“Hey, it’s all right.”
“No! They were hurt. They were so little. They didn’t make it!” I began shaking.
“Destiny, look!” Tyler had to grab my arms as he jutted his head to the other side of the room.
I followed the motion of his head, turning to my left, and stilled at the sight of three incubators.
“The doctors tried to say all three had to remain in the neonatal unit, but after I raised a little hell and reminded everyone including the CEO that I wasn’t the one to fuck with, they did some rearranging to bring all three in here.”
I glanced at Tyler, and then back to the incubators. “Th-they’re here?”
“They’re here. They need to stay in those incubators to help develop their lungs and some other shit the doctor said they need, but. they’re perfect. All three of them.”
I swallowed and turned back to Tyler. “Are you sure?”
He nodded.
That was when I lost it. All of the tears spilled out as I began sobbing so hard my entire body shook. I sniffled and tried to pull it together but that only made the sobbing worse. I barely felt the bed move as my six-foot-two husband climbed into the bed, wrapping his arms around me, and held me as I cried on his shoulder.
It must’ve taken at least ten minutes for all of the tears to empty out before I could pull it together enough to get my first real glimpse of my children outside of my stomach.
With the aid of a few hospital staff, Tyler assisted me off the bed and into a wheelchair so I could move closer to the babies.
“Tristen is our first born,” Tyler began telling me the order of our children’s births since I had been put under anesthesia for the C-section. “Followed by Annalise,” he continued, moving down the row of incubators. “And finally, Travis.”
I insisted on Annalise as our daughter’s name while Tyler wanted the boys’ names to begin with Ts since he couldn’t exactly name both boys after himself.
“They’re perfect,” I stated, my voice filled with awe as I stared at the tiny creations we’d made.
“Their mom is perfect.” Tyler leaned down on one knee next to my wheelchair, pressing a kiss to my hand.
“Their dad’s no slouch either.” Turning, I looked at him, and let out a giggle when I realized he was still wearing his practice uniform.
“My father and mother went to our place to pick up some clothes for us. I wasn’t leaving your side.”
I cupped his face and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“Nope. Thank you.”
He stood and we continued to ogle our children.
****
Robert Townsend
I always knew my youngest would be my most rebellious one yet.
“You thought you could come into my fucking house and attack my goddamned wife?” Tyler yelled.
Even I flinched as another punch to Phillip Morris’ ribs ended with the cracking of bones.
“You almost killed my children.”
Another punch to the soft flesh of Morris’ abdomen.
“Help!” Morris shouted. At least that’s what it sounded like. The layers of duct tape that covered his mouth made it difficult to discern. Even still, had he been able to clearly speak, I would’ve remained in the exact spot I was in. About twenty feet away from the huge tree that he was tied to by the rope that circled his body and the tree. I shook my head.
Tyler’s idea.
