We were almost by the table where her mother and sister were sitting then Alice grabbed my arm. I turned to look at her and her hand was on her stomach. Her eyes had pain written all over them. This doesn't look like a false alarm. Her grip tightened on my arm and I was starting to worry.
"Tarrant, I have a riddle for you," she said and there was pain in her voice.
I smiled a non convincing smile and said, "Do tell love."
"What's been hiding for a while and when it's time to come out it's usually painful?" she asked the riddle.
_Clannadh!_
I answered, "Showtime," then I turned to Mrs. Kingsleigh and Margaret, "**Bring the bag. Let's go!**"
Alice tightened her grip on my arm, "Tarrant, my water just broke…**hurry**!"
I picked her up and we made our way to the castle.
When we passed by Thackery and Tanna, I apologized, "Sorry Thackery…but it's time."
Thackery laughed and waved, "Don't worry about it, _athair,_ your children are coming. Go…we'll forgive you."
I laughed then Alice started fussing at me in the Outlandish accent, "**Tarrant Hightopp, I'll kell ya! How dar ya get me inta this predicament! It should be yu ta go thru this much pain! You hurrible canifing guddler's scut!**"
Poor Alice, I knew she didn't mean what she was telling me. I took the stairs three at a time, and finally, we made it to the midwife. Lana opened the door to let me in with Alice. I put Alice on the bed and Lana pushed me out for a minute. I turned and saw Carlisle with Mirana, Sophia, Mrs. Kingsleigh, and Margaret smiling at me. Lana opened the door.
"Mr. Hightopp…you can come in with everyone right now. We're waiting until she's fully dilated. Right now, she's four centimeters dilated and she is in active labor," Lana announced.
Carlisle walked up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. Everyone walked in except for me and Carlisle.
He smiled at me, "Ready _athair_?"
I returned the smile and nodded, "Oh yes. I can't wait to see them."
Carlisle chuckled, "Let the waiting begin."
I laughed with him and we walked into the room. Alice was in her white sleeping gown. She was sweating and just got out of a contraction. She turned to look at me.
She reached out for me, "Tarrant!"
I sprinted to her side and took her hand in mine. I kissed her hand and placed my other hand on top. I knelt down to where I was even with her. Carlisle walked up to Alice, leaned over, and kissed her forehead.
He said, "We'll be right outside. Can't wait to hear my nieces and nephews cry," and walked out the room after patting my shoulder.
I looked at him and smiled at him. Mirana leaned over and kissed Alice's forehead.
She told her, "You're strong and you'll do fine. I can't wait to see my nieces and nephews," and walked out the room after kissing my cheek.
Sophia leaned over, kissed Alice's forehead, and grabbed Alice's left hand.
She told her, "You're a fighter and you'll get through this. Remember who's there as a punching bag," she got a laugh out of Alice and sat on the bed next to her, "You'll do fine. Can't wait to hear them cry and to hold them for the first time. I still can't believe you asked me to be the godmother along with your sister."
Alice replied, "You're like another sister to me, Soph. You and I confide in one another when we need someone beside Tarrant or Carlisle…wait a minute…contraction…" she breathed in and out until it was over then she inhaled to continue, "I'm so happy you are back in our lives."
Sophia leaned over and hugged Alice. She broke the embrace and sat up.
"We'll be outside the door waiting anxiously," Sophia got up, hugged me, and walked out.
Margaret and Mrs. Kingsleigh came up together. Margaret sat down on the bed next to Alice. She smiled at her.
"My little sister is going to be a mom. This is exciting," she grabbed Alice's hand.
I excused myself and Alice grabbed my arm.
"I'll be right back. I want to give you, Margaret, and your mother some time alone," I kissed her and she mouthed thank you to me.
I smiled, opened the door, walked out, and closed the door to the room. My family looked at me and smiled. I walked over to the counter and poured me some tea. I fixed it the way I liked it and stirred it. I took a sip, walked over to the arm chair, and fell in it. Before I closed my eyes, Carlisle walked up to me then placed his hand on my shoulder. Lana walked back in and noticed I was out the room.
She started picking at me, "Alice tossed you out?"
I laughed sarcastically, "Very funny…no I wanted to give her, her sister, and her mother some alone time."
"Sure," she said sarcastically and I tossed a cookie at her.
It hit her and she caught it before it hit the floor. She ate the cookie and walked into the room.
Suddenly I heard, "**Tarrant**!"
I placed my cup down and ran back inside to Alice. I checked my pocket watch and it has been four hours that Alice has been in active labor. It was almost twelve o'clock midnight. Lana checked her and told Mrs. Kingsleigh and Margaret to get out.
