Paige and Lucina lifted my legs just as we had practiced and Doc draped a blanket around my lap. I heard Jared say "Oh, I, um, gonna wait outside". The pain was already coming back and I was gripping Ian's hands so hard his fingers were turning blue. "Doc, Candy…How about that No Pain now?"
Doc and Candy both looked up from the end of my feet. Candy moved quickly and I inhaled the grapefruit scent gratefully and almost immediately felt the relief. At the same time I heard Doc yell "Jared! Jared! Go get Sharon for me now!" Jared came into the room and I could see the fear on his and Ian's face. "What's wrong? Is she-"then I heard Ian say with a fear in his voice that I've never heard before "Doc, is that, is that a foot?" Doc grimly said "Yes, Ian. The baby is breech. Jared! GO!"
"Breech?" I was scared what did that mean? I looked to Ian for answers and his face was white.
"Wanda, it's going to be ok, I promise" as Doc came to the head of the gurney and looked me in the eyes "Breech just means that the baby is just upside down. We have to put you to sleep and we have to cut the baby out. This isn't a choice, you and the baby both could die if we don't do it" I started crying. Ian rushed to my side and started to comfort me, I suddenly felt the need to push and Doc said "Don't Wanda! We'll get you fixed up in a moment, it's all ok"
Sharon entered the room "Eustace, I don't think I can…" then she looked at me and squared her shoulders. "What do you need me to do?" Doc instructed her to get the chloroform to put me to sleep while he and Candy started the operation. Sharon put the towel over my mouth and she was crying "Wanda, I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything. "She was brushing her hands gently across my face. I couldn't respond as I felt the darkness approach me "Ian" I whispered "I love you" then the dreamless sleep overwhelmed me.
"Wanda, baby, Wanda" I heard Ian calling me back. "Wanda, wake up honey" I felt the pressure of my eyes and struggled to open them. I heard Sharon "Give her a minute Ian, I think I panicked and I might have used too much" I heard Melanie's voice "Aren't you so beautiful, you precious baby". That woke me up quicker than Awake. My eyes popped open "Hope! Is she ok?" Ian was there by my side and was helping me sit up "She's perfect baby, but there's someone else you should meet too" I looked at him in confusion and my eyes swept the room and my eyes landed on Melanie and Sharon standing next to each other. Each of them had a bundle in their arms. Melanie walked over to me first, "Meet your daughter Hope" and placed her in my arms. She kissed me on the cheek and tears swelled in her eyes. Sharon walked over and said "Meet your son, Ian" and she placed the bundle in my other arm.
I felt the tears stream down my face. Two babies, unbelievable, this whole time we were expecting only one child. I kissed my babies and I was so happy as I looked at Ian. He had tears in his eyes and walked over and kissed me. "You did great baby, I'm so proud of you". Then he laughed "We have twins!"
Doc scowled and said "We never heard the second heartbeat, if I had better equipment, we would have known" I smiled at Doc "You did a great job, Doc. Thank you so much for everything" I reassured him.
Doc insisted that we stayed in the hospital for a few days. I was only a little sore in my abdomen and Doc reassured me that it was normal that my body was going back to normal. The babies were so small and I the love I had for them flowed from me. We had named the boy after his father as I had planned and he quickly earned the nickname Junior. Both the babies had Ian's sapphire blue eyes. I wanted to hold both of them all the time. The visitors were flowing constantly and everyone was so helpful. The ladies doted over the children helping me change their diapers and helping me feed them. Sharon was the most present constantly cooing and singing to them. The hatred that she once had for me, had ceased to exist, and she loved our children. Even Aunt Maggie softened as Sharon put baby Ian into her arms for the first time.
I loved the fact that our children healed a rift that the others had for me. I realized that it started with Sharon sitting silently by the fire, then Lucina playing the role of my mother, my teacher. I was overjoyed that Aunt Maggie dropped her guard and accepted our little family.
As the children grew they came to know our family as Aunts and Uncles. When they started to walk, Jeb would say "Come to Grandpa Jeb". Jaime and Rowan were the first to hear the children speak, they rushed excitedly into the kitchen with a child in each of their arms "Who's that? Tell us who she is" Jaime asked Hope, but it was little Ian who said "Mum mum". I felt my heart skip a beat as the ladies cheered. Hope and Ian smiled brightly as I came over to them and showered them with kisses.
Hope had inherited my curls, both the children have the dimple that I have on my chin. They were beautiful and they brought so much joy to the caves. The one thing that I have learned is that every day you learn something new as a human, and that is what being human is about.