Disclaimers: All twilight stuff belongs to SM. My medical knowledge is limited at its best and may not be correct. I'm sorry if it is not accurate.
I am not sure if I still have any readers left considering that I get like 3 reviews per chapter. The lack of reviews is really discouraging but I keep posting new chapter for the few people that do review. If you want to see some pictures associated with this story then follow this link:
s1338*beta*photobucket*com/user/Lifes_Funny_Quirks/library/ (just replace * with a .)
I posted a link for the engagement ring but I was informed by a reader that it does not work so you can see a picture of that on there as well as their new vehicle. You can also see the cribs for the babies as well as dresser/changing tables and bedding choices. I will continue to upload pictures on there as the story progresses. I hope you are enjoying what you have read so far, I can't know for certain since hardly NO-ONE reviews. Is it really so hard to leave a few words if you are enjoying the story or hell even if you don't like something in it.
Ok, that's enough out of me, see you at the bottom.
Chapter 20
31 weeks 2 days pregnant
It was now 6 days before christmas. I had been stuck in this same hospital room for 3 weeks, 3 days, 14 hours and 37 minutes and it was wearing on my nerves. When Edward had rushed me to the hospital it was determined that I was going into pre-term labor. Even though the babies could survive on their own right now, it was a mutual decision between Dr Carmen and us that we wanted to try and give them a few more weeks if possible. I was given medication to stop my labor and was admitted to the hospital for the duration of my pregnancy. It was also discovered that I had dilated to two centimeters, instead of holding at one. A few weeks turned into trying to get me to at least 32 weeks.
Everything was getting on my nerves lately. Edward refused to go home so he was here constantly. The nurses came and went all hours of the day and night checking the baby monitors that I was tethered to as well as my blood pressure. The babies were constantly kicking me or punching me and I was getting tired of feeling like a punching bag. I couldn't get comfortable in this hard ass bed and I was always tired.
"Edward...please get them to let me go home. I promise I won't even leave our bed. I just wanna go home." I whined to Edward for about the millionth time today. I knew in my head that they weren't releasing me until the babies were born but it was worth a shot.
"Snuggles, you know that 's not gonna happen." He told me, kissing me on the forehead. He treated me like I was some piece of breakable jewelry or something. He barely touched me anymore. I knew that we couldn't do anything sexual but I missed him just cuddling with me or laying with his head propped against the babies talking to them. He barely even kissed me anymore and it was taking it's toll on me.
"Edward am I that repulsive to you that you can't even kiss me properly." I snapped at him, irritated with the kiss he placed on my forehead. I did the most childish thing I think I have done in years. I pulled my blanket over my head and hid under them.
"Isabella Cullen, you know better than that. You are amazingly beautiful and get more so everyday. Look at me, snuggles." He tugged on the blankets but I held tight to them not wanting him to see me with tears in my eyes. "Please, snuggles. Let me see you."
I finally relented because I just knew he was giving me those puppy dog eyes of his that usually got him whatever he wanted. I rolled my eyes at him when I let him pull the blankets off of my head.
"Your just biased because you love me." I told him playfully. He always knew how to turn my sour moods around.
Instead of answering me he laid a very passionate kiss on my lips. I opened my mouth to meet his seeking tongue with my own. I gripped his shirt tightly pulling him down more so his chest pressed against mine.
He broke the kiss, stroking the side of my face gently. "I don't kiss you like this because I don't want to get you all worked up when we can't do anything about it. You know that, snuggles."
He trailed his lips down my neck, sucking gently. I was certain he was going to leave a mark, not that I minded.
"You may not be able to help me but..." I paused as I trailed a hand down his chest heading towards the ever present bulge in his jeans. "...but I can help you out." I told him breathlessly, running my fingertips across his bulge before squeezing gently. It had been 4 weeks and 3 days since we last had sex and it was painful at times because he usually deflected my offers to help him out.
I smiled and rubbed his generous bulge with a little more pressure. He groaned into my neck as my fingers undid the button of his jeans.
"Bella...don't." He pleaded placing open mouthed kisses all along my neck and shoulders.
"I want to do this. Please let me help you, husband." I knew referring to him as husband would probably do the trick.
