Is the Honeymoon Over?

by sz3ianne

AU story continuation on 'What If'. Following Martin and Louisa through their first year of marriage. Martin survived therapy to get this far, what surprises await him.

36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Tam pulcherrima es

Eyes like yours, baby

it is like heaven on earth

no more misery…

I am lost for words

imagination travel

I've seen an angel…

Been to paradise

in a garden of roses

filled with butterflies…

Your eyes tell a lot

I can see you through your soul

and I love you more…

Eyes Like Yours by Joan Wu Lang Pacinabo

ME/LE

My mind, wandered aimlessly over the happenings of the last months as I drove out of the village, past Wadebridge, and onto the busy roads of Truro. Just wandering, lost in so many memories.

Memory upon memory floats by as the hour of the clock.

'Before I could gather my wits to reply, she leans into me and brings her mouth up to catch me in a warm kiss full of all things I would squirm to hear spoken aloud in the privacy of our bedroom. I hold her close, restraining myself, unable to quite believe the conclusion which will come if I do not. Willing, I wait until I am sure, she eases her hands up my back to the nape of my neck, where she slides curious fingers through my short silky hair. She cradles my head at the base of my skull in one palm, with the other sliding across my chest. Her delicious heat engulfs me, leading me to wonder if any man could resist her. It was her movement that finally broke my lip lock on my mind. Her everything fit up against me with a natural ease that even my cranky disposition couldn't mistake. She has meant every word she said about her love, her feelings for me.'

The memory ends suddenly, I realize I am stopped in the middle of the road and the honking of car horns brings me out of the memory. The light changed and traffic was moving around me. The memory, where did that come from? I can't remember when.

I pull into the carpark at the hospital, turn the engine off, and try to remember more of that memory.

'I kissed her temple and held her. I love you, I declared before burying my nose into my favorite place, the notch of her shoulder and neck. I love this family you gave me, and how it makes me feel like a whole person. Thank you, As I hold my wife, a fleeting thought of the dispossessed man I was before coming to Portween settled in and how I railed against this woman at the beginning. But allowing her into my heart and my life has saved me from loneliness. My next forty-plus years will be better as long as she is with me.'

Now I remember my birthday last year. When everything was good between us before he came. We came through that rough patch and we will get through this one. Mrs. Tishell is not Danny. I have never had a relationship with Mrs. Tishell and never will. Louisa is my heartbeat, along with my children. My children… I never thought I would have children or even a child. Nobody wanted a snarky, snippy, cranky old man to love. What does she see in me? I know what I see in her. She is intelligent, boldly intimidating, and alluring. A dangerously intoxicating aphrodisiac, my personal aphrodisiac. Only she could get me drunk enough to say all the things on my mind regarding her.

I look out the windscreen, at the large building where the woman I love is resting alone in bed. Why am I sitting here, when she is there, right there to talk to?

ME/LE

The lift doors opened onto Louisa's floor to the sounds of running feet past me. Immediately I fear the worst, 'Louisa going into labor'. But not a soul was going through her door, but running further down the corridor. Quickly swallowing the bile in my throat, I rush to her closed door. As I push the door open, I can hear voices and the fear rises again. My vision is filled with the site of Louisa sitting up in bed looking at the paperwork the woman sitting in the chair next to the bed is showing her.

The door movement or mine catches her eye and she smiles waving her hand for me to enter. Just seeing the smile in her eyes, I can relax as I hear more running in the corridor behind me. 'Louisa and the twins were safe'.

"Martin, you're back."

At the sound of the patient speaking to someone else the woman turns toward the door as she rises from the chair. She extends her hand to me as she introduces herself, "Doctor Ellingham, a pleasure to meet you. I am Sara Bates, the lactation specialist here to assist your wife."

I nod and look at Louisa with questioning eyes.

"Martin, Sara brought information on breastfeeding. She will help ensure I can feed the twins," she injects as she smiles again.

