Chapter 45- A Twist of Fate
When Celes woke up, she could hear two far away voices talking. Her focus slowly came in, and she could see that she was in her bedroom, in her bed. There were no other sounds except for those two voices. Her lower body ached so much, that she couldn't even sit up if she tried. Sweat adorned her forehead and matted her hair. Something was very wrong with her--she could tell by the way her body just....was so tired and aching.
Celes spotted the owners of the voices by the door to the bedroom. Locke was standing there, hands in his pockets, talking to a young woman with red hair wrapped in a tight twist and silver glasses.
"Locke...." Celes said in a pathetic voice. Locke turned away from the woman and smiled, walking over to her side. He took Celes' hand in his own and squeezed it gently.
"Hi dear, how are you feeling?" Locke asked.
"....Everything hurts." Celes replied softly, and then the woman approached them.
"Hi Celes, my name is Maggie." The woman said. "I'm a doctor here in town. Your husband came to get me when he said you started to get a bad pain in your stomach. You're pregnant, correct?" Celes widened her eyes, a new horror suddenly dawning on her.
"My baby!" Celes cried. "Oh my God, please, tell me my baby is..."
"The baby....is fine." Maggie said quickly. "Although, you, are not doing so well yourself. If you wern't so strong physically, I doubt either you or the baby could have made it through something like you just experienced."
"What happened to me?" Celes asked, near tears. "Is it ever going to happen again???"
"Celes..." Locke trailed off.
"I'm not exactly sure what happened, my dear." Maggie said. "I was sure that both of you knew that getting pregnant in this time and age is still considered a danger. The medical field of research in this area is still very slim."
"There was blood." Celes replied dryly.
"I know, but I managed to get your bleeding to stop before anything serious occured." Maggie explained. "Celes, do you know what an Ectopic pregnancy is?"
"....Yes..." Celes trailed off. "It's when the baby grows in a different place other than the uterus. But what does that have to do with anything?" She shook her head. "That's not what I have, right?"
"Celes....dear....Maggie thinks that is what the problem is." Locke said gently. "You show all of the symptoms..."
"No way!" Celes cried. "No, that can't happen to me! Do you know what happens to people with that problem? They DIE!" Celes clenched her fists together and Locke gently stroked her hair.
"Getting worked up over it does not make it any better." Maggie said softly. "There is a good survival rate, as long as you follow some simple directions. Celes, you still have four months to go in this pregnancy...and I am recommending that you stay in bed for the rest of them. No unecessary stress, no travelling, and absolutely no getting sick. Wintertime is dangerous also, and you need to be indoors at all times." Celes just stared at Maggie like she was on dragon grass.
"I can't just stay in bed." She snapped. "I have things to do."
"You have to, if you care at all for you and your baby's health." Maggie snapped back. "There will only be more attacks like the one you had today if you don't. Being ignorant will kill you."
"........" Celes didn't say anymore. She couldn't. Trapped in bed until April...trapped in her own pathetic body that just couldn't do anything right! What a horrible thing to learn on Christmas!
"I am going to come by every month or so, but you make sure you get ahold of me if you need me, alright?" Maggie asked, her tone surpressing back to normal. "I left you some sleeping pills, and anti-biotics that will help make you feel a little bit better throughout all this."
Celes still didn't reply, but Locke did for her.
"Thank you." Locke said, and stood up. "Let me walk you to the door." Locke and Maggie disappeared, and Celes sighed, closing her eyes.
Terra, is this why you were worried? She wondered. Is someone up there punishing me for changing my mind about wanting a family with Locke? Is this what happened to Locke's mom...?
Locke came back a few moments later, and put his hand on her shoulder. Celes opened her eyes and looked up at him, her face expressionless.
"I'll make sure I do anything I can...to help you." Locke stammered, his throat closing up. He couldn't take watching her lie in bed like that, as pale as a ghost, and in so much emotional and physical pain. This is what Rachel looked like while she was in her coma...He was almost positive his mother was like that too.
"Thank you Locke...but I think I am just going...to sleep." Celes replied, and let out another moan. Locke flinched and looked away.