"Eight centimeters and she only has two more to go. At the rate she's going, in one hour she'll be ready to push," Lana explained as she left to go get herself ready.
I pulled a chair next to the bed and sat down in it. I took Alice's hand in mine and kissed it.
I decided to break the silence, "Alice, we're going to have babies tonight."
She smiled, inhaled, and exhaled, "I know. Isn't it amazing?"
I replied, "Yes, it is amazing. A family of two will become a family of six in a couple hours."
Alice gripped her stomach and very painfully stated, "Tarrant…I need to push."
Lana heard her and came out with towels, blankets, and cold water. She checked Alice and looked at me.
"She's ten centimeters and the babies are where they're supposed to be. Ready Mrs. Alice…now push," Lana told us.
Alice sat up and began to push. I held her hand and counted to ten. She stopped pushing and lied back. I kissed her forehead and caressed her hand that I held.
"You're doing great, love. Ready?" I encouraged her.
She nodded, sat up, and pushed harder this time. I counted to ten and she fell back down catching her breath.
I began to encourage her, "That's our champion. Nothing can stop her not even childbirth."
Alice got up and pushed again this time a scream left her lips. I counted to ten but Lana interrupted.
"Stop pushing, Mrs. Alice," Lana commanded and I saw her move her hands to the right then left, "Here's baby number one and it's a girl."
The baby started crying and a smile formed on my face. Lana handed me some sort of scissors then she motioned to the cord that attached our little girl to Alice. I walked over and cut the cord. I walked over to Alice and kissed her lips so gently.
Alice had tears in her eyes and asked, "Who does she look like?"
"She definitely has my hair but your eyes. She's so beautiful just like her mother. I love you so much," I ran my fingers through her hair.
She looked at our little girl, "That's our Carlie. **Oh God! I cud kell ya, Tarrant Hightopp**!"
Lana got back into position to receive the next one. Alice pushed and I counted to ten. She stopped and lied back on the pillow. She's now sweating a lot. Lana handed me a cold towel to wipe her face. I took it and wiped Alice's face.
Alice looked at me, inhaled, and exhaled, "Thank you that felt good."
Alice got up and began pushing again. I counted to ten then Lana stopped Alice. Lana moved to the left then right with her hands.
"Here's baby number two," Lana pulled the baby out and he started crying very loudly.
I looked at my son and gracious he looked just like me from the red hair to the green eyes. I cut the cord and walked back to Alice with a huge smile on my face.
"Well…he looks like who?" she asked.
"Definitely me. He has my hair and eyes. Our little Timothy," I replied while smoothing back her hair away from her face.
She was in pain again and Lana got back into position. Alice started pushing and I counted to ten. She laid back and caught her breath. I kissed her forehead and squeezed her hand. Alice looked at me and smiled. Then she got another contraction and started to push again. I counted to ten and she stopped at five. I looked at her and she was in tears.
"Alice, love, are you alright?" I asked starting to get concerned.
Alice answered, "It hurts so much. I hope I'm not tearing or anything. I can't push like this."
I tried to reason with her, "Darling, you're going to have to push. The babies can't stay in there for much longer. They will die if you stop."
I think that got to her because she sat up and pushed with all her might. I counted to ten and she finished on ten this time. She laid back to catch her breath.
I smiled and bragged, "That's my girl. Don't give up."
Alice sat back up and began to push again. I counted to ten and she finished on ten again. She laid back and caught her breath.
Lana told her, "Alright, Mrs. Alice, one more push then this little one will be out."
Alice sat up and pushed with all her might. I began counting and got up to five then Lana stopped Alice.
"Baby number three and another beautiful baby girl," Lana announced as she cleaned off the third Hightopp baby then the assistant came to help.
I was handed those scissors again and I cut the cord.
"You know what I'm going to ask," Alice tiredly stated.
I walked back to her, grabbed her hand, kissed her forehead, and told her, "She has your hair but my eyes."
She smiled at me, "Our little Emily…not another one…thank God, it's the last one."
I chuckled as she sat up and very weakly began to push. I counted up to three and she laid back. This was not good. I squeezed her hand and she looked at me. I took the towel, wet it in the cold water, rung it out, then wiped her face.
I began to get playful, "Now, if I remember correctly, my wife would think of six impossible things before breakfast which is an excellent practice by the way."
She looked at me and started those six impossible things, "One, I finally stayed in Underland. Two, I fell in love with a mad hatter. Three, I learned a dance called the Flotchen. Four, I married the mad hatter. Five, we found out we're expecting quadruplets. Six, I can deliver all four without anyone else helping me."
