holding onto Rio as she winced with each step.
As they made it to the bedroom Agatha began peeling off her clothes. She quickly slid off her shirt and braced herself against the wall as she struggled to rid herself of her pants.
“Here sweetheart, let me help you.” Rio cooed as she guided Agatha to the bed to help her tug them the rest of the way down.
“Fuck! I’m so tired of struggling to do every little thing. I can’t even get undressed by myself!” Agatha groaned as she flopped back, allowing Rio to help undress her the rest of the way.
“I know, Cariño, but it’s to be expected at this point.” She reassured as she pulled Agatha to her feet. “You’ve been so strong, only a few more weeks, my love.”
“Ugh! I don’t know how I’m going to make it a few more weeks. I am so not ready to give birth but I am beyond over being pregnant at this point.” Agatha groaned as Rio eased her towards the bathroom.
“Hopefully this will take your mind off of it, and ease some of those aches and pains, if just for a bit.” Rio smiled softly as she opened the door.
The room glowed in a warm halo of vanilla and amber, as candles flickered across every surface of the bathroom. Steam curled from the tub along the window as rose petals floated delicately on the surface and soft soothing music lilted from a small speaker across the room.
“You really don’t do anything half way do you?” Agatha chuckled as she stepped into the oasis.
“Not when it comes to you, my love.” Rio cooed as she pressed a kiss to Agatha’s cheek. She led her over to the tub and held her steady as she helped her into the warm water.
As soon as her foot broke the surface Agatha let out a sigh of relief. Slowly, with Rio’s careful assistance, she eased herself into the water, letting out a soft moan as soon as she was submerged.
“Too hot? Too cold?” Rio asked as she laid back.
“It’s perfect, sweetheart, thank you!” She sighed, puckering her lips to invite Rio in for a kiss.
“Alright, I’m gonna go get dinner ready. I have the baby monitor set over there on the counter so holler if you need anything.” Rio said as she swiped a piece of hair from Agatha’s face and placed a kiss on her forehead before heading out.
As she soothed her sore muscles and joints in the warm water Agatha closed her eyes and sank down, submerging herself just above her shoulders. As the pain started to ease she could feel her son begin to shift and move within her. She cracked her eyes open and watched as the crest of her stomach bobbed about in the water. She drew a hand to the surface and danced her fingertips across her belly, circling his movements.
“Long day huh bug?” She hummed as he continued to stretch. “You’ve been just as busy as I have! Mama felt you movin about all day. I’m sure you’re tired, I certainly am.” She said with a yawn. “You’re getting heavy in there, not sure how much more room I can give you. You just gotta hold tight. Only a few more weeks and then you can join us out here. Mami’s got your room all ready. We’re all very excited to meet you, just don’t listen to uncle Ralph! No surprise appearances ok?” She felt a long rolling shift as her belly button bounced up and down. “I’m gonna take that as a yes.” She chuckled to herself. She closed her eyes as she set her hand to rest on her stomach, letting his little motions soothe her further. It was the most relaxed and calm she had felt in weeks and she nearly drifted to sleep, but as the heat of the water got to her she reluctantly decided to get out.
She slowly sat up out of the water and just as she managed to shift to her knees she felt another tight curling pain begin in her back. It was the same pressure she had experienced throughout that day but it grew stronger and wrapped around the whole of her belly. She gripped tightly at the edge of the tub as the pain intensified and let out a sharp gasp just as it reached its peak. She held on, breathing as calmly as she could until the wave passed and she felt like she could move again. Just as she began to shift, Rio burst through the door.
“Agatha? Is everything ok? I thought I heard you on the monitor.”
Agatha breathed calmly as she smiled up at Rio. “It’s fine! I’m fine. Just having a little difficulty getting out. My back was bothering me again.” She said, not wanting to raise any alarm bells. Surely she had just overdone it for the day and her body was reacting in protest. It was nothing.
“I told you to call for me if you needed anything!” Rio scolded. “Here, let me help you out.” She let Rio hoist her out of the tub and wrap her in a soft warm towel. “I’ve set out some clothes for you on the bed, do you want some help getting dressed?”
“No, no I should be fine. The bath helped a lot, I think I can manage now.” Agatha assured, hoping to dissuade any concerns.
“Alright, I’m gonna go finish up dinner. If you do need help just let me know.” Rio replied on her way back out.
As soon as she was out of sight Agatha turned off the monitor and stared at herself in the mirror. She was fine! Everything was fine! Her gaze darted down to her bump as she smoothed a hand over the surface, staring at her profile in the mirror. It was just a fluke, surely! Just a spasm, nothing to worry about. She laughed it off as she ghosted a hand over the surface.
“Not funny, little bug!” She muttered in a hushed whisper.
She hurriedly dried herself off and quick as she could, changed into the large t-shirt and shorts Rio had set out. Once dressed she headed for the door but stopped short, catching her reflection again in the full length mirror. Ralph was right, she was quite round. She analyzed her reflection for a moment longer before brushing the whole thing off and heading for the kitchen.
“Ah! Perfect! Just in time! I made some chicken enchiladas with rice and beans. Go have a seat, I'll bring you a plate.” Too tired to argue Agatha waddled over to the recliner and settled in. Rio buzzed about in the kitchen for a few minutes more then brought her a plate before settling into the couch beside her. “So what’s the plan for tomorrow?”
“Huh? Oh, tomorrow, right, the festival.” Agatha laughed, the question having pulled her back to the present moment. “Well, good news is I don’t have to be in until 11.”
“Oh that’s fantastic! Hopefully you’ll be able to sleep in.”
“Hopefully, we’ll see if he lets me.” She said with a nervous laugh. “Bad news is I don’t think I’ll have time to come home and get ready or pick you up.”
“Oh no! I was hoping we could all ride together!” Rio pouted
“I know, hon! Are Jen and Alice still planning to carpool?”
“As far as I know. But if you want me to come early and help you get ready I’m sure they’ll understand.”
“Oh no! Don’t worry about it, Ralph will be there to help me. You ride with them.”
“Alright, sounds like a plan. Are you nervous?”
“About what?” Agatha replied, with a waiver to her voice as her mind still prickled over the earlier incident.
“About the festival?” Rio laughed, “What else?”
