A Love Worth Fighting For

Ch. 23

A short few weeks after I graduated, I went to see my doctor and was immediately placed on bed rest. I told her about how the boys did the morning of and during graduation and she was afraid that I was going to overdue it and push myself into an early labor. She wanted me to carry them at least until 34-36 weeks. I was at least able to watch Mikey graduate before all of this.

Between Hannah and Clay, I was waited on hand and foot. I didn't have to stay in the bed but if I was downstairs, I had to have my feet propped up. I could get use to it but at the same time, after two weeks, I was going crazy.

Mom would come over and help out a lot also. My sisters didn't really bother coming to help but Lacey would come over to ask questions about wedding planning. She was still asking for dads dog tags to wrap around her bouquet and finally mom got between us.

"Lacey, you are not getting married for two more years now. You are not taking the tags. Clay had them for a reason several years back. Your dad wanted Claire to have them. Now, you know your sister is not to be stressed because your nephews are not ready to be born yet so I advise you to leave. Her. Alone."

I wanted to clap for mom but I was also embarrassed for Lacey. Lacey stormed out that day and she hasn't come back since. I didn't currently care because I didn't have her breathing down my back and besides, my wedding would happen before hers. We just had to have these babies first.

"Claire, oh my goodness, look what we found for the boys," Haylee and Hannah gasped, walking through the door one Thursday afternoon.

They proceeded to drop a couple of shopping bags. They went through and showed all the little outfits they bought. Two in each one. My favorite, of course, was a little Army green onesie that said, Daddy is my Hero. I already wanted pictures taken with Clays dog tags and his fatigue hat or have the boys wrapped up in his jacket or use it in the background.

One morning as I was getting up to go to the bathroom, I felt a pull in my stomach. I had been feeling them off and on all night but they didn't hurt like this. I wasn't sure what labor felt like but I was certain I was in labor now. I looked down at my watch to try and time it.

I couldn't get up so I just sat there on the edge of the bed just staring at the wall. When it eased up, I was looking at my watch. When the next one hit, it was right at eight minutes. I started breathing through it and once it eased up, I hollered for Clay. He was upstairs a few seconds later.

"What's up?"

"I'm in labor," I said.

"What?" he asked, his face blanching. "You can't be. It's not time. It's still too early."

"Well, you tell your sons that because these boys are ready."

"Are you sure it's not Braxton Hicks?" he asked.

"Pretty sure," I said and another one hit me.

"Hannah! Mikey! All hands on deck!" he said, rushing out of the bedroom.

I could hear him hollering commands. Hannah rushed into the bedroom and grabbed mine and Clays hospital bag. Mikey was apparently on calls duty. He called my mom first and then Brent and Haylee.

"How far apart are they?" he rushed in a asked.

"About six minutes now," I answered.

He didn't hesitate and walked over to the bed and picked me up. On the way downstairs, Hannah had already had our bags in the car and she and Mikey were climbing in the backseat.