THE BIRTH

The days and nights seemed to drag on forever. It was now well over a week past her due date. She couldn't stand being pregnant for another minute. She was miserable as hell and in the worst mood, she was snapping at everyone mainly Tom, nothing he did or said at this point could make her happy or ease her discomforted and her emotions were in over drive and starting to take over, and at this point all she wanted was to be put out of her misery. As Tom walked into the house, she was sitting on the sofa with her feet up on the coffee table, and the remote in her hand.

"Hey sweetheart how are you feeling? We stopped and got dinner." he told her as he walked in holding TJ by the hand and the food with the other.

"How do you think I'm feeling Tom." she told him not turning from the show she was watching.

"mommy, mommy juice please" he asked for running over to her.

"hey sweetie daddy will get you some juice." she told him as she helped him off with his shoes.

"Christina can I do or get you anything?" He asked hoping that the next answer wasn't a smart ass one, as he put the food down on the coffee table.

"yeah Tom, you can do something for me, you can leave me alone unless you can get your offspring out of me."

"Come on TJ let daddy get you some juice, mommy's in a bad mood again ." he whispered under his breath. "Christina are you sure you don't need anything while I'm up?"

"you know what I need Tom?"

"I'm afraid to ask Christina."

"What I need is to have these babies, can you help me with that? don't you get it I'm miserable, I'm tired and my entire body hurts, I can't sleep I'm uncomforted and I just can't take this anymore." she told him as she started to cry.

"Ok Christina, I get it and if I could do something I would."

"yeah, yeah I think you've done enough, you men you have it so easy, you get to pat yourself on the back and say look at what I did."

"you call this easy, Christina really? for the past week all you've done is snap at me, if I touch you, you go off, nothing I say or do is enough I know your miserable, and uncomforted, and that your tired, and hurting and if I could do something sweetheart I would, I just don't know how to help you any more at this point." He told her as he took TJ and walked into the kitchen. He decided to stay out of her way for a bit so he made TJ something to eat, and sat there and watched him until he was finish. About thirty minutes later he returned and took a seat on the sofa, "did you eat something Christina?" he asked her as he sat TJ in the middle of both of them, "I wasn't hungry." he turned and looked at her "Christina you need to eat something." she turned and looked back at him, "Tom I said I'm not hungry." "Ok Christina I'll just put the food away so if you want it later you can get it, as the night went on they spent the rest of the evening in silence, watching TV. A few hours went by and Tom got up, "come on TJ its bath time for you" he told him as he picked him up from the sofa and headed for the bathroom, he washed him from head to toe and dried him off, dressed him and took him back into the family room so that he could say good night to Christina, "TJ go give mommy a kiss good night" he told him as he stood in the doorway of the hall "Good night sweet pea I love you" she told him as she gave him a hug and a kiss on the forehead. "Come on TJ lets read you, your story and get you into bed," and they headed back into his room. While he was doing that Christina made it to her feet and headed for the bedroom she climb in bed and just laid there trying her best to fall asleep when Tom walked into their bedroom, he saw her laying there. "Christina are you sleep?" he asked.

"No Tom I'm not."

"do you need or can I do anything for you before I head for the shower and go to bed."

"No I'm fine Tom, thank you." she told him trying to be as sweet as she could under the circumstances.

"ok babe well if you need something let me know, I'm just going to go take a shower."

"Ok."

He made his way into the bathroom and about thirty minutes later he came out, she was sleeping so he decided that he was going to sleep on the couch in the family room, he didn't want to wake her knowing that she needed all the rest that she could get, as the night went on she woke up and noticed that he wasn't there, she rolled to her side and made it to her feet, she walked into the family room and saw him laying on the sofa. "Tom" she called out in a whisper and taping him on the shoulder "Tom what are you doing out here?" she asked him as she ran her fingers through his hair and caressing the top of his head "I didn't want to wake you sweetheart I know how hard its been for you to get some sleep." he told her as he set up and yawned, "come on sweetie, come to bed I promise I don't bite."

