March 27th, 2007

Week 34

They couldn't believe that Aidan was three years old. It made Alex a little sad, but knowing that the twins could come at any moment eased her pain. Alex was getting very uncomfortable. It seemed that every day she grew larger. She wanted to be induced if this kept up.

"Momma, When I grow up I'm gonna be a giant." Aidan said sitting at the kitchen table. Alex stared at him.

"All right. You can be whatever you want to be." She mumbled.

"Den I gonna be big bird." Aidan giggled. Alex nodded slowly.

"Can you do Mommy a favour?" She asked.

"Ah yeah." Aidan said.

"Go get Daddy." Alex said, "Tell him I need to go." Aidan slid off the chair. He walked into the living room.
"Daddy..." Aidan said.

"Trying to read, son." Jimmy chuckled as he flipped through the TV guide.

"Mommy wants you." He said.

"Why?" Jimmy looked at him. Aidan shrugged his little shoulders.

"Cuz...She needs to go." He said. Jimmy got up.

"Go where?" He asked.

"I dunno." He said running off. Jimmy walked into the kitchen full of concern. Alex was sitting at the table groaning.

"Alex, are you okay?" He asked. She shook her head.
"I think something is wrong." She grunted. Jimmy stared at her. "Oh god." Alex's face was pale as she keeled over. Jimmy rushed to her side.

"Contractions?" He asked. She nodded. "How far apart?"

"I don't know!!" She cried, fear setting in.

"Okay, it's all right." Jimmy said helping her to her feet, "We'll go to the hospital and have Dr. White check you out."

* * *

Jimmy helped Alex into the ER.

"I need help over here!!" He yelled. Nurse Proctor ran over with a wheelchair.

"What happened?" She asked.
"She's having contractions. Eight minutes apart on the way here." Jimmy said.
"It's too early." Alex whispered as she rubbed her belly. "I have six weeks left."

"Page Dr. White." Proctor said pushing her into the room, "Okay, get up on the table." Jimmy helped Alex up onto the table, "Has your water broke at all?" Alex shook her head.

"I don't think so." She said. Proctor put some gloves on and began to examine Alex. Jimmy stared at Alex. She looked petrified. He took her hand and kissed it softly.

"Don't worry. They'll be all right." He whispered. Dr. White walked in.

"What do we have here?" He asked.

"Alex Doherty. Thirty-Four weeks pregnant with her twins. Contractions are eight minutes apart and she's two centimeters dilated." Proctor said. Dr. White smiled.

"They really want to make an appearance now don't they?" He asked.

"You can stop the labour cant you?" Jimmy asked.

"Well, we'll see. Let's start her on some magnesium." He said, "Thirty-Four weeks is good, but I would like them to stay in there for another two weeks. I usually deliver twins around week thirty-six or seven."

"I can't loose them." Alex whimpered.

"I will do everything in my power to not let that happen." Dr. White said. Jimmy felt Alex's hand tighten up.

"Everything will be okay." He whispered as he watched Proctor set her up with the fluid that would stop labour. "Julia and Baby B will be just fine."

"I hope so." She whispered staring at her stomach. She wanted her children to be perfect. She wanted everything to go well.

April 10th, 2007

Week 36

It was panic mode. Alex may be on strict bed rest now, but that didn't mean she couldn't start panicking about the twins coming.
"Here." Beth sat on her daughter's bedside with a box on her lap. Alex arched her eyebrow.

"What is it?" She asked.
"It's an early present for the twins." Beth beamed, "I've been working on them for months." Alex unwrapped the box and slid the top off. Alex gasped. It was a beautiful yellow and cream afghan.

"Oh mother. it's beautiful!" She said.
"There's a second one for Julia." Beth said. Alex pulled out the yellow one and saw a pink and creams one. "Since we don't know if it's Aaron or Amelia, I kept it yellow."

"Thank you." Alex whispered hugging the blankets tightly. Beth chuckled.

"I worked hard on them." Beth said.

"It shows." Alex said laying the blankets on her belly. "Can you believe it's almost time? It feels like just yesterday I got pregnant with them."

"My pregnancies always seem to fly by." Beth said rubbing her daughter's foot.

"I'm done after this though." Alex said, "Three is enough. Four with Joey."

"Four is a n ice even number." Beth told her, "Your father was always one for even numbers. He either wanted two or four. I wanted one, so we settled on two."
"Adam was an oppsy." Alex chuckled. Beth shook her head.
"He was very planned." She said, "You were the oppsy."

"I believe that one." Alex said rubbing her stomach. "All three of these kids were oppsies, but amazing oppsies."

"Children are utterly amazing, Alex. You've just begun with the journey." Beth said, "So has Jimmy. When they're teenagers...That's when I loved it. It is awesome seeing what you've done go out into the world." Alex smiled softly, "It's great and it makes you proud."

"You're a great mother." Alex said withal slight yawn.

"I'm a better grandmother." She winked standing up, "You try to take a nap. I'll be Aidan." Alex nodded.

"Thank you, Mom." She said settling against her pillows. Beth smiled softly leaving her daughter alone.

* * *

Beth quietly stood at the sink washing the lunch dishes. AIdan had crashed on the living room couch about twenty minutes ago. She couldn't wait for the twins to come. It was so exciting. Twins were a rare thing in her family.

"Beth?" Jimmy walked into the kitchen. She laughed softly.

"I had almost forgotten that smell." She turned and looked at her son-in-law.

"What smell?" Jimmy frowned sniffing his armpits.

"The smell of a firefighter." Beth said, "Sweat and smoke."

"Oh." Jimmy chuckled, "Alex asleep?" Beth nodded.

"Yeah. She's getting pretty tired out now." She said.

"Yeah." Jimmy glanced at the stove, "Leftovers?"

"Help yourself." She said drying off her hands, "I gave Aidan a bath and he's just taking a nap."

"I saw." Jimmy grabbed the pot of soup and began to eat it.

"Want a bowl?" Beth chuckled. Jimmy shook his head.
"No need." he said, "Listen, I really appreciate all that you've been doing for us the past couple of weeks."

"There's no need to thank me. I've just been taking care of my baby." Beth said. Jimmy shook his head.
"There's every need to thank you." He said, "I have to go to work, Aidan needs to be taken care of, and so does Alex. I couldn't have done everything by myself."
"No you couldn't of." Beth said, "Any time you need help. I'm here."

"I know. Thank you." Jimmy said to his mother-in-law. he had heard horror stories about mother-in-laws...He had had a few, but Beth. Beth was amazing.

* * *

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