1 month later.
Isabella's POV
My dad slowly pulls up outside of Natasha's house and puts the handbrake on before turning to me with an empathetic smile. "Go get 'em tiger." He says encouragingly.
After telling mom about what had happened between Natasha and I that day in the woods she'd advised me to share that with dad too, which at first I'll admit, I wasn't comfortable with. But he'd been nothing but supportive and if anything he'd been trying his hardest to help me fix the bridges that I'd burned and weirdly, his support was really helping.
I smile back at him and gaze up at Natasha's two story house. I hadn't stepped foot in there for months, nor had I spoken or seen Natasha in such a long time I'd almost forgotten how amazing our friendship had been before everything broke apart.
"Thanks, dad." I murmur. I wrap my arms gently around him and nuzzle into his chest. I'd been so hard on him lately and finally I'd started to open up to him a little bit more than I had before. "I'm going to head inside now, okay?"
"Okay honey. I'll see you at home later —"
I shake my head. "Wait outside for me."
I watched his eyes open wide and his lips grow into a smile. "Really?"
"Yeah." I say, grinning happily back at him. "I guess you can be my chauffeur for today."
I'd always begged for him and mom to let me walk around our lonely streets by myself and to let me grow at my own pace but today was different. I was different. I wanted him to feel like a father for once, I wanted him to feel like he could protect me in some way. This was my way of proving to him that I was trying to change my attitude and by the smile on his face I can only assume that he understands.
He chuckled and nodded. "Sure thing baby girl. I'll be here waiting for you."
I hopped out of the car and turned to look at him one last time, poking my head through the open passenger door window. "Hey dad?"
"Yeah baby?" He asks, his arm wresting around my passenger seat that I'd just been sat in.
"I love you." I say gently.
I hadn't said those three words to him in what felt like forever. How much had I lost myself since becoming a twelve year old? My attitude had completely changed and only in the last month or so I'd become aware of it.
But I truly do love everyone in my family. They guide me in a way that nobody else can. I'll always be so grateful for each and every one of them. But... maybe I won't go as far as to admit that just yet.
His eyes lit up once again and he smiled lovingly at me. "I love you too, Bella, always."
I nod my head slightly and smile once more before turning on my heel and heading down Natasha's driveway with my hands in the pockets of my ripped jeans. I let out a deep sigh when I realised that she was, in fact, home. Her bedroom was on the first floor whilst her older brother and foster parents slept upstairs. I'd been inside her room once or twice. It was pretty much a reflection of the person Natasha is. Messy, unique and all around random.
Her walls were plastered with broken fairy lights, graffiti, photographs and lyrics that meant a lot to her. We had laid side by side on her small single bed listening to her favourite songs whilst she told me stories of her past and what she remembered of her old family.
I knocked gently on their front door and prayed that nobody else in her household knew of our little bust up. Although Natasha isn't exactly a private person, I'm sure she hasn't tried to hide her feelings from anyone like I have.
Her foster brother, Flynn, the guy who I'd spoken to briefly at her party a few months ago, answered the door to me with a cigarette hanging loosely from the side of his lip. He smiled when he saw me, which I felt relieved about. "Hey! You're Is, right? Tasha's friend? We met at the party a few months back?"
He's still referring to me as, Is, I see. Not that I mind though. It's a change from being called Bella, Isabella, Bells or Izzy I suppose. A different nickname never hurt anyone. I hope.
I nod and tuck my hands deeper into my pockets. "That's me." I say uneasily. "Is Natasha home?"
He nods and gestures to her bedroom — just like I thought. "She sure is." He then turns back to me and takes a long puff from his cigarette, keeping his eyes locked on mine at all times. "She hasn't left her room in weeks. Do you know what's up with her?"
I quickly shake my head back and forth at him.
Of course I know what's wrong with her. I'm the one who made her like this. If I hadn't of reacted so immaturely to her feelings then maybe our friendship wouldn't be on the rocks right now. It was all my fault. But of course, I'm too much of a coward to tell Flynn any details so I decide that shaking my head is the better option.
