Chapter 21
Betty’s been amazing, taking over the baking at Brew since the accident, but this morning Alexa and I made some of our special creations and took them into the morning crowd and the place erupted in cheer the moment we arrived. The morning commuters all happy to see us, we handed out our treats to each person who came through the door and the customers wished us well for our future, which was really heartwarming.
The cooking continued when we came back up to the apartment, Alexa, Betty and I have been baking up a storm today, and I’ve lost count of how many batches of cupcakes, cookies, fresh loaves of bread, and meal prepping we’ve made in preparation for the team to come home. I don’t know exactly when they’ll be back but Alexander said it wasn’t a long mission.
I’ve really been feeling the effects of pregnancy today with the ache in my back and pain in my legs from all the standing and now I have pains low in my belly and know I need to sit and put my feet up. I waddle, yes waddle to the sofa because I have reached that point where it feels like I have a bowling ball pressing down between my legs, I sit sideways and put my back to the arm of the sofa, stretching my legs out and feel the pressure ease.
“You okays, Mommy, Betty is making you a cup of tea, do you want a foot wub?”
I smile at my thoughtful little girl, “Mommy has just been standing too long today and needs to rest.”
“You doing good, Cupcake?” Betty asks with query in her voice.
Betty hands me my hot tea, and I take a sip and feel the warmth spread through me.
“Mmmm, thanks, Betty I needed this and yes I’m okay, I think I’ve just overdone it is all.”
Betty’s eagle eye is assessing me closely, “How about you and Alexa watch a movie while I get this kitchen cleaned up, can I get you anything else?”
“I’m good for now, thank you Betty,” I say smiling warmly at her.
“Okay, Cupcake, you yell out if you need anything,” Betty says as she walk toward the kitchen.
“Lovebug, what are we going to watch?”
Alexa taps her little finger on her cheek and then gasps with her decision.
“What about Spy Kids?” Alexa asks with a cheeky grin as she lays down with me, her back to my front. The babies give a boot to Alexa and I feel her giggling as she reaches back and taps my belly.
‘Boys, I’s told you, you needs to leawn to shawe our Mommy,’Alexa says in her commanding yet lovingly sister voice and I can’t help but chuckle.
“Ow!”
I wake with a strong pain in the center of my belly.
“Mommy, that feels diffewant,” Alexa says rolling over and looking at my tummy.
“Yes, you’re right sweet girl, I think that’s a Braxton Hicks contraction.”
Alexa gasps, “It’s not time yet, what do we do?”
I chuckle, “I’ll be okay, Braxton Hicks are practice contractions and they happen because our body is preparing us for the real contractions later on, I just need to relax and breathe through them, I will be okay.”
Alexa’s face twists in concern when another one hits and she feels my tummy tightening.
“Bweathe, Mommy, you doing good,” she says rubbing my tight belly.
Dad walks into the living room and notices me breathing through the contraction and the realization hits and his face registers shock then serious concern.
“Sweetheart, are you in labor?”
“Bwaxton Hiccups, Pa.” Alexa answers for me all serious in her delivery.
Betty walks in just as the contraction eases and is in her commanding mode.
“Cupcake, how strong are the contractions and how many have you had?”
“Two just now, and they were quite strong, the first one woke me up.”
Betty nods but her questions keep coming, “Elizabeth, does it feel like a band tightening or just a pressure? How long is the contraction holding on for? Can you talk through your contraction?”
My eyes go wide and I start to feel a little panic creeping in.
“Breathe, Lily, and woman, will you stop scaring my sweetheart,” Dad says looking at Betty.
“Shut it Ol’ man, these questions need to be answered, to determined Braxton Hicks or real labor contractions.”
Dad takes his scolding, nods in acquiescence and steps back, “Sorry, Betty.”
“You can however see if you can get a hold of Doc, if the team’s gone dark call Dr Sarah Langley At LHH, she was in surgery with Doc when he worked on Lily and she knows of Lily’s medical history.”
Dad nods just as another contraction takes hold, “Will do.”
I notice Betty look at her watch, then asks me a question, “How strong is this one, Cupcake?”
I’m gritting my teeth with this one, “S-Stronger, ow, sugar, ow.”
“Breathe, Elizabeth, slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth.”
I nod, I don’t want to talk, this is quite painful and the pressure intense, I feel my eyes tearing up, it’s too soon I’m only thirty-two weeks, I know I’ll go into labor earlier than normal but this is too soon.