“Oh right! Yes, yeah…a bit…a bit nervous.” Agatha stuttered
“Are you sure you’re ok? You’re being weird.”
“What? Yes! Perfectly fine! Just tired, yes, very tired.”
“Heh, if you say so, weirdo.” Rio scoffed.
Their evening quickly settled into casual conversation, a few episodes of a show they’d both seen a dozen times but found comfort in repeating, and Rio snuggling up to Agatha’s bump on the couch, her head resting on the side as her hand spread across the surface, feeling every shift and turn. Before long they were both struggling to keep their eyes open and Rio finally admitted it was time to head to bed. She helped peel Agatha from the couch and they headed down the hallway. They each slowly and sleepily moved about in their nightly rhythm, dancing around each other as they readied for sleep. Unencumbered by the struggles of pregnancy Rio quickly settled into bed with a novel while Agatha continued to shift about the bathroom.
She was stood at the sink, half asleep brushing her teeth when she felt another ache creep into the small of her back. It started softly but quickly bloomed, crawling up her spine as it began to wrap around her core, an incessant squeezing pressure that grew and grew as it bore down through to her hips. She dropped her toothbrush into the sink with a clatter as her body curled around the pain, her hips swaying back and forth searching for any release in the tension as she tried to silently breathe her way through the worst of it. Then, just as she thought her legs might give out under the weight of it all, the wave began to recede, drawing its claws back once more.
She hovered at the sink, pulse racing as she righted herself, one hand cradling the underside of her belly. She spit what was left of the toothpaste in her mouth into the sink and patted herself dry with a towel before she chanced a glance at her reflection. She could see the ghost of fear and a spark of uncertainty in her eyes as she tried to reason the experience. She was tired. She had pushed herself way too hard and was on her feet way too long. She just needed to lie down and rest, give herself a break and relax. Yes, just too much stress!
She took a deep calming breath before she flipped off the lights and headed to join Rio in bed. She peeled back the sheets and slipped in beside her before turning off her bedside lamp and settling onto her side with Rio at her back.
“Not going to read your book tonight?” Rio cooed as she turned a page.
“No, too tired. Big day tomorrow.” Agatha mumbled as she shut her eyes tightly, hoping to erase the event from her mind.
“Well then, I won’t keep you up.” Rio sighed as she placed her book on the nightstand and turned off her own light. Agatha felt her shuffle further under the covers before her warm body pressed against her back. Rio slung her arm around Agatha’s waist, intertwining their fingers together to rest along the surface of her stomach as her face nuzzled into the crook of her neck amongst her hair, her soft breath pulsating down along her collarbone. Here, cradled in Rio’s arms, her fears began to subside. “Goodnight, cariño.” Rio hummed as she pressed a kiss to Agatha’s shoulder, the gesture easing the last of her worries.
“Goodnight, my love.” She whispered back as she let out a sigh and drifted off to sleep.
————————————————
By now she was used to nightly disturbances, being awoken with an urgency to pee throughout the night was routine at this point, yet earlier than she expected she was awoken first by another sensation. The aching pressure had returned once again and pulled her from a deep slumber in its presence. Her skin prickled as her heart began to race. She squeezed her eyes shut as she lay still waiting for it to pass, taking shallow breaths through her nose until the pain began to ebb.
Finally released from its clutches she dared to crack an eye open. She turned slightly, checking that Rio was sound asleep, before she reached over to her nightstand and checked the time. Just after midnight. She had been asleep for an hour and a half, maybe two at most. She set the phone back down on the nightstand and slowly pried herself from under Rio’s limbs, figuring now was as good a time as any to relieve herself. She made quick work of the task and shuffled back into bed, snuggling in so her head now rested on Rio’s chest. She listened closely to the sound of her heart beat, slow and steady as she slept, the rise and fall of her chest soothing her quickly back to slumber.
She had just started to dream when the pain returned, slow and steady, breaking through the visions that her mind was conjuring. She could hear a whimpering moan escape her lips as she was pulled back to consciousness. Her body began to rock as she tried to soothe the ache but the motion was not enough. In an exhausted stupor she rolled herself to the edge of the bed where her fingers clutched at the mattress and sheets just as the wave reached its peak and she let out a soft gasp just as it all began to fall away. She lingered there for a moment, still dazed in a half sleep as her body released the last remnants of tension before she reached out again to check the time. Just after 1:30. As she set the phone back down she felt a hand press against her back.
“Everything ok?” Rio’s voice croaked behind her.
“Yeah, just a bad dream. Go back to sleep.” She murmured. She heard Rio mumble something in agreement as her hand slipped from her back. It was just a bad dream. She repeated to herself as her eyes slammed shut and she rolled back into bed.
At just past 2:30 the need to pee drew her once again from slumber. She let out a deep tired sigh as she heaved herself from under the covers and into the bathroom. As she sat in the darkness, her eyes still closed, arm propped against the wall holding her head aloft in her hand, the ache snuck upon her once more. She braced herself as she drew breaths in through her nose and out through her mouth, her face contorted in discomfort as yet another wave crashed through her. Her heartbeat pulsed throughout her body, quick and angry as her body curved around the pain, the intensity bringing her fully out of her tired stupor. She held fast, not making a sound until every drop of discomfort had dissipated. Now fully alert she could feel a cool panic begin to creep into the edges of her mind. She rose from her seat and, quiet as she could, made her way through the bedroom and out down the hallway to the kitchen.
She bustled about for a bit, fixing herself a cup of tea as her mind warred over the night so far. False labor. It had to be, it was too early for it to be anything else. Her body training itself for the real thing. Jen had said they would get more frequent didn’t she? More intense as well? That was the only thing that could explain it. That and the fact that she had indeed seemed to have overextended herself and her body was making her pay.
As she held the warm cup up to her lips she breathed in the herbal tincture letting the earthy, floral brew relax her fears. She sipped carefully as her hand pressed against the underside of her belly, feeling the soft movements of her son stirring. He was there, he was safe, and that’s where he would stay. She quickly finished the honied liquid and set the mug back on the counter before returning to bed once again.