"Ah, okay." Flynn sighs, taking another deep puff of nicotine from his cigarette. "I just figured I'd ask. Nobody has been here in weeks. Our foster parents are concerned about her."
I frown at him. "Not even Stella? Or Violet?"
He shakes his head in return at me and shrugs his shoulders. "I haven't seen or heard from any of them since the party." He then rolls his eyes and chuckles bitterly to himself. "That's to be expected anyway. They only come around here when they want some free booze and a place to crash. Natasha never learns."
I wasn't sure if Flynn was completely out of his mind, drunk, or all of the above. His and Natasha's friends had seemed so friendly and caring. Not for one single second had I felt any bad vibes from them. In fact, I'd felt comfortable and actually felt like I belonged somewhere for once, which was obviously a huge change for me.
"You seem to bring out the best in her." Flynn continued, despite my silence. He took another long puff from his cigarette and blew the smoke directly into my face which made me cringe in disgust. I couldn't stand the smell of nicotine. So gross. "You're the only one who truly gives a shit about her. I'm glad she finally has a true friend and not someone who is going to mooch off of her and our foster parents."
I wrap my arms tightly around myself and nod slowly. "I care about her." I say truthfully which makes Flynn smile. "She was there for me when nobody else was, so of course I'm going to be there for her in times of crisis too."
It was true. She'd defended me from getting bullied that day in class which felt like a million years ago at this point, even though it had only been about ten months. At first I'd obviously been weary of her. I'd judged her based on her bright red hair and piercings when in the end, she turned out to be one of the greatest friends (with the exception of Dean, of course) that I'd ever had.
"Come on, let's head inside." Flynn gestures, holding the door open for me to pass by him. He burns his cigarette out on the brick wall beside his head and throws it out onto their driveway before following me inside like a lost puppy. "I'll be in the lounge if you need me, okay?"
I nod happily at him. "Thanks." I murmur.
He tilts his head back in an approving nod and heads down their dimly lit hallway to the living room. With a gentle sigh I brush myself down and eventually muster up the courage to knock on Natasha's heavy wooden door. I waited for a few painful seconds of silence and sadly had no response from her, just like I'd thought.
"Natasha." I sigh, pushing my head against the door and gripping my hand around the doorknob. "It's B." I continue, hoping that the use of her nickname for me will make her want to open the door and talk to me. "I know that I'm probably the last person you want to speak to or see right now but I need to talk to you. It's important."
I hear floorboards creaking from the other side of the door and the sound of someone slumping themselves up against the other side of the door alerts me. "What are you doing here?"
I feel my breath get caught in my throat as Natasha's clear voice finally breaks through the other side of her heavy wooden door. I almost can't believe that it's her for a split second. It feels so long; too long, since I've heard her voice.
"I'm here to see you." I murmur sadly. "Why else would I be here?"
Silence again. All I can hear is the quiet sound of her breathing and sniffling to herself.
"Come on Natasha." I sigh again, pressing the palm of my hand against her door. "I'm trying here. Can't you at least try too?"
Suddenly, her door flies open and Natasha is stood in front of me with a black sweatshirt on which used to fit her but now looks baggy. Her red hair is no longer red but dark brown and heavy black, smudged eyeliner covers her chocolate brown eyes. Before I can say a word, she throws herself into my arms and begins to cry. I find myself holding her tightly to my chest and consoling her as she breaks down quietly in my embrace.
"I'm sorry." She cries quietly into my ear. "I'm so, so sorry, B."
I shake my head and find myself crying too. "Don't apologise, dummy." I joke which makes us both laugh despite crying our eyes out. "You don't have to be sorry for anything."
Natasha pulls away from our hug and wipes her now even more smudged eyeliner away from her eyes. "I thought that I'd lost you forever."
I shake my head and smile. "That could never happen. You're my best friend, remember?"
It was true. No matter how shaken up I was after that unexpected kiss between us, there is no way that I would have ever stopped being her friend. She'd been there for me when nobody else had. Maybe I'm biased but that to me, is the definition of an amazing friend.
