Revised and resubmitted for personal author's note at the end.


The kids ages are—Theo: 3 and the twins: 2.

I haven't written the kids these ages before because Part III ends with the twins being born and Part IV begins with the twins 3 and Theo 4.

In Sickness and in Health

Wednesday Morning

4:31 a.m.

Olivia inched up behind her wife in bed and pressed her right palm to Alex's lower back, beginning to rub slow, firm circles against the thin, cotton fabric of her baby blue night shirt. "How bad are they, Al?" Olivia said softly against the hair at the nape of her neck.

Olivia had just awoken to her wife's struggling and the blonde claimed that she had been awake half the night with intensely painful cramps.

"Pretty bad, Liv."

"One to ten?" Olivia asked.

"Thirty." Alex moaned again and took in a short inhale of air before moaning again.

Olivia began lightly digging her thumb into where she knew her wife's cramps most likely were. "Your period is gonna start in a few days. Right?"

Alex nodded, now panting slightly.

"So, do you think it's your period?"

"I've never had cramps like this, Liv," Alex mumbled. "Never like this…and it's more in the front…like someone's stab—uhhhhh, Jesus!" Alex whimpered, her anguished voice crying out to the ceiling.

"God…Alex?" Olivia lifted her upper body to peer around at her wife's face.

Alex's expression was grimaced, scrunched, her brow furrowed, her cheeks pink, her teeth gritted.

Quickly and carefully, without jostling the bed too much, the brunette climbed over her wife and lay in front of her studying her carefully and watching her wife in pain. She placed her hand on top of Alex's, which was clenching her lower belly.

"You're sweating, Babe," Olivia managed, her voice shaking. "Your face is so red…" She placed her hand on her wife's forehead now, waiting. "Let me get the thermometer." The brunette moved to sit up.

But the sound Alex let out at that moment stopped Olivia in her tracks, her wife's anguish even louder, now even more dire, as the blonde buried her face into her pillow to muffle her wails. "This is worse than labor pains, Liv. From what I remember of that wonderfully special time."

But Olivia wasn't amused by her wife's attempt at humor. Not at a time like this.

"And I think I need a bucket or trashcan or something…I think I might throw up." Alex curled herself into a ball now, chin to her chest, moaning loudly, her face now hidden.

"Jesus, Alex…" Olivia stood now, moving to the foot of the bed and hastily throwing her purple robe over her black, strappy nightshirt, "…we're going to the hospital." She tied the belt and headed to her side of the bed to get her iPhone. "I'll call Jonathan and Casey and see if one of them can come over here, or at least meet us at the hospital, and take the kids…" Scrolling through her numbers, she found her brother-in-law's number and tapped the icon to dial.

Glancing at the alarm clock, she closed her eyes. He would probably answer the phone panicked, as early as it was.

"Hello? Olivia? What is it?" Jonathan's sleepy, shaken voice questioned.

"Hey, Jonathan…uh…it's Alex…she's sick. She's got severe abdominal pain. No bleeding. But I think she has a fever…but she's…uh…" Olivia heard the tremor in her own voice, willing herself to get and keep it together, "…she's in a lot of pain."

"Whatever I can do. Anything, Olivia. Meet you at the hospital? Come over there and watch the kids? Whatever you need."

"Yeah, I think you should come here…the kids are still sleeping."

"I can be there in less than fifteen minutes."

"I think I'll call an ambulance. It'd be quicker. By the time we wait for you and then drive to the hospital…" Olivia reasoned.

"Do it, Olivia. Call 911 and I'll be there soon. OK?"

Olivia nodded, feeling her eyes tear, her mouth purse in an effort to keep from losing her cool. "Thanks, Jonathan." She disconnected the call and dialed the emergency number, waiting.

"9-1-1. What is your emergency?"

"My wife…she's having severe abdominal pain. It seems to be getting worse. She's sweating, she's got a fever…"

"We'll send an ambulance out. What is the address?" the woman on the other end questioned.

Olivia rattled off the address before hanging up. She set her phone on the foot of the bed, moving to the dresser. She opened the top right drawer—Alex's intimates—and pulled out a white bra, tossing it onto the bed. She then opened the second drawer and retrieved a navy t-shirt, and then opened the bottom drawer and got a pair of jeans before shoving all of the drawers closed and tossing them on the bed, as well.

"Oh, God, Liv…" Alex moaned from the bed.

Olivia looked at her wife. She was now completely encased in the white comforter, wrapped like a cocoon—just a large lump of white, down-filled cotton. "Just hold on for a few more minutes, Babe. I have your clothes. We have to get dressed."

