Double The Love

"One more push should do it, Olivia." The obstetrician was sitting on a rolling stool at the end of the table waiting for baby A's arrival. They had moved Olivia to the operating room once she was at the pushing part. Her obstetrician explained that it was only cautionary, and that most hospitals handled delivery of multiples this way. They hadn't been there long when things got underway. These two infants had zero patience about seeing what life on the outside was like.

This delivery seemed to be so much easier than when she had Lincoln. Olivia had been laboring for about five hours, but the effects of the epidural had been magical and while she felt pressure, the pain was completely bearable. Still, she was glad she had done the hard work the first time around without the aid of the anesthesia. When the pressure from the labor pains had been practically one on top of the other, Olivia knew it was time to push. She assumed the dreaded position and went to work, pushing the first baby out.

"Not so hard. Just like that. Beautiful. The head is out." He announced.

Fitz couldn't be stopped. He moved down to where the action was. His eyes grew wide at seeing a tiny head poking out from his wife's body. He watched as the doctor suctioned out the itty bitty mouth and nose. The miracle of childbirth would always amaze him, but seeing his own children enter the world was endlessly fascinating. He grinned really big and couldn't contain his excitement. "Babe! We made another really cute kid! Tons of curls, just like Link. You gotta hurry up so I can see if it's our son or our daughter!"

Olivia was breathing hard, forehead slick with sweat. But somehow, she found the energy to shoot him a smile. "I'm working on it."

"I'm just saying, we have a lot of fingers and toes to count."

Her only response was a grunt from the pressure of the next labor pain.

"Okay, Olivia. You know how this works. The shoulders are the hardest part, but once you get past that, the rest is a piece of cake."

"You hear that?" Fitz asked excitedly. "A piece of cake, babe."

"If it's so easy, why aren't you doing it?" Olivia asked in a raised voice.

"I'm gonna shut up now." He said quietly.

The baby quickly made its grand entrance. Olivia caught her breath as the doctor announced, "It's a boy." Fitz cut the cord and the baby was placed on his mother's chest while the nurse cleaned him up some. His cry was a little one, just like him, and sounded more like whining.

"Oh, son. You gotta get a manlier cry than that little squeak." Fitz said with a grin. He put his finger near his son's hand and the baby held onto it. His babies holding onto his finger was one of his favorite things.

"Don't be telling my tiny baby that he squeaks." Olivia said defensively. "It's perfect, huh Carter?"

"He is a little guy isn't he? Good thing he's cute." Fitz smiled proudly at his littlest son. "Carter Grant. Sounds like a guy who races sportscars for the Indy 500."

"My baby isn't allowed to race anything. Ever. Besides, he just got here. Did you count his toes yet?"

"When have I had time to count his toes? You keep babying him." Fitz whined.

"And that right there is where you got your unique cry, Carter." Olivia chuckled.

"Don't turn my son against me, Liv."

She wrinkled her nose at him. "You know damned well that the three of you are going to try to dominate the house with all your testosterone."

"Try?" He asked incredulously.

"As soon as my mini me gets here, you're all doomed! The three of you might run the house, but we will run the world."

Fitz rolled his eyes but grinned at her. "We gotta come up with another middle name for him or Abby is going to kill you."

"I already got it covered. It's pretty damned good if I do say so myself."

"Do I get to know what it is before he moves out?"

She shrugged. "We'll see."

"Liv." He warned.

"Fine! His name is Carter Fitzgerald Stephen Grant."

Fitz smiled proudly. "Carter Fitzgerald sounds like a stud!"

"I haven't signed the birth certificate, yet you know? Don't make me change my mind."

"I'm going to take him to get weighed and measured. We'll check him over to see how he's doing." The nurse informed them.

"Can you fix that sad little cry?" Fitz joked.

"Fitzgerald Grant! Do you want to be in this room when your only daughter is born?"

"Good point, babe."

"Little Carter weighs five pounds seven ounces, and he measures..." The littlest Grant son was measured from head to heel. "Seventeen inches long."

Fitz watched as his brand new son was checked over from head to foot. Besides being on the small side, he didn't seem to have any health issues. Of course, Fitz was just a baker, not a doctor. He pulled his phone from his pocket and began taking pictures of his tiny son. "Is he...I mean, is he okay?" Fitz nervously asked the nurse.