"Yes, you do." He reminded her, and the memory of past love making session made her smile and laugh a bit.

"You're too tired and I'm to pregnant to follow up with that train of thought." She teased.

"Well you wont be pregnant for much longer, maybe we can finish this conversation then." He looked up at her with a smile has he teased back seeing as she was in a better mood.

"Oh we can, and I'll make it worth your wait I promise, now come to bed" she told him as she took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, she turned and he wrapped his arms around her and they started to walked back into the bedroom. As the night turned into morning Christina woke up and her back was killing her more then the night before. Tom and TJ were already gone to the hospital. She had been off work for the past few days.

"Hey what are you doing here I thought Tom banned you from the ER.?"

"He did, I'm just here to see Dr. Hays I'm hoping that this is my last appointment its been over a week and you see I'm still pregnant." she said holding her back as a sharp pain hit her.

"Oh I know that look, Christina are you feeling ok?"

"I'm miserable my ankles are swollen, my back is KILLING me, I look like a whale, I'm tired, I can't sleep at night an my belly itch so bad it hurts." She told her as another sharp pain hit her back and traveled around to her stomach her hand's went straight to her stomach. And Bobbie could see the expression change on her face, "OH God, oh my God" she cried out, and the pain was a little more then she could bear. Bobbie and Gail went to her aid they could tell that Christina was in labor.

"Can we get a wheelchair over here." Gail called out and they helped her into it. "Marcus call labor and delivery and tell them that Bobbie and Christina are on there way up and page Dr. Wakefield 'STAT' to labor and delivery." she told him.

"I'll take her up now Gail." she told her as the page on the intercom started to go off.

"Dr. Wakefield 'STAT' labor and delivery. Dr. Wakefield 'STAT' labor and delivery please."

Has Bobbie wheeled her up to labor and delivery she told her not to worry that she would call Camille and pick up TJ from daycare. And before she could say ok, and they could make it off the elevator another contraction hit she grab the chair rails as Bobbie told her to try and breath through it. The pain was so unbearable she could barely take it. They reached the floor and a nurse was waiting, she called out to them Birthing Room B. they got her into the room, and she changed into a gown, they attached what seemed like a dozen monitors to her. Bobbie helped her in to the bed and she looked up and standing in the door way was Tom smiling at her, as the nurses moved out of the way he made his way over to her and took her hand just as another contraction hit. The pain was so intense but Christina refused pain medication, because she didn't want the babies exposed to it. As the contraction eased up she asked if Dr. Hays had been called, Tom told her yes as he kissed her on the forehead and continued to smile at her. Her contractions were ten minutes apart at this point. "Oh God" she cried out as she panted through another contraction and gripping the bed rail and Tom's hand as tight as she could her nerves were starting to get the better of her and so was the pain. As the contraction started to ease up again they heard a knock on the door.

"How are we doing Christina?" Dr. Hays asked as she stepped into the room and grabbing the chart.

"I'm in pain, why does it have to hurt so much? God help me." She cried out "I don't think i can do this." she said as Tom brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead.

"Christina can you turn on your back I need to check you?" she nodded her head yes and did what she was asked. Dr. Hays did a quick exam, and determined that she was only at 2 cm.

"Ok Christina your only at 2 cm. right now and your water hasn't broken yet so it may be sometime before you have them.

"I don't know if I can do this, Tom I can't do this." she cried out in pain as another contraction hit.

"your doing great sweetheart breath through it." he told her as the intense pain continued to ripped through her body "please make it stop." As the contraction came to a end and her body started to settled down a little bit.

"Try and get some rest Christina and I'll be back in a few hours to check on you."

"That easy for you to say, your not laying here in hell." she told her.

"Christina, sweetheart come on its going to be ok."

"you come on, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be here in all this pain, this is all your fault."

"I know Christina its all my fault and I'm sorry sweetheart." he told her as her body started to tensed up again and another contraction tore through her body like a bat out of hell, and she cried out grabbing the bed rails holding on for dear life, the pain lasted for about 90 seconds but it seemed like an eternity, as the pain started to ease up. She laid there praying that this would all be over soon. A few hours later, her water broke just as Dr. Hays came back to check on her.

