He's Perfect

Writers: Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 12th June 2020

Characters: Urlene, Y'gel, Briata
Description: Urlene gives birth
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 4, day 18 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Lorican

Urlene

Y'gel

Briata

The back ache had lingered all evening, making it difficult for her to
rest. Even Stitch curled up at her back, using his body heat in an
effort to comfort the ache hadn't helped. The constant thrum of song
from the firelizard was soothing, but simply not enough to let her get
any sleep. She sighed, slowly levering herself up to a sit and rubbed
her rounded belly, then groaned. It was the middle of the night and
she simply could not get comfortable. Now thirsty, Urlene rose to get
a cup of water.

She took two steps when she felt a warm wet trickle down her legs
followed by a spasm around her midsection. Gasping in surprise, she
stilled, half bent over at the sudden cramping ache. Behind her,
Stitch lifted his head, the pitch of his thrumming croon deepening.
She turned her head to look at him, then her eyes widened in
realization. She should have realized sooner. The thrumming, the
constant ache...how could she not have known? She exhaled,
straightening carefully. "Stitch...get Y'gel. Tell him to go to the
infirmary."

The flit hesitated, not wanting to leave his pet, but another command
had him blinking /between/ without any further hesitation. She grabbed
her robe and could only be thankful that the walk between her quarters
and the infirmary wasn't a long one. There was another spasm that made
her have to stop and lean against the wall as she walked, but
determined, she made her way into the infirmary.

Y'gel snapped awake the moment the flit appeared on his chest peering
into his face. He'd been watching for it and when the little guy nipped his
chin he grinned. "Alright, I'm up," he said with a chuckle.

"Wha??" Briata stirred and Beauty swarmed up the bed to scold the
brown for interrupting her pet's sleep then her eyes also started
whirling and she disappeared with a little pop.

"Looks like Urlene's in labor," he said.

Briata turned and sat up while he dressed. She knew he would do
exactly what was needed. She smiled. "Go, take care of her," she
said.

"Want to come," he asked then bent to kiss her and stroke her dark hair.
"I'm sure Beauty will be back and let you see everything if you don't
want to, " he
chuckled then turned and trotted out of his weyr and down the steps
toward the Infirmary.

By the time he got there, the room was decorated with more flits of
various colors with Beauty obviously in charge of the entire fair.
"Hey, how far along are you?"

Briata hadn't even removed her sleep braid but just thrown on a dress
before following Y'gel to the infirmary.

Urlene was already being ushered towards a birthing chair when Y'gel
came in. She waved irritably at the nervous apprentice. "I'm fine.
Let me walk a little." Another contraction gripped her and she
grimaced, breathing through it. "Full term now. My back's been
aching for a day or so, and I think I slept through the start of
contractions some how. They're coming moderately quickly. The babe's
coming whether I'm ready or not."

"Here," Y'gel said and put his arm around Urlene's shoulders and took her hand.

Briata slipped to her other side brushing the apprentice out of the
way. "That's kind of the way it works," she smiled.

"I know. " Urlene straightened after the contraction eased, but
allowed herself to lean against Y'gel and Briata. Her brow furrowed as
she continued to walk around the delivery room. Small beads of sweat
broke out over her brow. "I've helped countless women give birth. I
knew what to expect..." Another contraction seized her, making her
gasp. "Faranth..."

"I know," Briata confirmed. "Knowing and experiencing are two
different things." She smiled. "It was a big surprise to me too."

"Your contractions are getting closer together Urlene, I make it about
a minute, You should get into the chair," Y'gel said softly.

She exhaled through her teeth and let them guide her to the chair. She
settled back, but kept a light hold on Briata's hand. Privately, she
wistfully wished that Lorican could have been there to hold her hand,
despite the letter he had sent. She wanted him there. A stinging in
her eyes forced Urlene to wipe her hand over her face and concentrate
on what her body was doing. "I need to be checked."

"Yes Healer," Y'gel grinned. "I know, Now the question is if you want
to try and get up after you lay down or would you rather get in the
chair and I can check you there."

Urlene eyed him, but a faint smile lifted her lips at his grin,
getting his point. "The birthing chair." She exhaled slowly and with
Briata's help, sat in the chair and gripped the arm rests as a
contraction made her tense in pain. The curse that erupted from her
lips trailed off into a soft groan. "Please tell me I'm fully
dilated..."

