Chapter 27
The room is filled with a tangible mix of excitement and nerves as Tiny, Doc and I prepare to introduce to tell Caroline about Eve, we decided we’d enter her room staggered so as not to raise suspicion, Tiny went in first then me and I’ve been chatting with Caroline about my Braxton Hicks adventure. As Doc arrives, there’s a brief, awkward silence.
I’m feeling the weight of what’s about to happen because until now, Caroline had no idea that she had twins, only knowing about the baby boy who died and was left next to her. The revelation of Eve’s existence is bound to be a monumental shock, and everyone involved is acutely aware of the gravity of this moment. I just hope I can keep my composure.
“Caro, there’s something important we need to tell you,” I begin, my voice steady but filled with emotion.
Caroline looks puzzled, sensing the seriousness of my tone.
“I feel it, you are radiating, joy and sadness, what is it, Elizabeth?” Caro asks with concern.
Doc and Tiny nod to me, offering silent support. I take a deep breath, steeling myself.
“Caro, you have a little girl.”
My heart is beating fast, because that was so hard to push past my lips and I’m holding my breath in anticipation of Caroline’s reaction.
She is shaking her head as the words hang in the air and just stares, her eyes darting between me and Doc, then to Tiny, he moves in close and sits directly beside her on the opposite side to give her comfort and help her absorb the shock. It’s clear she’s overwhelmed, her face a mixture of confusion, sadness, surprise, and I see it, a growing sense of wonder. I reach out, taking Caroline’s hand.
“Are you okay, Caro?” I softly ask.
“How? My baby boy died?”
Doc speaks next, “Caroline, I suspect you were carrying fraternal twins, I have sent samples away for testing but, sweetheart, I am certain this little girl is your child.”
Caroline looks to Doc with tears in her eyes, “Omg, h-how, how did I not know?”
“I don’t think you would have had the appropriate nutrition, and you certainly weren’t in the best condition or environment during your pregnancy so your babies wouldn’t have been as active. I suspect your belly wouldn’t have been as swollen due to these reasons, there’s no way you’d have known.” Doc adds kindly.
“I-I h-holy s-shit, fuck, I have a child? Eli, Have you seen this little girl? Does she look like me?”
I nod and tears start falling from my eyes, “Yes, Caro, she is beautiful, and looks just like you, I swear to you, we wouldn’t be telling you unless we were certain. Of course, definitive proof will come but she... she is you.” I whisper the last part.
Caroline looks to Tiny, “H-How and w-where did you find her?”
Caroline knows that Tiny was away and the emotions on her face show that she has a suspicion that the team was involved, she just needs to hear the words.
“We went on a mission as you know, we finally got the information out of Trickle on Rob’s location,” Caroline gasps, eyes wide and frightened, “breathe baby, when we got there, we had to do recon and when we finally went in late last night. There was chaos, nothing we couldn’t handle but when entering Chief heard a female scream and charged ahead to investigate.”
Caroline looks to me with wide eyes and a more tears escape, “Is h-he, o-okay? God no, Eli, please tell me Alexander’s okay.”
I let out a sob, I can’t help it, but Tiny gently grabs her chin and turns her head from me and continues.
“Chief was hurt, but he is okay, trust me when I say you can’t keep that man down, he walked out the damn recovery room. He found the little girl and was protecting her when he got injured, when we got into the room, I removed her from Harrington’s protective hold while Doc here, saved our Chief, and I never let her go.”
Caroline looks to me with tears flowing freely, “I-I’m s-sorry Eli, I’m s-sorry Alexander w-was hurt.”
“It’s okay, Caro, this is what these men do, did it frighten me to death, yes, I’m not going to lie but he is alive and walking around like nothing happened, Doc here is a brilliant surgeon and neither Alexander nor I would be here without him,” I say wiping my tears.
“None of us would be here without him,” Tiny chimes in.
“Just doing my job Tiny,” Doc states not liking all the attention.
“Now, Caroline, how are you feeling emotionally? Eve doesn’t know about you yet, we wanted to tell you first and gauge your reaction and I must say, sweetheart, you’re doing so much better than I think any of us expected, I’m proud of you.”
