Chapter Eleven:
Nine Crazy Months
Norah took a deep breath after the nurse called her name. She hated going the doctors. She got up and followed the nurse into the hall.
The rather manly-looking nurse pointed to the scale and Norah hopped up on it. The nurse recorded her weight. She twirled her finger and Norah turned around. The nurse recorded her height.
The nurse led Norah into a tiny room. She took her blood pressure and pulse.
Norah waited and waited and waited after the nurse left, until the doctor came in. He was a man who looked to be a bit older than Norah, quite handsome.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Koss." The man reached his hand out.
Norah shook it and introduced herself also.
He asked her about her last period and told her about what was going to happen today. "Now, I'm going to ask you a few questions, just try to answer honestly."
Norah nodded.
"Have you ever given birth to a child before?"
"No."
"Have you ever had any miscarriages before?"
"No."
"Abortions?"
Norah took a deep breath. "Yes."
The doctor nodded and jotted something down on her file. "When was that?"
Norah thought for a second. "I think about eight years ago."
The rest of the visit was much like a normal physical, with the exception of the blood sample he took.
"I'll see you in about a month then, Norah." He smiled.
"Thank you, Dr. Koss." She got dressed after he left the room and headed out to the front desk to make her next appointment.
-----
"He says that the baby's due June 4th," Norah told Mandy and Greg, who were watching her eat crackers.
"He?" Greg asked.
Norah stuffed another cracker in her mouth. "Yeah. Dr. Koss...who else have I been talking about for the past 15 minutes?" She shook her head. "The guy's amazing."
"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you going to a guy doctor," Greg told her.
Norah rolled her eyes. "Too late now. Anyway, you have to come to the twelfth week one! We get to hear the baby's heart beat for the first time."
Mandy smiled. "That's great. I'm so happy for you guys. You and Lydia and Nick!"
"I know. Abby's great," Greg said dryly.
"She is. But, I'm happy for their other baby," Mandy said.
Norah stopped chewing her cracker and looked at Greg. "We didn't hear about any new baby."
"Oops." Mandy bit her lip.
-----
Nick, Lydia and Abby had shown up just after Lindsey was dropped off to help Norah's already-packed stuff get moved to her new house.
"I'll take these. Abby, help mommy pick up these two boxes," Nick instructed.
Norah gasped. "Lydia can't pick up boxes in her condition!"
Lydia looked around. "What condition?"
Norah pointed to her stomach.
Nick and Lydia turned to Mandy.
"It slipped, guys." Mandy frowned.
"I'm SO glad that we tell each other everything," Norah said with sarcasm. "Who was the first one I told when I found out I was pregnant?"
Greg looked at her. "I thought I was."
Norah rolled her eyes. "The second people I told." She picked up some light boxes and carried them out to Nick's Tahoe. She repeated this several times before Nick could finally get her to stop.
"We're really sorry, Nor. It's just that we wanted you to feel special when you told us about your baby and we hadn't even told Abby 'till you guys were on your trip," Lydia explained.
"Well we have been back for a week now!" Norah felt used. She thought Nick was one of her best friends.
Nick butted in. "We're sorry."
Norah shrugged. "Whatever." She picked up some more boxes and brought them outside to the car.
-----
"Honey, we're going to be late!" Norah shouted into the house that she had grown to hate. She felt it was too big, Greg loved it. Sometimes, she thought he loved it more than her.
Greg hopped into the hall from the living room, he was trying to put on his shoes and do his hair at the same time. "Coming."
Norah shook her head and laughed. She was really nervous for her twelfth week doctors visit. Mostly because she had gained almost ten pounds since her last visit, which was only a month ago. She had also started showing; her stomach had grown about twice its size. She was afraid it wasn't healthy for the baby.
She grabbed Greg's hand and walked out to his car. She squeezed his hand before she let it go to get in on the passenger's side.
"What's wrong? You're so quiet," Greg observed.
Norah shrugged. "I'm just nervous."
"It'll be fine." Greg smiled.
Norah didn't think so, but she exchanged smiles with him anyway. When they finally got there, Norah checked in. They were a little late so she hoped it wouldn't be too long of a wait.
And it wasn't, only about ten minutes.
The same nurse that had been there the past two times she went called her name and she went through their regular routine: height, weight, blood pressure, pulse. And then she dropped her and Greg into a room full of monitors and such.