"I can't, Liv…" Alex whined. "When I move…it hurts," she cried. "If I straighten my bod…oh, God…" she whimpered, pleading, "…make it stop…please…"

Olivia felt her eyes begin to water again and she began taking deep, short breaths, trying to keep herself focused. Moving around to her wife's side, she sat on the edge and reached over, placing her hand on top of the large lump. "I want to, Baby." She tugged at the puffy bedding, revealing Alex's face. "Please, Al…please just…just help me get you dressed, Babe."

"I can't get dressed…just bring my clothes with us, Liv…" Alex grimaced again and she whined loudly, tears now beginning to emerge from her eyes.

It pained Olivia to see her wife like this. Watching her wife give birth two years ago was an experience in and of itself. But this was something different. This wasn't something routinely normal. Something was wrong.

Olivia nodded, swiping at her own tear with her left hand. "OK. I'll get a duffel and I'll get dressed and the EMTs can help you onto the stretcher."

As Olivia moved around the bedroom getting ready—hair in a ponytail, dark jeans on, black hoodie, black ankle socks, dark gray Adidas—and all the while, her wife could be heard, moaning softly, the sound soul crushing to the brunette.

As a final step, Olivia moved to get Alex's weekender bag from the top shelf of the closet and brought it down, moving to the bed and tossing her wife's clothing inside. She stepped to the blonde's top drawer once more and retrieved a couple pairs of extra underwear, just in case.

Olivia didn't know what was going to happen in the next few hours. But she wanted to be prepared. She only hoped her wife would be OK. That Alex didn't have anything that couldn't easily be remedied.

Zipping up the duffel, she heard the doorbell downstairs ring.


5:16 a.m.

Alex opened her eyes to find a bright, white ceiling, the sounds of a rhythmic chirping to her left, the sound of low vibrating vinyl to her right. Within seconds, Olivia's face was above her, her tanned expression concerned, her brow furrowed with worry.

The brunette managed a small smile. "Hey, Al. How are you feeling?" Olivia stepped closer and Alex could feel her warm hand on her right wrist.

The blonde turned her hand over, palm up, and clenched her wife's awaiting hand. She closed her eyes now and swallowed before she did a quick, physical assessment of her body. She barely felt anything at the moment. If anything, there was a slight throbbing on the right side of her stomach—along with an itch on the top, left side of her scalp—but, other than that, she actually felt amazing.

She smiled and took a deep breath. Opening her eyes again and looking up at her wife, she offered, "I feel incredible, actually."

Olivia drew her lips inward once more, this time in amusement, and her body began jostling. "You're high as a kite, Babe. I can see it in your tiny pupils."

Alex laughed lightly through her nose and closed her eyes again, moaning. "Is that why you look good enough to eat and I feel so damn horny right now…literally…if I was physically able, I'd jump you…"

"Might be why, Babe." Olivia chuckled, shaking her head. "Unfortunately, this is probably the absolute worst time to get turned on…"

Suddenly, Alex remembered why they were there.

She remembered having excruciating stomach pains.

She remembered the EMTS coming into their bedroom.

She remembered the trip down the stairs and into the ambulance and the doors closing, along with another round of sharp, cramping pains.

She recalled low talking above, and around, her.

Then nothing.

The next thing she remembered was waking up here, at this moment.

She reopened her eyes now and looked at Olivia.

And God did her wife look gorgeous.

Her hair was slightly disheveled, wispy strays framing her strong, heart-shaped jawline, slight hastily made hair lumps in the back of the ponytail. But her face was absolutely mesmerizing—full, naturally pink mouth, deep brown eyes, those cheekbones—and Alex found herself simply staring at her wife once again, completely forgetting where she was and what they had been talking about.

"Hey, Olivia…" a familiar male voice breathed, "…how is she? Did you tell her yet?"

Jonathan's face appeared now, just to the right of Olivia.

Alex smiled and felt her eyes fill with tears. "Johnny? You came? Where are the kids?"

"Hey, Allie…" he smiled. "They're with Casey at home. They're safe." He smiled and looked at his sister-in-law before looking back at the blonde. "Did Olivia tell you yet?" He raised his eyebrows.

Alex shook her head, looking at Olivia then Jonathan again. "What is it? What's wrong with me? Is it something bad?" Alex felt a surge of overwhelming dread roll throughout her body now, a plethora of the worst things imaginable running through her mind.

Jonathan smiled again, squeezing her right knee over the sheet and blanket. "No, Allie-Al. It's your appendix."

"My appendix? I thought I had that out when I was four…" Alex furrowed her brow and felt her lower jaw drop. "I don't get it. I know I had that removed,"

"You never had your appendix out, Allie. That was me. Remember? I was ten? Katie had to come get us from school and we went straight to the hospital?"

