Chapter Two
Jack bounced off Bobby's chest as they collided with each other in the hospital hallway and landed on the floor.
"Oops. Sorry, mate." Bobby extended a hand to help his best friend up from the hard floor.
Jack glared at him.
"How's Tara?" Jack's dark eyes filled with concern when he noticed Bobby's pale face and suspiciously moist eyes.
"Crash?"
Bobby wiped his face with a shaking hand. "I feel like my heart is getting ripped from my chest. I can't handle seeing her in this much pain."
Jack nodded in understanding. "I know, buddy. Believe me, I know. But the joy that will be on her face when she gets those babies into her arms will be like nothing you've ever seen. Tara needs you to stay strong and positive right now, Bobby." Bobby nodded and the two men leaned against the wall exhausted.
Suddenly Jack started laughing.
"What?"
"You know what this reminds me of?" He gestured at the two delivery rooms across the hall from each other.
"What?"
"That stupid movie the girls made us watch over and over, 'Father of the Bride Part Two.'"
Bobby glowered at him. "Don't ever mention that movie again."
"Come on, Crash. You have to admit that this afternoon has had some similarities."
Bobby thought of how he and Jack must have looked sliding across the hospital hallway to check on their friends and crashing into each other every few minutes. Against his will his laughter joined Jack's and soon they could barely stand up.
"Jack!"
"Bobby!"
Distressed cries from their wives cut the guys' laughter short.
"See you soon, Sparky." Bobby hurried back across the hall to Tara's side. "I'm here, Beautiful."
"Will you hold me?"
"Of course I will, Angel." Bobby quickly sat on the edge of the hospital bed and pulled Tara into his arms, allowing her to cling to him as another contraction ripped through her body.
As the pain eased, Tara leaned back and looked up at him. "How's Sue?"
"Sue?" Bobby stared at her blankly.
"Yes. Bobby, you just went to check on Sue. Now how is she?" Tara's eyes widened. "Bobby, is something wrong?"
"No, Pretty Lady." Bobby laid a gentle finger on her lips. "Sue's fine."
He scratched his head. "I just forgot to ask about her."
"Bobby Manning!" Tara slapped his chest. "Go check on Sue right now."
"Yes ma'am." Bobby jumped up from his perch on the bed and ran back across the hall.
Lucy Dotson glanced at the clock on the wall in the waiting room and sighed. This labor and delivery seemed to be taking longer than Jackson's had. Or maybe it only seemed that way because she was running out of ways to distract the toddler. He wasn't used to being without at least one of his parents and was clearly unhappy with the situation.
"Mama, Daddy." He wailed. His hazel eyes filled with tears as he stared at Lucy accusingly.
Donna held out her hands from her seat next to Lucy. "Why don't you come sit with me for a little while, Jackson?"
His eyebrows drew together in a scowl and he shook his head firmly.
Lucy had to laugh. "He looks so much like Jack when he frowns like that."
Myles looked up from his conversation with D and noticed the distressed toddler.
He made his way across the room and knelt in front of Lucy. "Come on, Sir Jackson, why don't you and I take a walk to the gift shop and find a nice present for Mama and Daddy?"
Jackson considered him for a moment then leaned forward off Lucy's lap and wrapped his small arms around Myles' neck. Myles stood with the toddler securely in his arms.
He glanced over at where Jade sat huddled on an uncomfortable waiting room chair. "Jade?"
Her head shot up and her green eyes filled with fear.
Myles kept his voice soft and gentle. "Would you like to join us? We could purchase something for Bobby and Tara as well." Jade hesitated then nodded her head slightly.
D raised his eyebrows and shared a look with Donna and Lucy. This was a huge step of progress for Jade.
The three shoppers had just returned when a nurse came to say that the Mannings and Hudsons had been settled into their room and had given permission for them to come up.
"They're in room 612."
"All of them?" D asked in surprise.
The nurse nodded. "We only have a couple of double rooms left in this hospital because the majority of people prefer private rooms. But the Mannings and Hudsons requested to share a room."
Talking excitedly, D, Donna, and Lucy made their way to the elevators. Myles followed at a slower pace keeping an eye on Jade. When the elevator doors opened Jade pulled back. Her breathing quickened and terror filled her eyes.
"It's okay," Myles murmured quickly. His mind going back to the tiny room he had found Jade locked in.
Raising his voice slightly, Myles spoke to the others. "We'll take the stairs. See you up there." He smiled softly at the gratitude on Jade's face and led her to the stairwell.
They met the rest of the group outside of the hospital room with matching "It's A Boy!" banners stretched across the door. D knocked.
"Come in." Jack's voice called to them.
"Mama! Daddy!" Jackson squirmed in Myles' arms as they entered the room.
Myles raised an eyebrow at Jack who nodded. "There you go, Sir Jackson." Myles set the toddler down and let him run to Jack.
Jack scooped his son up in a hug before handing him to Sue for a cuddle.
"Sue, Tara, how are you?" Donna asked.
They smiled. "We're doing well."
"So," Lucy could contain her excitement no longer. "I saw the boy banners on the door. Is that for both of you?"
The two young couples exchanged smiles.
Bobby nodded at Jack who turned and lifted a tiny bundle out of the bassinet.
"Everyone, Sue and I would like to introduce you to our second son, Wesley Robert Hudson. He weighs six pounds even and is eighteen and a half inches long."
"WhooHoo!" Grinning widely, Bobby crossed the room to get a closer look at his newest nephew.
Jack handed the newborn to him. Bobby studied him closely before handing him to Lucy whose patience had completely run out.
Bobby looked at Jack. His green eyes serious. "Thanks, mate. It is an honor." The two friends hugged.
Myles cleared his throat. "Forgive me, for interrupting this very touching scene, but I believe there are two others awaiting their introductions."
Eyes shining with love and pride, Bobby crossed the room again and carefully handed one bundle to Tara before lifting the second one into his arms.
"Tara and I are very happy to introduce to you our sons."
Tara held up the baby in her arms. "Robert Demetrius Manning. He weighs five and a half pounds and is nineteen inches long."
"And," Bobby winked at his wife. "Stanley Myles Manning, weighing in at five pounds even and is eighteen and a half inches long."