Blinking back tears I looked down at Andy who was sleeping in my arms, his tiny fingers wrapped around mine and arm which was in a cast up to his shoulder, poking out awkwardly. The entire left side of his face was black and blue, however after asking multiple times, I’d been assured and reassured he was fine.
Taking a deep breath I looked down at Destiny lying in the hospital bed infront of me, her chin and jaw bruised and ugly blotchy blue color, as well as her collarbone which had snapped leaving her in a shoulder splint and a sling.
Her eyes were closed but she wasn’t sleeping, the tears rolling down her cheeks made that obvious.
Sighing, I let my eyes wander down from her face to her stomach which was more or less flat, the babies, my babies, our babies who had dwelt there, long gone.
Suddenly the door swung open and a nurse walked in, smiling at me sympathetically before fiddling with the IV in Destiny’s arm before walking out again.
Once she was gone, the door swinging closed behind her, Destiny moved, wincing in pain before settling back.
“How-um-how are you feeling?” I questioned, breaking the silence which had enveloped the room since I’d arrived that morning after taking a Red eye flight from China.
Her lip quivering Destiny shifted her eyes towards me.
Sighing I leaned forward and careful not to jostle Andy, wiped away the tears rolling down her cheeks.
Squeezing her eyes tightly closed she reached behind her and wincing pulled out two pieces of paper. Wordlessly she handed them to me.
Confused I took the pieces of paper and looked down at them, my heart dropping as I realized what they were, birth certificates.
“Edward Isaac Irwin and Emilia Elise Irwin.” I read quietly
“They were so cute.” She whispered, speaking for the first time.
“What?” I questioned, tearing my gaze away from the birth certificates and to her pained face, “You saw them?”
“I delivered them.” She mumbled.
“You did?” I asked.
Her chin wobbling, she nodded, “I got to hold them.” She whispered, “They were tiny, so tiny. But the nose..his nose. It was yours.”
“Des.” I breathed.
I’m sorry Ashton.” She sniffed, “This is all my fault.”
“No.” I said quickly, brushing her hair back off of her face, “Don’t say that, it’s not, not at all.”
“Ashton I killed them!” she sobbed, “I killed our kids!”
“It was an accident.” I assured her, “It was just an accident.”
“I’m sorry.” She choked out, “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s horrible.” I whispered, rubbing my fingertips through her hair, “And awful, but… we’ll never forget them, I promise. And things could have been worse, you could have gotten seriously hurt and Andy....I don’t even want to think about what could have happened.”
“Do you hate me?” she whispered.
“No!” I said quickly, “Never. Destiny….I love you, I always have and I always will. And nothing will ever change that, I promise.”
Destiny nodded sadly.
Smiling sadly I leaned down to kiss her. Closing my eyes I waited for her lips to meet mine however they didn’t.
