Dream Big (Sequel to Dreamer)

Chapter One

Tia's POV

I was sitting on the couch, my knee shaking up and down. Chandler was serious about the baby. He wanted another kid. I wasn't so sure. I never told Chandler, but I had to now.

"Mrs. Riggs?" The doctor asked, tapping the door as she came in. I pulled the blanket over my baby's face and my chest. "Yes?" I asked quietly, glancing at my other baby in her cot. Chandler was downstairs in the cafeteria. Dr. Ray walks in with a tablet, a serious look on her face. "Is everything alright with my twins?" I ask, worried. "Yes, yes, your twins are perfectly fine." She assures me, and I let out a relieved sigh. "Mrs. Riggs, I pray that you're done having children..." Dr. Ray said gently, and I nearly drop Jackson. "Wh-What...?" I squeak, and Dr. Ray pats my leg. "It wasn't until we did the c-section that we saw what the twins were doing to you. Because you are so petite they not only stretched out your uterus beyond belief, but they squished your Fallopian tubes and ovaries against your other organs. It is unlikely you'll be able to conceive and carry to full term another child." She finishes, and I struggle not to drop Jackson once more.

"Chandler..." I whisper, and he looks at me, hope filling his eyes. "Yes, Tia?" He asks, and I know what I'm about to say is going to hurt him. "We um..." I start, but I quickly change my mind. I can't hurt him. "We can try..." I tell him, and I feel guilt as soon as I do. Chandler picks me up, spinning me around. I didn't understand why he wanted another child, but I couldn't deny him this right. I hug him tightly, my guilt consuming me. I tangle my fingers in his hair, doing everything I could to keep the tears from flowing. I slowly pull away, my chest feeling tight. I excuse myself, telling him I needed to go to the bathroom. I rush there as quickly as I can without looking too obvious of my situation. I shut the door behind me, locking it. I collapse to the floor, I couldn't feel anything. I was overwhelmed, and I was starting to insecure about myself. My lack of ability to give Chandler something as simple as a child. I couldn't take anything to ease my mind. I was out of my anxiety medication. I've always heard that anxiety gets better the older you get. I don't know if I believe them. I want to call for help. It feels like the walls are closing in on me. I should just stop. I slowly force myself off of the floor, gripping the sink to hold myself up. I look around the room, the toilet, the sink, the mirror. I focus in on the sounds around me, the water dripping and Chandler walking around. Then I focus on what my sense of touch, the cold of the sink underneath my hands. The world around me stops spinning and I can actually breathe.

~ Six Months Later ~

I was sitting in the waiting room, tapping my foot. My belly was already starting to swell, which I found odd. I was only three and a half months along. I wasn't attached. I wasn't allowing myself to be. Not until it was born. If it was born that is. Chandler was sitting beside me, excited as can be. The door opened, and everyone looked that way. "Tia Riggs?" The nurse called, and Chandler and I got up. We walked towards the nurse, and went through our routine. The blood pressure, and other vitals. Then my weight, and to the room we go. The nurse told us the doctor would be here soon. I settled on the bed, letting out a sigh. Chandler wanted me to have an appointment at least once every other week. He did this with the twins too. I closed my eyes, taking in the silence. I felt something on my stomach, and I look over to see Chandler's hand over the bump. I gave him a weak smile. Then there was a knock. We look over, and the doctor slowly peeks her head in. She comes in, greeting us, asking how things have been, and everything. When she thinks all of the information checks out like it should she asks me to pull my shirt up. I do so, looking away afterwards. I quickly tucked myself away in my mind. I refused to listen to the heartbeat. I always did. I would get attached if I heard it. I wonder how Shawn and his son are doing. He's so adorable. He and Desiree would be cute together. My thoughts were cut short my Chandler's shriek. "Keep looking!" I looked at him, and he had tears streaming down his face. I felt hurt swell in my chest. I knew what it was, and it killed me to see him like this. I reached for Chandler's hand, gently squeezing. I felt the wand moving across my stomach, all over, but I never heard the beat, and neither did Chandler or the doctor. "Chandler, look at me." I called gently, but he didn't listen. "Chandler, honey." I called again, but Chandler's eyes were still glued to the screen. "I am so sorry." The doctor said, and getting up to let us have a moment. I cleaned my stomach off, sitting up. I pulled my shirt down, trying to break my husband's stare with the blank screen. "I know what the doctor told you the day the twins were born." He told me, and I froze. "Why did you hide it from me? Why did you let us try if you knew that this was going to happen?" Chandler begged, sobbing. I stood up, moving closer. I hugged him tightly. "You wanted a child. I couldn't deny you a child. I didn't tell you because I couldn't hurt you." I told him, my voice cracking. I rocked him gently, holding him close. "Tia, we lost our baby." He sobbed, and I just hugged him tighter. I didn't know what to do. I was hurt we lost the baby, but it didn't hurt as much as it should. My phone suddenly rang, and I grabbed it. I had a certain ringtone set for my lawyer. I answered my phone, sitting in Chandler's lap so I could comfort him while talking to my lawyer, Veronica Samuels. "Tia?" She asked, "This is she." I confirmed. "Do you know a Jason and Rachel Hallman?" She asked. "I do, Jason was my old youth pastor. His oldest daughter was my best friend until she passed about nine years ago. Rachel is his wife and my best friend's step mom." I confirm once more. "Do you know their two youngest children, Jaxon and Alexis?" She asks, and I feel panic rise in my chest. "I do, I used to babysit them. Is everything alright?" I ask, concerned. "Well, um... it seems that Mr. and Mrs. Hallman left the two children in your care if something ever happened to them..." I felt my world spin and tilt, crashing down. "I-I have two kids... headed my way... on a plane... right now...?" I stutter, continuing to rock Chandler. I was now comforting the two of us, not just him anymore. I was about to have five kids. "That is correct. I'm so sorry, Tia. They'll be at the LAX tonight at 5:00." She tells me, and then she hangs up. I nod, hanging up. "Chandler, honey..." I whisper, throwing my phone on the bed. "I know, I heard. You have custody of Jaxon and Alexis." Chandler states bitterly. "No, we have custody. We're married, so we both have custody. I know this isn't the way you wanted it to happen, but we have two kids on their way here right now. They're three hours away." I explain, hoping it'll make him feel better. "By the end of the night we're going to have five kids." I tell him, cupping his face. I kiss him gently, wiping his tears away. "Tia, I want a baby, not a teenager and a preteen." Chandler says, the tears still falling. "Honey, we have five kids now. Do we really need another?" I ask him curiously, finally being honest. "I guess you're right..." Chandler sighs, and I kiss him forehead. I stand up, trying to get him to stand. "We should get home so we can pick the kids up. Then, go pick up Jax and Lexie from the airport." I tell him.