"He's a little small, but that's to be expected when you have twins who decide to come early. He scored well on his Apgar though, so that's something. We'll keep an eye on his temperature and his breathing to make sure his numbers stay where they should."

Fitz breathed a little easier knowing Carter had stared out well. He hoped he stayed that way. Again, he reached his index finger down to his son's hand in the incubator and immediately Carter grasped it. Fitz leaned down, grinning, and said, "I can't wait for you to meet your big brother. The three of us are going to do some crazy stuff together."

"What are you telling my baby over there?" Olivia asked.

"I'll tell you when I see my daughter." He cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrows challengingly.

"I hate you sometimes." She replied.

The doctors and nurses chuckled at their banter.

"And now I have two mini mes." He gave her a sympathetic smile. "You only have one."

"Katie and I will have you and the boys straightened out in no ti...Oooh!" She looked at the doctor wide eyed. "I think that's a contraction."

"It definitely is. Apparently, your daughter heard her mommy was in need of reinforcements." He said with a smile.

"See." Olivia said through gritted teeth. "You're in for it now."

"I'll be back in a minute." Fitz told Carter. He took his place beside his wife and encouraged her to push through the pressure.

A cry was heard, and the doctor announced, "The head is out. Baby B is either really feisty or mad about something." He chuckled.

"You're already in trouble." Olivia said.

Again, Fitz watched as his daughter's mouth and nose were suctioned out. No sooner had the doctor pulled the blue bulb syringe from her mouth, she began crying again. He turned his head to Olivia and chuckled. "She is super pissed off, babe. Probably because she can't move her arms and legs? Push the poor girl out."

"It probably has more to do with the fact that her daddy thinks world domination is just for guys?"

"A king is nothing without his queen though." He said giving her his stupid smile and pecked her lips.

"That's the corniest thing I've ever heard." Olivia giggled.

"And just like that, she's here. Born from laughter." The doctor said with a smile.

Once again, Fitz cut the cord and little Katie was put on her mother's chest and wiped down as she continued to cry. "She looks just like you, Liv. Look at that cute little nose. She's perfect."

"She has blue eyes too." Olivia said, as she pushed the mass of curls from her daughter's forehead and held her close. "Katie has a good mixture of both of us in her."

A tear fell from Fitz's smiling face. "I wish Katie had gotten to meet her."

Olivia reached a hand to his cheek, brushed the tear away, and gave him a smile. "I like to think she'll be looking down on her. She'd be really proud of the man you turned out to be, Fitz."

"I like the sound of that too." He kissed Olivia and then the top of his daughter's head. "You are amazing. Did you count her fingers and toes yet?"

"How could I when you won't stop hovering?"

"I need to see how much this cute little one weighs and check her over." A nurse interrupted.

Fitz followed her to another incubator and watched as Katie was weighed and measured and tested. "She weighs five pounds four ounces." He announced to his wife. "How's her apgar?" He asked the nurse.

"Her apgar is an eight, which is okay, but she's not quite as warm as we'd like. Her temperature is only ninety-seven. Early babies don't have enough body fat to keep their temperature where it should be. She's a little on the low side, so we are going to take her up to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to keep an eye on it. We'll put a thermometer on her belly that will sense her body temperature and regulate heat in the incubator. It's all non-invasive." She informed us.

Fitz looked at Olivia with wide eyes, wondering what he should do. "Go with Katie." She said. "We'll be fine." When Fitz and Katie had disappeared, Olivia asked her doctor, "Will she be okay?"

"The NICU nurses are very good at what they do. As soon as you are up to it, you'll be taken downstairs to see her. She's in good hands. Congratulations."

When she was wheeled back into her hospital room, Olivia felt overcome with exhaustion. Fitz hadn't come back to give her an update on Katie. Carter had been taken to the nursery, so Olivia could sleep. She had told the nurses that she wanted to be the one to feed him when he was ready to eat. She was desperate for information about her daughter but could not keep her eyes open to ask. She fell asleep quickly.

