The Caseys: Family Life, Part 3

Baby Halstead #3: When...and How? - Part Two

Flashback to a week earlier – December 4, 2019
He asked Natalie to come, so that she could be here to help Alex with the twins while he and Will went out; the two husbands wanting to get a head start on their Christmas shopping, and what they are going to get. And Alex had to say, she was quite happy that Natalie was here; and not just due to the fact that she was happy to have a bit of girl time, but because she needed to talk to her sister-in-law about something that she's yet to speak to her husband about. Something that she learned at the hospital, and really needs to figure out; and she just hopes that she isn't going to be judged by her sister-in-law, which is something that she's going to say from the start as she walked into her bedroom (which is where she and her pregnant sister-in-law are going to relax today). "Okay, remember what I said. I don't want you to judge me." Natalie agreed with Alex as she said that, as that was something she can agree to do. "I promise, I won't judge you." Taking a breath, Alex agreed with her before walking over with some water, which she and Natalie both needs.

After which, she proceeded to set her bottle down on her side table while leaning over her bed. "Here, this is what Will ordered you take." Natalie laughed as she heard Alex say that, before agreeing with her. "I already checked on the kids, they are all fast asleep." Alex agreed with Natalie as she said that, before climbing into bed with her sister-in-law. "So, I can't help but wonder whether there's a reason that you needed me to come here today?" Alex sighed as Natalie asked her whether there was a reason why she needed to be here, as she wanted to make sure that she gets some help. "I just need some help with something." Natalie agreed with Alex as she said that. "With what?" Alex sighed. "So listen, I recently went to the hospital for my postnatal." Natalie agreed. "Jay mentioned that. How'd it go." Alex sighed as she looked at Natalie. "It went good, and I got some news that I was not exactly expecting." Natalie agreed with Alex as she said that. "And what would that be?" Alex sighed as she heard Natalie ask her that. "Okay, this is just between us."

Natalie agreed with Alex. "Hey, of course." Alex agreed. "So, apparently; while I was giving birth, bleeding was everywhere." Natalie agreed. "Alex, I know how things went." Alex agreed. "Well, apparently...in the middle of all of that, the doctors did something that we just found out; they gave me a tubal ligation." Natalie was a bit taken aback as she heard Alex say that. "What?" Alex agreed. "That's why you're here. I'm panicking Natalie!" Natalie then tried to calm Alex down. "Okay, slow down. First, how the hell are you feeling? Are you okay? Are you mad? How are you dealing with it?" Alex sighed. "That's why you're here. When I heard the news, I actually wasn't mad." Natalie was shocked. "Wait, what?" Alex agreed. "That's why I'm really panicking, because I felt relieved; I felt happy that it happened, even though I didn't ask them to do that. I mean..." Taking a breath, Alex just looked at her sister-in-law. "Jay is going to hate me for feeling this way, because this is not how I should be feeling right now; I should be furious, and just not happy."

Natalie shook her head as she heard Alex say that. "Hey, don't feel that way unless you really feel that way Alex. Just take a breath and talk to me. What's going on in your head?" Alex sighed as Natalie asked her that question. "I mean, I did have a hard birth. And it was....it was just a lot, and I can't help but wonder if this was how it was supposed to happen." Natalie agreed with Alex as she said that, well aware that was the case. "Okay, well I am not sure how I can tell you that." Alex agreed with Natalie, before taking a breath. "How in the world am I supposed to talk to Jay about this? How am I supposed to tell Jay that, and how am I supposed to tell my husband that I'm happy that we can't have more kids; when I love him more than anything in the entire world, and we both want kids?" Natalie agreed with Alex as she said that, well aware that was the case. "Alex, just take a breath and remember that Jay loves you; and that at the end of the day, he's always going to love you. Plus, he can't hate you when you gave him kids."

