Chapter 13
Ana clicked off the TV with anger. She looked at her swollen feet and sighed. She had been placed on bed rest for two weeks. Even the baby shower was boring. They wanted the babies to stay in as long as possible.
She sat up on the side of the bed. She hadn't heard Nana at all. Aunt Rose and Nana had been living with them since moving there. She had a townhouse that she purchased nearby, but it wouldn't be ready until the fall. No one minded it gave them the entire summer together. "Nana!"
Ana wasn't supposed to move alone. Nana was strict, very strict. "Nana!" Ana stood up carefully and she walked slowly. She called a few more times and became worried. Someone always stayed with her, Christian's orders. She looked down the steps and didn't see or hear anything.
She walked down holding the rail and then, she screamed, "Nana!" Ana moved faster not thinking when she saw Elizabeth on the floor in the kitchen. She missed the bottom step and felt her body falling. All she thought about was protecting the babies and she grabbed the rail to break her fall. She did but the downward motion wasn't enough to stop her from hitting her head on the hardwood floor. She passed out cold.
Ana blinked, "Nana? Is that you?" Ana was in a hospital room. It was so bright and white. She looked at her flat stomach. "Nana! The babies?" Elizabeth didn't speak. She just held her hand. "What's going on?"
Elizabeth smiled, "Ana, you are not lucky, you my dear, you are blessed. Take care of yourself, your family, and those beautiful babies. You have more coming. I love you." Ana blinked and she was gone. Then it all went dark.
She heard Christian first, "Ana, please baby wake up. I can't do this without you." She could hear him, but she couldn't see him. She couldn't get a grip on time, but she heard different voices from the ones she loved. She heard her Aunt Rose and Ray saying they loved her and crying.
Eric and Elena's voices were strong and loving at the same time. They loved Kate and Ana like they were their own. "Ana, wake up baby. We love you, we all do. You are so strong. Keep fighting. Ana loved hearing her voice. She loved them as a mom and dad.
Kate and Elliot talked to her a lot. "Come on sis, wake up. Even knucklehead Ethan is here. It's ok Ethan, don't cry, she's stronger than this." She felt a weight and tears fall on her arm.
She heard everyone, Andrea, Luke, Jason, and Hannah. Christian's voice was constant. He also felt his touch more than anyone. "Christian, you need to rest. You are wearing yourself out. You're back and forth between Ana and the babies. She will come around." Grace pushed him to get some rest at home. She felt Grace's hand replace his. She loved Ana. She heard her Aunt Rose telling him that Ella and Kate had the babies.
Ana heard babies and squeezed Grace's hand tightly, "Hmmm." She felt her strong hand tighten around hers. "Christian! She's moving." Ana blinked and saw blurry faces. "Ana, look at me! You're ok. I've got you." Rose hit the button. Ana didn't talk but she saw Ray at the foot of her bed. He looked worried. Her stomach wasn't swollen, but before she could speak Grace shined a light in her eyes.
Ana pushed it away. "Nana? The babies?" Christian begged her to rest and said the babies were fine. "Nana?"
The nurse informed the doctor running in. "She's showing great signs." She began to see clearer and saw Christian, Grace, Aunt Rose, and Ray smiling.
Christian held her hand and Rose grabbed her other one. "Baby, Nana didn't make it. She was gone before you fell." Ana looked at Rose who had tears in her eyes. Once she was given a round of tests and moved to a new room, she met her babies for the first time surrounded by her family.
They explained she had been in an induced coma to allow her brain swelling to decrease. She protected the babies but her head took the force. Ana smiled, "Christian, did you name them?" They had discussed names, but with Nana gone it seemed different.
Christian smiled wide, "I did. You're holding Theodore Raymond Grey." Ana kissed her baby boy. "Aunt Rose is holding Elizabeth Carla Grey. Do you like it?"
Ana kissed him, "I love them and you. I love all of you so much. We are so blessed."
As the months went by everyone adjusted to some sense of normalcy. Ana put Elizabeth down for her nap finally. She was the tough one. "Teddy is so easy going, like me and Liz is all fire."
Rose laughed, "That's my mom. Must be the name." She closed her bag. Elliot, Luke, and Christian had taken the rest of her belongings to her townhouse. Ana knew it was time.
Aunt Rose had dropped everything and she couldn't pout about her moving a few minutes away, she had her here. "I wish you would stay with us." Rose narrowed her eyes at her niece. They had been around and around about this.
She needed and deserved her own space. She was even dating Bob Adams. He was a contractor for Lincoln Timber. "You already get me every day at work and three times a week for dinner. Aren't you sick of me?"
Ana frowned, "Never." She grabbed her bag, "Well at least have some tea with me before you go." Rose sat at the island as Ana poured the water. "Aunt Rose, I need to tell you something. I've wanted to for months now, but I didn't want to upset you." Rose blew her hot tea and told her to go for it. "Before I woke up in the hospital, I saw Nana. I thought it was weird, but now I think she was really there. I don't know, am I crazy?"
Rose put her cup down, "Baby, no. You're special. She wanted you to come back and be with us. She knew she was loved and I would be loved and ok." Ana hugged her and was finally fine with letting her go.
They heard the babies cry. "Well, we're riding with you. Christian can bring us back." They each took a baby and fastened them in. Rose looked around, "Thanks guys. Everything looks amazing." Elliot, Luke, and Christian hugged Aunt Rose and grabbed the kids. Ana smiled, "See you tomorrow night for family dinner. I love you."
