Painful Love

Chapter 19: New Life

The driver pulled up to the hospital doors. "Wait here," Ashley said, "I'm going to go get a wheelchair."

I nodded my head and tried to steady my breath; I needed to relax. Soon Ashley came back with the wheelchair and opened the door. Helping me into the chair, he wheeled me inside, then stopped at the front desk. The head nurse gave Ashley and I a funny look considering the fact that we were still in our wedding clothes. "My wife here, uhm.. her water broke and her contractions are close together," Ashley said.

The nurse stood up and came around and pushed me into a room. Ashley followed us, but then the nurse said, "I'm going to need you to leave for a second while she changes."

Ashley nodded and left the room, he took out his phone and called everyone to come.

The nurse then handed me a hospital gown and said, "Do you need help getting out of your dress?"

I sighed. "Yes, please." I turned around and she united the bow and helped me out of it. She then placed it in the chair as I put the gown on. I could feel another contraction coming and I sat down on the bed and tried to get past the pain. Once it passed, the nurse began to check me in, taking my blood pressure and hooking my stomach up to countless monitors. "Can you let Ashley come back in?" I asked her.

"Sure," she said, opening the door to get Ashley. He came in and sat down next to me holding my head. Before the nurse left, she said, "The doctor will be in here any minute."

Ashley turned and looked at me. "Are you nervous?"

I gave him a look. "Of course I am." I then gasped and squeezed Ashley's hand as I had another contraction. I breathed quickly.

"Just relax." Ashley said calmly.

Soon my contraction was over and I sighed. "Where is that doctor at?" I snapped.

Ashley shook his head and sighed. "He better hurry."

The next thing we knew was the doctor walked in and sat down. He put my legs up on the stirrups and checked on everything. "Well," he started, "you're about fully dilated."

I looked at Ashley then back at the doctor. "And?"

He got up and started preparing the table for the birth of the twins. "Looks like there's about to be someone's birthday quite soon."

"Like right now?" Ashley said, sounding anxious and scared.

"Aw, is someone nervous?" I laughed, but I was cut off by more pain.

"I'll be right back, and then you can begin pushing," the doctor said as he left.

I looked over at Ashley. "You ready to be a dad?"

"More than ever," he replied.

Soon the doctor came in and two nurses followed him. "First time?" asked one of the nurses, checking the machines next to me. I nodded, and she said, "Good luck," and smiled.

I then felt more searing pain and screamed. "Can I get anything for the pain?" I asked.

The doctor checked again and said, "Sorry, but you're just too far along, the first baby is crowning." I sighed through the pain. "You're going to have to push now."

I gripped Ashley's hand tight as I pushed for the first time. The doctor said, "Come on, keep going."

I was practically screaming and squeezing the life out of Ashley's hand as I pushed harder. I pushed a couple more times and I then heard the most beautiful sound in my life: the cry of a baby girl. My first baby girl.

"Do you want to cut the cord?" the doctor asked Ashley. Ashley let go of my hand and cut the cord. The nurse took the baby girl to clean her off. Ashley sat back down smiling and he grabbed my hand again.

The doctor said, "The next one should be along soon." I tried to calm down the best I could, but then the doctor said, "Okay, I'm going to need you to start pushing again." I nodded and squeezed Ashley's hand again. Pushing like my life depended on it, I let out another scream. "Okay," the doctor said, "one more big push!"

I pushed and then I heard the scream of my second baby girl. I let tears of happiness fall down my face as Ashley cut her cord, and the nurse took her away to clean her off.

Soon the two nurses handed Ashley and I our babies. "What are you two going to name them?" the nurse asked.

I smiled, looking at my baby and lightly tracing her small face with my finger. "I like the name Stefani-Lynn." I looked at Ashley, slightly pointing at the other girl with my head. "You can pick for her."

He grinned, looking at me, then the baby. After a pause, he said, "Skylar Rose."

I grinned, practically oozing with happiness. "So," I started, "you ready to be a family?"

He gave me a smile. "Bring it on."

Hours later, the doctors let me in the waiting room, even though I had to stay in a wheelchair. Ashley wheeled me to the familiar eight people that were waiting for me. They all erupted in smiles and happy comments.

Sammi came over to my chair, holding my hand. "How do you feel?"

"Exhausted," I sighed out. "But happy. It was totally worth it."

"And what about you, tough guy?" she playfully asked Ashley. "Ready to be a dad?"

"Trust me, I'll treat those girls like princesses," Ashley said in return.

Everyone came around to Ashley and I, talking and congratulating us on being parents. I smiled, taking a sigh. Today started a new chapter towards my new life. And I couldn't wait.