Dad walks back over and informs us that the team is dark and he’s left a message will LHH for Dr Langley to call us. This can’t be happening, not now, Alexander’s not here and I can’t have these babies without him.
“Okay, now listen to me and try not to work yourself up, Davies here is going to go get the vehicle ready, Alexa can you go put on your shoes and grab your book bag sweetheart, while I help Mommy up.”
My eyes close in resignation, This. Can’t. Be. Happening.
“On it,” Dad says and hauls ass to the elevator and disappears inside.
“You got it, Gwanny Mae,” Alexa says running to her bedroom to do as she’s asked and put her shoes on and grab her book bad.
I see the surprise on Betty’s face and manage a giggle.
“Did my darlin’ just call me Granny Mae?” Betty sounds bewildered.
“She sure did, is this serious Betty?” I ask while I have a moment where I can speak.
When she turns back to me, I see her seriousness before she answers and I start trying to sit up.
“Let me take your weight, you need to not exert yourself, do you hear me, I want the less pressure on your stomach as you can manage relax your tummy muscles and let me do the heavy lifting and we’re going to move slowly to a standing position so you don’t put sudden pressure on your cervix, got me?”
I nod, “Okay, but Betty I’m scared, it’s too soon and Alexander’s not here.”
Betty takes all my weight to sit me upright and then tucks her arms under my armpits to slowly raise me to standing.
“I know, but babies don’t wait for a perfect time to make their entrance. Davies will do everything he can to get a hold of the boys. It’s a good sign that your water didn’t break just now when we moved you to standing but we need to move slowly with the least amount of pressure downstairs as possible, I want you to walk with your legs spread a little wider apart okay.”
I nod and we start moving toward the elevator just as Alexa comes flying out of her room with her shoes on and her sparkly red book bag in hand.
“Ready Granny Mae, she races forward and the doors to the elevator open automatically and we step inside just as another contraction hits. Betty takes me under the armpits again and takes my weight.
“Ow, ow, ow… this can’t be happening.”
Tears are now streaming down my face and I’m shaking from the pain, I don’t want my babies born this early and without Alexander here.
“You’re doing well, Elizabeth, just breathe through the pain.” Betty using my real name shows me that this is serious and I’m to listen.
The elevator doors open into the garage and Dad is standing there waiting for us, his eyes going wide when he sees me.
“Lily, I’m going to scoop you up now, you wrap your arms around my neck and hold on.”
“No, Dad, I’m too heavy, you’re still recovering,” I cry.
“Sweet girl, I have been training hard and if I can carry a grown man and a seventy pound kit on my back, I sure as shit can pick you up, got it.” Dad brooks no room for argument, I guess he’s been training a lot more than I’ve seen.
“Okay,” I whisper.
Dad scoops me under the knees and I wrap my arms around his neck, I must admit he did it with ease and Betty opens the front door and moves the seat all the way back so there is room for me to be comfortable. Once I’m settled and Alexa is buckled into her safety seat Betty slinks into the small space behind my seat and slides to the middle.
‘Call Charlotte’s Cell’Dad speaks and the call connects.
‘Davies,’Lottie’s voice comes through the surrounding speakers.
‘You need to meet us at LHH, Lily’s having contractions.’Dad informs her in his no nonsense manner.
‘Shit, it’s too soon. Okay, meet you there.’Her reply is just as no nonsense in return.
Another contraction hits and I feel like I’m going to be sick, oh, no.
“Sick, need a bag.”
Betty passes me a sick bag from I don’t know where but I’m thankful to have something to vomit into, my cup of tea gets ejected violently and the fact that I’m now vomiting has me seriously worried.
“Find Alexander, you have to get him here, I won’t do this without him.”
“I’m trying, Lily and so is Command, if I have to drive there myself I will but you need to relax sweet girl.”
“Is Alexander state side?” I question.
“Yeah, they are Lily, and I will go get him if I need to, but just breathe.” Dad says trying to calm my worry. I do not want to have our babies without him, I want us to both enjoy this experience and welcome our babies into this world together as a family.
My eyes start to have spots passing my vision and I vomit again when the next contraction squeezes my stomach, hard, and can feel my babies wiggling against the contraction, I don’t think they’re ready to exit either. I feel faint, the darkness taking hold and the last thing I hear is Betty telling Dad to step on it.