After she said the last one, it was as if she found some new strength. She got up and pushed with every muscle in her body. I counted to ten and she laid back to only catch a huge intake of air to start pushing again.
I smiled and began talking to her, "That's the strength I knew you had. That's why you're our champion. You never give up, Alice, and that's what I love about you."
She stopped pushing, laid back, caught her breath, and pushed again.
Alice yelled at the top of her lungs as she squeezed my hand so tightly that I thought she broke it, "Yu betta be happy tha I luv ya, because if I didn't, I wuld tae tha Vorpal Sword an cut off yu manhood an shuv it up yu asal! Yu low down bloody slurvish guddler's scut! Tis will be tha las time I do tis in a long time!"
When she said time, she got up and pushed with all her might. I counted to eight and Lana stopped Alice. Lana moved to the left then right then left again.
"Now push lightly, Mrs. Alice," Lana instructed.
Alice pushed very softly and Lana announced, "The final Hightopp and a handsome boy."
There was one problem though; no crying. Lana gave the scissors to me again and I cut the cord. Lana gave him a tap on his foot and still nothing.
"What's wrong with my baby?" Alice asked getting very worried.
I shushed her and Lana tapped him on his buttocks; still nothing.
"May I?" I asked because I remembered something mother told me she did to Sophia's daughter Belle when she was born.
Lana handed my son to me and I tried it. I placed my hand on his chest and rubbed clockwise for ten seconds then tapped his buttocks. Sure enough, he let out a cry not quite as loud as Timothy's but close. Alice was in tears at this point. Lana took him from me to clean him up.
I told her before she asked, "He looks like you. Blond hair and blue eyes."
Alice corrected me, "That's my father. Blond hair and blue eyes. Our little Gavin a split image of Grandpa Charlie."
I sat on the bed next to her and kissed her passionately on the lips.
I broke the kiss, looked into her eyes, and said, "Four healthy babies…_Gonadh,_ I love so much more now that you've brought them into this world."
Alice looked at the door and told me, "Go tell everyone that they're here. I know you want to see everyone."
I kissed her again but before I left the room, Lana brought in Carlie and Timothy for Alice to hold. I sat next to her on the bed, wrapped my arm around her, and looked down at my son and daughter. I caressed the head of my daughter then my son.
"Hello there _mo gràdhaich_, we've been waiting for you," I started talking to them.
Lana then brought Emily and Gavin for me to hold. I looked at my family. I went from being the last lonely Hightopp to marrying Alice to find out we're with child to getting my brother and sister back to being a proud father of four in the span of ten months. I figured out which one loved my touch and it was Emily. She snuggled up to me and was now sleeping soundly. I gave Alice a gently kiss on her lips. I got up with both babies still in my arms. Lana opened the door for me and I walked out to go show my anxiously waiting family.
When I walked out, I heard the ohs and the ahs. Carlisle and Mirana were the first ones to come up to see them.
Carlisle had tears in his eyes, "Tarrant, they're beautiful. These two favor Alice with blond hair but this one has your eyes and this one has Alice's eyes."
Mirana was caressing both Emily and Gavin's head then said, "You are the proud papa, Tarrant."
Sophia cleared her throat and approached me, "Alright let the godmother through. I want to see my niece and nephew as well. Oh Tarrant, they're beautiful. They're going to break many hearts when they get older."
I walked over to Margaret and Mrs. Kingsleigh. They stood up and Mrs. Kingsleigh was in tears when she saw Gavin.
"Another Charlie…this little one looks like his grandfather. The little girl looks like Alice when she was a baby. Tarrant, they're beautiful," Mrs. Kingsleigh was fighting back her tears.
After Margaret had a chance to admire, I turned back to go get Carlie and Timothy. Carlisle opened me the door and I walked in. He closed it behind me and I walked up to the bed. Alice just got through feeding Carlie and Timothy.
Alice smiled at me and told me some awful news, "Well I talked with Lana about when it's good for us to start back on our bedroom excursions. She told me to wait for six weeks."
I groaned, "Six weeks! What's she trying to do kill me?"
Alice laughed hysterics, "She said that if we make love let's say tomorrow night she told me I could conceive within three days."
My eyes widened and she continued, "My reaction exactly so guess what…we're waiting the six weeks."
I still groaned and Alice laughed.
I started thinking out loud, "Alright…I want to show them Carlie and Timothy but how do we switch when both arms have babies…I know. Bend your knees."
