Thank you all for your patience and understanding, and for all of the get well wishes I received while I was recovering from the stomach flu last weekend. I am happy to report that I am completely recovered, and here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it.
Once they were upstairs, Kate, with Rick's help, changed out of her formal wear and into a hospital gown and socks, then he quickly stripped off his tuxedo jacket and cummerbund, untied his bow tie, leaving it dangling loose around his collar, and unbuttoned his collar. Then he pulled the scrubs on over his shirt and tuxedo pants, rushing to Kate's side so quickly when another contraction hit her that he almost tripped over his own feet.
Kate was hooked up to a fetal monitor, and a heart monitor for herself, given her history, and one of the machines that tracked the strength and progress of her contractions, and then Dr. Elliott walked in. "All right, let's see what's going on here," Dr. Elliott said as she moved to check Kate.
Kate looked up at Rick, who was looking back at her. "How are you feeling?" he asked her.
"Excited," Kate replied. "Ready to meet these guys." She gently tugged on his hand. "What about you?"
"Ready to meet these guys," Rick echoed. "A little nervous, a little worried." The briefest flash of a shadow shone in his eyes then.
Before Kate could say anything reassuring, Dr. Elliott looked up from her rolling front-row seat and announced, "You're at eight centimeters, Kate. I won't say the hardest part is over, because we both know that would be a lie, but that indigestion you thought had did a lot of the work of labor for you this time."
Dr. Elliott turned her attention to Rick then. "I understand your worry, Rick, but everything looks great. Kate is very healthy, and although this pregnancy was classified as high-risk because of Kate's age and previous medical history, she's done everything as right as she possibly could, so there's no reason to think that this won't be a normal delivery. Although, of course, you're too far along to have an epidural now, Kate."
"I didn't even know I was in labor until my water broke. I can take it," Kate replied determinedly.
"I don't doubt that for a second, Kate. You're the toughest patient I have, physically speaking, and that's a good thing," Dr. Elliott replied.
"And I have something the rest of your patients don't have," Kate said. She reached for Rick's hand again. "I have you," she said, looking up at Rick. Dr. Elliott smiled and excused herself, telling them she'd be back in a little while to check Kate's progress again, and she left the room. "We're a team. There's nothing we can't accomplish together. We're going to bring these boys into the world together, just like we brought Lily into the world together, just like all the times we saved each other, and brought down murderers, and when we saved Ryan and Esposito together, and once we even saved the world, or at least the city of New York." Kate held up her and Rick's joined hands. "Remember that dirty bomb? We were standing there, holding hands, and then you reached out at the last second and yanked all the wires, and it worked. That moment was when I knew for absolute certain that yours was the hand I wanted to be holding all the rest of my life, through everything that was yet to come our way, and that I had to get myself together enough so I could be the one who got to hold your hand for the rest of our lives."
Rick, his hand holding Kate's, bent his head and kissed her hand. "Of course I remember the dirty bomb. I remember everything we've been through together, from the moment you tapped me on the shoulder at the last Derrick Storm book party. By the end of that first case, I knew I wanted to make a lot more memories with you. And as time went on, these were the kind of memories I began to hope and dream about." He gestured around the room with his free hand. "Being with you, loving you and being loved by you, being your husband, having kids with you." He took her hand in both of his now. "You've given me the family I always wanted, Kate. You've trusted me with your life, and your heart, and you've made me happier than I ever thought I could be. You're the most remarkable, amazing person I know, and I'm so proud to be your husband, and the father of your children."
He leaned in to kiss her, but another contraction hit then, and Kate jerked her head, startled by the pain, hitting Rick in the nose in the process. "Oh god, babe, are you okay?" Kate asked anxiously as Rick dropped her hand and then dropped back as a strangled wounded sound escaped his throat, both of his hands flying to his nose, which was bleeding.
"I'm fine," he said, even though he was anything but fine.
