Chapter 7: The Eighth Month

Hermia sat in the middle of her bed, a large pillow supporting her knees, a hefty book propped against her thighs, her fingers playing lazily with the crystal necklace suspended around her neck. Her eyes skimmed over the page as she lifted an apple slice to her lips and bit into it, spraying her lips and a bit of the page with the fruits succulent juice.

Lizzie leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed as she watched the girl who had very quickly become one of her best friends, pour over the pages of her book with avid curiosity. She must have come to an interesting passage for Lizzie saw the telltale draw of her bottom lip between her teeth. "How's the reading coming?"

Hermia looked towards the doorway where Lizzie was standing. "Wonderful. She set the half eaten slice on the platter at her bedside. "Thank you for lending me this book." She smiled faintly as she placed her hand lovingly on the page like it was a dear old friend.

"Anytime." Lizzie smiled as she walked into the room and sat on the edge of the bed, placing a dainty hand on Hermia's swollen stomach. "You devour every book I give you. I thought my nursing text might at least offer you a bit of a challenge."

"Oh it's wonderful." Hermia ran her finger along the leaves of the book. "You know I've been thinking," she placed a marker in the book and struggled to remove it from her lap and place it on the bedside table. "When I get out of here I might look into taking classes."

"Nursing classes?"

"Well, not right away obviously. I have to find a job and a place to live. And then there is my medical bill and I'll have two babies to try and raise…how can I do that without an education? And can you name a more appropriate job for me then to become a nurse?"

"Well yeah. I think a librarian or a bookkeeper might be suitable match."

"Lizzie, I'm serious. If I have learned anything from you and Nate it's that there is so much good I can do in the world if I'm only given the opportunity."

"You're serious?" Lizzie straightened with admiration. "You really want to become a nurse?"

"Well," the curly haired girl shrugged. "To begin with. Maybe someday I'll study to become a doctor."

"And let me guess you're specialty will be memory loss."

Hermia lowered her eyes to the book. "It was just something I was thinking about."

Lizzie smiled encouragingly before pressing a kiss to Hermia's cheek. "I think you'd make a wonderful nurse. And, I think I have a suggestion of a way to help you get there sooner."

"Really. And how's that."

"Hermia," Lizzie scooted closer on the bed and took up her hand. "Nate and I have been talking. We've been discussing this for a long time in fact, and…when the doctors say you are ready we want you to come and live with us."

"What?" Hermia gasped with astonishment. "You can't be serious."

"I assure you I am."

"But you've only known me two months."

"And some flatmates only meet each other a week before they move in together. What's you're point?"

"But I'm going to have two babies."

Lizzie waved her worry aside. "Don't fret about it. I have four sisters and each of them has at least three kids. I am a baby expert. And Nate said as long as you handle the feeding and the changing, he can handle everything else."

Hermia looked at her with humor in her eyes. "He's a nurse and he can't handle a little dirty diaper?"

"He can handle it, he just doesn't want to."

Hermia rolled her eyes. "Men."

"No Mia, Drama Queen."

"Be that as it may, I can't accept your offer."

"Hermia Doe!" Lizzie bound to her feet. "Will you please stop being so stubborn. Please understand, Nate and I want to help you. You're one of us now. We can't just let you go off on your own, unprotected, homeless and without a job. We're no longer giving you an option. You are coming to live with us We've already rearranged the house. Your room is all ready."

"You can't do this." Hermia insisted. "I can not accept your offer. It's too much."

"Why? You can't possibly think you'll be a burden."

Hermia lowered her eyes in shame. "You do." Lizzie said with realization. "You think you'll be a burden. Hermia," Lizzie laughed with disbelief, "Nate has more money then he knows what to do with. He comes from a family of old money, he was the only child and both his parents died years ago, leaving it all to him. He has a huge house in the country side that he never uses because it's to big. He lives with me in my house because he wants to, and it's the same reason why he's a nurse. Not because he has to, but because he wants too. He's already taken care of your medical bills and won't here a word of you paying him back."

"He's been paying my fee."

