“Angel, I’m fine, it’d take more than that to keep me from my girls.” Alexander tries to comfort me.
“How bad were these pains, Lily?” Doc asks seriously diverting the attention away from Alexander.
I breathe out a long breath, “Very intense, but I’d been standing for about twelve hours and had lower back pain and when Alexa and I lay down on the couch to watch Spy Kids I drifted off and then I woke to strong pain. Alexa felt the tightening and said they felt weird on her back. They were intense from the start and increasingly got stronger each time.” I take a breath, “and when Betty started timing the contractions because she knew they were strong, they were one minute apart and fifty seconds long, increasing in pain each time. Betty knew what she was doing and took charge giving Dad and Alexa orders and we were here probably twenty minutes into the contractions starting. I vomited a few times; I don’t know it was hard to tell I was pretty out of it. Dr. Sarah said she helped you in my surgery and then when you needed a break, she said she was my second attending.”
“Yes, she’s your secondary physician if I’m spun up, sorry Lily I probably should have told you that. I’ll speak to Dr. Langley and get the full picture medically, but you said she’s restricted you?”
“Yes, I’m not allowed to stand more than two hours before having an hour break, she said if the Braxton Hicks continue like they were last night I’d have to be on full bed rest, but for now I just have to slow down, NO sexual activity at all, not even non penetrative sex, and she said my cervix looked good but it is ripening and she thinks I’ll have these bugs in 2-4 weeks early. I think that was all, no something about injections to strengthen their lungs.” “I agree with her direction but I will speak with her and confirm a plan in case we’re spun up.”
Doc excuses himself and leaves and it’s just Alexander and I sitting, staring at each other. Alexander’s worried, I can see it written all over his face, he reaches out gingerly and holds my swollen belly in both hands then breaks our moment to look down.
“Boys, you need to not do that to Mommy, especially when Daddy’s spun up,” Alexander softly berates.
“Boys?” I giggle.
Alexander looks up and grins wolfishly. “Angel, we’re definitely having boys with black hair.”
My heart skips a beat, not because he said we’re having boys but because Alexander gave too much detail, he is certain and that makes me question just how close he came to death and I start to sob and shake uncontrollably.
“Lily, I’m okay, I promise you, Angel.”
Alexander tries to reassure me but I’m lost in my emotions and the overwhelming thought of just how close we came to losing him. He kisses my forehead and it’s not enough I need more, I kiss him all over his face and neck, the need to know he’s really here with me is tangible.
“I love you, Angel, mine.”
“I love you, so much Alexander and I can’t bear the thought of a world without you, you can’t ever leave me.” I say through my tears.
“I will never willingly leave you,” Alexander whispers.
“You better not, Handsome.” I use a bit of Alexa sass.
He chuckles, “You’ll see, in a couple of days I’ll be good as new.”
“I’m worried, Alexander.” I whisper.
“I’m more worried about the two to four weeks till delivery, Angel, because our wedding is in two weeks, 6 days and that’s cutting it close to the wire.”
I giggle at Alexander’s serious face and that fact he knows exactly how many days; it shouldn’t surprise me though he is the Chief for a reason.
“I’m worried about no sexual activity until at least six weeks after the babies are born!” I throw back.
Alexander guffaws, “Ow, fuck! My little minx, how will we survive, fuck, I need some pain meds the anesthesia is almost fully worn off.”
“Dad said you’d walk straight out of surgery, and you really did, didn’t you?”
Alexander’s cheeky grin tells me everything and I just shake my head.
“Let’s find Doc and get some of the good stuff.” Alexander says.
“He’ll be next door with the little girl, I need to see her Alexander with my own eyes, does she really look like Caroline?”
“Yeah baby, she really does, it shocked the shit out of me when I realized the screams were from a little girl, and then at the Hawk when Doc shone the torch on her it was like looking at small version of Caroline.” Alexander says bewilderment and anger coating his voice.
“Can we see her, please.” I’m desperate to see her for myself.”
“Yes, Angel, I need to make sure she’s okay myself and that the boys are all good.”
We stand slowly, the both of us having to take it easy and head next door to find Doc, my mind swirls with a tumultuous mix of emotions at the thought of seeing my sister’s child, a child she never knew existed.