Bagi Alessandra, kehidupan setelah jamuan makan malam itu terasa berlalu jauh lebih cepat dari biasanya. Apa yang tadinya terasa seperti persiapan selama berbulan-bulan menjelang kedatangan anak mereka, tiba-tiba terasa hanya berlalu beberapa minggu saja, dan kini hari kelahiran anak mereka semakin dekat.
Seiring tubuhnya yang kian berat, seperti yang selalu diutarakan oleh Edgar, ia menjadi lebih jarang bergerak. Namun, berkat perhatian dari orang-orang di dalam kediaman Collins, para sahabatnya, serta sang nenek yang datang berkunjung, hari-hari panjang yang diabiskannya di dalam rumah sama sekali tidak terasa membosankan.
Seminggu yang lalu, kerajaan dikaruniai seorang pangeran kecil, dan meskipun saat itu adalah waktunya untuk merayakan, kedamaian tak pernah benar-benar tercipta di istana. Edgar dipanggil untuk membantu Tobias, sebelum akhirnya ia bisa kembali ke sisi Alessandra di rumah.
Itulah hal yang sangat ia sesali, sebab hari itu justru menjadi hari di mana anak-anak mereka memutuskan untuk hadir ke dunia.
"Edgar!" panggil Alfred kepada Edgar yang langsung melompat turun dari kereta sebelum kendaraan itu sempat berhenti.
"Apakah sudah terjadi?" tanya Edgar sambil melepas mantelnya seraya berlari menaiki tangga, melompati dua anak tangga sekaligus jika diperlukan.
"Mereka belum lahir, tapi prosesnya sudah berlangsung cukup lama, dan belum ada kabar tentang bayi yang keluar dari dalam kamar. Jeritan duchess benar-benar membuatku tak sanggup mendengarnya. Beliau berada dalam kesakitan yang luar biasa, dan tidak ada yang bisa kita lakukan selain menunggunya," ucap Alfred sembari menerima mantel Edgar dan mengekor di belakangnya. Ia berharap Alessandra tidak harus menanggung rasa sakit begitu hebat. Hal itu memang sudah diduga, tetapi mendengar jeritannya mengiris hati.
Edgar bergegas menuju kamar di lantai dasar tempat mereka memindahkan Alessandra setelah ia memutuskan bahwa tempat itu lebih baik baginya daripada harus bolak-balik naik turun tangga menuju kamar tidur mereka. Pintu kamar tertutup rapat, dan sebelum Edgar sempat mencoba masuk, Alfred mencekal tangannya.
"Anda tidak boleh masuk, Edgar. Anda hanya akan menghalangi para wanita dan dokter. Anda harus menunggu—"
"Apa kau tidak mendengarnya?" Edgar menunjuk pintu dengan marah, tempat tangisan kesakitan Alessandra terdengar. "Setidaknya yang bisa kulakukan adalah menggenggam tangannya dan menenangkannya."
"Itulah yang ingin Anda lakukan, tapi mereka semua telah menegaskan bahwa tidak seorang pun boleh masuk ke dalam kamar dan membiarkan mereka melakukan tugas mereka untuk menyambut anak Anda ke dunia ini dengan selamat serta menjaga Alessandra. Kehadiran Anda hanya akan mengacaukan konsentrasi mereka. Kita tidak boleh menginterupsi demi kebaikan Alessandra. Tolong tetaplah di luar sini," pinta Alfred.
Sebagian besar waktu, para suami memang tidak disambut di dalam ruangan pada saat seperti ini karena mereka dianggap tidak berguna atau karena mereka akan marah atas sesuatu yang sama sekali tidak mereka fahami. Di waktu lain, para suami memang sengaja memilih untuk tidak berada di sana demi menghindari jeritan dan pemandangan darah. Mereka biasanya hanya datang setelah bayi itu lahir untuk mengetahui jenis kelaminnya.
Butuh tekad yang sangat besar bagi Edgar untuk mundur dari depan pintu. Ia tidak berniat mengganggu apa yang tengah dikerjakan oleh para bidan dan dokter, meskipun ia sangat ingin Alessandra tahu bahwa ia tiba tepat waktu dan siap menggenggam tangannya.
Meskipun ia telah berulang kali menyatakan ingin memiliki banyak anak bersama wanita itu, Edgar kini merasa bahwa anak pertama ini sudah lebih dari cukup agar Alessandra tidak perlu lagi mengalami rasa sakit seperti ini.
