Chapter Three
Madeline
As the nurse urged Madeline to keep pushing, Doctor Green and the anaesthesiologist rushed into the room. Noticing they were already wearing their gowns and masks, Nathaniel sighed with relief and prayed for the baby’s safe delivery.
“It won’t be long now, Mrs O’Connor,” said Doctor Green. After examining her, he nodded to his colleague. “That’s good, we can go ahead. She’s dilated and the baby’s head is fully engaged.”
The nurse patted Madeline’s hand. “The anaesthesiologist is going to prepare you for the epidural now, so you’ll feel much better soon.”
Madeline held her sides. “Good because I can’t take this torture any longer and I’m sure my baby’s suffering.”
“Don’t stress, Mrs, O’Connor,” said the anaesthesiologist. “You’ll be pain free once you’ve had your epidural, though you’ll still feel all the movements. Can you turn onto your side for me?”
As she rolled over, she glanced up at Doctor Green. “Will my baby feel any pain?”
“Don’t worry. Your daughter will be fine. Have you picked a name for her yet?”
“Yes, we’re calling her Eloise.”
“Wonderful, now let’s get her delivered, shall we?” He glanced at his colleague. “Okay, we’re ready.”
The anaesthesiologist inspected the equipment, then injected the medicine into Madeline’s spine. “This will only hurt for a minute,” he said, speaking in a low soothing tone.
Nathaniel moved closer to the bed. “Okay, there’s no turning back now.”
Ramiel gave him a sympathetic smile. “I know how much Devlin means to you, Nathaniel, and if he hasn’t fallen, I’m sure he’ll understand.”
Nathaniel’s brows knitted into an angry scowl. “I don’t care if he doesn’t. He let the child down. This type of delivery is quite dangerous, no matter what the doctor said. Devlin should’ve been here hours ago. Believe me, Ramiel. I have no qualms about taking Devlin’s place, not now. And I will not justify it to him.”
Ramiel nodded. “Yes, I guess he’s forfeited his right to your loyalty, and to guard this child, especially leaving her vulnerable to Lucifer.”
“Don’t worry, Ramiel. My senses are on high alert for both of them.”
“Look,” said Ramiel. “I think Madeline’s medication is kicking in. She’s starting to relax.”
Nathaniel raised a brow. “She may be pain free, but she seems quite scared to me.”
“Yes, we should pray some more,” said Ramiel, bowing his head.
The anaesthesiologist tapped on Madeline’s back with an instrument. “Can you feel that?” he asked her.
“No.”
He tapped on her leg. “How about that?”
She shook her head.
“Great, we’re ready to go,” said Doctor Green. “Just try to relax, Mrs O’Connor.”
Madeline squeezed her eyes shut, but as the forceps were clamped onto her baby’s head, the nurse held onto her. As Doctor Green began tugging the baby towards him, Madeline gripped the side of the bed, her face contorted with absolute terror.
Holding his arms out ready to bless the child, Nathaniel prayed for a safe delivery, but when the baby came out, she lay limp in the doctor’s hands.
In a flash, Nathaniel swept his fingers over the infant’s tiny chest, urging her to breath. “Come on, Eloise, you can do it. Take a breath,” he demanded.
As the doctor worked on the tiny newborn, Nathaniel shouted even louder. “Eloise!”
Her eyes finally popped open and as she began to wail, her little hands quivering in an obvious protest to her violent entry into the world.
While the doctor cut the baby’s umbilical cord, Nathaniel blessed her. He’d witnessed bad deliveries before, but this one had him stressed. Although the baby was beautiful, one of her eyes was bloodshot and swollen and her head was an odd shape. The deep, red welts down the sides of her temples were obviously caused by the pressure from the forceps. Nathaniel looked at Ramiel and scowled. “This doesn’t look good.”
When a rush of medics entered the room, Ramiel jerked his head towards Madeline. “She’s not doing too well either. I think she’s about to faint.”
