A week after her talk with Teddy Alyssa finally found the courage to tell Megan. They had just been texting for the last few weeks so it had been easy to hide her big news. But Alyssa knew if she didn't tell Megan today Teddy would tomorrow and that would not end well.
"Hi Lyss," Megan answered her phone, "you face timed me what's going on?"
"So Matt and I have exciting news," Alyssa said, "I've been waiting to tell you."
"You're engaged," Megan guessed.
"No he hasn't proposed," Alyssa said, "that's on hold."
"You're moving closer," Megan guessed.
"No," Alyssa said, "do you want me to tell you or are you going to keep guessing?"
"One more guess," Megan said, "you're coming to visit."
"Soon," Alyssa promised, "maybe next summer. Mom, I'm pregnant."
"What," Megan squealed, "when? How far along?"
"15 weeks, due February 16th and I'm having twins," Alyssa said.
"You're just telling me now," Megan questioned.
"I wasn't ready," Alyssa said.
"Did you say twins," Megan pressed.
"Twins," Alyssa replied.
"As in two babies," Megan asked.
"Yea two babies," Alyssa said.
"Why didn't you tell me," Megan asked, "when did you know? This is unexpected."
"We were sort of trying," Alyssa admitted, "so I took a test as soon as my period was a day late. And we found out we're having twins at the 8 week ultrasound. I just wanted to give you a heads up before uncle Owen's wedding because I'm showing."
"When were you going to tell me I'm a grandma," Megan snapped.
"If you snap at me I will hang up," Alyssa warned, "I don't need it."
"Do your uncle and aunt know," Megan asked.
"Yes and grandma," Alyssa said, "auntie Teddy knew first. I just need her and she only had Allison a couple years ago. I didn't and still don't know what's happening to my body and just needed Auntie Teddy."
"Not feeling well," Megan asked.
"Round and heavy," Alyssa said, "my back hurts."
"But the first trimester," Megan asked.
"I'm still getting sick most days," Alyssa said, "thank god I work from home. I was vomiting like ten times times a day and already clearly showing at ten weeks. I'm still vomiting a couple times a day. ."
"I vomited the whole time with you," Megan said, "what has grandma said?"
"That she was sick for both," Alyssa replied, "could someone have warned me about living in the bathroom?"
"Sorry sweetheart," Megan replied, "twins are new for all of us."
"It's high risk," Alyssa said.
"So you have a good OB," Megan asked.
"I have a great midwife ," Alyssa said, "she answers my questions. She's calm. I go every other week until the third trimester then it's weekly. We have an ultrasound the day before I come down for uncle Owen and auntie Teddy's wedding."
"Midwife not an OB," Megan asked, "Alyssa Evelyn hunt what are you thinking?"
"Catie went to nursing school with her," Alyssa said, "she's a nurse practitioner. I like Kelsey. She's calm and puts me at ease. I don't love clinics and hospitals. Kelsey's office is in an old house and comfortable. She's on board with me wanting a natural birth in the hospital. Mom, I don't want a C-section. I've talked to two different OBs and both said being twins it's an automatic C-section. I don't want that."
"You were beech and had to be," Megan said.
"I will do it if it is medically necessary," Alyssa replied, "auntie Teddy set it up for me to ask Carina Deluca at their hospital a couple questions and Carina agrees that we should try. I know it's only 50/50 but I want to try. Matt and I want two kids so this is my only pregnancy."
"Maybe," Megan teased.
"No," Alyssa said, "two is enough. I don't know if we can do two at once."
"You can and if you want I can come help," Megan offered.
"Auntie Teddy is coming for the first two weeks," Alyssa said, "starting on my due date she's taking two weeks. I know twins are usually early but if I'm careful and take care of myself I'll make it to 37 or 38 but 40 is the goal. Anything after 37 we'll be okay."
"It's term," Megan agreed, "you were 39 weeks but you were ready."
"You can tell Nathan and Faroke," Alyssa said.
"I didn't want to tell you on the phone," Megan said, "but since we're dropping bombs today. Nate and I broke up; he moved out two weeks ago. Owen doesn't know yet"
"Mom," Alyssa asked, "what happened?"
"We fought a lot," Megan said, "we were either all over each other or ignoring each other. It was extremes and for me and for Faroke it wasn't good. We're still friends and he still wants to be in your life and Farokes."