Alexis and Javier entered the room then, followed by Jim, Lanie, and Alan. "Whoa," Javier said, pulling up short when he saw Castle with both hands over his nose and blood dripping through his fingers.
"Lanie, check him out!" Kate called through clenched teeth as the contraction continued. Alexis, Javier, Lanie, and Jim all rushed forward, and Alan dashed out of the room and headed down the hall to the men's room they had passed on the way to Kate's room to grab as many paper towels as he could.
"What happened?" Alexis asked anxiously.
"Kate had a contraction and caught my nose with her head," Rick replied, his voice muffled. "Lanie, if it's broken, can you just pop it back in place? I'm not missing the birth of our sons!"
"You sure you didn't say some stupid man thing and Kate didn't just haul off and slug you, Castle?" Lanie said. Alan rushed back in with the paper towels then, and Lanie took them from her husband with a smile.
"No, I didn't say some stupid man thing," Rick replied.
"I'm just bustin' your chops, Castle. Let's get the bleeding stopped," Lanie said, handing over the paper towels. "Sit up," she said, shoving Dr. Elliott's rolling stool under him and gently pushing him down to sit on it. "Keep your head higher than your heart and apply pressure." Rick murmured an okay as he followed Lanie's instructions and pinched the soft part of his nose, biting the inside of his cheek at the pain coursing through his face.
"Are you all right, Katie?" Jim asked, although he was certain he knew what her reaction would be.
"I'm fine, Dad, but I'm worried I broke Rick's nose!" Kate exclaimed.
"Childbirth beats a broken nose," Rick said.
Alexis gave Kate's overnight bag to Javier, then rushed over to her father. "Do you think it's broken, Lanie?" she asked anxiously.
"I'm not sure," Lanie replied honestly. "I haven't looked at it yet."
"Where are the others?" Rick asked.
"Gram and Earl aren't here yet, Kevin and Jenny are checking on Lily and their kids, Deputy Chief Gates and her husband are getting coffee for everyone who wanted it, and Madison and Mark...actually, I haven't seen Madison and Mark since Mark gave me back Dad's car keys downstairs," Alexis said. "Has anyone else seen them?"
Everyone murmured that they hadn't seen Madison and Mark since arriving at the hospital either.
Another contraction hit Kate then, and Kevin and Jenny walked in, filling the room to capacity. Rick had gotten the bleeding stopped, and, spying a dispenser of gloves on the wall in the corner, Lanie took a pair and, after donning them, carefully probed Rick's nose. "An x-ray will tell us for sure, but my professional opinion is that it's probably broken, so you'll need to see someone about it, because you're going to need it realigned."
"Need what realigned?" Kevin asked as he and Jenny entered the room. "Kids are fine. My father-in-law's not too happy I woke him up calling, though."
"Beckett broke Castle's nose," Javier said.
"Seriously?" Kevin asked.
"It was an accident!" Kate exclaimed.
"Okay, this room is now officially a fire hazard!" shouted Dr. Elliott then as she made her way through the crowd. "What is going on?"
"Is there an ENT specialist downstairs?" Kate asked.
"Kate, I'm fine," Rick insisted.
"You're not fine," Kate retorted. "I hit him in the face with my head during a contraction, and I think I broke his nose."
"Seventeen years of delivering babies and I admit, I've seen broken fingers, and even a couple of broken hands on dads, but a broken nose is a new one on me," Dr. Elliott said. "Are you going to make it through the delivery, Rick?"
"Absolutely," Rick vowed.
"Um, Kate," Alan said, since he was standing closest to the machine monitoring her contractions. "You're about to have another contraction."
Javier followed Kevin's lead and took a step back. Jenny rolled her eyes and muttered, "Cowards." Alexis kept looking worriedly from Rick to Kate, and Jim stepped up to Kate's bedside and gave her his hand, which she crushed in her own as the next contraction rolled through her entire body. Alan just stayed out of the way as much as he could.
"Lanie, I'll see somebody later. Would you please just snap it back in place for now so I can focus completely on Kate and help her bring our sons into the world!" Rick exclaimed.
