"The woman in those pictures is my half-sister - Evelyn's daughter, Therese."
.
"Your… your what?" Tris stammered as she struggled to turn and face Tobias.
"My sister," he repeated. "Her name is Therese - Maria Theresa Bianchi. She was born in the slums in Rome. Evelyn called her Therese, but she had no last name, no birth certificate, no papers of any kind. The Roman officials took her away when she was three, and she was adopted. She's eighteen now, and when she tried to see if Evelyn - whom she barely remembers - is still around, the police directed her to me."
Tris moved to sit upright, and Rebekah gave her a hand.
"Thank you," she whispered to her assistant.
Rebekah only nodded and handed Tris a cup of water. "I should go," she said quietly, "unless you want me to stay here?"
"It's okay," Tris assured her, "you can go. I'll be fine."
"Amar is on his way up," Tobias added.
At the mention of Tobias' assistant, Tris inhaled sharply, but said nothing until Rebekah took her leave.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked when they were alone.
"Dr. Hoxha didn't want you to have stress," Tobias explained, "plus we don't really know yet if she is my sister. We're waiting for test results. I thought it would be better if I didn't say anything yet."
"You thought it would be better to just run around town with a new woman while I sit here alone in the hospital?"
"She's not a 'new woman;' she's my sister," Tobias defended.
"She might be your sister," Tris argued in a raised voice. "Or she might be taking advantage of you. Meanwhile, I am your wife, and I am sitting here in the hospital pregnant with your children. But don't waste your time on us - you have a pretty new maybe-sister who wants to go out on the town!"
Tris' abdomen squeezed painfully, and she bit back a groan. "Get out!" she yelled at her husband. "You don't want to be here with me, so leave! Go see if your so-called sister wants to go out and do something fun while I lay here on my pregnant, bloated backside!"
She launched her plastic cup at Tobias, who ducked in time to not get hit, but ended up splattered in water.
"Get out!" Tris screamed again as she turned to put her feet on the floor while grasping around for something, anything to throw at her husband.
Tobias backed toward the door. "I would never cheat on you," he said desperately. "If Therese isn't my sister, she's going home to her family in Italy. We're just trying to find out the truth. I never meant to hurt you, Zemra ime, I didn't tell you because I wanted to protect you from stress."
"You failed!" Tris roared as she stood, then slumped forward, hissing as another pain hit her.
"Tris!" Tobias said in alarm. "Get back in bed!"
"No," she snapped through gritted teeth. "I have to pee."
She waddled to the bathroom, swatting at Tobias when he tried to help.
"Are you okay?" Tobias begged through the bathroom door.
"Go away!" Tris cried.
She pulled her phone out of her pocket and sent a message to Amar.
T: Get Tobias out of here and call Dr. Hoxha. This stress isn't good for me.
A: No. You need to listen to him.
T: I'M IN FUCKING PAIN. GET HIM OUT OF HERE AND GET MY DOCTOR!
Tris finished in the bathroom and washed her hands. When she peeked into her hospital room, it was empty. She sighed and rubbed her distended belly as she waddled back to the bed.
"It's okay, guys," she said to her unborn babies. "Mommy and Daddy will sort this out. Right now, though, we need to relax, because mommy's blood pressure is angry, and it's making my belly hurt again."
As she turned to scoot herself back into bed, Tris felt a warm gush of fluid between her legs.
"Oh no," she moaned and hit the nurse call button.
.
"Once your water breaks, there's nothing I can do but help you deliver."
Dr. Hoxha's verdict was expected, but still heartbreaking to Tris. If I'd only calmed down and heard him out, she berated herself. My sweet babies.
Tears trickled down her cheeks. "I need to call my mom," she told the doctor.
"Make it quick," he directed his patient. "I need to keep an eye on the babies."
Tris nodded and swiped up Natalie's number even before the doctor was out of the room.
"Tris?" Natalie answered anxiously.
"Mama, the babies are coming," Tris sobbed. "My water broke."
"Is the doctor there?"
"Yes," Tris replied.
"Let me talk to Tobias," Natalie instructed.
"He's… not… here!" Tris cried. "I sent him away. He didn't cheat on me. That girl is his sister. But I was just so angry! He hid that from me and ran around having fun with her while I was stuck in the hospital. But I couldn't calm down, and my water broke. It's all my fault, and it's too soon. What if the babies aren't okay?"
"Beatrice Grace Pr- Eaton!" Natalie snapped, stumbling over her daughter's married name. "You listen to me. You are a grown woman and a mother. Your focus right now has to be on those babies. Calm down and focus. You're at thirty-five weeks, so things could be a lot worse. If the babies need a few weeks of oxygen, that's okay. Lots of babies do. Right now you are going to calm down, call your husband, and listen to your doctors. Yes, Tobias hurt you. You have every right to be upset about that. But you are going to take the high road and not take away his opportunity to see his children be born. Right?"
