“Two hours since we got here. You're doing great.”
“I don't feel great. I feel like I'm being crushed from the inside.”
Maggie came into the room and stood beside the bed. She picked up a damp cloth from the bedside table and pressed it to Beth's forehead, the cool touch instantly soothing.
“I’m glad they let you be with us. They must have heard me cry out for my mommy. Is that pathetic?”
Maggie and Gabriel both laughed. “Nope. Not for this family. Where else would I be? When I had you,” Maggie said softly, “I was in labor for eighteen hours. The longest eighteen hours of my life. But at the end of it, I was holding you in my arms, and nothing else mattered. Not the pain, not the exhaustion, not any of it. Just you.”
“Eighteen hours?” Beth's voice was weak. “I can't do eighteen hours.”
“You can do whatever you have to do. You’ll be surprised at your strength.”
The door opened, and a doctor entered. Not Dr. Patel, who had been Beth's obstetrician throughout the pregnancy, but a younger woman with dark hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“Hi, Beth. I'm Dr. Griffin. I'm on call tonight, and I'll be taking care of you.” She moved to the monitors, studying the readouts. “The babies look good. Strong heartbeats, good positioning. How are you feeling?”
“Like I want this to be over.”
“That's what everyone says around this point.” Dr. Griffin smiled. “Let me check your progress.”
The examination was uncomfortable but brief. When the doctor straightened, her expression was pleased.
“You're moving along nicely. I'd say we're looking at a few more hours, maybe less. The second twin might take a little longer, but we'll monitor everything closely.”
“A few more hours.” Beth closed her eyes. A few more hours of contractions. A few more hours of pressure and pain and the strange sensation of her body doing something it had never done before.
But then, at the end of it, her babies.
“I can do a few more hours,” she said.
“That's the spirit.” Dr. Griffin patted her arm. “I'll check back soon. The nurses will be in and out. Just press the call button if you need anything.”
She left, and the room fell quiet again, filled only with the beeping of monitors and the soft sounds of Beth's breathing.
Gabriel leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“We're going to meet our babies today.”
“I know.” Beth felt tears prick at her eyes, unexpected and overwhelming. “I can't believe this is really happening.”
“Believe it.” Gabriel's voice was thick with emotion. “This is real. This is us. This is our family.”
The hours that followed were both endless and impossibly short. Contractions came and went, growing stronger and closer together. The pain intensified, reaching levels Beth had not imagined, and then receding again just long enough for her to catch her breath.
Maggie stayed by her side, a constant presence, offering sips of water and words of encouragement. Gabriel paced when he couldn't sit still, then sat when the pacing made him dizzy. Nurses came and went, checking monitors, adjusting settings,offering the particular brand of medical optimism that Beth was starting to find both reassuring and irritating.
At some point, Chelsea appeared in the doorway with an update from the waiting room.
“Michael and Brea are here,” she reported. “Christopher and Becca called and said they're flying up tomorrow. And you won’t believe this, but Lauren and Sarah have joined your grandmother in the Garrison Getaway. All I can say is I’m glad I’m not in the RV. I can’t wait to hear how that trip goes. Anyway, as usual, The whole family is rallying.”
“That's a lot of people,” Beth managed between contractions.
Maggie laughed. “I have no idea how my mother talked your sisters into driving up with her, but I’m not surprised at all.”
Beth laughed, which turned into a gasp as another contraction seized her. Chelsea retreated, promising to keep everyone informed, and Beth was left alone with Gabriel and Maggie once more.
