Chapter Eleven
They're here. They're so beautiful!
"Lawrence, Lawrence, wake up." Caroline gently shook her son. He stirred looking confused, "What's wrong Ma?"
"Kate's gone into labour and we are just waiting for the ambulance. When you get up, walk round to granny's and have breakfast, then ring me. I'll leave it to you to decide if you want to go to school. Please ring William from granny's."
"Ok Ma, will Kate be alright?"
"Yes, don't worry, first time mums can sometimes take hours to give birth. I promise I'll keep in touch." She kissed her son's head; he couldn't know how his life would change in the next few days, two tiny people in the house and all the demands they would make on everyone. However she felt that their home life was settling into something easy and happy for him so far.
Kate had managed to clean herself up a little and put on some loose clothes. Caroline was running around madly getting the suitcase they had packed and making sure they had everything they needed. She thought of all the people who needed to know but it was far too early for her to start ringing.
Ten minutes later, the ambulance arrived. They got Kate on board and asked Caroline if she would be travelling with them. "Yes she will," Kate shouted loudly," I'm not going anywhere without her."
So, Caroline gave away any thought of following in the car. She climbed in and sat beside Kate. "It's OK darling, you're going to be just fine." Kate started to pant hard as the first contractions started. "Oh God!" She squeezed Caroline's hand so hard that it felt it was being crushed.
Twenty minutes later they arrived at the maternity unit. The paramedics took Kate straight through to the delivery suite while Caroline went to the desk to sort out the admission paperwork.
A rather officious looking woman, who obviously hated being on night duty, threw some forms at Caroline and told her to fill them in. Caroline duly obeyed and handed them back.
"Next of kin; who is Caroline Dawson?"
"I am."
"Well what relationship are you?"
"Kate's my partner."
"Is it official? Like, have you registered as a partnership, because if you haven't, it has to be a family member." The woman said in her monotonous uncaring voice.
Caroline went into full battle mode, she was desperate to get to Kate. "Now listen to me, my partner is about to deliver our children. She will be desperate for me to get in there. Now finalise the bloody paperwork or I won't be responsible for what happens!"
The woman glared at her and nodded for her to go in. 'Idiot' Caroline muttered to herself as she strode along the corridor.
Inside the delivery room were the midwife, another nurse and Kate lying on her side on the bed.
"Caroline, come here please." Caroline took her jacket off and went to sit beside her. She stroked Kate's head and kissed her. "It's ok I'm here, we're all here ready, all you have to do is go with it now and do what Carol tells you."
Carol, Kate's midwife smiled at Caroline, "I've phoned Dr Fisher, he should be here soon to check on her. But she's got quite a way to go yet as you can imagine."
Caroline smiled back and nodded knowingly. The next moment there was another guttural groan from Kate as a new wave of contractions took hold of her. It was just a waiting game now.
At 7.30, Caroline slipped into the corridor to ring her mother.
"Mum, has Lawrence turned up yet?"
"No why would Lawrence be here at 7.30 in the morning? I'm just making Alan a cup of tea."
"Kate's gone in to labour, we came to the hospital at 4.30 this morning and I told Lawrence to come to your place when he woke up."
"Shall I ring him love? He'll be late for school otherwise."
"No it's OK mum, let him sleep as long as he wants and tell him I said not to bother going to school. He can come to the hospital when the babies are born. Could you ring Gillian and William for me?"
"Course I can, is Kate alright?"
"So far, so good. Her obstetrician is here on hand and will keep a close eye on her. Ginika is on her way, she just text me to say she's on a flight in the next hour. Could you or Gillian pick her up from Manchester airport? I'll text you the details."
"Of course love, me and Alan will sort everything out. You go back to Kate now and give her our love."
Caroline returned to Kate's side. "Where the hell have you been, how could you leave me, I'm dying here!" Kate shouted. Caroline and the midwife looked at each other and chuckled.
"Kate, you're not dying, this is what labour is like sweetheart, it's painful, but when it's over and our beautiful babies are here, it will all be forgotten."
"Yeah right" was all she got in return.
At 4.30 Ginika arrived with Gillian. She knocked on the door and motioned for Caroline to come outside. "Kate, your mum's here, do you want her in here for the delivery?" Kate nodded.
Caroline was able to hug Kate's mum for the very first time. They had got to know one another over Skype but this was a special moment for them. "How is she Caroline? Twins, my God."
"She's doing OK, she starting to get very tired but being brave. She'd like you in with us for the delivery."
"Are you ok with that Caroline? It's a very intimate moment you know."
"Yes of course, I'm fine. It will be a precious memory for both of you."
