Back at the hospital they got me back in bed and Dr. Kelley is looking me over.

Dr. K - “If your fever doesn’t start going down in the next half hour I’m going to have to get the baby out. That means a c-section. Do you remember talking about the possible of having one.”

Me - “yeah. I just want him to be okay.”

Dr. K - “Alright. Now no more somersaults of the bed. I’ll be back.” He leaves.

Goldie - “Some one better tell me what’s going on right now.” I look at Loren pleadingly.

Loren - “come on Goldie let’s take a walk.” The two leave.

Goldie - “I have a feeling that this is going to make me wish I never quit smoking.”

Loren - “the father of Jessica’s baby is very possibly going to show up.”

Goldie - “good. I’ve been wanting to met this man who left my daughter pregnant.”

Loren - “you’ve already met him.”

Goldie - “Who is he?”

Loren - “Brian.”

Goldie - “Brian? Brian! Brian who is getting married in a week Brian. Brian, who’s wedding you’re the matron of honor Brian.”

Loren - “Also the Brian who never knew she was pregnant Brian. She did want him to know.”

Goldie - “what that’s just crazy.”

Loren - “I agree it’s nuts but she had her reasons. They had a thing going while last year for a few months. She found out she was pregnant and told him he had to choose between her and Cristine. He chose Christine.”

Goldie - “But why didn’t she tell him about the baby.”

Loren - “She wanted him to choose her for her not because he felt responsible.”

Goldie - “Oh my poor baby. That’s why she was trying to leave.”

Loren - “Yeah.”

Goldie - “How did you keep Kevin from saying anything.”

Loren - “I didn’t tell him.”

Goldie - “Oh honey.”

Loren - “I know I should have but I promised her I wouldn’t tell anyone.”

Goldie - “ I understand. I hope he does.”

Loren - “Me too. We better get back.”

As they walk down the hall they see a nurse run out of my room. When they enter Dr. Kelley is having me sign some papers and I can’t stop shaking. Reece is rubbing my back and Stephen is pacing.

Goldie - “What’s going on?”

Me - “Mommy.” She comes over and takes Reece’s place.

Dr. K. - “Her fever got has raised two degrees in the last ten minutes and the baby heart beat has gotten irregular pattern so we’re going to do the c-section.”

Me - “I’m so scared.”  I can’t stop crying or shaking.

Loren - “can’t you do anything for the pain.”

Dr. K. - “They’ll be in to do a spinal in a couple minutes.”   He leaves and Goldie seems like she is going to say something.

me – “Mom please can it wait.  I can’t really get into it now.”

Goldie – “Of course honey.” 

5 minutes later, a couple of  nurses come in to do the spinal.  Brian and Kevin chose that moment to show up.  I take one look at Brian and start sobbing. “Look I think we have too many people in here right now. Would everyone please step out.” No one moves. “Don’t make me call security.” Everyone leaves except my mom.

Loren walks up to Kevin and he just turns his back on her and stares out the window.

Brian – “How long have you known?”

Loren – “Since May.”

Brian – “And you didn’t think I had a right to know.”

Loren – “It wasn’t my decision to make and I promised her.”

Goldie comes out of the room.  “Brian, Jessica wants to see you before they take her to the delivery room.” He goes in. The spinal is starting to take effect and I am a  bit loopy.

Me - “Hi.”

Brian - “Hey.” He sits on the stool by my head. “Well the mystery of why you’ve been avoiding everyone is solved.”  He won’t look at me,  just at my stomach.  He wanted to reach out and hold me.  I’m shaking because I’m nervous and scared. 

Me - “I’m so sorry, Brian.”

Brian - “Let’s not worry about that now okay.” He is furious inside but he knows better then to upset a woman in labor. “What’s going on?”

Me - “they’re going to do a c-section to get the baby out they think there might be a problem.” I’m trying really hard not to cry but it doesn’t work.  Tears start to slid down my cheek.  Brian can not stand to see me so upset.  He reaches his hand out and wipes my tears away. 

Brian - “Shh. Everything’s going to be okay.”  A nurse comes in with scrubs.

Nurse - “Okay who out of your multitude of family is going in with you.”

Brian - “I am.”

Nurse - “Okay. Here put these on over your clothes and hair, and the mask over your face.” He starts putting them on.

Me - “You sure you want to do this.” He looks at me and smiles.

Brian - “Of course I do. I might have missed them growing inside you but I’m not going to miss them coming in to the world.”  I start crying again.  “Hey come on. Don’t cry,” He’s once again at my side.  He leans down and rests his forehead against mine.  “I can’t take you crying.”

Me - “I’ve cheated you out of so much.”

Brian - “Don’t think about that now. We’ve got more urgent issues at hand.”

Brian kisses my forehead quick and then finishes putting on the scrubs as they wheel me to the L&D room. They pass everyone on the way.  I see Kevin giving Loren the silent treatment and feel absolutely horrible.  Vivian had gotten there and Reece and Stephen are updating her on everything. 

The room is very bright and cold.  I can feel my hands shaking as they put the curtain up in front of me.  Brian is given a stool and told to sit by my head.  There are so many nurses and stuff in the room.

Brian – “You doing okay?”

Me – “I’m scared.”

Brian – “It’ll be ok Jess.”  He reaches over and holds my hand.

The start the procedure and it is so quick that the baby is out in like five minutes.  It’s a little boy. 

Brian - “Jess he’s beautiful.”

Me - “Is he okay?”  Acting on impulse I try to sit up but can’t because of the spinal.  I feel a lot of pressure on my stomach and chest even with the drugs.  One I hear my baby I start crying again.

Dr. K – “He is prefect.”  He hands the baby to one of the nurses.  “And now I see what the problem was.  I’m happy to tell you that you have two boys instead of one.”

Me - “What?”

Brian – “What?”

Dr K – “Yes we have another little boy.” 

He handed the baby to another nurse and then starts to close me up.  The babies are brought around for us to see.

Nurse – “Here you hold this one dad and mom we are going to put number 2 on your chest for the first family picture.”  Brian holds one of the boys and just stares at him and then looks at the little boy on my chest and he has tears in his eyes.

I have no idea what is going through Brian’s mind right now but I don’t want to force anything on him so I say, “Um that’s okay…”

Brian – “I want them to take it.”  He leans in closer and the boys have their eyes closed and are all wrapped up.  The nurse takes the picture and then they take the babies away again.  Brian leaves my side to see what they are doing with the boys.  They drugs are starting to make me groggy.  He comes back to tell her he is leaving, “Hey I’m going with the kids to the nursery. The Doc says you’re going to fall asleep so I’ll be there when you wake up.”

Me - “Okay. They are beautiful aren’t they.”

Brian - “Yeah they are. Get some rest.”   I am asleep before he even leaves the room.