"Mom you've loved him," Alyssa started.
"I still do," Megan said, "it wasn't meant to be. We were apart too long. Lyss we tried. But you made me smile for the first time since. Lyss, that's good news."
"Do you want to see," Alyssa asked.
"How," Megan asked.
"You could wait a few weeks grandma but," Alyssa said, "I can use my phone and a mirror."
"Let's see my grand babies," Megan said.
"Grand babies," Faroke yelled.
"It's Lyss," Megan said, "tell your brother ladybug."
Seeing Faroke appear over Megan's shoulder Alyssa smiled, "you're going to be an uncle. I'm pregnant with twins. Two babies. You can meet them in February."
"Alyssa, you were going to show me the bump," Megan said.
"I'm going," Alyssa said, she walked to the mirror on the landing and turned the camera on her phone to show her reflection.
"Holy Shit," Megan yelled, "Alyssa."
"Happy healthy twins," Alyssa smiled her free hand on her bump, "I want them to move."
"Give it a couple weeks," Megan said.
"I want to now and to know," Alyssa said.
"Will your find out the genders," Megan asked.
"Five weeks till we find out," Alyssa said, "we don't think they're identical but aren't doing any genetic testing unless we need to. I don't want the needle in my belly and we don't need to. I'm only going to do tests or interventions if medically necessary. Right now they have their own sacs and placentas so it's optimal for twins. They play with each other I think . The one on the left is stronger but the right is more frequent."
"Minimum intervention really," Megan asked.
"I don't want to unless we have to," Alyssa said, "my experience of me being in the hospital hasn't been good."
"When," Megan asked.
"My appendix was traumatising," Alyssa admitted, "then in college when they thought I tore my achilles and thought I had meningitis."
"Matt will be with you; he can advocate for you," Megan said.
"No," Alyssa said, "no I don't do hospitals. Being the patient scares me."
"If I came," Megan offered.
"No," Alyssa said, "I've found someone I trust. Mom, you have to trust me to know what I can handle."
"If something needs to be done," Megan asked, "what would help. Lyss you need a plan."
"Uncle Owen has to come," Alyssa said, "he always gets them to fix it."
"My brother is your solution," Megan asked incredulously.
"Yes," Alyssa said, "they've been really supportive so far. Auntie Teddy thinks I need anti nausea medication but I don't want to."
"Are you eating," Megan asked.
"A bit," Alyssa said, "it's getting better. There's definite food aversions and cravings."
"For," Megan asked.
"Watermelon," Alyssa replied, "I think I ate a whole one in the last two days."
"And how's Matt with all this," Megan asked.
"He's great," Alyssa smiled, "Matt's really excited."
"What am I excited about," Matt asked.
"Babies," Alyssa smiled at him.
He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek.
"My mom's on face time," Alyssa gasped.
"Hi Megan," Matt called.
"Matt," Megan said, "we need to talk. Alyssa give him the phone."
"Megan," Matt said taking the phone.
"So you and my daughter," Megan said, "what's the plan?"
"Our babies," Matt replied, "we're focused on the kids right now."
"Matthew you have to take care of her," Megan said, "what do you know about her dad?"
"Nothing," Matt said, "I've never met Derek or even talked to him she's not talking to him."
"Her dad was not around," Megan replied, "even when I was expecting. You need to be there for her. I can't physically be there day to day neither can my brother and Teddy. You need to be. You need to love her and care for her."
"I am," Matt assured.
"Matt I'm serious she's not telling me but she's scared," Megan replied.
"I know she's anxious," Matt replied, "and I know about her trauma. We're home, she likes it here we're starting to get the nursery ready before she gets really uncomfortable."
"Okay," Megan agreed, "Matt just be there and make her happy."
"I will," Matt agreed, "I'm going to pass you back to Lyss."
Alyssa took her phone back when Matt brought it back to her.
"Mom," Alyssa asked.
"So when you said you were thinking about a family," Megan said.
"We had started trying," Alyssa admitted, "I had stopped birth control about 2 months before that. It took 7 months. Mom I want this. This is what I want, my family here with Matt and our kids. I know it's not the big grand life you wanted for me but I'm happy. Can you trust that I'm happy."
"I can," Megan agreed, "Lyss Ladybug you know you can come to me at any time with anything. Babies or relationship all of it, I want to know. I love you and your babies. I want to come up and see you and hold you and feel the babies kick."
