A/N: Thanks everyone for your reviews and adds. I apologize for the line "I silently wondered if they'd be identical or fraternal." I had originally made them both boys, so I was just being retarded. I don't really care to those who say they hate the name 'Thackery.' I actually am stealing that name from the movie 'Hocus Pocus,' my absolute favorite movie of all time. Thackery Binx was the boy in the beginning/cat, remember people?
Chapter 2: Thackery and Charlotte
The next three months began to blend into one another, and my belly grew larger every day. Edward constantly touched my stomach, glowed every time he felt one of them kick. He was turning into such a proud father. And he was spoiling the babies already, terribly. He had bought so many clothes for Charlotte, I was surprised she had any room in her closet to fit her little winter coat. For Thackery, Edward had purchased little gentleman clothes and hats. I swear, he must have been channeling Alice when he came home carrying so many bags with items for the babies that his knees shook when he walked.
Edward worked at the university in the neurobiology lab under some esteemed scientists, and he made quite decent money. But at night, when he came home, he helped me in the babies rooms. Tonight he sat in Charlotte's room. He had chosen a butterfly/flower girly type theme. He had painted two of the walls opposite each other the lightest of pinks, almost a powdery pink. The other two opposite walls were the lightest of yellows, lighter than the color of butter, almost cream.
After the paint had dried, and there was no chance of me getting dizzy because of paint fumes, I was finally allowed in to see it. He was sitting in the center of the floor, surrounded by piles and piles of clothes. He was folding them and putting them into piles to put into her new dresser. I ran my hand over the smooth, light colored wood. "Do you need help with anything?" I asked him.
He smiled up at me and then looked down at a onesy that read 'Daddy's Little Girl' that he was folding and putting it into the onesy pile. He pointed towards a pile of unpacked bags against the far wall. "Those are Thackery's. You can start folding them, if you'd like."
I heaved my heavy body onto the floor and pulled the bags to me. I pulled out item after item in varying boyish colors-yellow, blue, green. I smiled and fingered a little dinosaur patch on one of the shirts. "How did we get so lucky?"
Edward sighed happily. "I've got no idea. We went from me being infertile, to having two babies!"
I smiled and laughed. "Yeah. This is pretty awesome."
"I've done everything, so you wouldn't have to overexert yourself. You've worked too hard getting their rooms ready," Edward said offhandedly.
"I set up decorations and painted little characters onto their walls. Not exactly strenuous work," I replied, folding up some bibs.
"I love you, Bella," he said. "I haven't been this happy in a very long time. Since you married me."
"Our wedding wasn't exactly ideal, though."
"But think, if we hadn't been rushed into marriage by my cancer, we'd only be getting married right about now. After undergrad school."
"Oh, that's weird to think about."
"I know."
We laughed and I got up with his help and made my way into Thackery's room with a large pile of clothing. I stuffed them into his dresser and then touched my stomach. I was rather hungry, though I had just eaten an hour ago. "I'm going downstairs to make a sandwich," I called to Edward.
In the kitchen, I popped some bread into the toaster and pulled out the crunchy peanut butter and bananas. This was going to be incredibly sugary, and Edward would disapprove, but I felt driven to eat a peanut butter and banana sandwich. With salt sprinkled on it. I was spreading the peanut butter when a slight cramp hit me and I felt something wet and warm trickling down my thighs. I looked at the puddle of clear liquid pooling under me and dropped the glass jar of peanut butter. It crashed to the floor, and I screamed, "EDWARD! GET DOWN HERE NOW!!"
Edward's footsteps came pounding down the stairs and he slid into the kitchen in his socks, almost slipping. "What? What's happened?"
"I…look!" I gestured toward the puddle.
"What? OH! Oh my God! I'll get the keys."
He ran off, trying to locate his discarded keys and I stood in the kitchen, silently panicking. He came back in and tossed my slippers to the floor. "Step into these, Bella."