"Alright. Call me if you need me." He said, and left the room, closing the door behind him tightly. Lowering his head, Locke let out a small sob and covered his face.
"Please....God, don't let me fail her."
**********
The next few months were hard but quiet. A new year rolled in, but on December 31st, Celes was too tired to even eat the celebration cake Locke made, so he had to share it with Alex. When he went in to tell her it was the New Year, she had been out like a light for the night.
But Celes' days were brighter when Terra and some of the others would come to visit. They all encouraged her as much as Locke did, and reminded her that everything would be better after the baby was born. Terra, Edgar, and Sabin all promised to be there for the big event.
One day, in mid-March, Locke was outside training Alex since it was so nice out. Celes was sitting up in bed, as big as ever, and trying to read a book full of baby names. There was nothing that she could decide on, for a boy or a girl, although, if it were a boy, Locke suggested naming it after his Grandfather Cole, Matthew. Celes liked that idea, but there was still the middle name, along with a totally different name for the girl.
Exhausted, Celes leaned back and pushed the big book off her lap and onto the floor with a thump. She was about to try to take another nap when a weird sensation came over her. She blinked, and tried to sit up a little more. Something very wet was on her legs and now on her pajamas. She almost freaked out because she immediately guessed it was blood...but this was different. As much as she hated to recall bad childhood memories, it almost felt like she had wet the bed like she did when she was young.
"LOCKE!" Celes yelled, feeling embarassed. She noticed from her view of the window that he had gotten up from Alex and approached the house. A few seconds later, Locke appeared in the doorway, panting.
"Yes dear?" He asked, thinking she was going through some sort of mood swing by the sight of the poor book that had been tossed on the floor. Celes turned red.
"Look at...my bed sheets, will you?" Celes asked. "There is something...weird down there." Locke tried not to laugh.
"Are you serious?" He asked as he slowly approached the bed.
"Yes." Celes said firmly. "It's...wet." Locke raised his eyebrows and lifted the covers off of Celes' body. He gulped and suddenly turned white.
"Celes, um, I think that would be your broken water." He said, taking a step back.
"My WHAT?!"
"Hon....I'm going to get the doctor now." Locke said. "Don't get out of bed!"
"I'm going to have the baby??? NO!" Celes' eyes widened. "This is too early! I mean, it's only March!?"
"Ack, I don't know." Locke said, trying to keep his head on straight. "Just let me get the doctor, I'll be back very soon, I promise!"
"Hurry your ass up!" Celes cried, and suddenly felt a short but quick pain shoot through her. "HURRY!" Locke dashed out of the room, and Celes bit her lower lip. She couldn't get ahold of Terra or anyone! She was going to be all alone until Locke came back. A million thoughts began to race through her mind, and she could do nothing to calm any of them. The loudest one, however, clearly screamed:
"What if...this is it for me? Will I die tonight?"
"No way!" Celes cried, although no one was there to listen. "Something as dumb as this is not going to put me down this early! I'm going to have this baby, raise it with Locke, watch Terra and Edgar get married (if he ever proposes to her, I mean, my God, it's been forever), and get really damn old! I was a Magitek Knight, and I finished off Kefka! This is a piece of cake!" Celes beamed proudly at her very moving speech but suddenly doubled over when another pain hit her. She could feel it kicking, somewhere inside of her. It wanted out almost as badly as she wanted it out!
"Why...did you have to be so damn impatient like your father?" Celes hissed and closed her eyes.
"Come on Maggie, she'll be really mad if we don't hurry!" Locke called to Maggie, who was running the best she could behind him.
"It's hard running in high heals!" Maggie protested while lugging her black bag with her. "But I'm not afraid of your wife!"
"She's really perked up in the past few weeks." Locke reminded her. "Her mood swings have also seemed to go up! I don't want to be on her bad side for the next few months, so just come on!"
Locke and Maggie burst into the house a few minutes later, only to be welcomed with a very loud scream from Celes. Locke pushed open the bedroom door, and Maggie plowed on through. Locke ran to Celes side and tried to take her hand, but when he did, she smacked him hard in the leg.
