Chapter Thirty-Eight: Midnight Delivery

It had been three and a half months since Guinevere and Gunther planned his demise. It was just last week that they had planned for it to happen tomorrow. As Guinevere ran down to Mimsy’s room, she wondered if they should postpone it depending on how long it takes for this baby to arrive. When she entered, Mimsy was pacing and there was so much discomfort on her face and in the way she held her body.
“Why didn’t you send for me sooner?” Mimsy looked relieved to see her.
“I thought it was just Braxton Hicks. But when my water broke, I knew it was go time.” Guinevere rushed to her aunt and massaged her back.
“You still should have called for me.” This is my heir. The door opened and closed once more. Bernard and Yuki came in together.
“I knew I shouldn’t have left!” Bernard was panicking. He looked to Guinevere. “Is she going to be okay?”
“Yuki, could you and Bernard go get some hot water and towels? She’ll be fine, she just needs calm.” Bernard understood and left with Yuki.
“Thank you Gwen.” Mimsy sat on the bed. “The contractions are getting closer.”

Guinevere stood and observed Mimsy, counting the time between contractions. “Gwen…did I tell you the story about when you were born? Liza wanted to give up because you were breech. She thought that if she died, you would live.” Guinevere had never heard this story before, so she listened. “In the end, your brother delivered you while your father gave Liza his plasma to regain her strength. I cleaned you off and you were the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. You had a tuft of strawberry curls, porcelain skin and a little blue. Your eyes were already heterochromatic, but at the time no one know what it meant. Before Liza passed out, she said you were destined for great things.” Guinevere felt mixed emotions with the story; sadness because she missed her family, anger because she felt like she wasn’t living up to those great things. Her emotions were shoved aside as Mimsy groaned in pain. “I wish she was here.” She cried out and held her hand out. Guinevere rushed to her side and knelt down. She let Mimsy squeeze as hard as she needed to.
“She’s here in spirit.” Was all Guinevere could say.

Yuki and Bernard returned with the towels and water, just in time. Bernard was allowed to stay, so long as he remained calm and stay back until Mimsy wanted him. Yuki offered her plasma to Mimsy for strength if she needed it, but Mimsy declined. She felt the need to push, so she did. Guinevere never left her side during the entire process. She smiled with each push. Finally, the baby arrived with Guinevere delivering. It was midnight, the first of August, 2002. Guinevere held the baby and beamed. “You have a daughter.” She smiled down at the baby before handing her to Yuki to clean her off. Mimsy lay back on the bed, exhausted. “Any thoughts on a name?”
“Would it be alright to name her Elizabeth?” Guinevere’s heart clenched and tears streamed down her face.
“Of course. She was your sister.” She sat on the bed, next to Mimsy.
“I wasn’t sure if you were going to use that name for a future princess.” Guinevere shook her head.
“No. I wanted you to have first dibs on the name.” Mimsy looked to her niece, tears rolling down her cheeks too.
“Thank you Gwen. I think I’m going to sleep after I feed Lizzy.” Guinevere helped Mimsy sit up and propped pillows under her so she could feed the baby. Once she was settled, Yuki handed her a cleaned off and dressed infant. “Well hello there little one.” Mimsy cooed and fed her. Guinevere felt a longing for a child of her own after seeing the bond between her aunt and cousin, a bond between a mother and child.

Mimsy drifted to sleep shortly after feeding Elizabeth. Bernard went to get a birth certificate and other paperwork, leaving Guinevere. She took it upon herself to burp and bond with the baby. She lay Elizabeth in the bassinet and just talked to her. “If everything works out today, there may be a baby for you to play with in the future.” She cooed and waggled her fingers above Elizabeth’s head. “If that happens, you won’t be my heir anymore. Which means you can grow up normally and not under my watchful eye.” Guinevere bent down and gently kissed the top of Elizabeth’s head. “I need to rest now. Be nice to your mama, bringing you into this world took a lot out of her.” With that, she quietly left the room.

Guinevere sat in her room. She sent a quick text to Gunther telling him that she was going to take a nap since she was up all night delivering her cousin. She sighed happily as she set her phone aside. I feel confident about today. She blew out all the candles and lay in bed. She tried to picture their children. Would they have her heterochromia? Would they have his cheeks? What color hair would they have? She then thought about the personalities of their children. Would they be kind? Ambitious? Spoiled? She reached for her phone again and sent another text telling him to just come over when he’s ready. Quickly, she fell asleep – still holding her phone.