The cabin
It was Christmas Eve and Matt was decorating their tree while Livy sat under a blanket, feeding Wes. It was a perfect evening, except that Amber and Beckett were still in Marquette at the hospital.
The good news was, it looked like Amber was improving enough to come home by the first of the year. Wes was thriving. He was over six pounds now and loved to eat and snuggle with Mama.
"What do you think, babe?" Matt asked, stepping back from the tree. It had white lights and blue ornaments.
"It's so beautiful."
"I think it's missing something though," he told her sitting down next to her and handing her a small box.
"What do you have there, Matt?"
"Something for you and the babies."
She used her free hand and took the lid off the box. "Oh, Matt. It's great. So cute."
It was a green and red ornament with three babies and "Triplet's first Christmas". Then underneath it had their names.
"I know they aren't all here at home with us, but they are in our hearts."
She leaned over a bit and gave him a soft kiss. "I love you."
"I love you too."
The Thornton family, Matt and Livy, Ben and Ava, and Kayla and Drew decided to all spend Christmas at their own homes. Even though Livy missed everyone, she loved spending the holiday with Matt and Wes.
The next day, they were going to head up to Marquette to see their babies and then Elizabeth would return to help out when Amber came home in January.
Ann Arbor, Drew and Kayla's house
Kayla and Drew sat on the couch with the kids, eating popcorn and watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. The kids were giggling and throwing popcorn at each other and Kayla didn't care. This was perfect. The tree was in the corner with presents galore. The stockings were stuffed with little trinkets and hung from the mantle and mistletoe was placed in the doorway.
"Mommy?" Harlow said.
"Yes, Lolo?"
"I want you to have a baby. A girl."
"Well, I can't have babies, sweetie, but maybe someday we can adopt one."
"Soon! Please?" she begged. "Coley wants one too!"
Drew winked at Kayla. "Not a bad idea."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I would love another kid."
"Maybe once Harlow is in school?"
"Alright but what about teaching?"
"I'll teach our kids. Maybe not homeschooling them but I'm good with not going back right away."
He nodded and leaned down slightly, slowly tasting her lips. "You are the best Mom, Kay. And the best wife."
"That's nice of you to say, sweetheart." She met his lips with hers again, taking her time.
Then they felt popcorn hitting their face and heard the kids giggle. "No kissing allowed!" Cole told them. "There are kids in the room."
Drew grabbed him and put him on his lap.
"Alright, my sassy son. It's time for Tickle Monster."
"No! No please!" he yelled, giggling.
"You are too sassy, Cole. That's the punishment."
"Okay! I promise I won't be sassy!" Drew tickled him once more for good measure.
Jupiter barked and jumped up on the couch, licking Cole's face. "Hi, Jupe! No kisses for you either!"
Kayla laughed. What a wonderful family she had been blessed with. She never could have imagined anything better.
Ava and Ben's
Ben made them a roast chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, rolls, and green beans for their dinner.
As they ate at their table, Ava nursed Kinsey. "This is good, Ben."
"Thanks."
"I don't just mean the food. This. You, me, Kinze, and our new baby. It feels so right, you know?"
"I agree."
"I can see us sitting around the tree with our kids each Christmas. Maybe they get a gift on Christmas Eve to open. A new book or a toy."
"I like that." Ben smiled. "We can curl up under a blanket on the couch or by the tree, have cookies and read to them."
"I can't believe we're only twenty years old and have one child and another on the way."
"I know!" He laughed. "We should probably hold off for a bit after this one."
"How many do you want?"
"I don't know. For now," he said, taking her hand. "My heart is full."
"Mine too." She moved the sleeping Kinsey to her shoulder and gently patted her back. Then she leaned over and kissed him. "I love you, Ben."
"I love you more."
Next door
Elizabeth pushed her plate away.
"Sweetheart? You look pale. Are you alright?"
"I'm going to go lay down. I'm not feeling well." She didn't tell him she was having some pain in the area below her chest. It was worrisome but she wasn't convinced it was anything worse than just indigestion. She had eaten quite a large dinner.
She groaned as she sat on the bed and then removed her bra. It felt too tight. "Owww," she mumbled.
Jack walked in and sat beside her. "Honey, you're in pain. Where are you hurting?"
"I'm okay, Jack."
Then a stab of sharp pain made her groan and touch her chest. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed 911. "I'm calling an ambulance."
"No, please."
"Babe, what if it's your heart? I'm not going to let you die because you don't want to go to the hospital. Now, lay back." She did as he said.
"911..what's your emergency?"
"We need help! My wife is in pain. I'm afraid it's her heart."
"Dispatching an ambulance now, sir. What's your wife's name?"
"Elizabeth Thornton."
"How old is Elizabeth?"
"Um...fifty one. Almost fifty two."
"Is she conscious?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Do you have any aspirin? If so, I want you to have her chew one."
He got up and went to the bathroom and grabbed the bottle and then hurried back. "Chew this, honey." He slipped it into her mouth. "Okay, I gave it to her. Now what?"
"Keep calm and make sure she is laying down."
"She is. How much longer?"
"Ten minutes at the most."
She moaned as the pain intensified. "Oh gosh. This hurts so much, Jack."
