His eyes meet mine, his grin softening into a loving smile. “You know, I could trade the whole world just to see you watching me like this.”
“Do the trade with me,” I say, laughing.
He laughs with me. But my laugh is cut short when a sudden spike of pain shoots through my belly. Matleon catches it instantly and turns off the stove.
He rushes to me. “What’s happening?”
Sweat forms on my forehead. “I think your kids can’t wait another week to come out.”
“Fuck,” he mutters, jumping up and grabbing his phone.
“Prepare the security. We’re leaving for the hospital,” he commands, making another call. “Come here. The babies are coming out,” he says, his voice laced with panic.
I laugh through the pain.
He kneels in front of me. “Is it too much pain? Why are you acting crazy?”
I laugh harder, frowning in pain, tears forming at the corners of my eyes. “I’m not acting crazy. You’re the one going crazy.”
He chuckles. “It’s fine, as long as one of the parents of these kids is sane.”
He lifts me from the chair. “Let’s go. Zo should be here any minute.”
We walk slowly toward the main door. Before we reach it, Avi comes running in, her eyes immediately dropping to my belly. “Babies are coming?” she exclaims, as if they’re about to fall out.
I laugh again, wincing from the pain, holding my belly.This family is incredible.
“What are you looking at? Babies don’t just fall out,” Leo says.
“You know nothing about women and babies, Leo. I’ve seen videos of babies falling straight onto the floor,” Avi argues back, her tone filled with serious concern.
I laugh again, feeling the pressure building with every step toward the door. If they don’t stop, the babies might actually decide to arrive before we even reach the car.
“Why is she laughing?” Avi asks Leo.
Leo shrugs. “Because you’re stupid.”
Frowning and laughing at the same time, I finally make it outside where Zo is waiting in the car.
Matleon
The delivery goes better than I expected, or rather, better than I could have hoped. For the past three months, I’ve been reading everything about childbirth, anticipating the troubles women face. I hired the best gynaecologists for my wife and our babies. Finding doctors who excelled in both modern medicine and natural remedies was a challenge, but necessary. Iselyn refused to follow any advice from someone who didn’t understand natural medicine, as that’s what she agreed to use.
Even the way she delivered the babies was unusual. She didn’t give birth lying down; she delivered in an upright birthing position, just as Avi had described. The team of doctors was fully prepared for this method, and everything went smoothly.
And now she is lying there with both of our kids, and I’m standing at the door, watching them. She looks utterly exhausted, her skin flushed like someone who just finished an intense workout. Well, I don’t think there could have been a more intense workout than this.
When the nurse moves away, she looks up at me and smiles. We’ve come such a long way with her smiles—from shy smiles, to restrained ones, to happy ones, and now this one, filled with so much love and happiness, along with exhaustion.
I take out my phone and snap a picture. Another precious moment locked in time. She glares at me playfully, and I can’t help but smile.
“Are you going to stand there the whole day?” Avi asks, walking up to me.
“Go inside. I’m going to call Zo.”
I enter the hospital ward slowly. The babies come into view. They are sleeping on either side of her. One has red hair like hers, and the other has dark hair like mine.
I run my finger gently over the redhead. “She’s my daughter.”
