World Tour

Brisbane XXV

Eddy was staring out of the hospital window, Eli peacefully sleeping on his left arm. His little angelic face was relaxed, the dark eyelashes fanning out over his cheeks just like Brett's did. Eddy smiled quietly. Just like he had hoped, Eli looked exactly like Brett. 
He watched the pedestrians milling about in the hospital parking lot below, like he had so many times this week. Man. This had been some seven days.
The doctor had been right, thank God: Belle had picked up very quickly, and within two days she had been pretty much back to her normal self. Even her belly was shrinking rapidly, for which she was thanking her Asian DNA every day. She was up and about as well of course, even though the doctors and nurses kept warning her to take it easy.
Eddy grinned softly, as he stood staring out of the dirty window at the ugly concrete building on the other side of the parking lot. Asking Belle to take it easy when she didn't feel like it was even more like turning the tide than getting Brett to drink less while he was having fun. 

Elly and Eli had had to lie under a yellow lamp for a good part of the week, but other than that they'd done really well, and Eddy was already prouder of them than he could ever have imagined being of anything or anyone. They were drinking their milk and they were keeping their temperature constant, which Eddy had learned were the important things, now. Brett and he had basically lived in the hospital this whole time, trying to care for the babies themselves as much as they possibly could. 
He grinned again as he thought of the first nappy Brett had changed: Eli had decided to pee just then and had caught Brett's shirt very effectively.

¨What's funny?¨ Brett asked behind him.
He turned around.
¨Oh, just thinking about you being peed on again.¨
Brett actually rolled his eyes at him, which did nothing but make Eddy grin even more.
¨Just you wait until it happens to you. Or one of them barfs all over you.¨ 
Eddy smiled fondly. Somehow you didn't mind these things so much when they were your own children. 
¨When did they say the doctor would be here again? Between ten and twelve, right?¨ 
He looked at the clock for the millionth time this morning. Its hands were at quarter past twelve. 
¨Yeah, but you know how it goes. Let's just hope he gets here soon.¨

Eddy walked over, shifting Eli slightly so he could push himself against Brett, wrapping his free arm around his waist. It was so comforting to be next to him, to feel his body against his own. A little sense of normalcy in a very hectic world. 
¨I'm so ready to get out of here, it's not even funny.¨ he said, burying his nose in Brett's hair, sniffing up the scent of Brett, the scent of home. 
¨I know, my love. Me too.¨ Brett replied earnestly. ¨It's been quite the week, hey?¨
¨Yeah.¨ Eddy agreed. ¨Quite the week. Just think... they should still have been safely in the womb right now.¨
¨I know. But at least they're doing well. I just hope the doctor gives us good news.¨
The twins had drunk all their bottles yesterday and they hadn't needed any more yellow lamps. Surely, they would be allowed to go now? Go to their apartment and the pretty little nursery that was waiting for them?

Finally the door opened and the doctor walked in. Eddy had become quite fond of this doctor, really. 
¨Hello, dads.¨ he said in his good-natured tone. ¨How is everything going?¨
¨Very well.¨ Brett replied. ¨They've drunk all their bottles and are keeping warm.¨
¨And how is your sister, mr. Chen?¨ 
¨She's well, doctor. The pumping is going well and so is her recovery.¨
Eddy smiled to himself. Yeah, her recovery was going great, with Steve by her side, doting on her every move. He'd never seen her this much in love with anyone, ever.
Belle had decided to give the babies the best possible start by pumping breast milk for the first while, and Eddy had once again been amazed at the magnitude of this gift she had given them. He'd always loved his sister, even when they used to quarrel as kids, but now... well, they'd never been closer. And he knew he'd always try and show her how much she meant to him, to them. 

The doctor looked in the twins' chart.
¨Well, it all seems to be going as well as we could possibly have hoped, and as far as I'm concerned we can discharge them both today. Just remember, as we discussed before, you'll have to keep a close eye on them. If either of the babies get jaundiced again, or if there's any sign of any infection or anything, contact us straight away. Also, you'll have to take them in regularly to be weighed and checked for a while.¨
Eddy could see the goofy smile he felt spreading on his face reflected in Brett's. 
Yes! Yes!!! They had the all clear! They were out of here!!! 

Half an hour later they had packed everything up, they were officially discharged and they were walking out of the hospital towards their car, with their babies this time, the nurses happily waving goodbye behind them. 
He looked over at Brett and beamed.
¨Finally...¨ he said, and he would have taken his hand had it not been full of babies and baby stuff, ¨We're going to the car and they are coming with us.¨
Brett nodded, his grin as wide as the ocean, ¨Yeah my love. They really are.¨
Eddy put Elly down in her Maxi Cosi and fished around for the car keys. 
¨Thank God Ibo installed the car seats yesterday, hey? Should be easy to get them in.¨
 
He was wrong. Shit, how hard could it be? He fumbled, and fumbled, but he just couldn't get the wretched thing to click into the other thing. He looked helplessly to the other side, at Brett, who was not doing much better. Then he started to grin.
¨Fuck, we're hopeless. Should have brought Ibo here.¨
Suddenly, finally, it clicked. 
¨Oh, thank God!¨

A moment later Eddy started the car with great carefulness. He'd been driving for a thousand years, but suddenly it all felt different.  
Jeez. Would he ever be able to drive normally again, without constantly worrying about missing something, because he had the most precious things in the world in the back? 
Brett squeezed his knee and he gave him a quick smile. 
¨We're going, Brett, we really, really are!¨
¨I know. It's the best, hey?¨

They walked in their door, each carrying a maxi cosi with a baby in it in their arms. Eddy set Eli down, and then he stood for a moment and looked around him at their living room, breathing deeply. They weren't just in here for a quick shower, for a few hours' sleep. No, there were here for real, they were here to stay. Suddenly tears welled up in his eyes and he turned to Brett and threw his arms around him. Brett didn' t hesitate; he pulled Eddy close and held him tight.
¨We're here, Eddy, you're okay.¨
He nodded. 
¨Yeah, my love, we're okay. We're home.¨