"Keep on subject, Mia. The truth of the matter is we like you. I can't help but feel over protective of you and I know Nate feels the same way. If you don't come live with us you'll cause both Nate and myself undue worry and anxiety and I won't allow that to happen. You're coming to live with us and that's the end of it."

"But…"

"No arguments." Lizzie interrupted her. "We've already got everything set. You can stay with us for as long as you need."

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, except… Have you done your kick test today?"

Hermia opened her mouth to protest only to find Lizzie holding up a halting hand. "Kick test.

Hermia sighed knowing this is one argument she wasn't going to win. Especially not when Lizzie told Nate she had refused and they both ganged up on her. Instead of wasting her time she rolled her eyes, focusing on the issue at hand. "Are you kidding?" She placed a hand to her rounded stomach. "These two are playing football with my kidney." Lizzie laughed as she placed her hand to where Hermia indicated most of the kicking was occurring. "And if that weren't enough. My back has been bothering me all day and I have a horrific headache."

Lizzie smiled as she retook her seat on Hermia's bed, her hand not leaving her friend's swollen stomach. "Are you sure you don't want to know what they are?"

"Yes, definitely."

"All right." Lizzie leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Hermia's cheek. "Why don't you take a nap for a little while?"

"I tried that. The twins won't let me sleep."

"Try again anyway."

"Right." Hermia moved to settle back in the bed, removing the pillow from beneath her knees. "Oww." Lizzie was almost to the door when she hears Hermia's cry of pain. She turned to find the girl sitting up in bed clutching at the small of her back.

"Mia, what is it?"

Hermia took several deep breaths. "That really hurt." Lizzie took several steps closer to the bed but before she could even cross the room Hermia had let out a gasp and looked down in shock.

"Mia?" Lizzie hurried to the bed, watching while Hermia lifted her blanket to look underneath the covers.

"I think my water just broke."


Fourteen hours later Hermia collapsed back on her pillows, tears of pain and exhaustion trickling from her large brown eyes. "I can't do this anymore." Her head fell weakly to the side.

"You're doing wonderful, sweet heart." Nate pressed a comforting kiss to her brow, smoothing her sweat dampened hair out of her eyes. "You're almost there now."

"Here comes another contraction." Lizzie read from the monitor. She turned back to her friends and readjusted her fingers. "All right Hermia, you have to push now." She instructed. "This is is."

Hermia clung tightly to Lizzie and Nate's hands. Tears poured achingly down her face as she struggled with the force of each contraction. "I can't." She cried, clinging tighter to Nate and Lizzie's fingers. "It hurts. Can't they just get it out of me? Just get it out of me."

"Hermia," Lizzie said in a stern, calm voice. "Get a hold of yourself. You have to push."

"But it's too early." She argued turning her head towards Nate who was on her other side. "There not due for another month."

"Twins sometimes come early, Mia. Remember?" He pressed a cool damp towel to her brow.

"No. I don't remember." She cried as another contraction hit her body, forcing her back to arch with the intensity of it.

"Hermia," The doctor commanded from the end of the bed. "You have to push now."

Gripping tight to her friends hands as if they were her life line she bore down and pushed with all of her strength.

"I see a head." The doctor cried, "You're doing great." He encouraged when Hermia stopped pushing and collapsed back on the bed. "Ok Hermia, with the next contraction you have to push with all your strangth and don't stop until I tell you. Do you understand?"

Hermia nodded as more tears ran hotly down her face.

"All right, push." Hermia bore down once again, squeezing Lizzie's hand so tight she feared her fingers might break. "Almost there Hermia, keep pushing." With a final fierce push, Hermia felt the baby slip free. A few seconds latter the room was filled with the robust cries of a baby newly forced from the womb.

The doctor smiled up at Hermia. "It's a girl."

"A girl?" Hermia fell back on her pillows as her friends leaned in and pressed a kiss each to her forehead.

"Well done, sweet heart." Nate said, running a soothing hand over her hair. He stretched his neck to see the doctor place the small baby in the assisting nurses arms. "She looks beautiful."

"Really?"

"All right." The doctor retook his place at the foot of the delivery table. "Let's get ready to greet the next one."