Alfred memerhatikan Edgar yang menegang setiap kali mereka mendengar suara Alessandra. "Apakah Anda ingin pergi ke—"
"Aku tetap tinggal di sini," tegas Edgar. Inilah jarak paling jauh yang bisa ia ambil dari Alessandra. Begitu semuanya berakhir, ia akan langsung masuk untuk menemuinya.
"Edgar! Tubuhku sudah sangat tidak bugar."
oEdgar mendongak ke arah pintu depan saat mendengar suara Tobias. "Kami di sini," sahutnya.
"Bagus! Sepertinya aku tidak melewatkan apa pun," ujar Tobias sambil terengah-engah mengatur napas begitu menemukan keberadaan Edgar. "Kau bahkan tidak menyadari kedatanganku di belakangmu. Aku merasa bersalah karena kau telah membantu urusan keluargaku hingga hampir melewatkan kelahiran anakmu sendiri, jadi aku datang. Hazel dijaga ketat oleh para ksatria jadi... Bisakah aku minta sedikit air?"
"Segera," jawab Alfred, lalu meninggalkan keduanya. Ia bersyukur Tobias ada di sana untuk mengalihkan perhatian Edgar. Perbincangan di antara mereka berdua akan membantu waktu berjalan lebih cepat.
"Kenapa fisikmu payah sekali? Kau datang dengan kereta, bukan? Paling-paling yang harus kau lakukan hanya menaiki beberapa anak tangga di depan rumah kami," cibir Edgar, kecewa dengan kondisi Tobias.
"Hei! Anak-anak membuatmu harus berlari terus-menerus. Belum lagi malam-malam tanpa tidur. Tak ada yang memberitahuku bahwa aku tidak akan bisa tidur nyenyak di malam hari. Aku sudah sering berdebat dengan para bodoh yang mencoba meyakinkanku agar membiarkan para pelayan merawat putraku menggantikan kami. Aku tergoda untuk menghabisi mereka semua. Duduklah, Edgar," ajak Tobias sambil menepuk dinding di sampingnya. Ia meluncur turun dan duduk di lantai. "Aku jadi ingat suara jeritan Hazel. Kau tidak akan bisa menghapus jeritan itu dari kepalamu."
Edgar menghampiri dinding dan duduk bersisian dengan Tobias. Tidak ada hal lain yang bisa ia perbuat saat ini selain menunggu.
"Aku baru menyadari bahwa anak pertama kita nanti akan lahir dengan jarak satu minggu saja, persis seperti kita dulu. Aku tadinya berharap pihak kalian dikaruniai seorang anak perempuan mengingat aku sudah memiliki seorang pangeran, tapi aku tidak keberatan jika kelak ada calon duke yang sedang dalam perjalanan. Hazel mengirimkan ucapan selamat. Jika bukan karena kondisinya yang masih pemulihan, dia pasti sudah ikut dengan
To Alessandra, life after the dinner seemed to move faster than normal. What felt like months they had to prepare for the arrival of their child suddenly felt like a few weeks had passed, and now the day for their child to arrive was getting closer and closer.
As her body became heavier, as Edgar would always point out, she moved around less, but with the care from those inside the Collins house, her friends, and her grandmother who came to visit, the many days she spent inside were never boring.
One week ago, the kingdom was blessed with a little prince, and though it was time for a celebration, there was never peace in the palace. Edgar was called to aid Tobias, and then he would be back home by Alessandra's side.
It was something he deeply regretted, as it was the day their children decided they wanted to make their debut in the world.
"Edgar!" Alfred called to Edgar, who jumped out of his carriage before it could stop.
"Has it happened yet?" Edgar asked, taking off his coat as he ran up the steps, skipping two if needed.
"They are not here yet, but it has been a while since it started, and no news of a baby has come out of the room. The duchess's screams are something I cannot take. She is in great pain, and there is nothing we can do but wait for her," Alfred said, taking Edgar's coat and following behind him. He wished Alessandra did not have to go through so much pain. It was expected, but to hear her screaming twisted his heart.
Edgar rushed to the room on the bottom floor where they had moved Alessandra when he decided it would be better for her there than having to make long trips up and down the stairs to their bedroom. The door was shut, and before Edgar could try entering, Alfred grabbed his hand.
"You are not to enter, Edgar. You would only get in the way of the women and the doctor. You are to wait-"
"Do you hear her?" Edgar angrily pointed to the door, where Alessandra's cries of pain could be heard. "The least I could do is hold her hand and comfort her."
"It is what I would like for you to do, but they have all stated that no one should enter the room and let them do their job to bring your child into this world safely and watch over Alessandra. Your presence will only throw them off of what they are doing now. We must not interrupt for Alessandra's sake. Please stay out here," Alfred said.