He groaned but made no move to remove my hand, I smiled a little triumphantly. I popped the button on his jeans and he let out a moan at the instant relief that brought to him.
I slowly lowered his zipper and slipped my hand into his boxers, stroking him gently.
"Ahh...snuggles." He moaned into my neck.
I released him so I could pull his pants and boxers down a little so I could have easier access. He spread his legs so they wouldn't fall to the floor but settled on his thighs. I wrapped my hand around him once I had his clothes out of the way. He groaned loudly, his head rolling on my shoulders.
"Quietly, husband. We don't wanna get caught." I told him, stroking my hand up and down, twisting my wrist on my upward movements.
"Oh God, Bella. That feels wonderful." He raised his head up and slammed his lips back down onto mine. I smiled because I knew that now I had him where I wanted him and he wouldn't stop me.
He smashed his lips back against mine, stroking my tongue with his eagerly. I moaned with him now, I was getting worked up but that would be ok. I smiled against his lips, pushing on his chest gently so he would stand up so I would have more room to work with.
He just looked at me for a few seconds before doing my bidding. "I love you, handsome." I said softly as I stroked him with a little more freedom. He looked from my face down to where my hand was wrapped around him tightly. I just rolled my eyes at him, all men were the same. They loved to watch themselves being pleasured by the women they loved.
I shocked him when I leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his tip. "Isabella Cullen...what..." He trailed off in a mixture of shock and pleasure. He put a hand on the top of my head gently, stroking his fingers through my messy locks. I took that as a sign of encouragement and licked down the side of his shaft.
He finally had a moment of worry and pulled back away from my mouth, tilting my head up to look at him. "Bella, you don't have to do this. I will be fine." He pleaded with me, one hand stroking the side of my face and the other still tangled in my hair.
I shook my head at him. "I know you will be fine because I am going to take care of you and you are going to shut up and enjoy it." I said in a tone that left no room for arguments.
He just smirked at me. "Yes, ma'am." I licked the pre-cum off the end of his shaft before running my tongue all the way down and back up again.
"Mmm...God, snuggles." I took that as a good sign to continue. I wrapped my lips around the head of his shaft and sucked gently while humming lightly. He moaned loudly so I raised a hand up to clamp over his mouth to muffle his moans.
"Quiet, handsome or someone might walk in on us." I said around his shaft. I slowly sand my mouth as far down his shaft as I could. I wrapped my hand around what I couldn't get in my mouth and worked them up and down in unison all the while humming, letting the vibrations vibrate through him. I felt him start to thrust slightly, telling me that he was close to falling over the edge. I gripped his hip and sank my mouth down as far as I could go and sucked strongly pulling his orgasm from him.
"Oh God, Bella." He moaned rather loudly as he came down my throat. I continued sucking until he was completely drained. He slumped forward placing his hands on the side of my bed to keep from falling.
I removed my lips from him and smiled up at him. We were still staring at each other when we heard Emmett's booming voice coming down the hall. "Oh shit." Edward mumbled under his breath, quickly yanking up his pants while I wiped at my lips to make sure no evidence was left.
He leaned down and kissed me on the lips, stroking my closed lips with his tongue. I opened my lips allowing him, stirring our passions again.
"Oh my God. Do you two ever stop?" Emmett boomed as he walked into our room.
"Nope. We're married. We don't have to stop." I smirked at him when I finally released Edwards lips. I tugged on Edwards hand and patted the bed in front of me. I scooted back up against the bed rail to let him slip into bed with me.
He just smiled at me and scooted in beside me, I rolled enough for him to scoot beneath my stomach. I couldn't believe how huge I had gotten since being in the hospital. I had gained 57 pounds total since I first found out I was pregnant. I would be to the 30 week mark this coming Sunday. Dr. Carmen said that if I don't go into labor naturally by 32 weeks then she would schedule a c-section because I was having a hard time breathing lately. Thankfully my blood pressure was fairly normal and not affecting the babies so far.
Rose placed a huge teddy bear down in my lap and snapped me back to the here and now. "Rose this thing is huge." I exclaimed as I examined the bear. It was huge, probably three and a half feet tall and probably two feet wide with three little bears sitting between its feet. Each of the little bears were wearing shirts with the babies full names on them. Brynleigh Lynne Cullen, Brooklynne Leigh Cullen, and Braxton Layne Cullen.
