Birth

Tori

I was not comfortable. I'd let Jade and Sirrah go, and my heart was on edge the entire time until the two were back home and safe. As soon as they came into the house the two went to the shower. I sat in Jade's room just outside the ensuite. Beck was in the pool house, so I figured it would be okay to sit there.

I had to talk to Jade.

Jade stepped out of the bathroom and nearly jumped when she saw me waiting for her. "I think they are coming today," I stated as Jade dropped the towel to the floor.

"Who?" Jade asked, pulling on her black lace thong. My eyes followed the trajectory.

"The babies," Tori said.

Jade paused as she pulled her t-shirt on. "Oh?"

"I feel weird. Not painful really, just weird." I stated.

Jade walked closer to me, "We're on baby watch tonight?"

I smiled as she dropped to her knees and kissed my belly. "The two of you need to wait til your sister tells Mommy what happened."

Then she got up and pulled on her yoga pants. "Come on fat fat, let's go listen to Sirrah"

My eyes stung as I heard the nickname Andre gave me once. "Okay," I said and it came out throaty. Little things like that still set me off. Jade held me close.

We headed down for dinner, Sirah was telling us all the saga of the afternoon, "That's so scary." Miri said, "I guess it was good that I stayed."

"You guess?" Jordan asked.

"Okay, it was good." She said and leaned toward her fiance.

"This is serious, This situation affects them even if they are kids of the famous Andre Harris and Tori Vege, They are black women, and need our backing," Megan stated.

I looked at Harry's wife, and I love her for having the proper words to address the situation. God Knew I didn't

I kind of felt ashamed of the fact that I was white-passing. I can't identify with them, no matter how much color is infused in my blood, I'm not living their reality.

"Wouldn't you consider yourselves people of COlor?' Jade asked her sons.

"Not really." Jordan, "We don't look Indian, Dad was only half, and Mom… you are the whitest person we know."

Jade laughed. "Our surnames are Anglo, and we are entirely white-passing, We can't really say we've had a brown existence. But we feel for our cousins. Harry said.

I shifted forward. I finally spoke. "There is a lot of culture in this room alone. And the thing we have in common is humanity. We will keep loving each other, and use our platforms to help those who see discrimination."

Then I felt a pressure in my back, a slight release, and some liquid to wet my pants. I turned To Jade then. "Mom, If COvid wasn't a thing, I would ask you to come with me, but right now, Rules say I have to choose one…"

They looked at me confused.

I looked at Jade. "My water broke," I mumbled to my best friend, my lover.

Jade sprung into action "Sirrah get your mom's Bag" She said as she got up and headed straight for the Linnen closet. She came back with an armload of towels and headed for the garage structure.

I looked around the room completely aware that I had been tracking Jade's every move until she left the main house. They were all looking at me, Miri watched me with serious concern. "You love her too…"

"What?" I said the pain finally hitting me.

"Mom… Be for real. Daddy just died less than six months ago."

"Miri, your mother doesn't need this right now.." Mom said.

And I really didn't have to sit there and take it, I had some work to do. I stood, Just as Miri got down the steps with a bag, and the two of us walked to the main door, Where Jade was there to meet me and take the bag. She handed me a mask, she was already wearing one.

"Let's go have some babies," she said.

Jade

We got to the hospital and they immediately separated me from her. I couldn't be in the room with her, because one of those babies was breech. By the time we got to the hospital, the kid's foot was pushing through the birth canal, and Tori was in agony.

I paced outside next to my car for over an hour. And just as she was rushed into the operating rooms, one of the nurses turned on an iPad and called me on Facetime. "She is going to need your words of encouragement, this beech presentation is excruciating and dangerous for the child."

I was so scared for her, but i had to remain still, so I sat in the car windows open and crosslegged. "I wish I could be there to hold your hand.' I said to her.

"I'm gonna die," Tori said, she's crying, I know her anxiety is through the roof right now.

"Shhhh, That's not going to happen," I said in the most soothing tone I could muster. "They are going to take care of the twinx and you. "Just relaxed. Remember when you thought I died When Jordan was coming? You're catastrophizing again."

She chuckles slightly beginning to calm. "Is that a word?"

"It most certainly is," I said. "Learned it in THerapy."

She turned to face the iPad. "YOu go to therapy?"

I smiled, "I had some big personal changes to deal with," I stated. "Coming to terms with being in love with my best friend was one of them."

