Sakuno's whole body trembled in deep pain. She was on the futon, her jaw clenched, trying to endure the contractions. The mermaid could feel the sweat on her body and the tears on her eyes.
A whole hour had already passed. The blizzard continued to crash into the night and Ryoma had not arrived yet.
She didn't know how to breathe to relieve the pain; she didn't know the position she was supposed to be. The mermaid was laid on the dark, curled on herself, pressing the covers tightly until her hands were sore. It was the worst pain she had ever experience in her life, even worse than the one she felt when she was outside the sea for too long.
Sakuno used a lot of strength to stand up. She wanted to leave the house and find her husband on the city. But, soon, another contraction hit her to the core and she crouched down, holding one of the wood pillars of her home, releasing a painful scream.
"What should I do?! It was not supposed to happen now! Please! Your father is not here! There is still so much I don't know! I cannot do this without him!"
Her tears fell on the floor and she could feel her skin trembling completely.
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"It is not broken, it is only twisted." Ryoma smiled gently to the little girl, after examinating her foot, trying to put her at ease. "You are such a strong girl."
"It hurts!" she was sitting on her mother's lap and her round face was covered in tears.
"I know, but you will be feeling better soon." He had some bandages with him. "It will hurt a little bit. Can you give your mother a big hug?"
She obeyed and kept herself still, while he gently immobilized her small foot and ankle.
"There you go. All done."
"Really?!" she looked at her foot. Ryoma touched the top of her hair and she grinned.
"You will need to rest for a while, okay? No playing or running for at least three weeks. Can you do that?"
"Yes!"
"Let's go to bed, little lady." Her father picked her up from her mother's lap and she waved to Ryoma.
"Bye bye!"
"Goodbye." He showed her a small smile.
"Thank you so much, Ryoma-san." The mother said, gently.
"I will bring some medicine for the pain tomorrow. For now, just apply ice every four hours for the next days."
"How is Sakuno-san? I haven't seen her around for a while. Is everything okay?"
"Yes, she is just feeling uncomfortable since she is getting to the last weeks of pregnancy. The baby will probably be born on the first week of spring."
"Did you choose a name yet?"
"Not really, we are still talking about it."
"I took a look on the window, the blizzard got even worse." The husband approached them. "Ryoma-san, can you wait a little so we can go safely?"
"Of course."
"I will prepare some tea for us." The wife said, before going to the kitchen.
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Sakuno opened her eyes slowly. She had fainted due to the pain. The mermaid was sitting with her back on the wall, near the fireplace. She was covered in sweat, the red bangs glued on her forehead. She was so thirsty, but she had no strength to get up and drink some water. She could hear the strong wind blowing outside her house.
She touched her belly and realized the baby had stopped kicking. Her hands circulated her belly one more time and there was nothing. Despair started to run on her mind. Her daughter was never still, especially on those last days. Another contraction hit her and she clenched her teeth.
"I have to push you out." She remembered Ryoma's words again. "You need to come out."
Sakuno took off her sweaty clothes and took a deep breath, closing her eyes when another contraction squeezed her womb. She picked up her white furry coat that was hanging on the wall and put it on the floor. She kneeled on the coat and was able to smile a little, feeling her baby kick again.
"I know Papa is not here, but, Mama will do her best, okay? Please, be born safely."
She closed her eyes and tried to understand her body better. She noticed that every time she had a contraction, her muscles worked on their own and she started to push, in pure and raw instinct. Sakuno groaned, closing her fists tightly, trying to deal with the pain.
Half an hour passed by so slowly. Sakuno was breathless and exhausted and there was no sign of her baby. She laid on her side, crying, desperate calling Ryoma over and over inside her mind.
##############
Ryoma looked at the storm from the window. Two hours had passed since he left home already and the blizzard continued to blow fiercely.
"Ryoma-san, you are probably tired, right? I am sorry I made you come under such conditions." The husband said, concerned. His wife had already gone to bed.
"I am worried about Sakuno." He said, the golden eyes never leaving the widows.
"It is so scary, right? To have a pregnant wife, to be a father. I remembered I almost fainted when our daughter was born. Since she was half a mermaid, my wife couldn't have her on the ocean. We had to wait for a long time to a doctor arrive from the other city. Everyone is really glad that you are living here now."
"I am also glad of being useful." He replied, gently. "But, I really wanted to be home right now."
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Sakuno touched her body. Looking at her fingers, there was some blood in them. Ryoma had explained that babies were born covered with a little blood and that the head would come first. The mermaid moved and kneeled down again, pushing in the intervals of the fast contractions.
She looked up and felt the warm tears running down her face. She used all her strength, her whole body trembled and her screaming echoed on the empty house.
"Please, please…" she begged for strength on those last pushes, her hands already feeling the baby's head.
The newborn slid down from her body into her hands and Sakuno placed her on the coat, slowly, with a smile in the middle of her tears. It was indeed a little girl. She had her mother's red hair. But, Sakuno soon noticed something was not right. The baby did not cry.
She picked up the child and put it on her chest, vigorously rubbing her little back.
"Please, cry! You have to cry! Your father said you have to cry!"
#############
Ryoma smiled when he saw his house. The storm had stopped but snow continued to fall on those early hours of a new day. The sun was about to rise. The young man had accompanied him until a few meters on the front garden.
He felt happy. Helping someone in need was a good way to start a new year on his life. He wondered if Sakuno was able to eat and if she managed to rest.
He opened the shoji slowly, not wanting to disturb his wife if she was sleeping. But, just after taking some steps inside, his heart dropped from his chest and the golden eyes were wide in absolute shock.
Sakuno was leaning on the wall next to the fireplace. There was a small stain of blood on her white coat. She raised her head and looked at him with a small, exhausted smile. Her hands were also a little bloody and she was holding their daughter. The little girl was on her chest, completely safe and healthy, already nursing while enjoying the warmth of her mother's embrace.
"Look." she said with a sweet voice. "Papa is finally home."