Page 88 of Grumpy Bossy Billionaire Enemy

The band continued to play as Amelia and I left the venue. Amelia removed her shoes the moment she closed the car door.Her legs were swollen. I promised to massage them whenever we got to the house.I helped Amelia get out of the car in our home garage: she held onto me tightly. Her protruding stomach made it difficult for her to walk whenever she was tired. I was always reminded that she had only two weeks left until her delivery date.We’d circled the date on our calendars. However, I’d memorized Amelia’s delivery day like it was some sort of nursery rhyme.Tonight, we sat up on the bed, reviewing how the fundraising went.

"You did great," I said, kissing Amelia on her soft lips.

I was motioning to go to the shower when Amelia called me back. She complained of a sharp pain in her back; she looked up at me.

“I think my water just broke,” Amelia announced. It hit me that my babies were arriving in the world.

I froze, unable to think of what I could do next. “But you’re not due until two weeks from now.”

“Yeah,” Amelia replied, “but you need to get me to the hospital, Henry.”

I’d spent the last nine months preparing for this day, and now, nothing prepared me for the actual moment. Amelia’s breathing increased; she told me to help her up into the car. We were going to the hospital.I picked up my phone when we got into the car. My head was going to explode. I tried to breathe, thinking of the next thing to do.

“Call Troy and Camille,” Amelia said, “and tell them to meet us at the hospital.”

I did as she said; I called Troy to inform him. "I'll meet you at the hospital," Troy promised, hanging up right away.

I held the steering wheel, gazing ahead of me into the night. It dawned on me that I was about to become a father.

Chapter forty

Our Bundles of Joy

Amelia

My heart raced as Henry wheeled me into the hospital. The nurses soon joined him; then, my obstetrician, Chloe, of course, walked over as they were taking me into the delivery room.My belly was still swollen, but in a few minutes, I'd be holding my world in my hands. I tried to breathe, inhaling and exhaling like we'd been taught in prenatal class at the hospital.I couldn’t help the anxiety I felt at the moment, and even more, I couldn’t help the sharp pains that plagued me.

The nurses helped me out of my clothes, increasing the number of pillows stacked behind me. Now, I lay on my back on the delivery table.Henry came into the room, wearing a sanitary gown. His head was covered as a precaution.He came closer, to hold my hand. He squeezed it, and I realized he was more nervous than I was.I whimpered in pain as my womb contracted. Henry’s face widened with concern.

“Just breathe,” he instructed, but he seemed to need the breathing exercise more than I did. However, I did as I was told.

I breathed for a few minutes; and when I looked ahead of me, Chloe, my obstetrician, was smiling. Her head was between my thighs to check my dilation. The contractions started getting deeper and more painful. I nodded at Chloe as she told me to relax.I did, squeezing Henry’s hand even tighter.

When my contraction deepened, I whimpered in pain, unable to hold it any longer. "I think you are ready," Chloe said after pushing her fingers into me to check my cervix again.

“You’re almost there,” Chloe said. She told me to push.I did as she said.

Henry was holding my right hand and a nurse was holding my left.I paused to catch my breath. I could feel my skin break out in beads of sweat. I didn’t wait for a second command as I pushed with all my might.I felt the first baby come out of me. His cries filled the room, and the doctor clipped his umbilical cord.

“Catch your breath,” Chloe demanded and paused. “One more to go.”

I breathed in and out faster. I glanced at Henry, who couldn't take his eyes off me. "You're doing great," he said and planted a kiss on my head.

“Are you ready?” Chloe asked. “Try to push again.”

I did, pushing a while longer than the first time until the baby came out. The nurse took the second baby and cut the umbilical cord.Henry kissed my forehead. I felt like a weight had just been lifted from me.We were finally parents to two beautiful bundles of joy.

“I love you so much, Amelia,” Henry cooed, as he cleaned the sweat dripping from my forehead.

When I raised my head to look at the transparent door, I realized that Henry hadn’t just called Troy and Camille.He'd called my whole family. Mom, Dad, and my sister were smiling to themselves. Mrs. Robinson and Robin had joined them as well.I dropped my head back on the pillow. I was overwhelmed with joy at hearing my babies cry. Ultimately, I was glad that everyone I ever cared about was here for me and my babies.

When the nurses transferred the babies and me into an admission room, my family was able to surround the babies and me.Henry turned to his mother. “Name them, Mom.”

Mrs. Robinson raised her eyebrows. She couldn’t believe we wanted the kids to be named by her. She chuckled like a little girl.

“Lori, and Lawrence,” Mrs. Robinson declared and held the kids afterward. “She has my eyes.”

“Lori and Lawrence Robinson,” Camille repeated. “Welcome to our world.”

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