Norah climbed onto the table as best she could. She could barely sleep anymore because she couldn't curl up into her normal sleeping position because of her expanding stomach; she swore people could tell too, she had bags under her eyes everyday going into school.
The doctor came in after another ten minutes of anticipation. "Hello, Norah."
"Dr. Koss." She smiled and nodded. "This is my husband, Greg Sanders."
They shook hands and Greg suspiciously eyed the doctor.
"How long have you been doing this, Doc?" Greg asked.
"Three years," the doctor answered honestly.
Greg looked shocked, even though Norah couldn't figure out why; Dr. Koss only looked to be about 30 tops.
"Ready for the sonogram?"
"Yes," Greg answered excitedly for a shaking Norah.
"No," Norah said at the same time. "Doctor, why am I gaining so much weight so quickly? Is this normal?"
"Everybody gains it at different rates. If anything's wrong with the baby, we'll find it right now." The doctor nodded.
Norah winced as the doctor pulled out the things he needed. "This isn't going to hurt, right?"
The doctor shook his head.
A skeptical Norah grabbed Greg's hand.
The doctor rubbed petroleum jelly-type stuff on her stomach.
Norah squeezed Greg's hand. "It's cold."
"Sorry, I should have warned you."
Norah was so set on having pain that she didn't notice the doctor gasping.
Greg's eyes widened and his heart sank into his stomach. "What's wrong?"
"I think I found the reason you've gained so much weight." Dr. Koss grinned. "Two heartbeats."
Norah opened one of her tightly shut eyes and looked at the doctor. "What exactly does that mean?"
"Congratulations," Dr. Koss smiled, "You're having twins."
-----
"Maybe you're having twins, too, Lyd," Nick suggested. "You're looking rather heavy, too."
Lydia glared at him.
"Three little Abby's running around?" Greg grinned. He came alone, Norah was still mad at Nick and Lydia. If there's one thing she could do, it's hold a grudge. Plus she had to teach class, as usual.
Nick and Lydia silently prayed it wasn't going to happen.
"He said she's probably going to go into labor early because of all the weight so she's making me call the hospital and all that." Greg rolled his eyes. "I feel like an indentured slave."
"Welcome to my world," Nick commented.
Lydia rolled her eyes. "Men should treat their pregnant wives like they are their masters."
"Masters?" Nick squinted. "Are we genies now?"
Greg's mouth curled into a smile as he mentally pictured Nick in a pink genie outfit.
"You think that's amusing, Greg? YOU try carrying a baby in your stomach for nine months," Lydia growled.
"I get it! That's why women are women. Men with wombs...women!" Greg smiled proudly and then went back to what Lydia said. "I respect them for carrying our children, but I'd respect them a lot more if they could endure the pain without complaining."
Lydia rolled her eyes again. "Well, there's a lot that doesn't make sense to women about men. Like why they like football or other stupid contact sports like that."
"Then why do you sit in here while Abby and me watch sports?" Nick countered.
"To watch the guys in the tight pants." Greg laughed.
"I do not!" Lydia screeched.
Just then Abby and Matthew walked through the front door. "Hi, daddy. Hi, Greggy-o. Mommy! You're looking exceptionally fat today."
"I love you, too, Abby."
Matthew's eyes bulged. "She IS fat! Can I touch it?" His finger slowly moved closer to Lydia's belly.
"No. Get away from her! Who invited you over here, anyway?" Nick asked.
"Me," Abby smiled. "Here, this is from school." She tossed an envelope on the table and ran to her room, followed by Matthew.
Lydia opened it. "It's her progress report." She skimmed it. "'Does not color in the lines?'"
"What kind of crap is that?" Nick asked, grabbing the progress report from Lydia.
Greg thought for a second. "I wonder how I passed kindergarten; I still can't color inside the lines."
"Maybe it's metaphorical," Lydia suggested. "Maybe they're saying she's unique."
"I don't think so. 'Only uses pink and purple crayons,'" Nick read aloud.
"Maybe it's a metaphor saying she's selective," Greg mocked Lydia.
Nick slapped the back of Greg's head and continued reading it. "This is crap. Complete and udder crap."
Greg rubbed his head and pouted.
Nick stopped. "Did that kid go into Abby's room?" His eyes suddenly filled with anger. Nick walked to Abby's room and put his ear to the door.
Lydia and Greg followed him.
Lydia tried to stop him. "This isn't fair to her, Nick. It's invasion of privacy."