" I tried to tell dipshit over there that it was huge and ridiculous but he couldn't pass it up. He got one for our house too with the girls names on them." Rose said as she pushed the stroller that the girls were snoozing in up close to the edge of the bed so I could see them.
"They look so sweet and innocent when they are asleep." I said laughing because I knew what they could do when they were awake.
"Yeah, if only they could actually be that innocent while awake." Rose said, flopping down in the chair beside my bed.
"Hey, my angels are perfectly innocent." Emmett said defending his daughters.
We all laughed at him. "Emmett we know what they are alike when they are awake. Remember you stayed at our house not too long ago." Edward reminded him.
"Haha. That was a good night. Now they have decided to sleep on separate schedules and it doesn't matter what we do at night." Rosalie complained playfully. She looked really exhausted and wasn't as made up as she used to be all the time.
"How's the restaurant going now that you have the girls?" Edward asked as he ran a hand over our babies. The last I heard, Rosalie was taking the girls to work with her and only working half days but Emmett worked pretty much from sun up to sun down. They were both getting really frustrated at it because they weren't spending a whole lot of time together.
"It's working out great now, even though the last two weeks have really sucked balls!" Emmett exclaimed rather loudly, jarring Allison and Arianna awake.
"Great, Emmett. How damn many times do I have to tell you to use your inside voice." Rose griped as picked up Arianna and handed her to Emmett before picking up Ali to soothe her.
She turned back to us once she had Ali calmed down and quietly sucking on her bottle. "We hired several managers to basically take over the restaurant while the girls are so little. We work for four hours a day, though not at the same time. We started this schedule three days ago and so far it is working wonderfully. Emmett works through the evening rush and I work through the lunch rush, that way we are both there when the girls wake up and go to bed and they are also never left with a babysitter." Rose explained quickly.
Mom had been the one to suggest that schedule. "I'm glad it is working for y'all. Our babies aren't even here yet and I already can't imagine leaving them for any period of time." I said. Edward and I had discussed me taking some college courses after I got my diploma and I hadn't given him a definite answer yet. I wanted my college education but not at the expense of my children's time.
"You have to keep in mind that as they get older the will see what all you sacrificed to give them what they have. You never skimp on loving them, but a few hours a day away will not hurt them. They won't never miss that time." Rose said as she burped Ali. "Or at least that is what Mama C told us when we talked to her last month."
I snickered at her because she didn't seem so sure of her own advice. "And how is that working for you?"
"Like shit. Even though I only work four hours a day, I miss the girls like crazy. They love their daddy and me time but I feel like I am missing out on so much in those four hours a day." She said softly.
Emmett nodded behind her in agreement. "It really sucks, but we have to work to keep the restaurant alive. We worked hard to make it what it is today, and I don't want to turn it over to someone else to run completely."
This was the most sincere I think I had him talk since I met him almost 7 months ago.
"That makes sense. And with both of us, we have more than one baby to take care of and they get expensive, quick!" I said. I never realized how expensive baby stuff was until I had to start buying three of everything. Over the past two weeks, I have been ordering some stuff that we didn't have off the internet and the prices are ridiculous. I had also been ordering christmas presents for everyone. I was hoping to get to go home before christmas and I really hoped that the babies would be healthy enough to be home before christmas too.
Just yesterday, Alice said that the matching rockers I ordered had been delivered. She had supervised while Jasper put them together and placed them where I wanted them. Edward and I wanted them in the nursery side by side by the closet so that we would be able to rock the babies and keep an eye on the others in their cribs. I had also ordered the bouncers, high chairs, swings, play mats, extra blankets, bottles, pacifiers, sheets, and many other things. Everything was being delivered to our house and being stored in the guest bedroom until we came home. I told Alice that the only things I wanted assembled were the rocking chairs. Edward and I wanted to do the rest of it once we came home.
I felt a quick tightening in my stomach and jerked alerting Edward to it. "Snuggles, you ok?" Before I could answer him my eyes rolled in the back of my head and the monitors went crazy.
