Chapter 67 Congratulations to the Bouchard's
"Lucas, darling wake up!" Elizabeth said shaking her husband for him to awaken. "It's time!"
"Time for what?" He asked groggily. "It's time! You mean?"
"Yes!" She said annoyance in her voice.
"Okay hold tight, I'll get Julie and Gladys, don't let the babies come out!" He said patting her stomach. Then running his hands through his hair he ran down the hall knocking on Gladys and Julie's doors. "It's time, wake up." He yelled through the door.
Elizabeth was less than amused by her husband's apparent incompetence when it came to this matter. Julie had been sleeping down the hall knowing Elizabeth was due to give birth anytime. By the time they got back to the bedroom Elizabeth was screaming and pushing.
"Oh my goodness!" Gladys said realizing they were out of time the first baby was already making its way into the big world. "Lucas come here!" She said firmly. "I need you to put your hands here while I pull the baby out. The shoulder is stuck."
"You want me to do what?" He turned and instantly got sick all over the floor.
"Lucas Bouchard stop being an incompetent fool and help me!" Gladys said grabbing his face and turning him back to what he was doing. "I need you to focus."
"Lucas Bouchard, do as you're told right now!" Elizabeth screamed.
"There is so much blood." He said now feeling queasy and his knees getting weak.
"Okay Elizabeth, push! Gladys said. She pulled the baby the rest of the way out and it began to cry, but there was no time because the second baby was right behind it. "Lucas, take your little girl, wrap her in that towel and clean her up." Gladys said while she cut the umbilical chord and clamped it off handing the baby to Lucas.
Lucas heart was full as he was cleaning up his daughter and holding her in his arms. He had completely forgotten about feeling queasy and the weakness had turned from anxiety to excitement.
"Elizabeth go ahead and push again, these babies are ready to come out. Julie come stand beside me with a towel ready for the next child." Gladys demanded. "Elizabeth you are doing wonderful." Gladys encouraged as the second baby started crying. She cut the chord and clamped it passing it to Julie to clean it up.
"She's beautiful!" Julie said. "Congratulations you have two beautiful daughters Elizabeth that have their father's eyes and dimples. They are melting my heart."
Lucas was in full blown tears at the sight of them.
"Elizabeth, I want you to relax for a few minutes, the other baby is not quite in position yet. Lucas, Julie let her see her beautiful daughters." Gladys suggested.
Lucas and Julie sat down beside Elizabeth on the bed. "They are so precious." Elizabeth said exhausted and emotional as Lucas kissed her on the temple.
"You are doing great my love." He realized in this moment his life would never be the same again.
"Alright Elizabeth, we need to start pushing again." Gladys advised while Lucas and Julie held the girls. "Lucas please count it off for your wife."
After several times repeating the process the third child was finally out. "Oh my definitely a boy." Julie giggled.
"Julie!" Elizabeth scolded.
The third baby did not cry at all. His eyes were open and he was looking around the room.
Gladys cut the chord and clamped it wrapping him up and placing him in Elizabeth's arms.
"Elizabeth, hold your children while I clean you up." Gladys said as she used the extra towels and wet naps to wipe up as much blood as she could.
Lucas and Julie were still sitting on both sides of Elizabeth as they studied their children.
"What are their names?" Julie asked.
Elizabeth spoke, "Caleb Lucas Bouchard, Adelaide Marie Bouchard, and Amelia Elizabeth Bouchard.
"Those names are beautiful!" Julie said adoringly.
"Alright, Lucas can you let Julie and myself take the babies to the nursery and finish cleaning them up while you get Elizabeth in a nursing gown and your bed cleaned up please?" Gladys asked. "We don't want her to move a lot right now."
Lucas hesitantly passed his daughter off to Gladys and went to the nursery to grab a nursing gown for Elizabeth. Elizabeth was mesmerized by her beautiful little boy who had her gorgeous blue eyes and hair and was struggling to pass him along.
Lucas returned, "You are more beautiful to me than you have ever been Elizabeth." He helped her change her clothes and clean up. He stripped the soiled linens from the bed and the protective cover they had put on it just in case this happened and remade it for her to get comfortable while nursing their children. "You did wonderful Elizabeth; I can't even describe how full my heart is in this moment." He said kissing her deeply.
Lucas went into the nursery and he brought back the girls for Elizabeth to nurse, while Gladys showed Lucas how to prepare a baby bottle to help supplement feedings, so Elizabeth did not get burnt out. He moved the rocking chair into their room for their first evening as a family, wanting to be as close to all of them as possible. He could not wait until morning to tell Jack and was surprised he did not wake up.
Julie and Gladys went back to bed and left Lucas and Elizabeth to tend to their children. He sat in the rocking chair with little Caleb feeding him through a bottle and could not take his eyes off of his wife. He studied her feeding his children, "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met and I am so lucky that you chose me." He said emotionally as tears began to fall out of his eyes uncontrollably as he realized this was his dream for the longest time.
"We do make a wonderful family. Don't we?" She said. "I love you Mr. Bouchard!"
"I love you too Mrs. Bouchard and congratulations to us!"