A/N1: Super long chapter, but I couldn't bear to break it up. Enjoy!
Chapter Thirteen
On Monday afternoon, Miranda was resting upstairs while Andrea and the girls worked to prepare dinner. Andrea was cleaning some chicken breasts and mincing garlic while the girls were peeling potatoes and cleaning green beans.
It was July 7th, and temperatures in New York were in the upper 90s. Since there were two separate air conditioners for the townhouse, Miranda insisted on the second floor being kept at an icy 64 degrees, and the other inhabitants of the house could wear a hoodie or stay on the first floor.
"Okay, girls," Andrea said as she covered the dish of chicken and placed it into the refrigerator to marinate. "Why don't you go clean up? We'll let Cara finish dinner when she gets back from the market, and maybe we can take a walk for some fro-yo later. I'm going to go check on your mom and see if she needs anything."
The girls nodded and headed to the first floor bathroom to wash their hands while Andrea threw a wool sweater on before going upstairs. Seeing that Miranda was sleeping, she quietly shut the door behind her and crawled into bed next to her—or technically, next to the pillow. It was as close as she could get without waking the woman. Since the babies were kicking so much last night, neither of them got much sleep, but she was glad to see Miranda resting comfortably.
A short time later, Miranda woke. She turned and saw Andrea curled up under the comforter next to her. Only the top of her hair was visible. Miranda pushed herself up to use the bathroom, and the moment she was sitting on the bed, she could feel something was different. She pressed her hand to the mattress and it felt as if someone poured a glass of water on it.
"Andrea," she said, leaning back and nudging the young woman. "Darling."
"Hey," she said, peeking her head out from under the covers. "How are you doing?"
"My water broke."
"What?!" Andrea said, quickly jumping up.
Miranda chuckled. "Relax, I'm okay," she said.
"Right," Andrea said, straightening up and walking calmly to Miranda's side of the bed. "Do you think they'll give you medicine to stop the labor again?"
Miranda shook her head. "Not if my water has broken. This is it."
Andrea leaned over and kissed her lips, lacing her fingers in Miranda's hair. "I love you," she said when they parted for air.
"I love you, too."
Andrea reached out and helped Miranda off the bed. "Have you had any contractions?"
"No, I—" Miranda gasped as she felt her belly cramping. She exhaled after a few seconds and met Andrea's eyes. "There's your answer," she said. "I'm going to use the bathroom and change. Is that black crossover bra clean?"
"Here," Andrea said, pulling it out of the laundry basket, along with a pair of black capri-length leggings. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. Have Rachel or Emily come sit with the girls, please."
Andrea nodded and quickly dialed Emily. "Hey Em, her water broke so we're going to head to the hospital. Can you or Rachel or someone come sit with the girls? I know they're going to be anxious."
"Of course. Serena and I will actually come by. Do you need me to do anything else?" she asked.
"No, just keep your fingers crossed!" Andrea said.
"The bassinets!" Miranda called from the bathroom.
Andrea rolled her eyes. "Did you hear that? Miranda says the bassinets need to be assembled. Can you take care of that, too?"
"But Andrea, you don't expect the babies home tonight, do you?"
"Em, just…please?"
"Yes, yes, of course. Ok, we're hopping into a cab now. Text us when you get there and everything!"
Andrea quickly said goodbye and hung up the phone. "Em and Serena are on their way. Did you want to throw on that DVF caftan?"
"Yes, that's fine," Miranda called from the bathroom. "We don't have to hurry. I'm fine, really."
Andrea pulled the caftan out of the closet while she dialed Roy. "Hey Roy, are you downstairs?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Perfect. We'll be down in a few minutes. Can you get everything setup?"
"Towel and water and all?"
"Yep."
"Will do, Andy," he said.
Andrea ended the call and looked up as Miranda waddled out of the bathroom in her soft, stretchy bra and leggings.
"What?" she asked, reaching for the caftan.
"Nothing. You just look incredible."
Miranda rolled her eyes. She picked up her phone from the nightstand and handed it to Andrea as she looked at herself in the mirror. "I should have had my hair cut last week," she said. "It's getting shaggy," she said.
"Here," Andrea said, fishing a bobby pin from her own hair. She pinned back Miranda's bangs and handed her her sunglasses.
"Oh Andrea, this looks ridiculous."
"Do you remember the day you got home from Mexico—on New Year's Eve?" she asked. Miranda nodded. "Your hair was longer like this, and you had your bangs pinned back," she said, gently tracing her fingertips across Miranda's face. "And your cheeks were pink and freckled. At that moment, I knew…"
Miranda closed the distance between them, kissing Andrea hard. When they finally parted, Miranda took a deep breath. "Did you call Alice or Dr. Assaf?"
Andrea shook her head, still a little lightheaded from that kiss. "I'll text Alice. Can you text Dr. Assaf?"
Miranda nodded. While they were still standing there with their phones, Andrea gathered Miranda's robe and a few toiletries from the bathroom and added them to the expandable Longchamp bag she was taking to the hospital.
"Did we forget anything?" she asked.
"No, I think we're ready," Miranda said with a smile. She slowly followed her down the stairs, where both her daughters were waiting anxiously.
"Are you going to have the babies now, Mom?" Caroline asked.
