First of all. Thank you to ALL my readers for sticking with me till the end. I hope I did you justice with this epilogue.
To my friend S, whose baby never felt the warmth of her mother's arms, yet was loved so much already.
XxxxxX
Perfect imperfections
6 Years later
"So what time are you leaving?" Ashley asked nervously, trying to keep Hanna from freaking out.
"Any minute, I just need to get my handbag." Hanna said, walking back upstairs.
Just as she was about to say something, did Caleb come into the kitchen with their daughter on his heels. Ashley smiled at the pair, she would never get over their similarities. Never would she have suspected Chloe would come out looking like a tiny carbon copy of her father. Even the way her chestnut hair fell around her face made her think of a young Caleb when he just arrived in Rosewood.
"Grammy! You are here!" Chloe said as soon as she spotted her grandmother and ran towards her. Ashley scooping her up in her arms and kissing her face.
Chloe laughed and tried to wriggle out of her grandmother's arms. "Stop it grammy." She continued to giggle.
Hanna had returned into the kitchen, unceremoniously throwing her handbag on their kitchen table as she went to grab her shoes. They were nearly running late because Hanna had been stalling to go to their appointment as much as she could all day. Trying not to think where they were going.
"You know I wished you were a bit more carefull with that table Hanna, it already has so many dents and scratches. Why you even made such a big deal to have it shipped all the way from Brooklyn to your new house, I'll never understand. You seem so attached to it and yet you're so reckless with it." Ashley complained.
Hanna tried very hard to keep her face straight and not to meet Caleb's eye as her mother kept on ranting. She could tell Caleb had a stupid proud smirk plastered on his face and hoped he would keep his mouth shut.
"And what even happened here?" Ashley kept on going, looking at the largest scratch on the table. How does something like that even happen?"
Hanna did catch Caleb's eye this time, he was sporting a shit eating grin as he knew Hanna remembered just as well as he did how that happened. He could have sworn even their daughter was conceived on that table about 5 years ago but he would never tell his mother in law that.
"Yeez mom, maybe it happened during the move, I don't know." Hanna said simply, shooting Caleb a warning look to wipe that grin of his face before grabbing her bag and turning around to Chloe.
"Now be good for grandma okay? Me and daddy need to go to a meeting. We'll be back soon baby." She said hugging her daughter.
"Okay, Chloe said simply. Grammy is taking me to her house so we can make cookies." She added excitedly.
Hanna looked at her mother questionly. "I thought because of current events maybe you'd rather come home to an empty house. You know just in case." Ashley added silently, hating that she had to raise the subject.
Hanna and Caleb nodded at her in understanding. "Thank you Ashley." Caleb muttered, hoping it wasn't needed but appreciating the gesture nonetheless.
XxxxxX
Hanna looked up into the face of the friendly motherly looking woman sitting across from them, smiling gently at her and Caleb. She clearly tried to put them at ease as much as she could. However it did nothing to ease their nerves. Either they'd walk out of this place happy beyond belief or shattered with grief once more. Hanna was dreading the latter.
The woman looked at the computer again and took a short moment to read up on their history before turning to Caleb and Hanna again.
"This is just some formalities, but I need to make sure I have all the information correctly."
Hanna and Caleb nodded silently, they knew it was coming and could dream about these formalities by now, but they didn't say anything. They smiled politely back at the woman who started to check if their address, insurance, phone numbers, work had changed over the past 4 years.
The longer she kept on going with the formalities, the antsier Hanna grew. The part that Hanna and Caleb were dreading was creeping closer and closer. The part where they were always met with pitying looks.
"How is the pregnancy going so far? You never came in for your 6 week check up."
"We wanted to wait, to make sure." Hanna said in a small voice, Caleb grabbing her hand in his lap and entwining their fingers.
"I understand." The woman nodded, still giving them that pitying look they both hated so much.
"Any problems during this pregnancy?" She asked looking at Hanna, choosing her words wisely.
"None really," Hanna said. Just a lot of morning sickness, this is the worst it's ever been."
"Every pregnancy is different." She concurred. "And your oldest child is 4 years old now?"
