To Surprise A Seer

by Jane Cousins

  “Quinn! I’m so sorry.”

  From her positon looking back between her legs, Quinn had a clear view of the obstacle that had cut her off... a baby gate.

  In the early stages of her second trimester, and Gaia was already baby proofing the house? Quinn was starting to getting an inkling of what the problem Nell had hinted at might be.

  Awkwardly straightening, Quinn rubbed her left knee. And Nell could have been a little clearer on her cryptic - watch your first step - hint, she was going to have bruises.

  Gaia bustled over to unlatch the gate, holding out a box of sanitary wipes for Quinn to use on her hands.

  “Thanks.” Quinn dropped the used wipe in a handily located trash receptacle and went to gather up her handbag and file but Gaia blocked her way, box of sanitary wipes still extended with an an expectant look in her big blue eyes. “Um...?”

  “For the soles of your shoes.”

  “Oh... of course.” Yep, okay, Gaia’s problem was starting to crystallise, but to what extent had it taken hold of her?

  Gaia moved away only after personally supervising Quinn cleaning the soles of her footwear. “I’m making tea... herbal, good for the baby. Would you like some?”

  “Love some.” Quinn picked up her dropped bag and notes, placing them down on a nearby bench, next to a stack of books that all appeared to revolve around the topic of preventing and dealing with childhood diseases. Hmmm, just a little light reading.

  She noted another similar stack over by the sink which involved eating plans and healthy recipe guides for toddlers. And yet another pile of books over by the pantry door, the titles promoting sleeping programs for babies and toddlers

  Turning, Quinn sat down on a stool across the kitchen island from Gaia. Watching as her cousin plucked a handful of leaves from an impressive array of herb plants lining the shelves on either side of the large window above the old-fashioned farm sink, placing the greenery into the nearby teapot.

  This was clearly a working kitchen. Gaia spending a lot of time in here perfecting her relishes, chutneys and spiced teas that she sold via several local gourmet shops and at the Reverie Valley Market on the weekend. The polished cement bench tops were wide, and spotlessly clean, giving off a distinct odour of lemon and vinegar.

  “How are you?” Quinn enquired, noting the child proof latches on all the cupboards, including those above head height. Did Gaia think her baby was going to be able to fly? There were plastic protectors covering all the electrical points and what looked like an incredibly complicated locking system on the refrigerator door that Quinn had a sneaky suspicion that even Eli, the family thief, would have a hard time cracking.

  “I’m good. Really good.” Gaia picked up the kettle as it began to boil, pouring a healthy measure into the teapot and placing the lid down to allow the herbs to steep.

  “Well, you’re glowing.” It was no lie. Gaia’s complexion looked creamy and velvety. Her blue eyes sparkled and her long blonde hair pulled back into two simple braids, falling almost to her waist, looked like spun gold in the sunlight filtering through the window pane behind her.

  “Thanks.” Gaia leaned back against the sink, folding her hands in a protective manner over her burgeoning stomach.

  Being just under five feet in height and on the chubby side, Gaia currently appeared to be all breasts and stomach. Though that might have something to do with the way she was dressed. The fern green knit wrap top she wore had what could only be described as a plunging neckline. Whilst the layered long blue skirt that feel to the floor added bulk to Gaia’s frame.

  If Quinn hadn’t known, she would have said her cousin was a lot further along in her pregnancy that just having entered her second trimester.

  “I know why you’re here. Nell sent you, didn’t she?”

  Quinn made it a policy to never lie to a patient, no matter how painful the truth. “Yes, but only because she is concerned about you. You went through a very tense two-year period trying to get pregnant-”

  “Which is why it’s so important I do everything right. I know Nell thinks I’ve been going overboard with the self-defence classes. And the other stuff. But I need to be prepared for anything.”

  Quinn nodded. “Yes, I see you’ve started baby-proofing the kitchen.”

  Gaia beamed. “The whole house is done, well except for the latches on the toilets. Sergei forgot and ripped the lid off the toilet in the master suite the other night. But not to worry, I’ve already ordered a new latch.”

