GO BACK TO CHAPTER 66 … 5 CHAPTERS POSTED TODAY!

(12/7/2019)

CHAPTER 70

Continued …

At that moment, Tracey returned with an older gentleman by her side. The greying man seemed to be as old as Elizabeth's father and he walked in with a similar air of confidence about him.

"Mr and Mrs Thornton. I am Professor King. Tracey here has told me of your situation. You were involved in that horrible situation at the school yesterday, I believe."

"Yes."

"I am so sorry to hear that. Do you mind if I take another look?"

Elizabeth pulled up her shirt again and Tracey applied the gel to the probe before handing it to the Professor and stepping back behind him. Professor King applied pressure to the probe and began scanning Elizabeth's abdomen slowly, peering through his glasses to check the images.

"Right, well Tracey informed me that you are expecting a baby in a few months. Is that correct?"

"Yes, in early May."

"So you are four months along?"

"Yes."

"I see. Well, the results of today's scan might change your due date slightly."

"Why is that?" Jack asked, his hand now holding Elizabeth's tightly.

"Because there are definitely two babies in there. They appear monoamniotic, which means they share the same amniotic sac. This may be a reason as to why they weren't discovered in previous scans. Right now they are sitting beside one another and it is quite obvious to see them. Let me get a better image."

He navigated around until there were two distinct heart beats flickering on the screen. "Here is baby one and here is baby two." The Professor froze the image in place where two babies can clearly be seen. Two heads. Two torsos. Multiple limbs.

"We're having … two babies?" Jack said slowly.

"Yes" the Professor answered matter-of-factly.

Jack covered his face with his free hand and Elizabeth could hear him taking some deep breaths. She squeezed his hand.

"Can you give us a minute?" Elizabeth asked Tracey and Professor King.

"Certainly. Look they both appear unharmed from yesterday's ordeal. I will be just outside the room if you have any other questions."

"Thank you."

Elizabeth looked up at Jack and he still seemed to be struggling behind his hand. As soon as they were left alone, Elizabeth tugged him closer toward her.

"Jack, are you okay?"

Jack dropped his hand down and Elizabeth could see his eyes were red and full of tears. He sat down on the bed and pulled her in for a hug.

"I almost lost you and them too. I don't know what I would do without you. I just … I can't …"

"Hey. I'm alright. Is that the only reason why you're upset?"

"What do you …"

Jack pulled back. "You think I'm upset about the babies? No. Never. I just realised how delicate you are. Someone was looking over you yesterday. You know that right?"

Elizabeth smiled. "I know."

Jack leant in and kissed her. "Two babies! I just can't get my head around that."

"I know. I thought I was hearing something wrong when she said that."

"Does it mean they are identical twins then?"

"I think so. I'm not really sure how it all works. Why don't you see if Professor King is still there?"

Jack went back outside and was able to bring the Professor back in.

"Yes, they will be identical twins. We can do some more images with some better equipment to make sure but I was fairly certain by those images today."

"So we will either be having two boys or two girls?"

The Professor nodded.

Elizabeth laughed. "Well, I'm hoping for two boys if that's the case."

"I don't know that I will survive in a house with six women!" Jack said, shaking his house.

"Oh, you have other children?"

"Yes, we already have three daughters."

"Well, congratulations. I will be hoping for boys for you as well, Mrs Thornton."

At the conclusion of the scans, Elizabeth was ready to leave the hospital. Jack pulled the car around to the front entrance so that Elizabeth wouldn't have to walk to far.

"Jack, I'm fine. I could have walked to the car."

"Sure you could have but I don't want you doing anything unnecessary with what you've been through."

"I'm okay. I just want to see my girls."

Jack laughed. "I don't think they missed us too much. Apparently ice-cream is more important."

"Yes, I could agree with them. Some ice-cream and a movie right now would go down quite well."

"I'm sure that can be arranged."

Jack squeezed her hand and pulled away from the hospital towards Viola's to pick up the girls. When they arrived, Elizabeth wanted to get out of the car but Jack insisted she stay right where she was.

"Don't even think about it. I'll get the girls."

"Jack …" she began to whine.

"No. Stay there."

Elizabeth decided to just let him win this battle since there would likely be many more in the coming days as she began to feel better but Elizabeth wasn't about to admit that her ribs were killing her just from sitting upright in the car for thirty minutes.