The next thing I saw was bright lights rushing over my head and something gripping my hand tightly. I thought I heard someone say "She's coming back around!" before Edward's face was in front of mine. His cold hands stroked the side of my face, "Baby, it's time. I love you!" I just nodded my head at him and squeezed his hand tightly.
"Bella." I looked up to see a smiling Dr. Carmen looking at me dressed in her purple scrubs. When she had my attention she explained what had happened. "Bella, for some reason your blood pressure bottomed out and the babies heart rates started dropping too. We finally got you stabilized but we are going to go ahead and take the babies out today." It must have been the nervous look in my eyes because she instantly soothed my nerves. "Bella, you have had two rounds of steroid shots to improve their lungs, and you are a little over 31 weeks. They will be fine, you will get to see them in a few hours." I nodded at her and silent tears rolled down the side of my head when the blue curtain went up hiding my stomach from sight.
"Ok, sweetheart. You are going to feel quite a bit of pressure but you will be able to hear your babies screaming soon after." Dr. Carmen explained before I felt the first bit of pressure.
I took a deep breath and felt something odd happening in my stomach when I felt water slosh down my legs followed by a healthy cry.
"Baby A is a boy!" Dr Carmen said as she quickly held him above the blue sheet before handing him off to the nurses.
I felt the tears running down my face into my hair line. I looked up to see Edward's eyes glazed over with unshed tears, too. He looked down at me and gave me a quick kiss. "He's gorgeous, snuggles. Nasty but gorgeous." He said quietly as I felt more water splash on my legs.
"Baby B is a healthy little girl!" Dr Carmen said as she quickly cut the cord and handed the baby to waiting nurses.
"Oh, Edward." I cried at hearing my babies crying. They were not happy at having their environment disturbed.
"And at last, Baby C is another girl!" She wasn't crying though so Doctor Carmen quickly handed her off to the waiting nurses.
"Edward, why isn't she crying like the other two?" I asked concerned. I looked over to where they had taken her and watched as nurses suctioned her nose and throat and rubbed her tiny chest while another nurse slapped the bottom of her feet. After what seemed like an eternity, she let out a small whimper before she started batting her arms.
You could practically feel the relief that flowed through the entire operating room. I felt some more tugging in my stomach. "Doctor Carmen, did everything go okay? I asked her as she smiled over the curtain at me.
"Everything went great, Bella! We just finished removing the placenta's and now we are closing you up." Edward and I both nodded. "Edward, you can follow the babies as they make the trek up to the NICU ward."
Edward looked at me worriedly. "Go, Edward. Go be with our babies. I will see you in the recovery room. I love you!" I told him because I could see that he was torn between staying with me and going with them.
"Are you sure, snuggles?" He asked me as he quickly kissed my lips a few times. I nodded and he reluctantly got up to follow our babies to the NICU.
It was almost three hours later before I finally got the feeling back in my waist and legs. The pain was excruciating but bearable. I refused any pain meds because I wanted to try breast feeding the babies for at least the first month of their life. Right now though, the only thing I wanted was to see my babies, and people were refusing to let me see them.
"I don't give a shit what this fucking hospital policy states. I WANT TO SEE MY BABIES!" I screamed at the nurse that had just told me that it was against hospital policy to allow me in the NICU because of my surgery.
She just hung her head and picked up my glass off my bedside table and threw it at her. "Whoa! What is going on in here?" Carlisle asked as he and mom walked into my room. He was dressed in his scrubs and doctors coat while mom was dressed a suit, both obviously having left straight from work to get here.
"These idiots won't let me see my babies. I have tried time and time again to tell them that I am fine but they keep telling me that I need to rest." I scowled at the nurse as she quickly ducked out of the room.
Mom just laughed quietly, leaning down to hug me gently. "Congratulations, baby girl. You did a fantastic job. They really are beautiful. Carlisle and I just came from the NICU and seen Edward holding them. They are perfect." Mom said trying to soothe my ruffled feathers.
"Oh Princess, we will get you to see your babies. But you need to calm down for me first." He picked up my chart from the end of my bed and was reading over it when Edward walked in the room.