"What's with the hair though?" I ask, pulling on a strand of her short brown hair.
Natasha sighed and laughed awkwardly. "It's so stupid."
Thinking back to my mom's words of wisdom from a month ago, I smile and shrug my shoulders at her. "I can do stupid." I murmur. "Tell me."
She bit her lip and twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. "I guess I thought that if I dyed my hair a more natural colour and lost some of the piercings you might have liked me."
I laugh and shake my head. "I love you for exactly who you are." I say which makes her smile. "Your piercings, illegal tattoos and bright red hair are what make you who you are." I continue. "You should never have to change yourself for someone else to take an interest in you, especially for me."
It was true. It made me feel awful to even think that Natasha had tried to change herself to suit my needs. She was beautiful enough as she was and just because the person you have feelings for doesn't share those feelings with you doesn't mean that you should result to changing yourself into a whole new person. The right one will love you for exactly who you are. That's all that matters.
"Friends?" Natasha asks, holding her pinky finger out to mine.
I smile and link mine up with hers. "Friends." I agree. "Now come on, we have to dye your hair red again because brown is not your colour."
Natasha gasps and slaps me playfully on the arm. "Okay for once I'm going to agree with you. This brown hair really does need to go."
I was about to answer her when Flynn appeared beside us with a frantic expression on his face which soon softened when he saw Natasha. He smiled and nodded happily at her. "Good job, Is. I didn't think you'd be able to entice her out." He then turned to Natasha. "It's been boring around the house without you."
Natasha didn't answer, but she did smile. Flynn then turned back to me and gestured to the front of their house with an awkward chuckle. "Hey, Is?" He offered. I raised an eyebrow. "There's a guy out there looking through the windows. I'm guessing he's with you?"
I rolled my eyes and Natasha giggled, probably remembering how protective my dad could be. "That'll be my dad." I explain with a scoff as I walk towards the front of their house. He spots me almost instantly and runs towards the door waving his arms about like a maniac. I open the door and frown at him. "Dad! What are you doing? I told you to --"
He was holding his cellphone in his hand. "It's your mom! She's gone into labour! We need to leave like," he glanced down at his phone. "like now!"
"Oh, shoot!" I blurt out. I turn back to face Natasha and Flynn who were already encouraging me with their hand gestures to leave. "I'll call you later, okay?" I say in a promise to Natasha who simply nods her head and smiles. "Bye guys!"
"Good luck, B!" Natasha calls out with her hands held to her chest in excitement.
I hop back into the passenger seat and within seconds my dad pulls out of our parking space and pulls straight into reverse before zooming off down Natasha's street to the hospital.
Baby sisters here we come!
Laura's POV
"Is Ross coming?" I ask desperately to Rydel as the bed I'm on gets wheeled into a private room. "You called him right? He's on his way?"
Rydel pulls a chair up beside my bed and takes a hold of my hand. "Laur, for the millionth time, yes I called him, and yes he's on his way. You don't have to worry. Everything is under control."
I nod my head and lay back, taking deep breaths as I squeeze Rydel's hand tighter on every contraction that passes. "It hurts." I murmur painfully to myself, not really caring who heard me or not.
You'd think that after delivering your very first baby at the age of seventeen and then proceeding to have another child a couple of years later would make you some kind of professional at giving birth by now. But nope, not for me at least.
As much as I love being pregnant and getting to bring mini versions of Ross and I into this crazy world of ours, the pain is definitely a step that I'd like to skip if I was ever given the chance.
"Aww, I know." Rydel cooed, smoothing my sweat covered forehead with her free hand. "It'll be all over soon, Laur. Then you can have a nice long sleep and a glass of wine."
I manage to slip out a laugh before shrieking out in pain again which only makes me grab onto Rydel's hand even more than before. "I don't want to do this." I say to Rydel with tears forming in my eyes that I'm unable to stop. "I forgot how much it hurts."