I wakein a hospital bed with my legs up in stirrups and can feel someone between my legs.
“Am I in labor?” I ask, panic evident in my voice.
A red headed woman pops her head up above the sheet and smiles, “No, Lily, you’re not but you are having really strong Braxton Hicks contractions.”
I breathe a heavy sigh of relief and the woman stands and comes round to my side and helps me to lower my legs and cover me up.
“Hi, Lily, I’m Dr. Sarah Langley and I was in the operating room with Doc when he saved your life it’s nice to finally meet you officially and see you looking so well.” She smiles warmly, and it makes her bright blue eyes sparkle.
“Thank you, and nice to meet you too, and for assisting Doc,” I smile.
“So, I have a few rather personal questions, but they are important and you need to be honest, okay.”
I nod and smile, “What are your questions Dr. Langley?”
“Just Sarah, Lily, please.”
I smile because she makes me feel comfortable and I get a good feeling from her, “Okay, thank you Sarah, what are you needing answers to?”
“Okay, so I need to know if you’re on your feet all day or do you have periods of rest? Are you still sexually active? And does your partner have a generous sized penis?”
I blush instantly, then giggle like a schoolgirl.
“Those questions are definitely not what I was expecting,” I blurt out.
Sarah smiles, “I know, but also very important.”
“Yes, I’m on my feet most of the day, yesterday and today was more than normal without rest because I was in the kitchen baking up a storm. Alexander and I are frequently sexually active, and Alexander is my first so I’m really not sure on size, to me he is large.” I say unsure.
“Do you feel quite stretched and does he hit the end or you don’t feel him hit the end? And do you feel lots of pressure when he’s inside?”
I nod and smile, “Yes, very stretched but I was a virgin up until a couple of months ago and yes, Alexander definitely hits the end and can only seat himself fully in certain positions, but he has been holding back on full penetration under Doc’s orders.”
Sarah nods, “Thank you for that, I know they are intrusive questions but it’s important to get the full picture, Being thirty-two weeks pregnant with twins is a lot harder on a woman’s body and your pregnancy had a traumatic start. So, from now until delivery I’m advising you rest more, I don’t want you on your feet longer than two hours before you take a decent break, a good rule to try and adhere to, is two on, one off.”
I nod, “Yes, okay I will be much more mindful from now on.”
Sarah smiles, “Penetrative sex is off the table till six weeks after your delivery and you’ve been cleared to do so, and if you’re someone who orgasms quite strongly then I’m saying no to receiving pleasure in any other form, sometimes an orgasm can bring on contractions and early labor.
I know my eyes are wide open, how am I going to last that long, holy shit.
“I’m someone who has intense orgasms I think, I squirt, well flood and sometimes fade out through orgasm when really powerful.”
Sarah smiles and nods, “You’re definitely banned from any form of physical pleasure and that applies to any nipple stimulation also. You’re a lucky woman, but unfortunately, we need to keep your babies inside as long as we can and with twins everything is amplified. I know your hormones are pinging off the walls but this is really important and Doc will agree with me, you will also have an early labor because your cervix is ripening and I’m going estimate about in two to four weeks, I’ll speak to Doc because we will need to give you steroid injections to help strengthen the babies lungs.”
I nod, “I understand, babies do come first, I’m not going to lie this will be hard for me but I’ll do as I’m instructed. And I thought I’d go early especially being twins but my belly is so tight, how soon can I go home?”
“I’m going to keep you in overnight just to be safe and monitor you with the CTG, your contractions have eased since you first presented and we’re just getting your suite ready now. I know that Alexa will sleep wrapped around you so we’re adding a larger bed and moving the regular bed near the window for Davies.”
I chuckle, “Thank you, I suppose it’s well known around the hospital.”
“It is,” Sarah chuckles, “but I was also your secondary doctor when Doc needed sleep, trust me it wasn’t often but I’m well aware of your family dynamic.”
“Thank you, Sarah, I really appreciate your help.”
Sarah smiles before leaving and I put my hands on my swollen belly and thank all that’s holy that my babies are safe and staying put for now. I have my wedding in three weeks, the house is almost complete, it’s only the final little touches inside that need completing and will more than likely be done. Alexander has added more crews so the build is flying along, when my man says he’ll get something done he gets it done. My bugs need to remain in place just a little longer and really hope this spin up is over with quickly so I can have my man home, and in my arms.