The thought about their daughter Chloe brought a huge smile to both of their faces.
"Yes, we just celebrated." They both said with big smiles plastered on their faces when thought of their cheeky daughter filled their minds.
"And this is your 5th pregnancy?" She asked very gently, wiping the smiles of Hanna and Caleb's faces.
"6th." Caleb said curtly before Hanna had to answer the question she hated most.
"How many miscarriages between your daughter Chloe and this pregnancy?"
"Two." Caleb said, swallowing hard and squeezing Hanna's hard. He needed her comfort as much as she needed his. Thoughts about what might have been filling his mind and he swallowed hard.
The woman looked at them with a small smile on her lips. "I know that must have been so hard for you both and I understand coming here must be very difficult for you. Why don't we skip the rest of these formalities for now and take a first look at baby Rivers huh? Ease your mind a bit."
Hanna nodded ever so slightly and looked sideways at Caleb, who's anxious face matched her feelings on the inside; dread and uncertainty. She wasn't so sure she was ready to have an ultrasound again, to have the midwife stare at the screen for way too long before delivering the devastating news they had heard way too many times before. The last time had been just as horrendous as all the others. Crushing their hopes and dreams of ever having a big family and crushing Chloe's of ever becoming a big sister. Before they had their daughter Chloe they had another miscarriage to deal with, after they felt secure enough to try and extend their family after Chloe, did they start trying again but had to deal with another two miscarriages, nearly giving up on ever having another baby before they finally fell pregnant again and stayed pregnant up until 14 weeks. Something that had only happened when they had been expecting Chloe although this knowledge did nothing to their nerves. Therefore this significant moment was beyond importance for not only Caleb and Hanna, but for their family and friends as well who had supported them through every single heartbreak that had come along.
"You'll be fine, we'll be fine." Caleb told Hanna, wishing he could believe his own words as he guided her towards the bed.
Hanna savoured every single second of not knowing and the oblivion of telling herself nothing was wrong during this pregnancy as Caleb guided her to the bed where the midwife was waiting for them. She laid down apprehensively, lifting her top and watching the midwife with hawk-like eyes as Caleb stood next to her and moving in as close as possible, trying to hide his nerves although Hanna saw straight through it.
"This will be cold." The midwife said, knowing full well it was something Hanna and Caleb had heard way too many times but she still tried to keep their experience as normal as possible. She moved the transducer around over Hanna's belly which had already began to protrude significantly and glanced at the screen, feeling the tension thick in the air. Hanna and Caleb looked at her every move nervously, trying to ignore the screen until the midwife would tell them there was actually something to look at. The midwife kept moving the transducer over Hanna's belly and fiddled a little too much with the ultrasound machine for their liking. Hanna noticed the midwife took a very long time looking at the screen and moving the damn transducer over her belly, each passing second feeling like a slow moving torturous minute. She shot a nervous glance towards Caleb, her heart sinking. In her experience, the longer it took for the midwife to speak, the more devastating the news was they were about to receive.
Finally the midwife's voice broke the unbearable tension in the room. "There is this one thing I need to do." She said in a quiet voice not looking at them and replaced the transducer with another instrument and placed it on Hanna's belly, only seconds later the glorious sound of their baby's heartbeat filled the room, thumping loudly and chaotic. Hanna started to weep loudly the moment she heard the heartbeat. Caleb let out a large breath and hugged her in a tight embrace holding her against him as silent tears of joy fell from his eyes, their baby's heartbeat bouncing around the room as a beautiful lullaby securing them in their faith.
"Why is it so erratic?" Caleb asked after a while when the heartbeat didn't seem to have a normal rhythm like Chloe's used to be whenever they were able to listen to it.
"I really need you to look at the screen." She said pointing at the screen. Hanna and Caleb shot another look at each other before they glanced at the screen, where to their relief, they could see something moving and flickering on the screen.
"Wait!" He said shocked, pointing at the screen and looking shell-shocked at Hanna who glanced at him with a scared look, thinking something was wrong.
"There's two?!" He asked in a small voice and looking back at Hanna who started smiling like an idiot when she scrutinized the screen as well.