"Laur, you are one of the strongest women I know." Rydel says confidently to me, allowing me to squeeze her hand as hard as I want to without even pulling a face of disgust or pain. "You can get through this. I'll be here for you every step of the way and so will Ross when he gets here."
"Thank you. You are too." I say gently to her. Another grunt of pain escapes my lips as another contraction comes fades over me like a wave and this time they're only getting stronger. "Rydel, I don't think these babies can stay in for very much longer."
Before she can answer me, the hospital door bursts open and Ross rushes to my side with Isabella following closely behind him. He kneels down beside me and wraps my other hand up in his own. "I'm here beautiful! I got here as quick as I could. Have I missed anything?"
I smile wearily at him and shake my head. "Not a thing."
He presses his lips carefully to mine and gently pushes a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Are you in pain?"
I nod my head slightly. "A little."
He pouts his lips like a little boy and wraps his arms lovingly around me. "I'm here for you beautiful. We're going to get through this," he pauses and wraps his hand up with mine again, pressing his lips to the back of my hand. "together."
"Together." I whisper back to him, biting my lip in agony as another contraction ran through me. "I think I need the nurse." I say quietly to both him and Rydel. "These really hurt."
Isabella was stood beside Ross with worry in her dark brown eyes. I smiled wearily at her and reached my hand out to hers. "I'm okay baby girl." I say. "Your sisters will be here in no time."
"Do you promise that you're okay mom?" Isabella asks, her hand still clutched tightly around mine. God, I remember how small her hands used to be. The way her tiny fingers would curl themselves around my own and that sweet smell she always had whenever I'd hold her to my chest. I wish that she could have stayed tiny forever -- tiny and safe in my arms.
I nod at her, still trying my hardest to smile through all the pain that my body was experiencing. "I promise."
Rydel let go of my hand and called Isabella over to her. "Hey Bell, why don't we go and get a bite to eat? Maddison is just outside, I'm sure she'd love to see you."
Isabella seemed cautious to leave me but nodded her head anyway. She slowly let her hand slip out of mine and followed Rydel to the door. "I love you, mom. I'll see you really soon, okay?"
"I love you more, Bella." I murmur. "My baby."
Her and Rydel closed the door shut behind them and left Ross and I to ourselves which suited us both just fine. I turned to him and he smiled at me, but there was a sense of worry behind it. "What?" I ask, which makes him furrow his eyebrows. I push some of his dark brown hair out of his eyes. "What is it?"
"Are you okay?" He asks again. But this time his tone is more serious.
I nod. "Yes, of course I am, I told you --"
"You don't look well, Laur." He admits sympathetically to me. "You look like you're going to pass out at any given second. Have you eaten? Maybe you just need a bite to eat and some water --"
"Ross." I chuckle, letting out a quiet groan of pain again. "I'm in labour. Of course I'm not going to look the healthiest I've ever been in my life right now."
The worrying thing is, he's not wrong. I don't feel the greatest but I've been trying not to admit it. In truth, I hadn't been feeling very well pretty much for the last couple of weeks. I'd put it down to being fed up of my pregnancy but honestly, maybe there was a deeper meaning to my emotions and feelings than that.
"Okay, okay, beautiful." Ross murmurs, smoothing the top of my head with his hand which instantly makes me feel a tiny bit better and more reassured than before. "You know how you feel so that's all that matters. I'll take your word for it."
I gaze lovingly into his soft brown eyes and rub my thumb gently over his hand. "You know, I always feel like I can conquer the world when you're by my side." I mumble to him, which makes him smile. "You're kind of like my partner in crime, but in a good way."
He chuckles and nods his head in agreement with me. "You're my strength. Without you..." he turns his head and shrugs his shoulders. "well, without you I wouldn't be the man that I am today. I owe so much to you, Laur. You're my everything."
I giggle softly. "I'm so happy that you stepped out in front of my car that day outside of school."
Ross smirks and begins to draw circular motions around my large stomach. "Me too." He says with a sigh of happiness. "I'm so happy that you were nosy enough to come outside and defend me that day at the café."