Caroline looks to me and I smile warmly, “I think you should meet your baby girl, if you feel ready to. But please know she is happy with Alexa and they are snuggled up in bed together, watching Frozen, they’re best friends already and the rest of team are with them.”
Caroline starts to smile then looks to Doc worrying her bottom lip, “Am I allowed to go to her, maybe see her from a distance to see for myself first?”
“Yes, would you like to go now?” Doc asks softly.
“I’d like that,” Caroline whispers.
I’m standingnext Caroline in the hospital corridor and holding my breath as Caroline approaches the window of the room where her daughter, Eve, sits. She is nestled next to Alexa in bed with their arms linked, completely absorbed in the movie. I can clearly see Eve’s little face illuminated by the soft glow of the screen offering Caroline a perfect view. Eve already looks so at ease with all that’s going on around her, I have a feeling Alexa bursting in when she did made Eve comfortable and now seeing them snuggled up like Caroline and I used to do is a heartwarming sight.
The rest of the team fills the room with animated conversation and smiles, their easy camaraderie a testament to the bond the brothers share. As Caroline gazes through the glass, I can feel the emotions swirling within her, joy, wonder, perhaps a hint of disbelief at the surreal turn her life is taking.
“Eli, she looks just like us,” Caroline whispers.
Tears start streaming down her face and I wrap my arms around her and just hold her tight.
“She really does, Caro. Would you like to go in?” I whisper as I kiss her cheek.
Caroline pulls back and looks up to me with trepidation, hope and... love that I feel inside my own chest.
We softly giggle when the babies decide to give a kick out as if pushing Caroline to take the leap. There’s a poignant beauty in this moment, as Caroline takes in the scene before her. It’s a snapshot of a newfound family coming together, of bonds forged in unexpected circumstances. I can see the love and longing in Caroline’s eyes, a reflection of the deep connection she hopes to have with her child.
“Okay, I’m ready to go in,” she whispers.
As Caroline and I step into the hospital room, there’s a collective shift in attention. Eve, engrossed in the movie doesn’t notice us. Alexa looks up first, her eyes widening with surprise as she sees the both of us enter.
“Hi Mommy, Auntie Cawo,” Alexa says, her voice filled with excitement as she jumps down from the bed and runs full speed to greet us.
“Aunty Cawo, do you wants to meet my new fwiend, she’s so nice, come meet Evie,” Alexa says grabbing hold of Caroline’s hand, pulling her straight to the chair beside the bed.
Caroline’s expression softens as she comes face to face with her child for the very first time. The room is filled with a sense of anticipation and joy as Caroline and Eve’s eyes find each other and take each other in. I move to stand beside Alexander with tears rolling down my face, and he pulls me in front of him and wraps me in his strong arms so I can see Caroline and Eve’s exchange unfold.
“Aunty Cawo, this is my new fwiend Evie, she loves to colow, and Evie, this is my mommy’s sistaw Auntie Cawo.” Alexa says while climbing back onto the bed to be next to Eve.
Eve’s looking between Caroline and me and then she smiles.
“Hi,” she whispers, “you look the same as Lily,” Eve notes.
Caroline lip quirks, “That’s because we’re identical twins, which means we look the same, but we are a little different now that we’re older.”
Eve turns to Alexa in awe but with a hint of sadness in her voice when she says, “Wow,” she shakes her little head, “you’re so lucky Lexi, you have a Mommy and an Auntie.”
Tiny senses the time to tell Eve has come and picks up a chair and steps over to Caroline and sits down next to her, enveloping her hand in his for support.
“Eve, what were you told about your mommy?” Tiny asks softly.
Eve’s face saddens, “She died when she was having me.”
Caroline gasps and a sob escapes her at hearing this news and it breaks my heart. Eve looks at Caroline with a worried look on her little face.
“Sweetheart, your daddy was wrong, you do have a Mommy.” Tiny says soothingly.
Eve’s eyes widen at the same time Alexa gasps and wraps her arms around Eve for comfort.
“You do have a Mommy, Evie, yaw lucky too.”
“Where is my mommy, how do I find her?” Eve cries.
“I’m your mommy, sweetie,” Caroline smiles, “can I give you a cuddle?”
