Chapter 59: New life
Chris was still sleeping when the nurse brought the babies back in the room. Jim enjoyed this moment alone to watch them, all three. The people he loved the most in his life. He was fine. He was happy. He was blessed. And he will never be got rid of this view. For long, he thought all this fantasy was a pipedream in his head. And then he got Chris, she became his wife and now them. Life could be crazy sometimes.
As he was lost in his dream, Chris woke up from her nap. Her eyes were still full of sleep but she heard one of the babies was starting to be hungry. The nurse came back and explained to her how to breastfeed them. Street watched her. She was so focused, trying to do her best, not to miss a step, not to fail.
Baby one was the first to eat. Then Baby two. Jim looked at the scene with admiration. Nature could be magical. "You want to end the work?" The nurse was handed him a baby's bottle while she had Baby 1 in her arms. He just nodded, shyly. He was impressed. This tiny person was under his watch and he didn't want to do something bad. The nurse explained to him everything before walking away and letting them alone.
"Call me if you need anything."
Jim ended to give Baby 1 his bottle and then gave him to Chris while he took Baby 2 to end to feed him. As it was done, both of the babies felt asleep after benching. For a while, they remained silent looking at the marvels they had created while having fun.
"Maybe we should name them… Not that I don't like Baby 1 and Baby 2 but we could give them more friendly names…"
Chris grinned at her husband. He was right, these little wonders deserve a name. And cool, beautiful ones.
"You're right… Baby 1 and Baby 2 are cool but kind of disturbing in society." She laughed. He soon imitated her.
"What about Nate for Baby 2…" Chris proposed shyly. "As he's calm like you…"
"I like that." He answered, touched by her thought. He looked at Baby 1 one more time and raised her head to look at Chris in the eyes. "I was thinking of Aaron for Baby 1, you once told me you liked this name and as he's as fierce as his mom…"
"Sounds perfect." She was surprised he reminded of this brief moment that had happened years ago.
They remained like that for hours but they didn't care. The moment was so perfect, so frozen in time.
"Hey look who's here!" They jumped as they heard Hondo's voice. "We came here as soon as the shift ended!"
They soon saw Deac, Tan, Luca, Hicks, Lynch, Rodriguez as well as Annie and Bonnie and even Joyce appeared in the doorframe. With balloons. A lot of rainbow balloons. And two giant Teddy Bears.
"Don't you believe I will let you get out of this without the big bears?" Tan told them as he entered the room.
"Gift from Joyce to her new best friends!" Bonnie emerged from behind her husband with Joyce in the baby carrier.
"The kids here add balloons and cute little slippers!" Annie told while Deac handed all the packages to the new parents.
"And the uncles here offer their services to keep the kids if the parents need some fresh air!" Luca offered, pointing at him and Hondo who made a curtsy.
"Seriously guys, you shouldn't have? It's crazy." Jim thanked their friends, blushing.
"Really crazy, it's adorable…" Chris didn't know what to say facing so much kindness.
"Our pleasure! And now introduce us to our new accomplices!" Hondo asked in a hurry.
Chris and Jim shared a conniving glance before saying at the same time. "You first."
"Look at them! So in sync that they talk at the exact same time!" Tan teased them.
"I find this kind of cute." Bonnie told while stroking the top of the head of her baby.
"Second this!" Annie said from behind.
Chris nodded to Jim who understood he was the first to talk. "Meet Aaron Dominique David, first born and already showing his bad temper like his mom." He turned to Chris, sticking the tongue. She faked to roll her eyes and swung her head, grinning.
"And meet baby 2, more carefree like his dad, Nate Daniel Victor."
"Both are fine like their wonderful mama who kept yelling at me for the whole time of the deliver."
"Oh that, it's perfectly normal, bro!" Tan answered right away, sending a kiss to Bonnie.
"Of course, we can do this, I mean, we do all the work!" Annie approved Chris's attitude during the delivery.
"Annie is right, we don't do too much in reality. Just assisting." Deac confessed, shamefully.
"But wait, you name the baby after us?!"
"That's the idea, Luca." Chris started to laugh.
"That's… huge." Hondo didn't know what to say. He was touched by the attention. Chris and Jim could see he was restraining some tears.
"It was so obvious to us… I mean you're our family. You'll be in the life of these little beans forever. Better bear the same name, no?"
"Pretty clever, Street. Thanks bro. Thanks Chris. Means a lot…" Tan came closer and hugged Street, then Chris. Luca followed by Hondo came after. Deac came in last.
"Really, it means a lot." He told to Chris and Street, whispering to contain his emotion.
"Our pleasure, Deac." Street concluded, letting Chris nodding by his side, restraining herself the tears that were in her eyes. At this precise moment, she cursed once again her hormones which made her look like a real softie.
The team kept talking for a while till they heard a noise coming from behind them.
"Hey Chrissy, Jiminy, we arrive as fast as we could as soon as we heard the news!" Sarzo entered the room, followed by Elena.
"Uncle Sarzo! Auntie Elena!" Chris's face illuminated even more when she saw them enter the room.
"Come, come, and meet your grandchildren!" Sarzo took Jim in his arms.
"Oh my God, they are so tiny!" Elena was crying.
"Auntie, no llores o yo también lloraré!" Chris warned her as she was feeling the tears rolling down her cheeks. "Do you want to hold Nate?"
"Oh his name is Nate?"
"Yes, like Jim's brother." She gave him a conniving, pure look.
"And Sarzo, would you like to hold Aaron?"
"Aaron like your favorite teacher when you were in middle school?" Elena didn't know which way to turn.
"Yes… He saved my life after Mom died… The less I could do. Jim came with the idea. To be honest. One of his best ideas."