The rest of the night continued in suit, nearly every hour she would be yanked from sleep as her body succumbed to pressure and pain. Each time she fought the wary thoughts that arose as she clung as best she could to slumber. Yet as daylight began to break the pattern ceased, the waves subsided and she at last had some reprieve from the agony. With her body at ease she finally enjoyed a few hours of peaceful slumber.
At 9:30 her alarm rang and with a groan she shut it off and rolled back over in bed.
“Good morning, Cariño!” Rio yawned as she stretched herself awake. “Today’s the day! Aren’t you excited?” She asked cheerfully as she tucked her arms around Agatha, pulling her in close to her side.
“Eh! Hardly!” Agatha groaned, burying her face in Rio’s chest.
“Oh no! Did you have a rough night?” Rio cooed as she stroked her hair comfortingly.
“I was up and down half the night. I finally got some good sleep around seven until my alarm went off just now.”
“Oh sweetheart! I’m so sorry! Do I need to have a talk with our son about his late night partying?” Rio chuckled
“No, he behaved himself for the most part. I just couldn’t get comfortable.”
“Did you say you had a bad dream at some point or did I make that up?”
“Oh…yeah. Bit of a nightmare actually.” Agatha groaned.
“How awful! What happened?”
“I…uh…don’t quite remember the details now.” Agatha frowned, recalling the pains that had plagued her.
“Well, you take your time getting up and about, I’m gonna go get breakfast started. You want me to take you in today?” Rio asked as she crawled out from under the sheets.
“No that’s alright. If you’re carpooling later we’ll be able to leave when we need to if I have my car.”
“Good thinking!” Rio applauded as she leaned in to kiss Agatha’s forehead. “Any special requests from either of you for breakfast?”
“Do we have any of that cinnamon toast left?” She smiled coyly.
“I believe so.” Rio smirked
“Can you do that thing with the peanut butter and sugar and melt it like a crème brûlée?” She grinned deliciously.
“As you wish, beloved!” She said with a bow and started to head out.
“Oh and some scrambled eggs!” Agatha called after her.
“You got it!” Rio shouted back.
Agatha pressed her hands to her face as she yawned herself awake. As she lay there her mind filtered through memories of that night, restless and painful and a bit terrifying. She checked her phone again. 9:45. She had about 45 minutes to get ready, gather her things for that day and later that evening, eat breakfast and head out the door to begin what was due to be another demanding and nerve wracking day.
She threw the covers off her body, exposing the bare bulge of her stomach poking out from below the hem of her shirt which had ridden up in the night. She yawned and stretched out her whole self, earning a nudge of greeting from her son.
“Good morning little bug!” She yawned, “What a night huh? Let’s make sure that’s the last of that for a while, ok? Today’s a big day and we want everything to go smoothly.” She insisted before pushing herself to sit at the edge of the bed. Immediately she felt a shift, her breath felt easier, lighter, yet there was an urgent pressure low in her hips making it more uncomfortable than usual to sit. She slid off the bed to stand and felt the pressure worsen so she moved as quickly as she could with a heavy waddle to the bathroom to relieve herself.
As she went about her morning routine she kept sneaking quick glances at her profile in the mirror. There was a distinct change in positioning, a heavy sagging that was more present than ever before. Just a coincidence, she told herself. She hadn’t had any of the pains in hours. Surely this was just part of the joys of late pregnancy. She brushed it off and continued getting dressed and gathering her things before she headed out to Rio’s breakfast in the kitchen.
“Looking good, mama!” Rio cheered as she rounded the corner.
“Thank you, baby!” Agatha sighed tiredly as she gave Rio a peck on the cheek before she settled onto the stool with a wince.
“I have your peanut butter toast, and eggs, and most importantly, your meds!”
“Can’t forget those!” Agatha scoffed as she quickly swallowed the pill.
“So I guess Jen’s off at four today then they’ll come over and get ready. The kick off is at 6:00 right?”
“Exactly. Herb will give his little speech, there’ll be this performance thing in the center of the entryway and then it officially starts.”
“Ah! I’m so excited! It’s going to be amazing! I can’t wait!” Rio cheered as she settled onto the stool next to Agatha.
“If turnout ends up being what we expected that place is going to be a madhouse!”
“Oh I’m sure it will be! Where should we plan to meet you?” Rio asked.
“I’ll be with Herb when he gives his speech on the balcony and there should be space up there for you all but if Jen doesn’t get off until four you’ll be cutting it pretty close and it may already be full.”
“Eh, you’re probably right. Ground floor then, might be a better view anyway.” Rio smirked with a wink.
“Ralph will be stationed by the bar down there which may be easier to get to if we want to meet up there afterwards.”
“Where is that?”
“It’ll be over on the left side, should give you a good view of everything.”
“Then we’ll plan to find Ralph.”
“Oh don’t worry, you won’t be able to miss him. He’ll be about six and a half feet tall with his headdress on, bright red and orange and he mentioned something about it all glowing.”
“Perfect! Then we’ll keep an eye out for the giant flaming queen.”
“Alright, my love! This was delicious but I have to head out. I’ll see you later at the festival.” She gave Rio another peck on the cheek then slid off the stool to gather her things.
“Do you want some help out to the car?” Rio offered
“No, no. I’ve got it.” Agatha insisted with a grunt.
“Ok then. Have a good day, try and take it easy. I love you!”
“Love you too, hon!” Agatha smiled softly as she shuffled out the door.
—————————————————-
She had barely made it to the stop sign at the end of the street when she felt the stirring of another ache begin to wrap around her center. “FUCK!” she gasped as her hand gripped the steering wheel. She breathed deeply through her nose as her eyes clenched shut waiting for the pain to pass. Though it wasn’t as intense as they had been last night the wave took its time to release her. As she felt the tension start to give she heard a honk from the car waiting behind her. Her gaze quickly flashed to her rearview mirror as she slowly pulled away from the sign.
She considered for a moment turning around, heading back home to alert Rio, but then again, it had been hours since the last one. Surely this was just an echo of what she had experienced in the night and maybe she would experience another one or two throughout the day. It wasn’t an emergency and today was too important to falter so she continued on to work.
Nearly 20 minutes later she was ascending the stairs of Music Hall where everything seemed to finally be falling into place. All the booths were aligned in neat little rows with strings of Edison lights bridging above the walkways between them. Flashes of fire and sparks popped along the pedestals as they ran their final inspections with the fire marshals. The set and art pieces had finally been assembled and were being wired for special effects. It was all going according to plan.
