"Are you sure you're okay?"

Mikey's concerned voice filled my head. I was sitting in the hospital bed with my cell phone pressed to my ear.

"Yes, Mikey, I'm fine. The doctor said I'm healthy and the baby is healthy. We don't need to stop my labor. I'm good for delivery with no complications." I laughed. I couldn't believe I was here, right now, about to give birth to life.

"Okay, well, I called Gus and Vince. They were both able to get some time off to come see you. I'm at the air port right now on my way to you. I can't wait to meet the little booger."

"Thanks Mikey, I can't wait to see you guys. I'm in room three-o-five at Harborview."

"Okay Spin, see you when I see you."

We hung up and I sat back. TJ and I were okay. Split, but okay. We both had our reasons and neither of us were angry. The most important thing, is that Charlie will still have his dad in his life. I looked up at the ceiling and reflecting on the last seven months since graduation. I have lost so much but gained even more. I thought about my house, about Charlie's room, how I spent two weeks trying to decide on a color, and finally picked a light shade of green and spent six more hours paining. I thought about the crib that use to be Sebastian's and the changing table, all a nice light oak wood. I thought about the rug I bought three weeks ago, and the books I picked up at the book drive. And I thought about the rocking chair my grandpa gave my mother when she was pregnant with me. It sat in the corner of the room, spruce wood with native carvings on it. It was the best gift anyone gave me for this baby.

A knock came and my mom walked in with a duffle bag.

"I figured you didn't grab you hospital bag, so when I picked TJ up, I snagged it up for you."

"Thanks Mom."

Another knock on the door and the nurse came in.

"Having any more contractions?"

"Yes, Not sure how far apart they are,"

"Well lets take a look," She grabbed the paper spilling out of the machine that they have connected to my insides (trust me, you don't want to know what they do to monitor you) and they ripped it off. "let me check your dilation." She lifted up my gown and prodded her way around. When she emerged she gave me a smile. "Eight centimeters, we are very close. I'll inform the doctor." She took off her gloves and left the room.

"Are you ready to be a grandma?" I asked looking up at Mom. But I couldn't see her face because her hands were covering it up. She was crying. "Mom, what's wrong?"

"I'm okay baby, I just, I'm just so proud of you. I love you very much," She sniffed and gave me a smile.

"I love you too,"

A pain, one I was very familiar with at this point, hit me hard, harder than the others.

"Ashley?"

"Mom, this one's not stopping."

"Oh dear," Mom ran to the wall and jammed her finger several times on a small red button.

"Mom, get- TJ" I breathed. I felt like I was going to explode.

"Okay, okay," She runs out the door at the same time my doctor came in with my nurses.

"Ashley, it seems like you have spiked and are nearly ready for that baby to come along." The doctor smiled. She pulled on her gloves and mask and grabbed her tools. "Are we ready everyone?"

The next hour went by like it was a whole day. It was slow and hazy. I only remembered the pain and the words 'push'. I remember TJ was on my left and Mom was on my right, both squeezing my hands as I screamed in pain, pushing my baby out of me. I was so sweaty and tired and I almost gave up, but a set of words reached me in all of the chaos.

"You can do this Spinelli, I believe in you." It was Nick, sitting in a chair next to TJ.

So I pushed harder until the pain eased and only one sound was heard, the crying of my baby Charlie.

"It's a boy. Congrats Miss Spinelli," The doctor showed me his face and I fell in love. Tears filled my eyes and my nose stung. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. "Would you like to cut the cord?" She turned to TJ while another nurse handed him the shears.

TJ uncomfortably approached the cord and cut. "It's spongy." Was all he could say. We all had a small laugh. The doctor handed Charlie to the nurse.

"I'm going to go clean him up real quick," She walked away.

"I did it. I did-" Suddenly, pain hit again. Was it normal to have more contractions after birth?

"Ashley? What's wrong?" The doctor stood up and looked at me. She sat back down and looked at the mess under my gown. "I... don't believe it."

"What? What's going on?" My mom asked frantically.

"We're not quite done here,"

"What do you mean?" I screamed in pain.

"We got ourselves a stowaway." The doctor said. "Ashley, I'm going to have to ask you to push again, real hard. This one has already crowned and is ready to get out of here."

"Another one?" We all screamed.

"Yes, now push!" And I did, as hard as I could. Within seconds, another cry filled the room.

"This one's a girl." The doctor said, holding up another baby that I managed to tuck away inside me somehow.

"My turn!" My mother leaped out of her chair and grabbed the shears. She cut the cord and the baby was taken away to be cleaned.

Twins.

I just had twins.

"Mom?" I whimpered, exhausted. "What do I do with twins?"

Mom grabbed my hand and squeezed. "You love them equally. That's what you do." And with that she kissed my forehead.

I looked over at TJ who was dramatically crying.

"I love you TJ, I'm so glad you're here." I whispered.

TJ kissed my hand and gave me a smile.

I looked over at Nick who gave me a smirk.

"And you, thank you for being there for me."

"You're welcome kiddo."

"Now Ashley, you had some tearing, which is normal. I just need to stitch you up and then we can relax. You won't even feel this."

And she was right. I didn't feel the four stitches she had to put in me. The nurse came back with the two babies, tagged and weighed.

"Here you are," She hands me both of them, Charlie in blue and Gretchen in pink. I never wanted to let these two leave my arms. Ever.