"How are we doing now? I see your water just broke, Christina I need to check you again can you turn on your back for me?" and she nodded and did what she was asked. "your doing great Christina just a few more seconds, your at 10 cm." she told her as another contraction hit and Christina screamed out in pain. "Get it out of me please." she yelled out as the pressure over took her and all she could do is start crying, "Ok Christina I see the head don't push yet" then Dr. Hays yelled out "I need some help in here" and the nurses came running in and getting the room ready as Tom took his position behind her.

"Ok Christina on the next contraction. You know what to do, I want you to push as hard as you can." As the next contraction hit she screamed out and Christina bore down with all her might. She couldn't believe that she had agreed to do this again after TJ, as she ended the push and laid back totally exhausted against Tom's chest, she started crying again "I can't do this, I can't Tom its to much I changed my mind."

"vous pouvez le faire bébé Je sais que vous pouvez je t'aime Christina." he whispered in French to her and his words seem to calm her just a bet. As the next contraction hit she pulled herself up bore down again and pushed as hard as she could. When it was over, she fell back in to Tom's chest and began crying. Tom wiped her tear's and kissed her forehead and whispered in her ear again "I love you Christina and I know you can do this babe you can do this." As the next contraction hit she gathered her strength, and she gave it her all she pushed with every thing in her until she heard Dr. Hays say, "stop pushing Christina" she told her.

"You have a beautiful baby girl." she told them as she stood up to show her and Tom moved down to cut the cord. The medical team took the baby to the warmer and quickly cleared her airway. As they weighed her and wrapped her in a blanket, the nurse brought the baby over so Christina could see her, "she beautiful Tom, hey sweet pea welcome to the world Mia Rose. (6lb 20in)" she told her. "Oh God" she cried out as another contractions started to rip through her again. "ok Christina are you ready the next baby she in a good position,?" she nodded her head yes, she pulled herself up clenching her teeth as she bore down and started to push, after a few seconds she stopped and fell back into Tom's chest, she cried out "I can't, I can't do this again Tom,"

"I know it hurts sweetheart, and I know that your tired but Christina you can do this you have to."

"Tom I can't, I can't do this any more."

"Come on Christina I know you can do this you can't stop now she all most here." he told her "come on babe you need to push now."

"Christina I know that your exhausted! but I need you to push or I'm going to have to take you into the OR." Dr. Hays told her.

Christina pulled herself together and grab the rails as the contraction hit she gave it all she had and pushed. The pain was more then what she could handle as the contraction eased up she fell back once again into Tom's chest. As the next contraction tore through her she gripped Tom's hand and pushed with everything she had. But this baby was stubborn she didn't want to come out. After forty-five minutes of pushing the baby wasn't budging she was in distress and her heart rate started to drop, Tom and Dr. Hays started to worry, "Christina I think were going to have to do a c-section the baby's not moving down." she told her, Christina just laid there she was so exhausted. After a few minutes Christina was still laying there, and her contractions had stopped. ,"Christina Christina, babe are you ok." he asked with concern in his voice.

"Christina did you hear me?" Dr. Hays asked, she was in and out of consciousness. "Tom her contractions have stopped we need to get her up to the OR now we need to get the baby out." she told him "call the OR and tell them were coming up STAT" she yelled out as they unhooked the monitors. And they wheeled her up to the OR, to prepared for the surgery. At this time Camille arrived.

"Tom what going on?" she asked with a fear in her eyes. "The second baby's is in distress and her heart rate has dropped, and mom's contractions have stopped. Dr. Hays has to do a c-section."

"Oh my God is she going to be ok?"

"yes Camille she is but sweetheart I need to get in there, as soon as the baby is born I will come back out." he told her as he headed up to the OR.

"Camille where are they going?" Bobbie asked as she came down the hall way.

"Tom said something about the baby's being in distress and her heart rate dropping and mom's contractions stopping they took her into surgery."