"Let me get out of your way for now. Louisa has the pamphlets with the different options. I will return later with her medical team, so if you have any questions after reading the material, I'll be happy to answer them," she said as she collected her items and started to leave.

I stand aside, holding the door for her to exit, I let the door slowly close as I turn to Louisa. "I don't understand why you would have difficulties feeding the twins, you didn't with Phillip."

Ignoring me, she says, "Martin, come here and kiss me. Speaking of Phillip, how is he?"

"He misses you very much. Poppy kept him occupied all day. She was cooking his dinner when I arrived. Joan and Ruth decided he should stay at the cottage instead of the farm, and have moved in for the time we are away."

"You gave him a kiss from me didn't you," she asked sadly.

"Of course, I did. He picked out one of the books you and he were reading about babies. He asked if his babies were still in your tummy and sounded upset that they were. He wants his mother home. Which reminds me," I say as I pull Louisas' phone from my coat pocket. "Ruth charged it for you, and suggested you call and talk to Phillip each day starting tomorrow morning."

"Ohh, thank you, Martin. What time is it? I'll call him now."

"Phillip, was sound asleep when I left earlier today. Tomorrow is early enough. You could wish him a good morning."

"Of course. Laying in this hospital bed all day makes the day go by slowly," Louisa said with a heartbroken voice.

I know she misses Phillip and was afraid of the way he responded to her early labor issues the day before. Time to change the topic.

"When are Doctor Rawle and his team coming by," I ask.

"It should be soon. I was told they would come sometime after dinner, but that was hours ago."

"Obstetrics is an occupation that can't hold a schedule due to all the emergencies. Babies want to come when they want to come."

"Until they show up, can we talk about Mrs. Tishell and what happened yesterday. I'm not sure I know everything that happened?"

"Do you think it is wise to discuss it? Just the fact of what you heard sent you into labor."

"It was the not knowing that upset me. Nobody could find you. You weren't answering your phone. I thought something terrible happened to you," she said as her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"I went to the chemist to pick up some surgery supplies along with the personal items we needed. When the rain lightened up, I walked down and of course, the mangy four-legged animal came along. Mrs. Tishell wasn't in her shop and she didn't come down from her private quarters. I heard humming coming from the supply area to the rear of the shop and walked toward the open door. I assume she was downstairs and started down the stairs. I called out to her many times in the shop; I assume her humming interfered with her hearing. I hit my head on a low beam, and with my wet shoes and dripping slicker, I slipped on the tread. I hit the back of my head and back when I fell on the stairs. I don't remember anything after that. The next I know, I'm receiving medical attention."

"She didn't kidnap you then, as Joe said?"

"No… but she didn't call for help either. It wasn't until her husband returned looking for his new boots that I was discovered. Nobody could get close to me because of that wet mangy dog. He wouldn't let anyone near me," I say with a disgusted frown. "From what I understand, that is when she called the surgery. Ruth was there going over medical notes with Doctor Ledford and they came directly to the shop. An ambulance was called and I was transported to Truro."

"She was behind the love notes?"

I can see Louisa's eyes take on the hurt of a jealous wife finding out her husband is having an affair. I remember that look in my mother's eyes many times when my father came home late, and I knew I didn't want Louisa to think I would shame her with adultery.

"Louisa," I said as I took her hand. "I didn't consider Mrs. Tishell as anything but a medical colleague, just as she told everyone." I clear my throat, "Louisa, you know I would never…"

She placed a finger over my lips.

"There is nothing to apologize for," all jealousy gone from her eyes and voice, now only the look of understanding. "She is sick Martin. I noticed it since you came to the village. The way she spoke to you, or spoke to others about you, she placed you on a pedestal and thought that was love. Your knowledge of medicine, your London upbringing, and your intelligence allowed her to believe you were hers. Mrs. Tishell is better educated than most of the village and she is lonely. Clive is gone most of the year and has since they were first married. You were her knight in shining armour from this drab village."

