Donovan was abruptly woken up early one morning, so early that the sky was still pitch-black outside. "Donovan. Donovan, wake up."
Donovan forced himself out of a deep sleep and rolled over to face his wife. "What's wrong?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes.
"I think I'm having contractions."
Donovan bolted upright in bed. "What?"
"How could that sentence possibly confuse you?"
"I just…you're not supposed to be in labor right now. You're supposed to be induced on the twentieth. I have a meeting with Mom and a couple of her friends from the Blairsville Country Club about hosting fundraising events for my campaign there today."
Abigail didn't respond; instead, she was leaning over her abdomen and breathing deeply, a few moans escaping her lips. Once her contraction ended, she sat up straight again and said, "Well, then I suggest you call your mom and tell her you'll have to cancel, because these babies are definitely coming today whether you like it or not."
Donovan took a few deep breaths to calm himself. He wasn't going to be one of those husbands who freaked out when his wife went into labor. "Okay, how long have you been feeling contractions?"
"Since about midnight," Abigail answered and breathed out a little. "I thought I needed to use the bathroom, but they kept coming consistently. I started timing them, and they're about ten minutes apart. Have been for the past two hours."
Donovan laid his hand on Abigail's shoulder and asked, "Did you contact Sarah?"
Abigail nodded. "She said to keep her up to date, but then she said we should both try to get some more sleep and time contractions every so often. She also mentioned to contact her if my water breaks or if I have a lot of bloody show. I want to try to wait until at least six or seven in the morning before having Cassie and Sarah come over here. I don't think I need the extra support right now."
Donovan was a bit hesitant before he asked, "How bad is the pain?"
Abigail heaved a long sigh. "The techniques we learned in Lamaze classes have been sufficient right now, but the only thing really getting me through it is the fact that I get to meet them at the end of this whole ordeal. It's been pretty painful, and I haven't even gotten to the hard contractions yet. I think I'm understanding why they say back labor is the worst, because it feels like my back is breaking."
Donovan kissed her head and began massaging her back. "Well, try to get some more sleep if you can. If you get too uncomfortable and need to move around, we'll do that."
After a few hours had passed, Abigail was too restless to lie still, so she paced the living room while Donovan made a few phone calls while she could handle the contractions herself. Once they were strong enough that Abigail needed extra support—more support than Donovan could handle by himself—he called Cassie. The phone rang a few times before he heard the oldest Merriwick's voice. "Hello, Donovan," Cassie answered.
Donovan had no clue whether Cassie knew it was him because of Caller ID or her witch powers, but he responded, "Cassie, we need you to come over to our house. Abigail's been in labor since midnight."
"I had a feeling that's why you called. I should be there in about an hour, max. Until then, I would suggest putting a few drops of lavender essential oil in the diffuser and doings things like massage and deep breathing to keep Abigail calm. I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Okay. Thanks, Cassie." Donovan hung up the phone, put the oil in the diffuser, and crouched down next to Abigail, who was on her knees and leaning over the seat of the sofa. He began massaging her lower back when she said, "I can't believe the moment has finally come. We're really about to become Mommy and Daddy." When Abigail said those words, panic went through Donovan; it was truly sinking in that he was about to become a father. Abigail sensed that he was hiding fear, so she said, "It's okay to admit you're scared. So am I."
"I'm surprised you can still sense everything," Donovan teased lightly.
"They're not that bad yet. Just hurts to lie still. The worst part is the back pain doesn't go away in between contractions," said Abigail before she began breathing through another contraction. When it was over, Abigail said, "I think Cassie's here."
Donovan took that as code to answer the door, and sure enough, his cousin-in-law was on the other side. Donovan stepped aside to allow Cassie into the house. The room was dark with the exception of one lamp in the corner providing some light, and Klondike was pacing back and forth before he came over to greet Cassie. "Hey, boy," Cassie whispered as she crouched down and pet him.
"He's hasn't been still for a while now. I think he can sense that something's up," said Donovan. "He also needs to go for a walk and be fed."
"I can do both of those things," said Cassie.
