Say Something

Chapter Thirty-Four ~ Deep breath

About a week before her due date, Caitlin walked into the kitchen wearing a jumper that looked incredibly familiar. It was a soft grey, big but not quite big enough to cover her huge belly properly, and it had the word 'QUIET' spelt out across the chest in big lettering. It looked just like one of the sweaters that I had worn during my career with the boys.

"Wait here for a minute. " I said when I realised what she was wearing, and I grabbed the basement key off its hook before rushing down to the memory room. I found a box labeled 'JUMPERS, 2013' and opened it. It didn't take long before I found what I was looking for: my grey jumper with 'QUIET' across the chest. I pulled it on, and somehow it still fit me just fine. I rushed back up to where she stood in the kitchen and the biggest smile I'd ever seen her smile spread across her face when she saw it.

"YOU STILL HAVE IT?!?!" She yelled.

"Of course I do, it was down in the memory room with everything else." I giggled.

Caitlin started to run over to give me a hug, but stopped half way, the light drowning out of her face.

"What's wrong? What's going on?" I asked frantically, moving to stand by her.

She took a deep breath before looking into my eyes and saying:

"Niall, I think I might be going into labor."

"What? But you're not due for another week..." I stuttered.

She clenched her fist tightly and I could see the pain as she crinkled up her eyes.

"It seems these two just can't wait to be born." She breathed out softly.

And with that, her waters broke, a puddle forming rapidly on the kitchen floor.

"Okay, it's definitely happening!" I cried out, panicky.

I hurriedly called Elliott and asked him to come and take care of Tommo and Theo, who had not yet woken up, before taking the terrified Caitlin by the hand and leading her to the car. I helped her into the back seat, for I felt like that would be the best place for her to be if one of the twins ended up being born sooner rather than later. She grumbled a a bit whenever I wave of pain hit her, as if she was trying her hardest not to scream like she wanted to.

It took five minutes for us to reach the hospital, and by this time I knew that Caitlin would be in so much pain that she could barely stand up, so a nurse helped me help her into a wheelchair in which she was wheeled to the delivery room, her hand holding tightly onto my own. We helped her onto the bed, and a doctor came along with a midwife shortly after.

"I wonder which twin will be born first." I whispered to myself as the midwife checked to see if the first baby was ready to be pushed out yet. I didn't know if Caitlin had heard me or not, but she squeezed my hand really tight as another contraction hit.

It wasn't long before the midwife told Caitlin to push, and she gripped my hand so tight that I was afraid she might break it as she did so.

"And again." The midwife told her, and she did.

"Head's out." Said the doctor.

"Not long now..." I whispered.

"Okay, Caitlin, I'm going to count to three, and on three I want you to push once more." Said the midwife.

"Okay." Caitlin breathed, the first word I had heard her say since we had arrived at the hospital.

"One... two... three!"

Caitlin pushed with all her might, and within seconds the cry of a baby could be heard.

"That's one born." I said.

"Still one more to go." She whispered back.

"Right, baby number one is a little boy!" The doctor announced as he cut the cord and handed the baby over to the nurse.

"Now, the second birth normally doesn't take quite as long, but we can never be sure how long it will take." The midwife told us. "It seems your little girl doesn't want to come into the world just yet."

"I just want both of them out of me!" Said Caitlin, gritting her teeth in pain.

"I know, but we have to be patient. She'll come when she's ready."

The nurse walked over and placed the baby boy in my arms, and he looked up at me with his big blue eyes full of adoration. His hair was beautiful, it was blonde and there was quite a lot of it.

"Your sister doesn't want to be born just yet, little one. It was your idea to be born today, wasn't it? You impatient little man." I said to him.

"He's beautiful. " Said Caitlin, pausing to look at her newborn son before another contraction came and she winced in pain.

"I think you can push now." Said the midwife.

I cradled the little boy in one arm and Caitlin gripped my hand as real tight as she pushed once again.

"Your daughter is definitely being born faster than your son." The midwife said to her. "Just one more push and it'll all be over."

"Thank god!" Said Caitlin. "It's hard work, this is!"

"One... two... three!" Said the nurse, and on three she pushed one last time, and the baby girl cried.

The little boy got a fright when he heard his sister's cries, and he too began to cry.

"Shhh, little one, it's just your little sister finally here." I whispered to him, before turning to tell Caitlin: "You did it babe."

"I did it, Niall! I actually made it through all that!" She said as the nurse placed her daughter in her arms.