Moonlight spilled into the bedroom through curtains that gave a view of New York City. Buildings around them lit up in the city that never sleeps and snow made a light blanket on the sidewalk. At some point during the night steam covered the wall to wall windows from dropping temperatures outside and rising ones inside.
Jamie sat up holding Eddie's hips elevating them off the mattress. He rocked forward into her slowly and let out a sigh. Their bodies fell into the same slow rhythm for the first minute then sped up while remaining gentle. He gazed upon her happy to see only pleasure for the first time all night. "Jamie," Eddie cried, arching herself up. She had been experiencing pain in her lower belly which was the reason for their extra activities that night, on round three.
Their breaths gasped for air not breaking the rhythm as pleasure filled them. "Shh, I know," Jamie held her in place, moving his own head back. He felt her body tense, shiver as he took over quickly, almost done.
"Jamie," Eddie repeated, only this time her tone changed. Her eyes rounded watching him, face pinched tightly. "Ooooh it hurts again. It's been like eight minutes since the last one. "
When he slowed down to move aside Eddie grabbed his arm, "Wait, keep going. We're almost done. Oh! " He sighed but listened to her wishes and continued until he felt her finish. Two minutes later he ended panting slowly going to her side.
"Ooow ," Eddie hunched forward putting both hands over her stomach crying.
Jamie put his hand on her shoulder, "Let me call Pop. Just breath Eddie nice and slow in and out okay? I'm right here." He snatched the phone off his dresser and quickly dialed his grandpa. "Pop? Something's wrong with Eddie. She's having pain every eight minutes that's so bad she can barely talk."
"Okay calm down and stop breathing so hard in the phone. Has her water broke? Did you notice any water down her leg that was thick," Henry was already up out of bed and dressing.
"Um not tonight no. Yesterday she had to go to the bathroom and had an accident in the living room. It was pretty thick, clear fluid," Jamie sighed as she released his hand once the pressure finally subsided. She met his eyes slowly, exhausted.
Grabbing his wallet off the dresser Henry paused, "That was her water breaking. Jamie, she's in labor. You have to get her to the hospital now. I'll meet you there."
Without saying goodbye Henry ended the call, already halfway downstairs with a sleepy Frank steps behind. Their old house allowed for voices in other rooms to carry. Frank heard the whole conversation.
"Eddie, we have to get to the hospital. Pop said you're in labor," Jamie grabbed the first dress he could, trying to quickly dress himself. He hobbled to the bed, sitting Eddie up so it was easier to put the dress on. Zipping his own pants quickly he threw a shirt on then turned to Eddie.
Her eyes went round, frozen not saying anything. They were coming. "I got the bag Eddie so don't worry," Jamie put slip on sandals over her swollen feet then quickly helped her stand. He had his sneakers on but untied grabbing his wallet and keys off the dresser.
Sure they had everything he guided Eddie carefully to the door to take the elevator down to his car. He opened up the back door for her, rushing around up front. Fumbling with the keys a minute the engine finally started and Jamie took off. They made it a block before Eddie cried out, clawing the seat. "Oooooh."
"Breath Eddie, in and out nice and slow," Jamie tried coaching while staying focused on the road so they didn't crash.
She simulated the breaths until the pain once again subsided. "Oh that hurts. That was about eight minutes again. The babies are coming."
"Okay, I'm going fast as I can Eddie. I don't want to get in an accident or pulled over," Jamie switched lanes in front of a red van. The roads were slick with newly fallen snow. "Just try and relax babe. Keep breathing. Pop is also on his way to the hospital so I'll have him call your mom."
He honked a warning to the driver trying to cut in front of him sighing. Even at night cars slowly crawled down city streets delaying them for a good ten minutes. Approximately a block from the hospital another contraction made Eddie cry. "Oooow."
"We're here babe just hold on and breath," Jamie pulled in an empty spot and hurried around. "I need help out here. My wife is in labor." He took Eddie's hand through the open door, trying to stay calm for her.
