{Patrick}
A loud, beeping sound becomes audible, and it wakes me from my deep sleep.
I groan, rolling over and seeing that the clock reads 3:45 AM.
Today, is the day.
In a few hours, Abby and I will be parents.
I slap my hand down on the alarm clock, and it goes into the snooze mode.
I sigh, blinking a few times to clear my vision.
I look out the floor-to-ceiling window at the end of the room, and the city lights are vivid and bright still.
It's early, early morning on Saturday, September 16, and looking out the window, the world is calm.
It's just a few skyscrapers, Abby, and myself on this early autumn morning.
And despite all the excitement and all the chaos that is surely to follow later today, right now, the world is calm.
I look over at Abby, and she's lying on her back, sleeping.
Abby has always been the kind of person that sleeps on her side, so during the later months of her pregnancy, she had troubles sleeping at times because she was forced to sleep on her back.
Right now, she seems to be just fine with it though.
She has a small smile on her face, and one hand rests on her baby bump.
She looks beautiful, as always.
Her hair is naturally straight and down, and has been pulled to one side of her body.
She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life, and she's going to make an excellent mom.
She's the mother of my children.
It's funny to think that those two twins inside of her right now are going to be in this world in just a few hours.
Today, is finally the day that we get to meet them.
I still don't know the gender(s) of the twins yet.
But, I am ready to find out. I'm ready for my life with these two little ones.
I move myself closer to her, kissing her on the cheek gently.
She stirs slightly in her sleep, and I continue to kiss her cheek, and then I move down to her neck, and finally, her collarbone.
I run a hand through her hair, and she giggles, fluttering her eyelids open.
"That's my favorite way to be woken up." She giggles, as she runs a hand through my hair, and pulls me closer to her.
I press my lips to hers, and after a few moments, we part.
"Are you ready?" I ask, smiling down at her.
She nods, smiling.
"Yes. Yes, Patrick, I am. I'm done with being pregnant." She winks, laughing.
I laugh, kissing her on the forehead gently, and then getting up off the bed.
She gets up too, stretching and yawning, and then returning her hand to her baby bump.
She smiles down at her baby bump, clearly having a moment with them.
"We'll get to meet you two today." She breathes, quietly.
I smile, looking down at the ground.
"Pat, you go ahead and shower first, because you have to make breakfast for yourself. I can't eat anything until after the surgery, so you'll probably take longer to get ready than me anyways. I'll make sure we have everything." She smiles, flicking on the light in the room.
"Sure." I nod, smiling.
I make my way into the bathroom of our bedroom, and turn the hot water on.
I strip down until I'm completely naked, and get into the shower, allowing the hot water to roll down my body.
I close my eyes, breathing in deeply.
I notice that as I inhale, my breath is slightly shaky.
My hands are as well.
I'm nervous as hell.
I told myself that I'd be calm about this entire thing, but God, I am nervous as hell.
I'm just anxious to finally meet the twins, and I'm also worried for Abby.
We've been waiting for so long, and I can't believe that this is finally the day.
I can't believe I'm having a child.
Two of them, actually.
I would always talk about this day with my parents and the guys on the team, as if it were in the future.
And for a while, it was in my future.
But right now, it's in my present.
And I'm having a really hard time accepting that.
I think the one person that I had the most conversations about our futures with, was Ally.
Ally and I always talked about out futures, ever since we were in middle school.
We would talk about where we wanted to go for high school, and then what our plans for after high school were, and then how hard it was going to be for me to be living in a different city than she is, and then being so happy for her when she got accepted into medicine at the University at Buffalo.
The list is endless.
And at times, we would talk about marriage and kids and all that.
We both wanted kids; we knew that since high school.
I remember the summer that she met Jonathan, a few years ago, her and I had a long conversation over dinner, the week that he was away in Montreal, so the two of us had the week to hang out in Chitown.
She was telling me about how despite the fact that she was freaked out with the whole pregnancy scare that occurred in Buffalo, there is no one else in the world she would rather have a baby with, than Jonathan.
She then told me how one day, he would be the father to her children, and I told her that he would make a really great dad.
And then we talked about the possibility of me having children, and I told her, even back then, that the only woman I want to be the mother of my children, is Abby.
And at that point in the week, we hadn't run into Abby at that coffee shop, so I had no idea I would ever get her back.
Fast forward three years, and Abby is the mother of my children.
I just wish Ally were here to see it.
And by now, I'm certain her and Jonathan would be married, maybe even with a child on the way.
All I know is that I am so thankful I knew Ally Summers, because she was one of the best things that ever happened to me.
I shake myself out of my thoughts, and finish up with my shower.
Once I'm finished, I turn the hot water off, and get out, drying myself off with a towel.
