Chapter Twenty-Seven
Marty was struggling to sleep. In the week since the massive house transformation, he truly appreciated getting an extra-large bed for the master bedroom. It meant that when he tossed and turned or tried to move so he could get comfortable for five minutes, he wasn’t disturbing Ares, who was snoring gently beside him.
His backache had been going on for longer than a week, and it seemed to Marty that every time he closed his eyes, he had a foot under his ribs, or one against his hip, or then his little one would decide to bounce on his bladder. Every time that happened, Marty had to extract himself from the bed, again trying so hard not to disturb his mate, before waddling to the bathroom to make use of the facilities.
After roughly ten days of the same thing happening over and over, Marty was so exhausted that he finally managed to drop into a dream state. It wasn’t a fun one. The scene was dark and full of tangled woods and creepy forests, and Marty was aware he was twitching, but he also didn’t want to wake up. I have to be at my best when the birth happens and I’m looking after the baby.
Not that Marty had any idea how the birth was going to happen. He and Ares were no closer to finding that out than they were when Ares first started asking about it. It’ll happen when it does, Marty reminded himself for the twentieth time. I just need to sleep in the meantime.
You can’t sleep his raccoon hissed through their bond urgently. You have to go to the pool house.
What on Earth are you talking about? Marty blearily opened his eyes, checking the light in the room. It’s the middle of the night. Why would I be at the pool house?
You have to go to the pool house , the raccoon insisted. Do not wake our mate. But you have to get there now.
Marty had trusted his raccoon his whole life, but he was really questioning his judgment as he pondered the idea that he was meant to get out of bed, go out into what was still a chilly night, and traipse all the way across the lawn to the pool house with no good reason.
Do it. Our baby’s life depends on it. Get to the pool house now, and absolutely do not wake Ares. You have to do it.
Realizing he wasn’t going to get any more sleep, Marty managed to turn himself over with a sigh. He shuffled his butt to the edge of the bed, letting his legs dangle over until he felt awake enough to be able to plant two feet on the floor and be able to keep his balance. Slipping his feet into the slippers that were still resting there every day for him to put his feet into, Marty glanced down at his pajamas. They’ll have to do.
He grabbed a robe from the back of the bedroom door on his way out. Hopefully, Ares would notice it missing if he woke up and he’d think that Marty had gone down to the kitchen for a pickle snack or something similar. Marty did that quite often, so Ares would just think it was another regular night.
It was a bit more difficult at the front door because the door itself was double-sized, made of solid wood, and was heavy. It took Marty at least five minutes to close it carefully so it wouldn’t make a noise.
Turning around on the front steps, Marty shivered as he looked across the lawn. There was a light glowing from the pool house.
Have we got intruders? Is that why you woke me up? Why didn’t you wake Ares? he sent to his raccoon
Just get there. They’re here for you. Go now, our baby’s life depends on it!
Shivering with the cold, Marty traipsed across the lawn. It wasn’t like he could move very fast on a good day. But his raccoon’s insistence worried him.
Was this the birth about to happen?
Was somebody out to kidnap him and had somehow conned his raccoon into their scheme?
Had somebody from his family finally tracked him down and broken into the pool house?
Marty had no idea, and his brain really wasn’t helpful because the lack of sleep was making him imagine things that just weren’t there. Maybe the pool house lights weren’t even on.
But no, the light was still on when he finally made it to the pool house door, puffing like crazy as if he’d run a marathon as he opened the French doors and slid inside.
There were two men already there. They had kindly smiles, but they were big men, and Marty hesitated.
“Hi there, Marty,” said the older looking one, moving forward with a smile. “My name is Silvanus. I am the right hand of the Mother of All. This is my mate, Artemas. He’s slightly related to you, actually, as he’s the son of Poseidon. But anyway, we’ve come to help you give birth to your baby.”
“My baby?” Marty covered his belly with his arms.
“I’m sorry we haven’t had a chance to meet before,” Silvanus seemed to understand his reluctance. “Ares is such a private god, and while we respected his privacy, we’d hoped he would spend at least ten minutes away from you at one point so your baby could come out. I apologize for using your raccoon against you, but we were running out of options. Honestly, we’ve been hovering for the best part of a week, hoping to catch you alone. But your devoted mate doesn’t leave you alone for a second."
Artemas, beside him, laughed. “Even when he’s in the bathroom, he’s got the door open so he can keep an eye on you. I don’t think I’ve ever known a mate that dedicated, but that made things tricky for us.”
“Ares is very good to me.” Marty felt his cheeks heat.
“We know,” Silvanus said, “but with your mate’s lack of trust in so many from his Pantheon, and even gods from other Pantheons, we could not risk any upset to you if we appeared before Ares and told him he had to leave you with us. I don’t think he’d have been very happy about it.”
Marty giggled. “Ares cursed at the godly network app when he was told I had to give birth without him there.”
“We’d heard that, too,” Artemas smiled. “It was easier, or so we thought at the time, to get you alone, help you bring a new life into this world, and with luck, disappear before he wakes up. Are you ready?”