"That was me, Johnny. I'm sure of it. I was four and Katie came and got me. I remember the hospital bed. I remember all the ice cream they gave me, even though it wasn't my tonsils. I remember…" Alex looked up at her brother now, "…you…I remember you in a hospital bed next to me…big balloons…" Alex narrowed her eyes, thinking, "…why can't I…why do I think it was me?"

Jonathan smiled. "And a little family white lie comes out." He looked at Olivia smirking.

Her wife stepped aside so that Jonathan could come closer. Olivia folded her arms and smiled at Jonathan. "I can't wait to hear this one."

"Allie…" He took both of her hands into his just above her belly, "…do you remember when you were that age…so little…you wanted to be just like me…you followed me…you emulated me…you stuck like glue to me…everywhere…remember?" He raised his eyebrows.

Alex nodded, still confused. "I remember, John-John…I copied everything you did. My big bro…"

"Well…" He took a deep breath, looked at Olivia and then back at his sister, "…when you heard that I had to stay in the hospital and that I wasn't coming home for a couple of nights, you were so upset. You were crying, completely inconsolable…you begged them to take your appendix out, too."

Alex continued watching her brother. "OK…" she said softly.

"So…mom and dad told you that you could get your appendix out, too, and that you could stay in the next bed in my hospital room until I came home. Montauk Hospital was never really overrun with patients or emergencies and they had the extra room for a little sister that just wanted to be like her little brother…" he smiled, "…and you stayed there with me."

"But…Mom and Daddy told me I had my appendix out. I'm fairly certain they did."

"They told you that at the time, Allie. But you never had it out. You just kept me company."

Alex's already fuzzy mind was now reeling. I've never had my appendix out? But I've been telling people my whole life that I had. No wonder there was no scar. It made complete sense now.

"So…" Alex began before she looked back at Olivia who was still to the right of her brother, the brunette now adjusting her ponytail.

The blonde stopped speaking and watched as Olivia adjusted the sleeves to her hoodie, then pulled down the waist to just below her hips, and then adjusted the zipper, lowering it just slightly, the miniscule amount of darkness hinting to her cleavage, now evident, the brunette completely unaware that she had just unknowingly enrapt Alex once more.

"So…what, Allie? What were you saying?"

"What?" Alex looked back at her brother, confused.

"You started saying something. You said…'so'…then you stopped." Jonathan let go of her hands and put his hands on his hips.

Alex caught eyes with her wife again and the brunette smiled. And Alex melted, her body already fuzzy, her mouth now salivating as her gaze remained fixed on Olivia's mouth.

"Olivia nudged Jonathan and the burly man moved aside. She came closer to Alex. "I think she's uh…" Olivia smiled broadly now, "…she's feeling really good right now. I don't think her mind is truly clear at present."

Alex bit her lower lip, her gaze moving lower to Olivia's zipper, the meager parting of her jacket. "Oh, I'm thinking clearly. Very clearly…about one thing in particular." Alex winked and then moaned.

"Did you tell her?" Jonathan spoke now.

Olivia shook her head and Alex realized there was information that she hadn't yet been informed of.

"Tell me what? My appendix? Do I have to get it out?" Alex raised her eyebrows.

Both adults nodded.

"You're scheduled for surgery in…" Jonathan looked at his watch, "…an hour." He looked back at Alex. "They should be coming in to prep you any minute."

Realization set in and Alex nodded. "OK."

"But you're comfortable now. Right? Less pain?" Jonathan smiled.

Alex raised one eyebrow slyly before looking back at Olivia. "He's killing the mood, Liv."

"What mood, Babe?" Olivia giggled. "You're in a half-opened gown, drugged up on pain killers, giving me your best bedroom eyes an hour before organ removal."

Alex smiled broadly and reached her right hand out and Olivia placed her left into it.

Just then a couple of people entered the room—one nurse beginning to prepare something on a cart, the other monitoring the machines.

Alex looked back at her wife. "Thank you, Liv." She nodded, feeling her eyes fill with tears. "For taking care of me and realizing something was wrong and not hesitating to call an ambulance."

Olivia brought their hands to her mouth and kissed gently. "Always, Al." She kissed her knuckles again. "I love you, Babe. You…in pain like that…" Olivia's eyes filled with tears. "It killed me…" she whispered.

Alex smiled, just watching her beautiful wife. "I know…"

The nurses approached and began setting things up for surgery, Alex's gaze on the brunette never faltering.

"Stay with me until I go in?" Alex raised her eyebrows.

"I'm not going anywhere, Al." She smiled broadly and stepped away, allowing the nurses to continue what they needed to do to prepare for the procedure.

Alex nodded and watched her wife take a few steps further away, that smile still on her face, that jacket still placed beautifully on her body and those incredible breasts the way it did, those almond shaped, cocoa eyes never once leaving her own, either.

