Page 84 of 5+Us Makes Seven

I ran off to watch my children as they were admitted to the NICU part of the hospital. They were checking oxygen levels and administering my children’s first shots. Their arms and legs were flailing and I wanted to reach out for them. To hold them close to me and tell them it was going to be okay.

But I knew we were in for a stay at the hospital with them being a month early.

My hands were shaking as tears fell onto my cheeks. I stared at them for what seemed like an eternity as they were hooked up to monitors. I pressed my hand against the glass, then leaned my forehead into it. Trying to connect with them in any way I could before a warmth slipped against my swaying arm.

“Are they okay?”

I whipped my gaze down to Natasha as a nurse pushed her in a wheelchair.

“Oh, sweetheart.”

I bent down and kissed her with a ferocity I couldn't describe. She had been wonderful. Perfect. The epitome of strength I knew I’d never possess in my lifetime. Her hand wrapped around my neck and pulled me closer, and I rested my hands on the arms of her wheelchair as our tongues collided.

“They’re fine. Perfectly healthy,” I said.

“They’ll need to be here for a few days to monitor their oxygen levels and body temperatures, but if nothing goes wrong the three of you will only be here for the week,” the doctor said.

I rose up and shook the man’s hand before he placed his hand on Natasha’s shoulder.

“Thank you, Dr. Bernhardt. For everything,” Natasha said.

“The pleasure’s all mine. Those are two strong kids in there,” he said. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from Carter’s offspring.”

“Not me this time,” I said. “Their strength is

coming from a different well.”

I looked down at Natasha as a smile spread across her cheeks.

We were ushered back into our room and I helped Natasha into her bed. She was sore, to say the least, and ravenously hungry. She took a two-hour nap and we ate dinner before the newborns were brought back into the room. And Natasha’s face lit up when they came in.

“A couple of babies are missing their momma,” the nurse said.

“Then let me see them,” Natasha said. “Let me see my babies.”

The nurse handed both my newborn son and my newborn daughter to Natasha. It was the most beautiful sight I could’ve ever taken in.

I pulled out my phone and sent off a text message to Isabelle. Then, I took a picture of Natasha feeding our children. I knew she would want one, even though she wasn’t thinking about anything like that at the moment.

But I knew later on down the road she would want to look back and relive this moment over and over again.

She fed our children and I helped her to rock them to sleep. We slid them into their bassinets just as multiple pairs of little feet ran down the hallway. I watched Isabelle usher the drove of children into the room as I put my finger up to my lips.

Then I moved off to the side so Joshua, Nathaniel, and Clara could see their new baby brother and sister.

Clara was moved to tears as she climbed up to nestle against Natasha. Joshua and Nathaniel sat on chairs next to her as I rolled the two babies over. They gawked and cooed, and I snapped picture after picture. They flooded Natasha with kisses and Joshua kept rubbing her deflating stomach.

They asked questions like ‘did it hurt?’ and ‘are they okay?’ and ‘how long will they be in the hospital?’.

And she answered every single one of their questions with ease.

I stood in the corner as Isabelle helped keep all of the children calm. Even she was cooing over the two little ones in the bassinet. I would have to increase her pay because she would have a serious lot on her hands. But she had become like another part of the family and a massive help to Natasha during her pregnancy.

She had earned it, and I was more than willing to give it to her.

I watched Natasha cradle my children as our two newborns slept beside them all. I took out my cell phone and snapped one last picture of everyone together. I sent it off to everyone at work who was waiting for a status update, then I turned my phone on silent and stuck it back in my pocket.

My family was complete.

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