"Okay, Castle, here goes," Lanie said. Rick shouted in pain as Lanie manually realigned his nose.
"I thought Katherine would be the one screaming." Martha's voice cut through the din of noise. She and Earl had just arrived, and Victoria and Gerald Gates, each carrying a tray of cups of coffee and tea, were right behind them.
"You've got a full house," Earl said, peering over Martha's shoulder.
"And it's about to get fuller, so I'm going to need everyone out right now, please," Dr. Elliott said.
Alexis gave her dad a careful hug, then went over and gave Kate a similarly careful hug. "We'll be in the waiting room," she said.
Lanie stripped off her gloves and deposited them in the Biohazard receptacle across the room. "You're gonna do great, Kate," she said, giving her best friend a quick hug. Then she turned to regard Rick. "Castle," she began.
"Thanks for resetting my nose, Lanie," he said.
"Yeah, well, seriously, see a doctor the first chance you get, because that is not my area of expertise, as you well know," she said. "The good news, though, is that most broken noses heal on their own. They'll probably splint it, but a few weeks and it'll be good as new." Then she hugged him.
"Make your goodbyes fast, people," Dr. Elliott said not unkindly. Alan, Kevin, Jenny, and Javi all hugged Rick and wished Kate well, and Kate had another contraction, which spooked every man but Rick and Jim, and after they and Alexis had filed out of the room, Martha darted in to hug them both before putting her arm through Alexis's and heading off to the waiting room.
"We'll be waiting for the news," Victoria called to them from the hallway before she and Gerald headed for the waiting room with the others.
That left only Jim in the room with Kate and Rick. He looked at his watch before looking at Kate. "It's 12:04 AM," he said. "It's February 4."
Kate let out a half-sob, half-laugh. "She would be thrilled," she said as tears that had nothing to do with the physical pain of contractions and childbirth spilled from her eyes.
Jim's eyes welled up with tears now too. "She would," he agreed. "And very proud." He leaned down and kissed the top of Kate's head. "I'll be in the waiting room with the others," he said. Then he looked at Rick. "And she would be so glad it's you, Rick. And honestly, she'd also be laughing a little about your nose right now."
Another contraction rolled through Kate's body then. "Okay, Grandpa, that's your cue to leave, and ours to get to the delivery room where the rest of the team is waiting," Dr. Elliott announced then. Jim nodded, looked at Kate and Rick one last time, and then headed to the waiting room to join the others while Dr. Elliott called for two orderlies, who came in to wheel Kate into the delivery room.
Jim scrubbed at his eyes as he entered the waiting room, his jacket and tie undone and his collar unbuttoned, like the rest of the men. Lanie and Jenny, who had both worn heels to the fundraiser, had taken off their shoes. "What's happening now?" Alexis asked Jim.
"Katie and Rick are headed to the delivery room," Jim replied as he sat down.
"Everything is all right, isn't it, Jim?" Martha asked anxiously, noting Jim's watery, red-rimmed eyes.
"Everything's fine, Martha," he said. "I'm just...it's February 4."
The date didn't register with everyone right away, because not all of them knew the date's significance. Javier and Kevin exchanged a look, Lanie's jaw dropped as she realized what was going on, Martha let out a soft "oh," and Alexis caught Javier's gaze after he looked to her from Kevin and then the light bulb went off in her head.
Jenny, Alan, Victoria, Gerald, and Earl all looked bewildered. "What are we missing?" Jenny asked.
"February 4 is Johanna's birthday," Jim replied. "She would have been 69 years old today."
"The boys are going to be born on her birthday!" Alexis exclaimed.
Just then, a loud thunderclap was heard outside. "Jim, you should know better than to reveal a woman's age, especially your wife," Martha said.
Jim smiled, recognizing Martha's teasing for what it was. "You're absolutely right, Martha," he agreed. Then, looking heavenward, he added, "I'm sorry, Johanna. I shouldn't have said that."