"Be quiet," he instructed.
"What's going on?" Greg asked.
Nick strained to hear them talking. "They're planning to braid your hair. Now they're talking about how you're a nerd."
"Every time I set foot in this house I get insulted," Greg complained.
Nick put his index finger to his mouth to tell Greg to be quiet.
"What do you hear?" Greg whispered.
"Nothing." Nick opened the door and pointed at the two kids sitting on Abby's bed kissing. "You, kid that's attacking my daughter, get out of my house!"
Lydia pulled Nick into the living room. She shouted about how he needed to leave Abby and Matthew alone.
"This is my cue to leave." Greg left quietly, letting them battle it out to the death.
-----
After a few months Norah forgave Lydia and Nick and soon they decided to go to Lamaze classes. They guys weren't too enthusiastic about it, but the girls were just happy to be around other pregnant women.
During the session Lydia couldn't stop giggling and Norah and Greg whispered back and forth.
"I'm the fattest one here," Norah moaned.
Greg pointed to a guy who was staring at her stomach. "He's kind of fat."
"That's so mean, Greg." She frowned. "But, I wish he'd stop staring at my stomach. He's making me self-conscious."
"As if you weren't enough already," Greg commented.
The man just wouldn't stop.
Norah couldn't take it any more. "It's twins, bud. What's your excuse?"
When Lydia heard this she started cracking up.
Some lady came up to Lydia. "Ma'am, we're going to have to ask you to leave." She looked at Norah and Greg. "You two also. You're distracting the other parents."
Lydia, Nick, and Greg got up off the floor. Norah rolled around for a while trying to get up while the other three watched. "Guys, help me!" She pouted. After a few dirty looks from the Lamaze instructor Greg picked her up from the floor.
The left willingly.
"You looked like a freaking turtle!" Greg laughed.
Norah opened her mouth. "At least I don't shampoo my hair with -"
Greg shoved his hand over her mouth.
Lydia and Nick looked at Greg as they walked out of the building together.
"Okay, I admit it! I use baby shampoo." He shot a glare at Norah before diverging from the other couple and heading toward his car.
Norah struggled for five minutes until she finally climbed into the car. "I'll be sure to add Lamaze class at the YMCA to the list of things we've been kicked out of when we get home."
"And this time, it was almost not our faults!"
-----
It was the dead of night. Norah was catching up on her sleep when she awoke with a sudden jerk. A contraction. "No, no. Not now." She looked at the clock. 1:24 a.m. "Give me two more hours of sleep." An hour went by and Norah had counted her contractions. She picked up the phone. "I think I'm having my baby."
"How many months pregnant are you?" The lady on the other end asked.
"Seven." Norah groaned as another shock of pain rushed through her abdomen.
"Can you drive yourself to the hospital?"
"I can barely get myself into bed. I've gained nearly 50 pounds." Norah started to cry.
"How many have you had?" The lady asked.
Norah thought for a second. "Six in the past hour."
"Walk around a bit and tell me if they get any better. I'll stay on the line."
Norah slid out of bed and walked down the hall and headed back. She felt another contraction. "Oh my God! Oh my God!" She walked back to the phone. "My water just broke. What should I do?" Norah was hysterical. "My husband's not here! I don't have anyway to get to the hospital."
"Ma'am, calm down. Call your husband. If you can't find anyway to the hospital then call back and we'll find an ambulance for you." The woman hung up on her.
Norah couldn't calm down. She picked up the phone again and dialed Greg's pager number. She hung up the phone and waited for him to call home.
The phone rang.
"What's the emergency?" Greg asked before Norah could even say 'hello.'
Norah's heart started to slow down when she heard his voice. "Don't freak out, but I think I'm in labor."
"Seriously?" He asked.
"Yes!"
"Call Lydia and I'll meet you guys at the hospital," Greg resolved.
-----
"What's with all the pregnant people around here lately?" Warrick asked. "I think you should issue condoms. Maybe everyone would miss less work because they wouldn't be having so many babies."
Grissom shook his head and folded the newspaper he was reading. "Why are you still here, Greg?"
"You didn't give me permission to leave," Greg told him.
"You're wife's in labor, I'm not going to keep you here." Grissom looked at Greg who still didn't move. "Greg, go."
"Thanks, Grissom." Greg ran out of the break room.
Warrick shook his head.
