Healing the Heart: An Ichabbie Story from Sleepy Hollow Chapter 12
July 3rd 7:00 am
"Alright you two any day now Mommy would like you to get out of her belly" Abbie said rubbing her full nine-month belly. It was July 3rd and her due date had been June 29th and the twins weren't budging at all. The weather forecast called for a heat wave through Independence Day weekend and Abbie thought she was going to die. It was only seven in the morning and the heat was sweltering already and Abbie thought sleeping in a light maternity nightgown would cool her off but boy was she wrong.
Abbie let out a sigh of relief when she felt cool hands run up and down her arms and back.
"I sense you're in great discomfort Miss Mills" Ichabod whispered in her ear
"Yes I am Crane" Abbie replied "it seems our children are stubborn and don't know that their nine month lease is up"
"Shh" Ichabod comforted spreading kisses on her jaw and neck "I'm sure they'll be here soon enough"
"Easy for you to say," Abbie couldn't help laughing, "you better hope at least one of them is a boy to keep your name going Ichabod because I'm shutting this baby factory down once they get here"
"Fair enough my love" Ichabod agreed "but that's not going to stop me from expressing my love for you"
"You've done a lot of 'expressing' so far and I'll never be tired of it"
"Would you like me to do so right now?"
"Crane!" Abbie giggled "I'm as big as this cabin you can't be serious"
"Oh but I'm very serious Abbie"
When the two of them heard their daughter's light footsteps coming from down the hall to their room they stopped and listened to her knocking at the bedroom door.
"Mommy! Daddy!"
Ichabod pulled up his pajama bottoms and got up to let Sophia in. As Sophia tried running past Ichabod and he scooped her up in his arms.
"Daddy!" she giggled
"Were you going to rush past without saying good morning to Daddy," he teased
"Morning Daddy!" Sophia said kissing Ichabod's cheek to get a kiss on her cheek in return. Ichabod put Sophia down and she made her way over to Abbie
"Mommy where are the babies?" she asked confused
"Still in Mommy's tummy" Abbie said running her hand through Sophia's morning hair
"You said babies were coming"
"I know sweetie but they'll be here as soon as they're ready"
Sophia folded her arms impatiently "They're taking too long Mommy"
Both parents laughed at their child's retort but even they felt the same way and wanted the twins to get here already.
"Sophie you can help Mommy make some of the cakes and pies for the cookout at Auntie Jenny's tomorrow in the meantime" Abbie said
"I can?!"
"Yes go wash your hands okay"
When Sophia raced out of the room Abbie began to rise out of bed slowly and Ichabod took her hand in his concerned
"Are you sure you want to be moving around in the kitchen so much Abbie?"
"I'll be fine"
Ichabod didn't look convinced and Abbie gave him a smile "Would you like me to have Jenny come over"
"Yes I would actually"
"Crane it's not like I'm going to go into labor as we're baking"
July 3rd 4:00 pm
Abbie wished she could have put her money where her mouth was because at four o'clock that afternoon just as she was putting the last cake in the over; her water broke. The liquid stained her shorts and ran down her thighs.
"Mommy?" Sophia asked scared seeing her mother in such distraught
"Sophie sweetie it's okay" Abbie tried keeping calm as contractions began to ripple through out her body "go get your Aunt Jenny and Daddy for me please"
Sophia quickly did as she was told and came back with Ichabod and Jenny
"Abbie!" Ichabod exclaimed rushing to her side
"It's time the babies are coming!"
"I'll call Irving to meet us at the hospital" Jenny said picking up Sophia "I'll get your things and the car ready"
"Mommy!" Sophia cried "what's wrong with Mommy?"
"Mommy will be fine Sophie" Ichabod said "go with your Aunt Jenny okay"
As Jenny left the kitchen with a confused and scared Sophia; Ichabod helped Abbie make her way out to the car.
"The oven!" Abbie exclaimed, "I didn't cut it off! The cakes!"