"Oh Edward! How are they? How much did they weigh? How long are they? Are they breathing on their own?" I fired off my questions at him. He had been with them since they left the operating room. He had quickly checked on me when I was first moved back into my room but he didn't have any information on the babies at that time.
"They are wonderful, all perfect little babies. Do you feel up to going to see them?" Edward asked as he hugged Esme and Carlisle.
I started bouncing as best as I could in excitement. "Can I go right now?" I asked eagerly.
Carlisle and Edward both nodded. "You scared the dickens out of the nursing staff. Dad pulled some strings for us." Edward said throwing a quick head nod and smile at his dad.
"Thanks, Pop. I love you." Edward helped me get up from the bed and ease into the wheelchair that I didn't see him wheel in with him.
"No problem, princess. They called me concerned because you were throwing stuff at the nurses every time they told you 'no'." He said, giving me the smirk that Edward had inherited as Edward turned me to leave the room.
Edward wheeled me slowly towards the NICU where our babies were going to have to stay for at least 24 hours for observation because they are still considered preemies. He told me how much they weighed and stuff on our trek up to the nursery.
"Braxton was the biggest at 5 pounds 4 ounces and 18.2 inches long. Brynleigh came in second at being 5 pounds even and 17.4 inches long. Brooklynne is the tiniest of them all at 4 pounds 15 ounces and 17.6 inches long." Edward rattled off like he had memorized it in the time he had spent with them.
The NICU nurse met us in the doorway and instructed us to wash our hands and slip the gowns on over our clothes before allowing us entrance through the door.
I looked through the glass and seen two incubators with big signs that said "Baby Boy Cullen" on one incubator and "Baby Girl A and B Cullen" on the other incubator.
When Edward pushed me in between the incubators I cried at what I saw. My girls were sleeping peacefully together in one incubator. They each had different colored hats on their heads and mittens covering their hands. Braxton was sleeping peacefully with his arms resting beside his head with a blue hat and blue mittens on.
All three babies had sticky tabs stuck to their chest with wires running from them. "Edward, why do they have wires running from them?" I asked as I stretched my arms out and stuck one hand inside each incubator so I could touch all three babies at the same time. I stroked their little arms gently.
The nurse answered me instead of Edward. "We need to keep them on the heart monitors for at least four hours to make sure their heart rate is steady and stable. They will come off in about thirty minutes. Would you like to hold them, Mrs. Cullen?" I smiled at her and nodded eagerly. I still had a hard time referring to myself as Mrs. Cullen even though we had been married for a few months now.
Edward helped me move from the wheelchair to the rocker that was positioned between both incubators and the nurse lifted the first baby girl into my arms. "Edward, why didn't you put their names on their id cards instead of Baby girl A and Baby girl B Cullen?" I questioned as I cradled my baby in my arms. She let out a soft cry before snuggling into my breasts.
"It's ok, baby. Mommy's here now." I said softly pressing a soft kiss to the top of her downy head. I began to hum softly, rocking gently. "You will be mommy's little Brooklynne Leigh won't you, angel?" I asked her gently. When she just snuggled in closer I looked up at Edward and smiled brightly.
He turned to the nurse "You can put their names on their tags and beds now that their mother has seen them." Then he turned to me and knelt beside my rocking chair stroking Brooklynne's back gently and explained. "I didn't want to do anything without you here. I had pictured this one as Brooklynne because she is the quiet subdued one of the two girls." Just as I said that Brynleigh started wailing from inside their little bed. Edward smiled at me and I nodded because that explained everything.
When they were still in me, we had deemed the one that was always moving and kicking me was Brynleigh and Brooklynne barely moved at all and hardly ever kicked or punched hard enough to hurt.
"Hi angel, mommy's here now. I love you Brooklynne Leigh. You are a beautiful little girl, sweetheart. I can't wait for us to be able to go home so everybody can see mommy's little angel." I told her softly, kissing the top of her head and putting my finger in her hand for her to grip.
While Edward was lifting Brynleigh from her bed, Braxton started squirming around before letting out a high pitched wail also. I looked at Edward worried because this was going to be our normal when we took them home.
He just smiled at me as he whispered to Brynleigh while stroking Braxton's arm quieting him down too. I shifted Brooklynne to one arm and held my other arm out for Brynleigh. "Hand her here, handsome." I told him softly, scared to speak too loudly and disturb them too much.
