Hanging on a Moment II
Chapter 12
"The Parker and Paisley are so excited!" Caleb smiled as he dropped his keys on the console table in the foyer.
"Your brothers' know that they are only nine and seven and they can't go on all the rides that they can go on." Hanna pressed worriedly about her two oldest daughters' trip to Disneyland with her in laws."
"Yeah, they know. My mom will make sure they don't barf their guts out." Caleb smirked taking a seat next to his wife's.
"You told your mom how thankful we are for her taking the girls to Disney for their Birthday's right?" Hanna replied after thinking for a little bit.
"She is happy to do it. She knows you can't do anything right now and she wanted to make sure everything was celebrated properly."
"Was Piper really upset?"
Hanna ran her fingers through the sleeping toddler's hair that was passed out in the crook between her and the couch. "There were some alligator tears. I told her Grandma would take her some place special next. I feel bad though, I have missed all our kids' Birthday parties this year." Hanna sighed.
Piper started stirring. "Hello my brown eyed baby."
She buried her head back into Hanna's chest trying to wake up a little more. "Pawka, Paisey?" she questioned looking up at her mom.
"They went bye, bye remember?"
"I know!" Caleb interrupted picking up the two year old. "How about you and I go to the park?"
"I go on slide!" she announced plopping down bye the door trying to put on her sandals.
"I think we should start potty training while the girls are gone." Hanna stated shifting around trying to get comfortable. "And by we, I of course me you."
"Yeah, I think she is ready. It would be nice to only have one in diapers in a few months." Caleb agreed helping Piper put on her shoes to the correct feet.
"Pipes do you want to go to the park or do you want to go to Target and get some big girl stuff?" Piper's eyes lit up at the mention of shopping. She truly was Hanna's daughter.
"I get toys!" she squealed as she ran to the door.
"You two have fun!" Hanna smiled as they shut the door.
***PLL****
About an hour later and Caleb and Piper returned home with their arms full of shopping bags.
"Look Mama!" Piper instructed pulling out all the contents of the Target sack.
"Woah, did Daddy let you get one of everything?" Hanna laughed looking at all Pipers new underwear.
"Toys!" she smiled as Caleb took the bag away from her.
"What's the deal Piper?"
"Go on potty!" she replied a little annoyed.
"Yep, you can get a toy when you go to the bathroom on your potty chair."
"I go now." She announced running down the hall.
"I guess we are starting this today then." Caleb replied as he ran after the bouncing blonde haired baby.
The two year old sat on her pink plastic potty chair for about fifteen minutes of nothing happening.
"Are you sure you have to go baby?" Caleb asked as Pipers eyes got big.
"I go-ed! I go-ed!" she smiled proudly as she stood up to show her dad.
"Good job, princess!" he stated in shock that she actually went her first time trying. "Should you wear one of your new big kid underwear?"
"Yeah!"
"Mama! I go-ed! I go-ed!" she screamed all the way back to the living room digging through the bag to get a toy.
"I wear a Dora!" she squealed pointing to the only garment of clothing she was wearing.
"What? Really?"
"Yeah really!" Caleb affirmed giving his youngest a high five.
"Good job baby!" Hanna clapped excitedly.
"I not baby." Piper corrected her mom. "I big girl."
Hanna made a sad face as Piper ripped her My Little Pony out of the cardboard box it came in. "I don't know if I'm ready for this."
Caleb put his hand on her growing midsection. "In a few more months you can change all the dirty diapers you want again." He smiled coyly as she tilted her head to the side.
"Uh, oh." Piper gasped as Hanna covered her mouth with her hand.
"And you can take care of all of those." She replied patting Caleb's knee.
******PLL*****
A few days passed and it was Wednesday again.
"Hey Han." Megan greeted as her and Spencer entered the River's home with snacks in toe.
"Woah, Baby River's sure has popped!" Spencer noticed as her and Megan took their seats in the living room.
"Are you sure you aren't the one having the twins?" Megan smirked as Hanna rolled her eyes.
"Haha!" Hanna fake laughed. "Speaking of the twins, were you able to find out yesterday?!"
Megan looked at Spencer who had a deviant smile spread across her face. "In October the Cavanaugh family will be joined by two little boys."
"Oh, I'm so excited for you! Congratulations! I bet Toby is stoked to have sons." The blonde commented.
"We are all thrilled." Spencer's eyes gleamed.
"Man, it is the year of the boys! That leaves some hope for you and Caleb too." Megan mentioned sarcastically.
"Well, you and Emily are having boys and Aria had Tallen this year. Are you a boy?" Hanna questioned rubbing her bump.
"I wouldn't even know what to do with a boy?!" Hanna giggled at the thought of finally having a son.
"Just give them a pile of dirt and they are pretty much set." Megan laughed. "I swear, five minutes after I clean the kid, he is dirty again. But, really, there is nothing better than having a son. His big bear hugs, the cute way his hair curls over his ears before he needs a haircut, how he explains the simple things with such enthusiasm, and tells me I am the best cook in the world. Little boys are pretty great; you will catch on quick Spence. You too Han, if in fact baby River's is of the male variety."