"OWW!" Locke cried.
"Where the HELL have you been?" Celes replied frantically.
"It's only been 6 minutes!" Locke protested as he tried to take her hand again and this time succeeded, only now she squeezed it without mercy. Locke knew better then to make any more remarks.
"Ok, Celes, you need to BREATHE, dear." Maggie said as she slipped on some gloves. "Apparently, your body is in a hurry to get in and out of labor. This isn't exactly common, and everything is going to go by very quickly for you. You can't lose your concentration once."
"Yes...Yes Maggie." Celes said, taking a deep breath. Although Maggie said things would go fast, everything was in slow motion for Celes. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. The pain was excrutiating, but Celes did not have the time or breath left to complain. She kept her eyes closed almost the entire time after Maggie screamed "Push, Celes, start pushing! Don't give up!" Oh, but how she just wished Maggie would let her rest for one second! She tried, but Maggie immediately started to scream "Don't you dare rest! Keep pushing Celes, we're almost there!" Celes could not take her yelling much longer.
She looked to Locke and smiled weakly. "Sorry about being so hostile bef--"
"Again, Celes!"
"I'm pushing! What the hell are you, a drill sergant?!"
"Really, Celes, you haven't looked more beautiful. And don't worry, I guess I would be hostile too if I were having a baby." Locke joked, and kissed her hand. Celes blushed slightly, not that you could tell by the color of her face already. Suddenly, Maggie let out a little gasp.
"Correction Mr. Cole, not 'a' baby."
"Huh?!" Locke and Celes cried in unison, turning to Maggie. Maggie was smiling proudly at the soon-to-be-parents.
"Celes, I may have just proved my own diagnosis for you wrong." Maggie explained, and turned back to Celes' legs.
"Excuse me?!" Celes cried.
"Push dear."
"Maggie!" Locke cried.
Celes suddenly let out a loud cry, and Locke felt her grip on his hand go limp. She began to breathe very heavily, without much of the steady pattern Maggie was demanding before.
"Get up here Mr. Cole, I need you to hold your....beautiful daughter!" Maggie exclaimed. Locke let out a cry of joy and kissed Celes' hand again before leaping up to Maggie and taking a squirming little red thing out of her arms. It was one of the most beautiful things Locke had ever laid eyes on, better then any treasure out there!
"Oh...a girl...how nice..." Celes panted, a soft smile on her lips. Maggie turned away from Locke and gave Celes a glare. "Come on, you've had your rest. Now keep pushing!"
"What are you doing to her?" Locke cried over Celes' protests and the baby's own shrill screams.
"Well, Mr. Cole, we can't take one baby out and leave the other in." Maggie snapped.
"Other?!" Locke exclaimed brightly. "As in..."
"Twins!" Maggie exclaimed as Celes gave out her last scream and hit the pillows on the bed. Maggie reached under the covers and came out with another red baby, this one slightly smaller than the last. She began to clean it up delicately as Locke stared at Celes in surprise.
"I....didn't know..." Celes moaned, bringing a hand to her forehead.
"I didn't either, until now." Maggie smiled, walking over to the side of the bed. "Here Celes, meet your son."
".....Oh my god..." Celes murmured, taking the baby in her arms. Locke also went to her side with the baby girl, which had suddenly gone quiet and peaceful.
"Twin instinct....they already have it." Maggie said. "As long as they are together, they probably won't cry or yell. Isn't that something? It's no wonder you had a complicated pregancy Celes...it was because of the twins. I suppose one of them, probably the boy, was tucked away much further back than his sister, which made it easy for me to diagnose the Ectopic pregnancy. Twins are also the cause for all your discomfort and pain. You didn't know at first that you had them, and you were straining your body when you should have been resting."
"So...Celes is going to be ok?" Locke asked, his heart skipping a beat.
"Yes! Just make sure she recovers in bed, and relaxes." Maggie smiled.
"Oh Locke..." Celes sniffled, about to cry. "I'm so happy...and I love you!"
"I love you too." Locke said, leaning in to kiss her forehead.
"So, what are ya gonna name them?!" Maggie exclaimed.