"Yes dad, you've seen it correctly, there's two heartbeats. Two babies. The midwife smiled. Two very active babies."
Hanna looked back at Caleb and mirrored his wide grin, tears brimming in her eyes.
"There's really two?" Hanna asked, her voice breaking and reaching for Caleb.
"Yes, the midwife chuckled, look here." She said pointing out the first one "and here" pointing to the second one. Understanding Caleb and Hanna might need some time to wrap their heads around the news.
"Wow!" Hanna breathed squeezing Caleb's hand. "I just can't believe it, we came in here prepared to hear the worst news and now this!" She said jubilantly.
XxxxxX
They were back in the car, their hearts relieved and overjoyed, emotions running all over the place and Hanna's bag holding their babies ultrasound photo's.
"My mom is going to freak when we tell her!" Hanna said looking at Caleb who still had a stupid grin plastered on his face.
"Your mom? My mom is going to freak! I think everyone is going to freak."
"I can't believe after so much bad luck we are expecting twins." He whispered and looked at Hanna who looked as excited as he felt.
"How are we going to tell people?" Hanna asked, different ideas running through her head at the thought of her two babies.
"We'll think about it when we get home, I just want to tell Chloe that she's going to be a big sister."
"Should I tell my mom to drop her back home?"
"Yes please, I cannot wait to tell her she's finally going to be a big sister."
"You don't think it's too soon?" Hanna asked, her worries about losing another baby, or in this case, two babies bubbling back to the surface as they arrived back to their house. Caleb helping Hanna out of the car.
"Hanna, like the midwife said, we're already 14 weeks along and the chances of anything happening are very slim." He said, letting Hanna enter the house.
Hanna's lip quivered and even though her heart was bursting with happiness, the past few years had proven to be much harder than she had ever imagined. Never in her life had she imagined Jasmine would be the first of four babies they would never get to hold in their arms and never had she imagined she would say what she was about to say.
"I just don't that think I can handle another miscarriage Caleb." She whispered as soon as they walked into the kitchen and she leaned against the kitchen table. "It gets harder and harder with every pregnancy and I'm done making myself so vulnerable. I can't open my heart time and time again just to lose another baby again."
Hanna placed her hand over her bump and looked from her protruding belly to Caleb.
"If we lose these babies Caleb, I… I don't think I want to have anymore children. It's too hard dealing with the loss all the time and I want to concentrate on our happiness instead of trying to have more children. I want to concentrate on us and on Chloe. She deserves as much, we deserve as much."
"Hanna please stop worrying. These babies are going to be fine. More than fine. Most of the other pregnancies didn't even pass the 6 week mark and we're already at 14 weeks." He said confidently, handing her a glass of water and placing a kiss on her forehead.
"And don't you worry about having doubts about having more children, to be honest I've been thinking the same thing." Caleb added quietly.
"I always wanted to have a large family and you know how much I've always wanted that. But one thing I wanted and still want more than anything in my life is for you to be in mine and to be happy. Look how far we have come from where we started, we made it through so much together, but like you I'm done with all the worry and heartbreak that used to come with each pregnancy. However I don't want to be that husband to tell you to give up on something you're not ready to give up on." He said wrapping his arms around her and moving closer to her, holding onto her even tighter so he could lift her onto the table and stand between her legs, his arms resting on her hips.
Hanna looked at him lovingly, wrapping her arms around her neck. How did Caleb always manage to say the right things to her?
"How did I ever get so lucky?" She asked, leaning into Caleb and capturing his lips in hers.
"Well, I would never say no, to getting lucky" He smirked against her lips and braced himself for the slap against his chest that landed there with a thump within seconds.
"How can you be the sweetest guy ever saying all the right things and then turn into some pervert only seconds later." Hanna pouted.
"Because I happen to have the hottest wife in the world, how am I supposed to contain myself when you look like this?" He whispered, his eyes gliding over her body lingering on her chest.
"Do twins make your boobs twice as big? Because…" He teased, licking his lips whilst keeping his eyes on her chest, his hands brushing her hips, trailing up over the side of her chest oh so innocently, even though his touches were very deliberate.