He was distracted and was shaking as he grabbed my hand and walked me to the front door. I was so heavy that I was bent over backward and had to walk with a hand on my hip and lower back. Edward grabbed a duffle bag out of the front closet and then threw the door open. He held my hand as I waddled toward the door. I was beginning to panic. I wasn't due for another three weeks. "Edward, the babies aren't supposed to come for another three weeks, in January. It's only December twenty third."
Edward was walking me to the car quickly, helping me in as gently as he could in such a rush. "I know, but the doctor said this happens a lot with twins. Now hush, and don't get your blood pressure up. It's not healthy for you or the babies."
I did as I was told and took deep breaths in through my nose and our through my mouth. My hands were wrapped around my gargantuan stomach, cradling it almost protectively. Edward drove like a psycho to the hospital. Seattle was nothing like Forks, and was still hopping with nightlife at midnight. He had to weave in and out of traffic, but he finally made it to the emergency entrance. Throwing open the door, he started yelling, "My wife's having babies!"
I was heaving myself out of the car when Edward and the nurse came running out, Edward pushing a wheelchair. "Here, Bella. Sit in this."
I sat down gingerly and he pushed me back inside, running as fast as he could while hauling me and nearly ran over the elderly couple stepping out of the elevators. The nurse was right there next to me, and Edward grabbed my hand as we waited to reach the fifth floor. "This damn elevator doesn't go fast enough!"
Even in my panic, I had to laugh at Edward. I had never seen him act like this in my life, so out of control and jumpy. The door opened and Edward ran through the sliding doors and to the front desk. "My wife's having…babies," he said, only slightly out of breath.
The nurse at the desk jumped up and ran around to the wheelchair. She took over and pushed me to a room at the end of the hall. "We'll just get you out of those clothes and into a gown."
"Do we have time? I mean…" Edward was babbling again.
The nurse put a hand to his shoulder. "Of course we have time. Giving birth can take days."
"Days?!" I screamed.
She giggled. "I was kidding. It can take quite a few hours though. We'll get you changed and take your vitals. Check how many centimeters you're at."
I nodded and she handed me a gown. "I'll give you a moment. I'll go get you some ice chips."
I groaned. Ice chips. All I was allowed to eat or drink for the duration of labor. And I was still so hungry. When the nurse left, Edward walked to me and started lifting my shirt. "Bella, let's get you out of this."
I lifted my arms and he lifted it off and over my head. He slid my shorts down, carrying my underwear with them. He folded everything and then leaned down on his knees. He kissed my stomach and smiled. "You guys be good for your mommy. Don't give her any trouble now."
I smiled and cleared my throat. "Uh, Edward? I'm a little cold."
He stood up. "Oh, right."
He held up the gown and I stuck my arms through the holes. "God, am I glad you didn't have to work late tonight."
"I won't be working late any time soon. Don't you worry."
He snapped the buttons up my back and pulled my hand. "Come on. You should sit down."
There was a knock on the door and the nurse entered. "Mrs. Cullen? May I come in?"
"Yes," I replied and she pulled back the curtain and stepped into the room.
"Ice chips," she said, holding up the cup proudly. "Now, have you called your doctor?"
I looked at Edward, and he pulled out his cell phone. "I'll go call her. I should probably tell the family we're here as well."
He left the room, leaving me with the overly happy nurse. "A baby, huh? Is it a boy or a girl?"
"Both," I said, smiling.
"Twins? Oh, how exciting!" she said, hooking me up to an array of machines.
She worked, humming to herself. A machine showed my heartbeats, and the babies,' and I was fascinated as I watched them. She was preparing my arm for an IV when Edward came back in. He saw the needle and rushed to my side. I clenched my eyes tight and he squeezed my hand. "You're about to give birth, to two babies, and you're worried about a little needle, hon?" the nurse asked, shaking her head.
Edward glared at her and then turned to me. "Dr. Morovi will be here soon."
