Hi readers! I know it has been an age and a half since I last wrote in this story, but I haven't forgotten you! Hopefully there will be a few more instalments of this now that I am done school and have a bit more time on my hands! Thank you for your wonderful support for this story. Love you all!
"Are you sure that they are in securely?" Iku asked nervously, looking over their car seats skeptically. Leaving the safety of the hospital was a huge step and she worried about all the ways they might mess up.
"They are fine," Atsushi replied, checking a final time just to be sure.
"Do you think the ride is too long for them?"
"Iku," Atsushi groaned and opened the door for his wife to get into the car, "They are our children. They are tough enough to go on a short car ride." Iku looked back one more time before slowly getting into the vehicle. She winced. Her stitches from her C-Section were still quite sore. She had been in the hospital for close to a week and she was excited that they would finally be going home. She was also nervous. They had been given so much information on what they had to do to care for the newborns that she wondered if she would remember it all. She had never been very good at remembering details. She was glad that Atsushi had been given a bit of time off work to help her.
Atsushi had always been a good driver, but Iku could tell that he seemed nervous driving with their new children. They had barely driven for a minute when their daughter, Kiku, started wailing. She had amazing lungs for one so small! They had picked out a list of baby names over the course of her pregnancy and decided on two that they both liked: Kiku and Shiro. The names sounded beautiful to Iku and seemed perfect for the two new little humans before her. But as she tried to turn and comfort her daughter, Atsushi hit a bump in the road. Her stomach burned, "PLEASE drive gently!" Iku begged as she groaned.
"I'm sorry! I wish someone would fix these roads!" Atsushi growled. "Should we pull over? Do we need to go back to the hospital?"
Iku looked at her husband, at first with irritation. She was exhausted and in pain and hormonal. But, as she saw how concerned he looked, she softened. "She'll be okay. We'll be there soon."
Sure enough, they arrived several minutes later. Iku's parents were waiting for them, as well as Shibasaki and Tezuka. Iku looked out the window and smiled at them. Her friends took the babies out of the car and Atsushi helped her to get out. Their home looked lovely. So many people had helped to fix up the place and to give it a new paint job so that everything about it looked warm and inviting. As they made their way slowly inside, Iku was greeted with the smell of tea and cookies. Her mother had apparently been at work.
"You did such a good job of organizing the place!" Iku declared. Since the move had been scheduled for the same week she had be admitted to the hospital, Shibasaki and her friends had done their best to do the move for them. Iku was amazed. She had never been much for interior design, and it looked like her friend had taken considerable creative license in her work, and to great effect! Their home looked better than she could have ever imagined.
Shibasaki smiled triumphantly as she showed Iku how things had been organized and Iku wondered how long she could keep the place so clean and well-ordered. Iku's mother warmly cradled little Kiku and her father held Shiro. The babies whined slightly. It was time for another feeding. Iku was thankful for the time she had in the hospital with staff to help her get the hang of it. "I should probably feed the babies," She said, feeling the general discomfort that she received when she had too much milk.
She was lead to the nursery and she gasped when she looked inside. It was like something out of a whimsical fantasy. The walls had been painted as though there was a forest of fairytale characters. The colours were warm and wonderful. "I wish this was my room!" She exclaimed. A comfortable chair had been purchased for her and she sat down and rocked a few times with satisfaction. Her parents passed her the babies and asked if it was too much, but Iku took them happily and said she would join the others soon. Her mother and Shibasaki said they would make lunch and they all gave her some privacy. Iku smiled at her little babies who suckled eagerly. Iku loved them so much she thought her heart might burst. She loved Kiku's rosy cheeks. She loved Shiro's little nose. They were both so small and precious to her. In that moment, the pain from her surgery and all other distractions seemed to fade as she was caught up in pure happiness. She was so thankful to have two beautiful healthy children. She was thankful to have such a strong and loving husband. She was thankful for their family and friends who were so supportive. This was a joy she could barely describe or fully comprehend. She was in love with this new journey. She was a mother. After so many amazing adventures, she suspected this would be her favourite yet.