*The Next Day*
"OH SHIT!" Whitney involuntarily cursed out loud as she scrunched up on an exercising ball. The contractions were at an all-time high at this point, causing her a great deal of stress and indescribable pain. Whitney and Kevin had managed to get a few hours of sleep before the pain anesthetic wore off and the contractions became closer and much sharper. Whitney thought she had felt the worst of it the night before; little did she know that it would get worse than that. It brought back memories of delivering Bobbi Kristina and how excruciating the pain was for her until her doctor decided to deliver her through C-Section.
"This hurts so bad, Kevin." Whitney looked up to her husband and gave him a pitiful glare. Kevin tried to come over to rub her back. "I'm so sorry honey. Is there something you want me to do?" Whitney turned to look at him. "Yes, you can start by having these babies, but since you can't then you can stop touching me!" Cissy and Sharon walked in snickering as they heard the conversation. Whitney and Kevin's families all had been hanging around waiting for the delivery. They made camp in the waiting room, while Cissy and Sharon made sure to check on Whitney periodically. "Now, now Nippy, don't be so mean," Cissy told her as she handed her a cup. "Since you can't eat anything, we brought you some ice. Maybe it'll calm you down." Kevin laughed. "I don't think that anything at this point will calm her. I've been cursed out and hit at for the past hour. I really feel like I should have been better prepared and just worn a football helmet." Everyone started to laugh. Even Whitney couldn't help but to crack a smile. "Ha ha, you think you are so funny Kev." She retorted to him.
"You know I'm only joking babe. It'll be all over soon enough, just continue to hang in there." He finally felt safe to massage her shoulders since she was between contractions.
Whitney sighed as she got up and tried to walk, hoping to ease some of her pain. "Aww sweetie, you're almost there." Sharon told her daughter-in-law. "I just wish that it was over already. Delivering one baby is hard enough. But two? You just don't know what you are in for." Whitney deadpanned. Just then, another contraction, her worst one yet shot through her and she grabbed Kevin and her mother. "AHHHRRGGHHHH! IMake it stop!" Kevin helplessly tried massaging her shoulders and back, while Cissy held her hand. "I wish I could. I really wish that I could." Kevin could only say. Just his other children's deliveries, he hated seeing the excruciating pain that the women had to go through and it would never get old.
Like clockwork, Dr. Bryant came in. "Gee, I heard you down the hallway. Let's get you hooked back up to see where you are." After checking the babies heart rates and her cervix, she told Whitney to stay in bed. "Can I PUH-LEASE have my epidural now?!" Dr. Bryant cleared her throat. "I'm sorry but….you can't. Surprisingly, you've dilated to 9 centimeters and it's too late to get one. You're about ready to push." "What?!" Whitney and even Kevin, Cissy and Sharon asked. Dr. Reynolds nodded. "We've gotta do it soon. It looks like Baby B's blood pressure is dropping. The sooner we can deliver, the better. As the doctor called some of her staff in to prepare, Cissy and Sharon bid their goodbyes and promised they would be waiting in the waiting room for the good news.
Whitney soon began to get sweaty and have the urge to start pushing. "I feel like pushing," she told Kevin. He held her hand as tight as he could. "This is it!" he told her. "Everything is going to be okay babe. I'm right here beside you, every step of the way…. you just squeeze my hand as tightly as you need to. You're so brave and so beautiful and I love you so much." Whitney anxiously looked at him. "Thank you baby, I love you too. Although this is the worst pain in the world, I'm SO glad that I'm having your babies because you mean everything in the world to me." After Kevin gave her a kiss, Dr. Bryant sat her up in pushing position and instructed Kevin on what to do to make her feel safe and comfortable. "Okay Whitney, bear with me. You're gonna push on the count of three. You ready?" Whitney looked at her excited, yet anxious husband and back to the doctor and nodded. God, there's no looking back now she thought as her maternal instincts kicked in order to prepare on meeting her children.
"1..2…3…push, push, push, push, push…."
*A Few Hours Later*
"I can't stop looking at them." Kevin admirably said as he looked into his newborn son Brayden Elijah Costner's eyes. He shared the deep eyes that his mother, Whitney had and the blue flecks that belonged to his father Kevin. He reached over and to Whitney and allowed his finger to be wrapped around by the hand of his beautiful newborn daughter Brelynn Emily Costner. They came up with their names once Dr. Bryant announced that Whitney had delivered a healthy baby boy and 10 minutes later, a healthy baby girl. However, both babies were obviously premature and would have to be watched over carefully, each weighing around five pounds. Whitney picked Brayden's name after seeing a little boy on television with that name and she fell in love with it. Kevin picked the middle name Elijah and liked the strength and Biblical reference of it. Kevin also picked Brelynn, always finding that name to be very appealing. Whitney picked her middle name because she wanted to name her after Cissy's real name of Emily.
Whitney smiled as she held Brelynn in her arms and looked at the both of her babies. They both had matching beautiful eyes, only Brelynn's was more of the chocolate brown color that Whitney had. Both gorgeous babies had a golden complexion and brown curly hair and chubby round faces and bodies, button noses and tulip shaped mouths. One could tell that they were multi- racial, make a beautiful combinations of their parent's naturally good looking features.
"I can't neither," she agreed. "I can't believe that….they're here and we…we made this two beautiful creatures. God! I already love them!" "I love them too," Kevin said. "And I'm glad that they came out as healthy little fighters."
Whitney grabbed his hand, and nodded in understanding. They both were relieved about the same thing after so much fuss about her having a safe pregnancy and delivery this time around. Flowers and cards already flooded the room in congratulations from friends and colleagues. Clive Davis sent over a huge edible arrangement with a card that stated "The Stars Are Born"
"They are fine and we're fine." she told him. " By the way. I'm sorry I was so mean to you earlier. It was the pain talking." Kevin laughed. "God made women to be such wonderful amazing creatures to carry and give life. It so beautiful and breathtaking." It was Whitney's turn to laugh. "That's true, but let's not go with this…for quite awhile" "Ok I agree…not for a little while," he said emphasizing on the little. "What am I going to do with you boy?" Whitney shook her head as she continued looking at their bundles of joy. "How does it feel to be a dad again?" Kevin smiled. "Words can't describe what I feel right now. God gave us two beautiful children to add to our family… How does it feel to be a mother again?"
"Well, to actually give birth and hold Brelynn and Brayden in my arms is one of the most incredible feelings I could ever have. Just like with Krissy, I've fallen in love instantly" She turned to look at Kevin. "Thank you, for being a part of these blessing. You know how much I've wanted to have more kids. I love you so much Kevin." Kevin smiled as he held her hand." I love you more than you can ever know. Thank you for going through it all to be the mother of my babies." They shared a tender kiss right before there was a knock at the door. "Come in!" Whitney called out as each of their families came in to meet the newest additions. As everyone cooed over the babies, Whitney silently thanked God for such a great husband and family on one of the happiest days of her life.