"Then you believe me, I don't love her," I ask in an aporetic voice. "I have never wished for her to be in love with me."

"I believe you, Martin," she said as she leaned forward until her lips were but a breath from mine, "I promise, Martin, I do believe you."

She could see the guilt, and self-loathing, I felt for causing her to be in the hospital. In her eyes, I could only see passion, kindness, and best of all, lack of judgment. I closed the gap, my lips pressing against hers, and my hands slid to her hips as I surrounded my children in my arms. She took my face into her hands, the mutual desire overwhelming us. The door suddenly swung open and they were no longer alone.

"We will finish this later," she whispered in my ear.

ME/LE

Their conversation with the staff shifted from her current health to the health of the twins but most of the information related to her last check-up at thirty-two-weeks. She would have a new ultrasound in the morning along with measurements to gather information on the growth status of the twins.

"The twins will be categorized as 'Moderate to Late Term Preemies', thirty-four to thirty-six weeks of pregnancy when she delivered. With the new information Doctor Tonkin and his staff would know what is needed during and after the delivery," Doctor Rawle said looking down at his notes. "Unless one of the twins shows any stress, we are shooting for delivery a day after the thirty-sixth week," he continued.

"The foetuses were above the fifty percentiles at your last appointment at thirty-two weeks. That is itself good news. The closer they are to 1500 grams the better. As you know all babies lose weight in the first twenty-four hours, and with them pre-term the weight loss can be harder on them. Hypothermia can set in faster, but the team in the delivery room and the NNU will work hard to prevent that."

I took Louisa's hand and squeezed it trying to reassure her that everything that needed to be done would be done.

"Is there a way Louisa can take a tour of the NNU and someone can explain what the nurses do while the twins are under their care? I haven't seen a neonatal room since my training days in medical school, I could learn from a tour also," I said looking at Louisa and then Doctor Tonkin.

"I don't see any problems with your request, Martin."

"Nurse Miksy and Sara Bates can sit down with you two tomorrow morning after I finish my examination," Doctor Rawle said as he made notes.

"Louisa, Sara told me she spoke to you this afternoon about breastfeeding. Did she get into hand expressing colostrum before to delivery?"

"Yes, she did. Martin suggested collecting earlier this month he has the vials in the deep freezer at home," as she says this, Louisa looks at me as she had forgotten to bring them with her.

"I brought them today and left them with the NNU nurse for when the twins are born," I say, trying to ease her mind.

"Good thinking Martin. The babies will benefit from your initiative to think outside the box. As I was saying to Louisa, in the case of pumping colostrum before birth, I won't recommend we do any more until you hit the thirty-six-week point. Expressing could cause labor to start and we don't want to encourage her body to go into labor. On October twenty-eighth, if we make it that far, you can express more colostrum. By then we won't be risking their health."

"But I thought colostrum is important to their immune system."

"It is, but what you have already expressed is a good start and if they can suckle there won't be any issues. The extra will help them earlier. We are getting ahead of ourselves here. Until we deliver them, we won't know what they will need other than a warm bed and oxygen."

"The delivery room will work more like an operating room, Martin will be able to relate to the atmosphere. Everyone in the room has a function and since we will be delivering two there will be one team for each child. Louisa your children will be well cared for by each member of the team. You know Nurse Miksy, this is Nurse Wilkins, they will be responsible for your children."

Nurse Wilkins waved toward Louisa with a big smile on her face.

"Your babies will start in the NNU, they could stay just a few hours or could be there a few days to weeks. Until they are born and we know of their health status we plan for the worst. Most babies delivered in the late-term category are less likely to have severe breathing problems. Thanks to the lung-maturing surfactant we used. They may need help with breathing for a few hours or days. We won't know until we meet and test them. They could require gavage feeding, but most can nipple-feed. As with any preterm baby, they are at risk for infections and problems like jaundice. Hypoglycemia levels will be noted right after delivery and one hour later in the NNU. Just like with Phillip, the Apgar Score will be administered."

