Author: TippierCoffee
Disclaimer: I do not own—nor do I claim the rights to—any of the characters from the show Codename: Kids Next Door. All credit goes to rightful owner: Mr. Tom Warburton.
LTLY series: 1. Learning To Love You; 2. Again; 3. Alone; 4. Ever After.
OBS: I gave Wally's parents names. Mum: Kayla Beetles, Dad: Wilbert Beetles.
Enjoy :)
Life.
Sunday, October 9th (age 32).
Wally couldn't remember another time when he'd heard Kuki scream this loud. Her voice filled the room and clung to the ceiling, making the lamps above vibrate in response. It mixed with tears and her voice quacking, begging for everything to stop. At some point she started spitting at him and scolding him, claiming this was all his fault, but the children had mostly bee her idea. Or, child. They hadn't exactly planned for twins, but that's what they were stuck with. Girls on their way out and at the same time resisting. Wally's hands were red from Kuki's squeezing, and at a point he'd have to withdraw because his fingertips were turning blue. No one could claim Kuki Sanban Beetles wasn't strong. On top of that she also seemed to have invulnerable vocal chords. How did she keep up this screaming, crying, and begging?
Wally remembered the pregnancy as a much more pleasant experience than this. The belly that grew and only a few mood swings. Kuki's pregnancy moodiness came in the from of hyperactivity and an over joyous attitude to everything—thank God. Wally would be lying if he said he hadn't been excited, of course he had. Watching that belly grow, picking out colours for the room and bed, finding toys and clothes, planning economics—okay, that one hadn't been so much fun. He went to every single birth preparation with Kuki, enjoying the closeness it gave them, and he enjoyed cuddling her when she got those rare days where she cried nonstop. He went to pregnancy gymnastics with her, helped pick out healthy nutritious food and prepare it, reminding her to take her vitamin substitutes.
Their surprise when the first ultra-scan had revealed they were expecting twins was quite something. All their planing so far had only involved one child, so that one had done a trick on both of them. Stress, arguments, clearing out the study to have a room for each girl. New economic status, more stress about barely making it come together, extra hours, extra shifts, extra jobs, extra savings, almost taking a loan. Wally was glad they never took that loan in the end. As much as both him and Kuki wanted to give the girls brand new things, they instead decided to invest in hand-me-downs. It had given them a lot more money than they otherwise would have had, and a much smaller struggle. Not that they admitted it could have been significant. Worst was Kuki had started freaking out about college the most, which Wally thought as a bit early. The girls were still rummaging in her belly.
His favourite thing about the pregnancy and the growing stomach was how close it got the two of them. Talking to the girls, singing to the girls—well that was mostly Kuki—kissing her belly and telling both of them how much he loved them. Trying to grasp hold of their hands when they tried to reach through her skin—okay, so that one was a little creepy. But they kept responding, and sometimes when Wally put his ear to Kuki's stomach he swore he could hear the two of them laughing. He got anxious and excited all at once. He wanted to see them so badly, yet a part of him wanted this to never end. Kuki radiated with happiness, her eyes looked a little different, and yeah, she cried a lot more, but that was such a minor thing.
"Push!"
Wally got snapped back into the white sterilised room, noticing how numb his hand was. When had Kuki taken a hold of it? He glanced with care at Kuki's red face contorted in pain, tears painting her cheeks. She looked awful, but he would never say that out loud, she would just scold him.
"I can see the head, just one more time, Mrs. Beetles, push!"
Kuki did what she was told, putting all her effort into it, wailing and probably tearing her vocal cords to shreds for good this time. Wally hoped not, he enjoyed listening to her—not so much now, but when she was, well, not giving birth.
One very pink, extremely tiny parody of a human being, plopped out of Kuki. It looked weird, and it made sense why she had screamed. Nature was so weird. How in the word could the vaginal entrance fit that through it? The more Wally thought about it, the more he felt a pinch of guilt, his stomach dropping. He'd brought this pain upon her. So what if it had mostly been her idea? This was as much his fault, if not more. Hurting the woman you loved the most… what a terrible thing to do.
A nurse pushed her way to the other side and pulled down an oxygen mask. Understandable. Kuki was going eerily pale, and she looked troubled. Like she couldn't keep awake or muster anymore energy. Unfortunately the worst was yet to come. Yeah she'd get a break, but soon the last girl would have to come out, and Kuki would need to do this all over again. Wally's heart ached with the thought alone.
"We'll need you to leave Mr. Beetles."
"What, why?"
Another nurse pulled him up, his mind spinning in circles. What in the world was gong on now? He opened his mouth to ask, but was shushed before he was even given a chance. This was beyond rude, and unfair to Kuki. They couldn't just tell him to leave!
