*Thank-you for all the reviews and follows on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated. THank-you all so much.
A week later Roman and Tayla still hadn't spoken to each other. They ran into each other often at the hospital visiting the girls but they never had a full conversation. Roman was giving Tayla the time she needed and Tayla was taking the time to think about her choice as far as divorce was concerned. Chelsea had made a lot of sense to her but she wasn't ready to make any final decision. Tayla had arrived at the hospital and went straight to the NICU to see her baby girls. She sighed to herself when she saw Roman was already there. "Hey," he said as he was holding Lia.
"Hi," said Tayla as she walked over to see Leilani. "Hey, Leilani," she said with a smile as she looked down at her baby girl. It had been two months almost three since they were born which means they were getting closer to the time they were actually due so they were growing into their features and were looking a lot more different than they had when they were born. Tayla picked Leilani up out of the incubator and sat down on a chair next to Roman to hold her. Leilani was absolutely beautiful. She looked more like Tayla. She had her dark brown eyes, her dark brown hair and a small little button nose. Her lips were a rosy pink and she had them pressed together. She was definitely bigger than 1 ½ lbs. and was now a lot longer than she was originally was. Atalia; who was nicknamed Lia, looked more like Roman. She seemed to have his bluish green eyes and dark brown hair. Her perfect rosy lips were just like her daddy's and her cheek bones were identical. She was a mini-Roman by far. They were definitely fraternal twins. Leilani yawned and Tayla laughed. "Are you sleepy?" she asked.
Roman admired Tayla with their daughter and smiled. "Lia has been sleeping for the last half hour. I don't want to put her down."
"Oh," said Tayla as she ran her hand over Leilani's head to feel her peach fuzz hair. "Have they eaten yet?"
"Lia ate 3 ounces and Leilani ate 2 ounces," he said. "The doctor has been impressed by how well they are eating."
"That's good," said Tayla as she felt the new familiar awkwardness between her and Roman.
"Yeah," said Roman. "They have really been eating a lot more lately at a time."
"I know," said Tayla.
Roman could feel the same awkwardness between them and was trying to break it by making conversation. "So how are you today?"
"Good," she said as she watched Leilani fall asleep in her arms. "What about you?"
"I'm living," he said. There was another long silence between the two before he said, "the doctor is coming in to weigh the babies and to talk to us about them coming home soon."
"Good," said Tayla. She knew that only meant that she would soon have to make the decision on what she wanted to do. She couldn't have the girls home and not know what was going to happen between her and Roman.
"Yeah," said Roman. Tayla was like a wall that he couldn't get through. He was trying so hard to get her to talk to him but he couldn't. "Do you mind if I come over to the house later to finish up on the nursery or do some work on it?"
"I think you should wait to hear what the doctor says," said Tayla.
"I just want it to be ready for them when we take them home. Pops and mom have sent Lia and Leilani some more clothes."
"That's good. I just got doing some shopping for them. I got them more clothes, some diapers, blankets, bottles and stuff like that," she said as she admired Lia sleeping in Roman's arms. "She even sleeps like you," she said as her daughter slept with her hands in the air and her mouth open.
Roman let out a laugh and said, "I know but at least she doesn't snore."
"True," said Tayla. "They are getting bigger," she said.
"Definitely," he said, "it shouldn't be long now."
"I know," she said. "They have to get off oxygen first."
"Yeah," said Roman. "Do you two hear that? You have to start breathing on your own so that you can come home with Mommy and me." The room was filled with another awkward silence as neither said a word to one another. It was making Roman grow uncomfortable. "So we go to court next week about Dean."
"I know," she said.
"Are you ready for that?"
"Are you ready for it? You have to face your best friend."
"I know but I can handle it," he said. "I heard he is trying to cut a deal."
"Oh," said Tayla, "what is he trying to get out of it all?"
"Just probation if he pleads guilty to conspiracy and attempted murder."
"No judge is going to accept that," said Tayla, "I don't accept it."
"Neither do I," he said. "That's why we have to just let it up to the jury because no judge is going to accept that."
"I know," said Tayla. "What if he walks?"
"I don't know," said Roman. "I'm not trying to think like that. I would like to think that he will be brought to justice."
"Me too," she said.
"I love you, Tay," he said.
"Roman," said Tayla, "please."
"I'm just letting you know I love you."