"I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant I get to lay here at this moment in time, holding your hand and going into labour with our twin girls." I murmur, which makes him smile like I've never seen him smile before. Except for maybe when we got married and Isabella's birth, of course.
He nuzzles his head into my neck. "I love you so much. I really hope you know that."
"Of course I do." I whisper into his ear. "I love you so much too, Ross. I always will."
"My beautiful little trooper." He chuckles, gesturing to my IV's and heart rate monitor. "How is the pain now?"
I exhale. "Honestly?" I ask. He nods. "Pretty bad."
I couldn't exactly lie to him. At any point I could start to scream and by then he's going to find out that I'm in some kind of pain anyway. It's probably best to be upfront and honest with him.
As Ross opens his mouth to speak, a nurse enters through the hospital door and smiles at the both of us. "Laura, myself and the other nurses have been checking how dilated you are and we've determined that you're probably ready to give birth any minute now."
I turn to Ross and we both gasp, almost with excitement than fear. "Am I safe to deliver them naturally?"
I was really praying that I'd be able to. After all, both Isabella and Bailey had been delivered naturally and luckily I hadn't had any other issues. It was a fast and painless process (for the most part at least), so if I am able to choose this time around I'd like to do the same again.
The nurse nods and smiles. "Sure thing. You're in good health and you've delivered naturally before, right? I don't see why not. However though, if there are any complications then we will have to perform an emergency c-section. We can't risk putting you or your babies in any distress."
I shiver at the thought of having a c-section, but I nod along happily with her anyway. I suppose in a time of crisis you'd be grateful for something that could potentially save you and your children's lives. It isn't something I should stress over too much. I just need to try and relax, use the breathing techniques that my birth coach had been helping me with over the past few months and think of when the pain is over and I finally get to hold my baby girls in my arms. It'll all be worth it in the end.
The nurse checks how dilated I am; hopefully for the final time. When she's finished examining me she simply nods her head, slips a pair of gloves on and says, "It's go time!"
Ross takes his hand in my own again and kisses it lightly. "I'm not going anywhere." He reminds me.
You can do this, Laura. I tell myself. It's time to be brave now. You can do this.
"Neither am I." I joke, which makes Ross chuckle but also roll his eyes at my attempt of humour whilst undergoing labour.
"And that's why you're my wife." He sighs, which makes us both burst into a quiet snigger.
Two other nurses enter the room and hold my legs up, whilst the nurse who I'd just spoken to came to join Ross and I. She took my free hand in her own and reminded me of the breathing techniques whilst also telling me stories about her children which I suppose were meant to make me feel better. Although she tried her best to distract me, her mission kind of failed, because the next contraction that came around made me scream out like a banshee and dig my finger nails into the palms of both her and Ross' hands.
"Okay Laura, deep breath!" The nurse who was stood beside me reminded me. "On the next contraction you've got to push, okay?"
I nod and begin to breathe in and out despite just wanting to lay there and scream out in agony. I could only hope that the waiting area wasn't filled with family. I didn't exactly want to imagine Mark and his new fiancee listening to me yell out in pain during labour, nor did I want to imagine Bailey or Isabella panicking.
Oh the joys of being a mom, always worrying.
The next contraction came and I did as instructed: I pushed.
I pushed as hard as I could, trying my hardest to block out any of the pain that I was currently feeling. All that's important right now is delivering my babies -- our babies.
I suddenly felt an instant relief from my body and the sound of loud cries which weren't coming from me filled my ears until that's all I could hear. The nurse reassuringly rubbed her hand gently on my shoulder and smiled happily at me. "Baby number one is here, Laura! She's a healthy baby girl. You did it!"
I begin to cry in pure happiness and Ross kisses me lovingly on the forehead, his hand still wrapped up in my own. "She's perfect, Laur." He whispers, shaking his head in disbelief. "She's so beautiful."
"Are you ready to deliver your second baby, Laura?" The nurse asks. But we both know that isn't a question. "Get ready to push on your next contraction, okay? This will all be over so soon!"
