The Way We Were

The Way We Meet Quad

Laura popped a peach ring into her mouth and chewed as she read her computer screen. She was at home, on the couch, doing homework as she ate the gummy snacks and drank root beer. She wore sweats (March was still really cold) and had her hair in a top-knot while wearing her glasses.

She was relaxed.

Well almost. Her stomach was bothering her. That was why she was eating the peach rings. She thought she was hungry.

She scrolled through another page of business terminology before straightening in pain. She had to ask "what was that?!" out loud, she was so shocked.

The pain went away and she dismissed it as nothing. She went back to studying. Ten minutes later, it happened again.

This time she knew it wasn't nothing. While she was worrying, liquid came gushing out of her.

Oh no...

She was home alone (each of the staff had errands to run) and Marc was in class while she was miles away from her family. What was she going to do?

She kept her head and called the one person who could help her through this.

W.W.W.

Marcy knocked on the door before her before just coming in. "Hi, Laurie."

Laura sobbed at seeing her little sister. "How on Earth have you done this twice?!"

Marcy smiled. "You're going to be okay. Hey, Marc."

Marc was terrified. Laura now was unlike his perfect, prim wife normally was. "She's in labor."

"I know." Marcy went to hug him as Marcus, Michael, Judy, Jeanette, Karou, Jude, Arnold, Paris, Yuria, Mal, Maddie, Mally, Mickey and Riley came in behind her.

"My baby!" Judy and Jeanette went to Laura and hugged her.

"Tia crying." Mally couldn't believe it.

"She's scared." His father told him.

"Why?"

"It hurts."

Mally's eyes widened. "Poor Tia!"

Laura cried at how cute he was. Pretty soon she'd have that. "How much longer?"

"You're still only a few centimeters dilated." Marc reminded her.

"When are Mikey, Mercy and Quinn getting in?"

"They're in the air now." Marcy promised.

"Good. I don't want them to miss this. What about China?"

"She and Luc are on their way."

Laura relaxed. "Good." Then a pain hit...

W.W.W.

"You're fully dilated." The doctor told Laura.

"It's been two days!" Laura had refused the epidural because it (was a sword that) wouldn't be going in her "spine".

"I know but the time has come." He smiled.

Laura gave him a rotten look.

"Who do you want to stay with you?"

"Marc, Mom, Mrs. C, Marcy, Mercy and Quinn."

"Good luck, Twin." China kissed her head.

Mike and Mal patted her arms and hugged her as Marcus and Michael patted her feet. "You will succeed."

Everyone else left as the doctor and nurses scrubbed up. He sat on a rolling stool and positioned Laura's body. "Let's rock!"

W.W.W.

Marcus Franco Taylor-Jones IV was beautiful. He was the shade between his light parents with dark blond/light brown hair and the lightest hazel eyes. He was chubby and hollered so loud, they knew he was theirs.

Laura put him on her chest and he quieted down. "Hi, baby. I'm your mommy. I love you very much. Do you love me?"

The minutes old infant blinked at her irritably before his eyes widened as he felt her heartbeat against his cheek. His lips puckered.

Laura began crying. "I love you, too."