She pushed her way into the lobby where she was greeted by an overenthusiastic Herb. who jumped up from behind the registration booth.
“Agatha! So glad you finally made it! It’s shaping up to be a wonderful evening, the performers are all set and going through their final rehearsals. We should start seeing some vendors come through any minute, you’re still planning to help get them situated, correct?”
“I am indeed, I just need to go drop my stuff off and I’ll be back down.”
“Fantastic! Well I won’t hold you then. Hurry back!” He said with a wave.
She rushed off towards the elevator and quick as she could headed down the administrative hallway towards her office. With everyone busy getting the final touches in place, the administrative side of the building was eerily quiet. She shuffled down the hallway, footsteps echoing on the hardwood as her garment bag with her dress for later swished loudly beside her. As she rounded the corner she was surprised to find that even Sharon was absent from her usual post, likely rushing about for some last minute badges for Herb. With her hands full she wrestled with the door handle and eventually shoved her way into her office where she threw everything she had onto the couch. She fished her phone out of her bag and sent a quick text to Ralph to have him meet her down in the lobby whenever he arrived and then started to turn and leave, but then it hit her, strong and sudden.
The gnawing ache had returned with force this time. She could feel the pressure building, low and steady as it threatened to knock her off her feet. She stumbled a few paces over to brace herself against the side of the desk to help ground her until it passed. She swung her hips side to side and tried to stay silent and breathe through the agony but as it crested a gasping moan left her lips and from there she couldn’t help but cry out again as it dissipated. This time the pain didn’t fully escape her, it left behind a strumming coiled tension that hovered at the base of her spine. As she stood there clutching at the desk, still swaying, the door to her office creaked open.
“Good morning, dear! Herb had said you were stopping by your office first so I thought I’d try to…catch you…” Sharon stopped suddenly in the doorway as her eyes adjusted to the scene. “OH! Agatha, are you alright?” she cried as she rushed to her side.
“I’m fine!” Agatha snapped as she pushed Sharon back and forced herself to stand. “It’s nothing.”
“Are…are you sure?” Sharon stuttered, gaze skeptical and full of concern.
“I said I’m fine! Now what is it?” Agatha groused.
“They want you to take a look at the rear stage before you get set for the day. They need to know if they should move the dragon again.” Sharon replied timidly.
“Fucking morons! As if we haven’t gone over this a dozen times by now!” She spat
“Well they’re worried the tail is going to block some of the seating and they’re having trouble connecting the flame thingy.”
“Fine! Go get set up with Herb, I’ll handle it and be with you all in a bit.” She hissed dismissively with a wave of her hand.
“Will do. You sure you’re ok?” Sharon asked as she headed for the door.
“Do I have to spell it out for you? Yes! Now go help Herb!” She growled as she practically chased Sharon out of her office, slamming the door behind her.
She stood in the silence, head and hand pressed to the door as her other hand cradled her stomach. Was she ok? No, not in the slightest. Her heart clenched with fear as her mind rushed to squash what she suspected to be true. It wasn’t time! This wasn’t happening! It couldn’t be! It was too soon! Yet the now persistent ache in her back suggested otherwise. She took a breath and walked back over to grab her phone. She thought for a moment about texting Rio, but she knew what she would say. Knew that she would be down to the Hall before she could hang up the phone and force her to come home. She couldn’t afford that. Not now, not when everything was so close, mere hours away! And who knows, it could just be a flair up and stop again like it had that morning. All in all she convinced herself it was too soon to tell and wasn’t worth alerting anyone until she was certain, until it was undeniable, and even then there would still be plenty of time, right? Instead she quickly checked the time before tucking her phone into her pocket and headed down to manage the dragon issue.
Though it was a difficult walk down she was able to keep it together long enough to sort through the challenges of making a life sized metal dragon wrap around the stage and breathe fire with only a twinge or two here and there in the couple of hours it took to resolve. With that settled she began to make her way back to the front of the building to meet Herb, and Sharon, and Ralph and help them finish assigning the vendors to their booths. She snuck in through the back entrance and hurried down the hall but just as she was steps away from entering the foyer another wave of pain claimed her. She stopped suddenly at the threshold, pressing a hand against the wall for support as she tried to breathe and remain calm. She could see them only a few yards away chatting about with the line of people gathering their credentials and she didn’t want to draw anyone’s attention. She grit her teeth, straining to push through to the other side of this suffering and just as the pain peaked she caught Ralph’s eye. He cheerily waved, none the wiser, as he beckoned her over. She quickly straightened herself as she flashed him a strained smile and forced herself to move forward through the last of the aching towards the table. Each step sent a shockwave through her system but as she continued the movement helped to ease the last of the tension.
“Hey mama! How’s it going? Big day huh?” Ralph prattled as he met her halfway and gathered her in a hug.
“Get off me!” she grumbled as she pried herself from his grasp.
“Sorry! Old habits! I forget, you have an aura to uphold here.” He said as he rolled his eyes.
“It’s not that, I’m just incredibly uncomfortable today and don’t need the added attention.” She scoffed as she straightened herself out.
“Heard!” He shrugged.
“How’s it been going so far?” She asked as they neared the table
“Going good, I think we’ve checked in about a third of the people expected. Herb said we’ll take a break in a few hours to grab a bite to eat. Need me to get you anything in the meantime?” He offered
“No, I’m fine.” She grumbled, still strumming with an echo of pain as they joined the other two.
“Ah, Agatha! Did we get everything sorted with the dragon?” Herb asked as she settled into the chair next to him with a huff.
“Yes, everything is set and in working order now. Sharon, can you hand me those folders?” She asked, pointing to a basket just as the next person in line stepped up to be helped. Though she didn’t respond, Sharon carefully slid the box to her as she eyed her concernedly. Agatha did her best to ignore the stare and continued on with her work.