“How are we meant to do this?” Marty pressed his hand into his lower back. “My back’s been so sore for ages, and I don’t know why. The baby’s not trying to come out through my backside, is he?”
Silvanus laughed. “No, but your little one has been trying to give you a nudge for at least a week. Come through into the bedroom, as I need you to lie down and get comfortable. Artemas is keeping an eye on Ares, but we can’t take long.”
“I don’t understand why Ares isn’t allowed to be here,” Marty said as he followed the two men into the bedroom. “Is there a special reason why godly fathers can’t watch their children being born? It seems strange to me.”
“The ruling was determined between the Mother of All and the Fates,” Artemas explained as Silvanus helped Marty up onto the bed, propping his head with pillows. “I think it’s just one of those little quirks that the Mother of All decided. Between you and me, I believe she thought that male gods should spend a bit of time worrying about the whole birthing process.”
“Ares was frantic, not knowing what was going to happen.” Marty felt he could trust the two gods with his confidences. They were about to deliver his greatest gift aside from his mate.
“It truly is a quirk, but the Mother gets a real kick out of it when she sees the male gods get so upset about it.” Silvanus chuckled as he quickly undid Marty’s robe and pajama top.
“Quirk it might be,” Artemas agreed, “but that’s how every male godly birth is done – in absolute secrecy. It helps, too, that the person carrying the baby does at least get time to enjoy the first moment they see their child by themselves. It’s a bonding moment from what I’ve seen. Besides,” he winked at Marty, “even the strongest of alpha males have been known to get a bit squeamish when they see a live human baby being pulled from their mate’s stomach. Imagine what it would do to Ares if he fainted at the wrong moment?”
“It’s me who’s likely to faint,” Marty said. “I do not like the sight of blood, either.”
“Just lie back and relax," Silvanus added. “You’re not going to feel a thing, I promise. But we do have to make an incision, otherwise your little one has got no way of coming out. Just keep looking at my mate, and it’ll be over before you know it.”
“I feel like he’s been trying to kick his way out,” Marty said, leaning his head back even farther so he couldn’t directly see what Silvanus was doing. He wasn’t going to feel awkward about Silvanus exposing his belly. He had his pajama pants on, he was covered, and he was sure that that was all Ares would be worried about.
“That was just your baby’s way of letting you know he was ready,” Artemas said, moving closer to the bed. It was like he was trying to continue the conversation so Marty wouldn’t feel concerned, and Marty liked that. He got the feeling that Artemas wasn’t the type who got out much. He seemed quite shy and reserved, but he was genuinely trying to make Marty feel at ease.
“Ares just wanted a straight answer to how I was going to give birth at all,” Marty said. “It stressed him out so badly.”
“A bit of stress doesn’t do a god any harm,” Artemas chuckled. “The gods of old were actually a callous lot, and they genuinely disregarded the needs of the women in their lives, and the children who were born, usually while they were absent. It doesn’t hurt for them to worry about things now. You know, gods can be quite an arrogant bunch.”
Marty laughed – Ares could be like that too at times, although he was also really sweet. He felt Silvanus’s fingers touching his lower belly and tensed.
“It’s all right, this is only going to take a moment,” Silvanus said. “When Ares asks about my experience, please feel free to let him know I have assisted in the birth of many godly children, including quite a few male gods, so I do know what I’m doing, and as always, my hands are guided by the Mother. You should have seen the trouble I had with Thor, the Norse God of the Storms. He was so determined that I wasn’t allowed near him with a knife.”
Marty refused to look as Silvanus produced a silver-edged knife from thin air and carried on talking. “Thor was adamant he wasn’t going to let me cut him open.”
Artemas laughed as well. “It was fine, we were there, and we knew we had to stay handy as the babies were getting very impatient. We just clicked up chairs and made ourselves comfortable, had a cup of coffee, that sort of thing. Thor was getting more and more irate. He was lying on the bed saying things like, ‘No, my magic is going to be able to do this. You know, I’m a powerful god. My babies are just going to come out through will alone, and it’s going to be all clean and lovely, and that is that. I don’t need you here.’”
“The problem was,” Silvanus added, “that his babies were desperate to come out. He was carrying twins, and they were well overcooked, they needed to be out of the womb.” Marty felt a slight pinch, but he kept his eyes on Artemas, who wasn’t watching what his mate was doing, either.
“Eventually, it was Orin, Thor’s mate, who convinced him to let Silvanus go near him. It’s one of the issues that my lovely Silvanus has.” Artemas shrugged. “We can’t touch a person without their permission, and as much as Thor was ready for his babies to be born, he wasn’t ready for anybody to go near him with a knife.”
Marty groaned. “With the way my back’s been playing up, I would have welcomed this knife a week ago.”
“I know. That was because your baby was supposed to be born a week ago,” Silvanus said kindly. “You have been blessed with a very dedicated mate, and I’m sure once this birth business is done, his stress levels will go down considerably.”