Once he placed her in my arms he reached over and picked up Braxton placing him on his shoulder and rubbing his back soothingly. He continued to whimper softly, indicating something else was wrong. "Edward, check his diaper. He may be dirty or hungry." I was shocked because I had been told that my mother's instinct would kick in once I held my babies for the first time, and they were right.
I stroked Brynleigh's back leaning her way to have a little talk with her like I did her sister.
"Brynleigh Lynne, mommy is here now. You need to be a good baby. I love you, princess. You can be my princess while your sister is my angel. I love you so much already. I promise you that I will do my best by you and your brother and sister."
Edward checked his diaper and he indeed needed a new one. After Braxton had his diaper changed he began crying in earnest while Edward tried everything to soothe him. It wasn't working, the nurse smiled at us before bringing over the smallest bottles I had ever seen. "Here honey, it's their feeding time. This should soothe him." Edward cradled Braxton in his arms and gently pressed the nipple to his lips trying to get him to suck on the bottle. He quickly latched onto it and began sucking quickly.
The nurse helped me shift both girls onto a 'c' shaped pillow that she placed in my lap. "This will allow you to feed more than one at a time." She explained as she positioned the girls on the pillow and made sure all of their wires were out of the way before she showed me how to get them to latch onto their bottles.
"If they pass this milestone without any complications then they will get to go home quicker." She explained as she watched me tease both babies lips with their nipples. Brynleigh latched on quickly and began sucking after it was in her mouth for a few seconds. Brooklynne was a different story. She just opened her mouth and held the nipple in her mouth without sucking on it. "What's wrong with her? Why won't she eat?" I asked the nurse scared something was wrong with my baby.
She just chuckled softly before explaining quickly that some babies just need a little encouragement. "Stroke her jaw with your pinky finger and she should start sucking." I did just what she said and it worked.
"Thank you so much for your help." I told her as I got tears in my eye watching all three of my beautiful babies.
"Oh honey, it is no problem. These are the healthiest set of triplets I have seen in years. You did a great job keeping them in for so long. They shouldn't have to stay in here very long at all. Maybe a few weeks at most." She said as she went back to checking on the other babies in the NICU.
"Oh, handsome aren't they just amazing." I said my voice breaking at the end.
He leaned down to kiss my upturned lips gently. "You are amazing. Thank you for this. They are perfect. I love you, snuggles." He kissed me a few more times before the nurse came back and showed us how to burp them.
"Love you too, handsome."
I ended up changing both girls diapers before we switched babies and I got to hold my baby boy.
I gazed down at him and smiled at his tiny little form. He was the biggest one of them all but he was still tiny. "Hi Braxton. I am your mommy and I love you so very much. You were a surprise for me and daddy but a good one. You will have to help me keep your sisters in line as you grow up." I said as I placed a gentle kiss to the top of his head and cradled him against my chest.
After spending almost an hours an a half in the NICU I needed to go lay back down, my lower stomach was killing me where my incision was. Once I was back into my original room, Edward crawled into the bed with me and snuggled into my side as I laid there.
"Snuggles, why don't you take something for the pain so you can rest. You need to rest all you can so that you can get better." Edward said kissing away the tears that spilled out the side of my clenched eyes. I was in so much pain that I couldn't even answer him so I just nodded 'okay'.
After about an hour of rest, a nurse came in and said that we had several family members waiting to see us. "Please let them come back." I said anxious to see all of my family.
Alice was the first one through the door, tugging Jasper behind her.
"Oh, B! They are beautiful babies." She said as she launched herself at me. I winced at the pain it caused in my lower stomach.
"Damnit Alice, she just had surgery. Be careful." Edward snapped shifting to sit up beside me.
Realization dawned on Alice and she immediately looked sad. "It's ok, Ali. Just use a little less enthusiasm next time." She nodded before hugging me again.
Charlie and Sue were the next ones in followed closely by Emmett and Rosalie and Mom and Pop. They had all been by the NICU window and had seen the babies laying in their incubators. Once everyone was in the room I asked them what they thought of postponing celebrating Christmas until all the babies were home. Everyone agreed that we couldn't have christmas without the 'little angels' as they had been nicknamed.