Over the next few of hours Agatha did all she could to plaster a facade of calm, cool, and collected across her face, while her body continued to plague her with intermittent throbbing and aching. For the most part the distraction of work and staying seated managed to help with the worst of it though there were a couple of times when she thought she might shatter. Once when she was going over paperwork with a vendor she bit her lip so hard it drew blood just as she snapped the pen she was trying to hand him in two. Then later when she had to move from her chair to gather a set of lanyards she got caught in another wave and gripped onto Ralph’s shoulder to pull her through it, nearly breaking his collar bone in the process as he crumpled under her grip. Nearly the entire time Sharon’s eyes never left her, watching carefully at every sign of distress. When they did finally break to eat she found herself too exhausted to move so she had Ralph go and collect her some food. In the absence of an audience, Sharon hung back and dared once again to voice her concerns.
“Agatha, honey, can I talk to you for a moment?” She squeeked, in a voice small and timid.
“Does it involve me moving at all?” Agatha groaned as she leaned against the table, one hand rubbing her temple, the other soothing the soft motions of her son.
“No, no, not at all.” Sharon chirped
“Fine. Then out with it Heart.” She groaned, though she refused to look directly at her. Sharon settled in the chair beside her and much to Agatha’s surprise, gathered a hand in hers and looked deeply into her eyes. “What is happening?” Agatha asked as her eyes shifted cautiously.
“Honey, is everything alright? Are you feeling ok?” Sharon asked, her gaze intensifying
Agatha scoffed in disbelief “I am perfectly fine! Just a little sore here at the end of the week is all.”
“Are you sure? You seem to be having a particularly difficult time today, is there anything else going on?” She probed, almost begging Agatha to admit to the pain that had been ravaging her. She considered for a moment, seeing the concern in Sharon’s eyes, spilling all and confessing the fears that were growing with every twinge, but just as she was about to utter the truth she caught sight of Ralph returning with her food.
“I’m fine, Heart. Quit trying to mother me!” She spat as she yanked her hand away at last.
Sharon’s face sank with worry and disappointment as she stood from the table. “If you say so, dear.”
“I do! Now go get yourself something to eat!” She barked just as Ralph arrived.
“What was that about?” He glowered as he watched Sharon walk away.
“She’s just being nosy again.” Agatha scoffed
“You need to be nicer to her! That woman puts up with way more of your bullshit than any of us and she’s a delight. If you keep yelling at her like that she’s going to quit.” Ralph warned.
“She’s not going to quit!” Agatha scoffed.
“Don’t be so sure, everyone has their limits. What’s got you in such a bad mood anyway? I figured you’d be ecstatic that it’s opening night.” He asked as he dropped the plate in front of her.
“I’m reaching my fucking limit with this pregnancy. It’s been unbearable today.” She groaned.
“Is that why you almost cracked my shoulder in half earlier?” He chuckled as he began to eat.
“More or less.” She grunted as she felt another ache building. She braced a hand to the side of her stomach and forced herself to continue eating as she tried to push through. She scooped a bite of food onto her spoon and shoved it into her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to put all of her focus into chewing instead of the agonizing pain ravaging her body. She managed to choke it down just as the wave subsided but the lingering echo it left was stronger than ever. “I…uh…I think I'm going to lie down for a bit before we have to get ready.” she said as she forced herself to stand.
“Yeah, girl, get it in while you can!” Ralph insisted through a mouthful of food. “You wanna take this with you?” He asked, holding her plate aloft.
“No, I’m not hungry. I’ll get something at the festival later.” She insisted.
“Suit yourself!” He shrugged.
As she waddled over to the elevator each step was more painful than the last, her back and hips protesting every movement. She could feel the weight of her son pressing down further adding to the lingering pressure that was now a constant drone behind the steady rhythm of agonizing pain that no longer seemed to sneak but barrel over her. She pressed the button and was immediately greeted by the opening of the elevator doors. She stepped inside and pressed the button for the next floor and just before the doors closed Sharon managed to join her.
Sharon gave her a quick glance with a tight reserved smile then did her best to avoid Agatha’s attention. As she watched the woman Agatha couldn’t help but consider what Ralph had said.
“The food was nice.” Agatha muttered as the elevator slowly moved.
“Yeah, it looks good.” Sharon replied curtly.
“Did you pull that together?” Agatha asked
“Yes, I did.” Sharon said with a quick and somewhat surprised glance to Agatha.
“Well, good choice then.” She complimented
“Thank you.” Sharon replied with a soft smile.
The elevator doors opened once again to a barren administrative hallway. Agatha courteously allowed Sharon to exit first and followed quickly behind her, wincing with every step. They walked in silence down the corridor until they arrived at Sharon's desk and her office. Agatha watched as Sharon moved to sit behind the desk without a word as she headed for her door, a pang of guilt now ringing in her chest and she stopped just before opening it and turned.
“Sharon, I… I hope I didn’t upset you earlier.” She muttered
“What do you mean?” Sharon replied, completely puzzled.
“I know I can be harsh at times but I do appreciate having you around. I don’t think that any of this would have come together without you. I hope you know that.”
“Th…thank you that means a lot.” Sharon stuttered in shock.
Agatha flashed her a tight, uncomfortable smile. “Don’t mention it!” She breathed as she turned back around and stepped towards the door. As her hand gripped the handle she was overcome by a freightrain of searing pain. She collapsed forward with her head against the door as her free hand came up to grip the doorframe beside her. The force with which it overtook her seized any control she had and she cried out with an agonizing moan that bloomed as it wracked her entire body.
Sharon immediately launched up from her desk, rushed to Agatha’s side and began rubbing circles on her back. “It’s ok, let it out. You got this! Just breathe through it, it’ll pass.”
Slowly the claws began to release and Agatha pried herself away from the door to look at Sharon with a mix of appreciation and horror. “Sharon…” she breathed shakily, “this…this isn’t happening. It can’t be!”
Sharon smiled back with love and pity as she brushed the hair away from Agatha’s face. “Let’s get you off your feet, honey, and we’ll figure it, ok?”
Agatha nodded weakly as she slowly stepped away from the door and let Sharon lead her in.
Sharon quickly cleared the things from her couch just in time for her to sink into it. She helped get her feet up from the ground and lay back onto the cushioned surface. “Alright dear, you rest here I’m going to go grab my phone.” She said as she started to head out.
“No, wait! What for?” Agatha barked from the couch.