"Caleb! Omg I swear you are impossible." Hanna pretended to be annoyed, but secretly she loved how Caleb still lusted for her after all these years. Especially as she felt chunky and chubby at the moment instead of actually pregnant.
"What, can't a guy enjoy the view?"
"You can, but keep it in your pants because I already told my mom to drop Chloe off."
"Well no one is here yet, so…" He trailed off, their mouths finding each other in a loving connection. A smile appearing on his lips when her tongue slipped into his mouth and moved against his, the passion between them growing rapidly when Caleb's hand slowly ran up Hanna's legs and she wrapped her legs around his waist, forcing him closer.
Caleb didn't take long before his hands traveled to the hem of her shirt, taking it off her and cupping her breasts in his hands, a smile appearing on his lips when he felt how much bigger they had gotten since the pregnancy. He hastily pushed the bra down under her breasts without unhooking it and moved his mouth to her chest as Hanna leaned back, supporting herself on the table with her hands as Caleb's ravished her chest, both groaning in pleasure. She could feel him grinding against her. This is why they had never gotten rid of
the table, it was the perfect height for their much needed activities when they couldn't make it to their bed in time. She lost count of how many times they had ended up in this position, she thought to herself as Caleb placed a torturous trail of kisses up to her collarbone, removing her bra as he kissed her neck and behind her ear as Hanna fumbled with his belt buckle before shucking his jeans to the floor. She glanced down, she just couldn't help it. Her husband was just as hot as he always had been and watching him strain against his boxers aroused her to the brink of insanity. She reached forward and cupped him underneath the material of his boxers, wrapping her hand around his cock, letting out a gasp as he bit rather hard on the delicate skin of her neck when she started pumping her hand up and down.
"Baby please, we're not going to be alone for much longer." He groaned in her ear, grinding his cock in her hand, wishing Hanna never send that text to her mother now as he yanked the jeans off her with urgency. Hanna pushing his boxers down as far as she could with her free hand, leaving them scrunched up around his knees, his jeans still pooling around his ankles. Caleb reached for Hanna and pulled her closer by the hips, opening her legs wider so she was angled perfectly against his cock. Plunging his mouth on hers kissing her hungrily, using his wandering hand to push aside her panties just enough so he could push himself inside of her. Their mouths losing contact for a second as they were joined in the most intimate of ways and their moans filled the kitchen. Hanna leaned back on her elbows hooking her legs even tighter around him. The sight of her head tilted back, her breasts bouncing as he pushed into her roughly again and again almost too much for Caleb, he was trying to keep himself from spilling into her before she came and he was relieved when her strangled moans started to get louder. Glad when she dug her nails in his ass to push him into her even deeper before she started to tremble violently, her walls tightening around him, pushing him over the brink, jerking his hips uncontrollably before collapsing on top of her.
He felt her hands thread through his hair before she pulled on it slightly to lift his head and look at him with a massive grin on her face.
"I love you Caleb Rivers." She said with a lazy smile.
"Love you more Hanna Rivers." He whispered against her lips, her new name never getting too old for him.
"Always, she mumbled into his mouth before their tongues found each other again, Caleb running his fingers through Hanna's blonde locks. The loud sound of car doors being slammed shut outside their house, violently forcing them apart, Hanna's eyes wide in panic.
"Fuuuuuucckk! Caleb my mom… Chloe!" She shouted, hopping off the table and falling straight into Caleb's chest who didn't move out of her way quick enough, tumbling to the ground together in a mess of limbs and discarded clothes. Hanna tried to get Caleb off her, but her leg got stuck in Caleb's boxers which were still around his knees, panic rising as she heard the front door being opened, her mother's heels click clacking towards the kitchen where they were frantically trying to get detangled.
"Mom don't look!"
"Ashley don't open the door!" They shoouted in unison but it was too late, Ashley walked in looking all excited but her look of excitement was replaced with utmost shock as her eyes traveled down to a very naked Caleb and Hanna entangled together on the floor, horrified looks on their faces and trying to cover themselves as much as possible.
"Oh my God guys!" She shouted covering her eyes, Ted walking up behind her, still unaware of what was going on and peeked over her shoulder to see what she was shouting about, cradling a tired Chloe in his arms.
