Charlie rolled her eyes.
"You okay honey," her mom asked.
Charlie was pacing the room since she had nothing better to do.
"No. You try doing this for two and a half days!" Charlie shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'm just over this. I love my babies but I'm only at thirteen centimeters now and I just want this over with."
"I know."
"No offense mom, but you don't know." Charlie sighed and took a seat on her chair. "No one knows what I'm going through and it sucks. I'm a freak."
Her mom walked over and crouched in front of her. She placed her hands on her daughter's knees. It was hard to avoid the undercarriage of Charlie's belly but Charlie ignored the sensation it brought.
"You're not a freak. You're just different."
"Same thing."
"No it's not. Remember when you were four and you had those two imaginary friends? You were so happy then. They were so special to you. You never let them go for two years."
Charlie nodded. "Because they were mine and I didn't want them to leave."
"Yeah. Saying goodbye to them was one of the hardest things you did as a kid. It broke your heart for weeks but you know what, one day you bounced back and you said..."
"I'll see them again but I never did."
"No but you never stopped believing either. You have to believe you can do this now. Just hang in a little while longer and I promise when you see your babies it will be the most magical thing and you'll realize that going though all of this was worth it.
Charlie nodded as tears streamed down her face.
*****
It'd been five and a half days now.
Suddenly Charlie felt a pressure that she hadn't felt before. She felt an urge to push, really push.
She called out and within seconds the nurse, Dr. Rush and her mom came into the room.
She looked up and took her mom's hand.
"Will you stay with me? I don't want to do this alone."
Her mom smiled. "Of course."
Dr. Rush looked in. "Congratulations, you're at fifteen centimeters. You ready?"
"You have no idea."
"Okay so in five seconds I need you to push." Dr. Rush counted. "Okay Charlie, push!"
Charlie leaned over her belly and began to push. She cried and screamed.
"Good girl," he said, "keep going."
Charlie continued to cry and scream.
From his position Dr. Rush smiled. "Okay I see the head."
Her mom looked down. Charlie wished she hadn't but she didn't say anything.
"Mom," Charlie said with tears.
"You're doing great, honey," she said as she returned to her daughter.
"Keep pushing," said Dr. Rush. Charlie did so. "Okay, the shoulders are out. You can rest for a little bit."
Charlie leaned back in exhaustion.
It didn't last long, only a minute.
"Okay Charlie, we're almost there. I just need one big push."
Charlie took a deep breath and began to do so. She screamed and then stopped when she heard a cry.
"It's a girl!" said Dr. Rush. He held up the infant. A perfect 7 pound, eight ounce little one.
Charlie smiled at her daughter. Dr. Rush brought her up, the umbilical cord still attached.
"My sweet girl," Charlie said through her tears.
Before Charlie could spend more time with her, she felt a tightness in her belly. She wasn't done yet.
Dr. Rush took the baby, cut the cord. The rest of it dissolving. He then handed her off to the nurse.
"Okay," he said, "one more time."
Charlie nodded.
"I need you to push right about...now."
Charlie screamed. She wasn't sure which was worse, pushing out the head or the shoulders. Fuck it, all of it sucked.
"Keep pushing."
Charlie breathed in and out the way she had seen in lamaze and birthing videos all the while still screaming.
Finally at least the head was out but she continued to push so the shoulders could come out as well.
She was finally able to take a rest until she had to push again.
A wail echoed through the room.
"A boy," said Dr. Rush. He cut the cord, again the rest desolving and then handed him to Charlie.
She smiled at him. "Hello, handsome," she said to him.
Her mom picked up the other baby and brought her over.
Charlie was filled with more joy than she ever thought was possible. Three minutes apart.
"They're perfect," said her mom.
"They are perfect. A son and a daughter. I love you both to the moon and beyond."
*****
After a couple of hours Charlie finally felt up for visitors. Her belly had completely flattened out. She weighed less than she had before she was pregnant and her strong abs had returned as well.
She held her daughter in her left and her son on the right.
"Do you have names for them?" Jack asked.
Charlie smiled. "This is Andromeda, Andy for her human name. And this little guy is Orion. Ryan as human."
Her mom smiled. "After you're..."
Charlie smiled and didn't have to say a word. Yes, after her two imaginary friends.
Her dad smiled back. "They suit them."
"I think so," said Jack.
Charlie looked down at Andy and Ryan.
"I know so."
