"Push, Melena! Push!"
"I am pushing, you useless bastard!"
Frexspar ground his teeth together. A lifetime of service to the Unnamed God had not prepared him for this. He had conveniently missed his wife's first birthing, but she had demanded that he be there for this one.
"Elphaba!" he shouted.
His daughter looked up at him questioningly.
"Get some more towels! Quickly!"
Although she was still far too young to understand what was going on, Elphaba hurried to obey her father. She knew that any time he didn't refer to her as 'Fabala' meant that something serious was happening.
The midwife peered at Melena nervously. "The baby should have been here by now," she murmured.
"What'd she say?" Melena asked Frex desperately.
"Nothing!" he lied, "Everything is going to fine, dear. You just need to keep pushing."
Melena was about to make a biting retort when her face drained of color and she fell back against her pillow.
"Melena?" Frex asked, his voice rising in fear. "What's wrong with her?"
The midwife bit her lip. "I'm not sure either your wife or your baby are going to make it through this," she whispered.
"Daddy?" asked Elphaba, her voice much higher pitched than usual.
"Get out of here, Elphaba!"
"Daddy, what's wrong with Mommy?" Elphaba asked nervously.
"I said, get out of here!"
Elphaba walked stiff-leggedly from the room.
The midwife gave a small gasp, and Frex turned back around to Melena.
"The baby is coming!" the midwife exclaimed, "Oh, happy day!"
Frex could indeed see the top of a little head, and Melena opened her eyes, albeit weakly. She gave one last great push and little shoulders came into view. The midwife took over and pulled the baby out.
Frexspar and the midwife both gasped. The baby was a girl, and while her skin was the proper cream of healthy children, her little legs were all tangled together in a way that should not have been humanly possible.
"Nessarose," gasped Melena, "Name her Nessarose." And she collapsed against her pillow again. Frex hurried over to her and felt for a pulse. He sat down heavily with a dry sob.
"We've lost her."
The midwife clucked sadly, "At least you have your baby."
Frex glared at her. "Look at her! She'll never walk on those legs!" he looked up at the ceiling, addressing the Unnamed God now, "Why have you done this to me?! Why have you cursed me? All I ever wanted was a normal child!"
Elphaba, who was sitting just outside, legs pulled to her chest, ear pressed to the door, heard this and was surprised to find a tear sliding down her face.