Whispers from the Edge of Darkness - Chapter 11

On the seemingly endless ride to the condominium, Cathy tried to keep her mind focused on the only portion of the day that mattered; the safe birth of Holly's baby! By now she had grown used to large family gatherings. The last one had been Aislyn's naming ceremony. Ritual and music were the overarching themes. Food and drink topped off a wonderful celebration. Post birth recovery and fine tuning the details kept her busy. Sadly, this gathering had a sinister undertone. The whole event could be a disaster. That the potential of one man's behaviour could diminish the joy of such a day seemed horrific. She tried not to dwell on the negative, but old feelings struggled to break through.

Any trip to that condo, where her life had taken many twists and turns, tended to rekindle feelings of fear and anger. The higher the stakes, the greater the anxiety. Beside her in the car, Jacob seemed serene. For him, the scenario was much better than Holly's first birth in which he had been called to deliver a breech, premature baby. That would not happen again. Holly was well prepared.

For days, Cathy considered the many possible risks of exposing her daughter to the machinations of Kardin. In the end, she left Aislyn with Vincent and Catherine. She felt bad about leaving her daughter, but Rob could return to the house and bring them after the birth, if it was appropriate and safe. She did not want to be divided between caring for her sister, worrying about Aislyn and keeping an eye on Kardin. With those decisions made, she held firm to her inner strength, praying that the day would bring nothing but happiness.

Jacob felt the anxious ebb and flow of energy in the touch of his wife. For his part, the preparation exceeded everything he could have imagined. His learning curve had been steep and filled with the joys of nature in a way he never previously enjoyed. The amulets were effective. Holly had chosen to wear hers. Brian was immune to Kardin's energy. Hélène and Philippe were protected. Should his parents need to come, they would be guided by his instructions. Deep down inside, Jacob only worried about his daughter. He made no gestures to Cathy, to sway her one way or the other about bringing Aislyn along. In the end, he was happy that she chose not to. She would be safe with her grandfather. Jacob was not convinced that Holly's second son was Kardin's true target!

Everyone allowed Holly to direct her day. She was aware and knowledgeable about her body. The connection with her baby son seemed to be beyond anyone's understanding. It was as if they spoke to each other. Like Cathy, Holly had set up a birthing room in the large condo specifically for the day. Music played softly in the background. An electric water fountain gave off a comforting glow along with the sound of flowing water. A single bed had been turned against the wall and at the center, propped up against several pillows was Holly, smiling between her deep breaths.

The children were out with Erin and Sonrisa. Jesula was keeping track of Holly's progress. The only strange sight was Brian sitting close by his wife. Cathy often wondered if they were a couple at all. She rarely saw them together, holding hands, or sharing a smile but he was as solicitous as any husband and father to be. Every so often Holly would get up and walk while working on a series of maneuvers that Jesula knew would help with the passage of the baby. Brian was both her support and her coach.

A quick check by the midwife indicated that progress was being made.

'I think I will talk now,' Holly stated breathlessly. 'I know that once I get past 5cms, I won't have much chance to speak.'

'Just tell me what you want us to do. I'll organize after that.'

'OK. That sounds good. When Mémé and Papa get here, I want everyone to just relax. When I am ready to push, Cathy, please come and sing to me, sing your song, the one that took you and Jacob to Lake Placid. It's inspiring. I want to be inspired…..just sing, no matter what I do or say. When the baby's head is out, I would like Mémé to sing something, anything, a lullaby, English, French, it doesn't matter. Brian will hand me our son. That's all I ask.'

None of what Holly said was strange and yet there was a desperation in her voice which Cathy could not dismiss. What the hell?' She said nothing. It wasn't the time to question her sister's motives. Cathy remembered her own birthing and how hard she struggled to hold it all together so that her daughter would be born in the right place. For the first time in a long time Cathy remembered one of her most vivid dreams. She saw the birth of the last Diosa, Philippe, Kardin and Vincent's grandmother. Her mind quickly followed the story through time. Holly resembled the beautiful woman who married her Spanish lover and produced eight sons. I have no idea why this time is different. Cathy let go of her thoughts and centered herself on Holly's needs. There would be time later to ponder the past.

Philippe and Hélène 's arrival seemed to settle the atmosphere a bit. Cathy passed on her sister's wishes and sat down to wait along with everyone else. There was an abundance of food and drink, along with plenty of conversation, interspersed with a sudden stillness whenever Holly called out during the contractions. At one interval, she called in her grandparents to express her gratitude for their presence. They kissed the top of her head, offered words of comfort and encouragement, and smiled before leaving the room. Holly knew then that she could do what needed to be done. That her father hadn't arrived did not worry her. All her focus turned inwards to the baby.

…..

Kardin sat in the back of his limo, trying not to engage a sense of raw power which threatened to overwhelm him. He had tried for the past three to four years to settle the anger within his being and attempt to be a person who could live among family without the mind control which characterized most of his checkered life. At the core of his heart, he made every effort, leaving his empire to others to run, hiding away in the depths of a monastery, learning to control his energy. He didn't feel as if the time spent had been wasted. He had a new understanding of self but the desperate need to manage every situation had never been left behind. He stayed away and fought the desire rather than distress his beloved daughter. Now Kardin was presented with the ultimate challenge to his lifelong desire.

