Lucien
He stared in shock as Proserpina glided to the floor, grabbing her before she fell and hit her head against the small tables that had been artlessly thrown around the large den.
"Schwartz! Shark!' he bellowed, lifting her tiny, prone figure and striding over to the couch. Proserpina's head hung over his arm, her arms flapping as he moved. Her face was sallow, almost bloodless and he felt his heartbeat race as he noticed the dark shadows under her closed eyes. The soft lips were parted and she seemed totally unconscious. Her breathing was strained and loud and Lucien felt himself break out in a sweat as he felt the anxiety build up in him.
She barely weighed more than her daughter, he thought in amazement as he laid her down.
"Fuck!' he said it aloud, as he carried her easily, 'she hardly weighs anything!'
The men came tearing into the room, alarmed by the urgency in his voice.
Taking in the scene and imagining the worst, Schwartz bellowed,
' Mate, what have you done to the poor wee bairn? If you have hurt her...' Lucien looked up and saw the depth of the emotion in Schwartz handsome face. He felt a tremor of jealousy which he quickly suppressed as he snapped.
' Damn it, man, she just collapsed.'
Schwartz was almost beside himself as he helped Lucien lay the motionless young woman down on the couch.
Taking command of the situation, Shark turned, his phone in his hand,
"Doc's on the way.'
*
Sita Kumar had returned from a visit to her family and she was quickly given the details. Although she tried to prevent the twins from finding out, the two children raced into the house, scared-looking and agitated.
Ria rushed to her father,
"Pappa,' she sobbed, throwing herself at him,' What's happened to my Mumma? Was it because I was a bad girl?'
Her lower lip stuck out and trembling, she burst into tears.
'Philippe said so...' she bawled.
Lucien gathered her in his arms, holding on to her tightly as though his life depended on it. Strangely enough, Piers also sided up to him and stood, clutching his trouser leg diffidently, sucking his thumb.
***
They waited in silence, apprehensively for the doctor to complete his examination.
***
Dr Masters was an elderly physician, a tall, thin bespectacled man who looked like he went around with a perpetually irritated expression. He had never been to Lucien's mansion, had no clue who he was and was obviously not very keen on finding out.
After he had completed examining Proserpina thoroughly, having had her shifted to the bedroom before he did so, he stepped out, looking quite annoyed.
Turning to Schwartz, who was looking harassed and anxious, he snapped in exasperation, sounding peevish,
'Young man, since your wife over there...'
Schwartz quickly threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender and hastily interrupting him, pointing at Lucien who stood glowering at the mendicant, said,
"The little lady is HIS wife, not mine, Doc. I'm just their friend.'
The old doctor's bushy eyebrows shot up sky high as he turned to regard the man with the fierce expression who was easily twenty years older than the delicate young woman he had just examined. The man who was cradling a little girl in his arms with the little boy hiding behind his legs. watching the proceedings fearfully. The children had refused to leave their father, despite Beatrice's entreaties and Sita's pleas.
"YOUR...? ... Your wife?' he asked in some incredulity before he remembered his manners and regained his professional poise
'Hmm..uh..' he cleared his throat but the was a curious glint as he eyed the powerfully built man with the head of grey hair who was glaring at him as though he was the harbinger of bad news.
'As you know, your wife who is five and a half months pregnant needs to look after.. .'
He never completed his sentence.
Lucien stopped him this time with a roar,
"WHAT?'
The doctor looked mildly affronted.
'As I was saying, ' he began.
Lucien's mind was racing now, he could not comprehend what the doctor had just said.
He stepped forward, his hands grabbing the doctor's lapels, his big body quivering in agitation, thick arms like cords of muscle, straining through the shirt. Schwartz stepped in hastily, pulling him away from the doctor who looked suitably outraged at being manhandled by the patient's spouse.
"Did you say she was pregnant? Five and a half months pregnant?'
Now it was the doctor's turn to raise his voice in amazement.
"ARE YOU REALLY HER HUSBAND?' he asked in surprise and some contempt.
Lucien glowered at him.
Schwartz stepped in between the men and grinned disarmingly.
"No offence, Doc.' He said cheerfully, 'My friend is a little upset, that's all. He's been away, just got back this...uh...morning."
The doctor mumbled something uncomplimentary about ignoring a wife as young as a child and continued brusquely,
"As I was trying to say, the young woman inside is almost six months pregnant and she's obviously not been taking care of her health. I think she has not been to meet a doctor either. '
He sounded incredulous at such a massive oversight on the part of Lucien and he frowned hard. He went on quickly on seeing Lucien's thunderous expression,
"Needs to eat properly and rest. NO STRESS."
He paused and looked at the stone-faced man with the cold grey eyes who looked like he wanted to kill someone, as he stood, his fists bunched up, large body tense like a fighter's.
"She's underweight and from what I can see from a casual examination, the baby is probably not of the correct either.' Clearing his throat and avoiding the cold eyes like lasers that burnt into him, he added,
"You need to take care of the mother and the child. See that she meets a doctor regularly and all that.'
Lucien growled in response.
The kids were scrambling to get to see their mother and Beatrice who stood anxiously watching from the side-lines, looked distraught.
Hastily gathering up his bag, the doctor said,
'Here are the medicines I've prescribed, vitamins mainly.'
When he was at the door, he turned and said in a kinder voice,
"See that the young lady doesn't get too stressed. It's a delicate pregnancy. She's having a hard time anyways.'
And he threw the last words over his shoulder as he hobbled out,
'She needs to have a proper examination in a week.'