HI Folks! Here is the latest update. When we left Donna we were afraid that Harvey would miss one or both children being born. This gets resolved in this chapter. Remember we still have second wedding in Tuscany to go through, but first the babies! Thank you for your continued reading, reviewing, and following. I live for your responses. Thank you. Love, Carebearmaxi.
Little One
Chapter 23
"What's your name, honey?" The female EMT asked Donna.
"Donna Specter," Donna said between breaths.
"Ok, Donna, we're calling your husband," Elaine, the EMT stated. "Now we're going to move you to the end of the bed that way we can catch your baby when it comes."
"No, Harvey has to be here! He wanted to cut the cords!" Donna said wiping her hair away from her face.
"You're having twins?"
Donna nodded and grimaced as another contraction took her.
"I want to push!"
"Ok, go ahead," the other EMT whose name was Greg stated. "We're here".
Greg was a large man with blonde hair, kind blue eyes and a big comforting smile. "Good one, Ms. Donna, your first baby is coming so your husband looks like he might miss it!"
"No! This isn't what I had planned. Ooo…God!"
"Did someone call for Harvey Specter?" Harvey rushed in and pushed his way through the mass of people that suddenly filled his bedroom.
Elaine turned and said, "You're her husband?"
"Yes!" Harvey said and kneeling next to the bed took Donna's hand in both of his. She squeezed it from the pain of the contraction, but she was so happy and relieved that he was here.
"Harvey, you're here! I'm sorry I've been such a bitch lately!"
"No, I'm sorry for being such an asshole," Harvey said as he kissed her sweaty forehead.
"Ok, Donna, let's move you, so it will be easier," Elaine said.
"Charlotte!" Donna cried.
Charlotte came running into the bedroom.
"Is mom here?" Donna panted.
"Yes, she's minding Troy. Dad, too. What else can I do for you?"
"Stay here, please?"
Harvey looked at his poor laboring wife whom the EMT'S had moved to the edge of the bed. He did not want to question her right now. So, when Charlotte looked at him with a question to her eyes, he shrugged and nodded.
Charlotte rushed over and helped Donna to a squatting position.
"Is this how you want to give birth to the first one?" Elaine asked.
"Yes!" Donna said as Harvey told her to calm down and try to breathe through the contraction although he could see without pain medication she was about ready to scream.
"Donna, scream, it's ok," Harvey said. "I would if I was in that kind of pain."
Donna quickly turned her head around to look at him and nodded. Then she looked at Charlotte who emphatically said, "Do it baby! I did."
The EMT's put pads down on the floor where Donna squatted her arms supported by Harvey on her left and Charlotte on the right.
Charlotte looked at her sister's anguish face as she pushed and then at Harvey's strained silent face and said after Donna's last push.
"Harvey, get behind Donna. Sit on the edge of the bed to better support her."
Harvey did as he was told impressed although he should not have been at how Charlotte took charge.
Meanwhile, Greg got on all fours leaving his gloved hands off the floor and looked at the baby's head starting to emerge.
"Good idea. Charlotte?" Greg said.
"I'm her older sister. I've been through this."
Greg acknowledged Charlotte by nodding. Then looking down again he said, "Ok, Donna, next contraction I want you to push this little girl out. If you want you can feel her head.
"Really?" Donna managed to gasp. She looked at Harvey and he let go of her arm so she could feel the baby's head.
Her fingers touched the wet round object between her legs.
"Oh my God, Harvey! She's there! Oh, I gotta push"
"Ok, push, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10, breathe, push again," Harvey coached.
Elaine looked this time and said, "Ok, her head is almost out. I need to reach under here as Donna jerked and started to move.
"Here she is! A beautiful baby girl!" Elaine held the baby in one hand and syringed the fluid from the baby's nose and mouth. Soon a big cry emanated from the little slippery baby still connected to her mother by the quivering umbilical cord.
"Ok, Harvey come perform your first fatherly duty and cut this chord," Elaine said.
Charlotte instinctively took Harvey's place and helped her sister to a sitting position while Harvey wearing gloves took the instrument Elaine handed him.
"Ok, Harvey cut it between the clamps."
With a smile trying to conceal his fear now that the moment finally came, he shakily but firmly cut the rubbery cord. He looked at his daughter who was wrapped in a towel from the bathroom and then one of the receiving blankets that Donna was given by her mother a few weeks ago in lieu of a proper baby shower.