"I wanted to go on the walk with you. I just had to wait until you got here so you could control Klondike while Donovan supported me," said Abigail, coming over to her husband and cousin.
"Are you sure you're up for that?" asked Donovan as he laid his hand on the small of Abigail's back.
"I've been texting Sarah, and she said it would be good for me to take a walk around the neighborhood to strengthen contractions. And since I don't intend to be one of those women who's in labor for three days, I'm going to take her advice," said Abigail grumpily. She was so done with carrying around two babies every day. "They've received their eviction notice, and I plan to enforce it."
Donovan and Cassie chuckled to each other. Clearly, Abigail was doing well enough that she hadn't lost her personality yet. Donovan grabbed his keys, while Cassie put Klondike on his leash before the three of them stepped outside. The sun was just beginning to rise, and there was a slight breeze blowing, an advantage for Abigail since she already felt warm from the intense physical nature of what she was enduring. Klondike was just happy to be outside, though he didn't quite understand why the walk ceased every so often—long enough for Donovan to help Abigail breathe through a contraction. They arrived back to their house, and for once, Donovan was grateful for Cassie's powers. She was able to intuitively know when to fetch water or ice chips, bring light meals or snacks, obtain damp washcloths, or whatever else Abigail needed.
Once it was morning, Donovan laid his hand on Abigail's shoulder and said, "I need to call Mom and tell her I have to cancel today's meeting for obvious reasons. I won't take too long. Love you."
Abigail nodded, and he kissed her forehead before going upstairs. Abigail continued to rock on her hands and knees, but she turned to Cassie and said, "I figured it out." Cassie faced Abigail, but didn't say anything. "Don't act like you don't know what or whom I'm talking about."
"When did you figure it out?"
"A few weeks ago. Why didn't you…" Abigail sucked in a sharp breath when she felt another contraction building. "Tell me?"
It was taking all of Abigail's concentration to focus on breathing through contractions, so Cassie stayed silent and applied counter-pressure. Once it ended, Cassie said, "You've never backed down from a good mystery."
"True, but it would have been nice to know that the woman who's assisting me with the birth of children was my mom's best friend in college. Kind of both my and your family by extension. Now, I'm afraid it's going to be awkward."
"Maybe," Cassie placated, "but I have a feeling it will be more special than you realize."
"One more question," Abigail began, only to be silenced by another contraction. "How DID you do this without drugs? I feel like someone is stabbing me in both the back and the abdomen with a fiery knife every eight to ten minutes."
"A lot of coaching. A lot of concentration. And a lot of choice words for Jake."
Donovan came back down the stairs and said, "Mom is letting Daniel and Dad know, but Dad's on a business trip in Philly, so…" Abigail nodded in understanding. "How are you feeling?"
"I think the contractions are coming closer together and lasting longer, so we should time a few," answered Abigail. "Also, I think I want Sarah over here ASAP."
"Are you sure?" asked Donovan.
"I don't know how much longer I can take the pain, but I want to see if she has any suggestions before we go to the hospital. So, unless I'm looking at the anesthesiologist who's about to place my epidural, I need Sarah to be here so I'm looking at someone who will help me relieve the pain, and not the man who contributed to my current agony," said Abigail through gritted teeth.
Cassie called Sarah, and it wasn't long before the doula arrived. "Hi," Sarah said quietly and smiled as Cassie let her into the room. "Long time, no see."
"It doesn't feel that long ago that you were helping me," Cassie admitted.
The two women went further into the house, where Donovan was sitting on the couch, and Abigail was rolling on a birthing ball in front of him. He smiled and nodded in greeting as Sarah crouched down in front of Abigail. "Hey, Abigail, how are you feeling?"
"Unlike the person who named morning sickness, the person who labeled childbirth 'labor' did so appropriately," quipped Abigail.
"How far apart are the contractions?"
"They're six minutes apart and about forty-five seconds long. Have been for about an hour," answered Donovan as he checked the contraction timer app on his cell phone.
"Longest forty-five seconds of my life each time," said Abigail. "And it doesn't help that he keeps telling me to breathe and relax."