"Ted no!" Hanna shouted, but it was too late, they already made eye contact, Ted nearly dropped Chloe from his arms as he quickly looked away.
"Holy Jesus and Mary!" He let slip before closing the kitchen door quickly, trying not to look in their direction.
Hanna looked at Caleb with a horrified look on her face. "Murder me Caleb." She said dramatically, throwing her head back against the foot of the table as he chuckled.
They heard Ashley clear her throat behind the closed door, a trace of a giggle in her voice. "Euhm, we are just going to wait for you in the living room with Chloe, or do you want us to leave?"
"I just want to die." Hanna called back.
"Well so do I right now, but how is that going to help anyone?" Ashley said.
"We'll be right there." Caleb said hoarsely. Standing up and helping Hanna off the ground, handing her her clothes as he heard Ashley agree through the door.
They got dressed in silence, Hanna wanting to crawl into a small space and die, Caleb trying not to laugh at Hanna's mood. Yes it had been embarrassing, but knowing Ashley she'd make a crippling joke about it just to defuse the tension and never mentioning it again.
"Han it's going to be fine, your mom knows we have sex."
"Caleb I'm fully aware of the biology of things and I'm sure my mother is as well, but that doesn't change she basically saw us having sex."
"She did not see us having sex, Caleb said exasperatedly.
"Well as good as."
"It's not like she's never seen your bits before, she was there during Chloe's birth."
"Caleb if you think you're being funny, you're not!" Hanna snapped, or did you miss the fact that Ted was there as well?"
"No I definitely did not miss that, especially when he looked me dead in the eye. I bet he's going to make me clean our kitchen with holy water now." Caleb muttered and glanced at Hanna to see if his joke was having any effect. He was glad to see her rolling her eyes in true Hanna fashion.
XxxxxxX
It had taken Caleb some convincing, but eventually Hanna had followed him to the living room after he had convinced her she didn't have crazy sex hair and you could no longer tell what they had been up to.
They approached the livingroom and Caleb did not miss the smirk on Ashley's face, glad to have Ted there as well who'd make sure not to make this as awkward as Ashley surely would.
"Where's Chloe?" Hanna asked looking around.
"She went upstairs to get her dolly." Ted said, wanting nothing more than forget the image that was burned on his mind.
"Okay." Hanna said, feeling the tension in the room growing heavier with each passing second and silently begging for Chloe to come back into the room.
"So I'm guessing you have good news? Seeing how we walked in on your celebration?" Ashley asked grinning.
"Mom!" Please can we NOT talk about that? Please."
"Well I'd love to never talk and think about that again, but I'm finding it quite hard to get that imagine out of my mind. Just know that from now on, I'm having dinner at the kitchen island."
"Well at least now you know why they needed to bring that table back to Rosewood." Ted chuckled, shocking everyone in the room with his joke.
Hanna groaned in embarrassment whilst Caleb, Ted and Ashley laughed. Luckily for Hanna their daughter bounced into the room, excited to see her parents again.
"Mommy! Daddy! She shouted excitedly jumping into Caleb's arms whilst Hanna kissed her head, sitting down on the couch.
"Grammy can we have cake now?"
"Cake?" Hanna questioned, looking at her mother.
"Yes, when I read your message we stopped at the bakery to get some cake, assuming you have something to tell us?" She said with a pointed look.
"Yes! Of course," Hanna smiled at her mother. "We do."
"Why don't I cut the cake?" Caleb offered moving Chloe from his lap and taking the cake from Ashley.
Walking into the kitchen he was glad he had offered to cut the cake himself, a thick smell of their earlier activities still lingering in the air.
"Whose birthday is it daddy?" Chloe asked when Caleb came back inside with the cake and some lemonade on a serving tray.
"No one's birthday princess but we do have something to celebrate."
"Celbrate what?" Chloe asked, struggling with the word.
Caleb searched Hanna's eyes, they hadn't managed to discuss how to tell everyone, especially their daughter. Her big brown eyes staring expectantly at her father.