"We're gonna let you now." Deac announced. "Really happy to have seen all of you. Chris, Street, enjoy these little things, they grow up too fast!"
They both nodded and waved at their friends before they got out of the room. Then they looked at Sarzo and Elena, and their eyes full of stars, admiring their grandsons. Jim came closer to Chris, paying attention not to move the bed when he sat next to her.
"Think they already have fans."
"Who can resist their sweet, little baby faces… Especially when Aaron has his father's dimples and Nate the little nose of her mom?"
He took her hand and pressed it tighter. "Thanks Chris." He whispered to her.
"For what?" She asked surprised.
"For bringing so much joy in my life."
She smiled at him, not knowing what to answer. She was blessed too to have him in her life. She wouldn't be there if he hadn't been here. Helping her in her darkest hours. Her two little, sweet, perfect babies neither. As only answer, she pressed his hand and stroke it with her thumb.
[…]
They came home a few days later. Both tired but happy to be back at their apartment with their two boys. The first days they had to learn how to adapt to the situation. All was new for them and no way they called Bonnie, Tan, Deac or Annie all the time as they suggested. They needed to find their own rhythm. Their own way to work.
Boys woke up every three hours. Chris breastfed them one after the others, Jim taking care of the baby who was not eating. Preparing the towels and cleaning if needed. After three days, they had found a semblance of habits.
"Team work makes the dream work!" Street announced proudly when Aaron and Nate were back to sleeping.
"Don't scream victory too fast, they have a lot of energy." Chris answered the eyes all of sleep.
"Maybe we should sleep a little too?"
"J, it's 3 PM…"
"Because you think they know about night and day already?"
She laughed. He was right. They needed to sleep when the boys were asleep too or they won't be able to follow the rhythm. He finished to tidy the kitchen and went to sit next to her in the coach. She was already half asleep, he dropped a kiss on the top of her head. She smiled and let her fall against him, hugging him while she nestled against him. He cuddled her tighter and closed his eyes. He didn't even know he could be tired at this point.
Days passed. Their habits became easier. After one week, they were almost getting better and better. Always so tired but taking care of Aaron and Nate had become simpler. On the contrary, the house was a real mess. They chose to focus on the kids first.
They enjoyed the moment the boys were asleep to end painting the room and assemble the pieces of furniture. Sometimes, Jim could see Chris was losing in her memories, looking all over the room, a sad look on her face. He knew she was thinking about Erica. It was her former room after all. And she was one of her best friends and lost her in tragic circumstances. He'd rather remain silent. If she wanted to talk, she would do it but at the moment, she was silent.
"Could you give me the screwdriver?" She jumped at the sound of his voice. "Unless you want to do it by yourself?"
She turned and smiled at him. She appreciated he didn't ask her any question, even if she knew he was totally aware of what she was thinking of.
"Give me that!" She grabbed the two wood planks Jim had in hands, making him laugh.
"So bossy, I love that."
"Someone must show you the right way, Long Beach."
"I'm all ear, Miss Alonso."
"Open your ears and eyes, these beds will be assembled before our two mini us wake up in less than 2 hours."
Days like these repeated themselves. Soon, the bedroom for the boys was ready. Another step in their parents' life. The first night they slept in here, Chris was not reassured at all and couldn't stop to check on them every ten minutes. Jim was more measured, despite being anxious Aaron and Nate accommodate to the situation the best way possible.
SWAT fam came to visit their new favorite little guys, bringing new gifts.
"New gifts? Guys, you shouldn't have!" Jim thanked his friends. New toys, new bears, new clothes. These kids were too spoiled and they were only two weeks old.
"Coffee for everyone?" Chris offered.
Hondo, Deac and Tan agreed. Alicia and Luca asked for fruit juice instead.
"And this one is from Nora! She wanted to come but she's on shift right now!" Luca handed a little box to Chris who was stunned.
"Seriously? Soon Jim and I would have to live in the street. Look at the place those boys take. Worse than Luca and his pinball machine!"
"Hey! Feels offended here! And you don't complain about my machine when you come to play at home!"
"Touché!" Jim mimed the man receiving an arrow right in the heart, making the whole team laughing.
"You'll tell Nora thank for the gift, the overalls are really too cute like the mini SWAT tee shirts!"
Street hurried to look at the clothes. It was absolutely too cute.
"Ready to be back home, Street?" Hondo asked after a while.
"Guess I don't have the choice." He laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I am. Just gonna be hard not to see my wife and kids all the time."
"Believe me, they will be all yours when you're back home. And speaking of the devils, just heard them, back on stage, Daddy!" Chris told before vanishing in the bedroom to feed her babies.
[…]
"So we agree… We're moving…" Chris asked shyly.
"It seems the better solution, no?" Jim looked desperately at all the messiness accumulated in the apartment. It was obvious they needed more place.
She nodded, pinching her lower lip. He knew it will be a huge step for her. She had been living here for almost 5 years now. First with Erika, then alone and finally with Jim. She had had a whole story with this apartment.
"But it can wait… I mean if you need more time…"
"No, Jim. Better when the kids are small. Imagine all they already have when they're just two-week old. I'd rather not to imagine how it will be in three or ten years. Was not kidding earlier when I told we will be soon living in the street." She started to snicker.
"Ummmm, joker…" He was happy to see she now saw things at long term. No more fears, no more doubts. "Who could have believe we'll be the suburban house and white fences type?"
"Not me." Chris giggled.
"Me neither." Jim imitated her. "Life really can be surprising. Talking of surprise, just check on the clock and the boys slept for four hours and have not woken up…"
"Our first victory!" And this is when they heard a noise coming from the bedroom.
"Guess it's show time!" And before they became too noisy Jim and Chris were already on their way to the bedroom. These little boys needed some milk to keep growing.