Greg jumped in his car and drove to the hospital. He rushed in and made a pit stop to ask directions before taking an elevator to the maternity ward. "I'm looking for Norah Sanders' room." Greg told a nurse.
The nurse looked through her list. "With an 'S'?"
"Yes! Yes! Sanders!"
"Is that with two 'N's?"
"S-A-N-D-E-R-S!"
"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to lower your voice. There's no need to be hostile."
Greg tried to breathe "I'm sorry, ma'am, but there is a reason. My wife's in labor and I'm not there!"
"Well, you can't be anyway. They're in the middle of delivery right now. You can have a seat and wait and I'll let you know when they're right away." The nurse smiled.
Greg sighed and sat down.
Abby and Lydia walked out of the elevator.
"Hey!" Greg shouted to them.
Lydia sat next to Greg and pulled Abby on her lap.
"This is so 'citing!" Abby smiled. "I think you should get your hair done 'fore you meet your new babies." She reached for his hair.
He moved his head away from her reach. "I don't think so." He looked at Lydia. "What happened?"
"She went in about fifteen minutes ago."
All three had fallen asleep but were awoken by the nurse from the desk. "You can see Norah now."
"Forget Norah, I want to see the babies!" Abby shouted with excitement.
"What do I have?" Greg asked the nurse.
"Two daughters." She smiled.
The three went into the room the nurse pointed out to be Norah's. They saw Norah lying weakly on the hospital bed.
"Hey," Greg greeted her.
Norah mumbled something.
"How are you feeling?" Lydia asked.
Norah shrugged. After a few minutes of silence Norah opened her mouth. "Where are my babies? I want to see them."
"Me, too!" Abby jumped up and down.
Greg left the room to ask the nurse about the babies. When he came back he grinned. "They're coming."
Norah pushed herself up and leaned against the drab, white pillow.
Within a few minutes the twins were in their parents' arms. Abby crawled up on the bed next to Norah and pet one of the babies' cheeks gently.
"Mrs. and Mr. Sanders?" Another nurse entered the room. "Do you have names picked for your daughters yet so we can put them on the birth certificates?"
Greg and Norah looked at each other.
"Melody Marie," Greg said.
"Lucy Anne," Norah said at the same time.
Norah took a deep breath after the nurse called her name. She hated going the doctors. She got up and followed the nurse into the hall.
The rather manly-looking nurse pointed to the scale and Norah hopped up on it. The nurse recorded her weight. She twirled her finger and Norah turned around. The nurse recorded her height.
The nurse led Norah into a tiny room. She took her blood pressure and pulse.
Norah waited and waited and waited after the nurse left, until the doctor came in. He was a man who looked to be a bit older than Norah, quite handsome.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Koss." The man reached his hand out.
Norah shook it and introduced herself also.
He asked her about her last period and told her about what was going to happen today. "Now, I'm going to ask you a few questions, just try to answer honestly."
Norah nodded.
"Have you ever given birth to a child before?"
"No."
"Have you ever had any miscarriages before?"
"No."
"Abortions?"
Norah took a deep breath. "Yes."
The doctor nodded and jotted something down on her file. "When was that?"
Norah thought for a second. "I think about eight years ago."
The rest of the visit was much like a normal physical, with the exception of the blood sample he took.
"I'll see you in about a month then, Norah." He smiled.
"Thank you, Dr. Koss." She got dressed after he left the room and headed out to the front desk to make her next appointment.
-----
"He says that the baby's due June 4th," Norah told Mandy and Greg, who were watching her eat crackers.
"He?" Greg asked.
Norah stuffed another cracker in her mouth. "Yeah. Dr. Koss...who else have I been talking about for the past 15 minutes?" She shook her head. "The guy's amazing."
"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you going to a guy doctor," Greg told her.
Norah rolled her eyes. "Too late now. Anyway, you have to come to the twelfth week one! We get to hear the baby's heart beat for the first time."
Mandy smiled. "That's great. I'm so happy for you guys. You and Lydia and Nick!"
"I know. Abby's great," Greg said dryly.
"She is. But, I'm happy for their other baby," Mandy said.
Norah stopped chewing her cracker and looked at Greg. "We didn't hear about any new baby."
"Oops." Mandy bit her lip.
-----
Nick, Lydia and Abby had shown up just after Lindsey was dropped off to help Norah's already-packed stuff get moved to her new house.