"How's your level of pain on a scale of one to ten?"
"During contractions: ten. In between contractions: seven. I think Baby B is still sunny-side up because my back is hurting so bad. I've tried everything to get him to turn, but I don't think there's enough room."
"Have you tried walking or laboring on your hands and knees?" asked Sarah.
"And lunges on the stairs, and downward facing dog, and rolling my hips on a birthing ball," Abigail listed. "Nothing's working to turn him, and nothing is working to relieve the pain."
"Have you tried hydrotherapy yet?" asked Sarah gently.
Abigail shook her head. "No, I was afraid I would get in the tub too early and stall labor." She hissed when another contraction struck.
"I think you're far enough along that a soak in the tube won't stop anything," assured Donovan.
Cassie stayed on the first floor, while Donovan and Sarah helped Abigail in the bathroom. Cassie took Klondike for another walk, because she had the feeling it wouldn't be long before they had to leave for the hospital. Sure enough, when Cassie arrived back at the house, Sarah was on the first floor, gathering a few things. "Is it time?" asked Cassie.
"Yes, her water broke a short while ago, or at least for one of them, not to mention the fact that she specifically said that there's an epidural calling her name. Her contractions are also five minutes apart and lasting a full minute for an hour, so I think it's time to go and get her some relief. We're going to take Donovan's car, but I'll drive to Hillcrest."
"And how's Donovan doing?"
"He's hanging in there. He can probably take a short break once Abigail is settled at the hospital."
"Okay, I'm supposed to take Klondike back to my house, so Sam and I will meet you at Hillcrest. I'll also call others and have them meet me in the waiting room."
Sarah nodded, and Cassie left with Klondike. After they gathered everything that they needed, the group of three made the drive to the hospital, and Sarah called Dr. Spencer on the way. It was the longest twenty-five minutes of Abigail's life. Once they arrived, they checked in and got Abigail settled into her room, where Dr. Spencer came to greet them. "Well, it looks like we don't have to worry about the induction now, do we?"
"Does it look like we have to worry about the induction?" asked Abigail snippily. Donovan couldn't help but chuckle slightly. He knew it was her pain talking, but Abigail was still Abigail.
"How far apart are the contractions?"
"They were five minutes apart and holding for one when we left the house," Donovan answered.
"Okay, we're just going to perform an ultrasound to make their positions are still adequate for a vaginal delivery, and if so, we'll connect you to the monitors and check your dilation. All right?"
Abigail nodded, and Dr. Spencer performed the ultrasound. Both babies were head down, though Baby B was still posterior. "He's as stubborn as his daddy," muttered Abigail, to which Donovan gave her a 'look who's talking' expression.
"I just need to check your dilation now." Dr. Spencer conducted the exam and said, "You're at about three centimeters ninety perfect effaced. We typically wait until the mother is at four centimeters dilated to administer the epidural." Abigail moaned in frustration into the pillow. "It shouldn't be too much longer, Abigail. I'll let Dr. Adams know that you're close to four centimeters so he can be on standby and start getting things ready. One of your amniotic sacs is still intact. Do you want me to break it to speed things up? It should help." Abigail nodded, and Dr. Spencer did so before saying, "I'll be back soon."
"Thank you, Dr. Spencer," said Donovan, and Dr. Spencer left the room. The nurse administered pre-epidural medications, while Sarah helped Abigail with position changes for the time being. Donovan couldn't help but feel helpless right now. Abigail was usually so strong, sassy, and sarcastic, so to see her so miserable and vulnerable hit him hard. Add the fact that both Sarah and Abigail had powers he didn't have, and it stung a bit more. He sat down on the bed behind her and stroked her back. "I'm here, honey. I know it's hard, but you can do it. I believe in you. And relief is coming."
"Not…soon…enough," Abigail breathed out in between pants.
Twenty minutes later, Dr. Spencer did another cervical check and announced that Abigail was at four centimeters. "I'll go get Dr. Adams." Sarah, Donovan, and Abigail nodded, and Abigail squeezed Donovan's hand when another contraction occurred.
