Chapter 29: Oh, Brothers
Shadé
My eyes fluttered open lightly as they came into view of a pair of piercing blue-grey eyes. They held a sign of worry as the eyebrows knitted closely together. My heart knew these eyes as it began to race beneath my chest. I suddenly heard a beeping noise become more frequent. He broke eye contact with me for a second before looking back down at me, a smile plastered on his beyond-handsome face.
"I can see that you're excited to see me, but I think it'll be best to calm down a bit. You're heart rate's going up," he laughed as he placed his hand over my chest, causing my heart beat to further increase.
"This happens all the time, nothing new," I said lightly laughing. "Did they talk to you about the babies," I asked concernedly.
He sighed and looked away from me. "I want to go get the doctor, I feel it'll be best for him to explain it," he said, his eyes glazed over with forming tears.
I nodded, beginning to feel my own eyes burn with tears.
He left the room for a few minutes as I began to pray to myself for my little ones.
"God, don't do this to my children. Please, please, please, I beg of You, don't do it to my babies. Let them live. I pray for You to let them grow, please. If You have to, just take me, but please let them survive," I prayed as I clasped my hands together. God can take me, but at least let my children survive if there needs to be a sacrifice.
"Stop talking like that," Vincent yelled, taking me from my prayer.
I snapped my eyes opened to see a red faced Vincent and a blonde haired doctor standing behind him, looking as sorrowful as a man could be.
"Hello, Ms. Hakim, I'm Doctor Lennon. I have all of your medical records from Doctor Hans and-" I cut him off, not wanting to hear all of that bullshit. I just want to know if my babies are still okay. I mean, come on, my water broke at 20 weeks, wouldn't you be more concerned about the health of your twins?
"Doctor Lennon, that's good to know, but I rather hear about my children's health. Are they okay," I asked.
"For now, they're perfectly fine. But, unfortunately, you are diagnosed with oligohydramnios. It's when the membranes both tear and leak little fluid at a time or rupture, like His Highness described it. Because this happened 20 weeks into your pregnancy, it's considered Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes," he explained and I listened. I paid more attention to this man than I ever did in school.
"Will the twins survive," I asked in a quiet voice.
Lennon sighed. "It's a very slim chance. Since there is little to no amniotic fluid, development for the babies will be slow. And because the membrane isn't there to protect the babies, you can develop an infection which can be fatal to you and the babies. They can be stillborn or they could be born prematurely," he said depressingly. It's as if he was feeling as heartbroken as Vincent and I were.
"Is there a way they could be born soon," Vincent asked from the chair he'd been sitting in.
"Yes, we could induce labor, but there's a slim chance of survival for both babies. We recommend that you wait until you reach 24 weeks, at least then, they will have a greater chance of surviving."
I felt like I was going to break in a million pieces. Everything he told me, everything, it all sunk in. I was at risk of losing my life and the babies'.
"We'll wait," Vincent replied as he took hold of my hand.
"That would be the best choice, Your Highness," Lennon said as he eyed me questionably before turning to exit the room.
"Doctor...," I called, causing him to turn around. "How common is this oligo-thing," I asked, not knowing how to pronounce the word.
"Four percent of women are diagnosed with it before thirty seven weeks of gestation. It isn't very common, Miss Hakim. I'm sorry," he replied gently. "We'll have to keep you on an in-hospital bed rest until you go into labor. Your nurse, Mrs. Reagan, will give you antibiotics to fight off infections and steroids to increase the growth of the twins."
"Steroids," Vincent asked incredulously.
"Yes, You're Highness. There is no fluid in the amniotic sac and the babies must develop before they are born," Lennon replied.
"Thank you doctor," I said.
"I pray for you, Miss Hakim," he said before leaving the room.
The room was engulfed into a pregnant silence. Neither Vincent nor I said a word for ten minutes. Our entwined fingers tightened in our grasp as I lied down on my back. Vincent and I placed our free hands over my stomach simultaneously. And then, he spoke, tenderly as he kissed my hand.
"Our babies are going to make it. They're going to be okay, because their mommy is a fighter," he said. I hadn't respond, I just stared lifelessly at the bright lights from the ceiling.
"You two are going to be as strong willed as mommy, I know it. Mommy's so strong and because you two have been a part of mommy for so long, her strength is going to pass down to the both of you," Vincent said as he kissed my stomach.
"Folashadé," I heard my name come from a voice I hadn't heard in such a long time. I sat up just as Vincent snapped his head toward the door.
Tears welled up in my eyes as my gaze landed on a tall, brown skinned man.
"Ezra...," I breathed incoherently.
"Who are you," he asked, averting his gaze onto Vincent, whose hands were still on my stomach.
Vincent stepped toward my brother with his hand outstretched. "I'm Vincent, Shadé's...umm...," he trailed off slowly when he realized my brother wasn't going to accept his handshake.
"Are you really pregnant," he asked disbelievingly as he stepped past Vincent.
"Yes," I said simply. "Vincent could you step out for a moment," I said, noticing the evil glare Vincent sent toward the back of Ezra's head.
"Okay, I'll be in the waiting room," he said before leaving.
The moment Vincent made his departure, Ezra felt it was time for him to be the overprotective brother that he's always been.
"You gone tell me why my little sister is lying here pregnant without me even knowing who the baby's daddy is," he asked scolding.
I frowned. "The father just tried to shake hands with you, but I guess you wouldn't know how to respond to people," I shot back, becoming angry.
Ezra switched his gaze between me and the hospital door. "That white man is the father to my niece or nephew!? Nah, Shadé, come on! I expected you to be smarter than that!"