"Yes, Bobbsey," she said, hugging and kissing each of them. "Now, I love you both so so so much, you know that, right?" They nodded. "Emily and Serena are coming by, so be good for them. Maybe you can come to the hospital to visit tonight—we'll let you know."
They nodded, and Andrea and Miranda headed out to the waiting town car. Roy helped Miranda into the car, and she hardly noticed the fluffy black towel she was sitting on. Andrea handed her a bottle of water, and she took several sips. Surprisingly, she didn't say a word about the heat and humidity.
"Roy, when we bring the babies home, we will need the carseats installed," Miranda said.
"They're in the BMW already."
"Oh, okay," Miranda said. "And they've been properly installed? They're safe?"
"Yes, Miranda."
"And what about the car? Can you check the tires, oil, whatever else there is?"
Roy smiled and looked up in the rearview mirror as they approached a stoplight. "We traded in your BMW for the current year model last week. It's brand new, everything is functioning perfectly," he said.
Andrea looked over and could see that Miranda was getting nervous. "Don't worry," she said, taking her hand. "It's all taken care of. Just worry about you and those babies right now, okay?"
Miranda nodded and closed her eyes, squeezing Andrea's hand tightly.
"Is that a contraction?" Andrea asked.
A few seconds later, Miranda exhaled. "Yes, but it's shooting out from my back."
"What can I do for you?" Andrea asked, softly rubbing circles on Miranda's back as she leaned forward.
"Right now? Just keep doing what you're doing. Maybe a little more pressure," she said. "In general, I want you to make decisions when I can't. I really want to do this without medication or forceps or that god awful vacuum device, but I know anything can happen. Andrea, I trust you to make that call."
"I promise I will," Andrea said, gently kissing Miranda's shoulder.
"If it comes to a point," Miranda said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "If it comes to a point where it's me or the babies—I need you to do what's best for them."
"What?" Andrea froze. "No, no, no…don't say that. Don't make me do that, Miranda."
"Listen," she said, firmly taking her hands. "I talked with James the other day. We signed the papers naming you as a second parent for the girls. He has them, all you have to do is sign. Promise me you will take care of my girls," she said.
Andrea could no longer keep the tears from cascading down her cheeks. "No, no. We are not having this conversation now. If the babies are in distress, I'll let them give you medication or do a C-section or whatever, but then they will do everything they can for both you and the babies. Everything," she said. She looked up at Miranda. "I can't believe you just—" her voice cracked and she turned away, sobbing into her hands.
"I'm sorry," Miranda said softly, her hand resting on Andrea's shoulder. "I didn't realize how upset you would be. We won't talk about that anymore today. I was just…I don't know, scared. Terrified, really."
Andrea sat up, and Miranda gently wiped the mascara from her cheeks. "I'll be with you. You'll be fine," she said, squeezing her hand. "But if you do change your mind, I won't think any less of you."
Miranda smiled. "No, I want to do this. I didn't get a chance to do this with the girls, and I know it will be painful but I want to," she said. "By the way, you look like hell," she added with a smirk. "People are going to think I'm bringing you in for treatment."
Andrea shook her head and laughed, kissing Miranda softly on the cheek. "I love you, even when you're snarky."
"Will you stay close to me today?" Miranda said as she softly wiped the mascara from under Andrea's eyes. "For the entire time?"
"Of course. I'm not going anywhere," she said as she squeezed Miranda's hand.
"I mean, closer than holding my hand," Miranda said, blushing slightly. "I want to feel you holding me—your hands on me. I promise I won't be one of those cliches telling you to leave me alone."
Andrea wrapped her arm tightly around Miranda's shoulders. "I know you're scared," she said, "but I can promise you that I will do nothing but smother you with affection and encouragement today."
Miranda chuckled and kissed Andrea softly. "We haven't even picked out names yet—do you realize that?"
Andrea shrugged. "Names can be spontaneous. I'm sure you'll think of something—just not Bobbsey or the girls will be jealous," she said.
Miranda laughed, then reached around to clutch her belly. "Andrea, don't make me laugh," she said as she leaned forward further, resting on the seat back in front of her.
Andrea smoothed her hands down Miranda's back and she began applying firm pressure by moving her thumbs in small circles over Miranda's lower back, just above her hips.
Miranda hummed quietly as she arched into the woman's touch. "That feels really good," she said.
After a few minutes, Andrea stilled her hands. "We're here," Andrea said quietly as Roy pulled up to the dedicated Labor & Delivery entrance at the hospital.
Roy got out to open the door for Miranda, but one of the nurses beat him to it. She helped Miranda into a wheelchair, and began pushing her into the building.
"Wait—" Miranda said.
"Wait!" Andrea called, tossing her bags over her shoulder and catching up to them at the entrance. She took Miranda's hand and smiled down at her as the nurse led them upstairs to their room.
In the room, Dr. Assaf was already waiting. "Well, congratulations on making it this far, Miranda. How are you doing?" she asked.
"Good, I think. I'm ready for this," she said as Andrea helped her onto the table.
"Excellent," she said.
Andrea helped Miranda get her leggings off, and Dr. Assaf tugged her panties down just far enough so she could examine her.
"So, your water broke this afternoon?"
"Yes, about an hour ago—maybe a little after one o'clock."
Dr. Assaf nodded. "Have you had any contractions?"
"A few. They were pretty mild, and mostly in my back," Miranda said.