"Oy! What's going on?" Wally complained.
"We just need you to be out of the room," the nurse stated. "Your wife is losing a bit of oxygen, and we might have to do a Cesarean for the next girl, or this might have a sad ending."
"What do you mean?" Wally asked, not feeling any wiser. "What's going on?"
"Just let us save your wife's life, Mr. Beetles," and with that she left.
Save Kuki's life? Kuki wasn't dying, she couldn't be. She was only thirty-two for crying out loud! Was the pressure of the twins really that bad? Wally couldn't fathom how it could be, and he paced back and forth, muttering cusses to himself, until it really sank in what was going on.
Kuki might die…
All their plans, their promises, their excitement. If Kuki got taken away… he couldn't finish that thought, starting it was enough to get him blind. Tears pressed on, a lump cut off his air, and his heart got crushed by ruthless hands. Kuki couldn't leave him, she couldn't!
She couldn't…
Fifteen minutes can feel like hours when you're not sure if the love of your life will live or die. At least it did to Wally. He swapped between sitting down, pacing, trying to peek inside to Kuki, eavesdropping, sitting again and tapping the floor with his feet. Twiddling, groaning, running a hand through his hair, looking at the time. Worst of all, at some point his- and Kuki's parents came. They wanted to greet the twins too, thought they were already out. No such luck, and Wally sat pale, trying to give reassuring smiles to his in-laws and Mushi. He didn't care much for Mushi's husband, he didn't really know the guy. Joey hadn't brought his girlfriend, thank God. It was nice to know his younger brother had braincells enough to keep her out of this. It must have taken Joey quite a while to get here though. At twenty-three the guy was just finishing college, and he studied in another state. What was it, a three hour drive or something? And joey might soon have a thesis. Wally would never have become mad with his brother for staying away. That didn't mean he wasn't grateful for Joey being here. Not at all.
"Mr. Beetles?" finally someone came out.
Wally shot to his feet faster than he meant to, and as a result almost ended up toppling over, face-first into the grey linoleum floor. "Yes?"
"You may see them now," the nurse smiled. "Your wife is also fine, by the way. Just tired is all."
A stone weight lifted from Wally's heart and shoulders, and he bowed his head to the nurse—a habit he'd picked up from acting formal around his in-laws (especially Kani).
Wally walked into the room, ignoring the tools and the blood the best he could. At least they were cleaning, and washing tables off with sterilisation products. Wally wasn't a big fan of that scent, and his wife often carried it in her hair from her own shifts.
She lay in the bed, her headrest up, the oxygen mask still in place. Colour started finding her cheeks again, but her lids kept drawing down. Her struggle to keep them open was visible even from the door.
With shy steps, that were so unlike him, Wally went to her side, looking at her eyes following him. He loved that colour. Autumn; a golden, light, toffee colour. He pulled over a chair and sat by her side, stroking her hand affectionately, giving her a small, apologetic smile. He had never wanted to leave her side. At least she would be okay, despite how terrible she looked.
"Hey," he purred.
"Hi," came her tired voice in response.
"How are you doing?"
"Okay," her eyes closed, but her smile remained. "Just tired."
"Yeah, I can't even imagine. Must have been a tough round."
"Mmm…"
Wally was a bit ashamed to admit he didn't notice a third nurse push the transparent boxes with their children over to them. He didn't even hear the guy say Here they are. Stroking Kuki's hair and watching her breathe evenly as she rested was a lot more important right now. He shouldn't hold his children just yet. Rather wait for her to wake again so they could have a look together. Admittedly, it was difficult to ignore them as they lay and gurgled in those boxes. He wasn't sure when he looked, but at some point he couldn't keep his eyes away.
Two tiny lumps lay side by side in each their box, covered by blankets. They wore lent garments from the hospital. Pink suits and white beanies that barely covered the black tufts of hair. Their eyes had a similar shape to Wally's, though a bit more angular. Both of them had button noses; Kuki's nose. One of them opened her eyes, so large in her tiny, round face. Emerald orbs darted around for a while in confusion, a gurgle, a few sobs, then her eyes shut close again and she rested.
Wally looked at the clipboards attached to the boxes. Mother: Kuki Sanban Beetles. Father: Wallabee Beetles. One born about ten minutes before the last one was finally out. Sheila and Sakura Sanban Beetles. They were nice names, had a ring to them. Not the prettiest things in the world, and yet, they made his heart soar and a smile spread across his lips. Kuki would love them.
2015 Rewrite. Originally written between May 26, 2012 — November 25, 2012. I hope you enjoyed this rewrite.
Criticism and/or advices on improvement is/are highly appreciated and welcome :)
~*~TippierCoffee~*~
