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

Chapter Fifty

Christopher

I’m walking around Adelaide, a new employee I hired a few days ago to man the front desk and sign up new members. She listens intently as I tell her about safety protocols and nods, her eyes on the machinery.

We’ve been open for only a short time now, and slowly but surely the clientele is building and I’m still hiring employees.

I see people vacationing who realize they’ve enjoyed one too many lobster rolls and people who’ve been around the area for years who’ve decided they want something new to keep them entertained and physically fit, particularly given the approaching winter season.

Every time someone new comes in, I feel a jolt of excitement.

Hannah says my financials are looking good.

I’ve been sleeping in an apartment I rent on a month-to-month basis. I had briefly considered sleeping in the back office, but I decided the serendipity would be too much to bear.

It doesn’t feel any different when I’m in bed missing her and the babies, though.

An empty bed is an empty bed. And I really wanted to be there to experience the whole pregnancy thing with her. I worry constantly, even though she’s quick to reassure me whenever we speak.

I feel guilt every day that I’m not there with the babies, but Hannah always tells me that she wants to me to do it for the babies, that I’m setting up for their future, and I know she’s right. Sacrifice is love.

This afternoon in December is absolutely freezing, and we’re definitely busier than we were in the fall. I hadn’t anticipated the impact of the seasons on business. In LA, it sometimes feels like the year is made up of one big, long summer.

I feel my phone buzzing in my pocket, look at the screen, and tell Adelaide, “Sorry, I have to take this. Why don’t you go ask Jordan and Teague up front to show you how to sign up a new member?” I point to the front desk and start walking toward my office, my heart buzzing steadily in my chest.

It says Tyler’s calling, and I’m not sure why that might be.

I remind myself that this would still be early for Hannah to have the babies. Maybe he’s calling to apologize for that night at my house. He acted insanely, but he’s still my best friend.

I feel jittery and anxious and breathe out in one long breath before answering. “Hey, Tyler, how are you?” I stretch my legs out in front of me to regulate.

“Chris? You need to get to UCLA Medical Center as soon as you can.”

“Tyler, I’m in Maine.”

I stand up straighter as his words zap me out of any daydreams I had about rekindling a friendship. I look around for my things and shove my wallet and keys into my pockets.

They weigh my shorts down awkwardly and slap against my thigh as I walk right out the front door and start walking down to my apartment just a few blocks over. “As soon as I can is probably still tomorrow.”

“Then get here tomorrow. Hannah’s going into labor and she’s scared. She needs you.”

I put Tyler on speaker phone so that I can look on my phone for the soonest plane tickets I can get.

His voice gets quieter and turns into a murmur as he says, “There was a guy with her. Some dude she was hanging out at the park with. I asked him who the fuck he is and he said ‘Scott’ and left. I think I scared him off, but still, you should get here quick.”

I chuckle a little as I purchase tickets for a few hours from now. I order a car ahead of time for when I land and breathe out a sigh of relief.

I can see my little apartment over a hill. I can pack and be out of here quickly. I can be with Hannah by tonight. I don’t wish a long labor on her, but I hope I might be able to get there before she has the babies.

“You think she’s cheating on me at 7 months pregnant?”

“I don’t know what she’s doing, but that guy seemed like he was sniffing around her. I’m just looking out for you, bro.”

Rolling my eyes, I get to my door and unlock it, slamming it closed behind me as I rush to my bedroom to pull out a suitcase and shove things in it haphazardly

“Okay, Tyler, I appreciate it. I’m sure you scared him well enough. We’ll probably never see him again.”

I have no doubt that Hannah isn’t doing anything wrong, but it’s nice that Tyler’s worried about it. Maybe there’s still a friendship between us yet.

“Will you put Hannah on video until my car comes? If she wants to.”

Some brief rustling in the background happens, followed by unearthly moans coming from Hannah. I hear the beep of the call turning into a video call and finally see the beautiful mother of my children.

Tears stream down her face, and her cheeks are pink. She’s lying back on a pillow, her hair a sweaty halo around her. “Chris?” she shrieks. “Chris, I need you!”

Her desperate voice carves out pangs in my chest, and I wish more than anything that I could reach out and touch her.