My dad finally came to hug me and congratulate me. "Dad, are you ok?" I asked him as his eyes were glistening with tears.
"I'm fine, Bells. Just a little emotional. They really are perfect. I'm proud of you." He said before kissing me on the cheek and telling me he would see me later.
Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, and Emmett stayed until the nurse came and kicked them out.
***LFQ***
Today was Christmas Eve and I was leaving the hospital with only one of my babies. When they were barely 24 hours old, Braxton developed jaundice so he had to stay a few extra days to monitor his condition. He was no longer yellow but the doctors wanted to keep him for a few more days just to be certain that it wouldn't return. Brooklynne still wouldn't latch onto her bottle properly so they had a therapist working with her on that. So today only Brynleigh and I were getting to go home. She had improved in leaps and bounds since they were born just five days ago. She was eating on a regular schedule and latched on perfectly. I had tried breast feeding them but after Brynleigh latched on for the first time, I decided that they would be ok with formula. That shit hurt beyond belief and I also would not be able to keep up with three babies feeding every two hours.
"Alice Cullen, I swear to the good Lord above if you do not put that baby down I am going to tie your damn hands behind your back!" I scolded as I watched her cradle and rock Brynleigh. Mom had warned me that if you held the babies too much then they would get used to it and begin to expect it. She was right. When was Esme Cullen ever wrong.
"But, B..." Alice whined holding the baby close to her chest in defense.
I just shook my head at her and pointed to the carrier that was sitting on the bed waiting for her.
"No buts, Alice. I am going to have three infants at home. I do not need any of them spoiled to being held." I pleaded with her as I continued packing all of my belongings into one of the several suitcases laying open in the floor.
It was amazing what a person accumulated in the hospital when you stayed there for a month.
"I'll help out, B. I promise." I just rolled my eyes at her because she wasn't going to be able to help out that much because she was going to have a newborn son very soon.
I just nodded at her stomach in explanation. She huffed a sigh and placed Brynleigh back into her carrier. She was dressed in her take home outfit of a little sweater dress in varying colored vertical lines and pink sleeves and black legging underneath it. (Pic on photo bucket) She had a matching hat laying on the bed that we would put on before we left.
Edward was in the nursery saying goodbye to our other babies because we wouldn't be here to visit them at every feeding like we had been for the past five days. I got a little emotional when I thought about leaving two of my babies here without me.
"Are you excited about going home, B?" Alice asked as she sat in the chair by the windows and rubbed her ever expanding stomach.
"I am having mixed feelings about going home today." I muttered to her as I threw more clothes into a suitcase.
"Why's that, B?" Leave it to Alice to get all of this out of me. I had been hiding it pretty well from everyone but Edward. I couldn't hide anything from him since he was with me twenty four hours a day.
"Because on one hand I am ready to go home and sleep in my own bed and take a real damn shower. But on the other hand I am leaving two of my children behind to be looked after by hospital staff But I am also worried that I will screw something up without the nurses help." I explained as I flopped down on the bed in exasperation.
Alice nodded, understanding me since she would be a mother in just a few months time. " I don't think I could leave here without my baby. And you are going to do perfectly. You are already a great mom."
I nodded thinking of the fit that I threw when they told me that I was being discharged today and couldn't take all of my children.
"Bella, how would you like to go home today?" Dr. Carmen asked after she examined my staples and incision.
I was torn on wanting to go home and wanting to stay with all of my children. "Are the babies ready to come home with me?" I asked her, even though she wasn't their doctor anymore she would know about their progress and status'.
"Only little Brynleigh is ready to go home. Braxton needs another day or two to monitor his jaundice condition and Brooklynne still isn't latching onto a bottle properly. She is still needing constant stimulation to get through an entire bottle and her feeding tube is still in place." She explained to me as she sat on the side of my bed so we could talk for a few minutes.
"Then no I am not ready to go home yet. I want to stay with all of my babies." I said crossing my arms defiantly.
"Now, Bella. Don't be like that, you and Edward only live five minutes from here and can visit them anytime until they get ready to go home too. Brynleigh deserves to go home to her own home instead of being cooped up in the hospital." Dr. Carmen explained softly, trying to reason with me.
