December 24, 2001
Week 38
Birth is the sudden opening of a window through which you look out upon a stupendous project. ~William Dixon
Contractions had been bothering Abby all week, but she wouldn't let those ruin her first real Christmas with Luka. Christmas Carols blasted from their stereo. Abby smiled as she hung up the last green glass ball on the Christmas tree. She stood back with a smile.
"How does that look, Luka?" Abby asked. Luka glanced over at Abby.
"You look beautiful." Abby rolled her eyes.
"I mean the tree, Rico Suave." She said. Luka chuckled.
"When we get the lights plugged in it'll look better." Abby rubbed her back slowly as she watched Luka hang up four stockings. She smiled.
"You may do the honors then." Abby said, "I don't think I could bend over." Luka laughed.
"Okay then." Luka kissed her cheek and walked over behind the large Christmas tree and grabbed the wires. "Ready?"
"Yup." Abby smiled as a painful contraction coursed through her body. She leaned against the couh catching her breath. Luka plugged in the lights. Blue, green, red, and purple colours danced around the room. Luka smiled.
"How's that?" He asked.
"Oh my god." Abby clutched her stomach as a warm fluid ran down her legs.
"It's not that beautiful." Luka said staring at the tree, "I think it rates a Oh that's pretty."
"No Luka." Abby said, "My water just broke."
"I'll get you a new one." Luka said as he fixed a hanging ornament.
"No Luka! My water just broke." He dropped the ornament onto the floor. Luka spun around to face Abby. Sure enough she was standing in a puddle of Embeonic Fluid.
"Oh my god." Luka said, "Oh my god." Abby took in a deep breath reaching for Luka's watch and timing the contractions, "Oh my god. I need the hospital bag." He slid the watch off, handed it to Abby, and dashed up stairs. She breathed unsteadily through her nose as she sat down. She could hear Luka upstairs running around. She smiled slightly. Her water had broken. This was really happening. She held onto the chair as another contraction raced through her.
"Shit." She moaned breathing deeply. When it passed she glanced at the watch. Five minutes apart, "Luka! We need to go now!"
"I'm coming!" He dashed into the room; "I'm not forgetting you this time." She smiled slightly
"The contractions are five minutes apart." She said as Luka helped her up.
"Well, we'll be in the hospital in ten minutes." Luka said, "don't let them come until then."
"Don't worry." Abby said taking a deep breath in, "We have a long night ahead of us."
Two hours later
"You're only four centimeters." Pat said. Abby took a deep breath.
"God, it already hurts." She whimpered.
"I know." Pat said. "Why don't you go for a walk with Luka? It'll help loosen up your cervix, okay?"
"Okay." Abby said slowly getting up. The pressure in her pelvis made her move slower.
"If she has a contraction, just have her drape her arms around your neck and massage her back." Pat said.
"All right." Luka said gathering up Abby's IV and taking her by the waist. "You okay?" He asked slowly walking her out into the hallway.
"Oh just peachy." She said sarcastically. Luka smiled slightly.
"I should have brought the video camera." Luka said.
"I would have thrown it out the window if you did." She said taking in a deep breath, "its coming." Abby said leaning into Luka's chest. Luka massaged her lower back. She moaned loudly. "Oh god."
"It's okay, Abby. Just breathe through it." He said.
"I want to see you breath through this pain." Abby snapped standing up. Luka smiled and kissed her forehead.
"Just remember what the out come of this will be." Luka said.
"I know...Can I get a drink?"
"Sure."
Five Hours Later
Abby sat in the bed as Luka massaged her back roughly. Janet walked in.
"Good news and bad news, Abby." She said. Abby looked up at her.
"What?" She snapped/ Luka gave Janet a soft smile.
"You always wanted to do a natural childbirth right?" Janet asked. Abby frowned.
"No." Abby said firmly.
"Well...that's the bad news." Janet said, "Looks like our window of opportunity to get you the epidural has closed."
"What?? No!" Abby snapped, "I'm not doing this without the epidural."
"You can do it, Abby." Luka said. Abby shook her head.
"I can't, Luka!!" Abby cried, "I cry when I stub my toe! There's no way I can do this, Luka."
"Abby, why don't you lay down on your side?" Janet said, "It could alleviate some of the pain."
"No shit. I'm an OB nurse and I know how to fucking-...I'm sorry, Janet." Abby said quietly, "I didn't mean to snap."
"It's okay." Janet said helping Abby to lay down, "Labor can bring out the worse in people." She winked at Luka.
"Luka, can you massage my legs?" Abby whimpered softly. "They're cramping."
"Of course." Luka said sitting down next to her and running his hands down her legs. She moaned loudly as another contraction came. They were now two minutes apart and lasting fifty seconds. Luka knew they'd have the twins soon. Janet smiled.
"This is a nice Christmas gift." Janet said. Luka smiled.
"The best ever."
Four hours later
Luka patted Abby's forehead with a cool washcloth. She moaned softly.
"I need to push." She said.
"Not yet, Abby." Pat said putting some gloves on.
"God I have to!" Abby cried. "It hurts so badly. I need to push."
"Let me have a look at you." Pat sighed sitting in front of Abby. She moaned again. Luka sighed getting really anxious. She was already t this for eleven hours. It was seven o'clock in the morning. "You're ten centimeters."
"Goddamn. I need to push." Abby moaned.
"All right. All right." Pat said. Luka took Abby's hand in his and helped her sit up. "Push on the contraction, Abby."
"I know." She said taking a deep breath as the contraction came.
"Okay, Let's go." Pat said. Abby pushed as hard as she could. "1...2...3...4...5...beautiful, Abby. 6...7...8...9...and 10." Abby exhaled.
