The Only Exception

Book 3 Part 1

Four and a half months later...

It’s getting close to Christmas and I’m hugely pregnant. It feels like I’m eating enough food for 6 people, let alone two. Noah set up all the outdoor Christmas decorations without my help this year and it looks better than it would if I helped. I was baking my in-laws’s favorite molasses cookies that my mom introduced them to last Christmas when all of a sudden I felt painful contractions in my lower back. I took a drink of water a laid down for 15 minutes and the pain kept getting worse by the minute. I decide that it’s nothing and slowly sit up and stand so I can continue making the cookies when I feel a trickle of liquid running down my leg. I look down, it’s clear and I start to panic. I scream, “Noah! Noah, hurry! Come quick!”

I sit down and start my lamaze breathing and he comes running into the living room from outside. He kneels by me and says, “What’s wrong? Is the baby coming?” I nod my head rapidly and he grabs my coat and overnight bag and helps me with them. We rush to the car and I keep breathing. Noah calls our parents to notify them of me going into labor and he rushes to the nearest hospital. 

When we get to the hospital, I’m immediately set into a wheelchair and directed to my delivery room. I’m forced to get out of my sweats and slip on the backless hospital gown while the doctor prepares herself for my delivery. I lay down, breathing to stay calm, and the nurse asks me if I want an epidural. 

I glare at her unintentionally and say, “Give me everything you can, I want this as painless as it can get.” She darted out of the room and Noah came into the room dressed in the hospital suit given to him. He sat next to me and held my hand, despite me almost causing his hand to go completely numb. He supported me as I kept going through contractions when Desiree, my mom, Lucy, and Leah walked into the room, but the nurse stopped them and my mother in-law yelled,

“She wants us women here, now if you don’t mind lady, but I’m gonna sit next to my daughter in-law and comfort her. Hi there honey bunch, sorry but this nurse tried stopping me, ME of all people.” Lucy exclaimed as I chuckled a half-heartedly laugh. All the women and Noah sat around me, giving me all the comfort and support I needed.

I was in labor for 4 1/2 hours when the doctor finally said it was time t0 give birth, which I was so ready for it. I push for what seems like forever, but my supporters are like spectators at a football game, cheering me on like I’m the star of the show. I keep going until I hear a faint crying. I see Noah’s auburn brown hair and green eyes, and I sigh and lean my head back on to my pillow and I hear the doctor mutter something under her breath.

“Excuse me? What did you say?” I heard Noah say. “Sir, you’re wife is going to give birth to another child in about seven to eight minutes. I’m surprised that I didn’t even catch that when I took ultrasounds.” I sit up, shocked as can be, and I start to panic. Noah quickly cuts the umbilical cord from Carter and sprints over to me and calms me down. Mom and Lucy quickly push my hair back and wipe the sweat off my forehead.

I start pushing until another faint cry is in the room and I look down to see a baby girl with Noah’s auburn brown hair and the most amazing eyes ever, they are marbles of deep green and blue. Noah cuts her umbilical cord and I get to hold my children.

“Carter Lucas and...” I look up and see my family’s faces, they’re in awe. I think for a brief moment for a beautiful name for my baby girl. “Katherine Cecily Elizabeth Christensen. Carter Lucas and Katherine Cecily Elizabeth Christensen.” I look up at Noah as he carefully picks her up and holds Katherine delicately, as if she were a porcelain doll. I hold my son as he sleeps on my chest. 

The next day, we were swarmed with family from every corner of the country. Even Noah’s younger brother, Tanner, who I have never met before. I was resting when Noah came into the room with Tanner trailing behind him. What the..? I recognize him, he’s the bassist to the band Noah and I listen to.

“Tanner, this is my wife Celeste. And over there are my twins Katherine and Carter.” Noah gestured to us as Tanner nodded in acceptance. Tanner walked over to me and sat down in the chair. I turned to face him so I can try to get to know him. 