“Honey, I’m pretty sure you’re in labor. We should get you to the hospital.” Sharon insisted as sweetly as she could.
“NO!” Agatha shouted, the very thought of abandoning everything now was crushing and terrifying. Besides, it probably wasn’t labor, right? How could it be? It was too soon!
“Dear, I’m quite sure you just had a pretty serious contraction, I think it might be time…”
“NO! It’s NOT! …Not yet! ” Agatha gasped in panic as Sharon’s words shattered the facade she had built for herself. Sharon stared back at her worryingly as she pondered what to say. Agatha’s eyes darted around, searching, calculating, “I…I still have time. I can make it.”
“I’m sorry, dear?” Sharon asked, confused.
“What time is it?” Agatha huffed
“Just after four I believe.” Sharon replied cautiously.
“I can make it! I can definitely make it. ” Agatha repeated more to herself than to Sharon as she adjusted to sit up as much as she could.
“Make what dear?” Sharon asked, her confusion growing quickly to concern
“It’s only a couple hours? Right?” She laughed in a hysterical panic.
“A couple hours?” Sharon repeated, eyes wide with trepidation.
“Ralph will be up here soon, he can help me get ready. I’ll go out for the kick off and then…” she trailed off as her mind finally came to terms with the truth, the reality of what this day was becoming.
“And then?” Sharon repeated.
“Not a word of this to anyone!” Agatha snapped. “I don’t need anything to go awry before this festival starts.”
Sharon shook her head in horror. “Oh…honey, I wouldn’t…you don’t have to…”
“NOT. A. WORD. HART!” Agatha cut in forcefully.
“O…ok, dear... If that’s really what you want.”
Agatha stared at her, still in disbelief “It is.”
“Alright…I guess…I guess I’ll just be out here if you need me in the meantime. I’m going to leave the door open.” Sharon slunk out, hardly taking her eyes from Agatha as she did so until the wall itself blocked her view.
As soon as she was out of sight Agatha slumped back down onto the couch, her head dangling back as she stared at the ceiling contemplating the reality of her situation. How was this happening? It couldn’t be happening! Surely it would stop again soon and she wouldn’t have to leave! But even as those thoughts crossed her mind she knew it was wishful thinking. The pains had only grown stronger and more frequent as the day wore on and that could only mean one thing, she was having this baby soon! Sooner than she ever could have been prepared for. She wasn’t ready, he wasn’t ready! How could either of them be?
She thought about calling Rio who was currently with Jen and Alice getting ready to head over but, by her logic, by the time she told her and they made their way to the Hall the kick off would be underway as it is so why not hold out just a little longer? She just needed to make it to the kick off then they could figure this whole thing out. She knew where to find her and they could leave as soon as it was over. Jen said it took hours anyway, didn’t she? She had time. She had to have time! Just enough to see the tiniest fruits of success for all she had worked for.
As these last thoughts trickled through her mind a contraction began to take her. It dug its claws into her back and squeezed the very air from her lungs as her muscles constricted and bore down. She managed to roll onto her side and bury her face in the pillow before letting out another uncontrollable moan of agony. With every wave the pressure worsened, sinking further and further down. After a minute the tension eased just enough for her to catch her breath. Perhaps…perhaps it was time? She felt her heart cry, in fear, in disappointment, in pain. After all, how much more of this could she take?
She lay there for a moment, panting, contemplating, and urging herself to move. She summoned as much strength as she could and pushed herself to sit. She could feel the space between her hips full and heavy with where her son had already been pushed to. With a count of three and a grunt she hauled herself up from the couch and started for the door, one hand on her aching back, the other cradling the swell of her stomach. She eased out into the hallway where she found Herb and Ralph chatting with Sharon.
“She’s really not feeling well, and I don’t know if it’s a good idea that she go out with you this evening. I think she really needs to rest. In fact I should probably try and give Rio a call.” Sharon was explaining.
“Nonsense!” Agatha lilted as casually as she could, startling everyone with her presence. “Rio will be here later, there’s no need to rush her. I’m perfectly fine to see this through.” Agatha tried to convince not only them but herself, for in the face of doubt she couldn’t help but try to prove everyone wrong.
“See! I knew she wouldn’t let me take all the credit!” Herb chuckled. “Everything’s set downstairs, I’d expect people should start arriving within the next half an hour or so. I’ve already seen quite a few people mingling about the booths outside so I gave them the go ahead to start on their end. Take your time getting ready, I’ll be back to collect you at 5:45!” Herb flashed her an exuberant smile before heading out and down the hallway.
“You sure you’re good girl?” Ralph asked as he exchanged a concerned glance with Sharon.
“Yeah! Yeah, perfectly fine, just needed to rest a bit.” She sighed, trying to smile reassuringly. “Come on, we should start getting ready. It takes twice as long as it used to.”
“If you say so.” Ralph scoffed as he followed her into the office.
She shuffled over and grabbed her garment bag off the back of the couch and threw it towards Ralph as she started to peel off the button down she had put on that morning.
“Fuck that looks so uncomfortable!” Ralph gasped as she exposed her swollen belly to the room.
“You have no idea!” She scoffed as she unbuttoned her pants and let them fall to the ground. “You gonna just stand there staring or are you going to help me into the dress?”
Ralph shook his head, pulling him back into focus. “Right, yeah the dress.” He mumbled as he unzipped the bag revealing the bright red, flowing, floor length, chiffon dress she had managed to find. “This is cute!” He commented as he pulled it off the hanger.
“And it fits, just barely.” She snorted.
“Alright, over or under?”
“Over, I think.” She sighed as she waddled closer to him. He gathered up the fabric and helped slip it over her head as she slid her arms into the short flowy sleeves. He gathered her long hair out from the back of the dress and threw it over her shoulder as he started for the zipper. “Wait!” She breathed sharply as a pain started to swell again in her lower back. “Give me a second.” She begged as she began to pace breathing deeply in through her nose and out through her mouth.
“Yeah no worries! I’m just gonna start getting my stuff ready.” Ralph said as he turned to dig in his bag.
The pain was growing more intense every second and she couldn’t afford to lose her composure now, not in front of Ralph. She had to distract herself somehow, find some way to divert her focus from the pain. She bit down on the inside of her cheek as hard as she could tolerate, drawing a rush of salty iron into her mouth. It wasn’t a solution but worked for the time being to stifle the moan that was threatening to break loose.
