The Player's Losing Hand - (Love Island the Game FanFiction)

Chapter 20: Heart to Heart - Bra Sisters

Skye sat in the café finishing her lunch and talking to Chelsea on the phone. She and Henrik had their appointments with the high risk pregnancy OB and Perinatologist earlier, then had come for a bite to eat before heading back to work.

Henrik had just left the café and Skye was just enjoying the last of her iced tea before heading off to work herself when Chelsea called to check in.

"So, my gosh, everything seems to be happening on fast forward Chels," Skye said breathlessly. "They said it's the rarest type of twins... like 1 in 65,000 pregnancies! They are sharing the same sack and fluid.... We also learned that between 30-70% of these pregnancies end badly... That's SO SCARY CHELS! I feel like a bit of a timebomb to be honest.... because they're at risk for their umbilical cords tangling up, among other complications."

Skye took a breath trying to calm herself, then continued. "Thankfully, after I get to 24 weeks the survival rate goes up to 80%... higher with constant monitoring. Still, this is so uncommon that only 30 sets are born in the entire UK each year. In just a few weeks I will need round the clock monitoring on them." she explained. "In fact, our OB has only had 1 other patient having MoMo twins in her career... it's THAT rare."

"What does that mean then?" Chelsea asked, concern seeping through her tone.

"It means that I have to go into the hospital for constant monitoring between 24-25 weeks... through the time I deliver...so, I'm going to be living at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for the foreseeable future starting the beginning of January."

"Wait.... You're almost 22 weeks now right?!? Christmas is next week babe... are you saying you only have a few more weeks then you're on bedrest for the remainder of the pregnancy?"

"I WISH it were that simple," Skye said, trying to roll the tension out of her shoulders. "Not just bedrest...with MoMo twins I go into the hospital to STAY as soon as the twins are viable if they need to be delivered."

"WAIT.... Wait wait wait... what do you mean VIABLE?" Chelsea asked anxiously.

"It means that they could live outside of the womb with lots of neonatal care... That's after 24 weeks gestation. The GOAL though is to keep them inside me and developing until 32 weeks if at all possible. After 30 weeks the danger of cord entanglement and other complications rises so that's really max before they deliver... but my OB said to be prepared I might need to have them delivered by C-section at any time if either twin starts to struggle. Like, we could have SERIOUS preemies... I'm honestly a bit freaked out right now."

"Awww, sweetie! I wish I was there to hug you right now..." Chelsea said sadly. "But right NOW, the babies are okay right?"

"Yes, they are behaving, no issues with umbilical cords, strong heartbeats, both developing well ... the OB was amazed they weren't discovered until our last ultrasound. She said I had a 50% chance of losing them before I even knew I HAD twins! She said we've been REALLY REALLY LUCKY. Thankfully they are doing really well, no complications so far... The point is to KEEP it that way."

"What's the plan then?"

"Next week Christmas, you and Lucas are still coming right?" Skye asked.

"Wouldn't miss it! You're going to open the card with their gender in it right?" Chelsea responded excitedly.

"Yup! Christmas Eve reveal... Mum and Dad will be joining us and we'll get Henrik's family on the TV webcam from Sweden. We mailed them the card so we can open them at the same time."

"I am SOOOO Excited! How are you and Henrik doing? I bet the anticipation is killing you both!" Chelsea giggled.

"We're super excited, but now there is this extra layer of me having to go into hospital to LIVE 24/7 until the babies are born that's hanging over it all. I'm just trying to go day by day at this point honestly.... And I'm worried." Skye replied, chewing thoughtfully on her lower lip.