When Celes woke up, she could hear two far away voices talking. Her focus slowly came in, and she could see that she was in her bedroom, in her bed. There were no other sounds except for those two voices. Her lower body ached so much, that she couldn't even sit up if she tried. Sweat adorned her forehead and matted her hair. Something was very wrong with her--she could tell by the way her body just....was so tired and aching.
Celes spotted the owners of the voices by the door to the bedroom. Locke was standing there, hands in his pockets, talking to a young woman with red hair wrapped in a tight twist and silver glasses.
"Locke...." Celes said in a pathetic voice. Locke turned away from the woman and smiled, walking over to her side. He took Celes' hand in his own and squeezed it gently.
"Hi dear, how are you feeling?" Locke asked.
"....Everything hurts." Celes replied softly, and then the woman approached them.
"Hi Celes, my name is Maggie." The woman said. "I'm a doctor here in town. Your husband came to get me when he said you started to get a bad pain in your stomach. You're pregnant, correct?" Celes widened her eyes, a new horror suddenly dawning on her.
"My baby!" Celes cried. "Oh my God, please, tell me my baby is..."
"The baby....is fine." Maggie said quickly. "Although, you, are not doing so well yourself. If you wern't so strong physically, I doubt either you or the baby could have made it through something like you just experienced."
"What happened to me?" Celes asked, near tears. "Is it ever going to happen again???"
"Celes..." Locke trailed off.
"I'm not exactly sure what happened, my dear." Maggie said. "I was sure that both of you knew that getting pregnant in this time and age is still considered a danger. The medical field of research in this area is still very slim."
"There was blood." Celes replied dryly.
"I know, but I managed to get your bleeding to stop before anything serious occured." Maggie explained. "Celes, do you know what an Ectopic pregnancy is?"
"....Yes..." Celes trailed off. "It's when the baby grows in a different place other than the uterus. But what does that have to do with anything?" She shook her head. "That's not what I have, right?"
"Celes....dear....Maggie thinks that is what the problem is." Locke said gently. "You show all of the symptoms..."
"No way!" Celes cried. "No, that can't happen to me! Do you know what happens to people with that problem? They DIE!" Celes clenched her fists together and Locke gently stroked her hair.
"Getting worked up over it does not make it any better." Maggie said softly. "There is a good survival rate, as long as you follow some simple directions. Celes, you still have four months to go in this pregnancy...and I am recommending that you stay in bed for the rest of them. No unecessary stress, no travelling, and absolutely no getting sick. Wintertime is dangerous also, and you need to be indoors at all times." Celes just stared at Maggie like she was on dragon grass.
"I can't just stay in bed." She snapped. "I have things to do."
"You have to, if you care at all for you and your baby's health." Maggie snapped back. "There will only be more attacks like the one you had today if you don't. Being ignorant will kill you."
"........" Celes didn't say anymore. She couldn't. Trapped in bed until April...trapped in her own pathetic body that just couldn't do anything right! What a horrible thing to learn on Christmas!
"I am going to come by every month or so, but you make sure you get ahold of me if you need me, alright?" Maggie asked, her tone surpressing back to normal. "I left you some sleeping pills, and anti-biotics that will help make you feel a little bit better throughout all this."
Celes still didn't reply, but Locke did for her.
"Thank you." Locke said, and stood up. "Let me walk you to the door." Locke and Maggie disappeared, and Celes sighed, closing her eyes.
Terra, is this why you were worried? She wondered. Is someone up there punishing me for changing my mind about wanting a family with Locke? Is this what happened to Locke's mom...?
Locke came back a few moments later, and put his hand on her shoulder. Celes opened her eyes and looked up at him, her face expressionless.
"I'll make sure I do anything I can...to help you." Locke stammered, his throat closing up. He couldn't take watching her lie in bed like that, as pale as a ghost, and in so much emotional and physical pain. This is what Rachel looked like while she was in her coma...He was almost positive his mother was like that too.
"Thank you Locke...but I think I am just going...to sleep." Celes replied, and let out another moan. Locke flinched and looked away.
