In the intervening months, Megara's days consisted mainly of naps and some lessons with Rhea on how to control her breathing and manage her pain in what promised to be a challenging birth.
The same day she'd received that dream, Hercules had petitioned Morpheus on her behalf. She had not experienced another such dream. It was supposed to prevent any future scares, but even in so doing, it had made the original one loom larger in her mind. Megara suspected that either the message had been successfully delivered and required no further elaboration or Rhea's protection had driven the messenger away.
There was some form of an investigation going on into whether Hades had returned, but Hercules warned people specifically to avoid discussing it around her. She knew he meant well and that he hoped to shield her from the anxiety of constant updates, but sometimes, she pretended to be asleep so he'd be more comfortable sharing news around her.
It appeared that there were multiple signs of a deity reshaping the Underworld, but even Thanatos couldn't answer who that might be. The place had taken on a consciousness of its own and pushed out investigators before they could look for more evidence.
Megara pretended she didn't know anything about the ongoing investigation, purely so that Hercules wouldn't take any extra measures to shield her from it. It was odd. Ever since the night she snuck away to peruse his high school yearbook, they had shared their every secret. She comforted herself with the idea that soon, they could share again.
There were more immediate concerns to consume her waking and dreaming mind. True to Hercules's self-conscious fears, Harmonia grew to an impressive size. Nobody wanted to say it aloud, but the evidence indicated that her delivery would not be an easy one.
Cassandra traveled back to Delphi less frequently since she was overseeing the construction of a personal sanctuary dedicated to herself and Apollo, built adjacent to the palace on the Theban Acropolis. From there, she remained in daily contact with Megara and Hercules. As the future Queen of Thebes, she had decided to create new duties for herself as a spiritual leader among the people. While Megarion would handle the political situation, there was no doubt that she provided a powerful asset to the city.
It was easiest to keep in contact with her other friends via letters, but nothing surprised her anymore since Cassandra foresaw how long it would be until the birth. She took responsibility for sending the invitations abroad to Galatea, Medusa, and Eurydice so that they could all gather and form the ultimate support squad.
Fueled by her enthusiasm, Galatea was the first to arrive. Hercules jogged down the path to meet the group first and check that the attendants were safety-approved before they ever reached the house. Galatea thus reached the front door on her own, which gave her time to embrace and then circle Megara.
"You got so big!" Galatea exclaimed with the same tone as if she were praising a child for a growth spurt. "How are you feeling?"
"Everything hurts. I'm always tired, and I'm not allowed to know anything."
"Aww, but I'm sure that won't stop you!" Galatea hugged her about the shoulders and snuggled close. "Wow, you're soft! Harmonia is gonna love cuddling with her mama!"
Megara nodded slowly, intending to hide how she reeled with that thought. "I've dreamed of her for some time now. I have seen her face and heard her voice… Now I'm impatient for the real thing."
"You may not say that with so much confidence when you're cleaning up after her, but what experiences are you most excited for once you meet her?" Galatea asked Megara, moving her aside so that her daydreaming wouldn't get her knocked over by someone hauling in a large amphora.
"I feel as if I already know her… But I just want to hold my baby and know we made it through safely," Megara admitted. "I know it sounds lame, but that's all I can really ask for. I pray every morning and night to know she's safe."
"That's not lame at all!" Galatea shook her head. "I want my niece to be safe, too! And my sister!" She beamed. "Isn't saying we're sisters fun? I'm so glad I have a real family!"
Megara didn't want to say it, but they weren't real family.
Galatea caught the look on her face and winked. "Well, a family full of real people! Medusa was at the back of the line the last time I saw her. She brought some things from the new Aphrodite temple!"
"Yay," Megara said flatly.
"There's that Meggish humor!" Galatea giggled.
Hercules walked in then, leading a troupe of attendants, all carrying boxes and jars. "There's… a lot here," he noted.
"What is all this?" Megara asked.
"We've got supplies for the party and your first couple months or so of recovery!" Galatea trumpeted. "I also brought an exclusive item!" She turned theatrically to point down the line. "I present to you one irreplaceable Medusa!"
Hercules was jogging up the hill with Medusa following right after him. "Galataea, where are all these guys going to sleep? You're not planning to send them right back to Attica, are you?"
"Of course not. I booked up the inn closest to the wall for them, right through the nearest gate."