"Oh god." She breathed. Luka patted her for head.
"Good job sweetheart." He said.
"Very good job." Pat smiled. "Want to push again?"
"I want this over with now." Abby moaned.
"Within a couple hours, Abby, you will be done with this." Pat said.
"James and Sasha are ready for you to push again." Luka said. Abby nodded and geared up again.
"Okay, Abby. 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10." Pat said, "Excellent Abby. I can already see the baby's hair." She smiled Luka let go of Abby's hand and stood next to pat. He smiled brightly.
"I see the baby's head." He said with tears welling up in his eyes.
"Let's go get Janet." Pat said. Luka went to Abby's said again.
"We're having the twins today." He smiled.
One hour later
"Jesus Christ!" Abby cried with tears rolling down her checks. " Can't. I can't do this."
"Yes you can Abby." Janet said putting on her mask. Luka rubbed Abby's back. "Let's push again." Luka nodded, "Okay....1....2.....3...4..Beautiful."
"It burns." Abby cried. Luka bit his lip slightly.
"5...6...7...8...9..and 10." Janet said. "Excellent, Abby. A few more pushes and you'll have the head out." Luka kissed Abby's head.
"You're doing it Abby." He said. She smiled tiredly at him.
"Let's push again, Abby." Janet said. She nodded, took, a deep breath and started to push again. She tried to ignore the burning pain and focus on the fact that she's having twins on Christmas Day, but it was hard. She pushed with all her might when she felt the head come out. "Beautiful Abby! The heads out." Luka glanced down.'
"I see the head!! God its beautiful Abby!" Luka said almost in tears. Abby smiled at the huge beaming smile on his face.
"I want to see." She said.
"All right. Let's get the mirror in here. Here. You can feel its head." Janet smiled guiding Abby's hand down to the baby's head. She started to cry softly.
"That's our baby, Abby." Luka smiled as Pat set the mirror up so Abby could see the birth. Abby smiled with joy. Janet suctioned out the baby's mouth and nose.
"Okay Abby, this is the hard part." She said, "Once you get the shoulders out, its smooth sailing from there."
"Until the next baby." Abby said. Janet smiled slightly.
"Until the next baby." Luka kissed her forehead.
"You can do it, Abby." He said as she started to push again. The pain was excorticating.
"Shit." She cried, "I cant."
"Come on, Abby. You're doing great. Don't give up now." Janet said supporting the baby's head.
"God damn it." Abby breathed. "I fucking hate you Luka. Never again. We're not doing this again." Luka smiled softly knowing the pain was getting to her.
"Okay, baby. Let's just get these twins delivered." He said.
"Oh god." Abby cried loudly as she started another pushed.
"Beautiful, Abby. You're doing it." Abby gritted her teeth and pushed harder. Suddenly, Abby could feel the baby being pulled out from here. She cried from relief. "You have a beautiful baby boy." Janet held James up. Abby and Luka started crying.
"God he's so beautiful, Abby." Luka cried. Janet put the baby onto Abby's chest. She cried with joy. Abby kissed his forehead.
"H-Hello James." She said quietly.
"Okay, come on, Abby. Ready to do this again?" Janet asked. Pat smiled taking the baby from Abby and put him into the cradle with a warming blanket. Abby and Luka watched Pat clean off James.
"He's wonderful, Abby." Luka whispered. Abby smiled at Luka.
"I'm too tired to do it again." Abby said.
"Well, Sasha is going to come whether you're tired or not." Janet said. Luka brushed some of Abby's hair off her face.
"You're almost done Abby. You can hold the twins as soon as you're done." Luka said. Abby nodded.
"Ready?" Janet said gearing up for the next baby. Abby nodded.
"Let's get this pain over with." Abby moaned. Janet chuckled. Abby took in a deep breath and started to push again. She found it a tad easier the second time around and could feel Sasha move down quickly. "Okay, stop pushing." Janet said.
"What why?" Abby asked.
"Sasha turned around." Janet said. "I'm going to have to go in a turn her manually or we'll need to go in by cesarean."
"Oh god." Abby whimpered. "I don't want to do a cesarean after all this work."
"I'll try to move her. Just hold on a minute okay." Abby bit her lip and nodded. A tear slid out of her eyes as she glanced over at James as Janet reached in and took hold of Sasha. Luka squeezed Abby's hand. Abby winced slightly as Janet finished "Okay. She's in a great position now."
"Can I push now?" Abby asked.
"Yeah." Janet chuckled. Luka held Abby's hand tightly as she took in a deep breath and push. She could hear James' cries. It made her push harder. She wanted her babies in her arms. "Excellent Abby. Her head is out." Luka smiled.
"Almost, Abby." Luka kissed her head.
"Shit." Abby moaned as she started to push again. The pain was so great, but she didn't stop pushing until she felt the relief of no pressure in her pelvic bone anymore. Abby didn't realize what had happened until Luka kissed her and another baby started to cry. A baby was placed on Abby's chest. She started to cry was she realized it was Sasha.
"She's beautiful Abby. They're both so beautiful." Luka kissed her. Pat took Sasha from her arms and got the baby washed up. Abby started to cry uncontrollably. Luka wrapped his arms around Abby and kissed her softly. Tears flowed form his eyes as James and Sasha were brought over to them. James nuzzled into Abby's left are and Sasha snuggled into her right.
"Smile." Janet held up a Polaroid camera and snapped a picture of them. Luka kissed all three of theirs foreheads. He scooped Sasha from Abby and held her close.
"We're a family Luka." She said, "We're finally a family." Luka kissed her softly. They held their children in their arms tightly. James and Sasha were the best Christmas presents anyone could ever get.