"Good. You're fully effaced and dilated about 3.5 centimeters right now. Everything seems to be progressing beautifully," she said, walking over and grabbing the fetal monitors. "I'm going to strap these two bands to your belly so we can check the babies' heart rates and monitor your uterine contractions," she said. "I know you asked for intermittent monitoring, but because this is still a high-risk birth, I need to make sure the babies' blood pressure does not drop when you're having a contraction."
"I can feel one starting—" Miranda said before she closed her eyes and reached for Andrea's hand.
"Yes, I can see it here on the monitor," the doctor said.
"It's not that bad—it's just my back," Miranda said.
"Well, it looks like all is well with the babies," Dr. Assaf said. "Let me check your blood pressure next. Will Alice be coming?"
"Yes, she's on her way," Andrea said.
"Good." Dr. Assaf wrapped the the blood pressure cuff around Miranda's arm and quietly listened for her pressure. "Okay, it's on the high end of normal, but perfectly in line with what we've seen from you throughout the pregnancy." She removed the cuff and stood at the end of the hospital bed while Andrea helped Miranda back into her panties and leggings. "Miranda, I know you want to this without drugs. Every relevant member of our staff has been instructed in regards to your birth plan, and they will adhere to it as long as it remains safe for you and your babies," Dr. Assaf said as she began to disconnect Miranda from the monitor. "That being said, I encourage you to walk around and use various positions and equipment in the room to both progress your labor and ease your pain. If there's anything you need, Jennifer, my nurse, will be just around the corner. I'll be back shortly to check on your progress. But Miranda, I have to warn you," Dr. Assaf said, "do not do anything to exhaust yourself. Labor could realistically progress for the next fifteen hours without intervention."
"Thank you," Miranda said, sighing as she sat up. Once the doctor left the room, she climbed off the table and began to walk around, exploring the room. She paused for several minutes at the windowsill, which overlooked Bryant Park.
Andrea gently pressed her palms to Miranda's lower back as she leaned forward against the ledge, swaying softly as she endured another contraction. Once it was over, she continued to walk around the room, pausing to take a drink from the bottle of water Andrea offered every so often.
Miranda wandered into the bathroom and gestured for Andrea to wait outside. "What about Cordelia?" Miranda asked as she walked over towards the bed and took a seat on the edge. She quickly realized that was quite uncomfortable and walked over to the other side of the room where there was a gymnastics mat spread on the ground next to a large exercise ball and several chairs and stools of various sizes. Miranda lowered herself to her knees and leaned forward, gently swirling her hips in the air, arching her back as she experienced another contraction. "So, Andrea. Do you like the name Cordelia?"
"Oh! I didn't know what you mean. Yes, it's—it's nice. We could call her Corie," Andrea said.
"What makes you think I want their names shortened?" Miranda said with a smirk.
Andrea shook her head. "One of these days, you're going to slip and call me Andy," she said. "And then all nicknames are fair game."
Miranda rolled her eyes. She was getting restless. She lifted one leg so her foot was flat on the floor, and as she went to stand, she felt an uncomfortable pressure against her cervix.
"Miranda, Andrea," Alice said as she ran into the room out of breath. "I'm so sorry, I was stuck in traffic. How are we doing?" she asked. "That lunge is a good way to help open your pelvis," she said, gesturing at Miranda. "How far dilated are you?"
"She was 3.5 cm when we came in, fully effaced," Andrea said.
Miranda returned to her hands and knees as she gently rocked back and forth.
"Are the contractions getting stronger, Miranda?" she asked.
"Not really," Miranda said. "But that lunge wasn't very comfortable."
"That's okay. Perfectly normal," she said. "I'm going to find Dr. Assaf and see if she wants to check the heart rate again," she said.
Andrea gently massaged Miranda's back for about ten minutes until the Alice returned with Dr. Assaf. "Come on, let's get up," Andrea said, helping Miranda to her feet.
She walked over to the bed, but the second Miranda laid on her back, she twisted around and sat up. "Ohhh—I can't—not on my back," she panted.
"Here," Alice said, lowering the bed so it was flat. "Lie down on your left side like you do at home," she said. "This is a great position for the babies to get oxygen, and hopefully it will help the baby to shift off your sacrum." She turned to Andrea. "Has she been having back labor?"
Andrea nodded.
Miranda laid her head on the pillow and smiled when she noticed that the pillowcase was one of her sateen pillowcases from home. "Andrea, come here," Miranda said.
"Behind you?" she asked.
"Mm-hmm."
Andrea quickly climbed onto the bed behind Miranda, grateful that it was not a typical tiny hospital bed. She wrapped her arm softly around her and wiggled her right knee between Miranda's legs to help support her hips.
"Who needs a pillow when I have you?" Miranda whispered as she laced her fingers with Andrea's own. She bent her elbow and brought Andrea's hand up to her lips, kissing their linked hands. "Thank you so much for being here. I mean this—I would not be here, doing this if it weren't for you. If you hadn't—after the divorce—I would have—" she cried.
Andrea felt her body tightening with another contraction, so she held Miranda's hand tightly and pressed soft kisses to her neck and shoulder. "It doesn't matter. I did. I'm here. We're going to have two beautiful baby girls soon," she whispered in her ear.
Dr. Assaf finished reattaching the fetal monitor and watched the heart rates carefully as the contraction subsided. "Let's see how far you've progressed," she said.
