The Legend of the Eight: The Hunted (Book 5)

15: How Chloe Got Her Groove Back

FIFTEEN: HOW CHLOE GOT HER GROOVE BACK
FEBRUARY 25
CHLOE LAWSON

AROUND THE ROOM WERE TWELVE other couples, seemingly far more seasoned for parenthood than Chloe could ever hope to be. In fact, she wouldn't have even thought about being there—a birthing class for first-time parents—had her mother not already signed her up for it.

It was Thursday afternoon and she should've been in Mr. Chandler's class, learning about a new wrist-flicking technique said to increase a spell's reach. Instead, she was sitting on scratchy carpet with Levi beside her, staring at a freakishly lifelike baby doll.

At the front of the room, a woman in her fifties with faint wrinkles around her eyes and her hair twisted into a bun gave instructions on swaddling. They'd just covered different breathing techniques to use during labor (Chloe thought each one was ridiculous and made her sound like some kind of wild animal) and were moving on to useful information for after the baby's birth. Their instructor, Samantha, had a baby doll like the couples around her and with delicate hands, she draped and tucked until she had one perfectly secure burrito baby. When she was finished, she showed the group of soon-to-be-parents her swaddle and urged them to practice on their dolls.

Levi went first and his attempt was futile to say the least. His wrap was too loose and when he picked the doll up after, it unraveled and he was left with a wrinkled blanket and naked baby.

Chloe snickered and then arranged the blanket and baby on the floor so she could have at it.

"You have..." she said while she tightened the swaddle under the baby's arm. "...to keep the blanket secure or the baby..." As she did the last tuck, she must have secured it too tightly because the doll's head popped off under the pressure. It rolled along the floor and stopped against Samantha's foot. Chloe clamped a hand over her mouth to suppress her giggles and over her shoulder, Levi stiffened from his own laughter.

"Think that might have been too secure, sweetheart," he whispered and they both burst into a fit of laughter.

Samantha kept a straight face and Levi reached forward slowly, retrieving the baby's head and mumbling an apology. As he sat back with Chloe, he reattached the head and then they laughed again.

"Swaddling is used as a way to help with your baby's Moro reflex," Samantha said after the interruption, a glare returning to her eyes whenever she glanced at Chloe and Levi. "The Moro reflex is your infant's reaction to a sudden loss of support and often causes them to stir awake from their nap or rest."

Levi leaned forward to whisper into Chloe's ear, "I can think of a different reflex that's far more useful..."

She dropped her head and covered her mouth, hoping to stifle a chuckle. Samantha's eyes snapped over and Chloe only laughed harder.

"Many parents find that swaddling helps their babies sleep more soundly, which will mean you sleep more soundly as well," Samantha went on to tell the parents but Levi murmured quietly,

"Yeah right. Once Baby Girl's born, we're never sleeping again."

"You know," the mother in the couple to their right snapped as Chloe started to laugh again. "Some of us came here to learn useful information. Childbirth is a beautiful thing and you two are taking the joy right out of it!"

Chloe couldn't help but roll her eyes and laugh.

"Sweetie," she said in her most condescending voice. "When you're pushing a watermelon-sized head through a grape-sized hole, there's not a single ounce of joy or beauty about it."