"I took care of that" Ichabod replied "don't worry about it Abbie we must get you to the hospital immediately"
"Ichabod I can't!" Abbie cried in distress "I don't think I can do this"
"Yes you can my love" Ichabod encouraged "I know you can"
It would definitely be a long labor ahead of them and more difficult than Sophia's. Ichabod was going to stay by her side the whole way through
July 3rd 10:00 pm
"How is she doing Crane?" Irving asked concerned for one if his hardest workers in the force. Ichabod had stepped out to the waiting area to where the captain and his daughter Macy were along with Jenny and Sophia.
"Daddy!" Sophia exclaimed climbing from Macy's lap to her father's arms "where's Mommy?"
"Mommy is having the babies my love" Ichabod replied
"Mommy okay?"
"She's just fine" Ichabod said trying to not to scare his little girl. Settling Sophia back with Macy; Ichabod pulled Irving aside to answer his question.
"Abbie's been in labor for almost six hours now and she's not ready to push" Ichabod explained
"Dr. Mason says that if she isn't ready soon they'll have to cut through her stomach"
"So she would have to have a C section then" Jenny said
"She seems rather distraught over the idea" Ichabod said "and me personally I've never heard of such a thing is it medically possible in this era?"
"Yes it is" Irving said, "lots of women go through it and remember she's having twins this time it might be too much for her birth canal to handle"
"Abbie's very stubborn she keeps insisting that she's strong enough to go through with the delivery naturally" Ichabod said "I think she's strong enough already and although I've never heard of such things I'd rather her do what's best for her and the twins"
"I'll talk to her" Jenny said "if anything her sister can talk some sense in her"
Abbie turned her head to see both Jenny walk in the room.
Jenny could see the look of pain and distress plastered all over her sister's sweaty tired face. Abbie had always been stubborn just like their mother; she never wanted to be seen as vulnerable or weak.
Abbie was strong and beautiful Jenny was glad that she had Ichabod in her life who was able to show her that and dropped Luke Morales like a bad habit. The man had the nerve to tell her she was not 'womanly' enough for him. The fact that Abbie was one of the best lieutants in Sleepy Hallow and was also a kick ass mother was all of the things that made her 'womanly' and even more.
"Grace Abigail what's this I hear about you not wanting to have a C section?"
"I can do it Jenny" Abbie insisted, "I can push"
"Dr. Mason says if you're not dilated in an hour they'll have to do the C section"
"I didn't have a C section with Sophia" Abbie said stubbornly
"Sophia wasn't born with a twin sibling with her" Jenny pointed out "Abbie it's okay you're not the first woman to need a C section you know"
"Besides the twins are already a week late don't you want to meet them?" Jenny smiled cracking a smile gently squeezing Abbie's hand "and I want to meet my little nephews"
"How do you know they're both boys?"
"Girl please as big as you are those aren't nothing but little boys in there"
Abbie chuckled a little along with her sister
"So Missy if you're not ready to push in an hour are you willing to go under the knife?"
"I am scared" Abbie admitted letting her guard down "will you and Crane be with me?"
"Of course we will" Jenny promised "and we won't leave your side either"
July 4th 12:00 am
As the clock struck midnight early that Independence Day morning Abbie could hear the first twin's howling cry. She couldn't see her baby because of the sheet that blocked her view but by the looks on Ichabod and Jenny's faces she knew it was good. The way Ichabod's face glowed Abbie already knew he leaned down and kissed her forehead and whispered, "Our son is so beautiful"
July 4th 12:05 am
A light smack on the bottom had to stir a cry from the more shy and quiet twin but surely enough the baby let out a cry too. Abbie looked up to see two little beat red faces crying out to their mother.
One held by their father the other held by their aunt. Ichabod ran his thumb across Abbie's cheek gently "Would you like to meet our sons Abbie?" Her heart leapt with joy. Twin boys all this time and no wonder she was so big; the two brothers were probably fighting for equal space in their mother's womb. They wouldn't have to fight for their mother's heart though because they would both have their fair share.