Alex agreed with her sister-in-law as she said that, glad that was the case. "I know, it's just...it's a lot to take in." Natalie agreed with Alex as she said that, well aware that was the case. "Alex, at the end of the day...you just need to be honest with him. And you need to tell him the truth, because that's what's going to make him happy. He's going to be happy that you told him the truth, and that you guys are going to be on the same page." Alex agreed with Natalie as she said that, before getting close to her; after which, she hugged her and smiled. "Thanks for giving me this advice." Natalie agreed with Alex as she said that, before smiling as she rubbed her back. "Alex, everything will work out; I promise, and Jay is just going to be happy that you told him the truth." Alex smiled as she heard Natalie say that, well aware that was the case. "I know, and I just need to take it easy and breathe." Natalie smiled as she heard Alex say that, before going to grab her hand; after which, she stroked it with her thumb and just made sure that they both relaxed.

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Taking a breath as she finished thinking about what happened a week earlier, Alex looked at her husband, who was starting to get worried, and quite concerned. "Hey, are you okay?" Alex agreed with Jay as he asked her that. "Just trying to think about what I'm going to do after I tell you something, and how you might react." Going to move towards the corner of the couch, Jay smiled as he went to sit down and then grabbed a pillow; after which, he opened his arms and looked at the woman he loves. "How about you come here? Hold me, and we can talk." Alex took a breath, before agreeing with Jay as he proceeded to crawl over to him; after which, she sat down in between his lap and proceeded to cuddle up to him (while wrapping her arms around his torso). At the same time, Jay wrapped his arms around her and smiled as he turned his head and kissed her forehead softly. "So listen, what's going on?" Alex sighed. "So first, I need to tell you something." Jay agreed with Alex as she said that. "And what's that?" Alex just sighed.

Turning her head, Alex looked up at the man she loves. "I already told Natalie this." Jay looked down at Alex as she said that. "You told my brother's wife news that you have to tell me, before you told your husband?" Alex sighed. "Jay, I needed to talk to someone I trust; someone in our family, whom I needed advice from. Please just understand and know that's how hard it is." Jay agreed with Alex as she said that, understanding why she had to talk to Natalie now; and that was due to the fact that this is something that was going to be hard for her to talk to him about. "So, what's going on?" Alex took a breath as she laid her head down on Jay's heart, and just cuddled up to him; meanwhile, Jay wrapped his arms around her back. After which, Jay turned his head and kissed her forehead softly. "So, what's going on?" Alex sighed. "Well, I recently went to my latest post-natal appointment; and I got some news that is going to change the future of us expanding our family." Jay agreed with his wife as she said that. "Is everything okay Alex?"

Alex sighed as Jay asked her that, before moving to grab her hand; after which, she intertwined their fingers and looked up at the man she loves. "Well, at my post-natal appointment; I got some news that are going to make things a bit complicated, when it came to us expanding our family and having another baby." Jay was a bit confused as he heard Alex say that, before moving to kiss the back of her hand. "And what news would that be?" Alex took a breath as she looked up at the man she loves. "Jay, I can't get pregnant again." Jay looked down at Alex as she said that, before rubbing her back. "Hey, is that due to the fact that you're still scared from the last time you gave birth? Because if that's why, then I understand...and we can..." Alex shook her head. "Jay, no. You need to take what I said literally....I literally can't get pregnant again." Jay was a bit confused as he heard Alex say that. "And why's that?" Alex sighed as she looked into Jay's eyes. "You remember how I was bleeding after giving birth?" Jay agreed with his wife. "Oh god, now that was scary."

Alex agreed with her husband as he told her that, well aware that was the case. "And it was also a risk to my health, so much so that the doctors had to do something drastic to save my life. Something I just found out at my post-natal appointment." Jay agreed with Alex as she said that. "And are you going to share with me what that is?" Alex agreed with Jay, while taking a breath. "As part of them controlling the bleeding, they had to do a tubal ligation." Jay was a bit confused. "What's that?" Alex sighed, before telling Jay.

"It's permanent, surgical birth control...which means that I only have a 0.5% chance of ever getting pregnant again."