Olivia was woken up by one of the nurses about an hour and a half later. "Mrs. Grant? I'm so sorry to wake you up, but you said you wanted to feed your son when he was ready. He's definitely ready." Carter was crying loudly from the incubator a few feet away from his mother's bed.

She sat up in her bed and held her arms out for her son. She cradled her newborn while the nurse put the bottle together for him. As soon as it was placed in his mouth, silence filled the room. Olivia looked up to the nurse and asked, "Thank you. Is there any word on our daughter?"

"I haven't heard anything, but I can find out for you." She replied.

"Thank you." Olivia went back to giving Carter her attention. "Is that good little man? It doesn't smell very good, but it's gonna give you big muscles like your goofy daddy. Yes, it is."

Carter stopped sucking and looked at his mother through squinted eyes. Olivia chuckled at him and said, "You look just like your grandfather right now. That's a good thing because he's very handsome."

"Who is very handsome?" A voice from the doorway asked.

"Daddy." Olivia said with a smile. Nathaniel came to the bed and looked down at the small bundle his daughter was holding. "I was just telling Carter that the face he was making reminded me of you."

Nathaniel kissed his daughter's cheek and his grandson on top of his head. "So, you've already been blessed with good looks, huh Carter? How are you doing, munchkin?"

"I'm fine. Just woke up from a nap. I can't seem to find out anything about Katie though. Momma? What are you doing?" Olivia asked.

"I'm washing my hands so I can hold my littlest man." Lile explained. "Where's Fitz?"

"Somebody calling my name?" He asked as he come through the door. He kissed his mother in law on the cheek and shook his father in law's hand.

"Where have you been? How's Katie? Is she getting warm? Why did you leave her alone?" Olivia asked impatiently.

"Babe? I've been upstairs in the NICU with our daughter, who is still mad at the world for being forced to enter it too soon. She's doing great. Her temperature is staying where it should, but they are keeping an eye on it for now. As for your last question, I left her to come see our son so you could go spend some time with her." He stood beside his wife and watched Carter slowly drink his bottle. "He looks like a little old man." Fitz chuckled.

"I just said the same thing." Olivia giggled. Nathaniel cleared his throat and Olivia added, "Sorry, dad. He's doing great. I got a nap and he just came in for his first feeding." She took the bottle out of his mouth and held it up. "He's a slow eater."

"That'll change once he's around Link. You snooze you lose when it comes to him and food." Fitz ran a finger over the top of his head.

"Do you wanna burp him while I call for the nurse and arrange my ride upstairs?" She asked.

Fitz already had his hands out and was plucking him out of his mother's arms before she could finish her sentence. "Hey, buddy. I'm your daddy. I have a really good track record of getting burps out, so you're gonna have to work with me so I can keep my burp master title. Okay?" No sooner did Fitz have the tiny infant on his shoulder than Carter let out a tiny little one. "That's my boy." Fitz said proudly.

Once Carter got all the bubbles out, he was passed to his grandmother who fed him a little more of his tiny bottle. A nurse came in with a wheelchair and with her and Fitz's help Olivia was off the bed and sitting down, ready to go see her daughter. "I'll be back soon" she told Fitz and pecked his lips before leaving.

Upstairs in the NICU, Olivia was instructed to wash her hands thoroughly. She was given a hospital gown to put on over her own nightgown and robe. She was led to where little Katie was laying, in an incubator, eyes open, taking in her environment as best she could. The nurse inside the NICU told Olivia that Katie could be fed and the new mom happily nodded. She was also informed that holding Katie's little hat and diaper clad body against Olivia's bare skin was good for keeping the infants temperature normalized while she wasn't in the incubator. She showed Olivia how to hold Katie against her chest.

Another important thing, Olivia learned is when feeding NICU babies, you hold them upright instead of cradled in your arm. The nurse explained that holding them this way helps the newborn to stay awake during feedings. After a brief conversation on the topic, the nurse gave the new mom a tiny bottle to feed to her daughter. When Olivia was comfortable with the instructions, the nurse left the two Grant ladies to get better acquainted.