"The wedding isn't far," Alyssa said, "by then I'll be super round and you can really meet them."
"Honestly ladybug are you feeling okay," Megan asked.
"Right this moment yes," Alyssa agreed, "as me in an hour I might say otherwise. I'm really tired."
"I was exhausted with you," Megan said, "they thought I had mono at one point I was so tired. Are you sleeping well?"
"Okay I guess," Alyssa replied.
"Up to pee," Megan questioned.
"And not always comfortable," Alyssa replied.
"With you a pillow between my knees helped," Megan suggested, "and a thick one behind my back to stop me from rolling back. I used one of the round ones like on a fancy hotel bed."
"I have a special pregnancy one," Alyssa replied.
"Hows your back," Megan asked.
"It gets sore but it's too early to be sore from the babies," Alyssa replied.
"You're having twins it's double the baby, double the strain on your body," Megan responded, "it's going to be hard on your body. It's okay to need help and support and love."
"Mom," Alyssa said.
"I am here however you need me," Megan said, "and I want to meet them as soon as they're born."
"You and Uncle Owen and Auntie Teddy," Alyssa said, "the three of you. They've picked special names. But I want you to pick."
"Have Matt's parents chosen," Megan asked.
"They're Nana and Grandad to his sisters kids," Alyssa replied, "I want you to pick before I tell Auntie Teddy and Uncle Owen if they can use their names."
"I want Grandma," Megan said, "I want to be Grandma."
"Okay," Alyssa smiled, "so we have Grandma, Oma, Opa, Nana and Grandad."
"Oma and Opa," Megan asked.
"The German words for grandma and grandpa," Alyssa said, "it's what she called her grandparents on her dad's side and with her time in Germany and her speaking German it works."
"What do you have," Megan asked, "what do you need?"
"I've started an online registry I'll send you the link," Alyssa said.
"Lyss when you were born my mom bought me the carseat and stroller," Megan said, "I want to get those for you."
"It's double," Alyssa said.
"Lyss let me do it," Megan replied, "have you looked at double strollers?"
"Yes and I'm being greedy and want a carrier as well so I can have one attached to me. We both want them," Alyssa replied.
"Then put it on your registry," Megan replied, "has my mom said anything?"
"Grandma is knitting and making blankets," Alyssa said, "like my blankie and Leo and Allison's."
"She made Faroke a big one as well," Megan smiled.
"Mom I want to go home," Alyssa said, "I want to be able to bring my kids to see you and to Seattle."
"The border is opening you'll be able to," Megan assured, "and I'll come up as much as you'll let me."
"Did your knees hurt," Alyssa asked.
"After about 30 weeks all my joints below my ribs did," Megan replied, "have you ever hurt your knees?"
"My left I had a few strains over the years," Alyssa relied, "the last was in April on a SAR mission. It was before we knew about the babies. I slipped on some wet rocks and banged it pretty hard."
"Watch it and tell your doctor," Megan replied, "you can't take anything without checking first."
"I haven't taken anything for it," Alyssa said, "just icing it."
"Ice and heat," Megan suggested, "take it easy. What are you doing for exercise?"
"Walking, shorter runs, swimming laps but that won't last much longer, I go to a prenatal fitness class twice a week and a yoga one once a week," Alyssa said, "I do my 90 minutes a day I've always done. Auntie Teddy said to try to move as much as possible."
"Good," Megan said, "move you'll feel better."
"I do it more for my mental health," Alyssa admitted, "I'm finding this a huge adjustment mentally."
"It is," Megan said, "Lyss you will be an amazing mom. You're ready."
"25 weeks to be," Alyssa said, "if we can make it to 40 weeks. 38 is the goal."
"You were 39," Megan said, "exactly. And anything after 36 or 37 your babies will be okay."
"Thats what we're hoping," Alyssa said, "I know eat well, relax, move."
"All you can do," Megan said, "I want you to enjoy this. Alyssa I didn't get to enjoy it with you. I want you to have all the special things and I'll talk to your aunts we'll do a shower. I know most are in Vancouver so Auntie Teddy and I will come up."
"I want that," Alyssa agreed.
"We'll have one," Megan assured.
"Mom I really have to pee then have a zoom meeting can we talk later," Alyssa asked.
"We can," Megan assured, "I love you lady bug."
"Love you too," Alyssa replied.