The ladies nod and exit the room. Marsha’s the last.
“Don’t let her out of your sight,” Marsha says. “I mean it.”
“I’ll be careful,” I reply.
She nods and then leaves, closing the door behind her.
I know I won’t have a lot of time alone with her as I’m sure the guards will come and pick me up once the president realizes his grandchild has been born, but I will make the most of the time we have together right now.
I climb up onto the bed with her and lie beside her, hugging her and our baby tight. “She’s so beautiful, just like her mother.”
“I did it,” she whispers, looking up at me. “I birthed our baby.”
“You did well.” I press a kiss to her forehead.
She sighs out loud and then yawns. “I can’t believe I did all of this …”
I touch her hand, but she’s cold to the touch. “You’re freezing,” I say, and I grab her blanket and pull it over her.
“Put her in the bassinet,” she says, and she gives the little girl to me.
I’m stunned for a second that she’d trust me with her baby, but then again … she’s mine too. My little girl. And the moment that little girl briefly looks into my eyes, only to yawn and smack her lips a second later, I instantly fall in love.
I stare into her eyes and press a soft kiss to her forehead. “I’ll protect you, little one.” And then I place her in the bassinet that’s right beside the bed, made by hand by the people in the community. She’ll be loved by all, I just know it.
I go back to the bed close to Natalie, letting her snuggle up against me. “How do you feel?” I ask.
“Tired,” she says, yawning again. Both the birth and Emmy’s death took an enormous toll on her body.
“Rest a little then,” I say, caressing her hair.
“But what about the people down there? And … Emmy?” She gulps, tears staining her eyes.
“The other patriarchs will take care of it. They always have,” I say. “Don’t think about it … Focus on healing for now.”
I want her to forget about it even though I know what’s really going on downstairs.
While she gave birth, I heard the commotion in the auditorium. People were yelling, angered at the hanging that took place. A girl was killed just to show how powerful the president is, but it won’t be enough to subdue the crowd. Not anymore.
Whatever Natalie did in that dining hut, it changed people. It moved them to fight for something more, and a hanging won’t stop the rage from spreading. It’s only a matter of time.
But I won’t tell her that. I won’t burden her with it. She’s already too tired as is.
When I look down, she’s already closed her eyes. She was deadbeat tired. No wonder.
I press a soft kiss to her forehead before closing my eyes too. After getting caught trying to help my wife, almost getting hanged, and then having a child on top of that, I’m completely beat. And even though I know I’ll be dragged away from her soon and probably put into confinement, at least I can enjoy this moment together with her … for now.
Natalie
When I wake up, the setting sun breaks through the windows, blinding my view. I get up from the bed, my knees weak and unsteady, but I hold myself together as I walk to the crib to check on the baby.
But as I peer over the edge, my eyes widen, and a visceral scream follows.
“My baby!”
She’s gone.
“Where is she?” I scream, and I look around, but she’s nowhere. And Noah’s gone too. “Noah?!”
With whatever strength I have left in my body, I stumble out of the room and call for help. “Agatha! Someone! Please, help!” I yell.
But no one comes. It’s as if the place has been abandoned. I don’t hear a single sound.
Where is everyone? What’s going on?
“Noah!” I yell, but there’s no response, so I continue walking despite the pain. I push open all the doors to all the rooms, but there’s no one there. Even the patriarchal rooms are empty, and so are the matriarch rooms. What the hell is happening?
Suddenly, a loud thud emanates from one of the other rooms, and I rush to it. There’s a patriarch on the floor … foaming at the mouth. He looks up at me with terror in his eyes, and I gasp in shock.
The hemlock. They must’ve gotten it from their wives.
Shit. Noah!
I spin on my heels and run as fast as I can past all the rooms until I hear someone yelling not too far ahead in Noah’s father’s room.
“Give her to me, now!”
It’s Noah.
I rush to the room and slam the door open, but the scene in front of me makes me come to a screeching halt. His father is holding my baby … and has a crossbow pointed right at Noah.