Once Eloise was breathing properly, the nurse cleaned her up and placed her in her mother’s arms. “Here’s your little girl. Isn’t she beautiful?”
With a look of horror, Madeline stared at her baby. “What happened to her head? It’s a funny shape and her face is all bruised.”
Doctor Green patted Madeline’s hand. “Don’t fret, Mrs O’Connor. Newborn babies have a soft skull so that it’s easier for them to be born. With forceps deliveries, sometimes the babies face has a bit of swelling and bruising, and in some cases, the baby’s head can get a little squashed, but there’s no need to worry. In a few days, your baby’s head will be a normal shape again.”
Madeline frowned. She didn’t look at all convinced, and now Nathaniel was starting to worry. As he gazed down at the infant, he realise his new responsibility wasn’t going to be easy. Not only was he worried about the baby’s injuries, he was concerned about her genetics. Eloise wasn’t just a human; she was a descendant of an angel. He rubbed his chin. Would she be different to his other wards? She certainly didn’t look any different. Even with her injuries, he could see how beautiful she was. Her thick curly hair, long dark lashes and cute button nose made her look as sweet as an angel, but her feisty cries certainly showed her human side. Oh well, he sighed. No doubt he’d soon find out.
Ramiel smiled. “Looks like you’ll have your work cut out with this little fire ball. Did you see the way she shook her fists at the doctor?”
Nathaniel gazed at baby. “It’s good she’s a fighter. She’ll need to be strong, especially with Lucifer sneaking about.
Doctor Green glanced at the nurse and nodded, then he smiled at Madeline. “Now that you’ve been acquainted with your daughter, she’ll have to go to NICU. Her lungs are immature and her APGAR scores are below standard, which is common in early births, but we can’t afford to take any chances. She’ll have round-the-clock supervision and you’ll be able to see her, hold her, and feed her as long as she’s stable. Take this time to rest. You’ll need your energy later when this little angel is ready to feed.”
Nathaniel glanced at Ramiel. “Oh, if he only knew.”
Ramiel grinned. “I know, and I’m even looking for signs of blood feathers on the baby’s back.”
Doctor Green glanced over his shoulder in front of the angels and shuddered, then without giving Madeline a chance to protest, he headed towards the door. On his way through, he turned to the intern attending to Madeline. “Call me if there’s a problem, I have another emergency.”
As the nurse lifted the baby, tears filled Madeline’s eyes. “When will I get her back?”
The nurse smiled. “She’ll be in NICU for a few days, but you’ll be able to visit her as soon as you’ve been cleaned up and had some sleep.”
Leaving Madeline in the care of Ramiel, Nathaniel followed the nurse to the NICU, but on his way down the corridor, he stopped in his tracks. Devlin was standing by the lift, only meters in front of him.
Nathaniel eyed him up and down. He certainly looked different. Instead of his work robe, he was wearing low-slung white jeans and his chest was bare. He still had his hair slicked back and with his magnificent wings furled behind his muscular physique, he looked more like an action hero than a guardian angel. What was he thinking?
Hooking his thumbs onto his waistband, Devlin beamed, flashing brilliant white teeth. “Hey, Nate, have you got a new ward in here too? I’m looking for Madeline’s room.”
Nathaniel folded his arms. “Oh, so you decided to turn up, then?”
Devlin frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
His eyes wide, Nathaniel stared at him. “Madeline went into labour yesterday morning, so where were you?”
“I’m sorry, Nate. I got held up, but I’m here now, so
just point me in the right direction.”
Nathaniel glared at him. “You’re sorry? Is that all you’ve got to say?”
Devlin laughed. “What’s your problem? I don’t remember Michael making you the ward supervisor.”
“Devlin, this isn’t a laughing matter. Madeline and her baby were visited by Lucifer this afternoon and you weren’t here to protect them.”
“What?” Devlin’s mouth opened wide. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“No, I’m not.”
Running his hands through his hair, Devlin stared at him. “Jesus, Nate. What happened? Where are they?”