Olivia slid the nipple into Katie's mouth and watched her eat. She was the exact opposite of her twin brother and was eating like a pro. "Way to go, baby girl. Momma likes a good eater." She watched her daughter eat a little longer and then checked the bottle and decided it was time to get the air out. Olivia slid Katie down the front of her nightgown, careful to keep her face turned, and began patting her back repeatedly.

"I know your daddy got to you first, and he probably has already filled your head with craziness I don't even want to know about. He has wanted a little princess for a very long time, and now we have one. I gotta warn you though, he's a little bit goofy. He's gonna be that dad. He's gonna think every single thing you do is magical and perfect. Don't get sucked in to that. It'll just make him worse. I'm tellin' ya, Katie."

After a few small burps came out of those tiny lips, Olivia sat Katie back up and fed her some more and continued her conversation. "Us girls gotta stick together because there's an awful lot of boys at our house now. We have a secret weapon though and he is on our side. His name is Grandad and he loves his girls." Olivia chuckled at the thought of her father with Katie. "In fact, he's gonna be pretty powerless when it comes to you. He's mostly powerless already with your big brother, Lincoln.

I can't wait until you meet Lincoln. He is gonna be a great big brother. He'll protect you when you're older, and he'll love on you, and play with you. And you have another big brother too. But I'll bet you are glad to get a little space from Carter right now after sharing such close quarters with him for so long, huh? I bet it feels good to be able to stretch?."

Katie's eyes started to close, and she stopped sucking on the bottle. Olivia smiled at her, pulled the bottle from her mouth, and checked it. Her eyebrows went up when she realized that her daughter had taken about an ounce and a half of the formula. "That's momma's girl." She slid the newborn back down into the front of her gown and rocked them back and forth as she patted her tiny back for more burps. When she was satisfied with the few she got from Katie, Olivia whispered, "We're gonna be out of here in no time."

After happily holding Katie for a few hours, Olivia's stomach growled, and she knew she needed to get some food into her own body. Olivia told one of the nurses that she needed to go back to her room. She kissed the top of her daughter's head, promised to be back soon, and placed Katie back into her incubator before being wheeled back to her room.

When she got there, Fitz was sitting on the hospital bed, holding Carter, and talking to him in a whisper with a grin on his handsome face. "Shhhh! Mommy is back. Tell her nothing of our plans."

"Fitzgerald Grant!"

"Yes, my love?"

"What are you two plotting over here?"

"If I told you it wouldn't be a very good plot now would it?" He got off the bed with their son in his arms and watched his wife get situated on it. "How's my daughter?"

She shot him a look. "Our daughter is doing great. She chugged her bottle like Lincoln eats food. We just need to get her temperature to stay normal and we'll be in the clear to take her home." She held her arms out for Carter. "Did little man finish his bottle? And where are my parents?"

"It took him a while, but he did finish it. He peed too. Your parents went down to the cafeteria to get some coffee. And my parents called while you were at the NICU. They are bringing Lincoln up here for a short visit." Fitz rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "I can't wait to get my boys together."

Olivia rolled her eyes and looked down at Carter. "I've already had a little chat with your sister about your daddy. You and I will have one too when he goes back to visit Katie."

"Liv, don't be talking shit about me to our kids." He warned halfheartedly.

"See that, Carter? It just takes a threat to make him call the three of you our kids."

Fitz grinned and leaned down to kiss his wife. "Are you ready for something to eat?"

"Have I told you lately that you're perfect?" She asked with a grin of her own.

"You haven't." He replied, kissing her again.

"Good. You'll get big headed and you're impossible to live with when that happens."

He chuckled at her. "I love you, crazy woman. What would you like for me to go and get for the bearer of my children?"

"Mmmm, I don't care. I'll eat pretty much anything at this point." She grabbed a fistful of the front of his shirt and pulled him down for one more kiss. "I love you more, babe."

"Lies. You know it's not possible. I'll be back shortly. Don't go anywhere."

"I'll be right here." She watched him leave the room and looked back down at Fitz's mini me. "Your daddy is crazy, but he's a really good guy. You should try to be just like him when your bigger."

Olivia had eaten dinner, Fitz was holding Carter, and they were both talking to her parents before Olivia headed back up to the NICU to visit with Katie when a knock was heard on the door. "Come in" Olivia called out.

