Sweet Twins For My Brother's Best Friend: An Enemies To Lovers Romance (The Sweet Twins Collection)

Chapter Forty-Five

Hannah

The fluorescent lights above me blur as the gurney rolls down the sterile hospital corridor as I’m wheeled in for the procedure to remove my IUD.

My heart pounds like a drum in my chest, each beat a reminder of the two little lives growing inside me.

I grip Chris”s hand, his calloused fingers strong and steady, a contrast to the whirlwind of emotions churning within me.

”You”re going to be okay,” he whispers, his voice a soothing balm in the unfriendly, cold-smelling hospital. I glance up at him, his rugged face etched with worry, his usual confidence replaced by a vulnerability that mirrors my own.

”I know,” I manage to say, though my voice wavers. ”It”s just... the twins, Chris. What if something goes wrong?”

He squeezes my hand tighter, his blue eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sends a shiver down my spine. ”Hannah, nothing will happen to them. Or to you. We have a long future ahead of us.”

His words bolster me, giving me the courage to face the impending surgery.

But the fear still lingers, a shadow that refuses to dissipate. I try to focus on the rhythmic beeping of the machines around me, the clinical efficiency of the nurses prepping me for the procedure, anything to distract from the gnawing anxiety.

A nurse with kind eyes and a gentle smile approaches. ”Hannah, we”re ready for you now. Chris, you can wait in the family room. We’ll be out to talk to you when we’re done.”

I look over at Chris and back at the nurse in confusion, scrunching my eyebrows together as I calculate what’s happening. “I’m confused, am I not going to an operating room?”

The nurse lets out a sharp laugh of surprise. “Oh! No.”

She reaches out and squeezes one of my shoulders, and I almost lean into it, rest my cheek on her hand, out of vulnerability.

“This isn’t an actual surgery. It’s more of a procedure. We’ll give you some anesthetic, and we’ll remove the IUD with the aid of an ultrasound.” I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Aw, I’m sorry you’ve been worried this whole time. Poor thing. You’re going to be just fine.”

Chris leans down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. ”It’s okay to be nervous, Hanny. But I”ll be right out there,” he promises, his voice a low murmur meant just for me. ”I love you.”

”I love you, too,” I whisper, my voice barely audible over the lump in my throat. He steps back reluctantly, our fingers slowly untangling as the nurse guides me through the double doors.

As he steps back, standing on the sidelines and looking at me with wide-eyed concern, I feel frantic buzzing rising in my chest.

“Wait!” I cry out, shooting my hand towards him, “I can’t do this alone, please! I need him to come with me!”

“Okay, okay,” the nurse says soothingly, running a hand over my arm. She looks over at Chris and wags her finger at him. “Dad, looks like we need you.”

Chris hurries over to me immediately, taking my hand in his and rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb. He leans down and kisses my cheek.

“It’s okay, I’m here now,” he tells me soothingly. I feel the warmth of his kiss spread across my skin.

The surgery center is a flurry of activity, the sterile environment a stark contrast to the warmth and love at my side and in my belly.

I lie back on the table, the cold metal pressing against my spine, and try to focus on my breathing. In and out, just like Chris and I do on our runs. In and out, just like the ocean tides.

The exam room is cold, the kind of sterile chill that seeps into your bones despite the thin, scratchy hospital gown I”m wearing. I lie back on the exam table, my fingers gripping the edge as I try to calm my racing heart.

The ultrasound machine hums softly beside me, a constant reminder of what’s about to happen. A nurse brings a warm hospital blanket over and covers me, helping to calm my anxiety.

Chris sits next to me, his hand warm and reassuring around mine. He hasn’t let go since he reached for it in the hallway. His hand feels like a steady anchor in the storm of my emotions.

”How are you doing?” he asks, his voice low and comforting.

”Just nervous,” I admit, squeezing his hand. ”But I”m glad you”re here.”

The door opens, and Dr. Meyers walks in, her expression professional but kind.

”Good afternoon, Hannah. Chris.” She nods to both of us before turning her attention to me. ”Ready?”

”As ready as I”ll ever be,” I say, trying to muster a smile.

Dr. Meyers returns the smile with one of her own. ”You”ll do just fine. The local anesthetic will numb the area, and the ultrasound will help us guide the forceps to remove the IUD since the strings are no longer visible. Chris, I need you to stay up by Hannah’s head and just hold her hand. This should be over quickly.”

I nod, taking a deep breath as she prepares the anesthetic. The pinch of the needle is sharp but brief, a small price to pay for the peace of mind that will come with knowing the IUD is no longer a risk to my babies.

Dr. Meyers sets the syringe aside and reaches for the ultrasound wand. “Take a deep breath for me, Hannah. Good, now let it out slowly.”

I let the air out as slowly as I can, like a steady stream, as Dr. Meyers applies the gel to my lower abdomen. She moves the ultrasound wand over my skin, her eyes fixed on the screen.

“OK. There we go,” she murmurs. ”I can see it. I’m going to have the nurse take over the ultrasound now as I insert the forceps. This way, I can continue to see where the IUD is located and remove it. You might feel some pressure, but it shouldn”t be painful.”

I nod again, my eyes darting to the screen where the grainy black-and-white image of the IUD comes into focus. It looks so small, yet its presence has loomed so large over us lately.

The pressure is uncomfortable, a deep, insistent push, but not painful, though I get the feeling that if I hadn’t had the anesthesia inserted into my cervix that it would be painful. I keep my eyes on Chris, his gaze steady and unwavering, a lifeline in the midst of it all. “Chris…” I trail off, unsure of what I want to say.

“You’re okay. I’m watching,” he tells me, his eyes above my head as I face him instead of the screen. “It’s going well.”

”There we go,” Dr. Meyers says, her tone light and reassuring. ”Got it. Okay, one more time. Breathe in and let it out slowly.”

She carefully begins to remove the forceps, the IUD clamped securely between its tips. I feel it traveling through my vagina and emerging, then suddenly nothing.

Relief floods through me, so overwhelming that I feel tears spring to my eyes. ”Is it over?” I ask, my voice trembling with a mix of emotions.

”Yes, it”s over,” Dr. Meyers confirms, her smile warm. ”You did great, Hannah. The twins are just fine, and so are you.”

Chris squeezes my hand, his own eyes shining with unshed tears. ”I told you,” he whispers, leaning in to press another kiss to my forehead. ”An entire future ahead of us.”

I laugh softly, a sound of pure relief and joy. ”I feel so dramatic now.”

Dr. Meyers finishes up, giving us some final instructions and assurances before leaving the room.

I sit up slowly, feeling a bit unsteady but infinitely lighter. Chris helps me off the table, his arm around my waist, supporting me. “Well, how do you feel?”

“I feel like I need to eat something.”

“Not the kind of feelings I meant, but let’s get you something, anyway.”

“Hunger is a feeling,” I object, leaning on him as he lowers me into the passenger seat.