"Did you catastrophize?" She asked

"Every day, I thought I'd lose you," I said. "But you didn't turn me away, and That fixed that."

She laughed, and as she laughed there was a squawk of a baby. The nurse focused on the little boy, he was kinda purple, I guess his skin is darker than his sisters. And his one leg looked bruised. "Is he okay? IOs he bruised?" I asked.

"Yes, We had to get him out first he was in distress. The other baby's sack is still intact"

I watched as they brought him over and placed him by her face. "Hi Andre," Tori whispered to the little boy. She kissed his forehead and they took him away to the heat lamp across the room.

"We could keep the other baby in its sack and allow it to finish, but it would be best if it comes out now, because of the infections, so that your babies can go home. In a safer space."

Tori nodded, they were mature at 37 weeks, and opening Tori up again would be cruel. They put the iPad closer to Tori again so I could talk to her. "You are doing great. He was beautiful Tor."

"He is so little." She said and there was another scream. They turned the iPad, and clearly, this was another girl. Her coloring was perfect, no bruising, nothing. She was a perfect princess from birth. She cried loud. I cried with her. She was healthy. They lay the iPad down so that I could see Tori talking to the baby.

"I gotta find you a good name. Aunty Jade is here and she saved your brother's life by getting me her so quickly. And Nurse Caden was so nice to hold that iPad so Aunty could watch." She paused and looked at me. Tori is horrible with names, Miri and Sirrah, though I am used to the names now, they were so haphazard, I hope she picks well this time. "Daddy was supposed to be here to give you a good name." Then she began to cry.

"He gave his input Tor… " I said.

"SO you give yours?" She said.

I shook my head. "Nuh-uh. I didn't do any of that work."

"Jaden." She whispered.

"What?" I asked

"Jade and Caden," she answered "Andre Leon Harris Jr. and Jaden Vega Harris"

I bit my lip, and the iPad nurse Caden was honored." The" Victoria Vega and Jade West named their love child after her… I could only imagine. I hoped she didn't listen to anything we were saying, and that this call was not recording.

"Okay, Can I come to see them?"

"We will get Ms. Vega is in an isolated room she has to be observed overnight, as do the babies, then they can go home. You can call her phone soon.

I nodded. She had to stay there alone. Neither of us had ever stayed in the hospital alone after our babies. This was going to be a long night for her.

I headed home and showed everyone some screenshots of the babies." oooh I can't wait to hold them." Sirrah said.

"Me neither," I stated.

"They won't let you in the room?"

"Nope. Covid has her stuck in the hospital alone." I answered.

"For how long?" Miri asked

I looked at my future daughter-in-law and felt for her. She couldn't do this alone her first time out… "Hopefully just for tonight" I answered gently.

"What are their names," Holly asked changing to a happier subject. "Oh… That's Andre, and that's Jaden" They all looked at me. "It was her, she was insisting that I saved her life today and the nurse that helped her, her name was Caden… so…"

"Jaden," Beck said. "Always so creative that Tori." I laughed and kissed his hand. "Staying with me tonight?

I nodded. Then he leaned down and kissed me.

"Don't y'all go making more babies," Harry said.

I looked at my oldest son. "Neither one of us can have more babies… at least for now. You two knuckleheads were enough."

"What do you mean for now?" Beck asked

"Vasectomies are reversible…" I said with a smirk… " And you have a fertile girlfriend."

He turned to Helena, who only blushed embarrassed. I laughed and picked up my phone to dial a Facetime.

The screen came alive with the sound of crying babies in the background. Tori smiled at everyone and made the introductions of the babies.

"Hon, how are you feeling?" David asked.

"I'm Okay," she said "I just…" She was interrupted by a nurse in full hazmat gear.

"We need to bring the babies into the nursery to make sure they are healthy." the nurse said taking the babies away.

"You have tested positive for Covid, so we need to leave you here in isolation, the babies can go home with your family in the morning if they test negative."

"Wait, no… they can't be alone on their first day!" Tori protested.

"Can I come and get them?" I speak up. "If they are healthy, Can I please?"

"We need the other parent to..."

"He is dead, and she is the best thing you are going to get," Tori screamed. She is angry.

"Certainly." the nurse said… we will get the paperwork drawn up."

I stood up and grabbed my mask and Tori's Keys, where the car seats had been installed. I left everyone behind. I had to figure out how to get her out of there. Because a Covid Diagnosis right now usually meant death. I can't lose Tori too.