“Oh wow, say yes, Evie, Aunty Cawo is weally nice and gives good cuddles,” Alexa chimes in reassuringly having Eve’s back.
Eve nods and Caroline reaches her arms out for Eve to take comfort in her offered arms, and it doesn’t take her long. Eve climbs onto her mommy’s lap and Caro instantly wraps her arms around Eve holding her tightly to her chest. Their embrace seems to suspend time, as the rest of us watch, feeling the weight of this special moment. As Caroline and Eve pull apart, their eyes meet, and for a moment, the rest of the world fades away.
“Are you really my mommy?” Eve whispers.
Caroline smiles warmly, “I am baby, I’d like to get to know you if you’ll let me.”
“Yes, please, I always wanted a Mommy, c-can I live w-with you?”
Caroline stiffens and looks to me and Alexander with worry etched on her face, wondering what to say.
“Doc, what if Caroline and Eve move into the spare apartment?” Alexander questions, asking more than what he’s saying. I tilt my head back to look up at his handsome face in awe and love, so much love because this man, my man, he never ceases to amaze me.
Doc smiles, “I think that would be a brilliant idea, we’re all available to help and I can be of assistance.”
I turn to look back at Caroline and her eyes fill with tears as she looks at Alexander and I mouthing a ‘thank you’.
“Thank you, Handsome.” I whisper and Alexander leans his head down and kisses my forehead.
Caroline turns back to Eve and nods, “Yes, baby girl, I would love to have you live with me.”
Eve starts crying and hugs into Caroline’s chest and buries her head.
“So, does that mean Evie is family?” Alexa asks with a curious expression.
“Yes, Lovebug, Eve is your cousin my little love.” I say to her.
“Hooyah!” Alexa cries bouncing on her knees and clapping her little hands.
“Hooyah!” We all reply as one.
Caroline and Eve jump a little look around seeing it’s a happy response. I stand here observing silently, and I can’t help but feel a surge of warmth filling my heart. In this exact moment, there is an extraordinary depth of emotion being here, witnessing a mother and child be united for the first time. It is a moment I’m sure we will all remember for the rest of our lives.
We introduce Caroline officially to the rest of the team who she hasn’t met since our rescue, and I watch as she takes in all these people that are welcoming her into the fold and It’s a beautiful site.
Alexa raise her hands to be picked up but I point to the chair because lifting Alexa isn’t doable at this point in my pregnancy. I sit down and Alexa climbs straight onto my lap and wraps herself around my belly and starts stroking her brothers.
“We haves a cousin, boys, she’s a nice girl, she has blonde haiw and blue eyes just like ouw mommy and Aunty Cawo. And guess what, she had nevaw seen a movie and I gots to show hew me and Mommy’s favowite movie.”
Alexa kisses my tummy and raises her face to look at me, “Can Evie have a sleepova Mommy I’d likes to show hew my woom and all my books, I was telling hew about all my things, can we gets Evie some pwetty things too?”
I smile, “Yes, we most certainly will get Eve some beautiful things of her own. Regarding the sleepover, we’ll have to ask Uncle Doc, okay sweet girl.”
No quicker have I gotten my response out, Alexa slides off my lap and runs over to Doc who picks her up and swings her around.
Trying to whisper Alexa asks, “Uncle Doc, can Evie and Aunty Cawo have a sleepova, please. I wants to show hew my woom and she can sleep in my bed and we can wead stowies.”
Doc smiles, “I think that’s a good idea, do you want to go ask Auntie Cawo?” Doc whispers back.
Alexa kisses Doc on the cheek and wriggles to get down. Doc bends to lower her and Alexa’s legs are already running before they hit the ground.
“Aunty Cawo, I asked Uncle Doc if you and Evie could have a sleepova and he said yes, and that I can ask you. I’d love Evie to sleepova in my bed so we can wead stories, can we please, oh, and you too Auntie, please.”
Caroline looks over at us and we nod encouragingly.
“I think we’d like that, thank you sweetheart.”
I watch as my daughter and niece whisper like they’re making secret plans while Caroline still holds her daughter in her arms and it makes me smile. I never thought telling Caroline, let alone introducing them would go this smooth, but it always comes back to love, love is such a powerful emotion and has the capacity to heal.