"Chloe, we are having cake today because mommy and me have a surprise for you." He said, sitting down next to her so she was sitting in between her parents.
She looked between her parents and her cake expectantly.
"Remember when you asked Santa if you could become a big sister?" Hanna asked, not really sure how to tackle this anymore now the moment was here, even though she and Caleb had dreamed about telling Chloe she was going to be a big sister for a very long time.
"Well you are finally going to be a big sister!" Caleb said, no longer being able to contain his excitement.
"I'm going to have a baby sister?" Chloe asked excitedly.
"Well a brother or a sister, we don't know yet." Hanna said.
"Is that why we are having cake? Because it's my big sister day?"
"Yes it's your big sister day, Caleb said kissing the top of her head, loving how cute she was being. That's why we are having cake princess."
Chloe gave her parents a big smile and skipped over to her grandparents, "Grammy, grampa I'm going to be a big sister!" She exclaimed in a loudly as they hugged her both.
"You are Chloe, congratulations!" Ashley said peppering kisses all over her face as she always did.
"So I guess congratulations are in order!" Ted said, raising his glass of lemonade at Caleb and Hanna as he looked at his granddaughter making a big mess of her cake.
"How was it, tell us everything." Ashley said excitedly.
"Well, all was good, we were a bit nervous to begin with and it took the midwife a while to see if everything was okay." Hanna started. But then we finally heard the heartbeat." She said her voice breaking, thinking back to the moment she felt the relief of their baby, well babies being okay.
Caleb put a hand on her leg and continued as Ted and Ashley looked on. "It was so good to finally hear that sound again." Caleb said. "Although the heartbeat sounded a bit erratic, so we asked why that was and that when she showed us this." He said reaching into Hanna's handbag and handing Ted and Ashley the ultrasound picture with trembling hands, watching them excitedly to see if they could figure it out.
As far as he and Hanna were concerned it was quite obvious that there were two babies in the photo.
They didn't need to wait very long, Ashley let out a loud gasp, clasping her hand over her mouth as she looked from the photo to them with tear brimmed eyes.
"There's two? Is there two?! You're having two?!" She shouted and got up to look at Hanna's belly. "You're having twins?! She shouted in excitement causing Chloe to stare at her grandmother. Hanna and Caleb nodded. Ashley pulled Hanna close for a hug, the both women crying as Ted got up as well and pulled Caleb into a brief hug congratulating him.
"Daddy, two what? Why are mommy and grammy crying?" Chloe asked innocently not understanding why people were crying on her special day.
"They're just very happy because you're going to be a big sister and were having not just one but two babies." He tried to explain.
"I'm getting two sisters?" Chloe asked excitedly making Caleb laugh.
"We won't know if they'll be girls yet princess, it might be two boys or a boy and a girl. Caleb explained. We have to wait until they are born to find out." He explained, not sure if Hanna wanted to find out before the birth what they were having. Although thinking back to when they were expecting Jasmine and Chloe he was sure he already knew the answer.
XxxxxX
"I think this is the hardest part don't you think?" Ashley asked when handing Claudia a glass of wine.
"Oh yes, I remember it so well with Chloe, I was a wreck waiting for her to be born. I think I must have harmed the floors with all my pacing." She said as William chuckled to where he was sitting with Ted in the Marin's sitting room, passing the time with a game of chess.
"I think I must have been the same, I'm sure I was driving the hospital staff insane with my pacing. I looked up every time I heard a door move or someone come round the corner and then finally Caleb called me to come inside before she started pushing." Ashley chuckled.
"How do you think they're getting along? Claudia asked Ashley another hour later, joining her in the kitchen as Ted and William had given up on joining the continuous debate about their grandbabies coming into the world and went to bed to their respective rooms.
Ashley glanced at the clock again, "Hmmm, it's already 12:24 am and they've only been there since 9:00 pm. Chloe took a good 26 hours so I don't know how long this will take. They're trying to have them naturally so I hope it will be soon. Having just the one was hard enough." She chuckled.
"Oh yes!" Claudia said, raising her glass and glancing at the clock as well followed by her phone yet she still had no missed calls or messages. Caleb had told them he wouldn't update them during the birth wanting his attention to be on Hanna until something would actually happen, but she hated not knowing anything.