  “Okay. And what about preparations for the nursery, how’s that coming along?”

  “Done.” Gaia grinned. “All done.”

  “Really? Would it be possible for me to take a look?”

  “Sure.” Gaia happily led the way up the back staircase, past three more baby gates. The door to the nursery had been freshly painted a soft green and decorated with an illustration of a mother duck leading three baby ducklings down a pathway.

  “Cute.” Quinn felt the need to make a comment.

  “Fraser did it for me. Wait until you see the mural she painted. I don’t know why she wastes her time on those gory dark graphic novels she writes.” Gaia turned the knob and opened the door.

  Quinn stepped into an impressive five-star baby oasis. “Wow.”

  Gaia, watching Quinn’s reaction closely, beamed. “Hold on, you need to get the full effect.” She reached over to flip two switches. Blinds automatically lowered over the two windows and the room was cast with a muted glow as soft, melodic music filled the air and a light show lit up the ceiling, depicting air balloons and old fashioned airplanes zipping around, chasing fat, fluffy clouds. “There’s ten settings. My dad designed it.”

  “Cute.” Quinn wandered around the room, noting the same green paint on the walls that decorated the door. The colour was a perfect backdrop for the feature wall where Fraser had painted a mural of an enchanted meadow, full of flowers, butterflies, birds and a babbling brook. “This is beautiful.”

  “I thought about a beach scene, of asking Charisse to paint it, but the idea of a meadow just seemed right.”

  Quinn nodded, turning her attention to the grand centrepiece of the room, the cot. It looked antique, leaves and flowers carved into the gleaming light coloured wooden railings and headpiece.

  “The cot is from France. A little man in a village designs them specially. And the bedding,” Gaia reached over to smooth a cream flounce, “that was made by cloistered nuns in Italy.”

  Quinn made more complimentary noises as she studied the changing table, and the large bookcase, already full of brightly coloured blocks, books and stuffed toys. An ornate rocker sat close to the cot, with a soft cream coloured shawl draped over the back. Resisting the urge to test drive it, Quinn walked over to the closet and pushed open the door.

  Every surface was jam packed. Clothing for the baby was stored on one side; stacks of singlets, onesies, sleepwear, knitted cardigans, hats and booties. Auntie Meg must have been knitting up a storm from the moment Gaia declared she was pregnant.

  Whilst on the left were piles of soft white towels, extra bedding for the cot, along with knitted blankets and five towering stacks of cloth nappies, that was Gaia, all about the environment.

  “You are seriously organised. All I see missing is the pusher and you look to be done already.”

  “Oh, that’s in the spare room along with the highchair and the car seat.”

  “So what do you intend to do for the next five months, sit around and relax?” Quinn followed Gaia out into the hallway and back down the stairs, via the three baby gates once more.

  “Oh, no, there’s still way too much to do. Baby meals are next up. I spent last week mashing up loads of courgettes and potatoes.”

  They re-entered the kitchen and whilst Quinn resumed her seat at the kitchen island, Gaia bustled about, pouring the aromatic herbal tea into two cups before producing a tray full of delicious healthy treats. Piles of ripe, large strawberries, oatmeal cookies, sugarless blueberr
y muffins, and slivers of lemon slice. Once everything was laid out to her exacting specification, Gaia pulled open the pantry door so that Quinn could see the stacks upon stacks of tiny baby jars full of a strange green concoction lining two of the shelves.

  “You look like you’re about to run out of room.”

  “Oh, no, Sergei has almost finished the second pantry.” Gaia waved a hand off to the left. “Just in time too, the pumpkins will be ready next week and the sweet potato crop after that. It was frightening to read how much sugar and sodium can be found in brand name baby foods. Natural is the only way to go.”

  Quinn took a sip of her tea, hmm, she could taste hints of lime, mint, ginger and chamomile. “Are you having fun?”

  Gaia swallowed hard, blue eyes widening, then blinking in confusion. “Fun?”

  “Getting ready for the baby? The decorating? The preparations? Has it been fun?”

