Chapter 15

Wednesday, October 7th, 1987

Hill Valley

5:18 P.M.

Doc was startled awake by a sudden, slight jerk in his stomach muscles. What the hell? he thought, puzzled. What in the name of Sir Isaac H. Newton was that? Couldn't have been a stomach cramp, it didn't hurt. Maybe it had to do with the way I was lying. He switched positions and went back to sleep.

A few minutes later, though, there was another jerk. Doc distinctly felt the muscles tighten, then release. Okay, that's odd. He tried changing positions again. His stomach had the rudeness to jerk again. So it isn't the way I'm lying. Maybe it's a baby kick Josie's accidentally transmitting to me. It seems too regular for that, though . He gave Josephine a gentle shake. "Hey sweetie?"

"Wuzzit?"

"Do you feel anything odd in your abdomen? One of the babies kicking, for instance? A sort of tugging?"

"Tugging?"

"Like a miniature cramp."

As if to illustrate, there was another jerk. Josie frowned, looking just as puzzled as Doc. "Huh. I don't know what -- Wait a minute." She sat up, eyes growing wide. "Emmett, you don't think -- it's--"

Doc went white. That possibility hadn't occurred to him at all. "Great Scott. Well, the doctor said it was surprising you had managed to carry them for this long. I suppose it's natural you'd go into labor right about now."

Josie squealed, happily hugging the covers to herself. "Wow. So in just a few hours, we'll be the proud parents of triplets!" She gave Doc a big hug. "Oh, I can't wait. I'm so excited, and so nervous at the same time."

"You're not the only one, sweetie." Doc smiled bravely. "This is all so new to me too. Our first kids came to us fairly self-sufficient. Infants are going to be a whole new adventure."

Another jerk pulled the teens closer to consciousness. "Stop poking me," Jennifer mumbled, giving Marty a push.

"I'm not doing anything," Marty protested, pushing back.

"It's me, guys," Josie told them, grinning. "I think I'm going into labor."

"Oh, that's nice."

Then it registered. "LABOR!" they both yelled, sitting up.

"Well, it does feel like contractions," Doc shrugged.

"But -- but we're not ready yet!"

"You've had nine months to get ready!" Josie said, incredulous.

"I still haven't got a name for the first one!" Marty said, halfway into panic. "Shit, I thought I had more time!"

"Well, you've got a few hours at least," Josie reassured them. "If these are contractions, they're spaced pretty far apart."

"What week are we in, anyway?" Jennifer said. "I forget. It seems like a lifetime since you got pregnant."

"Tell me about it," Josie groaned, doing some quick mental math. "This is -- wow, week 38. I'm only two weeks premature."

"Maybe they won't have to visit the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after all," Doc said hopefully. "Since they're so close to being full term and all."

"Gods, I hope so. Don't let me down, kids," she said, looking at her belly.

"Are we going to call the Browns now or later?" Jennifer asked.

"I'd like to call them now, but I don't want to get all our hopes up. I might be having a false labor."

"Would triplets really tease you like that?"

Josie could only shrug. "We'll wait an hour and see what happens."

Marty hadn't heard a word of the conversation. "Alastair -- too pretentious, Allan -- too much like a last name, Albert -- too obvious, Bart -- too hip, Christopher -- already taken --"

"Calm down, kid, you're going to burst something," Doc told him. "And you don't have to run through the entire alphabet."

"I don't want the baby to be born without a name. I mean, what kind of big brother would I be?" He chewed his lower lip. "Maybe I should just call him Emmett Junior and be done with it."

"No way. It's hard enough with two versions of myself. We don't need a third Emmett."

"Fine, I'll call him Lathrop!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Hey, you said your mother found it from your family tree."

"Yes, and my family tree goes back to 1132! That name was from the Middle Ages! No, no names from my side of the family."

Marty put his face in his hands. "I'm never going to be able to name this baby," he moaned.

"I think you're trying too hard," Josie said, putting a hand on her stomach as there was another contraction. "Try clearing your head. Don't deliberately try to think up a name. Eventually something will come."

"Yeah, when the kid's 25."

Josie rolled her eyes. "Don't be so pessimistic. 'When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.'"

"What if you can't drink lemonade?"

"There you go, distract yourself with bad humor," Jennifer teased. She patted Josie's back. "Still feeling okay, Mom?"

"Trust me, if I didn't, you guys would probably feel it. I'm just so excited. . . ." She bounced on the bed for a few moments. "Oh, hell, let's call the Browns now. I want to spread the news."

Doc grabbed the phone and dialed. "Hello, the Brown residence," Clara answered.

"Hello, Clara?"

"Dr. Brown?" Clara sounded confused. "What are you doing up? It's only five o'clock!"

"I know it's early for us, but -- well, we think Josie's gone into labor."

"What!"

"It's early yet, but we're definitely feeling something like contractions," Doc grinned.

"Oh, congratulations! She's going to have the babies soon," Doc heard her tell her husband. "Emmett and I give you the best. We can't wait to see them once they're born. I'm sure Josephine will make a wonderful mother."