She felt so anxious for these babies to come into the world just as much she was when she was going to be a grandmother for the first time. Traveling to Rosewood as fast as she could when she heard Hanna had gone to hospital and about to have her first grandchild. Ashley having graciously invited her into the house back then, just like she had done to her entire family this time around as well.
The women sat across from each other for a while nursing their wines, a comfortable silence falling between them, not sure if they should stay up or go to bed. They'd be the first ones to be called if anything happened anyway. As soon as Ashley finished her wine she decided to give up and go to bed. Chloe would be up at the crack of dawn anyway to find out if she had become a big sister yet. Claudia followed soon, but not until she laid out an outfit ready in case she was called and needed to get dressed quickly.
A few hours into the night Ashley shot up from the bed as someone was waking her up. "Ted?" She asked in surprise and looked over at Ted who was still snoring soundly. She blinked a few times getting used to the light when she remembered why a feeling of happiness filled her. She was about to have two more grandchildren!
"Grammy?" A voice came from close by and Ashley refrained from screaming in shock. She had not seen her granddaughter standing right next to the bed who was staring at her with her eyes wide with excitement.
"Yes Chlo?" She asked tiredly, pulling her into the bed with her, Chloe wrapping her small and cold hands around her grandmother
"Am I a big sister yet?"
Ashley glanced at the screen of her phone, opening the home screen to see there were no messages yet. She glanced at the time and groaned. 6:15 am! She had expected Choe to be up at the crack of dawn but she hoped beyond hope she wouldn't.
"Not yet honey, we need to wait for daddy to call us."
"When will he call?"
"Honey he'll call as soon as he can okay?" Ashley said sweetly. "Mommy and daddy will be so excited for you to meet your brothers or sisters that I'm sure they will call as soon as they can." She explained.
"Now come here and cuddle your grammy for a bit whilst we try and get some more sleep okay?"
Just when Ashley started drifting off with Chloe pressed against her chest did the phone ring loudly in the silent room. Ashley sat up and reached for her phone in a flash looking at the screen and nearly screamed when Caleb called her.
"Caleb! Is everything alright? Are the babies there, Is it boys or girls?" Ashley asked excitedly, suddenly wide awake.
"Good Morning Ashley. He chuckled from the other side. "Babies aren't here yet but Hanna is going to start pushing in a moment, so if you want to come over and…"
"Yes! On my way!" She said shouted and hung up not giving Caleb a chance to say anything else. She poked Ted and Chloe who had been woken up by Ashley's excited yells.
She wrapped her bathrobe around herself and walked over to the guest room in a hurry to knock on Claudia's and William's door but she could already hear Claudia's excited voice through the door as she was on the phone with Caleb.
XxxxxX
They all got to the hospital in record time, everybody was beyond excited, Clay and James still a bit grumpy from their early wake up call, especially when they found out they still had to sit in the waiting area when they arrived. They had assumed by their mothers excitement that the babies had already been born.
Ted really wanted to get everybody and mostly himself some coffee as Ashley nearly killed him when he had suggested they'd have coffee at the house before leaving, but on the other hand he didn't want to take his chances and probably miss out on anything. Just as he was still debating with himself what to do, Caleb came rushing out of a door to their right with an enormous grin on his face.
"Daddy!" Chloe exclaimed happily running towards her father, he hugged her tight and lifted her up in his arms.
"Hey princess, are you ready to see mommy?"
"Am I a big sister now?" She asked.
"You are a big sister now." Caleb concurred and looked around the room. Everyone's eyes were on him, his mother's eyes all teary eyed and came towards him, wrapping his arms around him and Chloe. Ashley following close and hugging him as well.
"Did everything go okay?" Ashley asked.
Caleb just grinned and nodded, he couldn't wait to show off the two new Rivers. "Why don't you ask Hanna yourself?" He asked Ashley nodding his head towards the door.
"You don't want to take Chloe in first?" Ashley asked him quietly but he shook his head.