Another thunderclap sounded, as loud as the first. "That would be Johanna telling me not to be patronizing," he said. He gave a watery chuckle.
Maddie and Mark finally arrived in the waiting room then. "Baby time yet?" Maddie asked everyone by way of greeting.
"They're in the delivery room, so soon," Victoria answered for the group. "And what detained the two of you?"
Mark was scowling. "A reporter and paparazzo from Page Six left the fundraiser and followed us here. They were trying to get up here, wanting delivery room photos of the newborns of best-selling author Richard Castle and Councilwoman Kate Beckett. They required serious persuasion to leave the premises."
Javier, Kevin, and Victoria all spoke up then, their voices overlapping.
"You should have called us for backup, man!" Esposito exclaimed.
"We could have helped you out, Mark!" Kevin declared.
"That's it, I'm calling for some officers downstairs," Victoria said, her cell phone already in hand.
"I don't think that'll be necessary, Deputy Chief," Mark said. "It turns out that some of the members of the police escort that got us here so fast were still lingering in the parking lot, because they're from the 12th Precinct. They gave me backup. I figured all of you were where you needed to be at the moment. Velazquez did have a message for you, though: that they won't be going anywhere until you tell them to, Deputy Chief. Between the officers, myself, and a couple of hospital security guards, we finally got rid of them."
"Thank you, Agent Fallon," Victoria replied.
Mark unbuttoned his tuxedo jacket, untied his tie, and opened his collar button. "Whatever I can do to help," he replied. He liked all of these people. He was Madison's significant other, and they were on the fringes of the group, because everyone else was related by blood and marriage and the bonds forged in their years of service in the NYPD together, which Mark understood. They were great people to work with, but the people he and Maddie saw the most were Kate and Rick, and Mark didn't make friends easily. He doubted he would ever be as close to Rick Castle as the others here were, but Kate was Madison's oldest and dearest friend, and whenever they could spend time with Kate and Rick, they did.
Madison and Mark sat down in chairs opposite Victoria and Gerald Gates. Everyone was quiet for a long moment, and somewhat fidgety, waiting for news. Finally Alexis broke the silence. "I wonder if they'll let us bring Lily up here later today? She's so excited about the boys."
"She's definitely going to want to see those babies, and Katherine and Richard," Martha added. "Katherine and the boys are going to be staying here for a couple of days, and Lily has never gone that long without seeing her mother before."
"We'll get her up here," Jim said then. "Even if it's only for a few minutes, I would think they would let her up here."
"I'll gown and glove her up if they want," Lanie replied seriously.
"And use plenty of hand sanitizer on her hands," Jenny added.
"We'll make sure Lily Jo gets up here later today," Jim said confidently.
"How much longer do you think it'll be?" Earl wondered. He had no experience with childbirth and newborns.
"That's up to the babies," Martha replied knowingly.
While their family eagerly awaited the arrivals of Reece and Jake, in the delivery room, Kate and Rick remained completely focused on each other, despite the presence of multiple nurses and a lot of machines. "How's your nose?" Kate asked between contractions. "I am so sorry."
Rick lowered his head and was able to complete the kiss he had been going for when Kate had hit his nose in the throes of a contraction. "It's okay," he said. "It's going to be all right. It's nothing compared to what you're going through, and it's going to be a great story to tell through the years."
"You're amazing," Kate said, even as she noticed the bruising and the swelling and the dried blood on Rick's nostrils.
"That's supposed to be my line right now," Rick replied.
"You're 100% effaced and completely dilated, Kate!" Dr. Elliott announced happily then. "You know what that means."
"It's time to push," Kate replied.
Dr. Elliott sat down. "Right," she said. "Rick-" She trailed off when she saw that he was already behind Kate, holding her up, giving her something to push back against. "You're both right where you need to be, so Kate, it's time to push."
Rick brushed his lips against her temple. "Here they come," he whispered in her ear.
"Here they come," Kate whispered back.
