Diego's Babies

Diego paced the floor of the library, and listened to his wife scream. Hernandez was with her, she would be alright, he assured himself. He was completely alone in the house. Felipe and Alejandro had left to do some banking earlier in the week and had not returned.

He couldn't stand it anymore, and opened the door to the room.

"Hernandez, there are certain Indian remedies…" Diego began.

"Diego," the doctor said softly. "Come in, you won't do anything stupid like faint on me will you?"

Diego shook his head, and approached the bed. Victoria had collapsed a little, and was panting for breath. He took her hand and squeezed it.

"How much do you know about childbirth, Diego?"

"Obviously hurts the mother," Diego murmured. "Is she alright?"

"Normal…"

Victoria gasped, and squeezed Diego's hand so tight he was sure she would break it.

"It's alright, Victoria. I'm here. Everything is going well," Diego soothed.

She screamed again, and Diego rubbed her hand a little, nervously.

"It is going well, isn't it?" Diego whispered to the doctor.

"She is birthing twins, Diego. There may be complications…there often are."

"I have some Indian remedies, they may help."

Twins? Obviously she would have to go through this painful procedure twice, he reasoned.

"The cactus tea that you are so proud of may help. It will lessen the pain, and make it less exhausting," Hernandez suggested.

Victoria sighed, and relaxed her hand, and Diego patted it before he rose to leave. "I'll be right back, querida," he murmured. "I'll make up some. It will be hot but I can cool it," he added to the doctor.

Hernandez nodded, and Diego left the room. All the ingredients were in the cave and he fetched them at a run. Then he made his way to the kitchen to heat up the water and serve some out into a proper cup for his wife.

Maria took over the procedure, well aware of what was going on.

"I will take this to the doctor, Diego. You need to stay away…for your own sake. Husbands are not really supposed to get involved with this. Go for a ride, go to the tavern. I will send someone to let you know how she's faring," the old woman said softly.

Diego tried to complain but the woman would have none of it. "Go, Diego."

He reluctantly left the hacienda, with his wife's screams echoing in his ears. He knew that Victoria was in the best of hands, and that he had done all he could think of to help them. It was all up to them now, and his beautiful wife would be alright. She had to be.

He saddled Dulcinea, for once left behind by his father. He wanted a challenging mount to distract him from his thoughts, and as he raced her to the tavern she did kick up a fuss. He had ridden her before in the past, but she was a little unfamiliar with her rider, and that always seemed to annoy her the most. He spent a lot of time soothing her and reining her in when she tried to fight him.

They were at the Tavern in no time really, and Diego was just in time to see his father arrive with Felipe. Alejandro took one look at him and grabbed his arm.

"It's time?" Alejandro asked softly. Diego nodded, still a little shocked.

"It's twins," Diego murmured, as his father took charge of him and lead him into the tavern. Felipe glanced at him worriedly as he followed them.

"Twins," Alejandro said with a soft chuckle.

"Have you ever heard such screaming?"

"No, actually no," Alejandro said softly. "I wasn't there for your birth, as you know. Elena died giving birth to your sister, but we were both out of the hacienda by the time she was screaming, if she ever did."

"My mother died in childbirth," Diego murmured. He remembered the feeling of excitement he had felt as a 12 year old, and the sudden grief that had entered his heart so soon afterwards.

"Your mother survived twins, Diego. I wouldn't fear. Victoria is twice as strong as your mother ever was. If Elena could birth twins, Victoria can as well."

Several of the other dons glanced at Diego, and some came forward to encourage him. He thanked them automatically. She can't die, Diego thought, she mustn't die. He stared into space, and the tavern felt strangely empty, although it was full of people. Pilar had kept the place running extremely well, and the same customers graced the tables every day, even in Victoria's absence.

"I shouldn't have taken her to France. I should have come home immediately. What if I did something to harm her or the twins?"

"She is happy and healthy, Diego. You've done nothing wrong. Childbirth is a risk, but most women cope very well, and have many children."

"She is my treasure, she is my heart…"

"I know, Diego. I know," Alejandro murmured, patting his son's hand gently. "It will be fine, you'll see."