Briata assisted her up the step in into the chair then stayed by her
side. "Almost there," she said encouragingly.

Y'gel ducked under where he could get a good look. "Crowning," he
said. "I'd say you're dilated." He pulled back to wash his hands
again in redwart. "You should feel transition on the next..."

"Faranth's Fecking First Egg!" Urlene burst out as the pain suddenly
sharpened and she gritted her teeth, trying to breath through the
contraction and burning sensation that she felt. "I want to push." She
tightened her grip on the arms of the chair, panting softly. "I need
to push. Sweet Faranth, get this baby out..."

"No yelling please," Y'gel responded in his best stern healer voice.
"It's not going to help you. Don't push yet, next contraction." he
said and quickly spread a towel under the chair. Then his fingers
reached up and eased the opening a bit wider with his fingers. Then
the Journeyman entered at his call with a new fresh towel to wrap the
babe. "Alright Urlene," he said you can push.

"I can yell if I want." She hissed through the pain, then bent
forward, toes curling as she strained, bearing down. One hand shot out
and gripped Briata's arm for support, sweat streaking down her
temples. "My back. press please...lower back."

Briata pressed the location as hard as she could. She sympathized with
Urlene as her back had hurt in the same way.

Y'gel however wasn't quite as sympathetic. "No," he scolded her. "You
know better. If you expend your energy yelling and making lots of
noise it's going to extend your labor." He knew she was aware of this.
He had one hand on her lower abdomen so when he felt it starting to
harden again. "Okay," he said. "Deep breath and push!"

Urlene didn't argue with Y'gel, simply nodding before taking a deep
breath and bearing down again, grunting with the effort. The burning
increased, the pressure on her lower back helping with the pain and
pressure. Her whole body tensed with the strain and she pushed as hard
as she was able.

"Good girl," he said as he worked his fingers in and around to feel
for the shoulder. "We have a head," he added with a brilliant smile.

Briata grinned at them both. "One more and your baby should be born,"
she squeezed Urlene's shoulders.

Urlene leaned against Briata, taking comfort in the woman's presence.
The contractions were nonstop, working to push the small baby out into
the world. Urlene groaned again and strained again, feeling the
mounting pressure and urgency of birth. Trembling, she groaned with
the effort, pushing through the pain of birth.

He cleared the shoulder as gently as he could and with a slither the
babe was in his hands. He turned to lay the little body into the
Junior journeyman's clean towel. Wiped the tiny face and cleaned out
the mouth, at which point they all heard a lusty wail. "It's a boy,"
he smiled as he clamped and cut the cord. Then he laid the new infant
in his mother's arms. Then he sat back down on the low stool and
prepared for the afterbirth.

The moment the squirming baby was placed in her arms, Urlene was lost
to emotion. An overwhelming love hit her and tears began to leak down
her cheeks. "Hello...There you are...you're so beautiful..." She
pressed her lips against her baby's head, then looked down at her son.
**My son....my baby. My precious child.** She couldn't stop looking at
him, at his fingers, his toes, his nose, and eyes. She had never known
such intense immediate love in her life. The squirming infant had a
light dusting of pale hair and the deep blue of newborn eyes, but he
was bright red and healthy.

Briata leaned over to look into the tiny face. "He's beautiful," she
said softly.

Y'gel smiled while he dealt with the afterbirth. He palpated her
abdomen to express as much as he could and it finally came free. He
gently looked it over and was satisfied with the condition. "Urlene,
do you want to check the afterbirth? It looks whole and perfect to
me."

Urlene barely glanced up, entranced by her son. "I trust you. I'm sure
it's fine." She kissed her son's brow again, pressing her cheek
against the top of his head before beaming up at Briata. Her face was
beaming, her smile happy even as her eyes were moist. "He is. Look at
him. He's perfect." She finally looked over at Y'gel. "He's perfect.
Absolutely perfect."

Briata smiled at Y'gel too then turned away for a moment to give the
pair a bit of privacy. No matter how close they all were, there were
some moments that should only be shared by two.

The big healer stepped closer and leaned back down near her head
looking at the tiny bundle in her arms. His own heart swelled as it
made room for the new little person in their lives. He put his arm
around her and placed a gentle kiss on her temple. "You did good," he
said softly.

Last updated on the August 17th 2020

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

He's Perfect