  “Well... yes.”

  “You don’t sound very sure.”

  “Of course I’m sure.” Gaia lifted her chin.

  “By the looks of things you’ve been doing a lot of reading.” Quinn allowed her gaze to travel around the room, lingering for a moment on each pile of books.

  “I like to be prepared.”

  Quinn nodded. “I can see that. So, tell me, at what age does a baby normally begin to walk?”

  Gaia’s gaze flickered guiltily to the baby gate set up across the pantry/Translocator. “Um, twelve months is average... but you know here in the Sanctuary things are different, with magic involved, who knows how progressive the baby might be. And I need to be ready, gestation periods can also be affected dramatically by magic bloodlines.”

  Quinn sipped her tea. “Does Sergei’s family have a history of short gestation periods?”

  “No.” There was a sullen, disgruntled edge to Gaia’s tone as she spat the word out.

  “So who does... Gaia!?! You haven’t been annoying Aunt Lucy again to get the nitty-gritty on what it was like to birth four half-Valhalla warrior babies, have you?” Her cousin was busy studying the bottom of her teacup. Classic guilt avoidance technique. “What did you do, Gaia?”

  “Nothing... I just made a few phone calls.”

  “To whom, exactly?” Quinn’s gaze narrowed.

  Gaia swallowed some tea before finally getting the nerve to look up. “Odin.”

  “Gaia!”

  “And... um, Maat.”

  Quinn had to put her teacup down, less she drop it. “You’ve been harassing the Gods?” No wonder Nell had called her in. Gaia was out of control. “How many phone calls?”

  “It was a handful, at best.”

  “Gaia!?!”

  “Okay, maybe more than a handful. I didn’t keep count or anything. When Aunt Lucy wouldn’t help me, I decided to go up the chain.”

  “How did you get Maat’s number?” The Egyptian Goddess might command her seven Elite Warriors, headquartered in Atlanta, but the Goddess herself was enigmatic and considered hard to pin down. From the way Gaia’s cheeks had flushed bright pink, Quinn was guessing she wasn’t going to like what she heard.

  “I... um, well, I was visiting Serena’s plant nursery to buy some herbs a few weeks ago and I might have peeked at the contact list on her phone whilst she was getting my order together.”

  Quinn took a deep breath, and then another one. Berating Gaia would not be helpful. “You must have felt desperate.”

  “I did.” Gaia’s blue eyes filled with tears suddenly, perhaps brought on by a mixture of hormones and guilt. “I just don’t understand why no one will tell me.”

  “Tell you what, exactly?”

  “When Hadleigh is likely to give birth!”

  And there it was. “What if I told you I know the answer?”

  Gaia’s head shot up, a look of hope shining on her face.

  “What would it change if I were to tell you Hadleigh was due in eight month’s time? Or two weeks? How would that affect you, Gaia?”

  “I could be prepared.”

  “You’re already prepared. From what I can see. The nursery is complete. All the preparations are done.”

  “No, the meals aren’t finished and I think the nursery needs a rocking horse and there’s-”

  “You’re done, Gaia. Everything left is just busy work. You now have five months to worry and wish your pregnancy away. You spent two years praying to get pregnant. You were miserable and making everyone around you unhappy, and when your greatest desire finally came true... did you celebrate?”

  “Yes, we went out for dinner with my parents.” Gaia proclaimed defensively.

  “And the next day you probably had Sergei mixing paint colours.”

  “So what if I did?”

  “Gaia.” Quinn stood up slowly. “I get that you’re scared. The self defence class, the baby proofing, the precision preparations... focusing all your energy on beating Hadleigh to the birthing suite though, it’s not healthy.”

  “I’m not-”

  Quinn rounded the kitchen island and grabbed Gaia’s hand in hers, pressing her bare finger tips down ever so lightly and tapping into her magic. Her eyes flashing pure silver as she projected three carefully selected memories from Gaia’s quest to fall pregnant.

  The first time the strip had come back negative when Gaia had been gut deep sure she was pregnant.