"Alright. Call me if you need me." He said, and left the room, closing the door behind him tightly. Lowering his head, Locke let out a small sob and covered his face.
"Please....God, don't let me fail her."
**********
The next few months were hard but quiet. A new year rolled in, but on December 31st, Celes was too tired to even eat the celebration cake Locke made, so he had to share it with Alex. When he went in to tell her it was the New Year, she had been out like a light for the night.
But Celes' days were brighter when Terra and some of the others would come to visit. They all encouraged her as much as Locke did, and reminded her that everything would be better after the baby was born. Terra, Edgar, and Sabin all promised to be there for the big event.
One day, in mid-March, Locke was outside training Alex since it was so nice out. Celes was sitting up in bed, as big as ever, and trying to read a book full of baby names. There was nothing that she could decide on, for a boy or a girl, although, if it were a boy, Locke suggested naming it after his Grandfather Cole, Matthew. Celes liked that idea, but there was still the middle name, along with a totally different name for the girl.
Exhausted, Celes leaned back and pushed the big book off her lap and onto the floor with a thump. She was about to try to take another nap when a weird sensation came over her. She blinked, and tried to sit up a little more. Something very wet was on her legs and now on her pajamas. She almost freaked out because she immediately guessed it was blood...but this was different. As much as she hated to recall bad childhood memories, it almost felt like she had wet the bed like she did when she was young.
"LOCKE!" Celes yelled, feeling embarassed. She noticed from her view of the window that he had gotten up from Alex and approached the house. A few seconds later, Locke appeared in the doorway, panting.
"Yes dear?" He asked, thinking she was going through some sort of mood swing by the sight of the poor book that had been tossed on the floor. Celes turned red.
"Look at...my bed sheets, will you?" Celes asked. "There is something...weird down there." Locke tried not to laugh.
"Are you serious?" He asked as he slowly approached the bed.
"Yes." Celes said firmly. "It's...wet." Locke raised his eyebrows and lifted the covers off of Celes' body. He gulped and suddenly turned white.
"Celes, um, I think that would be your broken water." He said, taking a step back.
"My WHAT?!"
"Hon....I'm going to get the doctor now." Locke said. "Don't get out of bed!"
"I'm going to have the baby??? NO!" Celes' eyes widened. "This is too early! I mean, it's only March!?"
"Ack, I don't know." Locke said, trying to keep his head on straight. "Just let me get the doctor, I'll be back very soon, I promise!"
"Hurry your ass up!" Celes cried, and suddenly felt a short but quick pain shoot through her. "HURRY!" Locke dashed out of the room, and Celes bit her lower lip. She couldn't get ahold of Terra or anyone! She was going to be all alone until Locke came back. A million thoughts began to race through her mind, and she could do nothing to calm any of them. The loudest one, however, clearly screamed:
"What if...this is it for me? Will I die tonight?"
"No way!" Celes cried, although no one was there to listen. "Something as dumb as this is not going to put me down this early! I'm going to have this baby, raise it with Locke, watch Terra and Edgar get married (if he ever proposes to her, I mean, my God, it's been forever), and get really damn old! I was a Magitek Knight, and I finished off Kefka! This is a piece of cake!" Celes beamed proudly at her very moving speech but suddenly doubled over when another pain hit her. She could feel it kicking, somewhere inside of her. It wanted out almost as badly as she wanted it out!
"Why...did you have to be so damn impatient like your father?" Celes hissed and closed her eyes.
"Come on Maggie, she'll be really mad if we don't hurry!" Locke called to Maggie, who was running the best she could behind him.
"It's hard running in high heals!" Maggie protested while lugging her black bag with her. "But I'm not afraid of your wife!"
"She's really perked up in the past few weeks." Locke reminded her. "Her mood swings have also seemed to go up! I don't want to be on her bad side for the next few months, so just come on!"
Locke and Maggie burst into the house a few minutes later, only to be welcomed with a very loud scream from Celes. Locke pushed open the bedroom door, and Maggie plowed on through. Locke ran to Celes side and tried to take her hand, but when he did, she smacked him hard in the leg.