My next contraction came in a lot sharper and quicker than the last and quickly I began to push. I wasn't going to waste anytime with not trying. I wanted this to be over. The pain was becoming too much now. I thought that I could handle naturally delivering two babies but it's a lot harder than you might imagine it to be.
"Push, Laura!" The nurses yell out in encouragement.
"I'm trying!" I cry back to them. Tears and sweat are dripping down my face at this point and my heart is beating rapidly in my chest as I use all of the strength inside of me to give birth to my second baby girl.
After pushing with all of my might however, nothing happens and the nurses suddenly go into panic mode and turn to the nurse who is stood beside me. "Maria!" They call out desperately. Maria rushes to their side and the three of them gasp. "The baby is stuck! We need to get backup in here immediately!"
"What?" Ross and I both ask in a panicked unison.
"What do you mean my baby is stuck?" I ask out in a cry, my eyes were filling up with more tears at this point and Ross' hand was still locked tightly in my own. "Answer me!" I yell out to the nurses who were quietly talking amongst themselves.
The nurse, whose name I had now figured out to be, Maria, joined me once more and shook her head back and forth. "Laura, please. Try to keep calm. The more you shout and worry the worse you'll distress the baby."
The other nurses rush back to me. "You're going to have to keep pushing for us, Laura. That would be in your best interest right now."
I begin to cry again but Ross stares into my eyes and begins to soothe me. "I'm here." He whispers into my ear. "Don't be afraid. I'm your partner in crime remember? You feel like you can take on the world when you're around me."
I nod at him and begin to breathe steadily again. "I can do this." I whimper.
"Of course you can." Ross whispers back to me, kissing my cheek. "Now, get ready to push okay? You grab a hold of my hand as much as you need to. I'm not going anywhere."
I nod again and feel another contraction come over me. This was the worst of them all. It was even worse than the ones I'd experienced whilst giving birth to Isabella and Bailey but I continued to push as hard as I could regardless and finally, after a minute of pushing, I felt that same sense of relief that I'd felt just a few minutes before.
"You did it, Laur!" Ross exclaimed, kissing me lovingly on the lips. "I knew you could do it!"
I smile wearily at him and nuzzle into his chest.
I did it. I finally did it. Our baby girl's are finally here.
Suddenly, Maria begins to panic and rushes to the emergency table with our second born baby girl in her arms. "She's not breathing!" She exclaims to the other nurses who then rush to her side and tilt our baby's head back to open her airways. "Pass me the oxygen mask!" Maria demands.
I begin to cry again and Ross starts to panic, in a way that I've never seen him panic before. "Please help my baby!" He pleads. "She's going to be okay right?"
I wanted to scream. I wanted to beg. But I couldn't. I just lay on the hospital bed like a lifeless corpse unable to move or say anything, no matter how badly I wanted to. It felt like I was watching a movie through someone else's eyes and no matter what I do, I'm not able to change anything.
"Mr Lynch we're trying our hardest!" Maria explains, placing the oxygen mask onto our baby's face.
After a painful few moments, soft cries could be heard from our second baby girl. Ross began to sob from behind me and I smile weakly to myself. "Is that her?" I ask Ross who nods his head and shakes his head in disbelief at how the nurses were able to save her for us. "Thank god." I murmur.
"We're going to have to take them both down into the ICU just in case they have any medical issues that we need to look further into, but for now, here are your babies." Maria kindly says, handing both of our little girls to us. "Congratulations Mr and Mrs Lynch."
I smile and hold them both in my arms, admiring their beautiful and perfect little features. Their eyes are closed shut but they're both waving their arms around and opening their mouths. "They look just like you." I say jokingly to Ross. "Like clones."
Ross places a kiss on each of their foreheads. "They're my beautiful baby girls, that's why."
I nod and kiss them both too. "I can't argue with that."
Maria heads back over towards us and smiles. "So... have you thought of any names for these two cuties?"
I glance at Ross and gesture to the hospital door. "Actually," I murmur. "could my son and daughter possibly come in here for a moment please?"
Maria smiles. "Of course."