"I may need you to come over to help lasso the little men since you are really the resident expert on rearing baby boys." Spencer explained to Megan.
"Oh no! Aunt Megan only provides temporary housing and fun activities and loads them up on sugar! Mommy has to be the one to tell them 'no' when they pee in the house plants." The brunette laughed as Spencer squeezed her eyes shut.
"That's fair I guess."
"It is really clean around here by the way." Megan noted looking around the living room that was normally covered in a plethora of pink toys, games, and books.
"The girls are in Disneyland with Caleb's family still. They are having a blast, I'm sure they will be super bummed to come back home." She snorted. "I really miss them though. It is too quiet around here."
"They took all three?" Spencer questioned amazed.
"No, just the older two since we really couldn't do anything big for their Birthday's this year. Piper is still going to my moms. She actually started potty training last weekend!"
"How is that going?" Megan asked digging through her purse for her water bottle.
"Pretty good minus the whole number two part of the deal. That might take a little bit." Hanna shook her head. "Hopefully she gets it before this one comes."
"Yeah, two in diapers would suck." Megan commented before thinking about what she was saying.
"Thanks Megan." Spencer scoffed.
"Well, I mean, shit. Sorry Spencer." She laughed.
Hanna's faced grimaced as she felt a weird uncomfortable sensation. She stood up and left to go to the bathroom.
"Doing ok Han?" Megan questioned sitting up as the blonde sat back down at her spot.
"I think so." She replied meekly. "I just all of a sudden feel a little off, the baby hasn't been very active for awhile either and I just ate a huge brownie."
"Do you think you should go in and get checked out? I could swing by the office and pick up Caleb." Spencer offered as Hanna clicked away on her phone. "Yeah, that probably isn't a bad idea."
The three girls got in Spencer's SUV as they headed north towards Caleb and Toby's office building. Caleb met Spencer in the parking lot and helped his wife to his car.
"Hey babe, how are you doing?" he questioned nervously as he backed up.
"I'm worried." She replied under her breath as her husband sped to the hospital.
"Have you called Dr. Nesseti yet?"
"Yeah, she agreed that she wanted to check me over."
The couple arrived at Hanna's Ob/Gyns office which was attached to the west wing of the hospital.
"Alright Hanna." Doctor Nesseti's nurse, Taylor, started as soon as she finished taking the young mom's vitals. "Dr. N is finishing up with another patient and she will be right in, hold tight." She smiled sweetly as she grabbed the clipboard and exited the exam room.
"Mom say's the girls are having a blast. They road Space Mountain for like five hours today." Caleb mentioned trying to distract Hanna.
"Hanna." The doctor called knocking before she entered. "Ok, we had some concerns about fetal movement?"
"Yes. I also have had some weird pressure and cramping."
"Let's take a look." Dr Nesseti announced turning on the ultrasound machine.
The next few moments were about as brutal as when Hanna was waiting to see if she had miscarried or not. The physician glided the wand around watching the screen meticulously.
"I am seeing some fetal distress; baby isn't as active and I'm getting a low heart rate."
"What does that mean?" Caleb jumped in anxiously.
"The low lying placenta may have slipped further down causing less oxygen and blood flow to the baby. I am going to consult with my partner Dr. Oxford and see if we should be prepping for an early delivery."
Caleb's face fell, "Like how early?"
The mid fifty year old paused for a moment. "Well, possibly as early as tonight."
"What?!" Hanna shrieked as a knee jerk reaction. "I am only twenty nine weeks along!"
"It might be a better option to deliver early then to keep the baby in an environment that isn't promoting growth."
Hanna covered her eyes as she began to sob loudly.
"I am going to have Taylor have you admitted in the Labor and Delivery wing while I go over everything with Dr. Oxford. We will closely monitor you and the baby. Try to keep as calm as possible." The sage woman stated exiting the room.
Taylor came promptly and wheeled Hanna to the Delivery Unit where she and Caleb sat for about twenty minutes until their doctor greeted them again.
"Alright Hanna, I after my consultation, Dr. Oxford and I both agree it is better to get the baby here soon rather than later. I ordered a set of steroids we will give you intravenously here in ten minutes. The steroids will help speed up the development of the baby's lungs. At 6am we will get you prepped for a c-section."
Caleb had Hanna's fingers tightly interwoven with his as they listened to what would be transpiring in the next few hours.
"For delivery, I will have my team there, along with the anesthetist who will administer your spinal block. We will also have our NICU team there as well."
Hanna let out a sigh and a terrified facial expression as the doctor continued.
"Even though we are giving you steroids to help with lung development, the baby will most likely need some assistance being almost a month and a half early."
Hanna nodded her head as the tears ran down her cheeks.
"You did the right thing coming here Hanna. We have a quite a few hurdles to jump through still, but getting baby River's here as soon as possible is critical. I will be in and out through out the night to make sure everything we are kind of staying the same for now ok?"
The couple nodded as Caleb pulled Hanna over kissing her cheek. They were in for a long night.
Authors Note: Hey Pretty Little Readers. I can't believe I'm already to chapter 12. Crazy! I thought I'd finish this up in honor of our PLL day! Weeeee hooooo! It is kind of an intense chapter. Hope you enjoy!-Brostow