My phone rings at two in the morning. It's much too early to comprehend what someone is telling me. "Stephanie!" Hector yells.
"Oh. Sorry, Hector," I mumble. "Why are you calling so early?"
"Isla's in labour," Hector replies.
"She's only thirty-seven weeks," I say, sitting up in bed to stretch. Zack lovingly rubs my back, encouraging me to get out of our bed. I swing my legs off the side.
"The doctor said she could deliver any day," Hector reminds me. I'm glad Isla held onto the babies for so long. My sons have a better chance of survival. "Meet us at the hospital," Hector orders and hangs up.
"Bossy," I mumble.
"Who's bossy?" Zack asks as I stand.
"Hector's bossy, and Isla's in labour. I promised to meet them at the hospital," I reply. "Are you accompanying me?"
"We need someone to watch Tyler," Zack replies.
"Call one of the guys," I advise. I feel Zack watching my ass as I walk out of our bedroom into the ensuite bathroom. The water takes a few seconds to warm enough to step beneath the shower spray. Zack joins me a minute later. He takes over washing my hair. I moan when he gently scratches my scalp with his nails. "We don't have time."
"I won't take long," Zack promises. Oh my God! Zack is doing everything I love in fast forward. I shove a fist into my mouth as my orgasm builds. With a pinch and a tug, I'm falling over the precipice, relying on Zack to hold me upright, because my legs threatening to give out as Zack reaches his peak.
We quickly wash away the evidence and style our hair in preparation for leaving our house. I'm in the bedroom when the alarm indicates someone has come inside. "Is that one of the guys?" I ask, hollering out the bedroom door.
"It's your dad," Zack replies. I'm glad Tyler can sleep through anything. It will be helpful when I bring the boys home from the hospital, likely in a few days.
"Really? Why was he at Rangeman?" I ask. Zack doesn't answer. He must be busy talking to Dad. I roll my eyes and sit on the bed to pull on my socks. I'm wearing jeans and a blue shirt.
Before joining Zack and Dad downstairs, I check on Tyler. He's sound asleep in bed. I notice his teddy bear is on the floor. Smiling, I pick it up and tuck it in his arms. Tyler smiles and sighs in his sleep. I kiss his forehead and whisper, "Daddy and I are going to the hospital. We love you. Grandpa's downstairs to watch over you."
"Morning, Pumpkin," Dad says when I descend the stairs.
"Good morning," I mumble. Dad passes me a takeaway cup of coffee from the local Cuban coffee shop. "You got me the strong stuff. Thanks, Daddy." I take a large drink of coffee, which the barista made perfectly. "Not that I'm upset you're here, but why were you at Rangeman at two in the morning?"
"I'm Rangeman's official chauffeur," Dad says, laughing. "The men are often short-handed early in the morning, and I miss driving the cab. Cal and Hal were called on a mission. I dropped them off at the airport for their flight."
"So you were returning the Rangeman SUV?" I ask.
"Indeed," Dad replies. "When the call came in, I offered to take babysitting duty. Your mother's at Valerie's house helping with the children while Albert is with Diesel, meeting clients in LA."
"When did they leave?" I ask.
"Yesterday afternoon," Dad replies. "I was just telling Zack about my job at the front desk at Rangeman."
"Oh?" I ask, raising my brows. I'm in charge of the Human Resources department, and hiring Dad didn't pass my desk. My official position at Rangeman is in employee and client services. I handle the clients and oversee the staff. The guys ask me to help with the occasional research, but the daily BEA stuff isn't my department. I have Isla and Liliana on my team. Liliana is my right hand, and Isla is the general office manager.
"Ranger hired me," Dad explains.
"Ah. Ranger gets the final say. Is that why I never received your application?" I tease.
"I happened to be in the right place at the right time," Dad replies.
"Welcome to Rangeman," I say. I hug Dad, and he kisses my forehead. "I'd love to stay and chat, but if I don't get to the hospital soon, Hector will come here and drag me out by the hair like a caveman."
Dad chuckles. "Hector will order Zack to do that because he won't leave his sister's side," Dad reasons. He isn't wrong. Hector has Isla living in his Rangeman apartment.
"Thanks for watching Tyler. He'll be happy to see you when he wakes up," I say.
"I'm happy to help. Now, get to the hospital before my grandsons are born without their parents there to watch," Dad orders, practically shoving us out the door.
I slip on my running shoes and quickly tie them. Zack hands me the messenger bag instead of my purse. When I peek inside, I find my wallet and the surrogacy contract with the pre-birth order for the hospital to list Zack and me as the biological parents in their records. We'll need the post-birth order for the Office of Vital Records to update the birth certificate with our names. We have until three days after our sons are born. Zack places a hand on my lower back, gently guiding me through our front door to the SUV.