"Right," Tris agreed with a sniffle.
"Good," Natalie's tone softened. "I love you, Baby Girl. You can do this. I can't wait to meet my grandbabies."
"Thanks Mom," Tris said meekly.
Tris hung up her phone and dialed Tobias before she could chicken out.
"Tris?" he answered just like her mom had.
"I'm sorry," Tris whispered.
"Me too," Tobias said with a sigh. "I understand why you were hurt and angry. I should have told you about Therese."
"Tobias," Tris interrupted as another pain hit. "I need you. I'm in labor. I'm so sorry I couldn't stop it."
"It's not your fault," Tobias said, and Tris was surprised by his calm tone.
"You don't understand," she said, then paused to blow out through the worst of the pain. "My water broke. The babies are coming today. There's no way to stop it."
"I know," he said. "I'm with the doctor. They're getting me into scrubs because there's a strong possibility you'll need a cesarean. Are you alone?"
"No," Tris replied. "They gave me a few minutes to call my mom, but nurses have been in and out since then."
"Good," Tobias said soothingly. "Dr. Hoxha and I will be there soon. Do you want me to send Amar or Rebekah while you wait for us?"
"No," Tris said in a petulant voice. "I'm mad at Amar. He helped you lie to me and run around with that girl."
"Tri-is," Tobias groaned, dragging her voice into two syllables.
"I know," Tris grumbled. "She's not some girl; she's your sister. I know. It just hurts that everyone I know on this continent helped you hide things from me."
Tobias chuckled. "Not everyone you know. Most of the people you know in the village and in other countries knew nothing about it. Roza doesn't know. And George hated that we kept it from you. Amar already called to tell him about the babies - and that he was right. He's on his way here in case you need someone to be mad with."
Another contraction made Tris whimper. "Please hurry," she pleaded before hanging up. "I'm scared."
Someone tapped on the door, and a nurse slid back the curtain to reveal Amar.
"Mmm," Tris whined, still in the throes of a contraction.
"Tris, bijë," Amar said, sorrowful.
"Don't. 'Bijë.' Me." Tris said, gasping in pain between each word. "I'm not. Your. Daughter. You helped. Him. Mmmm."
Tris couldn't finish her thought as the contraction reached its peak.
"I'm sorry," Amar said. "We didn't want to give you any stress. I thought that we could wait until we found out for sure if Miss Therese was Mrs. Eaton's daughter."
"Have you seen the article?" Tris asked, and she couldn't help the tears that sprang to her eyes. "Everyone thinks he's cheating on me - I thought he was cheating on me!"
"I'm so sorry," Amar repeated. "Tobias would never cheat on you."
"I know," Tris snapped. "But it hurts that everyone thinks that, it hurts that he was out there running around and having fun with someone else while I'm stuck here, and it hurts that everyone hid things from me. Today, for the first time, I regretted everything I've given up for him. Everybody thinks I'm so lucky because Tobias is handsome and rich - and I am - but I don't care about all that. I gave up my family, my country, my language, my career, and everything I knew for him. It's worth it because of who he is, and today I thought I lost that! Stuck in a hospital and about to give birth to twins, I thought I lost everything."
Tris choked on a sob as the next contraction hit.
Dr. Hoxha came bustling into the room, followed by Tobias. Both men were wearing scrubs, complete with hairnets, facemasks, and bootie covers over their shoes.
Nurses immediately began having rapid-fire conversations with the doctor in Albanian. Between the speed and technical nature of their conversation, and her own distraught frame of mind, Tris understood almost none of it.
Tobias understood, and the calm he'd felt when he was in another room with the confident and relaxed doctor evaporated. Something was wrong with their unborn son's positioning, and he was in distress. They were preparing for an emergency c-section, and a doctor specializing in premature infants was on his way.
"Le ta çojmë zonjën Eaton menjëherë në sallën e operacionit," (Let's get Mrs. Eaton to the operating room right away,) Dr. Hoxha announced before hurrying out of the room.
Amar kissed Tris on the forehead. "I love you," he said, "and I'm sorry about everything. They'll take good care of you, and I'll see you soon." He left as the nurses unlocked the wheels on Tris' bed.
"Where are we going?" she asked in alarm.
"Operating room," Tobias said. "You need a cesarean."
"No!" Tris argued. "I don't want that!"
"You have to," Tobias explained, "Five is in danger. They need to get him out."
Tris swallowed hard and nodded.
The nurses rushed her down the hall to the operating room, where Dr. Hoxha was getting scrubbed up for surgery. An anesthesiologist spoke to Tobias, and he helped Tris follow instructions as they prepared her for surgery.