Josie blushed at the praise. "Thank you, Clara. I've had a wonderful teacher these past months."

Doc-2 took control of the phone. "I'm very happy for you, but I've just had a thought."

"What, what?" Doc asked nervously. Whenever any of us has a thought, it's usually not a good thing.

"Well, I'm worried people will talk if I'm seen in the hospital with Josie when I have a three month, two week, two day old baby at home."

"Oh, Emmett, let them talk," Clara protested. "He has a right to be with his wife."

"Damn straight," Doc agreed. "I understand your anxiety, but I don't really think you need to worry. To the rest of Hill Valley, Josie's your sister in law. They'll probably see it as a kind of familial loyalty."

"Hey, that's right," Doc-2 said, his voice brightening. "For once I'll have good gossip about me."

"That's the spirit. We'll keep you updated."

"Hold on! Can you guys suggested name for me, quick?" Marty interjected.

"It's driving him nuts," Jennifer added.

"Why not Clint or Calvin?"

"Clint Brown. Calvin Brown. I'll get back to you."

"All right. See you in the hospital later -- or in the mental ward, in Martin's case."

"Not funny," Marty complained.

"You're driving yourself insane. I had to say it. Bye."

"See you later, Clara, Dr. Brown." Josie hung up. "So, what did you think of their suggestions?"

"I really don't know about Clint, but -- I guess I could see Calvin Isaac Brown. Wouldn't be my first choice, but I'll go with it." He flopped down on the couch, making a face as his stomach gave another tug. "Jesus, this is weird. You think we're going to feel the labor?"

"Possibly. My last labor was pretty quick, but then--" she swallowed "-- I was only carrying one child. Hopefully this won't be too long either."

Doc was starting to feel panicky again. "In a few hours, we're going to be parents all over again. I don't know if I'm up to the job. I don't really know that much about infants."

"You're going to do fine," Josie reassured him. "You successfully fathered these two for a few years. And they love you. That's something." She shook her head. Men call us the weaker sex, she thought to Jennifer. I'm the one in labor, and I think I'm the calmest.

I heard that, Doc thought. Nothing I can say to it, though. I think it would be prudent to start timing the contractions. I believe your doctor told us to go to the hospital when they got to be about 10 minutes apart or so.

That he did. Start now, and flip on the tube, Marty. I have the feeling we're going to be in for a long evening.

Wednesday, October 7th

6:53 P.M.

"Ouch!"

Everyone grabbed at their stomachs, wincing. "I think it's time to hit the road," Marty whimpered. "That's the third one in a row that's hurt."

Josie nodded. "Yeah, I'm having flashbacks to my first pregnancy now. Which probably isn't the best thing to do at the moment."

Doc hugged her gently. "It's okay, honey. We won't let anything happen to you or the babies. Marty, call Dr. Gardner, tell him we're on our way to the hospital."

"Can do." He got on the phone as Doc helped Josie into the garage. "This is it. From two to five in one fell swoop."

"All families should be so lucky," Josie sniggered. The laughter turned into a wince as another contraction hit. "We're going, we're going!" she informed her belly.

Doc got philosophical as they got into the car. "I wonder if all expectant mothers talk to their bellies?"

"Sure. Don't know if the rest of the family joins in, though."

"Well, it's kind of hard not to join in when you all sleep together and can feel the babies kicking."

"Good point."

Marty's voice popped into their minds. We're all set, Dad. Me and Jennifer will fly over in a bit.

Roger that, Marty. See you at the hospital.

Wednesday, October 7th

7:05 P.M.

Dr. Gardner looked over the triplets with the ultrasound. "They all look perfectly healthy -- and pretty big, which is good." Josie sighed happily. "I just see one minor issue."

"Issue?" Josie forced herself not to panic. Come on, I'm doing so good! "What is it?"

"Really nothing. Babies A and C are in breech positions. You'll have to have a C-section."

"Oh, all right," Josie sighed in relief. "I was kind of expecting that. Just as long as they're all okay."

Dr. Gardner nodded with a smile. "They're all fine. I'll have the nurses prep you for surgery. He looked up at Doc, Marty, and Jennifer. "Will you be accompanying her inside?"

"Yes," Doc said decisively.

"Then while she's being prepped you should sterilize yourselves. I'll get the nurses." He left them alone for a bit. Marty nervously flipped through the X-Men comic he had grabbed in the waiting room. "Jesus, I feel almost like I'm gonna throw up," he confessed. "Actually seeing a birth. Marty-2 told me he nearly got sick watching a video about it in health class."

"Look away if you have to," Doc advised. "I certainly will. I admit to some squeamishness left over from my younger years. Thank God it doesn't extend to actually drinking the blood."

"Yeah, really. . . ."

The nurses came in before the conversation could go any further. Two of them lead Doc, Marty, and Jennifer over to a sink and had them scrub in scalding hot water up to their elbows for a good three minutes. Next came caps, masks, and sterile gowns. Marty stuck his comic in his back pocket as he slipped on his gown.