Alice helped remove Miranda's leggings and underwear. Andrea moved out of the way as Alice held Miranda's leg up in the air for a few seconds.
"Miranda, you're only 3.8 cm, so things are moving along, but we're still taking it slow. Are your contractions bearable?" she asked.
"Yes," Miranda said.
"Any nausea, vomiting, shaking, or diarrhea?"
"Diarrhea," she said, "but just once."
"Okay. Make sure you stay hydrated—you need about a bottle of water per hour or else we may need to put you on IV fluids, which would restrict your movement around the room."
"Understood," Miranda said.
"Let's just stay here for a few more minutes until we can record another contraction," she said. "And I would prefer if we could keep the leggings off, is that okay?"
"Fine," Miranda said. At this point, she really didn't care what she was wearing.
Alice brought Miranda a glass of water with a straw, and she took a few sips before she returned to talk with Dr. Assaf and her nurse.
"Miranda, can I ask you a question?" Andrea whispered quietly.
"Why do you still feel the need to ask me that?"
"Sorry. Um…anyway, what does it feel like?"
"Well," Miranda said, "right now it feels like I have a backache that won't go away."
Andrea squeezed Miranda's hand. "I meant, the whole thing. Pregnancy, kicking, contractions—all of it."
Miranda twisted around and looked up at the young woman in surprise.
"I mean, I've just always been curious," Andrea said, gently placing her hand to Miranda's belly.
Miranda pursed her lips as she detected a hint of sadness in Andrea's eyes. "This is probably not the best time to ask me that question," she said with a smile. "But I will say, it's an amazing, humbling, and overall uncomfortable experience."
"How bad is your backache now?" Andrea asked.
"It's dull and steady," she said. "Once they record the next contraction, do you think we could go for a walk or something?"
Andrea laughed. "Whatever you want. I just want to make sure you're comfortable," she said.
"Don't worry, I'll let you know if I'm not," Miranda said. "I'm just restless, that's all."
"Miranda, do you want to try and sleep a little bit while your labor progresses?" Alice asked.
"Nooo," she said. "I don't want to make this any longer than it has to be."
Alice nodded, then went back to watch the monitor. "Okay, here comes another contraction," she said.
"Do you think I can't feel that?" Miranda spat.
Andrea bit her lip and buried her face in Miranda's neck to hide her laughter. The fact that Miranda was getting snippy was just another sign that she was in pain and uncomfortable. "Be nice to her," she whispered.
Miranda squeezed her hand tightly as she held her breath through the contraction.
"Aren't you supposed to breathe through those?" Andrea asked once Miranda exhaled.
"Aren't you supposed to be supportive?" Miranda hissed as she held her breath once again.
Andrea pushed herself up and gently ran her hand down Miranda's side. "Breathe, Miranda," she said, "in and out."
Miranda obeyed, and in a few seconds she opened her eyes and looked up at Andrea. "That one was a little longer," she said. "And since you asked, it feels like the worst menstrual cramps ever—but imagine your uterus pressed up against your ribcage."
"Ouch."
"A bit difficult to remember to breathe during that," Miranda said.
"I'm going to take this monitor off and let you move around a little more," Dr. Assaf said. "Are you still doing okay?"
"Perfect," Miranda said with a smile as she sat up on the edge of the bed.
"Great. I'm going to step out for a while, but let Jennifer know if you need anything."
Miranda nodded and stood from the bed, pacing around the room as she sipped on another glass of water.
"Miranda, you're going to be moving into active labor shortly, and I know you want things to move as swiftly as possible, so why don't we try some positions that will help the pelvis to expand and encourage the babies to move into position," Alice said.
Miranda agreed and let Alice lead her into a deep squatting position.
"I want you to hold onto this bar, though," Alice said. "Andrea will stay behind you and keep her arms around you for added support."
Miranda squatted down and stood up slowly, and repeated it several times.
"How does that feel?" Alice asked.
"Good, but my back is still a little sore," she said.
Alice guided her feet backwards a bit, further from the bar. "Try this."
The added distance forced Miranda to lean forward more when she lowered herself, and surprisingly it felt really good.
Andrea gently rubbed her shoulders and her back when Miranda was squatting, and she hooked her arms beneath Miranda's to help her stand up so she didn't exhaust herself.
"Do women actually give birth like this?" Miranda asked Alice.
"Yes, actually. It's a very common position for natural childbirth because gravity is really helping to deliver the baby," she said.
"It's a little like a hen laying an egg," Miranda said matter-of-factly. "Oooooh!" she gasped, tucking her chin against her chest as another contraction hit. "Oh god," she whispered.
Andrea quickly kneeled behind Miranda so she could catch her if and when she let go of the bar. She reached her arms around Miranda's waist and gently began rubbing a circular pattern on her belly.
Miranda moaned a few times and flexed her fingers around the bar.
"Miranda, drop to your knees," Alice said firmly as she spotted her. Miranda let go of the bar. "Lean forward onto your elbows," she said.
Andrea moved her hands onto Miranda's back, again applying firm pressure in a circular motion. Nearly a minute later, Andrea felt Miranda's body relax as she rocked back towards her heels. "Hey," she said softly, running her hand up and down her back, "you're doing great."
Alice held out a glass of water again and Miranda took a few sips from the straw.