"Hanna is very excited to show off our new additions, so am I to be honest" He said happily, his eyes brimming excitedly and calling people over to come inside.
Hanna had been holding her babies close to her, waiting for Caleb to reappear with Chloe and the rest of the family. The birth had gone surprisingly well and fast considering it was a twin birth. Of course it had been extremely painful, uncomfortable and she felt like she could sleep for days after giving birth to two of the most amazing babies, but glancing at their perfect faces she knew she'd do it all over again.
She was about to snuggle them closer when the door opened and Caleb came in with Chloe in his strong arms, her little face bursting with excitement. Claudia and Ashley following close by.
"Mommy!" Chloe said excitedly and the babies in Hanna's arms jumped a little bit.
"Hi sweetheart, come here." Hanna said, although she couldn't move much. Caleb walked over to the side of the bed and placed Chloe on the bed close to her mother and took one of his newborns into his arms, cuddling the baby closer and inhaling the newborn smell. Caleb heard Ashley and Claudia gasp behind them, clearly finally having spotted the babies tiny pinks hats. Ted, William, Clay and James following behind them more apprehensively.
"Two girls! You have two girls?" Claudia said excited, moving closer so she could get a clear look at her granddaughters.
"Yes, Hanna said to the room with a massive grin, Chloe hugged close to her on the bed.
"This is Molly," She said nodding towards the baby in her arm.
"And this is Jade." Caleb said proudly, nodding towards the small baby in his.
"Oohhh I love it!" Ashley said, moving closer to the bed and kissing her daughter. I'm so proud of you.'" She said into her daughter's hair hugging her close and glancing at Molly.
"Can I hold her?" She asked unable to wait any longer to hold her.
"Of course, Hanna smiled and watched as her mother carefully lifted Molly from her arms and cradled her as Ted came to stand behind Ashley, watching their granddaughter.
Caleb who had seen his mother watching Molly being handed to Ashley understood how much his mother wanted to bond with one of her new granddaughters as well. She looked over at him holding Jade and before she could ask he carefully handed his baby girl to his mother missing his tiny daughters closeness already. As soon as Claudia cradled Jade in her arms, William Clay and James rushed closer to her to get a closer look. Caleb laughing silently as his teenage brothers let out cooing noises watching their niece open her chocolate brown eyes.
Caleb looked at Hanna who was watching the scene with a smile on her face. He could tell she was tired but was enjoying this moment as much as she was. Hanna kissed Chloe on the top of her head and cuddled her closer as Caleb sat down on the bed as well watching his mother lifting the pink hat of his daughter and letting out a gasp in surprise.
"She's blonde!" She said in awe looking back at Caleb and Hanna who nodded, they'd already gotten over the shock of having two blonde babies. After Chloe they had assumed the twins to have dark hair as well.
Caleb watched on as James, the more sensitive one of his brothers was given a turn to hold Jade, Claudia sitting on the bed as well smiling broadly at the little family snuggling on the bed.
"Congratulations, I'm so proud of you all, you have a beautiful little family."
"I can't believe you are completely surrounded by girls now." Ashley said realizing the amount of pink Caleb would be surrounded by for the rest of his life.
"I couldn't be happier Ashley." He said hugging Hanna close to him and kissing her hair.
"It's my purpose in life to be surrounded by beautiful women."
XxxxxxX
Thank you thank you thank you all for sticking by me till the very end. I have loved every single review, favorite and follow for this story and I do hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have.
A guest asked me a while back if I write for other ships as well? I don't, I don't really get Ezria (sorry) and prefer Jaria (sorry again!) I do like Spoby but I find Toby very hard to write. Definitely NO Spaleb but they might be mentioned in my stories. I just rather not write about the latter.
Although I am sad to finish this I am so excited to create more time for my new stories. Now I was wondering when PLL ends, if writers and readers are planning to stick around on fanfiction? I'm working on quite a big story that needs a lot of dedication and time and I don't want to update too quickly, but I will try and update it soon if a lot of people are planning to leave, so let me know what your plans are please.
Also, I've updated a new story called Alabama lovin', it's M rated for a reason! So if you're not into that, don't read it.
Please review for the very last time and let me know what you think.