Seducing Lena had been a means to an end. His calculations all bore out the perfect ending. His daughter was a goddess, eventually going on to birth the first of her eight sons. His pride knew no bounds. That she was with Brian rather than Jacob irked him no end. Had he known about Cathy's power he would have kept mother and child. As it was, he used Lena, fostered out her daughter until Hollalea was born then literally abandoned them. He did not have an opportunity to meet Cathy since then, admitted to himself that he had a little fear of her power and anger but hoped that she would remember nothing of her time away from her mother.

The driver of his car had been instructed to just drive around. Kardin was waiting to feel the pull of his daughter's energy before arriving at the condo. He knew that the group awaiting the baby's birth would have no liking for him or his ways and yet he desperately wanted to be present. The aimless driving led to mindless thinking. With a deep sigh, he gave the nod to continue to the destination.

Holly was approaching the final stages of her labour before giving birth. Everyone could feel the rising energy and remained in a state of high alert. Kardin's arrival time was inopportune but then no time would have been perfect. He was unknown physically to all but Jacob. His state of dress and eastern style smock was at odds with the shoulder length curly dark hair, unchanged since his youth. He did not extend his hand but offered a prayer bow to each. He hoped that his demeanour would disarm and diminish any harsh feelings. Only Philippe rose from his seat to introduce himself. He did not extent a hand either, but intentionally positioned himself between Cathy and Kardin. If there was any negative energy, he was determined to bear the brunt of it and save his granddaughter and Hélène.

'Philippe Jardinière. I am Madeleine's biological father.'

'I see you carry your mother's name.'

'How did you know?'

'I have studied the history of the family. There is much to learn. We share a grandmother.'

'Yes, of course.'

Kardin would have like to say more but he was reluctant to engage in any discussion which would bring up a world of hurt for the elegant man facing him. Kardin relaxed. It was another moment in which his new found empathy was on display. He intended that it should remain so. Philippe moved aside, clearly sensing little risk. He and Hélène had discussed how they would approach Kardin when so much history and angst lay between three strangers. As Philippe moved away Hélène stood. She did not approach Holly's father. In a gesture which seemed as natural as anything, she placed her left arm along her waist and allowed her right arm to rest between her breasts with the elegant long fingers placed over her heart.

Kardin recognized the posture. It was one of self-protection, used by ancients to close any overtures of friendship. Kardin knew she was a singer. Perhaps she had prepared herself for those incredible high notes by employing a similar gesture towards her throat but clearly, she did not want him to come closer. Even as he used his incredible skills to read people, especially this hostile group, he felt himself losing his hold on the very fine line between control and comity.

'Madame, I will not insert myself where I am not wanted. If you wish to ask anything of me, I will be waiting in the library.'

Holly's office/library was down the hall and next door to her birthing room. Since the door was closed, Kardin could not see what was happening inside. He could hear the soft moans of his daughter and words from her midwife and Brian. He knocked on the door with his own personal tattoo, letting her know that he had arrived. In the library, Kardin sat in a comfortable chair, pulled his cell phone from a pocket and tried to immerse his festering brain waves into a chant which would restore calm within.

Within a few minutes, he was joined by Jacob.

'Before I say anything, I want you to know how much I appreciate what you have done for my daughter. She told me that you delivered her first son. That you are here…'

'I have a duty and love for her which necessitates my presence.'

'So formal Jacob? I am not here to harm her. I wish for her safe and healthy delivery as much as you, if not more.'

'And then?'

'I must return to my business world.' Kardin raised a hand to forestall any questions from Jacob. 'I will not stay in New York. Most of my business is in India and I have been away too long.'

A pause hung in the air. On either side were many issues waiting to be resolved.

'My wife will not engage with you unless you disturb her senses. She is only focused on her sister's safe birth.' It was the answer to one unspoken and unsolicited question, but one that needed to be verbalized.

Jacob stared ahead. He looked to Kardin's aura, moved forward a step and saw an ever so slight retreat. Jacob smiled, listened carefully for any untoward sounds, saw the rent in the aura, unchanged from their last encounter and left the room satisfied that for now, Kardin still had the weakness that had been his undoing during their last encounter. Jacob had no illusions that much of Kardin's inner work could have been directed at making himself less vulnerable. Either way, he was taking no chances.

Within half an hour of her father's arrival, Cathy approached the final stage of labour. She was not quite fully but the pressure was getting to her. Brian poked his head out the door and called Cathy and Hélène to come in.

'I am in the twilight zone of my labour. Jesula says I have a tiny lip of cervix. The baby has to shift a little and then I can start pushing.' She paused while another contraction took hold of her body. Back arched and head thrown from side to side, she did not alter a well-practiced pattern. Breathing slowly to regain her equilibrium, she continued before the next contraction. 'Please Cathy' she said extending a hand, 'please sing for me. It doesn't need to be what I asked for….yet, just something to take my mind away. Mémé, you too, please?'

