Chain of Thorns

Chapter 19

Sona was sitting in her bed by the time Cordelia and James arrived. Alastair was biting his nails nervously.

"How far apart are Maman's contractions?" Cordelia inquired.

"What are contradictions?" Alastair asked in curiosity.

"They are three minutes apart, Mrs," Risa said, bustling in with wet towels.

"Thank you, Risa."

Cordelia slowly stepped over the puddle of water on the floor and ran upstairs to her mother's bedroom. Sona was very pregnant since Cordelia had seen her. Her belly had grown much bigger.

"Maman!" Cordelia cried. "Would you like me to call the silent brothers?"

"No, Layla, that's ok—AY!" Sona said as a fresh new contraction came through.

Jem had bustled in just after and Cordelia sat down on her silk bed, a room away from her mother. James stayed with her. Occasionally, she would hear cries of effort from Sona and they would both wince. At three ante Meridem in the morning, sounds of crying woke Cordelia and James. She thought it was very loud (Alastair's) snoring, but it was the newborn baby. Sona had black eye bags under her eyes, the bedsheets were surprisingly clean (either Risa had replaced them or Sona had the baby in the bath). The baby was the image of their father, with chocolate brown skin and blonde hair, like Alastair.

"What's the name?" Alastair said. He'd been locked in his room since last night and looked even more messed up than Sona. Cordelia strongly suspected that he was having sex with another man.

"Elias?" Sona said.

Alastair's mouth dropped open.

"Nononono," he said. "No way."

"Alastair," Cordelia said. "You never knew the good side of baba."

"Yes, I knew the BAD SIDE."

"Please, Alastair," Cordelia pleaded. "What else would we name him?"

"Oh I don't know, A LOT OF OTHER NAMES?"

"Too bad, he only answers to that name," Cordelia laughed.