"That one hurt really bad," Miranda said. "It was a sharp, shooting pain."
"Well, let's hope that was the baby's head rotating and turning into place," Alice said. "If this is comfortable, why don't you stay like this for a while?"
Miranda nodded and leaned forward once again, shifting her weight to her forearms, which were pressed against the mat. She slowly began rotating her hips while Andrea applied firm, steady counter pressure to her lower back.
The young woman soon matched her rhythm and she felt her pelvis pressed against her rear. "Andrea, I know what you're thinking," Miranda said.
"Really?" she said with a chuckle, gently thrusting her hips forward.
"Yeeess," Miranda moaned as she crawled forward. "Don't do that. We have six more weeks. Please."
Andrea smiled and kneeled next to her. "I'm sorry. You're just so beautiful and amazing, I couldn't resist myself," she said. Her brown eyes sparkled.
Miranda pushed herself up and wrapped her arms around the woman's shoulders and kissed her with full force, sucking on her tongue and softly biting on her lower lip.
Andrea smiled and looked into Miranda's eyes. "What was that for?"
"For teasing me," she said, smiling. All of a sudden, her smile turned into a grimace as she closed her eyes at another contraction, tightening her grip around Andrea's shoulders.
Andrea soothingly ran her hands down Miranda's back and pressed kisses to her forehead and cheeks. "Breathe, Miranda," she said.
"Miranda, you need to start exhaling," Alice said, softly placing her hands on Miranda's lower back. "Scream or moan or yell or grunt or something. It's dangerous to hold your breath like that," she cautioned.
"Ohhhhhhh," Miranda moaned in a high-pitched tone that was almost like a squeal.
"Good, Miranda, that's great," Alice said. "Try to go deeper, like a growl," she said, lowering her own pitch.
"UhhhhhhHHH," Miranda groaned, rocking back and forth against Andrea.
"That's perfect," Andrea said, kissing her forehead again. "You're doing so good. This one's almost over now." She reached up and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.
Miranda finally took a few deep breaths and sat up. Andrea pulled a tube of Blistex out of her pocket and smoothed some over Miranda's lips.
"Are you still doing okay?"
Miranda nodded and handed her back an empty glass. "It feels like knives in my lower back," she said as she twisted around, trying to get comfortable.
"How about a shower? You can let the hot water soothe your back a little," Alice said, "and there's a stool in there so you don't have to stand the whole time."
She looked to Andrea for confirmation.
"It's up to you. Whatever feels good for you," Andrea said, softly kissing her on the corner of her mouth.
Miranda nodded, and sat back onto her heels.
Andrea stood and reached out her hand to help Miranda up, but before getting up, she lifted one foot at a time and gently lunged to each side.
"Excellent, Miranda. That's perfect," Alice said.
Miranda's grip on Andrea's hand tightened as her belly contracted once again. This time, Andrea was able to watch as Miranda's belly physically changed shape into something more like a rectangle.
"Okay, good, now breathe, Miranda," Alice said. "Breathe so those babies get oxygen. You're doing great."
Miranda moaned and reached for her belly with her free hand. After a few minutes, she said, "Let's try the shower," and Andrea helped her to her feet.
Alice refreshed Miranda's water bottles and straightened out some of the sheets while Andrea led her into the bathroom, giving the couple some privacy.
Miranda quickly let go of Andrea's hand and rushed over to the toilet, shutting the door as she went to the bathroom.
"Miranda, can I come in?" Andrea called.
"No—wait."
Andrea heard her flushing the toilet and peeked her head inside. "You okay?"
Miranda nodded as she washed her hands at the sink.
"Did you have diarrhea again?"
Miranda blushed and nodded.
"Good," Andrea said. "That means the babies are working their way out, right?"
Miranda shrugged and was looking down at her hands. "I suppose. Doesn't make it any less humiliating."
Andrea softly lifted her chin so she could meet her eyes. "I love you—every single thing about you. Pregnancy is amazing and you have nothing to be embarrassed about, especially with me, okay?"
"Yes," she said quietly. "Let's try that hot water before another contraction comes."
Andrea put the plastic chair into the shower and turned it so the back was facing the shower spray. She turned on the hot water, then helped Miranda out of her bra and panties. While Miranda was getting comfortable on the chair, she kicked off her sandals and tied her own hair up in a messy bun.
Miranda was sitting backwards on the chair and had her head resting on her forearms, folded over the chair back.
"Does this feel good?"
"Mm-hmm," she mumbled.
After a few minutes, Andrea saw Miranda's feet and shoulders tense up and realized she was having another contraction.
"Breathe, Miranda. Exhale like you're blowing out a candle, remember?"
"Ooooooohhhh," Miranda moaned. "Turn it off! Ooooohhhhh…turn it off," she said.
Andrea quickly turned off the hot water and began kneading Miranda's shoulders.
"No, lower," she said.
Andrea moved her hands down towards her shoulder blades and again began massaging.
"No, lower. Lower!"
Andrea balled her hands into fists and applied strong pressure to her lower back.
After a minute or so, Miranda's shoulders relaxed and she lifted her head. "I'm sorry, that hot water…I was just getting dizzy," she said.
"It's okay, you're doing great. Do you want to try that again or maybe go for a walk?"
"Let's walk around," she said.
Andrea dried off her back and legs with a towel as she stood from the chair. She helped her into her panties and bra, then after another contraction, they walked back into the room.