Tris relaxed as the medication took away her pain and any other feeling in her lower body. A nurse put up a paper drape so she couldn't see what the doctor was doing. Tobias sat on a stool beside her head, and gripped his wife's hand.
"We're going to meet our babies today," he said, hoping that he sounded excited instead of terrified. "I hope they look like you."
Tris shook her head, then winced as she felt pressure in her abdomen.
"What are they saying?" Tris asked nervously.
"'Cut here,' 'Clamp there,' things like that," Tobias lied. The doctors' real conversation was about the urgent need to get 'Baby A' delivered quickly as he was in distress.
A minute later, they did just that.
"We have a boy," Dr. Hoxha announced, then briefly held up a small, wrinkly baby before handing him off to the preemie doctor and his nurses.
A minute later he held up a second newborn. "And here is your girl," he said.
The second baby was about the same size as the first, but unlike her brother, Lilly greeted her parents with an angry newborn cry.
"Yes, yes, we hear you," Dr. Hoxha said to the little one as he handed her over to the nurses. "You can meet your parents as soon as you're checked out and I get Mama sewed up."
"How are they?" Tobias asked first in English and then in Albanian.
"Foshnja femër është e vogël, por e shëndetshme," (The girl is small but healthy) someone replied.
"Foshnja mashkull ka nevojë për oksigjen, por shenjat e tij jetike janë të mira," announced another.
"What does that mean?" Tris asked.
"She said that Five needs some oxygen, but his other vital signs are good. They're small, but they're going to be alright," Tobias comforted his wife.
A few minutes later, the staff allowed Tobias to hold his daughter and show her to Tris.
"Hello Lilly," Tris cooed at the baby.
Lillianna opened her dark blue eyes and looked at her mother.
"She's so beautiful," Tobias breathed.
"How is Five?" Tris asked.
"He's okay," Tobias promised. "They have him cleaned up and bundled, too. He has to stay on an oxygen meter and a little nose thing of oxygen. You'll see him soon."
.
Once Tris was stitched up, she and the babies were moved back to her room. Lilliana Natalie Eaton was almost 2000 grams, or four pounds seven ounces. She was small, but needed no help regulating her temperature or oxygen levels. Tobias Marcus Eaton the fifth was almost 2200 grams - seven ounces bigger than his twin sister. He was healthy enough to room with his mom and sister, but had to be in a special incubator to help him regulate his temperature and get enough oxygen.
The new mother was sore and exhausted. The day had been a nerve-wracking emotional rollercoaster for her. But instead of resting, Tris laid in her bed and watched the babies. She couldn't believe how tiny, beautiful, and absolutely perfect they were.
Tobias snapped a few pictures on his phone, then kissed Tris on the forehead.
"You did it," he said. "I'm so proud of you, Zemra ime, so proud. You've made me so happy giving us our children. I know that was hard on you, but you did it. The babies are beautiful. I think it's time we called your parents."
Tris nodded, and Tobias instigated a video chat with Tris' parents. Before they could answer, he aimed the camera at the side-by-side isolettes containing the twins.
Natalie's face appeared on the screen, and the couple heard her gasp sharply.
"Andrew!" Natalie whisper-shouted, trying to get her husband's attention without making loud noises that would startle the babies.
Tobias chuckled and kept the camera steady until Tris' dad joined her mom on the screen.
"Oh wow," Andrew breathed.
Tobias moved closer to the first isolette. "This is our firstborn, Tobias Marcus Eaton the fifth," he said proudly. He's a little bigger, 2200 grams, but he needs a little help with oxygen and temperature."
He turned the camera to the other box and continued his introductions. "This is Lillianna Natalie Eaton. Lilly is small, but fierce - just like her mama. She's only 2000 grams, but she's breathing just fine on her own."
"What, uh, what does 2000 grams mean?" Natalie asked.
"They're about four pounds seven ounces and four pounds fourteen," Tris explained.
Tobias turned the camera toward his wife, who waved.
"How are you, sweetheart?" Natalie asked.
"I feel like I got run over by a truck," Tris replied wryly. "I had an emergency c-section because Five was in distress. So I'm sore and tired, and I feel like a popped balloon."
"Ah, I remember feeling like a deflated balloon," Natalie sympathized. "I can't imagine how much stronger that feeling is when you carry twins. They really stretch you out. But it's worth it, and you'll feel better soon."
"I know," Tris sighed. "And I would do it all again for them. They're so beautiful and tiny."
Tobias turned the camera back to the babies and let the new grandparents take a good long look at each newborn.