Alice bent her knees and I set Gavin sitting up looking at her. I took Timothy in my free arm then gave her Emily. I took Carlie in my other free arm. Lana came in and helped Alice get Gavin so she could feed Emily and Gavin. I walked to the door and Lana opened the door for me. I walked out and again the ahs and ohs started.
Carlisle started laughing, "Tarrant, there's no way you can deny these two. Your son is a split image of you when you were a baby. _Clannadh_, he has your eyes!"
I chuckled and Mirana caressed them, "They are adorable. Look at their hair how curly."
Sophia walked up to us, "I want to see, too. Stop hogging the view, _bràthair_. I want to see them. Tarrant, Timothy is the split image of you. Be prepared for Tarrant the second."
"Stop trying to label my son. Just because he looks like me doesn't mean he'll act like me," I spoke too soon because he kicked my hand so hard he almost fell out my arm; good thing I saw it coming.
I had a realization, "So you're the one that liked to kick me for four months. Oh boy…you are me."
Sophia and Carlisle laughed so hard that I thought they would fall to the ground. I rolled my eyes at them and walked over to Margaret and Mrs. Kingsleigh. They were smiling from ear to ear.
Mrs. Kingsleigh rubbed their heads and said, "Hello there sweet ones, we've been waiting for you for a long time."
Margaret caressed Carlie's cheek and asked, "Carlie was named after father wasn't she?"
I nodded and she added, "Alice always said she wanted to name one of her children after him," she was in tears at this point, "Now that she did it, I know father's spirit will live on through this child."
I smiled at her. I couldn't hug her because both hands had babies.
I decided to go back to Alice, "Well my loves let's tell Uncle Carlisle, Aunt Mirana, Aunt Sophia, Aunt Margaret, and Grandma bye. It's time to go beddy bye."
I walked to the door and Carlisle opened it up for me. I walked back in and he shut the door behind me. Lana and her assistant took Emily and Gavin from Alice. After they put the babies down, they came to get Carlie and Timothy from me. They put them down in a basinet with Emily and Gavin. Alice looked at me and motioned for me to join her. I climbed in bed with her, lied down, pulled her close to me, and kissed her passionately.
I snuggled up to her and whispered into her ear, "Get some sleep, _màthair_. We may be up all night tonight."
She turned to face me and replied, "Get some sleep, _athair_. Thank you for being there with me."
"Thank you for fighting to get me to come in here. I have more respect for women now that I witnessed childbirth. I understand why the father waited outside because of the blood. I found I was more at ease when I was with you. When we waited for Sophia to give birth, ask Carlisle how I did. I paced the entire room and then I was going to be an uncle; imagine what I would have done if I had to wait outside today when you were giving birth. I would have driven everyone mad," I managed to get a giggle out of her.
I kissed her, "_Math oidhche _or should I say _math madainn_ _ma gràdh_."
We snuggled close to each other and we both fell asleep knowing it wouldn't last long.
It's been six weeks since the birth of our children and we finally got into a routine with them. Mrs. Kingsleigh helped out a lot during the first week. I couldn't have asked for a better mother for my children than Alice. The way she held them to the way she looked at them, I can't explain but that it's simply a mother's love. It's amazing when she feed them. Yes, I'm a wee bit jealous because my children are on their mother and I can't…wait a minute…now I can because six weeks passed. But every time we tried to get intimate, one of the babies cry. The babies were down for a nap now. Alice and I tried to get intimate. I laid her down on the bed and started kissing her neck. She let out a moan and I started removing her open front night gown. I opened it up and I was about to start the play time then I heard one of the babies cry. I groaned and Alice giggled.
"Welcome to the joys of parenthood," Alice sarcastically stated but then I got an idea.
"Let's go to the castle. We can drop them off at the nanny's then we could go to my hat shop and wrestle," I said and I knew my eyes changed color.
Alice smiled then added, "Why don't we get mother and Margaret to come here and watch them while we go to my old bedroom and fulfill another one of my fantasies; making love in my childhood bedroom."
My eyes darkened to a dark green almost black. I ran into the spare bedroom and contacted Alice's mother and sister. I tapped the middle left, middle right, and middle top of the frame. The picture in the mirror changed and Mrs. Kingsleigh just walked in with Margaret.
"Mrs. Kingsleigh!" I greeted and she jumped.
She exhaled a sigh of relief, "Oh Tarrant, it's you. Is everything alright beside the bedroom part?"
I chuckled, "Everything is fine except the bedroom part. We try to be friendly and one of the babies cry. It's like they know."
Mrs. Kingsleigh and Margaret both laughed then Margaret chimed in, "Do you want us to come watch them while you and Alice come here?"