Hélène and Cathy had not spoken at length about impromptu singing. Each was prepared for their own song. Cathy held Mémé's hand and felt a strong desire to sing with her grandmother. Their blended voices would be helpful. She pulled out her cell phone and quickly ran down some favourites.

'Let's do this one.'

Cathy hooked up her phone to a mini speaker. They began singing. It was a song from two generations by different artists, but both knew it well and timed its intricate verses to Holly's breathing. Two more songs followed before Holly was ready to start pushing. Cathy began her song. The tempo was slowed slightly. Everyone was observing each push, waiting for that moment when the head would crown. Watching the progress, the women all became lost in the memories of their own birthing's.

In the room next door, Kardin listened carefully to the murmurings. He became focused on the energy of his daughter, knew it was waning but could do little to support her. As the women's voices turned musical, he sat upright, losing track of time and place. Against his will, he was transported back to the time when he sat with Holly's mother while she gave birth.

Kardin had executed his plan well. When Lena left the tunnel to re-establish her life outside, he had been waiting, knowing the secrets of her heritage. He had no time nor patience for the young child she had already. Once he was able to use his skills and hypnotize Lena into believing that he was her savior, Kardin removed the child completely from her mother's orbit. He had, at the back of his mind, the thought that if Lena was amenable and docile, he might keep her but did not want the burden of caring for the unwanted off-spring of her street life. Had he known the truth, what a difference it would have made. Kardin wanted to shake himself for the biggest blunder of his life. How was he to know that the imbecilic and drug addicted Freddy could have impregnated Lena already!

As the muffled sounds of Cathy's voice penetrated his being, he continued to search his mind for the flaw in his character that made him so blind. After Cathy was dispensed to live with an older woman who was paid well to foster her, Kardin tried to woo Lena but she became silent, was often unresponsive and did little more than sit and hum songs all day long. It grated on his nerves. He quickly calculated a good time for conception and using his manipulative skills impregnated her then stood back and waited for his child to be born. The birth was an easy one for Lena. Her mind was drugged with his words. He allowed her to feed their child for six weeks, handed the baby off to a wet nurse and programmed Lena's mind to forget.

The day she awoke and found her daughter beside her, looking as if nothing changed, he knew that he was free to let her go. Kardin was not unkind enough to just push her back on the street. He did settle her in a small but practical apartment, covered two years of rent and left her with a book of instructions on how to access money put away for her comfort. Within a year, he had gotten exactly what he wanted but the inability to see beyond his own needs cost him greatly. He still didn't understand how Jacob, Cathy and Holly had become a triad of energy. Perhaps in his musings, he lost sight of the true majick and healing power of the Clan.

Kardin was disturbed by his thoughts. The more Cathy sang, the greater the rage, of years past, washed over him. The rage was so intoxicating. An emotion buried for so long threatened to break through. He moved further from the wall hoping to dull the sound, but he knew better than most that softer muffled voice could resonate and penetrate the being at a cellular level. He longed to cry out, could not and paced to break the edge of the misery. When all seemed lost, Cathy stopped. He didn't know the song or its meaning, but her voice carried a cry of hurt and pain. Kardin knew its origin. He also knew the baby was crowning, ready to emerge. Between the end of the song and the thought of his grandson, Kardin was able to gather his tattered self together. Maybe I can survive this and move on.

His hope was in vain. A new sound penetrated the mists of his mind. Lena! What was she doing here? Kardin lost himself in years gone by. The voice, the song, recanted the memory of Hollalea's mother. Many times, she would just sit and hum beneath her breath, occasionally muttering a few words in another language. Kardin didn't understand but he heard the longing in her voice. Any feeling of remorse was quickly staunched. Suddenly, It was as if Lena was present, in the room. Kardin had forgotten that Hélène was there. She had not spoken when he came in but her voice, in song, had been bequeathed to her daughter. Kardin slumped in a chair. A true moment of redemption was on his shoulders. He got up and walked to the window, looking out below. Just then he heard the wail of his grandson. The singing stopped. He drew a deep breath. Turmoil set his mind afire. He had been punished in a most subtle way. His own gifts had been wasted. He was at a moment of truth.

As a courtesy, Brian came in and informed his father in law that the second son had been born. He appeared healthy and robust. He reassured the anxious father that Holly was doing fine and extended the offer to help in the choosing of a name from the list. Kardin nodded. He knew it would be awhile before he would see his daughter. Post birth clean up often took some time. He would wait. The announcement and Brian's uncomplicated presence helped to settle his ragged nerves. He had time!

When Jacob finally came to call him in to see his daughter, he turned from his contemplation of the busy New York streets below. With every inch of his being he schooled his features into a demeanor which he hoped would represent who he wanted to be and not who he was. Kardin assumed that he and Jacob had the same strengths. By exercising maximum control, Kardin hoped to convince everyone that he had not undergone any change and remained steadfast to the years of programming. He had no idea that Jacob could absorb and process the energy of a room in a heartbeat. Once again, they were set to face off. Both knew it the moment Kardin turned away from the window.

…..