It was a sunny day in April when Laura went into labor. She's just had lunch and was napping when a sudden sharp cramp awakened her. Startled, she lay there for a few more minutes, until another contraction came, one which was even stronger.
A thrill of excitement went through her as she realized what was happening. She jumped out of bed and went to call Stephen.
"The baby's coming!" she shouted as soon as she heard her husband's voice.
"Right now?"
"Yes!"
"I'll be there as soon as I can!"
After telling Matthias what was going on, Stephen rushed outside to his car and sped home. Laura was standing on the front porch, waiting for him. He parked the car and then went around and opened the door for her.
"Thank you." She grimaced as another contraction started. Stephen helped her sit down, then got back into the car and drove to the hospital. When they arrived, Laura was taken up to the maternity floor in a wheelchair, and Stephen went to call his own mother and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth left for the hospital as soon as she got off the telephone with her son-in-law. She arrived to find him sitting in a chair in the waiting room, looking nervous.
"Is she all right?" she asked him.
"She was fine when we got here. They haven't told me anything at all since they took her back."
Martha arrived about half an hour later.
"How are your children and grandchildren?" Elizabeth asked her.
"Everyone is fine," Martha replied. "How are yours?"
"I'm still worried about Max. He keeps telling me he's fine, but I know he isn't, not really. Amon is doing very well in his studies, especially in math and science. He's such a bright boy." She sighed. "If only he could attend a regular school, I know he'd be at the top of his class."
"He's so lucky you've been willing to teach him at home," Martha replied. "If not for that, he would have been institutionalized."
"I know," Elizabeth agreed. "If Ginny hadn't been willing to babysit Jakob, I couldn't have handled it at all."
Martha smiled. "It's wonderful to have family nearby, isn't it?"
"Priceless," Elizabeth agreed. "It's so hard to believe Laura's already having her own! It seems just yesterday she was a baby herself!"
"I know." Martha laughed. "Right after Danny was born, I told Sarah, Cherish every moment you have with him, because before you know it, he'll be grown." Danny was Ralph and Sarah's four-year-old son.
"How did that labor and delivery go?"
"It lasted twelve hours from the time she started having contractions," Martha replied. "It takes a little longer with the first."
"How long did it take with Jill?"
"She came much faster. It only took about four or five hours."
"I suppose we're in for a long wait, then."
Martha patted Elizabeth's arm. "Don't worry, dear. She'll be fine. I know how you feel. It was the same way for me when Danny was born."
Although she appreciated the other woman's comforting words, Elizabeth wanted Paul more than anything else in the world. She received a happy surprise when he arrived at the hospital several hours later. She reached for him, and he embraced her.
"Where's Jakob?" she asked him.
"Spending the night with Matthias and Ginny," he told her.
"I don't know what we'd do without them!"
"Neither do I."
A little after midnight, an anxious Stephen finally received some news about his wife.
"She's fine," the nurse told him. "You have a son and a daughter."
Stephen's jaw dropped. "Twins?"
The nurse smiled. "That's right!"
"When can I see Laura?"
"You can go back and see her now. She's still a little groggy, but she's awake."
Stephen entered the room to see his wife sitting up in bed. She looked tired and a little pale, but she smiled when she saw him.
"Hi," he said.
"Hi," she replied.
He went to her and sat in the chair beside the bed, stroking her hair. "How do you feel?"
"A little tired, but very happy. Have you seen them yet?"
"I wanted to see you first."
"I'll buzz the nurse and tell her we want to see them." She did so, and a few minutes later, the incubators were trundled into the room. The new parents gazed lovingly at their sleeping infants.
"I'd like our son to be named Jeremy," said Stephen. "I've always loved that name."
"That's fine," Laura replied. "And his middle name can be Stephen. Can we call our daughter Jennifer?"
Stephen smiled. "I like it. Her middle name can be Lauren."
"That's really beautiful!" said Laura.