"I have to go through that again?" Hermia asked incredulously, her head falling back with frustration.

"Yes, darling." Lizzie pressed another kiss to Hermia's forehead. "There's still another precious baby waiting to meet you."

"Can't it just stay in?" Hermia pleaded. "I don't mind being pregnant."

"No dear. It has to come out." Lizzie squeezed her hand affectionately. "You'll feel much better once this is over."

At that moment another contraction gripped her body and instinctually Hermia bore down, pushing with all her might; determined to get the last baby out.

After several minutes of painful struggle the baby slid free and its wails joined its sisters to fill the room.

"It's another girl."

Nate laughed happily as he pressed his forehead to Hermia's. "A house full of women. Thank god."

Hermia's laugh morphed into a groan of pain.

"Nate," Lizzie scolded. "Don't make her laugh. She just gave birth."

"Mummy," The nurse and doctor stepped up to the bed, each bearing a wrapped bundle in their arms. "There are two little girls who would like to meet you."

Lizzie released Hermia's hand to retrieve a pillow to lie across the new mothers lap. When the pillow was in place the two babies were nestled safely into their mother's arms.

Hermia looked down at the two little girls and felt her heart swell to bursting with pure love. "Hello little ones." She cooed, nuzzling them lovingly with her nose. "I'm your mummy."

"So," Nate asked an hour later, swaying back and forth on his feet with a sleeping baby in his arms, "What are you going to call them?"

Hermia, who could feel the beginning tendrils of sleep grip at her senses forced her eyes back open. "Call them?" She blinked the sleep away and focused on what she had been asked. "Well," she paused a moment to accept one of the babies from Lizzie. "I was thinking that I would carry on the tradition that you started and name them after Shakespeare characters."

"Inspired!" Nate sat on one side of the bed while Lizzie went to bring Hermia a mug of cooled water to sip at.

"Thank you." She took a healthy swallow and set the mug aside. "Anyway," a mischievous gleam appeared in her eye when she glanced over at Nate, gauging him for a reaction. "I was thinking of naming them Beatrice, and Dorcas."

"Beatrice and Dorcas?" Hermia had to bit her lip to keep from laughing when she saw the look of revulsion on her friends face. "Please, anything but Beatrice and Dorcas. Why not Adriana." he suggested.

" Or Juliet." Lizzie piped in.

"No." Nate objected. "TO obvious. How about Audrey?"

"Margaret?"

"Diana?"

"Isabella?"

"Jessica?"

"Hermione?"

"What?" Hermia sat up sharply at the suggestion, startling the baby into crying. "What did you say?" She asked Nate with narrowed eyes as she lightly rocked the baby back into slumber.

"I said Hermione. From a Winter's Tale. Why?" His eyes narrowed with intrigue. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know." She leaned back into the pillow continuing to rock her baby until she was calm. "There's just something very familiar about that name."

"Are you remembering something?" Lizzie asked as she took the baby from Hermia's arms.

Hermia bit her lip in thought. "That's just it. I feel like I should, but I can't."

"Nothing? Not even a face to put with it?" she persisted.

"No." Hermia shook her head. "Nothing."

"I imagine Hermione's out of the question then." Nate said as he changed the position the little baby was lying in his arms.

Hermia nodded. "I think that might be best."

"So," Nate nudged her slightly with his shoulder. "What are you really going to name them?"

"I think," Hermia motioned towards the baby in Nate's arms, "that I am going to call the oldest Hero, and her sister," she let her finger graze the cheek of the baby in Lizzie's arms, "Helena."

"Hero and Helena." Nate tried the names on his tongue. "I like that. Both of them heroines in their own right, and both of them get there man in the end. That's starting them off on the right foot don't you think? What do you say, Lizzie?"

Lizzie nodded and smiled happily down at the baby wrapped in a soft yellow blanket in her arms. "I like it. What do you think Helena? Is that your name?" The baby sighed loudly and snuggled further into the warmth of Lizzie's arms. "I think I'll take that as a yes."

Nate moved the baby so that her head was resting at his shoulder. "Hero? It's very fitting, wouldn't you agree?"