I throw on a pair of sweats, and a grey v-neck.
I flatten out my curls with my towel, and then head out of the bathroom, and back into the bedroom.
Abby stands in the middle of the room, hand on her hip, looking at the few, full suitcases lying around her.
She has tied her hair up into a high ponytail, and she leans her weight onto one side.
Her baby bump is huge, and she rests her other hand on her stomach.
"The shower is all yours now." I say, smiling as I walk over to her.
She nods, and closes up the suitcase, zipping it up.
"Thanks, Pat. I think we have everything!" She says, smiling up at me.
Despite it being 4:00 in the morning, and despite the fact that Abby is giving birth to twins in a few hours, she's still lively and energetic.
She does that, when she's nervous. She also talks a lot faster than she usually does, and she's doing that right now.
"Yeah, we'll only be staying in the hospital for a few days anyways." I say, nodding.
She smiles up at me.
"Exactly." She says, nodding.
I take her hands, and although mine are slightly shaky, hers are worse.
"Abby, it's okay. Alright? We're going to be okay. I love you, no matter what." I say, hugging her and pressing a kiss to her forehead gently.
She nods, hugging me back.
We stay embraced with each other for a few minutes, before we finally part.
"Alright. I'm going to have a quick shower, and you go have breakfast. When I'm done and we're both ready to go, we'll leave?" She asks, nodding.
"Sounds good." I say, smiling.
She kisses me on the cheek quickly, before heading to the bathroom to have the last shower of her pregnancy.
I head downstairs to make myself a small breakfast, and I take both suitcases with me.
I put the suitcases by the front entrance, and then head over to the kitchen, turning on a few lights.
I make myself a bagel with peanut butter, and a bowl of Corn Flakes.
I sit down at the counter, and eat my breakfast silently, watching the city through the window at the end of the apartment.
I glance at the clock.
4:10 in the morning.
The sun has not risen yet, and the world is still quiet and still.
I take a sip of my orange juice, and my hands are shaky as I grab my glass.
Calm down Patrick, calm down, I think to myself.
After about ten minutes, I finish eating my breakfast.
My mom called while I was eating and I talked to her for a few minutes.
She's anxious as well, but hearing her voice really calmed me down.
She's extremely excited, and we just talked about when we're leaving, and all that.
After I finish talking with my mom, I grab my breakfast dishes and put them in the dishwasher.
Right then, the phone rings again, and I pick it up, holding it to my ear.
"Hello?" I say, running a hand through my curls.
"Hello Patrick! It's Angela." She says, her voice slightly shaky.
It's Abby's mom.
"Hey Angela, how are you?" I ask.
"Oh, I'm doing well, but I'm pretty anxious. How are you doing, sweetie?" She asks.
"I'm pretty nervous, I'm not going to lie." I say, exhaling deeply.
"That's completely normal, Patrick. I'm so glad that Abby has someone like you by her side today." She says, a smile in her voice.
"Thanks Angela, I'm glad I have her by my side too." I say, laughing.
"Speaking of which, could I speak with her?" Angela asks.
"She's actually in the shower right now, but I can tell her to call you once she's out." I say, nodding.
"Sure thing. Thanks Patrick, and good luck today. Both of you are going to be fine. I'm excited to finally meet the grandchildren!" Angela says, a smile in her voice.
"We're excited too. Thanks for calling." I say, smiling.
"Of course. Talk to you soon, bye now." She says.
"Bye!" I say, and then press end on the phone.
I sigh, putting the phone back down on the receiver.
I exhale deeply, closing my eyes.
I can feel the butterflies in my stomach start to surface, and I shake my head, trying to ignore them.
I then decide to head back upstairs, to brush my teeth and check on Abby.
It's almost 4:30, and we really should be going now.
I make my way back upstairs, and into our bedroom, where Abby is brushing her hair in front of the bathroom mirror.
She has already showered and changed, as she's wearing a pair of black capris leggings, and a loose white v-neck.
Both of us are going to be changing into hospital gowns once we get to the hospital anyways, so we both went with something comfortable and easily changeable.
I head into the bathroom, and lean against the counter, watching as she brushes out her hair.
"Your mom called." I say, smiling as I watch her carefully.
"I'll call her back in the car." Abby says, as she ties her dry hair up into a loose ponytail.
She isn't wearing any makeup, and she looks as beautiful as ever.
"Sounds good." I say, as I pull my toothbrush out, and start brushing my teeth.
After about five minutes, both Abby and I are ready to head out the door.
We make sure we have everything, and leave our bedroom, turning off all the lights.
I glance at my watch, and the time is 4:32. We're pretty much right on time.
Abby and I stand in the entrance to the apartment, making sure we have everything we need.