Soon, a sandy-blond haired doctor knocked and stuck his head into the room. "Abigail Pershing-Davenport?" Abigail nodded, and he entered the room. The look on her face at the first sight of him was much more tender and loving than when she had first laid eyes on Donovan. "I'm Dr. Adams, and I'm here to administer your epidural."
"Oh, thank God," Abigail muttered in gratitude.
"I just need to go over the procedure with you, explain the risks, and have you sign the consent form. Also, typically, only one person is allowed to stay with mom," said Dr. Adams.
Sarah and Donovan looked at each other, but Abigail said, "Donovan, go take a break. I'm sure you're hungry and thirsty."
"I can coach her through it, Donovan. Sometimes, dad can become a bit nervous with the placement anyway."
"Are you sure?" asked Donovan.
Abigail nodded. She had another contraction, but then she said, "You'll be of no use to me if you don't care for yourself."
"In total, it should take about thirty to forty-five minutes to complete everything. That'll give you enough time to get something to eat and drink and update anybody in the waiting room."
"All right," Donovan responded and kissed Abigail's forehead. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Love you."
"Loveyoutoo," she muttered, and he left the room.
Donovan meandered the long hallways until he found the waiting room for family and friends. He found his mother, brother, aunt, uncle, and cousin along with Cassie, Sam, Grace, Nick, George, Joy, and Zoey. "Donovan." Dotty came over to him and hugged him. "How's Abigail doing?"
"She's fine; she's getting her epidural now," he answered. "Our doula is helping her through it. I'm surprised all of you are here."
"I work the night shift tomorrow, so I have off today," answered Zoey.
"Being Chief of Surgery has its privileges," said Sam.
"Well, we appreciate you all being here," said Donovan.
"Go get some food. You can update us when she's closer to delivering," Cassie said and laid a hand on his shoulder.
He nodded and found the hospital cafeteria. As Donovan ate, he couldn't help but feel a plethora of emotions since he was away from his wife for the time being. He was terrified something would go wrong or that something would happen to one or both of the babies or Abigail or that he would turn out to be a terrible father. It wasn't long before he had company. "So, the big day has finally arrived, huh?"
Donovan looked up at Adam and answered, "Yes."
"May I join you?" Donovan motioned to the seat on the other side of the table, and Adam sat in it. "I sense something is bothering you."
"Who are you: my wife?" Donovan joked.
"No, just a pastor in tune with the world and the people around him," Adam admitted. "Plus, I've talked to a lot of nervous first-time dads when the time comes."
"Just wait until it's you and Stephanie in this situation. I guarantee you won't be so calm and philosophical. I guess it's just that I thought I would have gotten over my fears by now, but I haven't. They came on stronger when Abigail woke me up and told me she was going into labor."
"I know I can't speak from personal experience, but I don't think anyone is ever fully ready to become a parent."
"No, and when you're having twins, you know you have double the chance to screw up."
"You'll make mistakes, because there is only one person in history who lived a perfect life," said Adam. "But you'll learn from them, and your kids will still love you regardless."
Donovan said, "I'm just afraid I'm going to turn into my dad by working too much and missing their lives." He stayed silent again before he asked, "What do you do when you're scared?"
"Sometimes, I talk to Stephanie. Sometimes, I talk to the Lord about it," admitted Adam. Donovan had been raised Methodist as a kid, but he had rarely been to church since his teen years other than Christmas, Easter, and his wedding. "Regardless, you are allowed to have fears and voice them to Abigail. I just wouldn't recommend doing so right now, or you'll face Abigail's wrath."
Donovan chuckled and checked his watch. "The anesthesiologist should be finished by now. Thanks for listening."
"It's part of my job."
Donovan made his way back to Abigail's hospital room and knocked quietly. Sarah answered the door and let him into the room. Abigail smiled when she saw her husband. "Well, look who's smiling now."
"I could've given that anesthesiologist a kiss," she answered.