"Is it safe to uncover my eyes?" Charles and his wife Angie came into the room. Charles was covering his eyes with his hand. Fitz and Olivia chuckled at him, while Olivia's parents looked confused.

"Mom. Dad. These sweet, somehow not blind people were our neighbors at the old house. Charles and Angie, these are my parents, Nathaniel and Lila Pope." Hands were shaken, and pleasantries exchanged among the small group. "How did you know we were here?"

"We knew you were pretty close to your due date, so we went by your place to check on you and met Fitz's parents instead. They explained the situation, so we drove over to see the babies. And to visit with the two of you since we knew you'd be dressed." Charles explained.

Fitz and Olivia chuckled. Nathaniel and Lila did not.

"Are we missing something?" Lila asked in a voice filled with confusion.

"No." Fitz and Olivia said together.

"I'm so glad you two came by to see us. We only have Carter in here now. Miss Katie is up in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She decided she was too cool for us." Fitz chuckled. "Literally."

At their blank stares, Olivia rolled her eyes and explained the situation. "So, they are trying to get her body temperature up to normal and she has to stay in the incubator with the warmer until her little body figures it out. Do you want to hold Carter?"

Charles nodded and turned to the sink to wash his hands. When they were dried, he took the newborn from Fitz's arms and sat down in one of the chairs while his wife stood next to him and looked on. "He's such a little guy. Cute too."

"I'll take the credit for that." Fitz said with a proud grin.

"I was going to say that he looks more like his mother than you, Fitz." Angie said with a wink.

"HA! Daddy got shut down!" Olivia cheered.

"I can't believe how big Lincoln has gotten!" Charles exclaimed. "He's so tall and walking around now. It seems like yesterday that he was just this tiny."

"He's gotten so big. I don't think I'll realize how big he is until I see him next to the twins." Olivia commented. "He's supposed to be coming to visit shortly. I miss my Lincoln log."

"Mama" a little voice said right before two short legs came barreling into the room.

"There's my big guy!" Olivia exclaimed. "Come here, Lincoln. Mommy needs some Lincoln hugs and kisses please."

Lincoln had missed his mommy and wrapped his arms around her neck and held her tight. When he pulled back Lincoln gave her a kiss. He looked around the room at all the people. He smiled and said, "Daddy."

Fitz stood up and scooped Lincoln up into a big hug. "Link! Buddy! I missed you. Where's my hugs and kisses?" He poked his son in the side until he giggled.

Lincoln always made his daddy work for his hugs and kisses these days. Now that he had paid up, Lincoln kissed his daddy and then gave him a hug. He looked back at his mother in the little bed and wondered why she was here in her jammies? He leaned towards her and Fitz set him on the bed beside Olivia.

"There's someone you should meet, Lincoln. You have a new baby brother." Olivia looked up as Fitz brought the newborn over to show him to his brother. Fitz held the baby down so Lincoln could get a good look at him. "This is Carter. He's your brother. Isn't he little? He's cute too, just like you."

Lincoln looked at the small thing. It looked like a people. A really small one. Lincoln lifted a finger to touch it. Just when his finger was about to make contact with the little people, his mother gently said, "Careful. We have to be easy."

Lincoln pulled his finger away and looked at his mother.

"You can touch him, baby. But you have to be gentle." Olivia held Lincoln's hand and guided him to touch his brother's cheek softly.

Fitz unwrapped Carter and showed Lincoln the baby's fingers and toes. "See, Link. He's got hands and feet just like you."

Lincoln reached his hand down to the little wrinkled hand. The little hand grabbed onto his bigger one and he smiled up at his father. This wasn't so bad. Lincoln wondered if he could play with his toys some time when he came to visit?

"Ohmygod! I think he likes his brother! This is gonna be great." Olivia whispered excitedly. She looked at Lincoln and said, "Can you say Carter?"

Lincoln looked at his mother. He didn't know who or what a Carter was, and he definitely wasn't gonna say it. He was still working on Grandad and that was his next word. Somebody needed to come get this little people so he could spend some time with his mommy and daddy. They had been gone an awful long time and they needed to come home now.

"Can you say Carter, Link?" Fitz encouraged him with a smile.

"No." Lincoln said.