Bits

What Happened to Perfect?

AMELIA

'You know I hate hospitals. Why can't we just go there when it's time for me to deliver our babies then go home days after? Do I really have to stay there weeks before my due? I'm not even in labor!'

'Don't fight me on this, please. Ruen, I know you feel ok and all but, please, just to put my mind at ease–if that means anything to you right now. Please. I need to know we have competent doctors around and that you and the babies will be completely safe.'

She sighed in frustration. Ruen was wearing a baby blue maternity dress. Her beautiful long hair was cut just below her shoulders. Hand under her chin, she sat closer to the other side of the car closer to the door - giving half a foot distance between us, to show how annoyed she was at me.

It was a wonder that she wasn't biting my head off or berating me. These last few months just about the tiniest thing could set her off–like an exposed explosive powder and that a minuscule spark could make it go 'boom!'. It's not like her. Ruen has always had better command on her emotions. Between the two of us, I'm more likely prone to bouts of fits of sorts. Not my wife.

'Hey, Rue...' Pretending not to hear me, she didn't answer. Sliding to her side, I caught her free hand and brought it to my lips. Bending to whisper in her ear, 'I love you.'

She could have said 'I love you' back even if she was angry. Right? Not even a small smile was granted to me. She just simmered there and ignored me while John drove us to the hospital. Chin on her shoulder, I closed my eyes and hid. Ruen told me how expressive she found my eyes to be but if she'd look into it right now, she'd see how bad I felt at how cold she was since.

'I love you.' I heard her say a couple of minutes later. An afterthought. Realizing that she may have done–or not done, something to indirectly cause me to be sad. 'I do.'

Who was she trying to convince?

Me or herself?

Was she regretting her decision of us having babies?

I remembered she didn't seem particularly enthusiastic about Michael and Bella's twins.

Is that how she felt about the babies we're having? No.

To be fair, I don't think it's my brother's children or any child at all. And to Toby and Aileen, she was good with them. Great even. I don't know anymore. Maybe it's the stress and difficulty of multiple pregnancies. The doctor told me it was difficult for mothers carrying twins. I sincerely hope I did enough to make it better for her these past months. I prayed for things to turn a little better when our babies were born.

And there we were. More than five weeks before the twins were due, I made extra precautions and had us admitted already. Choosing the best room in the hospital's VIP section, I took my wife's annoyance at me in stride. The room was equipped with everything Ruen needed. Bigger bed, bathroom, a living room–it was spacious enough to give her room for walking around and not get bored staring at four walls. Minus the medical types of equipment, nurses, and doctors, it was just like I booked us a room in a fancy hotel.

There's a lot I could get away with given the money I have and the weight our combined surnames carry. If anyone would come up to me and say I was throwing my weight around in this hospital, I'd be thrice as guilty as charged. My wife told me that much because of the ludicrous things I did and required the hospital staffs to do.

Ruen even said I was being too paranoid and that she hated me for having her cooped up in the hospital. But I'm not going to take any chance when it comes to their safety. It's not like she can't have visitors over. My parents and Michael did unannounced visits. Miranda, Raven, Penelope, Samantha, John, Rachel and other dozens of friends dropped by. In fact, having visitors even after the visiting hours were over was one of my crimes. Guilty. Besides, she has been very annoyed at me for almost the entire duration of her pregnancy and it's not like I was losing much on being loved at this point.