"I know, sweetie. They're almost here." He left the phone line open with the dispatch while he group texted Ben, Kayla, and Livy.
"I'm coming now," Ben responded.
He was there within two minutes. "Mom?" he said as he hurried up their stairs and into their room.
"Hi, baby."
"Are you okay? Is it your heart?"
"I don't know." He took her hand and held it, watching her closely. She had to be okay. They needed her.
"How is she doing, sir? How bad is the pain?" the dispatcher asked.
"One to ten, Elizabeth?"
"Eight," she groaned.
"She says it's an eight out of ten."
"Two minutes out," she told him. "Can you send someone out to let our team in?"
"Ben, go turn on the porch lights and let them in, please."
Ben kissed Elizabeth's forehead and ran out of the room.
The paramedics were upstairs and in their bedroom with a stretcher within the next three minutes. "Mrs. Thornton? You're having chest pains?" the young man asked.
"Yes."
"How long have you been in pain?"
"I don't know. A half hour, maybe?"
He slipped a blood pressure cuff on Elizabeth's arm and started his machine while his partner, a young woman, attached electrodes to her chest.
"You've taken an aspirin?"
"Yes."
"BP 135 over 95. Elevated. Do you have a history of high blood pressure, Mrs. Thornton?"
"No."
After a few moments of watching her heart rhythm, they assisted her onto the stretcher. "Which hospital?" Jack asked.
"University of Michigan. Would you like to ride with her?"
"Yes."
"I'll lock up, Dad," Ben said from the doorway. "And Kayla is picking me up and we will be there soon."
"Thank you, Ben."
The paramedics covered Elizabeth with a blanket and strapped her in securely for the bumpy ride down the stairs.
Ben leaned over her. "I love you, Mom. I'll see you soon."
She reached up and touched his face. "I love you too, Benny. Don't worry."
That was easier said than done. He kissed her forehead and then moved out of the way so they could get moving.
At the cabin, an hour later
Matt left Livy and Wes asleep in the master while he went down and cleaned up a bit and turned off the lights on the tree.
He saw Livy's phone light up so he grabbed it. "A group text," he mumbled, thinking it was just everyone saying "Happy Holidays."
"Crap!" he said, reading the string. He thought for a moment and then ran upstairs to Livy. She needed to know.
"Babe?"
"Hmm," she mumbled.
"Babe, wake up. I need you to wake up."
"What's wrong? Is it the babies?"
"No. It's your mom."
She sat up and rubbed her face. "Mom? Am I dreaming?"
"No. Babe, she just went by ambulance to the U of M. Jack thinks it's her heart."
"What?! No, she's always been healthy."
"I can take care of Wes if you need to go. I'll see if Lee can drive you."
"Wes needs me, Matt. I'm nursing him and Amber and Beck. Tomorrow is Christmas. I need to see them."
"Okay. I just wanted you to know. I can feed Wes a bottle while you're gone."
"I don't know what to do. I wish we lived closer."
Wes squawked in his crib so Matt picked him up and changed his diaper.
Livy looked at her phone a moment and then called Kayla.
"Hi, Liv. How are you doing?"
"How's Mom?"
"She got here about thirty minutes ago and they rushed her in to triage and then to run some tests. It's going to be a while before we know anything."
"Should I come?"
"No. Sit tight. If it is her heart, we will let you know. Right now, Ben and I are here for Dad and your babies need you there."
"I know, but...it's Mom."
"I know, but if it's indigestion or something, it would be an awfully long road trip for you to come down here."
"Yeah. I guess you're right."
"Can you say that again? I want to record it. The big sister telling her little sister she's right? It will make the eleven o'clock news."
"Haha."
"Go back to sleep, big sister. We will make sure you're in the loop."
"Tell Mom and Dad I love them. And Ben."
"Love you, Liv."
"Love you too, Kay."
Matt sat back against his pillows, Wes on his chest. "Babe?"
"They don't know anything yet. It could be a few hours." She laid down next to him, her head on his shoulder. "I feel helpless but Kay said to stay here until we know."
"I'm glad."
Wes grunted and moved around slightly and then closed his eyes. Livy closed hers too, but she wasn't expecting to sleep at all. Wes would be up to nurse in a couple hours anyway.
University of Michigan hospital, Emergency room
After a few hours, a heart attack was ruled out, much to everyone's relief. Elizabeth was on morphine for her pain, which helped her sleep and was scheduled for an ultrasound of her abdomen and chest early in the morning to figure out the cause.
Jack watched her sleep from the chair near her bed. He had never been so petrified in his whole life as he had been earlier. The prospect of losing his life-partner, his love...it was unimaginable. He needed her more than he needed his next meal, his next breath.
He knew, one day, they would both pass on but now? No, it was too early. They had a good thirty years left together, at least.
Out in the waiting room, Kayla slept on a tiny loveseat while Ben texted Ava.
"Hey."
"Hi, babe. How's your mom?"
"She's okay but still not sure what is causing the pain. She is going to have more tests in a few hours."
"How's Dad?"
"He's been with her the whole time. Hopefully he's sleeping."
"Not to sound selfish, but when are you coming home?"
"I'm not sure. I'll let you know when Kayla wakes up."
"Ok. I love you."
"Love you too, Ava."