Chapter 4: A New Family Part Two
"MOMMY!" Andrew screamed into my ear
"Come on Andrew stop crying." I pleaded with Andrew, he's been crying non-stop for about almost two hours. I then walked over to the contact book I got from Melinda's house. I frantically searched for the twins' pediatrician contact, when I finally saw it I grabbed my cellphone and dialed the doctor's number.
"Hello?"
"Hi Dr. Robbins, my name's Gabriella Bolton, I'm the legal guardian of Andrew and Natanya Baldez for the time being."
"Oh yes I am so sorry for your loss Mrs. Bolton."
"Thank you, um I have a question Andrew's been crying for almost two hours straight."
"Oh so that's Andrew I hear in the background."
"Yes, so I was wondering what to do."
"Try laying him down he may want to be still."
"I tried that I think something's wrong."
"Everything's probably ok. Mrs. Bolton"
"It's just I'm new to this I don't know what to do."
"How about you try to console him try walking around."
"Ok thank you."
"One quick question, you wouldn't be related to Troy Bolton?"
"Yes Dr. Robbins he's my husband."
"Oh wow, well I hope everything works out. But unless he's in pain or bleeding there's not much I can do Mrs. Bolton."
"Alright Dr. Robbins, have a good rest of the day."
"Thank you, you too." I hung up the phone and sighed heavily Andrew was still crying so I decided to call Angel maybe she'll know what to do.
Immediately after I called Angel Andrew stopped crying.
"Are you kidding me?" I went back upstairs and placed Andrew in his crib. I looked over at Natanya and saw she was still sleeping. I went back downstairs and plopped down on the couch. I decided to call Troy but he sent me to voicemail, I groaned in frustration. I really needed to talk to Troy but every time I try to talk to him, he ignores my call.
The doorbell rang and I knew it was Angel so I texted her to come in because the door was unlocked and I was too tired to get up myself.
"You ok Gabi? Where's Andrew?"
"He's sleeping as soon as we were finished talking on the phone he stopped crying."
"Oh wow, I wish I could tell you it gets easier but it doesn't."
"I don't know if I can do this anymore Angel."
"Gabi…"
"No I haven't slept in about three days, I'm constantly covered in spit up and my own husband won't answer my calls he doesn't even know that they're here. What if I'm not meant to be a mom, maybe that's why I had those miscarriages."
"Gabriella…"
"No, I don't know what the hell I'm doing I'm just winging it as I go along. I don't want to screw them up."
"Gabriella!" I slightly jumped by the loudness of Angel's voice
"You listen to me, Melinda could've wanted anybody to take care of those babies, but she picked you. She knew that you would be a great mom to those babies. You can do this I know it'll be hard and sometimes you wanna give up but you can't. You have to be strong for those babies. I know you're struggling with your own mountains but you can climb it with me and Tina." Before I could respond I heard the door open and close.
"Gabs?!"
"I'm in the living room!" I said then a few seconds later Troy entered the living room
"Hey Gabs."
"Hey." He tried to give me a kiss but I turned my head away
"Hey Angel I didn't know you were here."
"Yeah, you know my sister needed someone to talk to when her husband didn't answer the phone."
"Angela." I warned
"It's ok Gabi I was just getting ready to leave." Angel gave me a quick hug before leaving.
"I'll call you Gabi." I waited until I heard the door close before I said anything
"I can't believe you."
"What?"
"I have been calling you for three days and you don't answer my calls. I needed you and weren't there for me!" I cried
"I'm sorry baby I was…"
"What? Busy playing basketball? I lost my baby and my cousins. The same day, I had to unplug my cousin and watch as life drained from her."
"Gabriella I am so sorry please forgive me I'm here now."
"Whatever." Then I heard Natanya cry over the baby monitor
"Oh gosh I have to hurry up before Andrew wakes up." I turned to make my way to the nursery with Troy following close behind
"You have the twins?"
"Yes Troy someone has to take care of them."
"How long are they staying here?"
"Until the social worker finds a family for them."
"Oh ok." Troy stood in the doorway as I walked over to Natalia's crib and picked up the crying baby.
"Aw my baby. It's ok it's ok let's get you something to eat so you don't wake up your brother." Troy followed me downstairs to the kitchen and just watched as I got Natanya situated for her feeding. Then the house phone rang
"Can you answer that Troy?"
"Sure." Troy picked up the phone
"Hello?"
"Hello may I speak with Mrs. Bolton?"
"Well this is Mr. Bolton her husband, she's busy at the moment may I ask who's calling."
"This is Brianna Brooks from Social Services is there any chance that I can come over and speak with you two today."
"Um…" Troy took the phone off his face
"The social worker wants to come speak with us today what time is good?" I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost 3:45
"I guess 4." Troy put the phone back to his ear
"How does four sound?"
