Ours, Together: A Teen Pregnancy Story

Chapter 15

May 3rd, 9:30 PM
10 weeks until due date

    Oliver and I enjoyed a peaceful night together with my dad. Suddenly, I started feeling pain in my belly. It steadily got worse and worse.
    "Ollie, I might be having contractions," I said, in pain. "What? You can't be! They can't be born now! It's too early!"
     "Ollie, I-" I was interrupted by a warm liquid flowing down my leg. Soon the whole seat was soaking wet. "My- my water broke," I said, on the verge of tears. I wanted my babies to be safe. It was too early for this.
Crying, we got in the car and drove to the hospital. My contractions were getting worse much more quickly than they normally do. By the time we got to the hospital, I was crying out in pain. We got inside and they immediately brought us to a labor and delivery room. We called Oliver's parents and they quickly drove over.
     I was 7 cm dialated and decided to get an epidural. The contractions slowed down after that. By midnight, I was 9 cm dialated.

1:29 AM, May 4th

Olivia was first. She looked just like my mom. Being 2 months early, they quickly took her to the ICU to make sure she was okay.
     The same happened for Madeline, who was second. Both were doing well for being so early, but they would need breathing support because their lungs simply weren't developed fully enough yet for them to breathe on their own.     
      Last was Hector. He was smaller than the other two, and wasn't moving as much. Immediately, I got concerned for him. They quickly whisked him of to the ICU. I barely had a chance to see him.
    I was happy, but also scared. Oliver wheeled over to me and I cried into his chest. "Ollie, wha-what if Hector's not okay?" I said between sobs, "What if he doesn't make it?" He assured me that he would be okay.  My dad and Oliver's parents comforted me.
    "I wish mom was here," I said to my dad. "I know, me too," he said.
    Then, a doctor came in. "Allie, I have some updates on your triplets," he stated. We all looked up and listened. "Olivia and Madeline are doing good. We're not concerned about them too much, but we will have them on a breathing machine until their lungs have developed more. That will simply take time." I listened for news about Hector. "Your 3rd baby, Hector, he's still with us. We are doing everything we can, but he doesn't have much time left. He was not quite as developed as Olivia and Madeline, which caused some issues."
    I started bawling. "H-how much time does he have left?" my dad asked. "About 30 minutes," the doctor responded. We were all shocked to hear this. Still crying, some doctors helped me into a wheelchair. Oliver and I went down to the ICU to see them. Our parents followed shortly after.
    I was wheeled in and saw my three beautiful children, side by side. They were all very small, especially Hector. I spent time with Hector, while they tried to save him. After about 10 minutes, the nurses told me he was about to go.
    We all stood(and sat) around Hector's incubator. I saw his small chest barely rising and falling. My dad snapped a picture. Even with many tubes and machines around and on him, he still looked precious and beautiful.
     I saw as he inhaled for one last time and the heart rate monitor went flat. I couldn't believe he had lived such a short life. I thought of the nursery back at home, with the H above the crib. I thought of all the boy clothes we had just for him. I remembered the blue blanket hanging over the side of the crib, next to Olivia's pink one and Madeline's purple one. I also remembered Oliver and my dad talking about how excited they were for a boy. They were going to fish with him, play sports with him. And now, my precious son was gone.
    I cried more, but held it back to care for the girls. I still had two beautiful daughters. I watched as Oliver looked adoringly at each of them.
    They let me hold Hector the first and last time. I gave him a kiss and handed him away. We were also able to hold the girls. I couldn't wait to see them grow up, but I knew I would miss them being so tiny.
    After spending time with the girls, I felt exhausted and was taken back to my room to sleep.

The next day

    Hallie and Reyna came in the next day. Hallie held Olivia and Reyna held Madeline. They were heartbroken to hear about little Hector. "She's so precious!" Hallie said. I was relieved to see my friends again after such a stressful day.

1 month later

Madeline and Olivia are still in the hospital. Today, they will be able to breathe on their own. We are excited to see them without all the tubes. Ollie and I have been staying in a hotel right by the hospital. We have been spending long hours with the girls.
    At 2:00, the doctor comes in. He removes the tubes and is glad to see them breathing well. I am overwhelmed, seeing my 1 month old daughters for the first time without breathing tubes in. I bend down and hug Oliver.

June 6th

    It has been two days since the girls' breathing tubes were removed, and today we are going home. Both Oliver and I are thrilled. We drive home, and are greeted by my dad and Oliver's parents. Ollie will be spending the summer with the girls and I. After that, they will spend the day while we are at school with Anne. They will spend the nights with me.
    When we walked inside, the girls were already asleep. Ollie, holding Olivia, wheels into their nursery. I walk in with Madeline, for the first time in my house without a baby bumb in 8 months.
    We set them down in their cribs, as they doze asleep. I look over at Hector's crib and start tearing up.
    My dad comes in behind me, with the one picture of Hector we have that he took before Hector died. It is in a pretty blue frame. He sets the picture down in the crib. I smile at my dad.
    "What are we going to do with this crib?" Oliver asks. We both know we can't just keep it in here. It will just take up room in the already tiny nursery.
    "I don't know. Maybe we can-" I say, interrupted by my phone ringing. I look down and see that it is Hallie. I press accept. "Allie, I couldn't wait any longer," she says she excitedly, "I'm not going to college. I already know what I'm doing as a job." I'm confused. "What do you mean?" I ask.

   Hallie takes a deep breath and says, "I'm pregnant. And yes, it was planned."

Thanks for reading! If you want to read more, the sequel, Vivian, is up now!

I also have a story about Hallie after this chapter ends (The Decision)