Kate reached out for her mother the moment she walked into the room. They held each other for quite a while until the next contraction came.
"Kate, my darling, I'd given up hope, to my shame, of ever having grandchildren. You must know how excited and happy I am."
Kate just smiled and squeezed her mother's hand.
The light had started to fade, it was now 12 hours since labour started; Kate was becoming very exhausted.
"Caroline, I'm starting to think about a caesarean here, the babies are still OK but Kate is getting very tired." Carol said. "James wants an update in twenty minutes and then we'll look at booking a theatre."
Caroline felt a great sadness coming over her. Kate was desperate to give birth naturally, even though James had warned her it may not be possible.
Two minutes later there was a huge scream from Kate, Carol quickly separated her legs and felt her cervix."Oh boy, someone's on their way. She's fully dilated and there's a little head here."
Caroline's heart started racing. This was it. She was breathless with excitement and fear.
"Kate, one of them is here, push now." Kate gave an almighty yell; all the veins in her face were protruding; James rushed in having been summoned by Carol.
"Ok Kate, this is it for number one; another big push." The next moment there was a gurgling cry as a beautiful little person was held up and put onto Kate's chest for a few seconds.
"Come on Caroline, cut the cord so we can focus on getting her sister out."
Through a haze of tears, Caroline cut her baby's cord and then went back to Kate's side. "She's beautiful darling."
"There's a problem here," James whispered to Carol. "The cord is round this little one's neck. Get me some forceps and scissors."
" Caroline heard this and a felt like a cold wind had suddenly blown over her. "Do something, please!" she shouted.
James and Carol worked together for a few moments and eventually freed the cord. The baby was delivered, but no cry. Carol whisked her off to the treatment table and worked on her with suction and oxygen. It was as if time stood still. Then it came; a resounding cry.
"Oh God, thank you, she's alright. They're both alright. You've done it. You're fantastic. I love you."
The newest arrival was placed on Kate's chest for a few moments and then they were both put in cribs as they needed a little oxygen. One baby weighed in at 6lbs and the other smaller one at 5.5lbs.
Caroline and Ginika held each other and cried tears of joy and relief; then hugged and kissed an exhausted Kate.
"You two might like to go outside now and have a few moments while we sort Kate out and get her back to her room." Carol suggested. "Before you go though; because they are twins, it helps us a lot if we can have a name for them as we would usually just write 'baby McKenzie'."
"We have chosen them Kate said quietly. Could you being the cribs over here for a moment please?"
Carol wheeled them to the bedside. Both women looked at them. Kate said," The first one born is Flora Elizabeth and the other Grace Abike; but their surname is McKenzie-Dawson."
Caroline looked at Kate; this was something they had never discussed. She had hoped with all her heart that it would be so, but felt it was something Kate needed to decide. She leaned over and held her, "Thank you my darling."
When they got out into the corridor they were confronted by, what seemed like an army of people. Celia and Alan were there, Lawrence, William and Roxy, who had just arrived, and Gillian. Caroline reported all the details of the babies and introduced Ginika to them all. There was a lot of kissing, hugging and congratulations. It was decided that everyone would go back to Caroline and Kate's place so they could settle in and have something to eat. Later, Ginika and the boys would come back to the hospital to meet the babies. Caroline would be staying overnight at the hospital. The rooms had double beds in them for that purpose, something that had not been available even when her boys were born. She asked William and Roxy to bring both cars over; they could keep the small one. Fortunately she had installed the baby capsules in her car the previous weekend so that they would be ready.
Gillian, Alan and Celia were allowed in to the nursery to look at them through the window. "Aw look at them, they're so tiny." Gillian cooed at the window. Celia felt a surge of joy she never expected to feel. She kept telling herself that these babies were going to be Caroline's as well but was struggling to come to grips with it. Looking at them now she knew it wouldn't be a problem. They had the most delicate olive coloured skin and loose black curls, they were adorable.
Caroline kicked off her shoes and climbed on to the bed beside Kate; snuggling in to her. "You did it, you're a mum; we're mums!" Kate looked back at Caroline with tired but deeply satisfied eyes.
"Yes we did it. We have two healthy beautiful babies. I couldn't think of you not being with me for them, for us.
Caroline, you know the surname we gave them?"
"Yes, that was a wonderful surprise for me."
"I would like to make that official. I would like it to be my surname too."
Caroline was silent for a few moments."Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Yes, I want us to be married."
Caroline kissed her tenderly ; then stroking her face; "I can't imagine not being married to you."
This was the moment Kate had been waiting for and it was perfect.