The baby was quiet and looked up at her father blinking and staring.
"My God, Donna, she is beautiful!" Harvey was engulfed holding his baby daughter.
Charlotte rose from the bed. The EMT's allowed a few minutes to finish up their stuff after this first birth knowing a second would soon be there.
Donna held her daughter. "This one is definitely a Lily," she said. She looked at Harvey and said, "You were right. Our babies are little girls."
"Of course, I'm Harvey Specter. The best closer this city has ever seen," he bragged.
"Harvey, this is Seattle,"
"Does it matter?"
"Not one bit," she said as she leaned to the side and he kissed her.
Soon Donna started having contractions again and the EMT's examined Donna to make sure this one was in position to be born. This time Donna lay back in bed propped on pillows. All the sheets and covers were removed, and pads laid out in anticipation for the second baby's birth which should be soon from what Elaine could tell. Elaine had placed a sheet over Donna's legs to give her some modesty. Harvey sat next to her with Lily in his arms while Charlotte had gone into the living room to give everyone the news that the first little girl had been born. By this point, Mike and Rachel with James had arrived.
"Rachel," Charlotte said. "So glad you're here. Donna was asking for you."
"I will go see her," Rachel said. "Mike, take the baby. Donna's asking for me."
"Ok. Tell Harvey if he's not too busy to bring that baby out here, so we can see her."
Rachel rolled her eyes and followed Charlotte into the bedroom.
Just as Donna started suffering a huge contraction, Rachel entered the room and went right over to her. She took her hand and massaged her arm up and down. Harvey still sat with baby Lily in his arms.
Harvey could not say anything. He needed to be here for Donna. Charlotte came over and took Lily in her arms and put her in the bassinet that she had Mitchell bring into the room from the nursery. Charlotte had instructed him to get the other one as well. So, as she was talking to Lily, Mitchell brought the other bassinet and placed it next to the other one.
"Do we know how much she weighs?" Charlotte wondered aloud.
Harvey turned around at that moment.
"Donna wanted a home birth, so we got a baby scale. She calibrated it herself the other day. It's in the nursery."
"Oh? I thought it was a fruit scale," Mitchell said.
Charlotte rolled her eyes at Harvey who just smiled and then Donna made a noise.
Elaine examined Donna again and said, "Uh, something is not right."
"I gotta push!"
"No!" Elaine said. "Don't push. The baby is in breech, so you can't push."
"Harvey the baby is in breech!" Donna said as Harvey held her and kissed her sweaty forehead.
"Yes, I know," Harvey said. "We're going to be all right."
He looked at Rachel over Donna's head. She looked intensely worried.
"Can the baby be turned?" Rachel asked.
"Our protocol is to get mother and baby to the hospital for a C-Section," Greg said.
"No!" Donna screamed. "No. She'll turn. I know she will…" Donna panted when a contraction hit her.
Elaine who happened also to be a midwife told them her qualifications and told everyone that she was qualified to try to turn the baby now.
"Donna, look at me," Elaine said. "Yes, I am a qualified mid-wife, so I can try to turn the baby right now. However, we run the risk of her heartbeat slowing. You're not hooked up to a monitor right now so I can't keep track of the baby's heartbeat. I will have to do it with the doppler.
"What else can we do?" Harvey asked.
"It's dangerous but we could try to deliver her breech," Elaine said to both Harvey and Donna who was blowing with another contraction.
"Elaine, I think it's too late to turn her. Something just popped out, I can feel it!" Donna exclaimed having moved her hand between her legs.
Elaine removed the sheet and there was a leg of baby #2 already escaped from Donna.
"Greg!" Elaine called.
Greg came over and asked Elaine what was happening.
Rachel started to leave and then Donna called her back.
"What is it honey? I'm not going to be much help."
"Yes, you are. You're staying here with me to the end just like I stayed with you!"
Rachel looked at Harvey who was helping Donna move to her knees because she wanted to give birth that way. She felt it might facilitate the baby's position.
"Harvey, please let's not have anymore children. I'm not forgetting…this one…(blow, pant, grunt).
Harvey just remained silent and stoic during this time as he didn't want to seem flippant and dismissive or annoy Donna in anyway. He just wanted to see his second daughter safely born. Once Donna was on her knees, Greg and Elaine both came over to see the little leg that had escaped.
