Chapter 13 Life as We Know It
Five days later JT had the results of Hope's DNA test. As JT prepared to give us the details of her DNA profile, Vincent grabbed my hand and closed his eyes, whispering "please, please, please let her be normal." JT cleared his throat, and Vincent became silent. "V, you can breathe now. Hope's DNA isn't mutated like yours or the boys. Somehow she only inherited your gene that accelerates healing. She's completely and perfectly normal in every way, shape and form, except for that one gene. By the way, for a person, that's a good gene to have." Vincent released the breath he had been holding and pulled my hand to his lips, kissing it repeatedly. I turned his face toward mine. "Vincent, I love you."
We spent the next few months as any normal family would. Watching Hope roll over for the first time, saying her first word, (TT), and now she's crawling. Thank goodness for her healing abilities because that poor girl bumps her head into almost everything. Tess is coming for a visit today and for some girl time. Vincent looks to me. "She's here Catherine." I scooped up Hope and waited on the porch for Tess. We were going to spend the afternoon in the garden, just her, Hope, and I. I even had a little picnic lunch for us made. Tess jumped out of her car and ran to Hope and I giving us a big hug. "Cat, I missed you guys. Oh my god look at her Cat. She's grown so much since I've seen her. I know it's been three months since I've been here, but Joe and I have been working on us… he…" I took Tess's hand. "Come on. Let's go sit in the garden. I even packed us a lunch."
As we sat, Tess began to talk. "Cat, so much has happened in the last three months, I don't even know where to begin." She took a deep breath, and instantly paused and swallowed. "Wait, is that tuna in there?" She looked ill. Tess loved tuna. Wait a minute. Oh my god. After a few cleansing breaths, she continued. "Ok, so Joe left his wife and filed for a divorce, and we moved in together. Things have been going great." I shook my head. "Tess, that's great. But what's wrong?" She stood up, picked up our lunch and moved it about thirty feet from us, then sat back down. "I'm sorry Cat, I just can't handle the smell of tuna right now." I jumped up from my seat. "I knew it! You're pregnant aren't you?" Hope started clapping her little chubby hands, and Tess lowered her head, looking at her feet. "Yeah, about twelve weeks and I haven't told Joe yet. We've never discussed kids. And quite frankly, seeing what you went through having the boys, and knowing how hard it was with Hope, I'm not sure even I want this." I sat Hope down to play in the grass, and kneeled in front of Tess, grabbing her hands. "Tess. Look at me. My delivery with the boys was anything but normal because of their DNA, and other than coming super fast and being way too large for my body, Hope's delivery was pretty normal. It's not going to be like that for you, and Joe loves you. He will want this baby. I know you do too, you're just scared." Tess finally looked at me, tears streaming down her face. " I do want this baby Cat. I love Joe, but honestly, I'm totally freaked out. We didn't plan this. What if he doesn't want this baby?" I wiped the tears from her eyes. "Tess, go talk to him. Tell him everything you just told me. I know Joe. He will want this baby. Please don't worry or get upset before you talk to him. And promise. I mean promise you wont be gone as long this time." She nodded, and stood up, pulling me up with her. "I love you Cat. What would I ever do without you? I promise, I'll be back as soon as I can." She left, not to be seen or heard from in six months.
"Vincent, it's been six months. She missed the boys' party several weeks ago. She never misses their parties. Hope's birthday and party is tomorrow, and I haven't been able to get in touch with her. I'm worried." Vincent wrapped his arms around me and held me. "Catherine, don't worry. I have a feeling she'll be here." Hope was tugging on his pants. "Daddy, UP" she kept repeating. He swooped down and picked her up swinging her around, making her laugh. The boys walked in the room. Little Vincent came over to us. "Mama, uncle T made dinner."
The five of us went to the kitchen and sat down to eat. Vincent looked up from his plate. "Catherine, she's here, and someone is with her." I stood up quickly. "What? Who could be with her?" I ran to the front door and opened it. Joe got our of the driver's seat and walked around to open Tess's door. He pretty much had to hoist her from the seat. WOW. Pregnancy agreed with her. She looked gorgeous. As they approached the porch, she immediately began apologizing. "Cat, I'm sorry. I'm not allowed to travel alone now. Dr.'s orders. I already missed the boys party and I was damn sure not gonna miss Hope's." Joe spoke up. "Don't worry Chandler. I have been sworn to secrecy." I placed my hands on Tess's bump. "Tess, you look like you're going to pop any second." She giggled. "Yeah, well, I'm due in three days. I feel like I'm going to explode." Joe kissed her on the cheek. "She's the most beautiful pregnant woman I've ever seen." Tess looked to Joe. "I'm tired. Can we go sit down?" I grabbed her hand. "Tess, we're having dinner, come join us." During dinner, Joe, JT and Vincent got to know each other a little better. Joe explained that as soon as Hope's party was over tomorrow, they were driving back. He joked about the fact that it was a good thing that there was a Dr in the house just in case Tess went into labor before they got back.
