He couldn't stop the tears. Try as he might, they kept gathering in his eyes when he looked down at his babies. One of them was sleeping quietly in Anna's arms and the other one was trying to cry in his own.
They were perfect. Two little girls with little dark hair and button rose noses. They had his cheeks and his lips, and for twins, the midwife told them, they were quite well built. Even so they were much smaller than William was and at first, he had been quite surprised that such little things could be already so beautiful. But of course they would be…they were Anna's daughters after all, and truth to be told, they did make awfully good looking children together.
He had been there the whole time, and he had heard them when they first cried out to the world. Fiona, followed by Finola about ten minutes later. Anna had been so brave, making little sound at all and being her calm usual self. When William was born it had been the same, but John was sure that with the twins she would be more uneasy, but no. Even Anna herself was surprised with how easily the birth had gone. Once the doctor had told them that everything looked fine, they both relaxed a bit and let nature take its course and not four hours later, their little girls were crying in their arms.
Finola soon quieted as John held and joined her sister in sleep. They looked more like angels than anything else, and John winked at Anna, telling her he had been right about them being girls.
'I know what I know, Mrs Bates,' he told her after the doctor left. 'And now you owe me a foot massage.'
'It will be my pleasure, Mr Bates. I couldn't be happier with your choice.' She smiled broadly at him and he leaned down to kiss her temple, Finola, stirring slightly as he did so.
'Finn and Fee,' he whispered and he rocked the baby against his chest. 'I think it's perfect.'
'Honestly, I think we have a wonderful trio of children.'
'Maybe they'll be dancers while Will plays the accordion,' John said, gently sitting next to Anna on the bed.
'You big silly!' Anna chuckled looking down at Fiona in her arms. 'Whatever they want to be really… We'll love them anyway.'
'We certainly will,' John said, remembering that the midwife would be arriving soon with William. He had mentioned that he wanted to fetch his son to meet his little sisters, but Mrs Holland said she would gladly do it, and as he thought about this, he heard a soft knock on the door and the older woman's face peaked in.
'The young ladies have a visitor,' the midwife whispered, smiling. 'A very excited one!'
John motioned them in.
The midwife opened the door fully then, and William entered the room, his steps careful and his expression rather shy now.
'Come here, darling,' Anna encouraged him. 'Come meet your baby sisters.'
That was all the boy needed to walk more decidedly towards them. John patted the bed and shifted enough so that Will could sit between them to have a better look at the babies.
'Look, Will,' John began. 'This one is Finola…and that one is Fiona. What you think?'
The boy nodded smiling.
'Do you like them?' Anna asked tentatively. 'Finn and Fee. ' She tried to excite the boy.
'I really like them,' William said. 'When will they be big enough to play?'
The parents laughed. 'You still have to wait quite sometime…but, you can help take care of them. Rock their baskets when they cry, help mummy change dirty nappies,' John told him.
'Yeah…I guess I can help mummy…' William said pursing his lips and looking seriously at his father. 'I'm sorry dad, but I think I won't be able to help you at the hotel anymore then…'
'Don't you worry son, I'll do my best to keep the business running without you…won't be easy though, but I think mummy needs more help now.' John smiled at Anna and noticed she couldn't help but shed a few tears at her son's words. Her little boy was a darling, so much like his father.
'Can I hold one?' William asked then, after Anna kissed the top of his head.
'Take Fiona,' she said. 'Now, careful…put your arms out like this.' With her help William was able to hold his sister for a few minutes, before she began to cry, leading to Finola to cry as well, in her father's arms.
'Oh my,' John said, widening his eyes. 'This is what it will be like from now on,' he chuckled.
'They have strong little voices that's for sure.' Anna giggled and took Fiona from William, trying to speak between their cries.
'It's worth it though…I couldn't be happier,' he told her, but when they looked at their son, William was covering his ears and grimacing at the noise.
Oh yes, cover your ears William…the cries and sleepless nights have just begun!
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11 a.m. ~ July 27th, 1927
Oh my! What a day! I can't even begin to describe how happy I feel right now. I am the proud father of two beautiful little girls! Fiona and Finola, or as we will call them, Fee and Finn, to make easier.
Honestly, everything went so much smoother than I thought it would be and rather quickly too. William took much longer to born and he was only one. Anna did a splendid job. I was there the whole time with her and she didn't flinch, not even once. I don't think she even cried out…I was holding her hand and encouraging her, and I have to say, one does feel rather useless at a time like that, but four hours or so later, we had our girls in our arms. They couldn't be more perfect.
Anna says they look like me. But she says the same about William…well, she's right though. I can never tell when a baby looks like his mother or father, not when they're so young. They do have rounded faces and a little dark hair, maybe that's why she thinks that.
Anyway, everyone's sleeping now, but we've already had the proof that twins always cry in pairs…and for the first few times it was quite funny. I'm sure it won't be so funny after the second night, but it will be worth it. They did settle in fast and they've already had their first couple of feedings. Anna struggled a little in the beginning but everything went well in the end.
All the staff at the hotel stayed up to await the birth, so they're sleepwalking at the moment. As I am, really…but I'm used to sleepless nights. I'll run over to the hotel for a few minutes and make sure they each take some time to rest if they need it. Caleb, Daisy, Archie and Sam will have to be fresh for the evening shift.
We're not fully booked so that will help. I think Sarah can manage a few hours alone, and I'll tell her to call me if something happens. I'll probably give them the morning off tomorrow and I'll be there until lunch…I'm not sure yet, but I don't really want to leave Anna alone just yet.
That's it for today I think. I really want to focus all my attention on my wife and children.
~ John Bates.