"Ok, Donna, this is going to hurt a lot more than the last one. Because her head has to come out last. Ok, next contraction push!"
"Ahhhhuggggg!" Donna noised as she pushed.
"Both her legs are out," Harvey encouraged as held stroked her arm bracing herself on the headboard of their bed.
"You're doing great," Rachel said. She felt like crying for her dear friend. Having just gone through a premature baby birth only a couple of months ago, Rachel felt this must have been twice as hard.
Charlotte came over quietly leaving Lily in the bassinet quietly sleeping and told everyone that Lily weighed in at 6 lbs. 15 oz. This made Donna smile in the midst of trying to give birth to baby #2 breech.
"Charlotte," Elaine asked. "Can you go to their kitchen to see if there is some olive oil or to the baby's room and see if there is baby oil?"
"Sure. May I ask why?"
"Donna's vagina is swollen, and I don't want her to tear bringing the baby's head out. I'm thinking if I can lubricate it a little it will be a little more flexible."
"Ok, I'll be right back," Charlotte said and went off to the find oil of some type to help her sister.
"I'm not doing this anymore! I want to go to sleep…Harvey…let me go to sleep. I'm so tired."
"Just a little bit more. You just have to work on getting her shoulders and arms out, ok? You're Donna and you're awesome…so awesome," Harvey encouraged.
"Yes, you are," Rachel echoed wiping a tear away from Donna's cheek and then her own.
"Ok, I'm gonna do this!" Donna said looking at her husband. "Ohhhhoooo!" Donna pushed because her and her baby's life depended on it.
Charlotte rushed back with the Olive oil container and Elaine poured a little on her finger and began to rub it all around Donna's vaginal opening, her legs and at her peritoneum.
"What are you doing?" Donna asked.
"I rubbed some Olive oil on you so you won't tear. Your very swollen from giving birth to Lily."
"Can I push?"
"That's it, honey. Yes, you're going to see your second daughter soon!" Elaine said standing helping to deliver the posterior portions of the second baby.
"Here comes her head! Push!" Donna screamed and then felt a wonderful release as the baby's head had just squeezed through her vagina and out in the world.
"Ok, daddy, ready to do it again?" Elaine said as she syringed the second little girl's nose and mouth. She was still a little purple; but Elaine massaged her, and the baby's purplish pale color began to become more pink and flesh colored as she began to breathe. Then a second strong cry came from below Donna's feet.
"There we go! Happy Birthday Baby #2!" Greg said as he took the baby from Elaine. Harvey was handed a newly cleaned pair of scissors and with a little more confidence and relief cut this cord this as well.
Rachel and Charlotte both helped Donna into a more comfortable position while they waited for the placenta to be delivered.
"Girls, massage her belly while daddy takes care of baby #2. Then we can wait a few minutes until the placenta is delivered."
Rachel and Charlotte both vigorously massaged Donna's belly so her uterus could return to shape and dislodge the placenta. Elaine held the cord as Donna pushed a little to expel the placenta which was wrapped in a piece of foil and placed in a plastic bag for transport.
"Can I see her?" Donna asked very tiredly.
"Amelia," Donna said as she held her second daughter against her naked skin. Donna had had her breasts covered at the beginning of the birth in her yoga bra but then she was so warm after giving birth to Lily she discarded it angrily and was nude under the thin sheet. Harvey tried to cover her, but this only upset Donna and silently but violently pushed the sheet off her. Harvey realized he should just do whatever made her more comfortable, so he did not try to cover her again until now.
Harvey brought Lily over to Donna and she took holding her on the other side. Harvey say against the headboard on her side and although her beautiful red hair was mussed and tangled and pinned halfway here and there and her face was still beaded with sweat her and there, Harvey saw the most radiant smile on her face. It was even brighter than the morning after they had made love for the first time in 12 years.
About an hour later, Elaine was writing up the paperwork and Greg was putting equipment back into their truck. Harvey left Donna and the babies sleeping in their room. He walked into his living room and everyone was there having a party it seemed in his absence.
"Whew!" Elaine said as she finished up the paperwork and looked up at Harvey. "Welcome to Seattle."
He stood there with his hands in the pockets of his pants and smiled.
"I want to thank you for all your help with my wife and babies," Harvey said quietly.
Elaine watched as Harvey took a seat next to her.