Nathaniel sighed. “It’s okay. They’re safe for now, but no thanks to you.”
“Were you or Ramiel here?”
“Ramiel was here all the time and I arrived two hours ago, but where were you, Devlin? Even Michael couldn’t find you. He sent his messengers out to look for you yesterday, but no one could find you.”
“I’ll explain later, just tell me where my ward is. I have to go to her.”
Nathaniel glowered at him. “I’m sorry, Devlin, you’re too late. She couldn’t come into the world without a guardian, so Michal assigned me in your place.”
“Oh, I understand that, Nate, and I appreciate it. But I’m here now, so where is she. I can’t wait to see her.”
Feeling guilty, Nathaniel rested his hand on Devlin’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, but I can’t give her back to you.”
“What?” Devlin shrugged Nathaniel’s arm away. “What sort of friend are you?”
“I’m sorry, but it wasn’t up to me. I had no choice.”
Devlin narrowed his eyes. “Of course you had a choice. You could’ve said I was on my way. I would’ve done that for you and you know it. Anyway, don’t worry, I’ll find her myself.”
Nathaniel sighed. “It won’t do you any good. Michael wants me to remain as her guardian.”
Devlin clenched his jaw. “How could you double-cross me like that? You could’ve found me if you wanted to.”
“I tried, but no one knew where you were. I’m sorry, Devlin, I honestly had no choice.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it. You could have found me at our hangout, or at least left a message there for me.”
“Like I said, I was only called in a couple of hours ago and Madeline was about to give birth. What was I supposed to do, leave the child and her mother in the hands of Lucifer like you did?”
Giving him a ferocious stare, Devlin squeezed his hands into fists. “That’s a bit below the belt. You know I didn’t do that deliberately. Anyway, don’t worry. I’ll find a way to get the child back, with or without your approval.” Spinning on his heels, he shot down the corridor.
With a strange ache in his heart, Nathaniel waited until Devlin was out of sight, then he whipped into the NICU. When he looked at the tiny infant in the humidity crib, he realised how vulnerable she was. Though she was sleeping peacefully, she had tubes in her nose and mouth, IV’s running through her veins, and the bruises on her head had darkened. Folding his arms, he leaned against the wall. There was no way he was leaving her side, not ever. Not with Lucifer trying to barter for her soul. And if Devlin hadn’t missed her birth, who knows what would’ve happened. A sudden movement in the doorway caught his eye, but when he whirled around, Devlin was standing facing him.
“So this is where she is,” he said, striding towards the incubator. But when he looked through the glass, his eyes opened wide. “Oh, my God, what happened to her?”
Nathaniel glared at him. “She had an extremely difficult birth and she could’ve died, but why do you care? You didn’t care enough to be here for her and you put her life in danger. Plus you weren’t here to fight Lucifer off.”
Devlin blinked. “Well, I’m here now, and if you value our friendship you’ll quit with the lectures and assign her back to me.”
“This has nothing to do with our friendship. It’s to do with the safety of the child. She’s not an object to be passed back and forth.”
Devlin folded his arms. “Hang on a minute. Michael originally assigned her to me.”
“Yes, but like I said, you weren’t here, so I was told to take your place. It’s too late, Devlin, so please, just accept it and let’s move on.”
“Oh, I’ll move on all right, you double-crossing shark,” he snapped. “I’ll move on from our friendship.”
“Suit yourself. I don’t have time to stand here and argue with you all day. I’ve got a sick baby to care for. Besides, you never complained about guardians taking over your wards before, so why are you so set on guarding this child?”
“Why? You know why, so stop being so self-righteous. You had an ulterior motive for being at her birth. You wanted to be her guardian as much as I did.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, yes you do. “ Devlin pressed his hands on his hips. “You knew her paternal grandfather was a fallen angel.”
Nathaniel shook his head. “That’s crazy. I only found out a couple of hours ago. Anyway, it makes no difference to me who my ward’s ancestors are. You’re the one that’s fascinated with fallen angels, not me. You were unavailable and I was asked to take your place. It’s as simple as that.”