"We won't be taking them home as early as we did with Phillip, will we," Louisa asked.

"No, but you might be able to take one or both home a few days later than with your firstborn. It depends on certain milestones each will need to pass. I won't release them until I am certain of their health. I know Martin agrees with me," Doctor Tonkin said looking at me in accord with his decision.

I nod my head in agreement.

"I think that is enough for tonight. If you don't have any further questions on what we discussed, we should let you rest and get a good night's sleep," Doctor Rawle states as he looks at Louisa and me. When there are no further questions, he closes his notebook and stands to leave. "Louisa, I assure you, we will do everything we can for these little ones." With that said he left the room with the others.

"Martin, that was so much information to digest. I don't recall half that in my baby books or articles I found on the web," Louisa said with a concerned expression.

I take her other hand, holding both, and look seriously into her eyes before I answer, "Louisa, some of that information is the worst-case scenario we may have to endure. Tomorrow, we will look into the neonatal unit and see for ourselves, and if you have any questions, I want you to ask them. You need to be completely satisfied with how the twins will be treated while in the hospital."

I lean over and kiss her forehead.

"Now let's finish our discussion concerning Phillip."

"I want to call him first thing tomorrow morning before we get busy with Doctor Rawle."

"Good, now let me make you more comfortable so you can get your rest."

"Are you spending the night here?" she asked.

"Yes, pointing to the mini couch, I'll sleep there tonight. Another trip to Portween is undesirable."

I leaned in and kissed her. My lips worshipped hers, and I felt complete. She always made me feel loved but this kiss sent shivers down my spine, "Louisa, go to sleep, I'll be here if you need me." With that, I walked over and lowered the lights.

ME/LE

After a long, sleepless night of tossing and turning, I finally gave up, got up, grabbed my bag, and went to the ensuite bath. A long shower should help my sore ribs from the all-too-thin mattress on the makeshift bed.

Upon opening the door, I first notice the lights are no longer dim, the movement around Louisas' bed is the next indication we are not alone.

"Good morning, Doctor Ellingham," Nurse Miksy said in a quiet voice.

Louisa must still be asleep.

"Good morning. How are the readings this morning?"

"Good, they look very good. Now if they stay that way, we should have some very healthy babies at the end of the month."

The sound of Louisa stirring reminded me of the call that would be good news to her.

"Good morning," Louisa says with a sleepy tinge to it.

"Good morning, Mrs. Ellingham."

"Louisa, did you have a comfortable night?" I ask as I walk into her field of vision.

"Oh, Martin, I didn't see you. Yes, I did have a good night's sleep. I slept through this time with no pain."

I took her hand and as the nurse was occupied with the machinery and the numbers displayed on it, I slipped a kiss to my wife's forehead.

"I texted Ruth, she should be calling your phone around half-past eight for your talk with Phillip."

Her eyes light up. The Phillip call would ease her mind and make her separation from him easier.

The door opens, and a nurse carrying the breakfast tray walks in. "I'll set this down here. Do you need help getting Mrs. Ellingham to the loo," she asks the other nurse.

"No, I believe her husband can help me," Nurse Miksy responds.

She finishes disconnecting the different leads from the machines and looks my way as if to say 'Please help your wife, doctor.'

"What do you need me to do?" I ask.

"If you could support her, I will ensure the cables and her IV don't trip her. Once we are near the toilet, I'll take care of your wife and will call you when we are finished," she says.

"Yes," is my only response.

Thirty minutes later the door partially opened and I was called to help Louisa back to bed. Nurse Miksy had bathed Louisa and put her in a clean hospital gown. Her hair was wrapped in a towel, to finish drying. She looked beautiful, but I didn't say anything in front of the stranger. We slowly walked, in Louisa's case waddled, back into the room to her bed. Once Louisa was comfortable and all the leads attached once again, I slid her bed table close for her to enjoy her breakfast.

