Chapter Four
AVERY RESTS BACK AGAINST her chair as she tosses the last ball of wrapping paper from the large box containing a super-sized pack-n-play.
“You guys, this is too much. You’ve bought everything we could possibly need and then some.”
“Well, sweetheart, that’s what baby showers are for,” Amy responds tearfully.
She takes a handkerchief up to her eyes and wipes delicately before turning back to her husband, asking him to help Logan load the presents into her SUV out front.
Austin speaks up as he and Brooks shoulder a few large boxes and packages of diapers, “Dad, we’ll help then we can tackle Nikki’s load.”
Avery and Nikki watch as the family quickly make work of the mound before them while Amy hands each of the mothers-to-be another piece of cake and a glass of water.
“I’m sorry Melanie, Max, and your aunt Andrea couldn’t make it,” Avery mentions to Nikki as she takes another bite of the strawberry flavored cake.
“I know; poor Andrea has a stomach bug and both Melanie and Max couldn’t get out of work. But it was sweet of them to send us gifts.”
Avery nods in agreement and looks back out to the crowd in the tent.
“I owe Melanie for every bit of happiness in my life. She’s the one that convinced me to come on this journey. I can’t imagine what my life would look like or how lonely I would be without listening to her.”
Placing her plate back on the table, Nikki reaches out a hand and Avery follows suit, placing her fingers within Nikki’s.
“You’ll never have to find out. We all love you so much, Avery. That one especially,” she winks as she looks out towards where Logan and Austin jokingly shove each other out of the door.
“He is my everything. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have him love me.”
Squeezing her hand tightly Nikki replies, “You’re very easy to love.”
Soon Avery and Nikki find themselves surrounded by their sisters and other women living in Carson while they fill their glasses of Sangria. This moment right here is everything Avery imagined, a life of love and family.
Another Braxton Hicks contraction ravages through her body and her hand begins to shake whilst holding her glass of water, spilling the liquid on her dress. Only Sydney seems to notice and she eyes Avery suspiciously as Avery shakes her head subtly.
Remembering the tips Dr. Burnett gave her, Avery takes a few small breathes and a few small sips of water. The contractions immediately lessen and Avery breathes a sigh of relief and joins back into the conversation.
“So Avery, do you have any hopes of what the genders may be?” Shirley asks from her perch beside her sister Temple.
Avery smiles as she caresses her belly, “I don’t have a preference, I just want them healthy.
Logan though is hoping for girls, strangely enough.
He says he wants little me’s running around the house.
I’m just glad that the main rooms in the new house are done.
Trying to make gender neutral rooms is not an easy task, but I think we came up with some good options when we get started. ”
“Well, healthy is key. I’m sure our father was devastated to get two girls when he was hoping for a boy, luckily he got Fred the next year to make up for it,” Shirley tacks on as she takes a sip of her drink.
One of the babies kicks her bladder and Avery finds herself pushing up from the chair to use the bathroom, but as she moves to stand up a jolt of pain, unlike anything she has ever felt shoots across her abdomen and spine.
“Ah!” she cries out in pain shocking the crowd around her.
“Avery?” Nikki questions before shouting Logan’s name at the top of her lungs while placing a gentle hand on Avery’s back.
The group of men pours into the tent with panicked looks on their faces, but none as panicked as Logan’s.
“Sweetheart, is it the Braxton Hicks?”
Avery sharply inhales a gasp of air as the contraction passes.
“Something is wrong. I can feel it. Something isn’t right, Logan,” she yells as she begins to breakdown from her emotional turmoil.
Suddenly she hears Brooks taking charge and bringing forth the woman that had been sitting with Nikki’s father at dinner.
“Mr. Connelly,” he begins as she shouts over to Avery’s father, “contact Dr. Burnett and Asheville Medical. Now, Avery, tell me what’s wrong. What do you feel?”
Avery begins to breathe heavy staccato breaths as another contraction rips across her body, she braces her hands on her knees as she closes her eyes in despair.
Once the pain subsides she replies to Brooks, “I’m having severe pain across my abdomen and spine. It’s nothing like the Braxton Hicks, but the pain is sharp and concentrated on my left side.”
Brooks nods his head and looks over to Dr. Long who shakes her head once.
“Ok, I’d like to check you out with Dr. Long and we can determine if you’re in labor. There is a possibility of the placenta pulling away from the uterine wall or rupturing, but I don’t know until we get an ultrasound. Do you think you can make it to the clinic?”
