"Twins?! As in two babies?" Wheeler exclaims.
"Two babies...there and there," Dr. Walsh says, pointing to the screen.
Linka hasn't said anything since Dr. Walsh broke the news.
"I'll print this picture out for you guys. For your baby book."
"Baby book? Yeah...we need a baby book. Do they make them for twins? We need cribs...two of everything...and no matching outfits...that's stupid. Bibs, bottles, diapers, strollers, ummm, what else?"
"Slow down, Wheeler. Let's worry about making sure they get here," Dr. Walsh says as she pats his shoulder. "Linka, I'll have the pharmacy fill this prescription for prenatal vitamins and have it sent to your husband's room...Linka?"
"Huh? What?"
"Prenatals...you need to start taking them. Twins make things even more complicated. Eat lots of protein. Folic acid is very important. Eat oranges, drink orange juice. I'll leave some pamphlets for you at the front desk on Twin Pregnancy and first time parenthood. What to expect, what your body's gonna go through, Wheeler, what you can do to be involved and not feel left out of the process, which is common for dads to feel...how to make your wife feel good when she's feeling down...stuff like that. And you can also set up your next appointment. I'd like to see you again next month...if you intend on staying on as my patient...or if you aren't planning on staying in New York, I could recommend someone closer to Hope Island."
"No, we'll be living in New York. We won't be going to Hope Island, other than to get our things and the occasional visit," Wheeler says.
"Ok, well I'll leave you two to discuss this big news, and you can get dressed Linka."
"Ok, thanks alot Doc. See ya next time," Wheeler says.
Once the doctor leaves, Wheeler says,
"You're being awfully quiet Babe."
"Do not ever do that again."
"What?"
"Make decisions without asking me."
"Wha-? What'd I do?"
"'We'll be living in New York. We won't be going to Hope Island, other than to get our things and the occasional visit,' What is that all about?" She asks angrily.
"Well, I just figured..."
"That what? That I am incapable of being a Planeteer? That I will not be one after these babies are born?"
"Well, no. Not that your incapable...just that...you couldn't," Wheeler says.
"Why not?" She asks, as she gets dressed.
"Because who would take care of the babies? I mean, I'd be staying home to help you too. So I'd need a more stable job...and being a Planeteer is NOT stable. Nor does it pay. I have a family to take care of now."
"And decisions to make...for your family?"
"Right."
"Without consulting me, your wife?" Linka accuses.
"I thought we'd be on the same page!"
"Clearly we are not. And we are fine as far as money goes. You do not need to worry about that!"
"I'm not gonna live off my wife! I want to do my part to provide for my family. Is this a hormone thing?" He asks.
"Oh sure. As soon as a woman has an opinion and is upset, it turns into a 'hormone thing.'"
"No, Linka...it's just...can we talk about this later? I think we need time to process everything, and then think rationally."
"So I am being irrational?"
"No. No. Now you're being combative. I called a cease fire, and you're still going."
"Fine. Let's go," she says as she holds the door open for him.
Once they get back to Wheeler's room and he is settled into his bed, he takes one of the pamphlets and pretends to read it.
"So, other than not wanting to live in New York...in the house that we kept to live in when we got married, to raise a family in...What else is bothering you?"
"I did not say that I did not want to live in New York. Eventually, we will. When we are done being Planeteers."
"Guess what Babe...you're gonna be a mom. What do you think is gonna happen? That you'll be out fighting Eco-Villains in maternity clothes, that we'll each be wearing backpacks with the kiddies strapped in while Duke Nukem is shooting gamma rays at us? Gaia can't babysit while we're on missions. Who's gonna watch the kids?" He asks.
"I...I...do not know. We'll figure something out."
"Ok fine. You wanna keep being a Planeteer? Go ahead. I quit. I'll stay back while everyone else is on missions...but then who's gonna watch your back? No one else can protect you like I can."
"I do not need protected. I am not helpless," she says.
"I know...but we talked about this before, remember? That we wouldn't always be Planeteers, that someday, the day would come where we'd have to walk away. That day has come. You were ok with it then, what changed?"
"I guess that day came sooner than I thought. I am just always so in control of everything. I plan for everything. I did not plan for this...and I do not know what to do."
"We just go with it...think of it as an eco-emergency...going into those, we never knew exactly what to expect. We handled the situation when we got there, we assessed the situation, then we made the best decisions based on what we thought was the right thing to do. And we almost always came out on top," Wheeler says.
"Da...but we cannot call Captain Planet to get us out of any trouble."
"You mean like toxic diapers?" He jokes, getting her to laugh.
"Da."
"We'll be ok Babe. We'll have plenty of people offering advice. Mishka and Svetlana, my parents, all my relatives...everyone that's ever had a baby...even strangers at the grocery store."
She begins to cry as she nods in agreement.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He asks, as he tips her chin up to look at him.
"My parents...my mother...I have no one to ask questions to...to get advice from."
"You can ask my mom, you know that."
"Da, of course I know that...but it is not the same. I do not even know HOW to be a mother...I mean, I had no example on how motherhood should be when I was growing up."
"You think I had an example of how a father should be? Cuz you better hope that I don't use my example for our kids!"
"I know...but at least you have parents. I do not know why I always got so sad when I would see other girls with their mothers at school. It is not like I even knew her...to know what I was missing. I guess it was just the thought. And now...I wish I could share this moment with my parents. I will never get to know what it is like to tell them that they are going to be grandparents."
"I know that my parents could never replace yours...but they're going to be just as excited for you as they are for me. Or would you rather I tell them by myself? I mean, if you think it would be too painful to see their reaction."
"Nyet. I want to be there when you tell them. I want to see their reaction. Maybe it will help," she says.
"I know this is gonna sound pretty hard to believe since I've been sleeping for two weeks, but I'm tired...and you should get your rest too. Why don't you climb up here and take a nap with me?"
"That sounds nice. I am exhausted. Then we should call your parents. Your dad was just released yesterday, but I am sure they will want to come here for a little while to see you, or at least call to talk to you."
"Yeah...but when we do call, let's tell them I just woke up...that way we won't have to explain that we didn't call them right away because you had a doctor's appointment."
"Good idea."
She slides into bed next to him and he puts his arm around her, holding her against him as they drift off to sleep.
To Be Continued...