When Louisa finally finished eating, the nurse started to remove the towel from her head, but I had other ideas. I reached into the clothes cabinet and pulled Louisa's brush and comb out.

"If you don't mind, my wife would like her husband to brush her hair… She likes it done a certain way," I say as I look toward my wife. "If you have completed your duties, I can care for my wife… alone until you need to return."

I didn't see the expression on the nurse's face, nor care. She agreed she had the information needed for morning rounds and would return when the doctors came onto the floor. She bid us goodbye and left.

I gathered my strength and walked over to my wife to privately adore her until the next interruption came. I always loved her hair and brushing it always felt so intimate for me. I remember when I first saw Louisa on the plane, her hair when she let fall over her shoulders, or when the breeze blew it gently away from her face, those memories would always stay with me. She always looked so beautiful. Her pregnancy hormones made her hair thicker. She had mentioned earlier that she wished she had her hair trimmed. Thankfully I convinced her not to cut it; I love her long thick hair.

For what seemed like only minutes, we were interrupted by a buzzing phone. It was half-past, and Phillip wanted his mother. I picked up the phone and handed it to Louisa, "I'll be back soon. I need to talk to Chris," I said with a kiss on her cheek.

"Hello…. Good morning my darling…

ME/LE

Chris was more than happy to provide me with a fresh cup of coffee. He and I hated the taste of hospital coffee, the burnt, stale-tasting sludge that we knew so well. Our conversation progressed into what I needed for Louisa. He would talk to Rawle about Phillip coming to the hospital to see his mother; guaranteeing both would be happy and less stressed.

ME/LE

I escorted Louisa to the neonatal unit for our tour. Even I learned about a few advancements that medicine had discovered since I was a resident. I am not sure I can perform the 'kangaroo care' in front of anyone but at home in the privacy of the cottage. She saw my embarrassment when it was demonstrated by a male nurse with another little patient and took my hand and whispered that would be a private bonding moment when he was ready at home.*

ME/LE

Louisa has another ultrasound and physical examination with everything going in our favor for our babies. The estimated weight* of each had increased positively. The male foetus B continued to weigh less, than its bashful sibling, with an estimation at 1764.474 grams or 3.89 pounds. Foetus A weighed in over four pounds at 1918.696 grams. If both continued to gain weight for another ten days or more, certain medical problems would be less likely to exist. Hypothermia and dehydration would be a major factor in the first twenty-four hours, as most foetuses gain most of their 'baby fat' in the last months of pregnancy. The twins won't have that chance. If their lung developed enough the other two problems would be balanced out, with the warming incubators and feedings.

When we returned to Louisa's room, Melanie was waiting for us. I left them to their exercises to have some lunch and talk to Ruth. Her logical mind would help settle my fears for the coming days.

It was decided that Phillip could visit for an hour at the end of the week if Louisa continued to stay stable. They would talk each morning, but Ruth expressed concern about Phillips' loss of both parents. He needed one of them at home. His gran and Poppy were not his parents so Ruth insisted on my return. I decided to go home each afternoon to be with Phillip.

ME/LE

Phillip loved his time with his daddy. Poppy had all the ingredients set up for me to cook dinner. The aunts would wash up and I would take him upstairs for his bath. Phillip wanted showers instead of his normal bath after dinner, reminding me of our time bonding in London. It turned out to be a good excuse to practice the kangaroo care I would do once the twins came home. The first night, Phillip enjoyed his story and fell asleep easily, and then late that night he climbed out of his bed and into mine as I was talking to Louisa on the phone. He cuddled next to me and fell back to sleep. I let him sleep with me all the rest of the nights I came home without his mother and siblings. My son needed me and I was with him, or maybe I should say he made the time I was separated from his mother better. Ruth would say 'We needed each other'.