"Oh, thank God her vacation isn't until next week," I said, putting my head back against the pillow.
"My parents are on the way. So is Alice."
"The others?"
"They don't want to overwhelm you. They'll be here when Thackery and Charlotte arrive."
I nodded and closed my eyes. Every so often a contraction would hit, nothing I couldn't handle. I would gently squeeze Edward's hand to let him know what was happening.
After hours, the contractions came closer and hit harder. The nurse came in every so often to check how many centimeters I was dilated. When I was at eight, the nurse said, "Dr. Morovi had arrived and is prepping."
"How many more people can I have in the room?"
"Two."
"Esme and Alice Cullen. They're in the waiting room."
The nurse nodded and went to retrieve them. Dr. Morovi entered then. Another nurse following her. "How are you feeling, Bella?" she asked, checking the machines around me to see for herself.
"I'm…." just then contraction hit, and I had to breathe deeply and concentrate. I heard nothing happening around me for a few minutes until it passed.
Dr. Morovi smiled, her teeth bright white against her dark Indian complexion. "It's time, Bella."
She spread my legs and put them into the stirrups at the end of the bed. She pushed my gown back enough to see what was happening just as Esme and Alice entered. Esme was at my side in seconds, pushing my hair away from my face. "Oh, honey. This is it. You're going to have two beautiful babies very soon."
Another contraction hit, and I was lost in the sensation of it. Pain was definitely coming on now. Why? Why had I elected natural child birth? Was I crazy? "Shot," I said.
"What, dear?" Esme asked as I breathed in and out.
"The shot," I repeated, breathing.
"You can't have it now, Bella. It's too late," Edward said as he watched the doctors and nurses working at my lower half.
"Too late?" I screamed.
"The babies aren't going to wait!" he said excitedly.
I squeezed his hand. "Make them wait. I need that shot."
"Bella, push."
I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed. "An hour ago, the contractions were half an hour apart! They can wait!" I screamed.
"This is how it goes. Slowly and then all of a sudden you're holding a baby! Push now. Concentrate, Bella."
I glared at the doctor and did as she told me. I pushed as hard as I could, and I could have sworn a blood vessel in my head popped. "Oh my God, Edward! It hurts!"
"I know, Bella, I know. Just push."
"No! No you don't know! I can't believe you did this to me!" I screamed as I pushed some more.
My back was aching so badly, my body quivering in pain, and my birthing canal felt like it was being torn open and burned like fire had been set to it. Edward was holding my hand, his eyes anxious, not paying any attention to the names and insults I was throwing at him.
"Bella, Bella, we need you stop pushing. The cord is around the baby's neck."
"WHAT?!" we all screamed in unison.
I stopped pushing, feeling terribly uncomfortable as the baby was lodged. "Is it going to be all right?" I asked, my voice strained and tired.
Edward was frantic. "Doctor, is the baby going to be all right?"
"Bella, one final push. A hard one, now. Give it all you got," the doctor ordered.
"Is the baby going to be okay?" I asked frantically.
"Bella, just push now. Concentrate."
I gripped Edward's hand and pushed as hard as I possibly could. "One more, now, Bella!"
I did it again, squeezing Edward's hand as hard as possible. He didn't seem to notice at all, and we soon heard the most glorious sound in the whole world. The high pitched squeal of a baby boy's first cry. I searched for him, but the nurses took him away. The doctor waved at me. "Bella, you still have to keep pushing!"
I heard the sounds of Thackery's crying, the noises of the sucker cleaning out his passageways, the doctor telling me to push, and my family's crying. "Bella, push now! Push!" Edward said, pulling my hand. He was looking from me to the back of the room where they were cleaning Thackery off.
I pushed as hard as I could for the next two minutes. Charlotte wasn't coming any easier than her brother had. "The head has crowned! Push!"
"Oh, gross!" Alice shrieked, covering her mouth and looking nauseous.