"She did have a bit of a drop in blood pressure after they placed the epidural, so the nurse put some medication in her IV. Baby A also had a drop in heart rate, so they put an oxygen mask on Abigail until it came back up again. It's still here in case she needs it," informed Sarah.
Donovan nodded and took a seat in the chair next to the bed. "How…how's your pain?"
"It went from a ten to a three or four," Abigail answered. "Still have some sharp back pain during contractions, but it's gone in between them. I still feel pressure during contractions, though, like I have to use the bathroom or something. But it's so much better. I'm so glad I got the epidural. The pain was so bad, and I was so done with it." Abigail yawned.
"Why don't you try and get some rest? You might not be able to go into a deep sleep, but you might be able to have a power nap. It will help you regain energy for the hard work to come," suggested Sarah.
"Don't remind me that I have to do the physically hard part twice," quipped Abigail, and she closed her eyes.
Hours passed, and though Abigail wasn't in as much pain thanks to the medication, it was still proving to be a long, hard day. Donovan would massage Abigail's shoulders while offering words of encouragement, while Sarah would offer sips of water and Gatorade or spoonfuls of ice chips. The couple would be lying if they didn't admit that she also snuck in some popsicles, granola bars, or peanut butter crackers too. At one point, Abigail began shaking so badly she rattled the railing of the bed. Donovan looked up at Sarah with a concerned look, though the older woman was smiling as she rubbed Abigail's head. "Is she all right?" asked Donovan.
"She's just fine. Shaking often means mom is in transition."
"But I'm not in a lot of pain. More than I was before, but not as badly as before I got the epidural, so I don't know why I'm shaking so much," Abigail moaned.
"That's because even though you can't feel as much pain, you still have a lot of hormones coursing through you—ones that are helping your body bring your babies to meet you." Sarah wiped Abigail's forehead and neck with a cool washcloth, as the laboring witch was covered in a thick layer of perspiration.
While Donovan trusted Sarah, he still was worried so he softly asked, "How bad is your pain?" It certainly LOOKED bad.
"About a five," Abigail answered and blew out a long breath. "It's still pretty sharp in my back, and I'm feeling a lot of pressure."
"I thought the epidural was supposed to take away the pain?" asked Donovan to Sarah.
"They're not always one hundred percent effective, depending on the woman or the baby's—or in your case—babies' positions."
Donovan didn't know what happened, but some instinct in him stirred. Abigail was having his babies, and she needed him to be there for her. Not that he hadn't been before now, but this was going to be one of the biggest days of their lives, both individually and as a couple. While of course he had been through his own physical hardships—falling off his motorcycle, sports injuries, and whatnot—he knew he wouldn't have the pain tolerance or the physical endurance to endure what was going on twenty-one hours of labor. He had seen Abigail go through a lot, but this moment…no matter how cliché it was, it was a bit awe-inspiring for Donovan. He sat down next to her on the bed, took her hand in his, and kissed it. "You're doing so good, honey," he whispered and stroked her hair.
"It's easy for you to say," Abigail said, though she smiled a little. "But would you do me a favor? Would you hand me the button for the medicine?"
"Sure," Donovan said as he did so.
Donovan continued to coach Abigail with her breathing, while Sarah provided hydration in various forms. "Am I fully dilated? I feel like I need to push soon."
"I'll go find Dr. Spencer," said Sarah, and she left the room.
"Deep breath, honey. Blow as if you're blowing out a candle, just like the Lamaze instructor taught us." He started to demonstrate.
"Oh, shut up, Donovan," said Abigail through gritted teeth. "Unless you are the one about to push two human beings through your crouch, you don't get to tell me how to breathe. Besides, I don't think I could not push even if I wanted to. My body is just doing it."
"All right," Dr. Spencer said as she entered the room and put on some gloves, "let's see how far along you are, Abigail." Dr. Spencer did the exam and said, "About nine-and-a-half centimeters; you still have a little bit of cervix left. Should be about another five to ten minutes." Abigail grunted as she leaned back into the pillows. "That's usually one or two more contractions. I'll go and start getting the operating room ready. Donovan, Sarah, the nurses should be in with the gowns, hats, slippers, and masks shortly."