"What's on your mind?" Zack asks when we climb into the car.
"Trying to remember everything we need to do once we get to the hospital," I reply. "I'm glad Alec explained the process. I'd hate to go through the surrogacy part just to lose our children to the surrogate mothers or, God forbid, put up for adoption."
"I grabbed Isla's surrogacy papers from the safe," he says.
"And the pre-birth order," I add. "Thank you. I would have forgotten in the excitement of meeting our twins. Are you ready to become a father of two infants?"
"I'm a bit nervous. Ranger will need to replace us with contract employees," Zack replies.
"That isn't necessary, Zack. Isla and I can handle the twins," I argue.
"Until you establish a routine with our sons, I'll be home," Zack counters. There is no arguing with the man. He's too stubborn to change his mind. I'm also stubborn, but someone must cry, 'uncle.' "Please, Stephanie, I need to bond with our boys."
Sighing in defeat, I reply, "Fine. I hope establishing a routine doesn't take too long." Great! Now, Zack will witness every failed attempt and moments of frustration.
"I want to experience every minute of frustration, sleep deprivation and failed attempts to get the boys to sleep. I'm unwilling to miss a precious second," Zack says. "We'll figure out everything together."
How can I deprive him of those moments when he put it that way? "Okay. We're in this together," I reply. "What about Isla?"
"She can assist during the day, but I want to help you during the night," Zack says. "We need to establish boundaries until her pregnancy hormones dissipate."
We arrive at the hospital quicker than during rush hour traffic. Zack parks in the spot closest to the door. I nervously exit the SUV. My hands shake in excitement and fear. They feel clammy as I wipe them on my jeans. Zack takes my hand and raises a brow.
"Sorry, I'm nervous," I explain.
"Me too," Zack replies. He raises our entwined fingers to his lips and kisses my wrist.
I enter the hospital with Zack and approach the nurse at the triage intake desk. "Hi, I'm Stephanie Plum-Bolton. My surrogate, Isla Alvirez, is in labour. Can you direct me to her delivery room?" I politely request.
"Do you have the pre-birth order?" she asks. I remove the document for her to review. She smiles and asks us to follow her.
"Thank God you're here," Isla practically screams when I enter her delivery suite. "I tried to hold onto the babies longer, but Evan is anxious to meet his momma and papa."
"And Frankie?" I ask.
"Quite content in his warm confinement," Isla replies with a laugh. She grimaces in pain. "I'm waiting for an epidural. Ya, that's not going to happen. Hector, get the doctor."
Zack and I stand on either side of the bed to hold Isla's hand. "I'm sorry," I whisper.
"Why? I offered to help you," Isla pants. "I think your babies are my last."
"You'll have enough money to live comfortably for many years," I say.
"And you got me that kick-ass job at Rangeman," she replies.
I shrug and say, "I needed help and you have the skills for the position. Plus, I couldn't help noticing Vince watching you."
Isla briefly smiles before another contraction hits. She squeezes my hand tightly, but not enough to break bones. I flex my fingers when she releases her grip. "Vince and I are dating. We're waiting until after the twins are born before taking our relationship further. I can't wait to explore the package he's hiding in his teeny black boxers."
"You'll have to wait six weeks," I warn, stifling a laugh. Zack is pretending not to listen to our conversation. He's looking everywhere except at Isla or me. I snort, making Isla giggle. Isla isn't shy about discussing her sex life. I'm not as forthcoming in discussing having sex with Zack despite Isla and Liliana's attempts to draw out information.
"Did you know it was Vince's idea to wait?"
"No. It's not like you can get pregnant by having sex," I reply.
"He didn't want to hurt your babies," Isla explains. She giggles and groans when another contraction hits.
"You only had a few seconds between the contraction ending and the next one starting," Zack announces.
"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Isla groans.
The doctor enters the room. "Dr. Sutton is unavailable at this time. I'm Dr. Jen Robinson. I'll be delivering the babies today," she says. "Are you ready to meet your sons, Miss Alvirez?"
"Not my babies. I'm a surrogate," Isla replies between groans. "Steph is the mom."
"Nurse Gemma attached the paperwork to the chart," Zack adds. Dr. Robinson reads the document and nods.
"Very well. Are you ready to meet the boys?" she asks.
"Yes," Zack and I reply.
Zack and I remain by Isla's side, holding her hands. Hector climbs into the bed behind his sister to brace her while giving birth. "Gracias, hermano," Isla says when Hector brushes the hair off her damp cheeks.
Isla pushes for two minutes. Evan enters the world at 02:31 with a scream, proving his lungs are in perfect working order. It takes nearly twenty minutes for Frankie to leave his warm cocoon. He whimpers but doesn't scream like his brother. The nurse quickly examines him to clean his mouth with something resembling a mini turkey baster. "It's a nasal aspirator," the nurse explains. "We need to clear the mucus before it causes an infection."
