I knew my baby was coming as soon as I threw up on Race. I feel awful but I guess it is okay, Ike is right next to me.
"Just squeeze my hand when it hurts," he says as I nod. Star went to the ice cream shop to see if our friends were still there and sure enough they were. Now they stand next to me as I yell in pain.
"Hype, it is okay, just keep trying," Star coaxes me. Ike winces at how hard I've been squeezing his hand but he says he doesn't mind, I let go instantly. I smile a bit as Ella, Jasper and Elsie come in. I feel bad as I let out a loud shout, forgetting my kids are asleep in the nursery. Soon Smalls, Nicole and Mike come into the room too. I cringe a bit as I see how red Ike's hand is from when I squeezed it. I ask Ike to wipe my forehead and I get some sass with one of his smiles that can melt butter. I hear my friends cheer me on as I try to push harder, thought I was done an hour ago. Ella whispers something to Sketch as she turns around to answer her. I don't pick much of it up but I do make a sassy remark. A few minutes later, Star comes in and cringes a little but stands her ground.
"Cole is a bit hungry." She starts as Ike immediately directs her to the correct place in the kitchen. Ella quickly and quietly excuses herself as I hear our front door shut. My attention span is cut short by Nicole's voice giving me happy news.
"Okay, Hype, I think just one last good push and you get to see your baby." Nicole smiles, "Ready?" I nod and push as hard as I can, not caring how loud I am. Soon, she comes back and pulls in chair as they all sit silently around me.
"Hype," Ella says softly a few minutes later, "I know you're trying to have a kid here, but you're going to end up waking all of Manhattan."
"Can't be that loud, what is it eight a night?" I ask as our clock chimes in response, starting with a honey rich melody.
"Okay, our clock made a noise, calming and peaceful, but really what time is it?" Ike asks.
"Three o'clock," I gripe.
"Morning or…" he starts.
"Morning genius," I snap, "Sorry guys, you can go home if you want. Or sleep here."
"A baby is worth it," Sketch smiles.
"Whatever," I sigh as I push again, trying my hardest. I'm sweating and most likely red as I cringe as I concentrate.
"You're doing good Hype, keep going," Star smiles. Soon a small wail fills the room and we all get silent. Ike slowly walks over to the crowd and then his jaw drops. Davey looks at Ike in a semi defiant way as he slowly speaks.
"Hype, I'm …" Ike starts slowly, and then he walks out the front door. Davey goes to chase him down as I lay my head back on the pillows. Sketch slowly cuts the cord as I have to squint a little to see the small formation of my beautiful newborn baby. It's beautiful, bloody and it has a lot of Ike's blonde hair. I think Elsie comes into the room and sinks behind her sister as I start to ask if it's a boy or a girl, but I can't because I'm screaming again. Sketch tells me to calm down as she forces a smile at me and I can tell.
"So," I start, "is it a boy or a girl."
"Hype, I…" Star trails off.
"The kid isn't dead is it?" I start; I pick up a pillow and slam it into my face as I start crying. Nicole and Star come to where I see them clearly through my tear stained eyes.
"Hype, just calm down and push," Ella says.
"But the baby is already." I start.
"Hype, listen to us, just push." Nicole sighs.
"Fine but I don't see why," I start screaming again.
"Hype, first off, the baby's is not dead," Ella smiles.
"Can you tell me if it's a boy or a girl?" I ask. I think for a second and add the most persuasive tool I can think of right now. May not work with my friends, but it's worth a try. "Please?" I ask with a small voice with a puppy dog face.
"Hype, I really think Ike should tell you," Sketch comments, holding the newborn at the other side of the room where I can't determine its gender from sight.
"Well, where is he?" I ask, clutching my stomach once again. Davey opens the door for a floor gazing Ike to enter the apartment.
"I can't tell her Davey," he tries to reason.
"At least try to tell her," Davey says in reply.
"Think she already found out," Ike mutters.
"How," Davey explodes, "by the ear piercing screams or the constant pushing?"
"Doesn't matter, and fine, I'll tell her even if she already knows," Ike scoffs.
"Go," Davey starts, giving him a little push into our bedroom as his wife, six women and two broad shouldered men stand still, Ike moves swiftly, sitting on the opposite end of the bed. He gives the small group in our room a look that says we wish to be alone, and I don't mind. I wince as Sketch takes my newborn baby out of the room but Ike quickly retrieves it. I smile as Ike comes back in with the baby and he mischievously locks the door. He hands the baby girl to me as I sigh in relief.