A minute later, I heard another loud cry. It was then that I realized I was crying. Edward bent down to kiss my face frantically. "You did it, sweetheart. You did it."
It felt like it took forever, but the nurses finally brought the babies to us. Both were still screaming, but I had never heard a sound more glorious. "Would you like to hold your daughter?" the nurse asked Edward as the doctor handed me Thackery.
Edward cradled his arms and took Charlotte. The nine hour hellacious experience I had just gone through was well worth it, to be able to see these two little precious beings. They both had a purplish-red tint to their skin, and both were settling down. Neither of their eyes were open yet, and their little hands cradled against their faces. I compared the two, but couldn't tell they were twins at all.
Charlotte's hair was a dark red, while Thackery's was brown. Thackery's cheeks were a tad pudgier than Charlotte's, and Charlotte had a birthmark on her shoulder. I caressed the soft skin of Thackery's face, beautiful despite the little flakes that all babies got all over their skin. I had never seen two things more beautiful in all my life.
Edward was crying as he kissed Charlotte's face. They weren't the sad tears he had always cried when we were teenagers. These were the gleeful, joyous tears of an adult with everything they could ever need. It made me cry as well, and I reached one hand up to touch his arm. He sat in the chair next to my bed and placed Charlotte in my arms, taking Thackery. Charlotte was fast asleep now, while Thackery was yawning sleepily. Edward had him cradled carefully in his arms as he lifted his hand and pushed my hair away from my sweaty forehead. "You look beautiful, Bella," he said, his throat thick with emotion.
I rolled my eyes sleepily. "You are such a liar, Cullen."
He laughed. "No. I'm serious. You've never looked this stunning."
Alice was crying loudly, talking quickly to Jasper on the phone. Carlisle was now in the room, his arms around Esme as he smiled at all of us. "Rose and Emmett are on their way. It'll take about an hour."
I nodded, smiling again at the pretty little girl in my arms. "I'm tired, Edward."
He laughed lightly. "I bet. You've worked hard."
"Christmas Eve babies. Who knew?" I asked.
"We weren't expecting you until January," he cooed at Thackery.
"Would you like to hold her?" I asked Esme.
Esme nodded happily and extended her arms. She took her lightly and I slumped back into my pillow, exhausted. My eyes closed and I fell into a peaceful sleep.
When I awoke, Edward was sitting on the small couch, both babies fast asleep in his arms. "Where is everyone?" I asked.
"They all left shortly after you fell asleep, to let us have some time. That was…oh…seven hours ago."
"Seven hours? Wow," I looked at the babies. "My little seven hour olds."
He chuckled. "Would you like to hold them?"
"Actually, I need to pee."
He laughed and made to stand. "Do you need help?"
I waved him off. "Sit. I'll make it the five feet."
I walked slowly, feeling uncomfortable, but happier than I ever had been before. I touched my stomach as I stood in front of the mirror. I was still plump, though not nearly the size I was before, and squishy. I felt empty. For the last eight months and one week, I had only known having my two little babies in me. I washed my hands and opened the door. Edward was still looking down at both babies in his arms. He looked up at me and grinned. "We should have more," he commented.
I held up my hand. "Whoa there, skippy. My vagina hasn't even healed from seven hours ago. Why Don't we give it some time."
He laughed and stood up carefully. I went to him and took Thackery. He laid Charlotte in her little bed and leaned over her. "She is such a daddy's girl, already."
I laughed and sat down with Thackery. "I thought, with them being premature and everything, that they'd be in incubators."
He shook his head. "I asked Dr. Morovi about it. She said that they'll be fine. They were only a couple weeks earlier than acceptable."
"We are the two luckiest sons of bitches this side of the Pacific, you realize that?" I asked him.
"Of course. I have never been more ecstatic in my life. I have everything I need--my beautiful, loving wife, and my two amazing, healthy newborns."
O.O.O.O
All right. The birth. Next chapter: Taking Care of Babies (months 0 through 12).
Review? Please?