Frankie sneezes. It's cute until I see the mucus beneath his nostrils and lips. The nurse quickly wipes it away. "Can I hold him?" I ask. She smiles while wrapping Frankie in a blue blanket. I'm nervous as she places him in my arms. Another nurse hands Evan to Zack. "How are you doing, Isla?"
"Cold," she chatters. I'm keeping my back to her since I know the doctor is trying to deliver the afterbirth. "Dizzy," Isla adds.
"Put the boys in their bed and clear the room," Dr. Robinson urges. Zack and I quickly follow the doctor's orders. We place them beside each other in the single bed. It's best for twins to remain in contact after their birth. "Someone push the red button." The nurse presses the button, which immediately calls out a code blue.
"Hector, come with us," I demand. He's reluctant to leave his sister, but the doctor can't save Isla's life with him watching over her shoulder. I grab his hand as a nurse rushes into the room to move the babies. "We need the doctor to do her job. I'm so sorry for asking her to do this for me. I'll never forgive myself if she dies."
"Stephanie, she will live," Zack says. "Have faith. I'll go to the nursery to watch our boys. You stay here with Hector."
I'm consoling Hector when the doctor arrives. I glance at the clock. It took two hours for the doctor to handle Isla. "Is she okay?" I ask.
"Isla is fine. The nurse moved her to the critical care unit for the next twenty-four hours. I had to complete an EPH, which is an emergency peripartum hysterectomy," she explains.
"Why?" I ask. "She didn't have preeclampsia or other health issues. Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Sutton assured us that Isla will have an easy delivery. I never would have asked her to be a surrogate if it put her life in danger."
"Her uterine artery ruptured while I tried to remove the placenta. It happens occasionally during childbirth. Isla will make a full recovery," Dr. Robinson quickly reassures us.
"How long is her recovery time?" I ask.
"Between four and six weeks," she replies. "It's the same recovery time after giving birth. I'll have the nurse provide aftercare instructions. She can't lift anything for the first couple of weeks."
"When can we see her?" Hector asks.
"In twenty minutes," Dr. Robinson replies. "I'll discharge her tomorrow if she doesn't show signs of infection or other complications."
"Thank you," I say. I wait until the doctor leaves before apologizing to Hector.
"Isla didn't want children of her own. She will be happy never to experience another menstrual cycle," Hector replies, dismissing my apology. "She did say it was her last pregnancy."
"Was it a self-fulfilling prophecy?" I ask.
"Maybe. Isla often says things, and it happens," Hector says.
"Would you like to meet your godson?"
"Si," he replies.
"Which one?" I joke since I already have the answer.
"Frankie," he says. I bump his shoulder. Ranger and Isla are Evan's godparents. Hector and Aubrey are Frankie's godparents. I'm having Liliana and Lester as Emaline's godparents. Valerie and Hal are Tyler's godparents.
I take pictures of Hector holding Frankie and Zack holding Evan, his namesake. Evan Zachary Plum-Bolton and Francis Stefano Plum-Bolton are handsome. They resemble Zack more than me. I'm sure their looks will change as they grow. I only hope their white-blond hair remains light. Grandma is right. They look identical.
"Can you tell them apart?" Zack asks.
"Yup," I reply, grinning at him. "Can't you?"
"No. I don't know if I'm holding Evan or Frankie," he confesses.
"You have Evan. He's more alert than Frankie, who is enjoying a nap," I reply. "I have a feeling Evan will be the instigator in all things. Frankie will go along for the ride and excitement. He's also missing the chubbiness to his arms and legs like Evan."
Zack chuckles. "Evan weighs five pounds five ounces, and Frankie weighs five pounds one ounce. It's amazing how four ounces makes a difference," Zack observes. "I think Frankie's a little longer than Evan."
"Only half an inch," I say, reading the cards on the boys' bed. I briefly hold my sons before Hector and I visit Isla.
She's still groggy when we enter the room. "What happened?" Isla asks.
"Emergency hysterectomy," I reply. "I'm sorry you can't have any children."
"It's good. I knew carrying your sons would be my last pregnancy," Isla says. "Thank goodness I don't have to deal with the heavy discharge you get after having a baby. When can I go home?"
"Hopefully, tomorrow," Hector answers.
"Good. I suspect I'm on restrictions?"
"You are," I reply. "We can convert our home office for a bedroom if you want to stay with us, or Bobby has a room in the infirmary at Rangeman."
"I want to stay with you and Zack, but that might mean setting up your guest room for Hector," Isla says. My house has enough room to accommodate everyone without rearranging the nursery.