14. Sette
Sette
“ Y ou’re seriously telling me that nobody’s told you about this before?”
June swatted Sette’s hand away, leaping out of bed so she could investigate the allegation for herself. She picked up a hand mirror, lifted up her skirt, and inspected the reflection in her vanity mirror. “What the hell? When did I get this thing?”
“I’m no dermatologist, but I do have a medical degree.”
June tossed her mirror down and sent her a sour glare. “And?”
“Probably half your life. Probably also benign.”
It amused Sette that June had never known about the mole on her ass. She could already see June making a doctor’s appointment and insisting that it must be removed. Immediately.
June pulled her skirt back down, much to Sette’s chagrin.
She had arrived to find June dressed in a slinky plaid mini-skirt – no underwear, ahem – and a sheer white blouse.
After an arousing game of “Did You Know?” in a lazy attempt to jumpstart the sex, Sette made the mistake of asking, “Did you know you have a mole right here on your ass?”
So much for sexy games.
“Did you know that you have a huge bump on your neck?”
“Uh-huh. Let me guess.” Sette flung her arm across the bed so June could go back to snuggling in her embrace. June loved to pick at the top button of Sette’s flannel shirt. “My head.”
“You’re the doctor.”
“I am, and I insist on giving you a thorough check-up, Ms. Kingsley.”
“Finally! You agree to a role-play!”
“Finally? You make it sound like you’ve been begging for one.”
“In my head, yeah. Only a matter of time before I get you to play doctor with me.”
“To think, I studied gynecology.”
“I expect a competent exam, Dr. Christie.”
Sette was going to give her one! Eventually. For now, she was content to make her wait. There were things she wanted to talk about, anyway.
Her work. June’s work. A trip to Mexico as soon as the papers of patronage were signed.
That wasn’t happening for another week, at least. Monique and Miquela both continued to push the date back for one reason or another.
Miquela had spent much of the last two weeks flying around Europe and staying out of contact.
Poor Sette. She had to keep June happy and satisfied all by herself.
Now she wanted to whisk her away to paradise.
It was everything she wanted: June and her love, her promises of devotion, and the ability to treat her like a real girlfriend, maybe more.
Sette was happy to take things slowly. Not only for June’s sake, but for her own as well.
The other woman didn’t matter, as long as she was good to June, too.
After many, many conversations with Miquela Bolivar, Sette felt confident that the woman understood what it meant to love June Kingsley and treat her as she deserved.
Of course, it meant not getting to see her whenever, but that was true in any relationship.
“You know,” she said, while watching June close her eyes and snooze against her, “I’ve never seen the Rec Room around here. I hear you have one of the biggest TVs ever.”
June opened her eyes. “It’s mostly for sports and porn.”
“What else would it be used for?”
“Video games. We’ve got a crazy collection of them.” June sat up. “You should see Grace and Chelsea playing Mario Party . Things get ugly.”
“I don’t want to watch them. I’d rather watch you play DDR in this outfit.”
“We’ve got that too.”
“Then what the hell are we waiting for? I’ll kiss you every time your breasts break these fragile buttons.” Sette tugged on June’s blouse.
“You’re getting kinkier as the weeks go by.”
“I’ve always been this way. You’re just drawing it out of me.”
They both got off the bed and prepared to head to the Rec Room, assuming it wasn’t already busy.
June assured her girlfriend (which was such a strange thing to be thought of now) that it was one of the slowest Sundays ever, and if anyone was in there, it was staff wasting time.
On that note, did she know how to play billiards?
She could put on a good show with a cue…
June locked her bedroom door behind her as soon as they were in the hallway. Hands entwined, they strolled at their own languid pace, and Sette didn’t think twice to say hello to Monique on her way to her chambers.
She looked at her again.
“Yes, good evening, Dr. Christie.” Her teeth were gritted and her stature tense.
Monique assured them that it was the pressure on her back, and she was on her way to rest. “She’s going on maternity leave starting next week,” June had told her earlier.
“Don’t you think it’s pretty late? She’s due sometime around now.
I can’t remember when.” That was not good news.
Sette may have retired from her practice, but it was difficult to forget years of training and experience.
“I hope you’re enjoying your evening.” She continued down the hall.
“Come on,” June said a few seconds later, tugging on Sette’s hand. “Before it’s busy.”