Tris watched her husband carefully stroke their daughter's tiny cheek. The proximity with his long fingers magnified just how small she was. Exhausted by her ordeal and mesmerized by the sight of her beautiful babies and the soothing sound of her husband talking quietly with her parents, Tris drifted off to sleep.
.
"Tris, when do they think you'll be going home?" Natalie asked.
Tobias glanced over his shoulder at his sleeping wife.
"She's asleep," he quietly informed his in-laws.
"Good," Natalie replied. "I need to have a word with you, young man. What is this about you running around with a sister no one has ever heard about?"
"Yeah," Andrew added. "Beatrice called us at five in the morning. She was an absolute wreck sobbing about some news article that showed you out with another woman. Then she tells us you have a sister we've never heard of. What is going on?"
Tobias sighed and switched the camera so the Priors could see his face. "It's been a big week. I got a call on Monday from the authorities in Rome. Apparently my mother had another child about a year after she left Albania - a daughter she called Therese. Since Evelyn was legally dead and the baby was born in the slums, she had no identity. Therese was taken when she was a toddler, and was adopted by an Italian couple. She turned eighteen recently and wanted to find her roots. She has a few memories of Evelyn and homeless life in Rome, but not much, so she started there. The Romans put the pieces together enough to figure out who Therese's mother was, and that led to me. They called me a few days ago. I agreed to meet her but explained that I couldn't leave right now because my pregnant wife is in the hospital. Therese's adoptive parents agreed to bring her here, and the next day they were in Albania.
"We met that afternoon at my office. She… she looks like me a little. Her eyes are brown, but they assume her father was Italian. She has dark hair, and she's tall and slim - statuesque. She reminds me a lot of Evelyn.
"The second day they were here, Therese and I met for lunch. She wanted to talk with me away from her parents because she's afraid she's hurting them by looking into her past, and she wanted a chance to talk to me without thinking about how everything makes them feel. We decided to have a DNA test done to make sure we're really siblings, and we met again the next day to do that.
"Apparently someone here in Tirana caught a picture of us together, and when we were seen together a few times this week, they put together that gossip article.
"I… I should have just told Tris what was going on. You cannot know how much I regret keeping it from her. We were so worried about her stress level, and we're still waiting on the DNA results. I thought I should wait until the babies were born, or at least until we knew for sure if Therese is really my sister.
"I would never, never cheat on Tris. I love her so much! She is life, and love, and far more and better than I deserve. It kills me to know how she was hurt by that stupid article. I hate that I hurt her by hiding things from her. I was stupid. I know that. I almost lost everything today. Tris is… was… is… I don't know - she's angry. Our babies were born too soon because of me. They're so tiny, and little Five needs help breathing, and I did this! Marcus always told me that I blackened everything I touched. I thought, since Tris loved me, it might be different. But they weren't even born yet and I already messed things up!"
"Tobias," Natalie interrupted, "calm down, Honey, you're going to wake the babies or Tris. Take some deep breaths and listen to me. Your father was… well, he was an asshole. And he was a liar. Whatever he said to you in life, you can pretty much guarantee it's not true. You do not 'blacken everything you touch.' Tris genuinely loves you. She moved to a new country for you. She willingly had your children.
"Yes, you did a dumb thing. Trying to keep things from Tris is asking for trouble. But your life isn't over - it's just beginning. The babies are small, but they're fine. Trust me. If they weren't, they wouldn't be in your hospital room; they'd be in some special facility. In a few months, you won't even be able to tell that they were preemies. They'll be big, and fat, and smiley. They'll be as smart and as healthy as any other child their age.
"If you want some motherly advice, you need to focus all your attention on the people in that room with you right now. Let Amar handle your maybe sister. When the test results come in and things settle down for you and Tris - then you can start getting to know her. I've had babies - not twins, mind you, but I had children, and two back-to-back. Tris is going to be exhausted, and she's going to feel ragged, and gross, and all-around overwhelmed for a while. Pushing a beautiful, young, new sister-in-law at her right now is a bad idea. Give her and the babies your undivided attention for a while. Take care of her while she takes care of the twins."
"Listen to Natalie," Andrew added, "she's a wise woman. We had many fights when Caleb and Beatrice were little. It's a hard time for a woman, and I'm sorry to tell you the hormones aren't over now that the babies are born!"
Tobias chuckled and ran his free hand over his face. "Thank you," he said simply. "Thank you for being there when Tris needed you today. Thank you for hearing me out, and for helping me. You're good parents. Tris and Caleb are lucky to have you, and Five, Lilly, and I are lucky too."
"You're going to be a great father, Tobias," Andrew assured him. "We love you. Call again tomorrow so we can talk to Beatrice and see those babies again, okay? And if you need us, call any time."
"Thank you," Tobias repeated as he hung up.