"Ezra, don't start this shit," I screamed. He was beginning to piss me the hell off. I have way too much stress going on at this point, that I don't need my brother coming at me this way.
"Shadé, I ain't trying to be a racist asshole, but when my sister is being taken advantage of by a white-"
"He is not taking advantage of me," I said, feeling the warm liquid taint my eyes. I couldn't believe that this is what I was going back to New York to!
"Sure he isn't. Mama isn't going to like this," he said, more to himself.
Mama!? Grandma!? Our grandmother!? "You're staying with Mama," I asked disbelievingly.
"Yup. And when she finds out that your baby comes out looking like a mulatto-"
"I'm having twins. And Mama isn't going to say anything bad about her own grandchildren," I stated sternly. My grandmother is nothing like the King and Queen.
Ezra laughed heartily. "That's what you think."
"That's what I know. And besides, your opinion about Vincent doesn't matter. You're not the one carrying his babies "I challenged. Ezra and I always argued, but because he is my brother, I always forgave him. He never insulted the kind of guys I dated mainly because they, somehow, were 'suitable' for me, simply because they were black. Ezra wasn't racist, by any means. He just didn't approve of interracial relationships. And as much as I tell myself that I could care less about what Ezra thought, I knew his opinion mattered the most to me. His and Mama's.
"Sure it doesn't. But you know what, let's avoid this argument, it's unnecessary," he said, putting his hands up. "You're pregnant and I don't want to stress you."
I suddenly felt a wave of fear. "It's okay, Ez. I'm already in here because of it."
His brown eyes widened in shock. "What happened," he asked protectively as he sat in the chair beside my bed.
"My water broke earlier this morning," I sighed in sadness.
His eyes glanced between me and my stomach. "How far along are you?"
"Twenty weeks or five months," I stated.
"So...they're going to be born...today," he asked in fright.
"No. They won't survive if they are born today," I said, feeling my body begin to shake. This subject is very sensitive to me. No mother should have to worry about the chances of their child's survival.
Ezra noticed my breakdown and immediately wrapped his arms around me, lying my head onto his shoulder. "Shh, its okay, baby sister. Shh, they're going to make it," he said as he stroked my bare back.
After a while, I pulled away from him. "Ezra, I want to go back home. But, I don't want to leave Vincent; I really love him," I said.
"Folashadé, you don't really have a choice. Your man can stay here, it's his family, and I'm sure they would forgive him, like I forgave mom and dad. But, you, they won't forgive you. You ain't family to the Royals...," he trailed off.
"How do you know this," I asked quietly.
"The white girl, Amanda told-" I abruptly cut him off.
"Aimee," I corrected.
"Yeah. She told me. And I heard it over the news. By the time I got here, news reporters were all outside and shit," he continued.
"The news!? Outside!? Oh, Lord," I said exasperatedly as I fell back onto the uncomfortable hospital bed. I thought about how the news could possibly find out about all of this.
"Turn on the TV, please," I asked. Seconds later, I heard the news reporter speaking.
"We are here in Windsor at King Edward VIII Hospital where Prince Vincent and his mistress are located. It is said from an unknown source that the heir to the throne has impregnated both his fiancée, Melanie Callahan, and the mistress-"
"Turn it off, turn it off," I said, beginning to cry again. "I can't b-be here anymore!"
"You can't travel either. We'll have to wait till the twins are born and for you to be healthy enough to travel," Ezra explained logically.
I turned on my side and cried softly. "Ezra, I want to be alone right now. Please," I said, placing my hand over my stomach.
"Okay. Call for me if you need anything. I love you," he said before leaving.
"I love you, too," I replied gently. I kept thinking about how England would react to me having the Prince's babies. I even thought about the possible reasons why Ezra left me alone.
__________
Vincent
As I sat inside the waiting room, I couldn't help but think about the struggle the twins would be going through. I knew they were fighters, even though I haven't met them yet. But seeing how they were still here with Folashadé even through all the stress she's endured, I can see that the twins do not give up easily.
I didn't want to end up like Frank. I pitied him. He lost the love of his life and his child all at once. If I was to lose Shadé and the twins, I may think of committing suicide. But, that wouldn't be fair to my baby with Melanie, would it? No, I have to be there for my baby with her as well.
I know that when Folashadé gives birth, she'll have to leave me and go back to the states with her brother. It hurts me to know that she'd have to leave, but she has no choice. My parents want her gone and she has nowhere to stay in England.
"Vince," a familiar voice pulled me from my train of thoughts. I looked up at the face of my blonde haired brother.
"Rodney, what are you doing here," I asked curiously.
"We need to talk," he said, guilt ranging in his voice.
I glanced at the door of Shadé's room and then back at my brother. Having a quick conversation with him wouldn't be so bad.
I stood up and followed him down the busy corridor and into the mess hall.
"I heard about what happened today," he said as we sat in an isolated table. It reminded me of the time I had a private talk with Frank.
"You weren't there," I asked in disbelief.
"No, I went horseback riding. By the time I came back, everyone was going crazy, especially mother," he explained.
I felt my eyes instinctively narrow at the mention of my mother.
"Mother can go eat a cock for all I care," I growled. "Father can too, dammit!"
"Vince, stop. Don't say that about our parents. You're acting like a child," he said.
"Whatever, I'm pissed right now. What is that you wanted to talk about," I asked, changing the subject so I wouldn't have to take out my anger on him.
"Well, back at home, I heard that Melanie and a few others spilled your secret about sleeping with one of the maids. But, Melanie...hadn't admitted what she did...," he trailed off.
"Which is...," I asked urging him to continue.
He gulped. "I don't know how you're going to react, but, she and I... had sex a few times.