TENACITY

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Friday, October 14, 2016

Royals Private Hospital

After 7 weeks of pain and a lot of bonding—as well as tears shed over improvements—the twins were being discharged. They were now 16 inches long each, and while Kyleigh weighed 5 pounds 7 ounces, Rhett weighed 6 pounds—great progress.

Trey had been a supportive husband during Lexi's recovery the first few weeks, doubling as the babies' cheerleader. Though they had still been learning about their surroundings, Trey had bought each of them small toys to dangle above them in their incubators.

Lexi had wondered if it was safe, but in just a week and a few days, Dr. Arslan had reported that it was activating their motor skills and that they'd started trying to reach for them.

Overjoyed, they'd spent extra time holding their babies and sitting very close together, watching while the babies touched and cooed at each other. It had been quite obvious that they already knew each other, and they'd seen proof somewhat one night.

Winslet had experienced recurrent episodes of apnea and for the most part, Trey had remained calm. But Rhett had cried every time it had happened, like he could feel his sister's struggles and was scared for her—it had broken Lexi's heart. Trey had had to calm both his son and woman down, leaving him thoroughly exhausted when the whole ordeal came to an end.

When they'd started feeding by mouth, Ashley had been more than glad to shop for preemie clothes with Lexi—overalls and sleep suits with buttons all the way. That was advised for easy wear because of their delicate skin. Also, the space in between the buttons allowed the wires connected to stay intact while they kept warm.

They'd also talked to Samantha and Mitchell over video conference during the first week, where Mitchell had basically blown up at Trey for keeping it from them. To be fair, he deserved that. Then the following week, they were visiting with their little one.

Their friends became a constant at the hospital like they had, visiting and making them healthy meals so they could focus on their health and that of the babies—especially when Lexi began pumping for them during the third week. They'd started sucking themselves sometime after that, leaving Lexi a bundle of emotions.

It had also surprised Lexi to find Trey had been serious when he'd asked what would happen to any extra milk. Once, after a feeding, he'd licked then sucked briefly at her still dripping breast, leaving her baffled.

The worst part was that the babies' nurses had returned to reattach the wires, only to find him doing that. They'd hurried out of the room, their faces red with embarrassment. 

And they had probably told their colleagues.

Because all of a sudden, nurses were blushing extra hard whenever Trey passed especially when he forgot to button his shirt back up after a session of kangaroo bonding with their babies. Trey had gone to 'settle' it, and Lexi hadn't seen those two nurses around her kids anymore—which was probably for the best.

But then the paparazzi caught wind of the fact that she'd given birth prematurely, and again when the babies were being discharged. They had come in their numbers, flooding the entire front yard of the hospital, spilled out of the gates and onto the street.

Trey had gone out to meet the paparazzi alone. When they'd begun yelling questions, especially inquiring about the whereabouts of his family, Trey had shut them up by ordering them to be quiet. Then said, "I understand that you have jobs to do. But this is my private life, and I'm asking—nicely—that you allow my family and I to enjoy it alone."