Jack ran up the drive and knocked on the front door. Elizabeth wound the window down to hear squealing right as the door opened and Grace flew into Jack's arms.

"Daddy!"

An instant later, Halley and Eve were also there clinging onto him. Elizabeth could hear their excited voices asking him questions, until Jack turned and pointed in her direction. Halley ran toward the car and Elizabeth opened the passenger door.

"Mommy are you okay?"

"I'm fine, sweetie."

Halley came around the door and went to fling herself at Elizabeth.

"Just take it easy, sweetie. I've got some bruises on my side."

"What happened to your face?"

"It's bruised too. Come here, just be gentle."

Elizabeth reached out and hugged Halley.

"Have you been okay, Halley?"

"Yes, just worried about you."

Grace appeared around the corner of the car. "Mommy?"

"Hi Gracie. Come here. I want a hug."

Elizabeth reached out to hug Gracie too before Eve pushed her out of the way to get in to.

"Gentle, Eve."

Eve gasped. "Mommy! Your face! It has paint all over it."

Elizabeth smiled. "It's just bruising. It will go away. Are you ready to go home?"

"Yes!"

"Go say thank you and goodbye to Aunt Viola."

The girls ran back to the house and said goodbye. Elizabeth waved to Viola from the car. Jack carried their bags down to the car and put them in the boot before helping the girls do up their seatbelts.

"Alright! Who's ready to go home?" Jack asked.

A chorus of cheers answered his question. Jack turned toward home, making sure to stop and get a litre of ice-cream on the way home.

That night as Elizabeth lay in bed waiting for Jack to climb in beside her, she thought back to that morning's news.

"Jack?"

"Mmm?" he said as he walked back into the room with his toothbrush in his mouth and foam all over his lips.

"I was thinking, maybe we should keep the twins a surprise."

Jack turned back into the bathroom and reappeared moments later with a clean face. He slid into the bed beside her, his elbow landing on the pillow and his head resting on his hand.

"You don't want to tell anyone?"

"No. I just thought most people's comments will be along the lines of getting our hands full and stuff anyway and why does anyone really need to know."

"I guess so. It will be a nice surprise when they're born. Can you imagine the look on the girl's faces when they realise they have not one, but two new brothers or sisters?!"

"You do realise we now need two boys and two girls names."

Jack groaned. "What were our boys names before?"

"We had Will for a while after Dad but then Lee and Rosie used that. Then it was Evan when we had Grace and then Eve was born so …"

"So we have no boys names or girls names?"

"Correct."

Jack smiled down at her. "Well I can think of worse things?"

"Like?"

"You being kidnapped by a gunman."

"Jack …"

"Just let me get this out. From the moment I got that call until I saw you in the hospital bed was the most excruciating time I have ever experienced. I was stuck away from you and I had no idea how I was ever going to get to you and what I would find when I arrived. The information had been vague and admittedly I was thinking the worst and I felt like I was falling apart. I couldn't imagine my life without you in it and that was what I realised then."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here."

"I know. But I wanted you to know just how much I love you. I know things have been rough since June and we have had a lot of ups and downs. I still don't remember a lot and my mind still does some crazy things but I know for sure I love you and those girls more than anything."

He leant down to kiss her then, his lips softly grazing hers.

"I love you too, Jack. I am just thankful every day that you came back to me. The outcome could have been so much worse and although your lack of memories have been difficult and frustrating, we're getting there - together."

"We are."

Jack stroked her face slowly, running over her bruise like a feather.

"You're still beautiful, even with a black eye."

Elizabeth laughed. "You're such a romantic."

"I have a way with words, don't I?"

Her giggles continued to fill the air as Jack lay down beside her, his hand moving around her waist as he cuddled into her side.

"Do you have to go to work tomorrow?"

"No. I got a voicemail an hour ago off Henry telling me not to come back until Monday."

"Good. School is closed until Monday too."

"I think we should have a family day. Do something fun together. Take our mind off things."

"That sounds like a good idea" Elizabeth said with a yawn.

"Goodnight Beth."

"Night, Jack."

More chapters are on their way … only a few to go. I'm trying to give this story a good shot to get finished before picking up my other ones again. Hang on tight. Updates are in sight!