Suddenly, Vincent got that look in his eye and turned to Tess. She stood up from the table. "Uh, Joe, so not a good joke." Joe laughed. "Oh, come on Tess, you have to admit, it's pretty funny." Tess grabbed her stomach and looked to her feet. Vincent ran to her side, grabbed her arm and looked at Joe. "Joe, her water just broke." Tess started breathing hard. "Don't forget to add that I'm having contractions Vincent." Joe stood up so suddenly his chair slammed onto the floor. "No way. Tess, we gotta get you back to the city." She shook her head in protest. "Joe, do you really want to take the chance of me giving birth in the front seat on the way….Ohhhh, damn it." She doubled over from the contraction, and Vincent picked her up and carried her to the birthing room, still set up from both of my deliveries. Joe and I were right behind them. He laid her in a chair. "Tess. If you agree to it, I'd like to check you out before you go anywhere. There's a gown in the drawer. Catherine can help you." She agreed and he and Joe left the room, leaving me to help Tess. She grabbed my hand as another contraction hit her. In between breathing she managed to say "Cat…please…don't…leave…me…" I helped her breathe through the contraction. "Tess, I'm not going anywhere." I helped her get into the gown and onto the table, calling for Vincent and Joe. Vincent immediately did an ultrasound. "Tess, Joe, the baby looks good. Strong heartbeat. I really need to check and see if you're dilating yet." When he was done, he walked to Joe and I. "Joe, she's not going anywhere. She's already at four centimeters. It could take her an hour to progress, or it could be a day. But, if I let you take her and something happened, I would never forgive myself." Joe nodded and I walked over to help Tess off the table. "So Cat, what's the verdict?" I rubbed her back. "Looks like you'll be the one NOT leaving me." I walked over to the other side of the room, and reached into the Jacuzzi tub to fill it with warm water. "Come Tess, it'll help relax you. I never had time to use it or enjoy it." I helped her slip off the gown and into the tub. She immediately breathed a sign of relief. Vincent drug Joe off to go talk to him about everything going on, and I stayed with Tess, helping her through her contractions. It was my turn. I did everything in my power to distract her. Joe only showed up occasionally, getting weak in the knees every time she had a contraction. Finally Tess shouted at him, calling him a chicken shit, and telling him to just go. I looked at Joe apologetically. "It's the contractions Joe. They'll turn you into a bitch in a heartbeat." He shrugged his shoulders and left.
Over the next six hours, Tess progressed pretty slowly. The last time Vincent checked her, she was at seven. "It's going to start getting rough Tess. You sure you don't want Joe in here?" She shook her head no. He kissed me on the forehead and promised to be back in a little while. Two hours later I started to wonder where the hell Vincent had gone. I was just about to go look for him when Tess reached out to me. "Cat, can you help me out? I think I need to use the bathroom." I shook my head. "Tess, don't move. I'm assuming you don't need to pee right?" She nodded. "I need to go find Vincent." I ran out the door and screamed Vincent's name. He came running, Joe tagging behind. "Vincent, she's ready to push." He laid a hand on my shoulder. "Catherine, are you sure?" Joe gripped the doorway, turning pale. Vincent grabbed him by the shoulders. "Get it together man. Tess needs you." Vincent ran to Tess, kneeling beside the tub. "Tess, I need to check you." When he finished, he called for me to bring Joe over. "Tess, you're ready to push. Do you want out of the tub?" She managed a "no" during a hard contraction. "Tess, the urge you feel, push against it." Tess grabbed mine and Joe's hands, took a deep breath and began to push. "Good Tess. Good. You're moving the baby down." Tess pushed even harder, a loud grunting sound echoing through the room. She fell back against the tub, catching her breath for a few seconds before groaning again. Joe and I helped her sit up again and she began to push. Vincent looked up with a smile on his face. "Tess I can feel hair. Just a few more pushes and the head will be out." Tess pushed even harder. A cry escaped her. "Cat, it burns." I smoothed her hair with my free hand. "Tess, the baby's head is crowning. It'll ease up once the head is out. I promise." She threw her head back and cried out, pushing with all of her might. Vincent grabbed her leg. "Easy pushes Tess or there will be no escaping stitches." I looked down to see him gently easing her opening around the baby's head. Tess gasped for air. She was shaking. I stroked her arm. "Tess the head is out. Don't push. Let your body do it's thing." She looked to me with tears in her eyes. "Cat, I can't do this. I have to push." I shook my head repeatedly. "Tess, wait. The baby needs to turn. Vincent will tell you when to push." Joe looked faint, but he was keeping it together. Vincent looked to me and nodded. "She can push." That's all Tess needed to hear to bear down with everything she had, and in seconds the baby was out and on her belly. It was a little boy. Tess began crying and I rubbed the baby's back to jump start it's breathing. Then, there it was. The familiar high pitched wail of a newborn baby. Joe, kissed Tess's head, and repeatedly told her he loved her. I watched as he helped Vincent free the baby from it's cord. We helped Tess to the bed, and I helped her nurse her beautiful little boy. "Joseph Ryan," she whispered. I smiled. They had given their son Vincent's middle name. What an honor. Looks like we'll have two birthday celebrations on the same day from here on out.