Then it was time to get down to the business of giving birth—Kate pushing, Rick counting to ten and coaching, both of them breathing.
After Kate had pushed twice, Dr. Elliott announced, "The first baby's crowning! You're doing very well, Kate!"
Two more pushes later, Reece Alexander Castle slipped from his mother's womb into the waiting hands of Dr. Elliott, who announced, "Castle Baby A is here! He looks great!" Before the word "great" had faded in the air, Reece was loudly wailing his displeasure. He was wrapped up and placed on Kate's chest, and now Kate and Rick were both crying too.
"Hi, Reece," Kate said through her tears. "Welcome to the world." She stroked his brown hair, still plastered to his head by the fluids of birth. He blinked his eyes open owlishly, and that was when Rick gasped softly.
"Kate, he has your eyes," Rick said thickly, softly, overwhelmed by emotion in this moment. "Hello, Reece. Hi, Peanut." He gently stroked Reece's cheek with one fingertip.
Rick cut the umbilical cord and Reece was whisked away to be cleaned up, weighed and measured, and given his Apgar tests.
Seven minutes after Reece's arrival, Jacob Rodgers Castle made his entrance, crying slightly less than his brother, but just as healthy. "Jake," Kate said when he was laid on her chest. Just hearing his name from his mother was enough to get the newborn's cry to gradually subside. "Hello there, little guy," she said.
"Hi, Jake," Rick said, cradling the back of the tiny boy's head in his palm. "Hello, Jellybean. Both of them have your eyes, Kate. Wow."
"They look so much like you, babe," Kate said. Two mini-Castles. She and Rick had two sons and two daughters now; their family was complete. (Rick had had a vasectomy in Kate's seventh month of pregnancy.)
"They're extraordinary, just like Lily, and like you," Rick said.
"And like you," Kate told him.
After Kate delivered the placenta, and the boys were cleaned up and weighed, diapered and swaddled and wearing their little hats, and they were placed in Kate's arms.
"You're still going to be our guests for two days," Dr. Elliott said, "but you and these boys are perfectly healthy, Kate. Baby A-"
"Reece," Kate and Rick interjected in unison. Reece was mewling slightly.
"Reece," Dr. Elliott corrected herself, "is five pounds, eight ounces, and sixteen inches. And..."
"Jake," they answered in unison again.
"Jake is five pounds, ten ounces, and sixteen inches. They both got a nine on their Apgars, and they'll probably be wanting to eat soon, so we'll get you settled back in your room so you can get ready for that. Congratulations. They're beautiful boys."
"Thank you, Dr. Elliott. For everything," Kate said.
"Thank you," Rick added.
By the time they were settled in their hospital room, Reece was dozing, and Jake was looking around, seemingly observing everything. Rick couldn't stop smiling. Kate was exhausted and elated at the same time.
"They picked a great birthday," Rick said.
"My mom would be over the moon," Kate replied. "My dad is." She looked at Rick. "How's your nose now?"
"I'm still running on adrenaline and endorphins," he replied, "but even when they wear off, it won't matter to me, because this is one of the best days of my life." He was sitting beside Kate, and he leaned down and carefully kissed Jake's forehead, then Reece's cheek, and then Kate's lips, softly, gently. She responded in kind.
"You'd better go and tell everyone the boys are here and we're all okay," Kate said, "and then go down to the ER and have them do whatever they need to do to your nose."
"All right," Rick agreed, "but I'm staying here with you and the boys tonight."
"What about Lily?" Kate asked.
"I'm sure that's already taken care of," Rick replied, "but I'll make sure she gets home to her own bed."
While Kate, Reece and Jake settled into their regular room, Rick made his way to the waiting room. He literally had only one foot in the door when everyone jumped to their feet and started rushing toward him, all talking at once, wanting to know about Kate, wanting to know about the twins, and wanting to know how Rick's nose was.