"I know," she said, "but I don't want to have this discussion here and definitely not in front of our daughters. I'm still thinking and I would appreciate it if you respected that."
"I do but Tayla, it's been a week. I need to be with you. I want to be with you. I'm going crazy without you. Don't you see that?"
"Roman, right now is not the time for this talk. It's not the place either. Let's just focus on Lia and Leilani."
"Fine," he said. It was killing him inside that she just couldn't talk to him and let them work things out. He was trying to give her space but it was too hard. It was driving him crazy.
The room was filled with silence again but was interrupted by the doctor entering the room. "Hello," said the girls' doctor, "how are we today?"
"Good," said both Tayla and Roman together.
"I see you two are bonding with the angels today. That's wonderful. The more you bond the better it is for Lia and Leilani. They're doing very well."
"Good to hear," said Tayla with a smile.
"We are dropping their oxygen down from 50% to 20%," he said. "I think their lungs are developed enough for this change and then we'll talk about removing oxygen."
"That would be wonderful," said Tayla.
"Yeah it would," said Roman. "When will they be able to come home?"
"They're not ready just yet but as long as they are breathing on their own in about 3 weeks they will probably be able to go home then. It all depends on how well they are breathing and eating as well as gaining weight. It's time for our weight check."
"They have been eating very well," said Roman.
"They are," he said as he took Lia from Roman. "They are eating very well. They have gone from eating half an ounce to eating an ounce to eating 2-3 ounces. That's quite an improvement from where they were. And their sucking reflex is awesome. They are doing very well with the bottle."
"Awesome," said Roman as he watched the doctor weight Lia.
"This is good," said the doctor with a smile. "Lia is now 5lbs. 3 oz."
"Doesn't that mean she's almost the size of a baby born at full term or the right weight a twin can be?" asked Tayla.
"Yes," said the doctor. "She is the size of a twin born at the correct gestational age."
"So it's a good sign?" asked Roman with a smile.
"A very good sign," said the doctor as he put Lia into her incubator. "Let's see if Leilani is up to her sister or has passed her sister," he said taking Leilani from Tayla. He placed her on the scale and weighed her. "4lbs and 10 oz. They are both progressing very well. I say it is very possible for them to be home in 3 weeks if not sooner."
"I'm hoping sooner," said Roman as he watched the doctor place Leilani into the incubator. "Is everything all right with them?"
"As far as I can see yes. They are working on breathing on their own but we are slowly transitioning them to that point. Their hearts sound wonderful and they are eating amazingly well and gaining weight. You two are just going to need to remember that even though they are 18 weeks early they are not going to develop at the pace of a baby their age. They will develop but at their adjusted age. You know what I mean?"
"Yes," said Tayla, "you mean that we shouldn't get worried or upset when our girls aren't crawling and walking with kids their age but they will mostly do it 18 weeks later."
"Right," said the doctor, "but I would say you two should start to prepare for their homecoming because it will be soon."
"Wonderful," said Roman. "Thank-you."
"You're welcome," he said.
After the doctor left the room and the girls were both asleep Roman and Tayla decided it was time for them to go get some air and then come back to feed them. Roman and Tayla were standing outside the hospital entrance when Roman said, "See, Tay. We don't have much time."
"I know," said Tayla.
"So am I going to be home when they come home or?" he asked before Tayla cut him off.
"Roman, I'm not doing this right now. I told you."
"All right," he said, "I just want to be able to be there with my girls," he said. "I don't want to stay in some crappy hotel."
"Look," said Tayla, "I am going to do some thinking and then I will talk to you but if you keep asking me about it then I'm going to get even more upset with you. So please just give me my time."
"All right," said Roman. "I'm trying."
"Try harder," she said. "By the way, I'm not going to be home tomorrow so if you want to come over and work on the nursery you can."
"Okay," he said. "Where are you going to be?"
"Don't ask me where I'm going to be," she said. "I'm 28 almost 29.. you don't have to ask me where I'm going."
"All right," he said. "I love you, Tay."
"Roman," she said with frustration in her voice.
"What? I am just telling my wife that I love her. What is so bad about that?"
"I know that you do," she said.
"Do you love me?" he asked.
"Roman, I think you know the answer so don't ask."
"If I knew the answer I wouldn't have to ask," he said.
"Roman," she said, "think about it."
*A/N: So what did you think? Tayla is a stubborn little thing isn't she? Please review and thank-you for taking the time to read.