"I'll take these. Abby, help mommy pick up these two boxes," Nick instructed.
Norah gasped. "Lydia can't pick up boxes in her condition!"
Lydia looked around. "What condition?"
Norah pointed to her stomach.
Nick and Lydia turned to Mandy.
"It slipped, guys." Mandy frowned.
"I'm SO glad that we tell each other everything," Norah said with sarcasm. "Who was the first one I told when I found out I was pregnant?"
Greg looked at her. "I thought I was."
Norah rolled her eyes. "The second people I told." She picked up some light boxes and carried them out to Nick's Tahoe. She repeated this several times before Nick could finally get her to stop.
"We're really sorry, Nor. It's just that we wanted you to feel special when you told us about your baby and we hadn't even told Abby 'till you guys were on your trip," Lydia explained.
"Well we have been back for a week now!" Norah felt used. She thought Nick was one of her best friends.
Nick butted in. "We're sorry."
Norah shrugged. "Whatever." She picked up some more boxes and brought them outside to the car.
-----
"Honey, we're going to be late!" Norah shouted into the house that she had grown to hate. She felt it was too big, Greg loved it. Sometimes, she thought he loved it more than her.
Greg hopped into the hall from the living room, he was trying to put on his shoes and do his hair at the same time. "Coming."
Norah shook her head and laughed. She was really nervous for her twelfth week doctors visit. Mostly because she had gained almost ten pounds since her last visit, which was only a month ago. She had also started showing; her stomach had grown about twice its size. She was afraid it wasn't healthy for the baby.
She grabbed Greg's hand and walked out to his car. She squeezed his hand before she let it go to get in on the passenger's side.
"What's wrong? You're so quiet," Greg observed.
Norah shrugged. "I'm just nervous."
"It'll be fine." Greg smiled.
Norah didn't think so, but she exchanged smiles with him anyway. When they finally got there, Norah checked in. They were a little late so she hoped it wouldn't be too long of a wait.
And it wasn't, only about ten minutes.
The same nurse that had been there the past two times she went called her name and she went through their regular routine: height, weight, blood pressure, pulse. And then she dropped her and Greg into a room full of monitors and such.
Norah climbed onto the table as best she could. She could barely sleep anymore because she couldn't curl up into her normal sleeping position because of her expanding stomach; she swore people could tell too, she had bags under her eyes everyday going into school.
The doctor came in after another ten minutes of anticipation. "Hello, Norah."
"Dr. Koss." She smiled and nodded. "This is my husband, Greg Sanders."
They shook hands and Greg suspiciously eyed the doctor.
"How long have you been doing this, Doc?" Greg asked.
"Three years," the doctor answered honestly.
Greg looked shocked, even though Norah couldn't figure out why; Dr. Koss only looked to be about 30 tops.
"Ready for the sonogram?"
"Yes," Greg answered excitedly for a shaking Norah.
"No," Norah said at the same time. "Doctor, why am I gaining so much weight so quickly? Is this normal?"
"Everybody gains it at different rates. If anything's wrong with the baby, we'll find it right now." The doctor nodded.
Norah winced as the doctor pulled out the things he needed. "This isn't going to hurt, right?"
The doctor shook his head.
A skeptical Norah grabbed Greg's hand.
The doctor rubbed petroleum jelly-type stuff on her stomach.
Norah squeezed Greg's hand. "It's cold."
"Sorry, I should have warned you."
Norah was so set on having pain that she didn't notice the doctor gasping.
Greg's eyes widened and his heart sank into his stomach. "What's wrong?"
"I think I found the reason you've gained so much weight." Dr. Koss grinned. "Two heartbeats."
Norah opened one of her tightly shut eyes and looked at the doctor. "What exactly does that mean?"
"Congratulations," Dr. Koss smiled, "You're having twins."
-----
"Maybe you're having twins, too, Lyd," Nick suggested. "You're looking rather heavy, too."
Lydia glared at him.
"Three little Abby's running around?" Greg grinned. He came alone, Norah was still mad at Nick and Lydia. If there's one thing she could do, it's hold a grudge. Plus she had to teach class, as usual.
Nick and Lydia silently prayed it wasn't going to happen.
"He said she's probably going to go into labor early because of all the weight so she's making me call the hospital and all that." Greg rolled his eyes. "I feel like an indentured slave."
"Welcome to my world," Nick commented.