"REECE AND JAKE ARE HERE!" Rick shouted over the din, and that shut everybody up immediately. "Everyone is perfectly healthy—that's a direct quote from Dr. Elliott. Reece is five pounds, eight ounces, and sixteen inches. Jake is five pounds, ten ounces, and sixteen inches. They both have Kate's eyes, just like Lily, and brown hair like both of us. Reece came out screaming his head off, and Jake was slightly quieter. Reece was born at 12:47 AM, and Jake was born seven minutes later, at 12:54 AM, and yes, they share their Grandma Johanna's birthday, February 4. My nose is starting to hurt now that the adrenaline and endorphins are wearing off, and I promised Kate I'd go down to the ER, and we need someone to take Lily home to her own bed and stay with her."
"We've got that covered already, Richard," Martha assured him.
"Yeah, Dad, we're going to stay at the loft with Lily after we pick her up from Kevin and Jenny's," Alexis replied, gesturing between herself and Javier, and Jim.
Rick headed down to the ER then to have his nose treated, and Kate, Reece, and Jake had a steady stream of visitors.
"They're so tiny," Alexis said in a hushed voice.
"Not from where I'm sitting," Kate replied.
"That's right," Martha agreed. "And you did it without an epidural."
"That's because she's a rock star," Lanie replied.
Everyone wanted to hold the babies, but they were very good about taking turns. Martha held Jake first. "Hello, Jacob," she said. "I'm your Gram, and you are my namesake. Now, I'm going to be just as indulgent with you and Reece as I have always been, and continue to be, with Lily and Alexis. But I'm also going to be your mommy's secret weapon, because I raised your daddy by myself. So any mischief you and your brother decide to get up to as you grow up, I'm sure I've already seen it, or something like it, from your father."
"I'm going to hold you to that, Martha," Kate replied seriously.
Alexis was holding Reece. "They both definitely have your eyes, Mom, but I see a lot of Dad in both Reece and Jake too."
"They both have Castle's nose," Kevin said. When everyone looked at him, he added, "Seriously. Before his injury, I mean."
"Two mini-Castles," Lanie said. "Lord have mercy, Kate, I hope you know what you're in for here."
"We've got it covered, Lanie," Kate replied.
"Three Castles," Victoria mused. "You're a very brave woman, Kate."
"I look at it as blessed," Kate replied honestly.
Alexis handed Reece off to Martha, who handed Jake off to Jim. Victoria, Lanie, Kevin, Javier, Alan, and Madison each had a turn holding both boys as well.
Reece wasn't reacting very well to being passed around. Jake was much more Zen about the whole thing, but Reece got fussy.
Rick returned from the ER then, with his nose splinted and some slight bruising under his right eye. "It's going to heal on its own," he reported. "Very minor break. Infinitesimal. And completely worth it. And I saw LT and Velazquez outside. The whole 12th Precinct sends their congratulations and their love."
Reece was working up to a full wail in Lanie's arms now, and Jenny was holding Jake, who began flailing his arms in response to his brother's cries. "It's really late," Jenny said. "We should get going. But we'll be back tomorrow…or rather, later today."
Jenny carefully placed Reece in Kate's arms. He began to settle down once he was back in his mother's arms as she crooned to him.
Lanie placed Jake in Rick's arms.
Everyone said their good nights and drifted out of Kate's room after a final round of hugs and congratulations.
Alexis, Javier, and Jim were the last ones to leave; Kate had fallen asleep, and Rick had settled the boys in their little wheeled bassinets next to Kate's hospital bed. "We're gonna go," Alexis said. "How are you?"
"About ten feet off the ground, and no, I haven't had any painkillers because I had a drink at the fundraiser," Rick replied.
"Father of four now," Alexis said.
"And big sister of three," Rick replied, looking at Alexis.
"It's all gonna be so amazing," Alexis said.
"And exhausting," Rick said knowingly.
"But worth every second," Jim said.
"Definitely worth every second," Rick replied.