"It's my job. I'm just glad that little Amelia didn't give us more trouble than just coming out the wrong way. How's Donna?"
"Sleeping. To tell you the truth she hasn't had much sleep lately."
"Yes, I can sympathize. I have a set of twins myself. I had mine vaginally, but I was in the hospital with plenty of pain medication. I have to hand it to your wife to do that without anything!"
Harvey took a look toward his bedroom door as if Donna was standing there. He looked around then at all the party revelers talking and drinking.
"Hey, would you like a drink of some type?"
"Sure, that would be nice," Elaine said.
Harvey came back with two bottles of Ginger Ale and handed one to Elaine and one to Greg.
They thanked Harvey.
Elaine said, "Normally we would be required to take Donna and the babies to the hospital, but it looks like everything proceeded naturally without too much complication. So, Greg and I will just leave you with this. Watch her bleeding carefully. If she says she is crampy or gets a fever or starts to hemorrhage, then either call us or drive her to the hospital yourself. She would be in serious condition if that happens. If either one of the twins' gets a high fever you all get to the hospital quick! Do you understand, Harvey?"
"Yes, I do," Harvey answered seriously. He was worried, a feeling he hated, but in a few days hopefully he could enjoy his family.
Elaine stood up and closed her metal clipboard and gave a receipt to Harvey regarding what they did. Harvey signed the paper stating that it was the patient's prerogative to not go the hospital. Harvey was not a malpractice lawyer, but he was getting experience in that field with the new pro bono cases he was handling lately.
Mike came over and clapped Harvey on the back as Harvey closed the door of the apartment seeing Greg and Elaine out.
"How are you holding up, buddy? Congratulations. Charlotte let me sneak in and see the girls. They are both redheads. They are beautiful." Mike held his own son on his shoulder as he spoke to Harvey.
Harvey just smiled and acknowledged Mike's greetings. He looked at Mike through grateful stinging unshed tears from relief that his daughters had been born and that his beloved wife had survived the ordeal. Just as Mike was turning away Harvey reached out and hugged him.
"I wish my brother were here," Harvey said sniffing. "I know he, Kate, and the kids are due for a visit because they may not make the second wedding either."
"Did you call him?" Mike said. He was closer to Harvey in some ways that Marcus was not, but he could understand that Harvey would want to bond with the only immediate family member he had left.
"Hey, Mike, could you just keep everybody hydrated and happy. Don't let anyone leave yet. Especially not Charlotte, Mitchell, and Troy. I want to say something, but I have to call Marcus first."
"You got it," Mike said as he patted Harvey's shoulder one more time.
In Boston, the Marcus Specters were having a late evening snack when Marcus' phone rang. He decided to take the night off from the restaurant because Katie had finally moved back into their house with the children.
"Hi Marcus," Harvey said all choked with emotion in his voice.
"Hi Harvey. Everything ok?" Marcus responded. Katie heard the note in her husband's voice and walked over to the kitchen counter to join him.
"Donna just gave birth to twin girls," Harvey said with the tears of relief, joy, and unbounded happiness started to fall from his eyes.
"That's wonderful! Congratulations, Daddy! Ok, if I put you on speaker so we can all hear?"
"Sure," Harvey agreed and then he swiped a hand over his eyes.
"So how big, what did you name them, you know the deets," Katie volunteered.
Harvey gasped and he said with his voice filled with emotion.
"Lily Amanda was born first, and she weighed in at 6 lbs. 15 oz then about seven minutes later Amelia Sarah was born. She weighed 6 lbs. 10 oz."
"Oh my God, poor Donna!" Katie said. "How is she doing?"
"Sleeping," Harvey said. "Katie, Donna was amazing! She did everything without a pain killer."
"Are you home? Donna mentioned she was hoping to have them at home," Katie asked.
"Yes, we didn't have much choice," Harvey said.
Sensing that his brother was far too filled up with emotion to answer all their questions, Marcus said. "Thanks for calling, big brother. I can't tell you happy I am for you. Mom and Dad are probably smiling down on you now seeing what a wonderful job you did. Love you, Harvey," Marcus said smiling.
"Thanks, little brother. Love you Marcus. Love you all," Harvey said finally succumbing to his emotions and hung up.
In Seattle, Charlotte found Harvey, and she put her arms around him and held him tight as Harvey's tears flowed unchecked.