Lydia rolled her eyes. "Men should treat their pregnant wives like they are their masters."
"Masters?" Nick squinted. "Are we genies now?"
Greg's mouth curled into a smile as he mentally pictured Nick in a pink genie outfit.
"You think that's amusing, Greg? YOU try carrying a baby in your stomach for nine months," Lydia growled.
"I get it! That's why women are women. Men with wombs...women!" Greg smiled proudly and then went back to what Lydia said. "I respect them for carrying our children, but I'd respect them a lot more if they could endure the pain without complaining."
Lydia rolled her eyes again. "Well, there's a lot that doesn't make sense to women about men. Like why they like football or other stupid contact sports like that."
"Then why do you sit in here while Abby and me watch sports?" Nick countered.
"To watch the guys in the tight pants." Greg laughed.
"I do not!" Lydia screeched.
Just then Abby and Matthew walked through the front door. "Hi, daddy. Hi, Greggy-o. Mommy! You're looking exceptionally fat today."
"I love you, too, Abby."
Matthew's eyes bulged. "She IS fat! Can I touch it?" His finger slowly moved closer to Lydia's belly.
"No. Get away from her! Who invited you over here, anyway?" Nick asked.
"Me," Abby smiled. "Here, this is from school." She tossed an envelope on the table and ran to her room, followed by Matthew.
Lydia opened it. "It's her progress report." She skimmed it. "'Does not color in the lines?'"
"What kind of crap is that?" Nick asked, grabbing the progress report from Lydia.
Greg thought for a second. "I wonder how I passed kindergarten; I still can't color inside the lines."
"Maybe it's metaphorical," Lydia suggested. "Maybe they're saying she's unique."
"I don't think so. 'Only uses pink and purple crayons,'" Nick read aloud.
"Maybe it's a metaphor saying she's selective," Greg mocked Lydia.
Nick slapped the back of Greg's head and continued reading it. "This is crap. Complete and udder crap."
Greg rubbed his head and pouted.
Nick stopped. "Did that kid go into Abby's room?" His eyes suddenly filled with anger. Nick walked to Abby's room and put his ear to the door.
Lydia and Greg followed him.
Lydia tried to stop him. "This isn't fair to her, Nick. It's invasion of privacy."
"Be quiet," he instructed.
"What's going on?" Greg asked.
Nick strained to hear them talking. "They're planning to braid your hair. Now they're talking about how you're a nerd."
"Every time I set foot in this house I get insulted," Greg complained.
Nick put his index finger to his mouth to tell Greg to be quiet.
"What do you hear?" Greg whispered.
"Nothing." Nick opened the door and pointed at the two kids sitting on Abby's bed kissing. "You, kid that's attacking my daughter, get out of my house!"
Lydia pulled Nick into the living room. She shouted about how he needed to leave Abby and Matthew alone.
"This is my cue to leave." Greg left quietly, letting them battle it out to the death.
-----
After a few months Norah forgave Lydia and Nick and soon they decided to go to Lamaze classes. They guys weren't too enthusiastic about it, but the girls were just happy to be around other pregnant women.
During the session Lydia couldn't stop giggling and Norah and Greg whispered back and forth.
"I'm the fattest one here," Norah moaned.
Greg pointed to a guy who was staring at her stomach. "He's kind of fat."
"That's so mean, Greg." She frowned. "But, I wish he'd stop staring at my stomach. He's making me self-conscious."
"As if you weren't enough already," Greg commented.
The man just wouldn't stop.
Norah couldn't take it any more. "It's twins, bud. What's your excuse?"
When Lydia heard this she started cracking up.
Some lady came up to Lydia. "Ma'am, we're going to have to ask you to leave." She looked at Norah and Greg. "You two also. You're distracting the other parents."
Lydia, Nick, and Greg got up off the floor. Norah rolled around for a while trying to get up while the other three watched. "Guys, help me!" She pouted. After a few dirty looks from the Lamaze instructor Greg picked her up from the floor.
The left willingly.
"You looked like a freaking turtle!" Greg laughed.
Norah opened her mouth. "At least I don't shampoo my hair with -"
Greg shoved his hand over her mouth.
Lydia and Nick looked at Greg as they walked out of the building together.
"Okay, I admit it! I use baby shampoo." He shot a glare at Norah before diverging from the other couple and heading toward his car.