"Is it okay if Javier and I take your car, since Lily's car seat is already in it?" Alexis asked her father then. "We took a cab to Q3 earlier, so we can bring the car back tomorrow when we bring Lily to meet Reece and Jake."
"Yeah," Rick said, digging his car keys out of his pocket again, since Mark had returned them before he and Madison left. He, Kate, Reece and Jake were going to have a lot of visitors later today, he thought.
Javier took the keys from Castle. "Congratulations again," he said, and went in for the kind of bro hug he usually only shared with Ryan.
Alexis hugged her father good night, and then she and Javier left to get Lily from the Ryans' and take her home.
Then it was just Jim and Rick. "You okay to get home, Jim?" Rick asked.
"Yes, I am," Jim assured Rick. "And I'll never be able to thank you enough, Rick. Neither would Johanna." At Rick's questioning gaze, Jim elaborated. "For loving Katie the way you do. For making her so happy. For making me a grandfather. For giving Katie and me the incredible gift of a big, crazy in all the best ways family when we thought it was lost to both of us for good."
Then Jim hugged Rick. "I'll see you later today," he said. Jim kissed Kate on the forehead, and she didn't even stir. Then he leaned over the boys' bassinets, and they were both sleeping now. "Reece, Jake, I'll see you later today. Happy birthday. You share a birthday with a very special lady, and I'm going to tell you all about her as you grow up. And tomorrow, we'll bring Lily Jo to meet you. She's your other big sister. I love all of you." He bent and kissed the top of Reece's head, then the top of Jake's head, and then Jim left, whistling "Happy Birthday" under his breath and thinking of Johanna, Reece, and Jake all three.
Alone at last with Kate, Reece, and Jake, and assured that Alexis, Esposito and Jim would be taking care of Lily and bringing her to the hospital tomorrow to meet her baby brothers, Rick looked down at the boys and could swear he felt his heart grow in his chest. "I think we have a lot of late nights ahead of us," he said softly, "but you guys...I love you. And I will love you and your mommy and your sisters until the end of time. I just ask you to bear with me, because I know how to be a dad to girls because of Alexis and Lily. I didn't have a dad growing up. I still don't, really. But I promise you, I'll learn whatever I need to learn to be the best dad I can to you, Reece, and to you, Jake." He brushed a kiss across each boy's cheek, and then walked around Kate's bed. She was so exhausted, she was actually snoring lightly. "You will forever amaze me, Kate. You're the center of the universe. I love you." Then he carefully climbed into the hospital bed next to her and fell asleep with visions of the future with Kate, Alexis, Lily, Reece and Jake dancing through his dreams.
When Lily woke up, she was surprised that Mommy and Daddy were not at home, but that Alexis, Uncle Javi, and Grandpa Jim were there, and then Gram and Pops arrived while they were eating breakfast. The last thing Lily remembered was being at Uncle Kevin and Aunt Jenny's with Sarah Grace and Nick and their grandma and grandpa. While they ate breakfast, Alexis explained that she and Uncle Javi had brought Lily home and tucked her into her own bed, and she was so tired, she didn't wake up until morning.
"But where are Mommy and Daddy?" Lily asked.
"They're at the hospital, Lily, because our brothers were born last night," Alexis replied.
Lily's eyes grew wide as saucers. "Our brothers are here?" she asked excitedly.
"They are here," Martha confirmed.
"And we're all going to the hospital to see them," Jim added.
Lily began bouncing up and down in her seat. "When?" she asked.
"As soon as we get dressed," Alexis replied. "Excuse us, please, everyone." She took Lily's hand, and the sisters headed upstairs. Alexis helped Lily get dressed, and then they were off to the hospital.
Lily held Alexis's hand in the elevator, and then they walked down a long hallway before turning into a room. Mommy was in the bed holding a baby, and Daddy, with a funny-looking silver Band-Aid covering most of his nose (Alexis had explained on the ride to the hospital that Daddy had an owie on his nose but that he was okay), was sitting in the chair next to Mommy's bed holding a baby, and they both had big smiles on their faces that got even bigger when they saw Lily and Alexis.