I begged, "Please!"
I noticed they were about to walk through so I moved out the way. They both walked in and Alice walked into the room and was smiling from ear to ear.
"Thank you mom, Margaret, how can we ever repay you?" Alice asked while wrapping her arm around me.
Mrs. Kingsleigh answered, "More children after these four have grown."
I turned to Alice and smiled at her. Since the mirror was still on, we stepped through and I immediately shut it off once we were in Alice's childhood bedroom. I walked to the door and locked it tight. When I turned around, Alice was already on the bed in the nude. I smiled wickedly and rapidly removed my clothes. I ran, jumped into the bed, and planted a long deep rough passionate kiss. _Clannadh,_ it's been so long since we made love and being near her in the nude was just amazing. She slipped her tongue into my mouth and our tongues stroked each other. I broke the kiss and it was absolutely amazing. These are my most intimate moments with my wife. I don't want to give away all of what I do. I'm…shy…
I let my whole weight collapse on top of her. I rested my forehead on hers and we both attempted to catch our breath.
Alice looked at me in the eyes and made out, "Wow…that…was…intense…and…amazing."
I closed my eyes, inhaled, exhaled, opened them back up, and my normal lisp returned, "It…was…amazing…and…extremely…intense."
She got her breath back before I did, "I believe it's the best we've had by far."
I replied, "Agreed…" then I ran the back of my hand on her cheek, "I love you more than life itself."
I gave her a passionate kiss and she asked, "Can we go back? I miss our babies," then she made a sad face.
I chuckled, kissed her quickly, and answered, "Alright, let's go back to our lovely babies. I miss them, too, darling."
I pulled out of her and we both walked into the bathroom to clean ourselves up. After we put our clothes back on and made ourselves look presentable, I turned the mirror on and we stepped through. The babies were crying and Alice took off in a sprint. I followed right behind her and Mrs. Kingsleigh and Margaret were bouncing with them to get them to quiet down.
"Thank you mom, I understand these cries. These are the I'm hungry and feed me now cries," Alice explained the cry and took Carlie and Timothy first.
I took Emily in my arms and she stopped crying right away. Alice smiled at me while she was sitting in the rocker feeding Carlie and Timothy. I'm not jealous anymore since I had their mother not too long ago. Still, it's an amazing thing to witness Alice nursing them. _Gonadh,_ I left my sketch book at my hat shop. I wanted to draw Alice and the way she looked at them. After Carlie finished nursing, Mrs. Kingsleigh took her and I handed her Emily. After Timothy finished, I took him and burped him while Margaret handed Gavin to Alice. She nursed them and after burping Carlie and Timothy, Mrs. Kingsleigh and I placed them into the crib. I turned on the baby crystal so we'd know when they start crying.
"Well, we're leaving to go back to London. Margaret has a suitor taking her to the opera tonight," Mrs. Kingsleigh leaned over kissed Alice then hugged me then left the room.
"And why didn't you tell me, Margaret! Who is he?" Alice asked wanting the latest on Margaret's beau.
"We'll talk tomorrow," Margaret told her, kissed her, and left.
The babies finished nursing. I picked up Emily and Alice fixed herself after moving Gavin down. After fixing herself, she burped Gavin as I burped Emily. After they burped, we put them down to go to sleep. The babies stayed up all day so they should sleep all night. Alice and I stood looking in the crib admiring our sleeping babies. I wrapped my arm around Alice and kissed her head.
"Look at them, Tarrant. They're adorable when they sleep," she told me while she was admiring them.
I smiled as I put the blanket on them with my right hand, "They are extremely adorable. Our love created these perfect little angels. I love them so much," I turned to her and wrapped both arms around her waist, "You on the other hand; I love you more than the extreme vastness of the universe."
She smiled at me, "Your eyes, Tarrant Hightopp, are extremely dark. I think someone is in the mood again. Do I have to do something about it?"
My eyes must have had some gold specs in them because my accent came out, "Aye yu may 'ave tu luv. I dinnae if I cud wait until we get to our bedroom."
We started sprinting to our bedroom and carefully closed the door without disturbing the babies. It was round 2, but in our bedroom this time. We were very careful and were quiet throughout the whole love making then it was all over about two hours later.
I gazed into Alice's eyes and passionately kissed her. I pulled the sheets and blanket to cover us. We fell asleep in each other's arms only to dream of when Alice and I will go on our five year anniversary trip since we will be renewing our vows that day. We went to sleep in the nude to catch up on much needed sleep. I pulled Alice closer to me and my dreams took me away.
_Athair-_father
_Màthair_- mother