Within a matter of moments, the blonde felt the effects of the painkillers, the love exuding from her wife, the imminent relief she would feel from this particular procedure, and she closed her eyes, knowing that, in the end, all would be just fine.


2 1/2 Weeks Later

7:02 p.m.

Olivia stood erect, removing three homemade pizzas from the oven. She set them on the counter and then felt hands slither around her, a warm body pressed against her back, the flats of her wife's palms on the lower belly of her gray, cashmere turtleneck sweater dress, her warm breath against her left ear. The brunette smiled and clasped the hands that were clenching her stomach firmly. "Hey there…" she husked.

"Hey there, Liv."

They began to sway slowly and Olivia closed her eyes. "First guests since your surgery, Babe. You're sure you're up for it?"

Alex nodded against her shoulder. "I'm feeling amazing, Liv. Better than ever. And…"

Olivia turned now, in her wife's arms, looking that clear, porcelain complexion over, those ruby lips, that subtle smoky eye make-up that only further accentuated those clear blue eyes, her wife in her new red, puff-sleeved jumpsuit for the evening. "And what, Al?"

Hopefully, we can consummate and satisfy my hospital horniness and I can thank you for taking care of me for the past few weeks properly." Alex smiled.

"Oh, yeah? I didn't do anything any normal wife wouldn't do, Babe. You never have to thank me for that." Olivia drew her lips inward and looked her wife's hair over—in a low chignon, a stray wisp untucked for effect. Her eyes returned to Alex' mouth and then back into her eyes.

"I know I don't need to thank you for cooking and helping me bathe, and for single-handedly taking care of the kids and holding down the fort…but I want to…" Alex took a deep breath and let it out, those amazing chocolate orbs looking back and forth between her own. "I appreciate all of it and I just want to show you…"

Laughter from the living room now—the three kids watching a movie. The ladies looked back at each other and smiled.

"And I will absolutely let you show your appreciation, Al…" Olivia's grin broadened, "…anything and in any way you'd like to show me…"

Alex growled and leaned forward, moving in to kiss her just as the doorbell rang.

They pulled away and smiled again.

"My brother and his perfect timing."

"Never changes, Al."

Alex shook her head. "Never."

"The doorbell, Mama!" Theo called out.

"I know, Baby. We're getting it." Olivia looked her wife over once more. "Later?"

Alex bit her lower lip and nodded slowly, her eyes on the brunette's mouth. "Later," she rasped.


And the evening had been spent with Olivia and Alex treating Casey and Jonathan and Kimberly and Katie to a dinner of homemade pizza, salad, and wine to thank them for being there for the Benson-Cabots once again in their lives.

And Olivia was more than adequately thanked that evening, as well, her beautiful, adoring, loyal, appreciative wife showing the brunette how much she was valued, how much she was loved, and the undying commitment to her in her life as only Alex Benson-Cabot could do.


.

.

.

.

If you have read down to this point. Thank you. I've decided to be real for these last few chapters. So here goes. If I lose even more readers, so be it. I dug my grave. I burned my bridge.

7 years of writing this couple, this family. I wake up the next day, after publishing a chapter, hoping to find reviews. My goal is 6-8 overnight (it used to be more).

But, I wake up to one, two...maybe three. And it's disheartening. It truly makes me not want to do this any more, which is why I have shut down stories and started stories more times than I can count.

If I thought my writing as crap, I'd get it. Knowing that my writing was good 7years ago and has only improved 3 and four fold in the past years, just lets me know if the lack of interest in this couple or the loss of loyalty from readers.

Either way, I get it. Kind of. I wrestle and thin about it and go back and forth all the time on whether to set this world aside and discontinue altogether.

Why am I telling you this?

Because I have a solid handful of about 6-8 people who review every single time. They let me know how much my chapters mean to them, how much they love my writing, etc. They are people. I am a person. And they get it, too.

Those are the ones I've continued for. Them and myself, of course.

I have gotten joy from writing Alex and Olivia every time I sit down at the computer to write.

But that time will come to an end. I am letting the faithful few know this now. No other stories, no other chapters. All will be marked as complete and I will not return.

This "Memories" section has 3 chapters left. And that will be all I write. I will, most likely, include a lengthy author's note like this one at the conclusion of each to express my feelings after so many years writing them so if you aren't into it...don't read it.

I will republish this chapter so that more can read this and no it isn't a ploy to get more readers. Those days are gone. Days of printing out readers of Cabenson and contacting them and letting them know I have a new story out. Those networking days are over and have been for a while.

If you have taken the time to read this. Thank you. You realize I am just a human being and you are a human being for indulging me.

Until the next chapter.

Only three more after this to go.

Sincerely,

Patricia