"There's our Lily," Mommy said.
"Hi, Sweetpea," Daddy greeted her happily. "Come and meet your brothers."
Lily had had it drilled into her for a long time now that she needed to be quiet around the babies by most of the adults in her life and even by Sarah Grace. She let go of Alexis's hand, Alexis quickly squirted some of the hand sanitzer in her purse onto Lily's hand and coached her through rubbing it into her hands, and then Lily tiptoed closer to Mommy and Daddy.
The babies were tiny. "Lily, this is Reece," Mommy said, looking from Lily to the baby she was holding.
"And this is Jake," Daddy added.
Lily looked at the tiny baby in Daddy's arms, and then at the tiny baby in Mommy's arms. "They look just like each other," she said.
"That's because they're twins," Daddy said. "Remember when Mommy and I told you that you were going to have two little brothers? They look just like each other because they're identical twins."
"And they're boys," Lily said.
"Yes, they're boys. They're your brothers, sweetheart," Mommy replied.
Lily peered down at Jake in Daddy's arms. He was awake and looking up at her. "Hi, Jakey," she said. "I'm your big sister Lily. We have another big sister, Alexis." Jake flailed a tiny hand around, and Lily reached out to try and still Jake's hand, and her surprise shone on her whole face when Jake wrapped his tiny hand around her index finger. "Jakey's holding my hand!" she exclaimed in a stage whisper.
"He is," Daddy said. Alexis, meanwhile, surreptitiously took pictures, and Jim and Martha just stood there, watching and beaming at the whole tableau.
"Mommy, will Reecey hold my hand too?" Lily asked.
"He just woke up," Mommy said, as Reece stirred in her arms. "You'll have to let go of Jake's hand to come over here."
Lily gently unwrapped Jake's tiny hand from her finger, and then Grandpa Jim lifted her up so that she was sitting on Mommy's bed. "Hi, Reecey, I'm your big sister Lily," she said, offering her finger to Reece. "We have another big sister, Alexis." Reece didn't take Lily's finger right away. Kate gently touched Reece's tiny closed fist, and when his facile fingers opened, Lily stuck her finger in Reece's tiny palm before his fingers closed around her hand.
"So what do you think of your little brothers, Lily?" Mommy asked.
Lily considered the question for a minute before answering, "I think they're tiny and cute."
Alexis came over then and sat down at the foot of Kate's bed. "I agree with Lily," she said.
Jim had brought his new digital camera and decided to take a posed picture. "Everybody smile," he directed.
He took the first posed pictures of Kate and Rick with all four of their children: Reece in Kate's arms, Jake in Rick's arms, Lily sitting on Alexis's lap on the edge of Kate's bed, and Lily's finger still clutched in Reece's tiny hand.
Lily chattered away to Reece and Jake, going back and forth from one boy to the other, telling them about their room at home and all their aunts and uncles and Gram and Grandpa Jim and Pops and that she was glad they were here. "Sarah Grace says you'll cry really loud sometimes and wake me up at night," she said. "But that's just part of being a big sister, she says. And she's been a big sister a long time, so she would know. But even when you cry really loud and wake me up at night, I'll still be your big sister and I'll still love you, Reece, and Jake." She leaned down and kissed Reece on the cheek, then climbed down from Kate's hospital bed and made her way back to Rick's side, where she leaned down and kissed Jake's cheek.
"I think you're going to be an excellent big sister, Lily," Gram said.
"I think she already is an excellent big sister," Grandpa Jim said.
Kate and Rick just smiled at each other. Neither of them had ever dealt with sibling rivalry, both being only children, and they were sure there would be plenty of sibling rivalry in their future. But they also knew that underneath the sibling rivalry, their children, all four of them, would be friends and allies and would always have each other's backs. Kate and Rick would see to that.
Rick looked at Kate. "One of the happiest days of my life," he said again.
"Mine too," Kate replied, smiling at him.