Miranda walked straight for the bed and laid down on her side. Alice came over and brought her something to drink.
"I thought you'd be in there longer," she said.
"She was getting dizzy—can you check her bp?" Andrea asked.
"Of course," she said, slipping the cuff around Miranda's arm. "Everything's good. While you're laying here, do you want me to see how far you are?"
Miranda nodded, then closed her eyes, squeezing her legs together as she moaned through another contraction.
"Your contractions are about four minutes apart," Alice said. She gently lifted Miranda's leg and examined her cervix. "And you'll be happy to know you're just over 6 cm," she added. "Are the contractions stronger now?"
"Yes, definitely," Miranda said.
Andrea took a few drinks from the Diet Coke she brought with her. She sat on the edge of the bed and took Miranda's hand. "Try and get some rest," she said.
Over the next six hours, Miranda's labor progressed. She spent a while in bed, trying to sleep between contractions while Alice and Andrea took turns massaging her. As her contractions grew more severe, she moved to the birthing stool, and Andrea sat in front of her, gently massaging her belly while Alice applied hot packs to her lower back.
Just before midnight, Miranda moved onto a birthing ball, leaning forward against the bed and swaying slowly.
"Your contractions are less than two minutes apart," Alice said.
Miranda moaned a nonverbal response.
"Can you still feel them coming and going?" she asked.
Miranda shook her head. "No…it's constant."
"You've been stuck at 8 cm for a while," Alice explained, "so why don't you try stimulating your nipples to release some oxytocin?" Miranda didn't respond, but her continuous moaning slightly changed pitch, which Andrea understood as consent.
"Give us a minute," Andrea said to Alice, who nodded and stepped out of the room. She gently brushed her hand along Miranda's back and squeezed her shoulder.
Miranda turned her head to face Andrea. Her hair was matted along her hairline, and she managed a small smile.
"The babies are almost here."
"I know," Miranda said, nodding.
"We need to help them along a little bit. Can you palm and squeeze your nipples a little bit?"
Miranda pushed herself away from the bed so she was sitting upright and reached her hand up to her breast. "Aaahhhhh!" she cried quickly bringing both hands to rest on her knees as her contraction peaked. "You…do it," she said.
Andrea squatted down in front of her and softly took each of her breasts in her hand, brushing her thumbs back and forth over her nipples and gently using her fingertips to simulate a sucking motion on her areolas.
After a minute, Miranda swatted her hands away and reached out for Andrea to help her off the ball. She wandered around aimlessly, leaning against the bed, the bar, the windowsill, anything. Alice came back in the room just as Miranda started to cry.
"I can't do this," she cried, "I can't…I…can't."
"You can do this," Andrea reassured her over and over.
Miranda wandered back to the bed and sat on the edge, holding Andrea's hand tightly through her contraction. "I can't," she cried. "Andy, I don't want to do this anymore…I just want to sleep…I want a c-section," she said between breaths.
Andrea couldn't hide her smile. She gently took Miranda's face in her hands and kissed her. "You are so beautiful, Miranda. I am falling in love with you more and more every minute of the day," she said. "You're doing so great."
"Get these babies out!" Miranda screamed, digging her fingernails into Andrea's arm. "I can't do this."
Alice walked over and laid a cool washcloth to the back of Miranda's neck. "Nice slow breaths, Miranda. One long breath in," she said, inhaling, "and one slow breath out," she said, exhaling.
Miranda climbed onto the bed and curled up on her side, gripping her belly. "I don't want to do this, Andy," she said, pausing to growl through another contraction. "Help me…make it stop," she moaned.
Andrea sat on the edge of the bed and gently cupped Miranda's cheek. "You are doing this," she said. "You're giving birth to two human beings. You're amazing." She kissed her softly on the forehead and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Look at me," Andrea said, gently tilting her chin. "You're almost finished. Just a little while longer and we'll have our girls in our arms," she said.
Miranda reached out and pushed Andrea away as she leaned towards the side of the bed. Alice quickly held out a mauve-colored basin as Miranda began vomiting.
"Andy, go get Dr. Assaf. She's ready to start pushing," Alice whispered over her shoulder.
Andrea turned towards the door, but the doctor was already walking in with her scrubs on. "Miranda, it sounds like you might be ready to start pushing," she said. "I'm just going to take a quick look at your progress, okay?"
Alice softly wiped Miranda's mouth as she turned onto her back and gave her a sip of water. The nurse pressed a fetal monitor to her belly, and Dr. Assaf pulled her stool up to the foot of the bed.
"You're fully dilated, Miranda," Dr. Assaf said happily. "Why don't you try pushing?" she said.
"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!" Miranda screamed as she bore down, ignoring the searing pain in her pelvis.
"Wait!" Alice said, quickly repositioning the bed so Miranda was sitting up. "Can you feel when your contractions are coming?" she asked her.
Miranda nodded, keeping her eyes tightly shut.
"Okay, when you feel a contraction, take a deep breath and push down with all of your might," Alice coached.
"Oooohhhh…ohhhhh…ooohhhhh," Miranda moaned.
Andrea softly caressed her cheek and squeezed her hand tightly. "You're doing so great, Miranda. It's almost over. I love you so much," she whispered. "Soon we'll have our girls in our arms, sitting on the swing out on the back porch in Sagaponack."