A doctor came out through the heavy steel door with two nurses right behind. "What do we have," the doctor carefully helped get Eddie on the stretcher.
"She's been having contractions about eight minutes apart and strong. They've been coming all day and her water broke yesterday. She's eight months pregnant with our twins," Jamie jogged to keep up as they hurried through the hospital hallway. After taking a sharp turn the doctor pushed a button for the elevator.
Jamie took Eddie's hand, "Breath Eddie. Keep breathing," Jamie coached while they traveled up to the fifth floor. Going down another hallway they finally settled inside a room. The nurses helped set Eddie up to machines that would monitor her vitals and the twins heartbeats.
One of the two nurses threw a scrub outfit for Jamie to put on over his clothes. "BP is high but temperature and heart rate looks good," the second nurse Quin announced from reading numbers on the machines.
Quickly changing Jamie rested his hand on her shoulder, a silent reminder he was right there. "Okay, you're having a c- section from what your files says so let's have this baby. Just lay back and stay relaxed Eddie," Doctor Rollins told her.
He stood over Eddie's left side, tools on a silver table behind him. Jamie from her other side winced at the first incision holding Eddie's hand. A blanket blocked Eddie's view so she wouldn't panic but with some maneuvering Jamie was able to see. The doctor worked quickly, taking tools from one of the nurses like a well oiled machine.
"Okay, here we go. Let's go for baby number one," he reached through the incision and in only seconds pulled out the first baby. Its body curled up tight not making a sound even when it was passed to the waiting nurse.
"Congrats. You have a baby boy."
Jamie's eyes quickly filled with hot tears just about shaking. They had a son but.. "Why isn't he crying doctor? Is there something wrong," Jamie watched the nurse clean up their baby boy carefully who still had yet to make a sound.
The doctor was back over Eddie ready to take the next baby out. Jamie's head spun looking at Eddie, sharing the same worried look. Why wasn't their son crying like babies usually do? He was moving, they saw his little hands clenched. He had his mouth open ready to cry but no sound came out.
A wail did come out from their second baby just arriving into the world with an announcement she arrived. "And baby number two is a very healthy baby girl.," Doctor Rollins soothed her, carrying the wailing baby to join her brother.
This time Jamie squeezed Eddie's hand, tighter then he meant to. They had a daughter and son but the question lingered. Through blurry, tear filled eyed Jamie tried stealing glances at the doctor checking the newborn boy. "Nothing clogging his lungs, hi," the doctor spoke softly from the baby's right side then directly in front of him.
"I need to run tests on both babies but they won't take long. I know you're eager to meet your babies," Doctor Rollins spoke softly, trying to be gentle with the new parents. "It could be nothing but there are routine tests we have to run. Do you have names for them yet?"
Through exhaustion Eddie turned her head to look Jamie over. "The boy's name is Joseph and the girl Mary Rose." He lifted her hand smiling as he kissed it.
"Very pretty. I will be quick as possible to let you hold your twins." Doctor Rollins followed by both nurses disappeared from the room with their babies to run some tests in a separate room for accuracy.
The time between the doctor leaving and him returning seemed like days. "What do you think is wrong with Joe? Why wasn't he crying like Mary Rose did? All babies cry when they're born right," Eddie fussed, running through a the things that could be wrong.
"I don't know," Jamie answered deflated, feeling hopeless he couldn't do anything to help his son. He slumped his shoulders, sitting on the bed with his head down.
His eyes quickly scanned the room almost able to hear his babies crying when his eyes found the clock on the wall. It was almost two thirty in the morning on Christmas Eve. Oh God, please help my son. Please let Joe be okay. Sending the prayer up he lay by Eddie, taking her in his arms while they waited on news.
In his pocket Jamie's cell vibrated but he didn't move to answer it. Right now all he wanted was to see his babies.
"Mr and Mrs Reagan."