“Not if the baby’s like me.” Marty chuckled and winced and pressed down just under his ribcage. “I probably shouldn’t have laughed.”
“That’s all right,” Silvanus said. “Your baby is fine and healthy. You have only got the one, which is a blessing in your slender frame. Carrying two might have been a bit problematic. But look what we have here.”
It was in that moment that Marty fell in love all over again as Silvanus lifted up a small human. He was covered in something slimy, and his eyes were closed, but his color was only a bit red. “He’s perfect,” Silvanus’s smile widened. “And this is where we can use a bit of godly magic.” As if with a thought, the baby was suddenly wrapped in a gorgeous cream blanket that looked as though it was made from spun air. It was so light and fluffy.
“Here you go, Marty. You and Ares have a son. Congratulations.” Marty’s arms were already reaching for him as Silvanus handed over the precious bundle. “I just need you to lay still for a minute, so I can fix things up down here. You’ll be left with the smallest of scars across your belly, but you shouldn’t feel any pain.”
“He’s beautiful.” Marty could barely breathe, his heart was pounding so wildly. “Our son is absolutely beautiful. I do wish Ares was here.” Tears blurred his eyes.
“I’m just about finished, and then I’ll transport you back to your bed with magic. That way, your lovely slippers won’t get any more ruined than they already are.”
“I think they’re beyond repair.” Marty barely looked at them, he was so entranced by his peaceful son. It meant the world that he was able to cuddle his child properly instead of moaning about his aching back.
“The slippers will be fixed and dry again by the time you get back to your bed,” Artemas promised as Silvanus closed Marty’s pajama top and wrapped his robe around his belly.
“I’m really glad we could be here for you,” Silvanus said as he straightened. “It might be an idea to encourage Ares to renew some family ties in the meantime. Your little one will have godly ties, and that makes playdates with non-para children an issue at times. And for future reference, if you’re heavily pregnant and your back starts aching, that’s the time to get Ares to leave you alone for half an hour so we can pop back and help you deliver that baby, too.”
“You expect me to do this again?” Marty looked up in shock. “I think once is enough.”
“We’ll see how you feel in a few years, but in case you were worried, you are fine to resume normal sex with your mate. The Mother of All won’t be allowing you to get pregnant again for at least another two to five years, and only then if that’s what you really want. Enjoy this little one and give them the life that you had always wished for because I know you and Ares together can do it. Now hold on tight to your son, and good luck.”
Marty felt a whoosh and then all of a sudden, he was back on the mattress that he’d been sharing with Ares. Ares didn’t appear to have stirred. A quick peek over his side of the bed and Marty saw his fluffy slippers were back where they were meant to be, all dried with no evidence of his trek across the grass.
Heaving a happy sigh, Marty looked into the face of his newborn son, the little one that he and Ares had created, because we love each other, he told himself. And Marty knew they did.
Ares wasn’t always easy to be with, he had down moods, and often times he was quiet, or it seemed like he didn’t know what to do with himself. But with every passing week, Ares was relaxing and enjoying himself more. He laughed more often, was quick to suggest things that they could do, and he’d never stopped being attentive to Marty in every way. Marty knew how happy he was and how very grateful that Ares had come into his life when he did.
I’ve got plenty of time to help Ares reconcile with his family . Marty gently traced his son’s cheeks. Ares will learn that people will love him eventually, and yeah, it’ll probably happen with the baby in tow. I might be the one with the miracle smile, as he calls it, but I bet this little one will have one, too.
His new son had gray hair – not as dark as Ares’ hair, but a gorgeous silver-frosted blond. And as the little one opened his eyes, Marty could see the brilliant ice blue that belonged to Ares.
But the little button nose, the shape of his full lips, and the sharpness of the chin were definitely Marty’s features. “You’re a perfect blend of both of us, little one. Welcome to the world,” Marty whispered. He gently touched the baby on the nose, and all of a sudden, his son opened his mouth and started to cry.
The effect on Ares was electric. There was a mad scramble on the bed as the god jumped up and fell off the bed, and then there was a scrambling on the floor as Ares tried to get a hold of the mattress edge. Finally, out of breath, kneeling on the floor, and peering over the edge of the bed, Ares pointed at the baby, his eyes wide with shock. “How the hell did that happen?” he asked, pointing to the bundle in Marty’s arms and looking between their son and Marty’s belly. “More importantly how do we stop them crying?”
“It’s time to meet our son,” Marty said with a smile. “It’s also time for you to pull on those godly powers of yours as we need a diaper, clean clothes, and a warm bottle of formula. You can hold him and do the first feeding if you like. I really need to use the bathroom.”
Marty thought Ares might hesitate. Having a baby in the bed wasn’t what Ares had expected when he’d gone to sleep hours before. But about ten minutes later, with their son safe in Ares’ arms, quietly slurping on a freshly clicked bottle, Marty made his way to the bathroom. He quietly admitted to himself that he had never seen his mate get on the bed so fast.