Miranda took a deep breath and pushed with all her might as her uterus contracted.
"Good, good. Keep pushing, Miranda," Dr. Assaf directed.
Andrea softly laid her hands on Miranda's cheeks, trying to relax her.
"Miranda, I need you to focus all your energy on your baby's head going through your cervix," Alice said.
"Deep breath," Andrea reminded, softly stroking Miranda's arm.
"AaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhHHHH!" she screamed, her expression contorted in pain as she bore down through another contraction. They were coming in rapid succession, so everyone in the room knew birth was very close. "Ohhh fuck…ooooohhh…it's burning!" she cried.
"Good, Miranda, we can see the baby's head," Alice said as she held a warm cloth to her perineum, hoping to prevent any tearing. "One more big push this time."
"You're doing so well," Andrea whispered, kissing the top of her head. "Think about us on that swing, watching Cass and Care play on the beach while our babies are cooing and fussing in our arms. We're so close," she said, softly squeezing Miranda's shoulder.
Miranda nodded and pressed her cheek to Andrea's hand as she took another deep breath and pushed with all her might. She exhaled as she suddenly felt less pressure on her cervix.
"Keep going, Miranda—push, push, push!" Alice directed.
"Aaahhhhh!" Miranda cried out as she pushed her daughter from her womb.
Dr. Assaf quickly reached up and placed the baby on Miranda's chest and gently massaged her back while Alice draped a warm blanket over mom and baby.
A high-pitched wail filled the room and Miranda looked down at her baby girl in awe. "Oh my god," she gasped, gently cradling the newborn against her chest.
"She's beautiful," Andrea said, kissing Miranda's cheek. "I'm so proud of you."
Miranda nodded and closed her eyes, gently stroking her daughter's cheek.
"Okay, I'm going to take her to the other side of the room and clean her up, make sure her heart rate is stable, and keep her warm," Alice said as she carefully lifted the newborn from Miranda's chest.
Dr. Assaf snipped the umbilical cord, then pressed the fetal monitor to the side of her belly to check on the other baby. "Jen," she said quietly, "give Miranda some oxygen."
The nurse quickly put the oxygen mask over Miranda's nose and mouth, instructing her to take deep breaths.
"What's going on?" Andrea asked. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything is perfect," Dr. Assaf said calmly, also addressing Miranda. "I just want to play it safe and ensure your other baby can breathe."
Miranda sat there for a few minutes, resting as she tried to catch her breath. "Go," she said to Andrea, motioning towards the corner where Alice was with the crying newborn.
"I'll be right back," Andrea said, kissing her forehead. She stood next to Alice in awe at the tiny creature who was now swaddled in a pink fleece-and-satin blanket with a matching little hat. She quickly pulled out her phone and snapped a picture and sent it to Emily with a short note: 1 down, 1 to go. Mom & baby doing fine! "Will she need to go to the NICU?" Andrea whispered to Alice.
"No, she's perfectly healthy. Do you want to hold her for a minute while I go get fresh blankets and everything setup for baby number two?"
Andrea smiled and picked her up, cradling her gently against her body. She had stopped crying and was now just cooing and fussing as she tried to keep her eyes open.
"Sweet pea, you are so beautiful," she whispered, kissing the newborn softly on the top of her head. Andrea gently tapped the baby's nose and giggled when the baby's bore an eerie resemblance to Miranda's infamous pursed lips.
From the other side of the room, she heard Miranda saying she felt like she needed to push. Alice came over and took the baby while Andrea ran back to Miranda's side. Jen removed the oxygen mask. Andrea gave Miranda a few sips of water and rubbed some lip balm on her lips.
"How is she?" Miranda asked.
"She's perfect," Andrea said. "Absolutely perfect. Are you ready for the next one?"
Miranda nodded. "In a minute," she said. "What do you want to call her?"
Andrea's eyes widened. "Me? No…it's up to you."
Miranda shook her head and placed her hands on her belly. "I've already decided, this one will be Catherine. She's stubborn and needs a formidable name," Miranda said with a chuckle. "You pick hers," she said nodding towards the corner of the room where Alice attended to the newborn. "Ohhh," she moaned, gasping and sitting up more on the bed.
"I'm ready when you are, Miranda," Dr. Assaf called.
"Deep breath in," Andrea said, softly brushing her arm, "and push! Hard as you can, focus everything on getting this baby out so she can join her sister."
"Good, Miranda, keep pushing," Dr. Assaf said. "Jen, get her back on 02."
"You're doing great, Miranda," Andrea said. "Keep it up. Deep breaths. Exhale."
"AaaahhhhhhhhhhaaaahhhhHHHHHaaaa!" Miranda screamed.
"Good. Now hold it for a minute, Miranda. Don't push," Dr. Assaf instructed. The baby's head was out, and it wasn't as pink as she would have liked, so carefully slipped her finger around the baby's neck and loosened the restriction around her airway. "Ok, one more big push, Miranda," she said.
In the meantime, Alice placed the newborn back in the incubator and instructed two student nurses to watch her while she returned to Miranda's side. With the last push, the second twin made her way into the world.
Miranda sighed and took a deep breath, resting her head back against the pillow. "Why isn't she crying?" she asked, suddenly frantic. "What's wrong?"
"She's fine," Dr. Assaf said in reassurance as she quickly suctioned the newborn's mouth and nose.