They walked, although Sette’s mind was far away. “Did she look okay to you?”
June shrugged. “She’s been looking like that for a month now. I don’t know how she moves without dying. Why?”
“Uh…” Sette stopped in the middle of the hallway. “Because she’s in labor.”
June’s expression told her to never, ever joke about that again.
“I am 100% serious. I would bet my medical degree on your boss being in labor right at this second, whether she knows it or not. She should call someone.”
Mouth dropping, June turned on her heels and pulled Sette down the hall. When they reached Monique’s door, June pounded on it. Hard.
“What is it?” asked Minerva. “Lady Warner is resting and has asked not to be disturbed unless it’s an emergency.”
“It’s an emergency!” June nearly bowled the girl over. “She’s in labor, dumbass!”
“E – excuse me?”
June was already heading to Monique’s bedroom. Sette remained out in the hall, apologizing to Minerva. “If I may go in there, please. I’m actually an obstetrician when I’m not paying women for sex. I know, I’m a complicated person.”
Minerva was too shocked to say or do anything.
“Can I call someone? Who should I call? Where’s your midwife?”
Sette entered as Monique retorted with, “Would you bug off? I’m not…” She sat up and promptly grabbed the small of her back, pain wiping out her complexion. “I’m not in labor!”
“What’s the nearest hospital?” June asked Sette, as if she would know. “Could you drive her there? We’re too far out to wait for an ambulance!”
“I said I’m not…”
Sette had heard that terrified cry too many times in her life. Usually, in a hospital, but women went into labor all the time at home.
Minerva raced to the madam’s address book on a coffee table and flipped it open. “I’ll call her midwife right now!”
“Unless she lives down the road,” Sette said, going to Monique’s side and helping her sit up, sweat cresting her brow, “she’s not going to make it in time. This baby’s coming fast.”
As the only calm one in the room – let alone the only medically licensed one – Sette soon had to take over.
While she delegated Minerva to call this person and for June to go into the bathroom to grab this and that, she finally coaxed details out of Monique’s mouth.
Like how she had been cramping for the past three days and fighting back waves of nausea that she hadn’t felt since her first trimester.
When she admitted that the cramps didn’t let up no matter what position she was in, Sette said, “I need to please get you off this bed.”
Sette knew nothing about Monique’s pregnancy, but she knew about many things, like, oh, the signs of active labor. Cramps that didn’t go away, no matter what, were not a good sign. Nor was the water starting to run down Monique’s legs when she finally got up again.
“Holy shit!” June exclaimed, coming out of the bathroom. She would’ve looked comical with her breasts pushing through her blouse and half her ass hanging from her skirt if it weren’t for the severity of the situation. “She’s dying!”
Both Monique and Sette sent her a warning look.
“Hand me my phone, please,” Monique said. “I need to call my wife.”
She may have been in labor, but Sette figured they still had an hour to go before she was ready to deliver.
That wasn’t enough time to drive her to a hospital.
Nor was it enough time for the midwife to arrive before a baby had crowned its head into the world, but it was enough time to gather her bearings and send Minerva out to find a couple more helping hands.
Within twenty minutes, Chelsea and Grace arrived with another maid in tow.
Monique grumbled about having an audience, but didn’t tell anyone to leave.
“Shut down the Manoir,” June told Chelsea. “No new clients except to honor appointments. If there’s a problem, come get me. Tell the bouncer that we had to close early.”
Chelsea looked more than happy to leave the scene of a birth. Sette later found out that she didn’t handle “gross” well. Things are about to get gross. Hopefully not too gross, but there was no such thing as a clean delivery.
Sette made Monique walk around her room with her maid’s help.
After calling her wife, she started texting, her face reclaiming its poised, no-fuss demeanor.
Except for when she had a contraction, of course.
Since Sette had to go in and out of the room to delegate responsibilities, she made Minerva track the time between contractions.
She didn’t share any concerns she had, such as the size of the baby and any complications that Monique’s doctor may have foreseen.
Sette briefly took over walking duty to give Minerva a break.
Really, it was a guise to get Monique to fess up to something before it was too late.
The midwife was on her way, but Sette wasn’t counting on her getting there in time.
If she did get there and Monique was still in labor… it probably wasn’t a good sign.