Page 63 of A Touch of Chaos

“Suction what?” he demanded, matching her frantic tone.

The nurse pushed toward him with some type of blue bulbous thing.

“Turn his head,” she barked. “Gently!”

Dionysus did as she instructed, and the nurse suctioned the baby’s nose and mouth.

“Push!” the nurse said.

Phaedra screamed, and suddenly the baby had shoulders, and then Dionysus was holding a whole fucking baby—a boy—in his arms.

He had him for seconds before Lilaia took him and placed him on Phaedra’s chest.

Dionysus just stood there, both shocked and awed at what had just happened, but he was quickly brought back to reality when he noticed blood and fluid dripping to the floor at his feet.

He took a step back, feeling light-headed.

“Doctor, we need an Apgar,” said the nurse as she and Lilaia worked to dry off the baby, rubbing its back and feet.

“He’s not crying,” said Phaedra. There was a note of alarm in her voice. “Why isn’t he crying?”

“He’s all right,” said the nurse. “Sometimes babies just need a little while. They’re in shock.”

As if on cue, a keen wailing filled the room.

“There we go,” said Lilaia.

Phaedra smiled.

“Apgar, Doctor,” the nurse said again, her irritation plain.

What the fuck is an Apgar?He looked at Lilaia, who jerked her head toward the baby and mouthed something.

“What?” he mouthed back.

She leaned toward him, the words slipping between clenched teeth. “Use your stethoscope.”

“And put it where?” he muttered.

“Over its heart and lungs.”

He could tell by her tone she was over him, but this was not his fault. He was not a doctor, and neither she nor Naia had told him he would be delivering afucking baby—if that was what you wanted to call that thing in Phaedra’s arms, because right now, it did not even resemble a human. It was definitely blue and covered in something…gross. That was the only way to describe it.

Hesitantly, he put the stethoscope on and placed it on the baby while the nurse wheeled over a table with something that looked like a scale.

“What is the Apgar?” she asked again as she suctioned the baby once more.

Dionysus exchanged a look with Lilaia as she mouthed a number.

“Uh…”Fuck, he couldn’t read lips. “Ninety?”

Lilaia glared and then laughed. “You mean nine. Of course you meannine.”

“Yes, nine,” he said and then matched her awkward laugh. “Just making sure you’re paying attention.”

Dionysus took a step back as Lilaia continued cleaning the baby while the nurse listened to his heart and lungs. She kept casting angry glances his way. Dionysus couldn’t blame her. She was certain he was acting out of character as Dr. Phanes.

His gaze flitted across Phaedra’s face. She looked so happy, blissful even, like all her previous struggles and heartache did not matter. He wondered if she even cared that her husband was not here now that everything was over.

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