Norah struggled for five minutes until she finally climbed into the car. "I'll be sure to add Lamaze class at the YMCA to the list of things we've been kicked out of when we get home."
"And this time, it was almost not our faults!"
-----
It was the dead of night. Norah was catching up on her sleep when she awoke with a sudden jerk. A contraction. "No, no. Not now." She looked at the clock. 1:24 a.m. "Give me two more hours of sleep." An hour went by and Norah had counted her contractions. She picked up the phone. "I think I'm having my baby."
"How many months pregnant are you?" The lady on the other end asked.
"Seven." Norah groaned as another shock of pain rushed through her abdomen.
"Can you drive yourself to the hospital?"
"I can barely get myself into bed. I've gained nearly 50 pounds." Norah started to cry.
"How many have you had?" The lady asked.
Norah thought for a second. "Six in the past hour."
"Walk around a bit and tell me if they get any better. I'll stay on the line."
Norah slid out of bed and walked down the hall and headed back. She felt another contraction. "Oh my God! Oh my God!" She walked back to the phone. "My water just broke. What should I do?" Norah was hysterical. "My husband's not here! I don't have anyway to get to the hospital."
"Ma'am, calm down. Call your husband. If you can't find anyway to the hospital then call back and we'll find an ambulance for you." The woman hung up on her.
Norah couldn't calm down. She picked up the phone again and dialed Greg's pager number. She hung up the phone and waited for him to call home.
The phone rang.
"What's the emergency?" Greg asked before Norah could even say 'hello.'
Norah's heart started to slow down when she heard his voice. "Don't freak out, but I think I'm in labor."
"Seriously?" He asked.
"Yes!"
"Call Lydia and I'll meet you guys at the hospital," Greg resolved.
-----
"What's with all the pregnant people around here lately?" Warrick asked. "I think you should issue condoms. Maybe everyone would miss less work because they wouldn't be having so many babies."
Grissom shook his head and folded the newspaper he was reading. "Why are you still here, Greg?"
"You didn't give me permission to leave," Greg told him.
"You're wife's in labor, I'm not going to keep you here." Grissom looked at Greg who still didn't move. "Greg, go."
"Thanks, Grissom." Greg ran out of the break room.
Warrick shook his head.
Greg jumped in his car and drove to the hospital. He rushed in and made a pit stop to ask directions before taking an elevator to the maternity ward. "I'm looking for Norah Sanders' room." Greg told a nurse.
The nurse looked through her list. "With an 'S'?"
"Yes! Yes! Sanders!"
"Is that with two 'N's?"
"S-A-N-D-E-R-S!"
"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to lower your voice. There's no need to be hostile."
Greg tried to breathe "I'm sorry, ma'am, but there is a reason. My wife's in labor and I'm not there!"
"Well, you can't be anyway. They're in the middle of delivery right now. You can have a seat and wait and I'll let you know when they're right away." The nurse smiled.
Greg sighed and sat down.
Abby and Lydia walked out of the elevator.
"Hey!" Greg shouted to them.
Lydia sat next to Greg and pulled Abby on her lap.
"This is so 'citing!" Abby smiled. "I think you should get your hair done 'fore you meet your new babies." She reached for his hair.
He moved his head away from her reach. "I don't think so." He looked at Lydia. "What happened?"
"She went in about fifteen minutes ago."
All three had fallen asleep but were awoken by the nurse from the desk. "You can see Norah now."
"Forget Norah, I want to see the babies!" Abby shouted with excitement.
"What do I have?" Greg asked the nurse.
"Two daughters." She smiled.
The three went into the room the nurse pointed out to be Norah's. They saw Norah lying weakly on the hospital bed.
"Hey," Greg greeted her.
Norah mumbled something.
"How are you feeling?" Lydia asked.
Norah shrugged. After a few minutes of silence Norah opened her mouth. "Where are my babies? I want to see them."
"Me, too!" Abby jumped up and down.
Greg left the room to ask the nurse about the babies. When he came back he grinned. "They're coming."
Norah pushed herself up and leaned against the drab, white pillow.
Within a few minutes the twins were in their parents' arms. Abby crawled up on the bed next to Norah and pet one of the babies' cheeks gently.
"Mrs. and Mr. Sanders?" Another nurse entered the room. "Do you have names picked for your daughters yet so we can put them on the birth certificates?"
Greg and Norah looked at each other.
"Melody Marie," Greg said.
"Lucy Anne," Norah said at the same time.