Devlin scoffed. “That’s bullshit and you know it. You’re just as curious to see how she’ll turn out as I am.”
“Get out of here. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do than annoy me.”
With a pleading look on his face, Devlin grabbed Nathaniel’s arm. “Oh, come on, Nate. We’ve been friends for thousands of years and never had a disagreement before. Please, just, sign her back to me?”
Pushing him away, Nathaniel frowned. “I’m sorry. I can’t do that.”
Devlin clasped his fingers together. “Okay then, share her with me.”
“No.”
“Why not? We’ve shared wards before.”
Nathaniel shook his head. “I’m not sharing her with you because I don’t trust your judgment anymore.”
Devlin slammed his fists on his waist. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Nathaniel looked at him for a long moment. “Listen, Devlin. You’re my best friend, but what you did was so wrong. You can’t just take off and not tell anyone where to find you. That’s downright irresponsible, especially considering what happened. You could’ve at least told me.”
Devlin ran his hands through his hair. “Look, Nate, I lost track of time. Anyway, I thought you’d know where to find me. You’ve never had trouble before.”
“Well, I didn’t know. Plus I didn’t even know you were missing until a few hours ago when Ramiel called me here. It was too late then as the child was about to be born.”
“Okay, but you could still hand her back if you speak to Michael. You could put in a good word for me, Nate.”
“No, Devlin, I can’t.”
“Why not?”
Nathaniel sighed. “Because lately, you spend more time studying fallen angels and gawking at women than you do on your work. And if anything happened to this baby while you were guarding her, I’d never forgive myself. I’m sorry, Devlin, but I have to put her wellbeing first. And you, my friend, need to go to Angel Rehab to recover from your addictions. And until you do, I can’t trust you enough to watch over her. So it’s up to you.”
Devlin’s jaw dropped. “Jesus Christ, Nathaniel. Angel frigging rehab? That’s the most preposterous thing I’ve ever heard. You’re kidding me, right? ”
Nathaniel shrugged. “Nope, I’m serious. There are too many angels falling lately and Michael is getting worried. That’s why he’s started a rehabilitation group. And what’s with the blasphemy and the potty mouth lately?”
Throwing his hand in the air, Devlin glared at him. “What’s wrong with you all of a sudden, and why are you being so pious? You’re not bloody perfect.”
“I never said I was, but.....” Before Nathaniel could finish his sentence, the door opened and a young nurse bree
zed in. As she walked over to Eloise’s crib, Devlin looked her up and down.
Nathaniel sighed. Devlin wasn’t listening to a word he said, he was too busy gawking at the pretty nurse. And from the hungry look in his eyes, he wouldn’t be going to rehab anytime soon.
At that moment, Devlin’s weird behaviour suddenly made sense. He was craving human pleasures. Thank goodness he hadn’t been at Eloise’s birth. If he had, he might have been tempted to sell his soul to Lucifer in return for powers on Earth. Nathaniel shook his head in despair. This wasn’t good. He should have realised Devlin’s problem was bad when he’d confided in him two weeks ago. Angels weren’t allowed to lust after humans—unless they wanted to fall to Earth. Devlin had been asking him for help and he’d failed him. Well it was too late now. He stared at his friend with sadness. If Devlin didn’t go to rehab soon, he’d be doomed, especially with Lucifer tempting him.
While the nurse checked the monitoring equipment, the baby stirred. Devlin leaned over the crib to read the name tag. “Eloise. What a pretty name.”
Nathaniel rested a hand on his shoulder. “Devlin, I’m really sorry, but I think you should go now, and please, think about rehab?”
Devlin shoved him away. “I don’t care what you think, asshole! And don’t worry, I’m going, but you haven’t heard the last from me. I’ll find a way to get Eloise back, with or without Michael’s approval, or yours for that matter.” Turning on his bare feet, he stormed out the door and flew down the corridor.