By the end of the week, I was exhausted from traveling back and forth to Truro. The stress of my mind, worrying I wouldn't get to the hospital in time, resulted in losing my wife or the twins. My sleep was less than restful, Phillip is not Louisa, and his cuddling often resulted in a foot squarely planted into my side. Ruth said they could see a difference in Phillip since I started coming home in the evening. I decided a change to the other side of the bed to save my sore ribs.

When the day came, Phillip and I made the trip to the hospital, with the aunts arriving later in the morning to take Phillip home. Phillip and Louisa had a joyful reunion, of course, Louisa shed a few tears. She said they were happy tears. They ended Phillip's time with a book and both fell asleep until Joan and Ruth stepped into the room. Phillip gets upset when Joan tries to pick him up to leave.

I got up and walked over to Joan and took my son into my arms, then walked over to the window so we could look out at the powdery blue sky, so I could talk privately to him.

I placed my forehead on his, "Phillip, I need you to be a big boy and take care of your gran until I get home. I can't leave until I talk to the doctors about your mother."

"Tak them to bing mum home."

"When it's time for the babies to leave, your mommy will bring them home to you. They are not big enough to be born. Your mom and I want them to be healthy so we need to wait a bit longer. Okay?"

Phillip turned toward his mother and took in the machines around her bed before looking back at me and then out the window. When he first came in that day, the beeping noises scared him, and I had to explain what they were registering with all the sounds. He discovered that one of the sounds was different heartbeats. I told him, he could hear two different hearts beating and they were the babies in his mom's tummy.

"Otay." He took my face in his hands, making sure he had my attention, "Making mom bettr." Then gave me a hug and a kiss.

His sudden movement of reaching for his gran almost set me off balance. My sore ribs screamed at me in pain.

"Phillip," I said. "Be good and I will see you soon."

He waved to little hand toward his mother, "Bye," he said then blew her a kiss.

Joan and Ruth left after all the goodbyes to Louisa were finished. A very sad-looking Louisa watched the door close behind them as the tears silently fell down her cheeks.

"Louisa, please don't upset yourself," I said with concern as I looked at the different monitors. After several minutes she finally felt in control and reached out to me to hold.

"Louisa, you can call him later today and talk to him. You can call him as many times as you need to in the following days, but please, relax and control your anxiety or they won't allow another visit."

I could feel her shake her head in agreement as I hugged her, trying to settle her down. Finally, she relaxed and we spoke of how to handle the next week as we neared the time for the arrival of the twins.

Each day that passed made our little world all the better. The twins were safe and growing with each passing day. Louisa and Melanie did their exercises, and during those times I visited patients that were from the village. They all seemed more interested in Louisa and the twins than their health. Those times were very difficult. I didn't want to discuss private matters with them. I could see my private life become gossip as soon as they returned to Portween.

ME/LE

The meeting with Doctor Rawle started after lunch. He wanted to go over what would happen during the delivery of the twins to ease the mind of my wife. I just wanted to make sure he was doing everything possible for my family. I wasn't sure if Louisa had questions or if she was satisfied but as I did some research, I had a few questions.

Doctor Rawle sat down near the bed, he sat near Louisa to demonstrate, if necessary, exactly what he would do. "I will make a horizontal incision here, just below the belly button. Follow-up incisions will be made into the abdomen and uterus. You may hear whirring noises from the machine used to cauterize small blood vessels to prevent excess bleeding."

He stopped to see if Louisa understood and had any questions. She shook her head and he continued.

"After cutting through the uterus, the amniotic fluid will be suctioned away to make more room for instruments and my hands. Since the twins are situated in two separate amniotic sacs another doctor will be assisting. The babies are currently in the head-down position, near the pelvis, we will lift out the head first. You may feel pressure, tugging, or pulling at this time. Some people said of felt nausea during this intense, but brief moment. Although you may feel pressure, you should not feel pain. The anesthesiologist will be positioned right by your head to monitor your pain and general well-being. John Lagend will come by later to explain any you might have. He is currently busy with another procedure. Any questions, from either of you?"

I look at Louisa and see she doesn't but I do so I ask.

