Page 80 of Turret

“Lavender?”

Among other things, but there was no need to bore her with the details of my herbal concoction. “To relax you.”

She gave a breathless laugh. “How can I relax at a moment like this?”

“You must. Relaxing will help you bring your baby into the world.”

Her expression settled into determination. She’d fought long and hard for years for this baby, endured so many losses, and experienced a very long and difficult pregnancy, one the physician advised to be her only one. But she only needed one to give her what she most wanted. And finally, after all her heartache and struggle, that long-anticipated moment was now.

Though she seemed to be in a lot of pain, I couldn’t deny the wonder of the experience as I watched her fight for her precious child. As I tended her, my hand lowered to my stomach, where my own secret resided. I still marveled at the miracle of being pregnant, something I’d spent most of my life fearing my health would prevent. Part of me still didn’t believe it, so I’d waited to tell anyone, including Quinn, wanting to be sure of my condition before I shared it. Somehow in this moment of watching the miracle of life Rhea was experiencing, I knew. In several months, this would be me.

But it wasn’t yet. I focused on Rhea, comforting her through each painful contraction while Drake sat at her other side stroking her hair and the midwife assisted with the labor. I’d had many experiences in the sick room this past year, a place I found great solace in; I felt great joy in helping others, filled with an empathy that had only come from the years I’d battled my own illnesses, something I now wouldn’t trade for anything. But of all the experiences I’d had as a healer, this one was by far the most special.

The labor didn’t last much longer, and soon the cry of a baby filled the air. Rhea slumped, exhausted, against the pillows, where she craned her neck with the desperation of a mother eager to see her baby for the first time, especially after years of waiting for that child.

I smiled at her. “It’s a boy.”

Rhea lit up and extended her arms. The midwife wrapped her baby up and gently handed him to her. The look that came across both Rhea’s and Drake’s expressions was unlike anything I’d ever seen. I tried to memorize it so I could describe it to Quinn later; it was a look of pure love and happiness, one I was certain I’d never forget.

Peace filled me as well as a sense of accomplishment for the help I’d been able to render, not only during Rhea’s labor but throughout her long and difficult pregnancy. But the effort was worth it just to see her quiet joy now. I’d found my place.

Drake reached out to reverently stroke their son’s dark hair. “He’s beautiful, darling.”

“He is.” Tears fell down Rhea’s cheeks and she dipped down to press her lips to their son’s brow. “Our son.”

As I watched the tender scene, my hand again lowered back to my stomach as I imagined the tenderness and love in my brother’s eyes filling Quinn’s as he met our child. I couldn’t wait for that day.

I wanted to linger in the joy filling the room, but now that my help was no longer needed, I didn’t want to disrupt this special moment between a mother and father meeting their child for the first time. I tiptoed from the room to search for Quinn.

I found him in the rose garden near the tower. I rested my hand against the stones and smiled up at it in greeting. Ever since our marriage it’d been where Quinn and I made our home, allowing me to remain in easy access for my duties as the Royal Healer while also granting both my family and Briar’s with his wife and new son privacy.

Quinn often spent his time amongst the roses near the tower, for their strong perfume helped him better visualize their beauty. A smile lit his face when he heard my approach and he tipped his head in my direction, wordlessly holding his hand out for me to rest mine in his. As always, I adored witnessing the light that filled his eyes when I knew he could see me.

For a moment he simply stared at me. “I never tire of seeing you. Nothing brings me greater joy than you being the first thing I see when I touch you.”

He tugged on my hand, encouraging me to join him, and I happily curled against his side. His arm looped around my waist to draw me closer and I rested my head on his shoulder.

He kissed the top of my head. “Your presence must mean that Rhea had her baby?”

“She did. It’s a boy. I wish you could have seen the look on her and Drake’s faces when they met him for the first time.”

“Describe it.”

I wrinkled my brow. After a moment’s consideration I sighed. “I don’t think there’s any word adequate to describe such happiness.”

He was pensive as his touch lightly stroked up and down my arm. “With that description, I can well imagine it.”

“You’ll see it for yourself one day on my face.” I took his hand and rested it on my stomach. “In about seven months.”

His breath caught and for a moment his shock rendered him silent. I peeked up at him and was not disappointed in the surprise and wonder lighting his expression. “Really, Gemma?”

“Really,” I said. “Nothing brings me greater joy, especially the knowledge that you shall see our child, both this one and the others that will follow.”

Awe filled his eyes as he reverently stroked my stomach. “We’re going to have a baby.” He dipped down and pressed a soft kiss over where our child was growing. I was certain there was nothing more wonderful than witnessing Quinn’s joy now, one of many moments that lay ahead.

He peered up to take in my face and his own expression grew tender. I didn’t need to ask what he was seeing, for if it was anything like I felt, nothing had ever been so beautiful, and we had a lifetime of such visions ahead of us.

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