Alice picked her up and laid her against Miranda's chest. "Gently massage her back," she said, draping a blanket over the baby.
Miranda gently rubbed circles on the baby's back with three fingers, and after a while, she coughed and sneezed a few times before letting out a loud, healthy wail.
Andrea didn't realize that she had been holding her breath. Everyone in the room was.
Alice clamped the cord and reached underneath the blanket to discreetly snip it.
Miranda bent her head down and kissed the top of the infant's hair. "Catherine. Catherine Helen Priestly," she said quietly.
"Can I take her to get cleaned up a bit? I want to check her Apgar, too. I'm sure she's fine, but just to be safe," Alice said.
Miranda nodded and let the midwife take her baby off her chest. "Can you move this bed down? I want to lay back," she said. After Jen adjusted the angle, Miranda reached out and took Andrea's hand. "Go," she whispered. "I'm fine. I know you want to be over there."
Andrea smiled and kissed Miranda before prancing over to the incubators.
Miranda closed her eyes and laid back, taking a few minutes to rest while she could, but was soon awakened when Andrea lowered the railing on the bed and sat on the edge, cradling a newborn in her arms.
"How's Catherine?" Miranda asked eagerly.
"She's perfect," Alice shouted over the infant's crying. "Apgar is normal. No NICU for these babies!" she announced.
Miranda sighed in relief as tears began to stream down her face. She reached out for the baby and held her close against her chest, just kissing and cradling her.
Andrea snuck away and snapped a picture of Catherine, who was now wrapped in a pale lilac satin-fleece blanket, and sent another picture to Emily: Meet Catherine, the newest Priestly. Mom and babies all doing fine. No NICU!
As she walked back to Miranda's bedside, she sent Leslee a quick text: Miranda & babies are doing well. Happiness and good health all around.
"Did you decide on a name?" Miranda asked.
"Callista."
Miranda looked down at her newborn girl and smiled. "Welcome to the family, Callista," she said. "Andrea, what's your middle name?"
"Elizabeth."
"Callista Elizabeth Priestly," she said with a smile.
"You know, we get to call her 'Callie' and the other one 'Kit' because you lost our bet," Andrea said.
"I most certainly did not lose any bet. What on earth are you talking about?"
"You called me 'Andy'—twice."
Miranda's eyes widened. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You did. You screamed it out. I think you were going through transition, but all's fair."
Miranda rolled her eyes. "As long as they're both healthy, I don't really care what you call them," she said.
"Not to interrupt you, but we need to get the placentas out, Miranda," Dr. Assaf said. "Why don't you try and see if—Callista, was it?—will latch on? Breastfeeding should stimulate just enough uterine contractions for the placenta to detach."
Alice stepped in and helped Miranda free her breast from the nursing bra. She loosened the blanket around the baby so her hands were free. "Okay, now just bring the baby to the breast," she said. With very little guidance, the newborn began suckling.
"What's wrong?" Andrea asked.
"It's really uncomfortable," she said.
"Miranda, give me a few light pushes," Dr. Assaf said. "Okay, okay, stop. You're done."
"That's it?" Miranda asked. "I didn't even feel it."
"Give me a minute to examine and make sure it's intact, but yes, I think that's it."
"Did I tear?"
"Just a tiny bit with the first one. Two stitches. I'm going to go wash up. Alice will finish cleaning you up, and then I'll be back to answer any questions. Miranda, congratulations on your new additions."
"Thank you," she said. "What time is it?"
"Almost 3:00 AM."
"So, when's their birthday?"
"They were both born today, July 8th," Andrea said. "Roughly twenty minutes apart. Callista was 5 pounds, 11 ounces, and Catherine was 5 pounds, 3 ounces."
"And they're both brunettes, like you," Miranda said.
Andrea smiled. "Yep. This one definitely got your facial features. I swear she pursed her lips at me before," she said. "What is your natural hair color, just out of curiosity?"
"Darling you know I don't dye this," Miranda said.
"No, I mean, before the white."
"Strawberry blonde. Lighter than the girls, but then you've seen James and his family—they've all got dark hair," she said. "Both my mother and father had dark hair. I was the strange-looking child."
"I don't see how anyone could ever think you were 'strange-looking.' You're beautiful," she whispered, bending down to kiss Miranda properly on the lips.
Alice cleared her throat. "Would you like to put some clothes on? I have a hospital gown, but I figured you brought something else."
"Oh god, I didn't even realize," Miranda said with a chuckle as Andrea pulled a pair of clean underwear and yoga pants from her bag. "Wait, can I take a quick shower and wash my hair?"
"Of course," Alice said. "Why don't I help you with that while Andrea sits with the babies?"
Miranda nodded and handed Callista over. "Do not let them out of your sight," she said.
"Never," Andrea said with a smile. Jen placed Catherine in a bassinet and wheeled her over closer to the bed. "Miranda," she called after her.
Miranda stopped and turned around. Her right breast was hanging out of her nursing bra, and she wasn't wearing any other clothes. Her cheeks were red and her hair was matted against her head, the bobby pin being the only thing keeping her bangs out of her eyes. "What?" she asked, anxious to get into the shower.
"You're incredible," Andrea said. "And I love you."
Miranda smiled. She believed her.
TBC
A/N2: I've had some questions, so just FYI, this story is far from being over. :)