"I read that amniotic fluid containing venix caseosa could be missed and end up in the abdominal cavity and cause VCP* and with two sacs to vacuum out is there cause for concern?"

"No, and this is why. You decided on a tubal ligation and that will take place after delivery we will flush the area once again and vacuum again to make sure it is clear before we close. Are you satisfied, Martin?"

Yes… I read the article in the latest Obstetricians journal and it mentions this a rare occurrence but is on the rise in the UK." I look at the doctor waiting for a reaction. "It sounds like you are up to date on the issue," I finish with a last look at Louisa. That is when I see the fear.

"Martin, what is it?" Louisa asks.

I know Louisa well enough that only the facts will ease her mind.

"Vernix Caseosa Peritonitis is a rare cause of acute abdomen inflammation after a cesarean section. The vernix caseosa is the cheesy residue on the foetus when it is born, some of it breaks off from the body and into the amniotic fluid sac. When the sacs are cut open some could escape into the abdominal cavity. It can cause peritonitis and some doctors will perform exploratory surgery to find the cause."

"Louisa as Martin has said, it is very rare. The extra flushing and a suctioning will lower the risk."

Louisa's eyes stare holes into my head as she searches my face, finally, her logical brain kicked in and she knew my question and his answer relieved the fear I had for her health.

"Let's continue, shall we," she asked.

With a nod of his head, Doctor Rasle continues. "Once the head is out, I'll suction the baby's nose and mouth for fluids. Once I have suctioned them, I will maneuver the baby back and forth to help them emerge. Again, you may feel sensations of tugging or pulling. I'll ensure there is no umbilical cord entanglement or other complications as we ready for the birth. This is the moment you have been waiting for. I'll hold the baby up so you can see him or her, the umbilical cord will be cut, and then the baby will be taken away by Doctor Tonkin to the warmer, where he will take care of them. Then we do it all over again with the other baby. Once both babies are out the placentae are removed, I will ensure we haven't missed anything. The tubal ligation will be performed and we will close. While I close the incision if Doctor Tonkin believes the health of the twins is stable enough, he may rest the babies on your chest for you to see and Martin can hold them."

"How long will the cesarean section take?" I ask.

"The usual CS is thirty to sixty minutes for a single birth. With the assistant during the delivery maybe add another fifteen for both and the additional time for the tubal, another thirty minutes. I won't rush through the procedure, the health of you and the babies is what is important."

We can see Doctor Rawle is finished as he closes his folder containing his notes.

"Thank you. All the information is very helpful, none of the books went into detail on how it would feel. Now I know what to expect," Louisa said as she squeezed my hand.

"Yes, thank you."

ME/LE

Nine days after being admitted to the hospital.

Alarms sound Foetus A is stressing…

End of Chapter

I know, left you with a cliffhanger. I haven't finished deciding on everything and felt this was a good place to stop for now. Love to hear what you think.

Cesarean section CS: step by step was found on Verywell Family website.

VCP vernix caseosa peritonitis is a rare and serious complication of caesarean section. It is thought to occur as a result of spillage of amniotic fluid and or meconium into the maternal peritoneal cavity during the CS. It manifests as an acute abdomen days to weeks after CS. Many healthy intra-abdominal organs were unnecessary removed. Information found NIH website.

Kangaroo Care is a method of holding the baby to your chest for skin-to-skin contact. It has many benefits for babies, especially those born early or with low birth weight. Kangaroo care can support the baby's physical health, help with breastfeeding and nurture the bond between baby and parents. Yes, it benefits fathers also. Definition from Cleveland Clinic and babycentre websites.

NNU is the neonatal unit in hospitals in the UK.

Birth prior to 37 weeks of gestation is considered preterm. For this story I chose 32 to 36/7 weeks. Preterm infants are categorized by birthweight. For this story I chose 1500 to 2500g: Low birthweight. Information from babycentre website.

Tam pulcherrima es translated means You're so beautiful