She doesn’t have a chance to reply as another cramp moves across her abdomen.
“Doc, the medevac will be here in fifteen minutes, Dr. Burnett felt it was necessary. He contacted the doctor on call at Asheville.”
“Good, alright, Avery, I need you to take a few deep breaths and I am going to get Logan to help carry you into the house. Amy, can you place a clean sheet across any bed or couch we can place Avery on? And a few clean blankets in case we and up delivering?”
The crowd stands staring at Brooks until he finally turns his attention over his shoulder to address Amy directly.
“Oh, yes,” she exclaims as she clamors towards the house with Avery’s sisters trailing behind.
Logan lifts her into his arms and he follows her family as the remaining crowd continues to stare in awe until Temple shouts, “We’re going to have some babies!” which prompts the crowd to erupt in cheers.
The door to the house closes behind Cassidy and Avery feels lowered to the bed in the guest bedroom downstairs.
Logan takes a perch next to her and Amy takes a place on the other side, each grabbing one of her hands.
“I’m so scared, Logan,” Avery whisper across her shoulder.
“You’re going to do great.”
“But it’s too early! They shouldn’t be here yet.”
“Everything will be ok, Avery. I promise you,” he adds as he places a gentle kiss on her lips.
“It’s actually common for twins to come early, they run out of room. I had the boys at thirty-one weeks,” Amy adds hoping to defuse some of Avery’s fright, but as another contraction ripples across her body she can do nothing but squeeze their hands to diffuse the pain.
After the contraction passes Avery focuses on the movement on the other side of the room.
Brooks directs Sydney and Everleigh towards two separate areas and places a blanket of shiny material pulled from Joseph’s fire and rescue box into each of their arms as Cassidy stands with clean white blankets in her arms to receive the babies.
“Ok, Avery, I’m going to have Dr. Long check you to see how far along you are.
If we think that you’re going to deliver then we will do it here, I don’t want to wait, it could be too risky.
I keep a medical bag in my car with all of the proper instruments and they’re wrapped and sterilized.
You have nothing to worry about. Understand? ”
Avery nods her head in agreement, but can’t help but feel a sense of fear wash over her when she sees the gleam of uncertainty in his eyes.
“Here is your bag, doc,” her father says from the door as he holds out the black leather satchel.
“Avery,” Dr. Long gently commands as she places a sheet over Avery’s lap then bends her legs, raising her knees towards the ceiling. “I’m going to check to see how your dilation and effacement are progressing, alright?”
Avery finds herself nodding even though her subconscious is riddled with fear, but Dr. Long presents an innate calmness that puts her at ease.
“You’re going to feel a bit of pressure, ok? Let me know if you feel another contraction coming on, we’ll want that to pass first.”
Through a hiss, Avery claims that she feels one coming on and then grips down on Logan’s hand with all her might.
“You’re doing great, sweetheart,” he clamors out as he brushes a kiss on the top of her head.
Dr. Long waits patiently until Avery gives her a small nod of her head letting the doctor know that the contraction has passed.
As she tries to take her mind off of the pain and shock Avery turns towards Logan and apologizes.
“I’m so sorry, Logan. I should have gone on bed rest sooner and then this wouldn’t have happened. This is all my fault.”
“Don’t blame yourself for any of this, you have been amazing. I love you very much, Avery.”
“Dr. McCafferty,” the doctor addresses as she turns towards Brooks. “We have 100 percent effacement and ten centimeters of dilation. The first baby’s head is down and in position, we’re going to need to break her water and deliver as soon as possible.”
“Oh,” Avery gasps as she feels wetness pool around her and then excruciating pain tearing across her body.
Dr. Long and Brooks pull their attention towards her and both begin yanking on latex gloves from a box in the satchel while Brooks directs Nikki to lay out the packaged, sterilized medical tools and to unwrap the two packaged surgical gowns and masks.
“You’re very prepared,” Nikki adds as she meticulously lays out the utensils then opens the plastic bags.
Brooks shrugs his shoulders and admits, “You never know when you may come across an accident or worse. I like to have everything available that I can.”
“Well, we’re thankful for it,” Amy adds as she brushes back some loose strands of Avery’s hair away from her face.
Avery watches as the two doctors suit up as if they’re in a world-class operating room, not a small guest room in a brick house filled to the max with people.
“Alright, let’s have some babies,” Dr. Long states gleefully as she claps her hands before Avery screams into the room as another contraction immobilizes her body.
***