They nodded, and Dr. Spencer disappeared. "Someone should probably update everyone. I don't think her body will allow us to wait much longer."
"I can do it; stay with her," said Sarah.
Sarah made her way to the waiting room. Cassie stood when she saw her, and the others followed suit. "Is everything all right?" asked Joy.
"She's fine. She's almost fully dilated. They're getting ready to move her to the operating room now."
"Operating room?" asked Grace worriedly.
"It's Hillcrest policy for women having twins to deliver in the operating room just in case they end up needing a C-section," explained Sam. "It's just a policy of caution." Grace nodded in understanding.
"Is this your daughter now?" asked Sarah to Cassie.
Cassie smiled and nodded. "Yes. Grace, this is Sarah. Sarah, this is my daughter Grace. She was also my doula when I had you."
"Hopefully, we'll have two babies soon." Sarah left the room.
Dotty took a deep breath, and Cassie came up beside the older woman and asked, "Dotty, I'm going to get some coffee. Did you want to join me?"
Even Dotty Davenport had been around the Merriwicks long enough to know that Cassie's advice usually helped people, so she nodded and followed Cassie to the cafeteria. The two women were silent as they poured their coffee, but Dotty finally said, "It's so strange to know that my baby is about to have two of his own babies."
"I can't even begin to imagine how I'll feel when my kids have children of their own," said Cassie.
"I blinked, and both of my boys became men."
"Well, it might not be exactly the same, but you'll soon have both a granddaughter and a grandson to love," said Cassie.
The women made their way back to the waiting room, and soon after, a surprising figure rushed into the waiting room. "Davis?" Dotty asked in surprise as she stood and walked over to her ex-husband. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean 'what am I doing here?' Our daughter-in-law is in labor, correct?"
"Yes, but I thought you had business meetings in Philadelphia?" asked Dotty.
"I did, but once you called and told me Abigail was in labor, I finished the meeting I was in, postponed the ones I had scheduled later today, rushed to the airport, and boarded the next available flight to Chicago. There's a lot of rain on the east coast due to the remnants of a hurricane, so I was not sure I was going to make it. Has Abigail had the babies yet?"
"No, she is getting ready to move to the operating room soon," answered Dotty. "You might as well sit here and worry with the rest of us."
By the time Sarah had arrived back to Abigail's hospital room, Donovan was already dressed in his sterile clothing, and Dr. Spencer was as well. "She's fully dilated, so we just need to put on your gear, and then we'll be ready to go."
"This is it, babe. Are you ready?" asked Donovan as he took Abigail's hand.
Abigail smiled and nodded. "Let's do this."
Two nurses came into the room and helped roll the bed down the hall. The operating room was bright with its fluorescent lights. There were two pediatricians and two neonatal nurses—one for each baby—two labor and delivery nurses, Dr. Adams, and another OB/GYN along with Dr. Spencer. "Okay, let's just check the position of both babies one more time," said Dr. Spencer as she performed another ultrasound. "And they're both still head down, so you're good."
"Just turning down your epidural a bit so you can feel to push," explained Dr. Adams as he did so.
"Believe me: I feel plenty of pressure," muttered Abigail.
"All right," Dr. Spencer sat down at the end of the bed, "can you feel your contractions?" Abigail nodded. "When you feel one coming, I want you to take a deep breath and hold it for ten seconds, and we're going to try to do that pattern three times during a contraction. Okay?" Abigail nodded again. When she felt one building, she grabbed Donovan's hand, while Dr. Spencer instructed, "All right, push!"
Sarah counted while Abigail pushed. "Good job, honey," Donovan said encouragingly. "You can do it."
"It's like squeezing a flaming bowling ball out of you," Abigail quipped sharply once the contraction was over. "We are never having sex again."
Sarah snickered a bit, and Donovan asked, "Do you hear that phrase a lot?" She nodded in response.
"Okay, another push, Abigail," said Dr. Spencer. "Good job: first baby is coming down beautifully."
