Sia's labor was excruciating. She had to reach twelve centimeters and currently she was at nine. She could still remember the pain she'd gone through at her surgery with them where they had added in the extra fallopian tubes, birth canal and uterus while burning her other organs all without anesthesia.
The pain was similar only worse.
Her contractions hit hard. She rubbed her belly from all sides as if to sooth her babies. That and the feel of her belly was the only thing that gave her a sense of piece of ease and comfort.
She'd never really planned on being a mother. With her job as a surgeon and wanting to graduate from college two years early kids never factored in to the picture for a long time at least well into her late twenties if not at all.
And she'd certainly never planned on having a baby at nineteen. Let alone three.
A hard contraction hit. After it was over Joel checked.
He smiled. "Eleven. We're almost there."
Sia nodded and smiled. She was so grateful that Joel was here. And not just here as she was about to give birth but here in general.
The timing never seemed right for any of this but meeting Joel and knowing he was her soulmate made things so much easier. He never once thought about walking away from any of this. As far as he was concerned these babies were his and not just the other three waiting in line.
About two hours later Sia cried out in agony.
Joel checked. "Are you ready to do this?"
"Like I have much of a choice."
'Damn you Rogelio,' she thought to herself knowing he could hear her.
They both knew this was a moment they would be monitoring closely since they were all their experiments.
"Okay on the next contraction I need you to push."
Sia nodded and they didn't have to wait long.
Sia began pushing. After a short time she could feel the head between her legs. She relaxed for a moment and then pushed again. She could feel the shoulders.
Sia could not imagine going through this three more times or rather five.
Then finally a very loud wail.
Joel smiled. "It's a boy."
Sia smiled as he was brought up to her. "Andros," she said tiredly.
Before she could enjoy him fully another contraction hit.
Joel took the baby, wrapped him up well and gently placed him on the nearby blanket.
Sia began pushing again and then again and finally again.
"A girl."
Sia smiled. "Lux."
With each passing baby Sia could feel the pushing of her next set of triplets as they made their way forward.
In the meantime Sia got to work on the final baby from this first group.
She truly began to relax. She didn't know how long she had been in labor but it had clearly been all day since half of the sun was below the horizon.
"Leia," Sia said when Joel told her it was another girl.
There was no afterbirth to be delivered, no placenta as they had removed that too.
As if by magic now Sia felt her next three babies move inside of her, her belly no longer the forty-eight week size but rather looking twelve weeks.
She had to go another round but she wasn't sure she was ready for it. Going through a day's worth of labor, let alone a year, had been overwhelming. To go though all of it again just seemed like overkill.
Sia rubbed her new belly. It was their turn now.
In the meantime she had her current babies to tend to.
Once they were packed up and ready, Joel had two babies in his arms while Sia carried their son, Andros.
Once they arrived at the house Lydia was waiting for them at the door.
"Thank God, where have you been. I was worried."
She then saw the babies in their arms.
"Don't tell me you had the babies out there."
"Kind of didn't have much of a choice, mom."
"Would you like to hold one of your granddaughter's?" Joel asked.
Lydia smiled as he gently handed her over.
"Mom, I'd like you to meet Andros, Lux, and Leia."
"Unique names. And then you always did have a love for Star Wars. So," she said looking at Sia's new belly.
With a free hand Sia rubbed her belly.
"Yea," was all she said as they all walked inside.