"Your parents are bringing the two car seats later tonight so that we can safely bring the twins home, right?" Abby asks, looking up at me.
"Yep." I nod, as I grab the keys to the car from the bowl by the door.
Abby sighs, nodding.
"I have the baby clothes, you have the suitcases..." Abby trails off, narrowing her eyes as she goes through her mental checklist.
"Alright, I think we're good." She says, smiling up at me.
"Alright. Are you ready to go?" I ask, taking her hand with my free hand (that is not pulling the suitcase) and intertwining my fingers with hers.
She nods, biting her lip.
"Let's get this done, baby!" I wink, as I swing the door open.
"Oh, Patrick." She giggles, as I lead her out of the apartment.
We close and lock the door behind us, and quietly, make our way down the hallway towards the elevators.
We drag both of our suitcases and our hospital bag into the elevator, and the doors slide behind us.
The elevator begins to descend, and I keep Abby's hand in mine as we move.
"I can't believe today is the day." Abby says, chuckling.
I reach over and kiss her cheek gently, smiling.
Her skin is soft and sweet.
"I don't even know what to think, to be honest." I shrug, shaking my head.
Abby nods, in agreement.
"I think that the first look that you have at your child is supposed to have you at a loss for words." Abby says, shrugging.
"I'm in love with two children I haven't met yet." I say, smiling down at the ground.
"Well you will meet them. In a few hours, actually," Abby giggles, looking down at her baby bump and resting her hand on it.
"And they will love you back, Patrick." Abby says, smiling at me gently.
I nod, giving her hand a squeeze.
The elevator doors slide open, and the underground parking lot reveals itself.
It's full, at this hour, which is understandable.
Not many people are out at 4:30 in the morning.
Abby and I make our way to our car, where we throw all of our bags into the trunk, before getting in.
"The next car ride we take, we will be in the company of two little ones." Abby says, smiling down at her lap.
I nod, biting my lip.
"Yeah, you're right." I say, laughing.
And with that, I back out of the parking spot, before leaving the underground parking lot.
The hospital that Abby and I are going to is outside of Downtown, but not too far.
It's about a half-an-hour drive, and as we roll down the smooth pavement of the almost-empty Downtown, I can't help but smile.
The music on the radio is at a very low volume, but the silence within the car right now makes the music audible.
The radio is playing the song Peaches by In The Valley Below.
I can physically sense the tension in the car.
I glance over at Abby, and she's looking out the passenger seat window, a small smile on her face.
I can tell that her eyes are swirling with passion, but despite this, tension is laced throughout her entire body.
She keeps one hand resting on her baby bump, and her jaw is clenched.
I look back at the road, and the streetlights illuminate the dim streets.
And on this calm autumn morning, the world is silent.
Everything is okay.
The music is mellow, and I allow its captivating tune to move into the corners of my mind.
I find myself subconsciously driving, while my mind wanders.
We move out of Downtown Chicago, and head further away from the city.
I watch as the city lights grow more and more distant as we move further away from Downtown.
But we'll be back.
We'll be returning in a few days, and this time, with two new little joys in our company.
I smile, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel.
My mind explores the infinite possibilities, and plays with scenarios within my head about having the twins.
Life is going to change drastically with these two little guys, but for the better.
It's going to be hard, but it's going to be worth it.
Jesus Christ.
A dad.
Me.
This day is a day that I would only dream about, and now all of a sudden, it's happening.
It's happening.
Time; it goes fast.
I truly believe that there is no measurement of time.
The only measurement, is through life experiences and passing moments.
The moments that you're constantly telling yourself will surely come, do come.
And you always tell yourself that when these moments come, you'll feel happier than you ever have.
And then they come and go before you even realize what's happening.
And just like that, you've missed them.
But, I don't want to miss this moment.
I don't want to miss this experience.
Before I know it, thirty minutes has passed, Abby has called her mom and talked to her, and now we arrive at the hospital.
I pull into the underground parking lot entrance, and pay for parking.
I then continue driving, and find a spot underground, not too far from the entrance that we need to go into.
I park the car, pulling the keys out of the ignition.
Abby exhales deeply, biting her lip.
"I'm so nervous." She admits, shaking her head.
"Abigail Kane, you are the most beautiful and brave woman I have ever met in my entire life, and you have no reason to be nervous. I promise you." I say, taking her hand and pulling it up to my lips to kiss gently.
She smiles, placing a hand on my cheek.
"We'll be parents soon." She says, smiling.
I nod, swallowing.
"Let's make that soon right now. Come on Abbers, you've got twins to give birth to." I wink, laughing as I get out of the car.
Abby laughs, and gets out too, closing the door behind her.
We reunite at the back of the car, as we pull our bags out of the trunk.
