Trusting (KTH)

Chapter 64

A few months later Clara began to feel the first twinges of labor. She knew it was coming any day but Taehyung was still working, hoping to spend as much time at the company as he could so he could more easily take time off after the baby arrived. She called Taehyung but his phone went to voicemail so she instead reached out to Taehyung's parents, asking them to come over so they could keep an eye on the boys while she went to have the baby.

Clara's next few calls to Taehyung also went to voicemail so she eventually resorted to calling Namjoon and asking if he could help her locate Taehyung.

"Hey Clara, is everything ok?" Namjoon answered the call after the first ring.

"Hey Joon, I need to find Taehyung but he isn't answering his phone, can you..." Clara paused as she hunched over in pain at the contraction.

"Clara? Clara, are you ok? Do you need me to send an ambulance?"

Eventually Clara recovered enough to speak again. "No, I'm fine, but the baby is coming. Please tell Taehyung to call me right away. The twins were so fast I don't want to wait very long to go to the hospital."

"Let me send a manager over with a car right now so they can bring you to the hospital. If I can find Taehyung right away he can ride with them, otherwise they can pick him up on the way to the hospital or he can meet you there. I don't want you to worry about anything. I'll get everything started and I promise Taehyung isn't going to miss it this time, ok? Just call me if you need anything else at all."

Clara thanked Namjoon and went to go and grab her bag, double checking to ensure it had everything she needed. Taehyung's parents had just arrived and the boys were settled with her father-in-law while her mother-in-law was following Clara around, making sure she was safely upright and ensuring she had remembered absolutely anything she might need.

Clara was thankful to hear the gate to their small compound open and even more so when she heard the front door fling open and Taehyung calling her name. She trusted he'd make it this time, but she wanted him to be there for as much of the experience as possible. She both needed his strength and support and remembered how terribly disappointed she was last time when everything happened without him.

Taehyung quickly bustled Clara into the car, making sure she was comfortable and buckled in safely before jogging to his own side of the car. "How are you feeling? Good?" Clara could see the anxiety in her husband's face.

"Taehyung, it's going to be fine, I promise. This first part is painful but we just have to work through it."

"Ok, ok. Namjoon already told Dr. Park so the hospital is expecting you. They will have a private room ready by the time we arrive." Taehyung continued to mumble to himself all of the other plans that were in motion, his parents were watching the boys, the bag was in the car, their doctor was on call. Clara couldn't help but giggle to herself as her husband ran through his mental checklist over and over, ensuring he hadn't forgotten anything.

Reaching over the seat she grabbed his hand. "Tae, it's going to be fine. The only thing that is really required is you and me. The baby will come when she's ready. If I made it through twins on my own, this one is going to be easy, I promise."

Over the next several hours as Taehyung saw the pain that his wife was in, he couldn't imagine how she could possibly say this was easy. If this was easy, he didn't even want to think about what it was like to have the twins all alone and without any medication to assist with what looked like absolutely agonizing contractions. He felt every contraction like a stab to his heart, hating to see Clara experience any difficulty at all.

Taehyung was both terrified and relieved when the doctors told them it was time for Clara to push. He offered her his hand, once again feeling a twinge of regret that he wasn't here to do the same when the boys were born. Clara began to push with each contraction, squeezing Taehyung's hand as he flooded her with encouragement. After each big effort he would gently wipe the sweat off her brow then cover it with kisses. He nuzzled his nose against hers, whispering words of affirmation and encouragement during the brief pauses between contractions.

"Ok Clara, it's time for a big push now. The baby's head is ready to come. Give this one everything you have."

Clara pushed with all her might, eyes squished shut and tears leaking down her face. She grunted at the effort while Taehyung encouraged her to keep going, keep pushing, keep going.

Eventually she was able to pause for a breath, but only for a moment before the doctor was encouraging her again. "This is the last one, I know it's hard, but just think that after this last big effort you'll have the baby in your hands. As soon as you're ready, push hard."

Clara took one last deep breath and bore down as hard as she could, drowning out nearly everything around her. It was time to get this done.

A cry broke through the silence then a rush of noise and people quickly moving around her which finally helped her return to the present. Nurses were rushing to her bedside and Clara immediately panicked.

It didn't take her very long to discover Taehyung collapsed on the floor. Several nurses were checking on him while the doctor was holding the crying baby.

"Wha...what happened?" Clara looked around in confusion.

"Sometimes our dad's aren't quite up to the birth experience. It looks like your husband fainted, but don't worry, we'll get him back upright in no time."

Clara's eyes were wide but she carefully took the baby that was handed to her, pulling down her gown so the baby could lay on her skin directly. By now Taehyung was moving and gathering his weight up on his hands and knees. When he looked up at her she could see his nose was starting to bleed from where he banged it when he fell.

"Tae!" Clara cried out, totally immobilized with the baby on her chest.

"I'm ok, just give me a minute to sit down." The nurses had helped Taehyung onto the small cot and after he was laying down they elevated his feet, one nurse stepping out to get a small apple juice to help raise his blood sugar.

It was only a few minutes before Taehyung seemed to have recovered and had turned to face her, the nurses insisting he stay laying on the cot for the time being. "I'm so sorry Clara, I don't know what happened. I just...one minute I was with you and the next..."

Clara looked at her husband with sympathetic eyes, but before long she began to giggle, eventually turning into full on laughter that brought tears to her eyes.

"Oh Tae, I'm so sorry to laugh, but it is kind of funny. You know the guys are going to be merciless teasing you about this. And I can't wait to tell Namjoon. He PROMISED me that you'd be with me the whole time this time around."

"Or we could just not tell them?" Taehyung looked at Clara with his puppy dog eyes.

"I'll think about it." Clara responded coyly.

"I guess I'll take that as a 'no' then", Taehyung playfully glared at her.

It took a bit longer, but eventually Clara's doctor had declared her ready to rest and Taehyung was permitted to come see Clara and the baby. They only asked that he hold the baby sitting down at first just to ensure everyone's safety.

Taehyung didn't want to take the baby from Clara's arms, she looked so right and content snuggled up with his wife, he really couldn't imagine separating them. Instead he gently stroked the little girl's cheek.

"Hello little bird, welcome to our family. You will never be more loved than you are in our chaotic and happy home. I promise I'll give you the whole world. All you have to do is grow up to be strong and kind, just like your mama. You have two big brothers that will also watch out for you. But right now you should just rest. Your mama gives the best hugs and love, so that's the perfect place for you right now."

The little girl looked toward him with wide eyes and he moved to gently brush back her big shock of black hair with his fingertips.

"Well Clara, nothing in our life ever goes quite as planned, but it always turns out good in the end doesn't it."

Clara gently nodded. "No it doesn't, but I think you're right. It's perfect just the way it is because it is our story."