"You're doing so good, honey. I'm so proud of you," Donovan praised.
"What is up with you? You're never this mushy," said Abigail.
"Never?" Sarah raised an eyebrow.
"The first time we met, she threatened to give me a ticket even though she's not a police officer," said Donovan.
Abigail groaned, "Dr. Spencer, I need to push again."
"All right, deep breath and push. That's it. Good girl. I can see the crown of the first baby's head. When you have your next contraction, I need you to push more gently as I help deliver the head."
Abigail pushed, and Donovan said, "The first baby's coming, honey. She's so close. And she has a lot of hair."
"One more big push. Give it all you've got," said Dr. Spencer. Abigail took a deep breath and grunted as her first baby was delivered. "Here she is. Congratulations!" Dr. Spencer announced as she placed the baby girl on Abigail's chest and into her welcoming arms.
"11:23 p.m," said one of the nurses.
"Hi," Abigail said and smiled as tears streamed down her cheeks. The baby was small, but that was expected for a twin birth. "Donovan, she's here," Abigail said and sighed as she cried tears of joy. She was absolutely speechless, and she was so in love. Baby girl Pershing-Davenport has a full head of dark-brown hair and beautiful, bright hazel eyes.
"She's beautiful." He pulled down his surgical mask and kissed his wife's forehead. "I love you so much."
"Congratulations," said Sarah proudly.
"We'll give you a few moments. When you feel the urge to push again, let me know, and we'll take baby girl for her APGAR exam. Baby B is still head down, but posterior, so his delivery might be a bit more work."
Abigail nodded. She didn't even care at that point. She couldn't wait to hold both of them in her arms.
Ten minutes later, Abigail felt the urge to push again, so Donovan cut the cord, and the neonatal team took the baby to perform their exam. "Okay, I think you know the drill by now," said Dr. Spencer. "Deep breath and push."
The ecstasy of meeting her daughter quickly dissipated for Abigail when pushing out Baby B hurt more. "I thought you said pushing the second one out was easier?" she complained.
"Unfortunately, posterior deliveries often take longer and can cause more back pain," explained Dr. Spencer.
"It's almost over, honey," said Donovan.
"And I will be making sure this is my first and last delivery combined," said Abigail.
At 11:45 p.m., Baby Boy Pershing-Davenport was born. He had the same hazel eyes as his sister, though he appeared to be mostly bald. The neonatal team took him and performed their exam before placing both babies on Abigail's chest. "Baby girl is 5 lbs., 3 oz. and 20 inches long. Baby boy is 5 lbs. even and 18 inches long," informed Dr. Spencer.
"That's good, right?"
"They're a little small, but they're in the average range for twins. If you want to start breastfeeding, it might help with the delivery of the placenta."
Abigail looked at Donovan and bit her lip. She looked back at Dr. Spencer and said, "We've decided to formula feed because it's more practical for us."
"Okay, that's fine then. I can give you some Pitocin in your IV to help with the delivery if you'd like?"
"That's fine," Abigail said. One of the nurses hooked up the medication, and Dr. Spencer said, "We're going to give you a few more moments alone, but we'll soon be moving you back to your room."
"Okay, thank you, Dr. Spencer," said Donovan. The medical team left the room. Donovan glanced down at his babies, and somehow, they both looked almost exactly like him. "They take after me: handsome and charming." Abigail smiled and chuckled weakly, as she was clearly spent. "You did so good, honey. I'm so proud of you. Thank you for giving me two beautiful babies."
"These are the only children you will ever have, because I'm not doing that again, so enjoy them."
"That's fine. Two kids going through the same stages of life simultaneously will be more than enough to handle."
"God, that was so painful. If the anesthesiologist had come ten minutes later, I think I would have passed out from the pain. I have no clue how Cassie did it naturally."
"Everyone is different, sweetheart." Donovan kissed Abigail's forehead. "I love you."
"Speaking of Cassie, I should probably let the others know they've arrived while they transfer you back to your room," said Sarah.
The couple nodded, and Sarah left the room, leaving the new family of four alone to cherish their first moments together.