"Four sounds great, I'll see you then Mr. Bolton." Troy hanged up the phone and then looked at me.
"What?"
"I need to talk to you."
"Wait I need to lay her down." I decided to lay Natanya down in the play pin in the living room before I made my way back to the kitchen
"What's up?"
"I want to have another baby."
"Troy…"
"No hear me out babe."
"I think we should try again, I know it's soon but Dr. Hart said it was ok and I really want you to have my baby, our baby."
"I'm not ready for a baby Troy."
"What?"
"You don't even wait two months before you start baby talk. I'm not ready I just lost our third one Troy our third one."
"We can keep trying."
"Keep trying? No, Troy you don't understand the changes my body goes through each time I got pregnant. The last pregnancy I was on bed rest at two months for dehydration. Then after all that we lost her."
"Gabs we're young and if we…"
"I can't have kids!" I yelled
"What?" Troy whispered
"Dr. Hart called me a few days ago and I can't have children." The doorbell rang and I knew it was the social worker. I walked past Troy bumping his shoulder in the process before I opened the door.
"Hello you must be Mrs. Bolton I'm Ms. Brooks."
"Oh yes please come in."
"You have a lovely home."
"Thank you we can go into the kitchen that's where my husband is." I walked to the kitchen with Ms. Brooks following me
"Troy this is Ms. Brooks the social worker."
"I didn't know you were married to Troy Bolton the basketball star."
"Yeah that's my husband."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, my husband and I are huge fans."
"The pleasure's all mine."
"Please have a seat Mrs. Brooks would you like some water." I offered
"No I'm fine."
We all sat down at the kitchen island.
"First, I would like to offer my condolences to you and your husband during this difficult time."
"Thank you." I smiled weakly
"Now, after looking through your files I think that the twins should stay with you."
"What?" Troy said
"I mean you're the point guard for the Lakers and Mrs. Bolton is a surgical resident at LA Research and Teaching Hospital. You're obviously financially stable to take in twins and it'll be good for the twins to be with someone they already know."
"Are you sure you think we're a good fit? I travel a lot." Troy asked
"Only during the season, and it's not like there's not a daycare center at the hospital where Mrs. Bolton works. Mr. Bolton I've done my research, when I say you're a perfect fit for these twins I mean it."
"Ms. Brooks I guess what I'm trying to say is that we've been trying to deal with our own struggles not just with my wife's cousins. We just lost our own baby and just found out that Gabriella can't have children."
"Well Mr. Bolton this is my personal opinion but I consider this to be a blessing in disguise."
"Mrs. Brooks…"
"Mr. Bolton, Mr. and Mrs. Baldez listed you two as the guardians if anything should happen to them. There's not much we can do it's their wishes."
"Wait, I thought my sister Tina is their god mother?"
"She is, but Mr. and Mrs. Baldez have a legal document stating that if anything like this were to happen to them the twins would move in with you guys."
"Are there any papers we need to sign?"
"Yes, I'll have the adoption papers ready by Friday."
"Ok, well thank you Mrs. Brooks."
"You're welcome Mr. and Mrs. Bolton thank you for time."
"Let me see you to the door." I stood up and lead Mrs. Brooks to the door when I came back I saw Troy glaring at me.
"They can't stay here."
"Excuse me?"
"They have to go to one of your sisters."
"No, if my cousin's last wish was for us to take care of the twins then we're gonna do it."
"I don't want to raise someone else's child."
"Troy, we've been over this I can't have kids this is the best it's gonna get. Natanya and Andrew are our children now."
"THEY AREN'T MY KIDS!" Troy roared which woke up Natanya and made her cry
"Look what you did."
"Those aren't my kids."
"Troy they have no one else."
"We're too busy what about daycare?"
"Did you forget that the hospital has a daycare?"
"Gabriella we need to think about this. What about your board exams? How are you gonna study?"
"Like how everyone else with children studies."
"Gabs, don't think that this is a replacement because of Riley…"
"Don't you dare, don't you dare say that. Don't try to turn the tables on me!"
"You make this pretty hard to believe that you're not doing this because you want a baby so bad."
"I'm taking care of these babies because Melinda wanted me to. It was her dying wish! Why is that so hard for you to understand?"
"Because you never asked how I felt about this! You just assumed that I'll be ok with this and I'm not."
"Well you have till Friday to change your mind because we're signing those adoption papers."
"Whatever I'm going out." Troy grabbed his coat and turned to storm out.
"Go ahead Troy do what you do best, RUN!" Troy slammed the door shut which made Natanya scream in my ear.
"It's ok baby, Daddy's just angry he's ok." A few seconds later Natanya stopped crying
"Come on let's go see if Andrew is up."