“You nervous?” He called out to her as he began throwing things onto the couch.
“Ah…a bit” she managed to choke out just as the wave began to settle.
“Ah! Don’t be nervous! Everything looks amazing, everyone showed up and they know where they’re supposed to be, which is half the battle. People are itching to get in and see it all. You really outdid yourself!”
“Thanks” she mumbled as a tear began to well in her eye. It was too much. It was all too much and unless she found something better than chewing on her cheek she wasn’t going to make it without falling apart at some point soon. “Alright, I…I think I’m ready, zip me up?” She asked as she quickly wiped the tear from her eye.
“You got it mama!” Ralph said as he hopped up to help her. “You sure you’re ok?” He asked as he pulled her dress closed.
“Yeah, yeah, just tired. It’s…it’s been a long week.” She lied as her hands circled her stomach. She couldn’t tell him what was really happening for the same reason she had stopped Sharon from calling Rio. She knew as soon as any of them figured out what was going on it would all be over and she couldn’t take that chance. Not when she was so far from being ready to face this.
“It certainly has! Shit!” He exclaimed
“What? What’s wrong?”
“The button just came off.” He groaned, “Well, you can take the dress off and I can sew it back on or I can safety pin it.”
“There’s no way I’m getting out of this now, just pin it.” She sighed.
Ralph scrambled over to his bag and withdrew a pin. He shuffled back over and started to pin her dress in place. He nearly had it before the needle popped out and jabbed her in the back of the neck.
“Ah! Fuck that hurt!” She winced
“Sorry! Sorry! It slipped out at the last minute.” He said then chuckled to himself.
“What’s so funny?”
“That’s what she said.” He snickered
“I swear you’re a fucking child!” She huffed though a smirk snuck onto her lips.
“There! All set! Turn around, let’s see! GORGEOUS!!!”
“It’ll do.” She grunted.
“Now, go sit your tired ass down while I pull my shit together.”
Too exhausted to argue she waddled over and plopped back down on the couch. She let her head fall back as her eyes fluttered closed, trying to rest, relax, and prepare as much as possible before the next pain overtook her. She guided her hands along the surface of her stomach feeling the slight, soft strum of her son just beneath the surface. The barrier between them had never felt so thin. She thought of his tiny hands, how they soon would wrap around her fingers, of his little feet that had kicked and prodded her for months soon to be free flailing about in the open, of his button nose and lips that Rio swore were hers nestled comfortably into her chest. For all the fear and suffering that lay ahead she longed dearly for the other side when she could hold him in her arms. But not yet, little bug! Please not yet! She thought to herself.
As she sat there, dreaming about the seemingly imminent future, she felt the coil of another contraction begin to stir. She braced herself, biting her lip as the pain began to swell and bloom around her once more. As the pressure continued to build she could feel her control slipping. Her eyes popped open looking, searching for anything that might help distract her mind before it all became too much and she crumpled beneath it. Then out of the corner of her eye she spotted something shiny lingering on the surface of the sofa. Another pin. In this moment she would rather be stabbed by a thousand pins than suffer through what was proving to be the worst pain yet. Her hand launched out and grabbed it just as a small whimper slipped past her lips and she jabbed the pointed end hard into the palm of her hand. Though sharp and searing, it was a brief respite from the agony that was strumming through her and carried her through to the other side without a further sound.
“Girl, what the fuck are you doing over there?” Ralph asked, whipping around to face her with half his makeup done.
“I was trying to adjust myself and got stuck with another one of your fucking pins!” She groaned as she threw it at him.
“Well, keep your eyes peeled then, I’m sure they're all over the place at this point!” He scoffed as he turned back to finish getting ready.
By some miracle, as the time quickly drew nearer to the kick off, she was granted a small reprieve from the contractions. A brief window of light where her body sought fit to rest just as Ralph was set to leave her.
“You’re planning to meet us down there right? After Herb’s speech or whatever?” he asked as he headed for the door.
“Yes! I’ll be there, now go! I can already hear people in the hall.” She urged as her heart began to race with anxiety.
It was drawing closer now. Less than an hour and she would be downstairs pushing her way through the crowd towards Rio. Telling her that they had to leave and figure out what was going on, see why the contractions were so strong so early. It seemed like a daunting task and she worried about the kind of reaction it might receive. Yet a small spark inside her finally lit with excitement. It was almost over.
As she watched Ralph disappear down the hallway she caught sight of Herb sauntering towards her, proud and alight with joy.
“Ms. Harkness! I think we’ve done it! The hall is practically booming with excitement. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people here before.” He gleamed.
“Thank goodness for that!” Was all she could muster in reply.
“You sure you’re up for this?” He checked seeing the fraying edges of exhaustion in her eyes.
“Of course! I just need to grab a couple things before we head out.”
“Sure, take your time!” Herb said as he settled into Sharon’s chair to wait.
She darted back into her office and scrambled to find her bag where she quickly fished out her keys and phone and snuck them into her dress pocket. There was no use in stalling their escape once she met up with Rio, everything else would be fine to wait in her office until she eventually returned. Armed with the items she returned to Herb.
“Ok, all set.” she huffed
“Fantastic! Then shall we?” he asked, offering her his arm in escort.
—-----------------------------------------------
As they pushed through the administrative doors onto the balcony she was overwhelmed by the sounds of all the people milling about. The second floor was packed tight to where they practically had to shove their way over to the curved lip at the center that would serve as their stage. Once settled there she looked out onto the sea of red below. Every inch of the checkered marble floor was covered by the crowd of people that had gathered, save for the small roped off area in the center where the opening performance would take place. Her eyes searched the rabble for the woman who had stolen her heart and just as Herb had secured his microphone she spotted her off in the corner. An emerald in satin green shining through the throngs of fiery carmine and vermilion, her glimmering white smile beaming up at her. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of rushing into her arms in mere minutes, letting her ease the discomfort that had plagued her throughout the day.