I want to stroke her hair and her back and tell her that she’s safe. “I know, Hannah Banana. It’s okay, sweets, I’m on my way to you now. I’m here with you until I get on that plane, okay? And I know Tyler will be there with you until I arrive. I’m so proud of you.”

She sighs and closes her eyes, showing me her wet eyelashes. “I’m sorry I sent you there, Chris. I wish you were here.”

“Hey, I’ll be there soon, don’t you worry.” I grab toiletries and chargers and pack them into my bag.

I pack the engagement ring, too, just in case.

I have a good feeling.

When I arrive, it’s late at night. An Uber takes me directly from the airport to the hospital. It’s only about 15 miles so the drive won’t take too long at this time of day.

My palms sweat and I stare straight ahead. The driver tries to talk to me, but I can’t focus.

Eventually, he gives up and leaves me to stare in silence out the window. The lights of LA and the water rival each other, and I think that their only real nemesis is the color of Hannah’s eyes.

I imagine her now, crying out in agony without me, and I can only hope that her parents and Tyler are offering her some relief.

She’s been unable to call for the more than 7 hours I’ve been on a plane, and guilt has made a home in my chest knowing how panicked and stressed she is right now.

Finally, I arrive at the hospital and rush, my luggage in hand, to the front desk and then to the maternity unit.

I skip the elevator and rush up the stairs, holding my bag across my back, the weight not a concern compared to what Hannah’s got to be feeling.

A Labor Delivery nurse tells me where to find her. Busting in the door, I call out, “Hannah, baby, I’m here. I made it, right? Did I make it?”

A nurse sidles up to me. “You’re Dad, I’m guessing. We’ve been waiting for you. You made it. Baby number one is crowning now. I need you to go hold Mom’s hand for me and help her breathe through this.”

I’m at her side immediately, holding her warm and sweaty hand in mine.

It feels good to feel her again, and she squeezes my fingers with the strength of…someone giving birth to twins.

I let her squeeze them as hard as she wants to and use my other hand to stroke her hair, pulling sweaty strands away from her face. Still, she’s ethereal, dewy and glowing. “You’ve got this, Hanny,” I murmur between clenched teeth.

She looks up at me with frozen fear and whispers back, “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“You can absolutely do this, Hannah!” Dr. Meyers tells her. “It’s too late to go back now, Mama. We got you, though; we’re gonna get you through it.”

I look at the doctor, then turn and hold Hannah’s sweaty palms with mine.

I press my forehead against hers so that it’s just us and assure her, “You take your time. They’ll come at their own pace. They won’t stay in there forever. You don’t worry what anyone says or thinks. You make the right choice for you.”

I pull back away from her and she nods fiercely before breathing in, then out, and it’s all a blur of screaming and crying and chatter and movement.

It’s like being on a train station but not getting on. everythingng around me is chaos and motion, and I’m the thing in the way.

But finally, the doctor’s pressing two naked babies up against Hannah’s chest and saying, “A girl and a boy, congratulations, Mom.”

Hannah drops her head back for a moment and closes her eyes before snapping them open again and asking, “Wait, what did you say? We’re having two boys.”

“Oh, well, we must have read the ultrasound wrong. It happens. Give them both a quick cuddle and we’re off with them to the NICU to get them checked out. They are two months early, which isn’t unusual with twins, but they’re small and we need to be sure we’re on top of any lung or breathing issues. A nurse will stay and help you get cleaned up. Luckily, you didn’t even need any stitches since these little guys just slipped right out. I’ll be back to check on you in a while.”

The nurses clean up Hannah and take us to her own room and away from the craziness of the Labor Delivery rooms.

I tell Hannah, “I’m going to go tell Tyler and your folks that you’re okay and that the babies are here. Maybe they can go down to the NICU and see them briefly.”

She nods quietly and seems as if she’s about to fall asleep.

At the door, I turn and ask, “Oh, and who’s Scott?”

“Hm? Oh. My boyfriend,” she teases. “Were we supposed to be exclusive?”

I run my tongue over my teeth. “You’re going to pay for that one later,” I promise her, looking through my eyebrows at her.

Catching my meaning, a nurse a few feet away calls out, “Not for 4 to 6 weeks, she won’t!”