Epilogue
"Mommy!" Ana cradled her last baby, Phoebe. She wasn't exactly a baby, but she was her baby. She held her 5 year old with her long legs dangling. They just had a long day with fun, family, food, and fireworks. These days were the hardest on her youngest one. Phoebe was a slip up and the only kid that wasn't a twin. Trying to keep up with both sets of older twins was exhausting for her.
Ana hushed her, "Phoebe, look at me and use your words baby." Hannah shook her head at the spoiled little one. Phoebe took three big breaths, "Ella called me a baby because I don't want to go to the sleepover. Daddy said I could sleepover with you and him."
Phoebe nuzzled her nose in Ana's shoulder. "Then Liz laughed with her and Ella said I was a little cock blocker."
Hannah giggled and said it was true. Ana covered Phoebe's ears and mouthed, "Not funny." She lifted her head and kissed her forehead. "Sit right here with Aunt Hannah and I'll be right back. Hannah held her and waved a sparkler, while she laughed. She was everyone's baby.
Christian was cleaning the grill and saw Ana walking with more than a purpose. He hit Luke and Ethan and they followed. They walked past all of the men. Cary, Eric, Jason, Bob, and Jose shook their heads, because someone was in trouble. They laughed remembering their army friend, Ray. Ray did succumb to cancer when it returned again, but they had many good memories. "That's that military in her."
Eric shook his head, "Actually it's a heavy combination of Elena and Ray. She was a stern mom." The woman turned and eyed the men laughing. They all scattered quickly.
Christian shook his head as she bounded up the stairs past the women in the family room. Grace, Elena, Kate, Rose, Ella and Andrea saw the fire. "I wonder which one she's after?"
Ella laughed, "We'll hear in a minute. Maybe we should head up to see who needs saving." They all jumped up. They decided a while ago to divide and conquer as their family grew. Ella, Jose, Elliot, and Kate had two each and the oldest of the bunch. Ethan was divorced with one son named after him. Hannah and Luke had a girl, Olivia Ana.
Christian and Ana took the prize with two sets of twins, the oldest Ted and Liz. Then after 4 years they were blessed with Christian Carrick and Ella Christina. They surprised everyone including themselves with Phoebe Elena Grey.
Ana opened the playroom room door. She saw the kids playing pool, video games, and on their phones. "Ella Christina Grey and Elizabeth Carla Grey, get over here!" Everyone froze and the two girls walked over quickly. Ted shook his head at Liz, she was the one that gave them a run for their money. Christian wasn't surprised, he often tried to help his twin. They knew the tone. "Follow me now!"
Grace laughed, "Well Ella and Rose, you two are up. Good luck, you'll need it." Ella and Rose followed the troubled teen and preteen behind their parents. Christian was still lost, but knew it was bad. He stood there with his sister and Aunt.
Ana looked at Ella and waited. "Yes ma'am?"
Ana was furious, "Would you care to enlighten all of us why you thought it was appropriate to call your 5 year old sister a cock blocker?" She started to give an excuse, but she looked at the shock on her dad's face. She was too embarrassed to look at NeeNee or Aunt Rose. Ana turned to the older Liz, since she was positive that's where she heard it anyway. "And you, the older one, who should have corrected it, laughed?"
Liz sighed, "Yes ma'am."
Ana didn't have to say another word. Christian took over quickly. He never yelled at them, he lectured for a long time and then he really hurt them. He took their phones. "Go love your sister. By the way I shouldn't have to tell you that." They were sad.
Ella turned around, "I'm sorry mommy and daddy. I'm sorry NeeNee and Aunt Rose. Liz apologized also, she knew better being the oldest. "We do love her, but sometimes she acts like such a baby. It's annoying that she gets…nevermind."
NeeNee pulled her back. This was her namesake. They had a bond. She held her cheeks and wiped her tears, "No baby, say it. We don't do that. We don't keep secrets. We don't hide feelings. We talk it over."
Ella cried, "Since I hit the double digits, when you and daddy want to be alone you send me to NeeNee but you always take Phoebe. You even took her on your alone vacation. You used to take me." She was right. All her children were different in their own way. Ted was her tough one. Liz was their boundary pusher. Christian was their calm one and Ella was her sensitive one. She felt bad, Ella was her baby for so long. Phoebe reminding her of Ella so much.
Ana walked over and hugged her big baby. She hadn't seen it. She was so busy keeping up with Liz, she thought her baby was gone. "NeeNee, I love you, but sometimes, I want to be with mommy, like before Phoebe ."
Ana kissed her cheek, "And you can. Anytime you want." Ella smiled. "Hey!" Ella frowned at Ana's stern voice. "Don't ever use that word again."
Everyone found a room in their family home on Bainbridge Island. Christian and Ana still had the smaller one for a getaway, but this was everyone's home. They also visited Georgia every summer to the beach house Aunt Rose grew up in.
Christian came out of the bathroom and found not only Phoebe stretched out on his side of the bed, but Ella cuddled up in Ana's arms. He laughed and reached over to kiss his 5 year old who looked just like Ana. Then he walked around and kissed his twin and basketball star. "Ana, I love you! We are so blessed." He kissed her lips and pushed his tongue into her mouth just enough to graze the tip of her tongue. "And we have two cock blockers."
He stood up and walked back to his side of the bed. He climbed in and felt her eyes on him. He looked over at her stern look. She smiled, "You're right and wrong you know." Christian held up his hands. "We are blessed, but we have five cock blockers." They both laughed.
THE END