Diego could only think about the stories of young ladies dying in childbirth, his own mother, several dons had lost their wives not long ago. He needed to be with her, and he was in the tavern, so far away from her. She had been crying out in agony, and he had been sent away. She needed him beside her, and he wasn't.

"I have to go home, father. Please, come with me. I need to be with her," Diego said, standing up. He didn't wait for Alejandro's reply, and went out to Dulcinea.

His father joined him quickly, and glanced at his choice of mount.

"Perhaps I can ride Dulcinea, and you can take the buggy. You are hardly in any state to ride Dulcinea right now."

"I need Dulcinea; she gives me something else to concentrate on right now. I am forced to have my wits about me."

Alejandro gave him a serious look, and Diego ignored it. He mounted the white mare, and she immediately fussed and fought him. He hushed her and patted her, and tightened the reins.

"Well, you are a better horseman than I took you for," Alejandro said thoughtfully. "Take care of yourself, and Dulcinea."

Diego nodded. He already had enough to worry about with Dulcinea dancing around. Under a firm hand, he finally got her under control, and galloped back towards the hacienda.

Zzzz

Diego rushed into the hacienda, and listened for his wife's screams. There was silence, and then the wail of a newborn split the air. Another baby joined the screaming, and Diego breathed a little better. His twins were born, he realised. He walked slowly towards his wife's room, hoping that everyone was fine. The twins certainly had strong lungs, with the way they were screaming.

He paused in the doorway and peered in, and met his wife's eyes. She was exhausted but she was smiling. He walked quickly to her side, and took her hand to kiss it.

"Are you alright?" He whispered, as he sat on the edge of the bed. Maria was tidying up blood stained sheets, and Diego averted his eyes. He had not wanted to see that, he thought with a shudder. "Are you in pain?"

"No, Diego. It's alright, my love." He stared deep into her eyes, as if searching for a lie, and she smiled. "You haven't even asked about the babies…"

"I heard them wailing as I walked into the hacienda. They are strong and boisterous already," he said with an answering smile.

"I thought that a father's first question would be is it a boy or a girl?"

Diego laughed a little. "I hadn't even wondered about that yet, querida. When you were screaming…"

"It's alright. I'm tired, but there is no pain. I had some of that cactus tea, and some of the pain eased. You helped me, even without being here," Victoria said gently.

"No husband should be present when his wife is giving birth, it's not right," Maria said, shaking her head. She went out again, and didn't return.

Diego looked at Victoria and laughed. "Poor Maria. We always seem to do the wrong things for her."

"You definitely don't care about the proper way to do some things, do you, Diego?"

"Sometimes I care too much. Sometimes I don't care at all. Maybe it is the Zorro side of me…"

"Well…?"

"Well, what?"

"Ask…"

"Oh. What are they – boys, girls, or one of each?"

She smiled, and waited for a moment.

"I asked…Querida; actually I want to know…"

"Both are boys," Victoria said, excitedly. "Hernandez says they are strong and as you heard, very boisterous."

"Boys," Diego said, and was proud of his new family. He wouldn't have cared if the babies had both been girls, or one of each. Boys were a promise of exciting adventures to come, though, and he was rather impressed.

"Can we name one Ramon, Diego?"

"Of course, querida. Father may like to name the other. I would be happy for him to name his first grandson," Diego answered.

"Wouldn't you like to name him?"

"I will choose the middle names for both, to make up for it," Diego said with a smile.

"Not Aristotle or something like that?"

"Ooh, I thought I would have full reign on that. There are a lot of Greek philosophers that I would like to immortalise in my sons," he said, teasing her lightly. He leant forward and kissed her hair, and brushed a stray strand off her forehead. She gleamed a little under a film of sweat from her ordeal, and he wondered at her ability to shake off the pain, and smile and laugh with him.

Alejandro peeked in at them, and Diego turned, hearing the slight sound.

"Boys, father," Diego murmured.

Alejandro was excited, Diego saw. He nodded his approval, and left them in peace.