"She's beautiful," I whisper.
"Little Bella," Ike murmurs to the baby as I look at him.
"Bella means beautiful in Italian," he explains, "Actually, I was thinking of naming her Bella Grace."
"So we give a dollar to Ella?" I ask, remembering the baby naming session, the person who gave the name we picked for the baby got a dollar. "I gave the name Grace; do I get a dollar too?"
"You got a baby girl, I think that's enough." He smiles as he kisses my cheek.
"I love you," I whisper as he repositions himself. He takes a deep breath and begins with his thoughts, not all of them though.
"Hype," he says quietly, "we are having another kid."
"Of course we are," I scoff as I look down at Bella. He doesn't say anything as I look up at him in astonishment. He gives me a sly smile as I stare at him in shock.
"Surprise," he says weakly.
"What ever happened to one and done? No offence to Cole," I reason. "Ike, what happened?"
"I don't know, I guess I got a little carried away…" he trails off. His train of thought gets lost as I have contractions to another kid. Exhausted enough, I push as hard as I can, which isn't much but I really feel like falling asleep.
"Hype, don't try too hard, just take it easy." Ike says, trying to calm me.
"Because being in labor is defiantly easy," I mutter. Ike goes to unlock the door as I scream into a nearby pillow. It blocks the sound some, but I have no doubt if you can hear it outside. Sketch, Nicole, Star and Smalls come in slowly as they see me having another kid. It's a shock to them as it is to me as Ike delivers this one, and he smiles broadly as he sees it's a boy. Davey, Ella, Jasper and Elsie come in after the second child is delivered; Ella and Jasper seem to be frowning for some reason as Elsie makes a quick escape for the nursery. Wouldn't blame them though, it's at least four in the morning now, and the clock chimes to prove me right.
"Hype, it's a boy," Star smiles. I let out a squeal and thank my lucky star not only in the sky but the star next to me. It makes me wonder if the star I wished on was out tonight. Sketch lazily exits the room with Davey, taking him by the hand.
"So what is his name?" Ike asks, directing all eyes on me. "I mean, I got to name Bella, so, you can name the boy."
"Well, Star knew I wanted a boy so I think I'll name him Luke William." I smile, seeing heads nod for approval. For too long, Nicole's concerned face expression seemed dull, now she's bright and bubbly as she gets an idea.
"Hype, two kids born on the same day, they don't look alike, but…" she speculates, getting lost in her thoughts.
"Fraternal twins," Mike finishes her thought as she nods.
"Four kids," I gasp to Ike.
"Oh God," he says sarcastically. "What the heck did I do?"
"That is what I'm wondering," I say mischievously, forcing a smile.
"Is there anything we can do before the sun rises?" Star asks.
"Leave," I reply instantly with fake sass. "I'm tired, I want to go to bed and wake up whenever I want."
"Too late," Smalls points out as they point to the main room. Mike and Nicole wave as they start to their apartment, most likely to fall asleep in a heap of happiness. Sketch is curled up in a fetal position as Davey's wrapped around her as a blanket covers both of them. They are out cold, asleep on the floor; surely they will have a rude awakening as I imagine Sketch cringing as Davey pops his knuckles. The main room isn't the best place to fall asleep though, but I've never tried it. I imagine Elsie asleep on the floor in the nursery and smile. Ike tours the house an hour later, carefully not to wake anyone as he comes back. Smalls tells me she was going to crash back in the lodging house, if she could make it, and she was pretty determined.
"Davey and Sketch are, well, you know. Ella, Elsie, Bella, Cole and Luke are now asleep in the nursery. Mike, Nicole and Smalls left, but you knew that already. Star is now asleep with a few pillows and a blanket in the bathtub. Jasper went to the kitchen for a snack and fell asleep in a chair." Ike smirks, sliding into a fresh bed with me. As everyone started to doze off, Ike changed the bed sheets and switched on the ceiling fan, opening a few windows too. I start to doze, but is instantly awakened as the clock now strikes six in the morning. I groan in protest as I look at the slip of paper Ike wrote the kids' names on, the date and time they were born. Bella at three fifteen; Luke at four ten; I'm too tired to think of anything else that occurred today or yesterday, considering I puked on Race's shoes. Yet, I find myself falling asleep under warm covers with my husband next to me with the perfect amount of sunlight filtering through the windows, just enough light to give me a little hope.