The Song Of The Wolf (Unedited)

Chapter Eleven

Storming up the stairs with the two brothers close behind, Maebh followed the sound of pained moans. Maggie laid in a bed with her head propped up and both her hands clutching the bulging shape of her baby bump. A look of relief crossed her sweaty face when her eyes landed on Maebh.

"Mae, I'm so sorry but we–"

"You can apologise as much as you want later, not now. You feeling alright?"

Maggie shrugged, casting a tired smile. "Like there's a ticking time bomb inside me."

"Accurate description."

Maebh dropped the contents of her bag on the bed and turned her attention to Coinín. Remembering how he had mentioned buying supplies, she summed up everything she might need and sent him on his merry way. Taking a seat on the side of the bed, she cleared her throat. "I'd like to see how far dilated you are. Could you- um remove your knickers please?"

Behind her, Maebh noted the sound of someone trying to smother their laughter. Turning around, she shot Bear a look that could kill. "Don't you have anything useful to do? Go help your brother."

Once the two women were alone, Maggie removed her underwear and lifted her dress, enabling the now shy-looking Maebh to take a peek.

"There are four stages of dilation. After the last one, the delivery of the baby will take place." Maebh scrunched her eyebrows together. "How long ago did your water break again?"

"About an hour ag-" Maggie's face clouded over in pain.

"Was that a contraction? But didn't you have one just ten minutes ago?"

Maggie nodded, still wincing.

Coinín returned and resumed his position next to the bed when noticing his wife's pained expression, dropping the supplies.

"I don't understand.." Maebh muttered to herself. "If her water broke an hour ago, she should have at least a couple more hours until she goes into active labour.." she returned her gaze to the tense couple. "You're 5 centimetres dilated, the process is going way too fast."

All the colour drained from Coinín's face, but it only took him a moment to reinstate himself. "What do you need me to do?"

"Do you have a bath?"

He frowned. "A bath?"

"Yes, do you have one?"

"Well, yeah-"

"Show me."

Puzzled, he lead her through an adjoined door that flowed into a bathroom. Maebh observed the bath, noting that it was just a regular bath, no Jacuzzi. It did not have many spots that could hide additional bacteria.

"It will do." she stated and strode back to the bed to grab the plastic gloves, a cloth and the chlor-clean solution.

Coinín chased after her. "It will do for what?"

Feeling a little guilty for not including them in her decision making, Maebh turned to face them. By then, Bear had returned from god knows where.

"We are going to do a water birth." She informed them. "I don't know why, but you're dilating way too fast and I'm scared it might cause complications. The warm waters of the bath will feel like the waters of the womb to the baby, making it less of a traumatising transition. And in case of uncontrolled bleeding, I won't have many ways to stop it so the pressure of the water might help."

Whilst the two Lowell brothers were looking dazed from the information overload, Maggie shot her an encouraging smile. "Whatever you think is best, doctor."