They got her into the OR and prepped her for a c-section, Tom stood holding her hand and giving her a reassuring look to let her know that every thing was going to be ok. As Dr. Hays preformed the surgery and pulled the baby out into the world. "Its another girl!" she announced as she handed the baby over to the one of the OR nurses to clear the baby's air ways and get her cleaned up and checked. She looked over at Christina "are we still doing the tubal ligation?"

"Tom" she said as she looked up at him, he smiled down at her kissed her forehead, and then he looked at Dr. Hays and he told her yes, he couldn't bear for her to ever have to go through this again.

"I love you Christina" he told her as he leaned in and kissed her forehead again.

with tears falling down the side of her face "I love you too so much" she told him.

As they brought the second baby over for her to see, she looked up "Tom look at her she is so beautiful welcome to the world Alexis Nicole (6lb 2oz 21in)." After Dr. Hays was done they wheeled her in to recovery to rest before moving her into a room. After a few hours Christina and the twins were moved to a room where Tom, Camille and Bobbie were waiting for them.

"hey mom how are you feeling are you ok?"

"I'm sore, but I'm fine Camille."

And a few minutes later they brought the twins in. Camille picked up one and Bobbie the other one as Dr. Hays knocked on the door and walked into the room.

"Christina how are you feeling?" she asked as she grabbing the chart to making some notations on it.

"I'm sore."

"your going to be sore for a while Christina but we've started you on a anti-inflammatory and pain medication were also going to apply an ice pack to the incision to reduce the swelling. You will need to stay in bed for the first 12 to 18 hours before trying to sit up or stand. After that we will have you try and sit in the chair. "

"Ok."

"So I'll let you all bond and give you the chance to feed them. But then I want you to get some rest you've been through a lot today. Christina you need all the rest that you can get." By this time, Christina was honestly so exhausted she didn't have the strength to argue with her.

"Ok." she told her.

"I'll make sure she gets some rest Ellen."

"Ok Christina I will see you tomorrow to check the incision, and Congratulations to the both of you."

"Tom I hope your not planning on staying here with me, TJ needs you at home?"

"Christina I'm not leaving you."

"Christina stop worrying I'm going to taking TJ home with me for the rest of the week." Bobbie told her.

"and mom I'm going to keep him this weekend, we got this covered, just get some rest."

After about a hour Bobbie and Camille said their good byes and left Tom, and a sleeping Christina and the twins to rest.

After three day Christina and the twins were ready to go home, but they still needed to be checked out by Dr. Hays. She could hear her at the door talking to one of the nurses just before knocking on it.

"Good morning Christina how are you feeling?" she asked as she entered the room.

"I'm doing a lot better thank you."

"Well I guess your ready to go home?"

"I am, I'm so ready."

"Ok Christina let me just take a look at your incision can you lay back for me. Well it looks great, still no redness, the incision looks like it's healing really well, but you know its not healed all the way so still take it easy and make sure you follow all the instruction on the instruction sheet. And I just want stress some things with you. No heavy lifting over 15 pounds. Take it easy on the stairs if you have them, and NO sexual intercourse, until you see me for your postpartum appointment in six to eight weeks call my office to set up an appointment."

"Ok Dr. Hays."

"Ok Christina I will discharged you for this afternoon get as much rest as you can, and take care."

"I will and thank you." she told as she walked out and Tom walked in the door.

"Hey is everything ok?"

"yeah sweetie she's discharging me for this afternoon."

"That's great babe."

It had been a long three days and it was time for her and the twins to go home. As she walked into the house and took a seat on the sofa she realized that this wasn't going to be a cake walk, there were no nurses to call when she needed something or a nursery to send the babies to when she just needed some air, yes Tom had taken a week off work and the hospital would only call him in the case of an emergency, she was limited to what she could do for the next six weeks, and she knew that Tom would do his best to help out as much as he could, as he brought the babies in and set their carriers on coffee table he took a seat next to her they both leaned back into the sofa, she looked at him and he at her then they both looked at their beautiful twins and took a deep breath and said in union this is not going to be easy!.