I hated to tell her this, but it wasn't go to work. "If all of my babies can't go then I'm not going either." I said stubbornly.
"Isabella, be reasonable now." She said as she stood up and straightened out her jacket.
"Be reasonable? BE REASONABLE? Have you ever had to leave your children in the hospital when they were only a few days old and sick? Have you?" I seethed at her.
When she shook her head 'no' I lost it.
"Then how in the hell can you tell ME to BE REASONABLE? Huh?" I screamed at her just as Carlisle, Esme and Edward walked into the room.
"What in the hell is going on in here?" Edward questioned as he rushed to my side.
"She's telling me to be reasonable about taking Brynleigh home and leaving Braxton and Brooklynne here." I snorted in her direction. I normally like Dr. Carmen but she had struck a nerve with this conversation.
"Snuggles, maybe 'be reasonable' was a poor choice of words" He looked over at Dr Carmen before looking back into my eyes "But we need to take Brynleigh home. She's being discharged as we speak, snuggles. Our baby girl is coming home today. Our other two will not be far behind." He reached up to cup my face in his hands making me maintain eye contact with him. "Be reasonable, snuggles."
I rolled my eyes and kissed his lips gently, taking his bottom lip between mine and biting it softly for his 'be reasonable' comment. He groaned quietly, mindful of the other people in our room, before pulling back and smiling at me.
I nodded and looked to Dr. Carmen to apologize but she held up her hand before I could speak. "No need to apologize, Bella. I understand more than you probably think." She smiled before making her way to the door. She turned back around right before she walked out and told us that she was going to sign my discharge papers now and I should be able to go home within a few hours. "Start packing." were her parting words.
"Princess, why don't you wanna go home?" Mom asked as she wrapped me up in a motherly hug.
"I don't wanna leave my babies here. They need me." I cried into her shoulder.
"Baby girl, those babies know that you love them and you can still come see them whenever you want to. But Brynleigh deserves to go home." Mom told me, kissing me on top of the head before pulling back from me and going back to Pop who was standing there smiling at me like a loon.
"Don't look at me like that, Pop." I told him as he came to wrap me in a gentle hug. Once Charlie and Carlisle were able to hold their grandchildren they lost their minds. The babies already had them wrapped around their little finger. Charlie had told me that he went and bought them fishing poles so for when they were old enough to walk they could start going fishing with him. I laughed at the thought of my father taking three toddlers fishing with him.
Carlisle had bought them mini sized doctors jackets with their names embroidered above the tiny pockets. He said that way they could learn to love medicine and 'doctoring' early on.
Edward clearing his throat brought me back to the here and now. "We're ready, snuggles. Dad just pulled the car around for me." He said as locked Brynleigh into her car seat. She was currently asleep and we hoped she stayed that way until we got home. She had just been fed and changed about a half hour ago.
"Ok." I said quietly. I had already been down to the nursery to see Braxton and Brooklynne and say my 'see you laters' to them. A nurse pushed in a cart so we could load all three of my suitcases on it as well as the plethora of 'congratulations' gifts.
I sat in the wheelchair with Brynleigh's car seat balanced on my lap as Edward pushed us out the door with Alice walking beside me holding my hand.
As we passed the nurses station people called out "Good Luck Cullen Clan", I smiled and waved at them all calling out my own "Thank you" to them. They had been a godsend since I was admitted a month ago.
Once Edward had Brynleigh latched onto her car seat base, he helped me settle into the passenger seat while the attendants loaded all of the gifts into the very back. I flipped down my sun visor and looked forlornly at the two empty car seats but smiled when I seen Brynleigh's sleeping face reflected in the mirror attached to the seat in front of her.
"Ready, snuggles?" Edward asked as he put the car in gear, ready to take us home.
"Yeah, I guess." I said looking sadly towards the hospital. He grasped my hand in his and kissed my knuckles before pulling out of the parking lot leaving two of our kids behind.
There are pictures of some of the nursery furniture as well as Brynleigh's dress on the link listed at the beginning of this chapter. I am hopeful that everyone had an enjoyable holiday spent with family.
I hope everyone who read, enjoyed reading it. Until next time.