Then the noise of the room dulled to a whisper as the sounds of strings and horns washed over the crowd. The brief fanfare gathered their attention before Herb sidled up to the microphone to at last welcome everyone in.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, friends and neighbors! It is my distinguished honor to welcome you all to what I am sure will become a notable tradition in our community…”
As Herb’s words echoed into the room the brief respite she had been granted suddenly came to a screeching halt. In a breath her body surged with a desperate ache that threatened to pull her from her feet. Here, now, at the very center of the city’s attention she called on every ounce of strength within her to remain standing, silent, and smiling next to him. As discretely as she could she pressed her hand to the bannister before her, gripping it with all her might to keep from collapsing.
“Through months of trial and careful preparation we have endeavored to deliver a most unique sensory experience, encouraging you to explore the depth of culture our great city has to offer…”
As Herb droned on in his soliloquy her body was becoming a host of torture as the strain and pressure continued to build far beyond what she had experienced yet that day. She could feel her legs begin to shake and a bead of sweat drip down the side of her face as she struggled to maintain her composure. A distraction, she needed a distraction. Her free hand quickly dove into her dress pocket and clung to the mess of keys inside. She pressed the teeth as hard as she could into her palm as she breathed as calmly and controlled as she could manage until at last the pain evaporated and she let out a breath of relief.
“...and so, dear friends, it is without further ado that I invite you to join in the visual delights of the Ignis Nocturne accompanied by members of our very own symphony!”
The crowd cheered with resounding applause as the fire performers made their way to the stage. As soon as they were set the lights dimmed and the dancers ignited their props to a resounding wave of ooos and aaahs.
With the lights low and the audiences attention pulled elsewhere, Agatha leaned close to Herb and whispered, “I’m so sorry, I have to go. I have to find Rio.”
“Oh but my dear, the festivities are just getting started!” He protested
“I know, I’m sorry, but I must.” She pleaded with him through pain wearied eyes.
“Ok then, enjoy your evening.” He replied with a sad smile.
She quickly turned, still holding on for life to the banner as she made her way back through the crowd toward the elevator. She was mere steps away when her journey was halted by the rising tide of not only another debilitating contraction but also the presence of wholly unwelcomed guests.
She stood frozen on the spot, resisting with every urge to lose her composure as three of her mothers friends strode up, blocking her means of escape. Sarah, Mary, and Winifred, devout sisters whose judgement was only matched by their cruelty. Through the blinding pain Agatha managed to gasp. “You’re…you’re not supposed to be here!”
“Oh I think you’ll find we have every right to be here.” Scoffed Mary
“This is a public event after all.” Taunted Sarah
“And unlike your poor mother, we’ve not been banished from your presence.” Sneered Winifred.
Agatha let out a gasping laugh of astonishment as her body continued to constrict, bearing down on her son. “What exactly are you doing here?”
“Enjoying the show!” Sarah cheered
“Reveling in the culture as your friend said.” Mary cackled
“And seeing what you’re up to, of course dear!” Winifred admitted with a devilish smile.
“Mighty fine display of debauchery you’ve managed to conjure up.” Mary taunted.
“It’s practically Hell, what with all the fire and brimstone about.” Winifred scoffed.
“And to think how ashamed your dear mother will be when we tell her all you’ve been up to.” Sarah pouted mockingly.
“Tell…tell her what you want. It…it doesn’t change anything.” Agatha gasped
“For now dear girl.” Winifred glowered.
“Don’t for one second think she’s abandoned her cause!” Mary barked.
“Not when there’s a poor, innocent child at stake!” Sarah warned.
If the agonizing pain wasn’t enough in that moment, the very thought of her mother’s relentless pursuit of her son was enough to shatter the last of her equanimity.
“You tell her to stay the fuck away from my son!” Agatha cried as she gasped at last in pain, a shaky hand splayed across her stomach.
“Oh my!” Sarah gasped
“A son she says?” Winifred lilted in glee
“Won’t Evanora be delighted by the news.” Mary chittered
“And just in time as well.” Sarah sighed
“It appears his arrival is quite imminent.” Mary snickered
“Here, dear, let me help you!” Winifred said as she reached out her hand to rest on Agatha’s shoulder.
“Get the fuck off of me!” She shouted. “You vultures need to leave before I call security!” She gasped as the contraction at last receded.
“No need, dear!” Winifred said as she withdrew.
“We’ll go!” Mary insisted.
“Just know we’re always nearby.” Sarah warned.
“Should you need us.” Winifred smirked with a wink.
Agatha scowled as she watched them recoil into the elevator. The fury that now burned inside her at their presence was just enough to send her over the edge. She couldn’t wait for the elevator. She couldn’t risk running into them again before finding Rio. She had to escape. She turned quickly, just as the lights flickered back on and the horde around her erupted in thunderous applause, and headed through the doors towards her office.
—————————————————
She stumbled down the vacant hallway, tears streaming from her eyes as pain and anger radiated with every step. Of course her mother was keeping tabs on her despite the court order. She was foolish to think that would stop her?
She pushed her way back into her office and flung her phone out onto her desk as she doubled over grasping the edges in support. Another contraction was quickly approaching and she had to reach Rio, she needed her now more than ever. Fast as she could she pulled up her contact page and pressed call.
The phone rang, and rang, and rang as her heart pleaded for her to answer. Then she heard the voicemail click over.
“Hey, it’s Rio. You know how this works.”
BEEP
“Rio…my love…I…I need you to…ahhh…AAAHHHAAGHHH…” the pain washed over her with a force so unyielding she couldn’t help but cry out in utter agony. She felt her legs begin to shake as they threatened to give out beneath her and she clung to the side of the desk with every muscle she could muster. As the torment began to falter she felt a small pop and then a rush of liquid poured down her legs. “No…no not yet…please no…I…I need more time.” She began to cry as a shaky hand lifted her skirt to see the evidence of what she expected to be true. Over the roundness of her bump she found it too difficult to see but when she pulled back her hand she was shocked to find it tinged with scarlet. She could feel her body begin to shake in shock, her breath coming in ragged bursts as her knees at last gave out beneath her. Her head began to spin as her vision blurred and she struggled to inch her way to her phone which had been launched across the room in the mayhem of her collapse. She crawled just a few feet as her arm clutched her swollen, throbbing belly before her sight narrowed until it was complete darkness and she collapsed on the floor unconscious.