July 4th 12:45 am
"Here is your younger son Abbie" Jenny said giving Abbie one of the twins while Ichabod sat at her bedside with the older twin "all eight pounds and four ounces of him"
Abbie took her son in her arms amazed at how big he was and had to ask, "How much does his brother weigh?"
"Eight pounds and six ounces" Jenny teased beaming with pride "you two are going to have some big boys"
Jenny left the room to tell everyone the good news. Abbie couldn't believe it what were the odds of her sons arriving on Independence Day? Her children just loved to enter the world on holidays they would go along just great with their Halloween born older sister. It would say a lot about their personalities in the long run.
Both of the boys the boys had thick heads of hair just like Sophia when she was born but had the wavy texture of their father's and had the rich ebony color of their mother's hair. They shared the same light honey brown complexion of their older sister as well as same rosy pink cheeks. When the twins slowly opened their eyes Abbie saw that they had the same deep brown eyes that she had. Other than that the boys were a spitting image of Ichabod and their father couldn't be any prouder.
"Well I don't think your name is going to die out then" Abbie teased Ichabod as he played with one his sons tiny fists
"I think I can agree with you on that"
"I'm glad you you're happy with your boys Ichabod because I'm not having anymore like I said" Abbie confirmed
"Oh but what if Sophia wants a little sister?" Ichabod teased
"She'll be fine" Abbie said, "I was actually hoping for boys so that she can be your only little girl pulling at your heartstrings"
"That she does all too well," Ichabod agreed as he held up the older twin "I like Ethan Theodore Crane for this young lad"
"Oh that sounds nice Ichabod"
"Ethan means 'strong' because his mother is that as well and Theodore means 'gift of god' which he is"
Abbie smiled and the younger twin began to wiggle and cry in her arms "Oh I'm sorry would you like to be named too?" she cooed kissing his forehead.
"Even though you aren't as strong as your brother I know you will be just as great" Abbie whispered, "that's why your name is Nicholas Benjamin Crane"
"What does that mean?"
"Well Nicholas means 'victory of the people' which is why we have to win this war to make this a better world for our children to live in" Abbie replied "and Benjamin means 'son of the right hand' because his father is fighting for the greater good"
Ichabod chuckled "My apologies Ethan looks like your little brother has a stronger name"
"Oh stop" Abbie laughed, "I like Ethan and Nicholas they sound great together"
Ichabod smiled back "The Crane brothers Ethan and Nicholas it is then"
July 4th 9:00 am
"Mommy!"
Abbie had just gotten through breastfeeding the twins when Ichabod came in with Sophia in his
arms along with Jenny, Captain Irving, and Macy. Abbie chuckled at the excitement in Sophia's voice and was excited for her in return. Ichabod gently placed Sophia on the bed with Abbie and the toddler's attention went straight to the two bundles in her mother's arms.
"Babies!" Sophia squealed
"Yes my love" Ichabod explained "remember I said Mommy had the babies this morning?"
Sophia nodded happily
"These are your little brothers Sophie" Abbie said, "this is Ethan and this is Nicholas"
"Egan and Necklace?" Sophia tried her best but her parents knew she'd get it eventually she spoke very well for almost three years old
"That's right" Ichabod said
"I'm big sister?"
"Yes you're a big sister now"
Sophia turned to Jenny, Irving, and Macy and happily proclaimed "I'm big sister!" and they all cheered along with her.
"So Macy you think you can babysit all three of the Crane kids?" Jenny teased
"Oh yes Sophie is so much fun already the twins will be great" Macy agreed
"I have to say they are very handsome boys Crane" Irving said patting Ichabod on the shoulder "I know you're very proud of Mills for giving you three beautiful children you've treated her much better than Morales ever had"
Ichabod looked over at Abbie who was showing Sophia how to hold Nicholas with her help while she
propped Ethan in her other arm and his heart over flowed with love and joy.
"Yes Captain" Ichabod replied, "yes I am and I love her so"