"OWW!" Locke cried.
"Where the HELL have you been?" Celes replied frantically.
"It's only been 6 minutes!" Locke protested as he tried to take her hand again and this time succeeded, only now she squeezed it without mercy. Locke knew better then to make any more remarks.
"Ok, Celes, you need to BREATHE, dear." Maggie said as she slipped on some gloves. "Apparently, your body is in a hurry to get in and out of labor. This isn't exactly common, and everything is going to go by very quickly for you. You can't lose your concentration once."
"Yes...Yes Maggie." Celes said, taking a deep breath. Although Maggie said things would go fast, everything was in slow motion for Celes. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. The pain was excrutiating, but Celes did not have the time or breath left to complain. She kept her eyes closed almost the entire time after Maggie screamed "Push, Celes, start pushing! Don't give up!" Oh, but how she just wished Maggie would let her rest for one second! She tried, but Maggie immediately started to scream "Don't you dare rest! Keep pushing Celes, we're almost there!" Celes could not take her yelling much longer.
She looked to Locke and smiled weakly. "Sorry about being so hostile bef--"
"Again, Celes!"
"I'm pushing! What the hell are you, a drill sergant?!"
"Really, Celes, you haven't looked more beautiful. And don't worry, I guess I would be hostile too if I were having a baby." Locke joked, and kissed her hand. Celes blushed slightly, not that you could tell by the color of her face already. Suddenly, Maggie let out a little gasp.
"Correction Mr. Cole, not 'a' baby."
"Huh?!" Locke and Celes cried in unison, turning to Maggie. Maggie was smiling proudly at the soon-to-be-parents.
"Celes, I may have just proved my own diagnosis for you wrong." Maggie explained, and turned back to Celes' legs.
"Excuse me?!" Celes cried.
"Push dear."
"Maggie!" Locke cried.
Celes suddenly let out a loud cry, and Locke felt her grip on his hand go limp. She began to breathe very heavily, without much of the steady pattern Maggie was demanding before.
"Get up here Mr. Cole, I need you to hold your....beautiful daughter!" Maggie exclaimed. Locke let out a cry of joy and kissed Celes' hand again before leaping up to Maggie and taking a squirming little red thing out of her arms. It was one of the most beautiful things Locke had ever laid eyes on, better then any treasure out there!
"Oh...a girl...how nice..." Celes panted, a soft smile on her lips. Maggie turned away from Locke and gave Celes a glare. "Come on, you've had your rest. Now keep pushing!"
"What are you doing to her?" Locke cried over Celes' protests and the baby's own shrill screams.
"Well, Mr. Cole, we can't take one baby out and leave the other in." Maggie snapped.
"Other?!" Locke exclaimed brightly. "As in..."
"Twins!" Maggie exclaimed as Celes gave out her last scream and hit the pillows on the bed. Maggie reached under the covers and came out with another red baby, this one slightly smaller than the last. She began to clean it up delicately as Locke stared at Celes in surprise.
"I....didn't know..." Celes moaned, bringing a hand to her forehead.
"I didn't either, until now." Maggie smiled, walking over to the side of the bed. "Here Celes, meet your son."
".....Oh my god..." Celes murmured, taking the baby in her arms. Locke also went to her side with the baby girl, which had suddenly gone quiet and peaceful.
"Twin instinct....they already have it." Maggie said. "As long as they are together, they probably won't cry or yell. Isn't that something? It's no wonder you had a complicated pregancy Celes...it was because of the twins. I suppose one of them, probably the boy, was tucked away much further back than his sister, which made it easy for me to diagnose the Ectopic pregnancy. Twins are also the cause for all your discomfort and pain. You didn't know at first that you had them, and you were straining your body when you should have been resting."
"So...Celes is going to be ok?" Locke asked, his heart skipping a beat.
"Yes! Just make sure she recovers in bed, and relaxes." Maggie smiled.
"Oh Locke..." Celes sniffled, about to cry. "I'm so happy...and I love you!"
"I love you too." Locke said, leaning in to kiss her forehead.
"So, what are ya gonna name them?!" Maggie exclaimed.