Josie laughed as they came back in. "I'm going to be the only non-sterile person in the room."

Doc caught sight of himself in a mirror and had to chuckle along. "I wonder if future hospitals will make you look like a clown at your baby's birth?"

"We can only hope not," Marty said, rolling his eyes.

One of the nurses sat Josephine up and began poking at her back. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for a soft spot. We're going to give you an epidural."

"Anesthesia?"

"Yup. Keep you numb from the waist down."

"Okay." Josie winced a little as they inserted the needle. Boy, I hope it works. I'd hate to feel them cutting me open. The rest of the family shivered in agreement.

Dr. Gardner and Dr. Masters came in, attired in similar garb. "We're ready for you in surgery."

"I don't know if I'm ready," Josie admitted.

"Relax, Josie," Doc said reassuringly. "I'm sure everything will go just fine. We're here for you." He held her hand as they wheeled her into the forbidding operating room.

They finished prepping Josie, making sure her anesthesia was working (it was, thankfully), inserting another catheter for urine ("Gross," Jennifer said, wrinkling her nose), and giving the babies one last checkup in-utero. Finally they pulled a screen up over her belly. Josie bit her lip. "This is it."

"I know. I -- I feel a little lightheaded, to tell the truth."

"Deep breaths, D-Doc," Marty said, catching himself before he said anything embarrassing.

Jennifer peeked behind the screen to see the doctors making a bikini cut across Josie's abdomen. She blinked a few times and made a face. Okay, hunger and disgust really shouldn't go together.

Marty hazarded a look too. Ewwwwww. He quickly looked away. "If you want to stay conscious, don't look," he warned Doc.

"I don't intend to. What's going on over there?"

"We're just about ready to lift out baby A," Dr. Gardner reported, smiling behind his mask. He reached down and carefully extracted the newborn. There was a sucking noise as they cleared its nose and mouth, then a loud wail. Josie began to cry. "Oh, Emmett. . . ."

"I know, I know!" He laughed as they held the baby up so Josie could see it. "Hello there."

"Definitely a boy," Jennifer giggled, blushing madly.

"He looks like a raisin," Marty had to say.

"What a thing to say!"

"He does! I'm not saying it's his fault!"

"Here's baby B," Dr. Masters said, forestalling the argument. They lifted another squalling newborn aloft. "It's a girl."

"Hey Leslie," Jennifer waved.

"And baby C," Dr. Gardner announced, holding up the final baby. "It's a boy."

Josie frowned. "Christopher looks smaller than the others."

"Well, there is only so much space in there, Miss Grey." Gardner brought Christopher over to the others, who were being cleaned and dried. A was bawling his head off, and Leslie was trying to wiggle her way free of the nurses' hands.

Doc realized he was crying -- hard. He wiped his eyes, then pulled down his mask to kiss Josephine on the cheek. Oh, Josie, mein Liebe, this is so wonderful. We're proud new parents.

I know. Too bad we can't tell anyone that you're the father.

One by one they put the babies on the scale. "A is five pounds, four ounces," a nurse relayed. "B -- Leslie? -- is five pounds, eight ounces, and C -- Christopher -- is four pounds, 14 ounces. See, Christopher isn't that much smaller."

"Oh, that's good."

The nurse nodded, then noticed the lump in the back of Marty's gown. "What is that?"

"What? Oh, just a comic I grabbed from the waiting room," Marty said, pulling it back out. "X-Men." He glanced down at the cover, which featured Wolverine slashing at someone. "I don't really know why I picked up it up--"

He stopped suddenly, staring at the cover. "Wolverine. . .Logan," he said softly. "Logan Isaac Br -- Grey. Logan Isaac Grey. That sounds pretty good."

"Hmm?" Doc said, watching as they wrapped up the babies.

"I finally got his name. Logan Isaac Grey. What do you think?"

Doc smiled. "Sounds great, Marty."

The nurses came back over, each holding a freshly-wrapped baby. "Would you like to hold them?"

"Of course." Josie started crying again as they put Logan in her arms. "Oh, sweetie. . .I waited so long for you and your siblings. . . ."

Doc accepted Leslie. "Can't say they look like raisins now, can you Marty?" he teased.

"Well, they're dry now." Marty gently took Christopher. "You're cute, you know. When you're not all wet and screaming your head off."

"Can I hold him?" Jennifer asked. Marty happily transferred him. "Wow. He looks a lot like one of my old baby dolls." Christopher gurgled at that.

Doc brushed Leslie's few wisps of hair. "You know, she looks a bit like baby Marty," he confided to Josie.

Josie giggled. "Something in me told me you were going to say that," she admitted. "Of course, there are a few differences."

"I know. Her hair -- what there is of it -- is lighter, her eyes are different, she's a she. . . ."

"And she's yours. You get to keep the kid this time around."

Doc smiled. "Yeah. That's the best part."