  The first time Sergei had brushed aside her concerns that something might be physically wrong with one or both of them, and promptly rolled over and gone to sleep.

  And the moment Nell had confirmed that she was pregnant and the wave of pure incredulous joy that had swept through Gaia, followed by a tidal wave of fear and apprehension.

  Quinn drew back her hand but didn’t move away. “Being a first time mother can be scary. And I get that being the first woman to give birth in the family in well over a decade may be a little isolating. But you are not alone. You have everything you ever wanted, Gaia. A home, a husband who adores you, and a baby on the way. You need to stop embracing the fear that it all might go away, and start embracing the joy of it all.”

  “But what if... what if something does go wrong?”

  “With Nell on duty? Never. And you’ll have Sergei by your side, your parents, your brothers, all the family and all of your friends.”

  “I...” Gaia took a deep breath, her knit top straining at the seams. “I really do have to bottle the pumpkin crop next week or it will go bad.”

  Quinn smiled gently. “Sure. First though, the harassing phone calls have to stop. You know how mercurial the Gods can be. Second, for some homework... no, nothing too bad. I want you to pick a night this week, dress up, you and Sergei go out somewhere nice and celebrate.”

  “But the baby?” Gaia curved an arm protectively over her burgeoning tummy.

  “A happy mummy usually translates to a happy, healthy baby. Now, the final thing I want you to do before our next session is to remove one piece of child-proofing, just one.” Quinn looked towards the baby gate blocking the pantry/Translocator. “Preferably that one.”

  Phew, Quinn turned to gather up her bag and folder. Gaia could be stubborn, but she was hopeful that she had gotten through with some common sense and some poignant memory reminders. Yes, Quinn was sure she had made some progress here this morning. Stepping into the Translocator she turned and gave Gaia a warm, reassuring smile.

  “Wait... Quinn, do you really know Hadleigh’s due date?”

  Heavens, one step forward, twenty back. Deep breath.

  Chapter Four

  Matias closed the lid carefully, releasing a slow, deep breath. It was a lot to take in. Everything he had heard, and now read. Swivelling, he sat down on top of the sea chest. His gut felt hollow, his chest tight and his heart heavy.

  The Merry Maverick. His parents. Copper. His memory problem. All true.

  He slapped down the urge to re-open both sea chests. Going through their contents a second time would change nothing. Clenching his hands into fists he fought the urge to tear, r
end and destroy. He wanted to rail against the unfairness of it all. But that seemed childish and unproductive.

  There was nothing he could do. The contents of the chests were very clear about that. The first trunk had contained a thick file on what he and Nico had been able to piece together happened on the boat that day. And the rest of the paperwork documented the search he and his brother had undertaken to find their sister, Copper, and Kristiah, Nico’s almost fiancée.

  It was all there in black and white. Every lead. Every failure. They had literally searched the world.

  The sea chest he was currently sitting on contained all his medical files. Listing every doctor, shaman, voodoo priest, witch and healer they had visited over the years searching for a cure. There were MRI results, x-rays, scans, astrological charts, bloodwork, and reams and reams of medical jargon that all boiled down to one thing. No one had the faintest idea of how to fix him.

  Upon returning from his run. Matias had showered and then shaved carefully. The grooves and contours of his face alien and unfamiliar. His body marked by strange scars that he had no memory of incurring. The four raised pink lines striping down his shoulder to his elbow. The starburst shaped silvery white scar on his temple.

  Dressing in faded jeans that he could only assume were favourites from their obvious wear. He’d pulled on worn boots and grabbed a black shirt, before raiding the fridge for breakfast. It felt strange. As if he was eating someone else’s food. Expecting any moment for the owner to return home and demand to know what he was doing there.

  After eating he had dutifully followed the instructions he’d listened to during his run and worked his way through the contents of the sea chests. And now that was done... he wasn’t quite sure what he was supposed to do next.

  He could go through the closet more thoroughly, there were personal items in there that might jog his memory perhaps. Fuck, who was he kidding, it seemed as if he had tried and failed to jog his memory in every mundane and magical avenue possible.