She grabs the smaller hospital bag, and swings the strap over her shoulder, and I take both of the large suitcases.
I close the trunk, and lock the car.
With that, I wheel the two suitcases, and Abby and I walk through the underground parking lot, towards the elevators.
The parking lot is fairly full, even at this hour.
But everything is still quiet.
Beautifully and calmly quiet.
Abby and I get into an elevator, pressing the floor we need.
The elevator leads to a skybridge, in which you walk across to get to the baby delivery wing of the hospital.
Abby and I move up in the elevator, and then once the doors slide open, across the large skybridge, towards the wing of the hospital that we need.
Finally, we reach the main entrance to the baby delivery wing of the hospital, and the noise level increases slightly.
A few nurses move around the large open area by the check-in desks, and a few couples are talking with the nurses, or sitting in the chairs in the corner of the room.
A few guests to the patients sit there too, and there is a small amount of chatter throughout the busy main area.
"Oh, Christ. I don't think I can do this." Abby says, shaking her head as she breathes heavily.
"Hey, don't say that. I know you can do this." I say, looking down and over at her.
"Now that we're actually here, seeing all these people, it's finally sinking in, oh God..." Abby trails off, her face growing paler by the second.
I stop wheeling the suitcases, and grab her hand.
"Abigail, listen to me. You're going to do this. Okay? You're going to give birth to the twins, and you are going to do it well. I believe in you, and I know that everything is going to be just fine. And, I hate to break it to you, but you really don't have any choice." I wink, jokingly.
She bites her lip, smiling slightly.
"Right. Let's do this." She says, nodding.
"There's the Abbers I know." I say, quietly.
She giggles.
Abby and I continue to make our way into the main area of the baby delivery wing, until we reach the front desk, where multiple different nurses and people are talking with each other.
We walk up to a nurse, and she is sitting by a computer, behind the large desk.
"Hello! How can I help you two?" She asks, smiling.
"We're here to check-in. My wife is having twins." I say, smiling.
"Oh my! Last name please?" She asks, turning to her computer.
"Kane." Abby replies, a smile in her voice.
The nurse looks up at me from behind her glasses, and her eyes widen slightly before she quickly shakes her head and turns back to the computer.
I look over at Abby, and she smiles back at me.
I suppose the nurse has just recognized me.
"Abigail and Patrick?" She asks, looking up at me.
I nod, smiling.
"Wonderful. Alright, well as I'm sure both of you already know, Abby, you are having a c-section today." The nurse says, smiling.
Abby nods.
"Alright, so we'll start by having you guys fill out a few papers, as well as sign them and all that. That will take about ten minutes, and then you two can wait over there in those chairs until Dr. Thomas, your obstetrician, will come and greet you. Dr. Thomas will take care of you from there, and she will explain everything." The nurse explains, smiling.
"Thank-you." I say, nodding.
"Of course!" She smiles, as she grabs multiple sheets of paper from the printer beside her.
The nurse explains everything that we need to know about the papers we are signing, and tells us exactly what they all mean, as well as where we need to sign.
There are a lot of sheets of paper, and they all have significant importance.
Abby and I read through them together, asking the nurse any questions we may have, and initialing/signing wherever necessary.
After about ten minutes, we finish with the papers, and the nurse checks over our sheets, smiling as she does so.
"Wonderful. Thank-you so much. Do you have any further questions regarding the papers? The entire c-section process and all that will be explained to you by your personal nurses, as well as Dr. Thomas." She smiles.
I glance over at Abby, and she shakes her head.
"I think we're good, thanks." I say, nodding.
"Great. You two can head over to those chairs over there, and Dr. Thomas will be with you shortly." She says, gesturing towards the chairs and couches in the corner of the large room.
Abby and I thank her once again, and then head over to the chairs, sitting down on two right beside each other.
I take her hand absentmindedly, and her touch is cold.
Her hands always get cold when she's anxious.
But at this point, I'm not sure if there's anything I can say that will make her less nervous.
I mean, what kind of person wouldn't be nervous in this situation? As much as I'm trying to remain calm for Abby, I'm freaking out myself.
A few of the people sitting around us in the waiting area, glance up and smile at both Abby and I.
I'm pretty sure most of them recognize me, but they are all being polite about it, thankfully.
"Almost time..." I say, looking over at Abby.
"Almost time," She says back, smiling down at her lap.
"I'm so ready to meet them." Abby says, shaking her head.
"Jesus Christ, me too." I say, swallowing.
Abby and I sit together in the chairs for about five more minutes, talking here and there, but only about small things.
For the most part, we stay quiet, simply gripping each other's hands, and waiting for the moment to come.
We stay quiet, simply awaiting the biggest change of our entire damn lives.