Ross gets up and opens the door, beckoning for both Isabella and Bailey to follow him. I can hear the excited, 'ooh's', and 'ahh's', from our family members outside, just like I had suspected. But right now was a very important moment for us. Our family of four was now a family of six and I couldn't be happier about that if I tried.
Bailey followed closely behind Ross and threw his hands to his face when he locked eyes with his baby sister's. "Mom!" He quietly says, rushing over to me. "They're so tiny!"
I giggle and nod. "So... what do you think?" I ask with a smirk. "You've got more girls to bug you now. Like Bella and I weren't enough already."
Bailey shakes his head and smiles down at his two little sister's. "No, it's different this time." He admits happily. "I'm their older brother and I'm going to look out for them. I won't let anyone hurt them."
Ross chuckles and wraps his arms around Bailey's shoulders. "That's right buddy. Bella gets to look out for you and you get to look out for them. It's pretty cool, right?"
Bailey grins. "Very cool!"
Isabella emerges from the doorway and instantly her face lights up with happiness when she sees her baby sister's. "Oh my gosh... mom, you did it!"
She rushes to my side and carefully wraps her arms around my neck whilst gazing down at her twin sister's with happiness and excitement in her dark brown eyes. "They're so perfect." She adds.
"So, honey." I say, brushing Isabella's dark blonde hair away from her eyes. "The nurse asked about their names... I figured you could help me out with that."
Isabella gasps and nods excitedly. "I can still name one of them the name that I mentioned to you before?"
I giggle and nod at her happily. "Of course baby! A promise is a promise."
Ross and Bailey stare at the both of us. "Huh?" They ask in unison.
I smile and gesture to Isabella. "I told Bella that she could name one of her sister's. It was our little deal."
Ross frowned. "Laur! I come up with the greatest names, remember? I had a whole list for both Bailey and Isabella before we came up with their names."
I roll my eyes and hold my hand up in a dismissive wave. "Ross, you tried to name Bella, Thunder to match your mother's name!"
Bailey bursts out into a fit of laughter and Isabella snaps her head in Ross' direction. "Dad! What kind of name is that?"
"A funny one." Bailey comments which Isabella pokes her tongue out at.
"Let's see what names you've come up with then." Ross jokingly challenges to Isabella who smirks back at him and crosses her arms over her chest. "If you can give me a name better than Thunder then I'll gladly let this deal take place."
I smile to myself, already knowing what name Isabella likes and also knowing that a name I like correlates beautiful with that one.
"Hope." Isabella says nonchalantly. "Hope Elizabeth Anne Lynch, right, mom?"
I smile and nod at the two guys in front of us who stood with their mouths agape. "She's my daughter!" I say with shrugged shoulders. "What did you expect? Us Lynch girls always come up with the most sophisticated names."
Ross and Bailey shrug back and say at the same time, "Fair point."
Isabella turns to me and smiles. "What name do you like, Mom?"
I have the perfect name.
I glance down at our second born baby and nod happily to myself. "Faith." I say, which makes Ross' face soften into a heartwarming smile. "One brings us Hope, the other brings us Faith. Something that this family has needed all of this time."
Isabella excitedly nods her head in amusement. "It's perfect, Mom."
"I like the meaning." Ross murmurs. "I can see our baby girls being Hope and Faith."
"Me too." Bailey agrees.
Maria holds two birth certificates in her hands and smiles. "Are we ready to give these two beautiful girls official names?"
The four of us nod and I smile. "Yes." I say. "Yes we are."
Ross and I fill out the birth certificate forms and sign them for proof of their legal names before turning our attention back to our twin girls.
"Welcome to the world, Hope." Ross murmurs, placing a kiss on Hope's forehead.
I smile. "Welcome to the world, Faith." I add, cradling her gently in my arms.
This is only the beginning. I remind myself. This is just the start of our new adventure.
But not as a family of four anymore.
A family of six.
* * *
a/n
omg... that's it you guys! i hope you like the names and i hope that you'll all be here for the next book (first chapter is going to be released sometime this week) which will be taking place five years from now!
all my love,
b x