“Nice to meet you, Tanner. I’m sorry you couldn’t have made it to the wedding in March, we could have met earlier.” I give him a half-hearted smile because I’m drained from all the excitement. He nods back and Noah leaves the room to talk to the doctor.

Tanner keeps glaring at the floor and eventually asks, “Why did you marry my brother? Please, be honest.” I don’t know what to say except the real reason, “Well, Tanner, it’s because I love him, why would there be any reason besides that? He’s my best friend and I can’t live without him. I care deeply about him and our kids. He saved me.”

Tanner looks up, shocked at what I told him. He softens up a little and we start having small talk. He asked about the twins and about Noah and I. Noah came back with a grin on his face and said, “Babe, you’re coming home tomorrow! I have to go get another crib for Katherine, would you like to hold them, Celeste?” 

I felt my eyes light up when he said to hold our twins. I held my arms out and had Carter in my left arm and Katherine in my right. I started singing Lullabye by Fall Out Boy and Tanner smiled at Carter’s reaction to my voice when I sang,

“Honey is for bees, silly bear, besides there’s jellybeans everywhere. It’s not what it seems in the Land of Dreams, don’t worry your head just go to sleep,”

“Do you hear Mommy, Carter?” Noah said as he kissed his son’s head and patted Katherine. I kept singing to my son and daughter. Noah leaned over and kissed me just as lovingly as before. “I’ll be back in a little while, and I’ll bring some clothes for the twins.” The twins were snuggled against my now enlarged breasts and I realized that these little children were mine and that they were now. including Noah, the loves of my life.

I snuggled with them and then had Tanner carefully take one at a time and lay them back down. Tanner went to get us both some lunch and I dozed off a little. I was woken up by my mom.

“Hey there, sleepy head. Daddy and the girls are here,” she said, as they were walking in my room cautiously. My dad’s eyes were red from crying.

“Daddy, what’s wrong?” I said, worried.

“Nothing, cupcake, just happy that I have a grandchild. Wait-”

“Daddy, I have twins. A boy named Carter Lucas and a girl named Katherine Cecily Elizabeth. Go take a close look,” I said while smiling at him. He went and looked at them, and I could swear I saw his eyes twinkle. He gasped and said, “Cupcake, she looks exactly like you! And he looks like Noah! Oh my, my. I have beautiful grandchildren.” He said after smiling at them. Khloe, Kira, and Mallory all sat on my bed and talked over actively. 

A few hours into my family visiting the babies, Noah came back and Khloe and Kira jumped off my bed and clung to his legs as he laughed and mussed their hair. He gave my parents hugs and then sat next to me and kissed my cheek and neck. He held my hand and looked at me as he said, “I’ve got everything set up at home, the cribs, changing tables, everything. I baby-proofed as much as possible. Are you ready to come home?”

“Oh my gawd, yes. The food here sucks. Why, are we leaving now?” I asked and he nodded with a sly smile. I squeal and jump out of my bed and almost collapse but Noah caught me.

“Easy there babe. You still are kinda weak, you need to take exercising as easily as possible. Here, let me walk you to the bathroom so you can change. I’ll bundle the kids up.” I noticed the baby fat on my tummy and that my butt looks bigger than normal. I get dressed in a clean pair of loose jeans and an oversized sweater of Noah’s that I packed and slipped on my moccasins. I fix my matted hair and tie it back in a loose ponytail. I quickly brush my teeth and wash my face. I walk back out and Noah is signing the release papers and my mom has Katherine, who is wrapped up in a pink coat and a pink knit blanket, and Leah has Carter, who is wrapped in blue. I sit in the wheelchair and hold my arms out for my twins, which my mom and sister gingerly released into my arms. They cooed as they first seen me in their vision. I took a closer look at Carter and he looks exactly like Noah, except with my curly hair instead of his wavy. Noah wheels me out of the hospital and helps me get into the Mercedes. He puts the twins in their car seats and straps them in for the ride home.