Hercules looked a little nervous about that, but he moved aside so Medusa could enter the house.
"It seems cozier in here than the last time I was here," Medusa said. "It's so good to be all together again." She, too, looked Megara over, but she had no commentary.
"You can tell me I'm big, I know. The little butterfly has been stretching her cocoon."
Hercules rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry."
"I picked you," Megara reminded him yet again.
"We'll make sure everything is fine," Galatea reassured them both. "Isn't it remarkable that we all met Megara a year ago, and here we are, all together?" She hooked an arm around Megara's neck and the other around Medusa's, though her snakes had to recoil out of the way. "Now look at us! One year on, and our little friendship trio is gonna celebrate our first birth together!"
"First?" Megara repeated. She looked between the other members of the trio and landed on Galatea. "Does that mean you're…?"
"My prayers have been answered!" Galatea cheered. "Imagine! A few months from now, we can all be together again! And Harmonia can be there to meet her new friend! By then, maybe one or both of you will have another little one to celebrate, and we can go on and on in the cycle!"
Megara exchanged a glance with Hercules. She suspected that under normal conditions, she would have been intimidated or even dreaded the idea of more and more parties. But now, there was something comforting about the assurance that the cycle would continue, and she would be a desired part of it. She would matter. More precious lives would be added to their small circle. There was something beautiful about passing their friendship between the generations.
"Oh, no!" Galatea exclaimed. She swept Megara's tears away with her hip scarf. "I didn't mean to make you cry!"
Hercules was the only person who would understand her feelings. He replied to her confusion with a grin and a wink. She took that to mean he was proud of her. "Those are happy tears," he explained, though he still moved in closer.
"I have a leaky face these days," Megara added sheepishly.
"Oh, good!" Galatea sighed. "Do you know when Cassandra will join us?"
"I heard she was meeting a few clients today," Hercules said. "She'll check in with us after."
"How about Eurydice?" Medusa asked.
"Orpheus's last concert stop is in Isthmia. He might be here tomorrow to drop her and Charis off with us."
"So for tonight, it's just the four of us," Galatea nodded as if she had been the one to reveal this knowledge herself.
"Would you like to see the guest rooms?" Megara asked. "I'm hoping we can set up our birthing chamber to suit all of us, but for tonight, the two of you aren't on duty. You can relax."
"I'll have my cook get started on foods that'll help strengthen you for the ordeal ahead," Galatea said.
Megara smiled, but the real reason she'd brought up guest rooms was to buy some time to herself. She was starting to get dizzy and hated it when she passed out in front of people.
She was starting to feel light-headed and wobbly, though only Hercules noticed the signs.
"Let me help her get to bed, and then I'll be back to show the two of you where you can sleep," Hercules said. He didn't wait for Megara to ask. He just scooped her up. "Could you tell one of your attendants to get some of the honey water we keep in the kitchen?" He brought Megara back to their room and laid her out. "You're going to be fine soon," he reassured her, and he, too, wiped away her tears. "You did a great job down there."
Megara nodded, rolling slowly onto her side. "Ugh… I know Rhea says most things don't go back to normal after having a baby, but I feel like I won't be useless after this."
"You were never useless. You just didn't know your talents yet."
"Be that as it may…" Megara turned onto her side with some effort. "If you could be my social buffer for a while until I can move again…" Hercules smoothed her hair back from her face. "We'll take care of everything. I know you've got a big event to prepare for…" His hand curled around the base of her neck. "Be safe. I'll be back soon." He bent to kiss her cheek, then darted off to supervise their guests.
Before he'd gone too far, though, he touched a talisman sacred to his grandmother and whispered a prayer that she would watch over Megara in his absence.
Megara heard him in her fading consciousness, and the humility in his voice summoned fresh tears to her eyes. Her husband had grown up a mortal praying to the gods, so it made sense that he would maintain the habit. Still, there was something about hearing him call upon his grandmother for help. It was so human.
It seemed there were a million things to cry about these days.
As she drifted into sleep, Rhea's voice whispered in her mind of the cycle of life and death. She viewed a vision of a wheel, consistently spinning and suspended in the sky. She was tied to it, and yet… the bond that bound her to it loosened, and she rose above it. On another day, when she wasn't so tired, she'd piece together what that meant.