Chapter Seventeen
In Aimee's defense she had told Calleigh Duquesne that her labor with Hunter had went from "zero to one thousand" pain and intensity wise and she "wanted to die" during it, just days after giving birth to the now five-month-old. It was a bad time to ask. But Calleigh had asked. Aimee was still sore and exhausted and she had blurted it out. Now Aimee was trying to make up for the other woman's childbirth anxiety by saying there was no shame in having a medicated birth no matter anyone said. Including Eric's mother. Aimee also reminded her she hadn't had natural childbirth by choice either time. She also told Calleigh in her own experience, her doctor and one of the two nurses were great. Horatio and Kyle had been exceptional but Calleigh wouldn't have them in her delivery room.
Aimee had no doubt Eric would be great through it well with Calleigh too. He already told his mother mind her own business in regards to the birth of their twins. His mother wasn't getting in the delivery room, period. Medicated or natural birth was Calleigh's choice and no, his wife wasn't going to breastfeed. Deal with it, he told her. Besides the medical staff the birth was time for him and Calleigh to share. Eric's mother had seen all her other grandchildren be born so the older woman couldn't say she were "robbed" of that experience. When "the only son" card was pulled Eric still didn't bat an eye. It was a lame argument. At 18 weeks along the couple now were thrilled to find out they were going to have two boys. That was certain. The doctor was half as sure the babies would be identical but DNA tests after birth would be needed to confirm this. That was smallest detail when it came to their joy.
Twins were a whole different story than having a preschooler, toddler and an infant. Aimee couldn't give Calleigh any advice in that area. Neither did she have ideas on what Calleigh and Eric could do about childcare sixteen months from now. Aimee had a hard enough time leaving her kids with anyone other than family for a few hours when she was forced into "adult time."
And Rachel and Cheyenna could talk. The thought of daycare put a shiver down her spine. If they hired a babysitter, their home would have to be wired with cameras they could watch live, first. Tomorrow afternoon and for three months during the week she was going to an elementary school to give a class lessons in sign language. A non-verbal student would be joining their class next semester. The administration wanted the girl to be able to make friends and communicate with classmates without the constant presence of an adult. It was a free lance job with one-hundred dollars an hour pay because the number of children involved. It would have been foolish of her not to take it when a parent from Rachel's preschool suggested her to the school. Even if she didn't need the money. Jobs like this how she was able to live comfortably in a safe part of the city, roommate-free before she moved in with Horatio.
"So, what part is freaking you out?" Kyle said sitting on his parents' bed, Hunter, who had discovered his toes, in his lap. "Teaching eight ten-year-olds the basics of ASL or leaving these kids?"
Okay. She wasn't going to even bother to argue that she wasn't freaking out. Aimee sighed.
"I don't know really. I never really worked with children and children are different now from when I was ten."
"Yeah. But didn't these kids volunteer, cause they wanna learn? They're not being forced to, so they'll listen most likely," Kyle said.
"True—"
"And you said the principal and a teacher will be there to see what else they can pick up in addition to what they're learning in their required classes. You won't have to rein them in if they get out of line. So as long as you don't teach 'em anything they can't say in school you should be fine."
Aimee turned around. "How in the world did you get so wise?"
"Live here long enough and something has to sink in," her son smiled, giving her a hug, squishing Hunter in the middle.
When she asked Kyle if he had any other advice, he said with a laugh "enjoy the money. It's not bad for a few hours work."
The group was much more well-behaved and eager than Aimee thought. She had given herself a headache over nothing. The six girls and two boys were very polite. They didn't believe she had a twenty-one son. Though she didn't show them any, they asked her if she had any photos of all her children. One boy asked her if she taught her baby sign language. The time went faster than she expected. Kyle had been right. Perhaps she'd use some of her money and buy him a present.