Most of the time, husbands were not welcomed inside at this time because they were seen as useless to be there or because they would get angry over something they had no idea how to do. Other times, husbands simply did not want to be there to listen to the cries and see the blood. They only came when the child was here for the gender to be known.
It took a great deal of strength for Edgar to back away from the door. He did not wish to interrupt what the midwives and doctor were doing, though he desperately wanted Alessandra to know that he had made it on time and that he was there to hold her hand.
Though he had stated many times that he would like to have many children with her, Edgar now felt like these first children would be enough so Alessandra would not have to go through this pain again.
Alfred watched Edgar tense up each time they heard Alessandra's voice. "Would you like to go to another-"
"I am staying right here," said Edgar. This was the furthest he would be from Alessandra. As soon as it was all over, he would go inside to see her.
"Edgar! I'm terribly out of shape already."
Edgar looked up in the direction of the front door, where he heard Tobias's voice. "We are over here," he said.
"Good! It doesn't seem like I missed anything," Tobias said, holding over to catch his breath when he found Edgar. "You didn't notice me coming behind you. I felt bad that you were helping with my family and almost missed the arrival of your child, so I came. Hazel is well protected by the knights so… Can I have a bit of water?"
"Right away," Alfred said, leaving the two. He was glad Tobias was here to distract Edagr. The two of them talking would help the time go faster.
"Why are you so out of shape? You rode a carriage here, didn't you? The most you had to do was run up the few steps in front of our home," Edgar said, disappointed with the state of Tobias.
"Hey! Children make you run around constantly. Then there are the sleepless nights. Nobody told me that I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I've had a lot of arguments with those fools who try to convince me to let the servants take care of my son in our place. I'm tempted to just kill all of them. Come sit, Edgar," Tobias said, patting the wall beside him. He slid down onto the floor. "I remember hearing Hazel. You can't get those screams out of your head."
Edgar went to the wall and sat down beside Tobias. There was nothing else he could do at this point but wait.
"I am now realising that our first children will be one week apart like us. I was hoping for a little girl on your end now that I have a prince, but I wouldn't mind there being a future duke on the way right now. Hazel sends her congratulations. If not for her still healing, she would have come with me," said Tobias.
"Thank you for coming," Edgar said, appreciating the fact that Tobias returned the favor and came to check on his family. "I am never coming to help you in the future when Alessandra is close to giving birth."
"Fair enough," Tobias replied. "I should have told Alfred to get some alcohol instead of water. I- Did you hear that?"
"I did," Edgar answered, quickly getting to his feet. Inside the room, everything had gone silent, and then there were the cries of a baby.
"It sounds like a healthy baby. Congratulations," Tobias patted Edgar's back.
The door of the room opened, revealing a woman wiping blood from her hands. "You-"
She was unable to get a word out as she felt a breeze pass her.
Edgar entered the room and went straight to the bed, where Alessandra lay with blood between her legs. Her hair stuck to her body because of sweat, but in her arms was the tiny person they had created, wrapped in a soft blanket. Only one, unlike what Edgar had been claiming.
"You made it in time," Alessandra said, happy to see Edgar. She was tired and wanted to rest, but she had to find out first if Edgar was here and have him see their son. "He needs to be cleaned, but I just wanted to hold him before I fell asleep. I am tired."
Edgar sat next to Alessandra on the bed while the women in the room moved around to clean up the blood, and the doctor was off in a corner. "You did well," Edgar commended her, leaning forward to give her a quick kiss on the lips.
"You can hold him now. We must name him," Alessandra said, carefully passing their son to Edgar. "What about Edmund-"
"You have plenty of jokes, Alessandra. Would you like me to suggest Desmond? See, it isn't funny, isn't it? What about Elijah Collins? Eli for short," Edgar suggested, looking down at his son gripping his finger.
"I like it," Alessandra said since it was better than the other names she thought of.
"Are they sure there is not another in there? I had a feeling it was two-"
"Edgar, if not for you holding our son and my body feeling weak, I would hit you," Alessandra replied, glaring at Edgar for still believing there was more than one child.
Edgar didn't mind that there was only one now. If Alessandra was up for it, there was always next time.
Aside from the joys of their family slowly growing, what filled Edgar's mind was how much he would have missed out on if he had not visited Demond's home. From his beautiful wife to their son, he would try to be the best father that he could be. Edgar was glad he had accidentally met Alessandra that night.
Komentar Chapter (0)
Login buat ikut berkomentar.
Belum ada komentar di chapter ini. Jadi yang pertama!