The lights were dim as he let his hands fall to her hips and snake around to her lower back. Lindsey had worried he wouldn't remember what to do for her, but it had all flooded back to him the moment she reached for him. He let his fingertips meet at the small of her back and skillfully applied pressure to the muscles. He turned his head, kissing her arm that hung loosely around his neck and listening to her steady breathing. He never knew where she went inside herself to journey through the pain, but it only proved to him that she was much stronger than him. Lindsey firmly pressed the palm of his hand into her back and began humming Stephanie into her ear. A smile graced his lips as she relaxed and relished the small break between contractions.
Her eyes remained closed as she listened to his words of encouragement and rested her head against his shoulder. "That was more intense than the last," she told him and felt his lips brush across her hair.
Lindsey raised a brow. He would say more than that if he experienced pains equivalent to a giant's hand squeezing with enough force to break any part of his body in half. "You're so strong, Steph," he whispered.
"And knocking cobwebs off my uterus," she joked.
He chuckled and splayed his fingers out, smoothing his hand up and down her back. "I don't think there's room for any cobwebs in there."
She cackled softly and lifted her head to meet his eyes. "True." Stevie peeked over his shoulder and glanced around the room, furrowing her brows. "Where's Libba?" she asked. She hadn't realized the girl had left the room.
"Coffee run," Lindsey answered. "She's been gone for about thirty minutes. You were too focused to notice when she slipped out."
"Oh," she murmured.
"Think you're a chocolate chip cookie yet?" He peered down at her, listening to her giggles. "It's a serious question."
"I don't know, baby," Stevie replied. "I hope I'm not feeling any pain when I'm a chocolate chip cookie," she said truthfully, wanting relief soon. Stevie was experiencing the kind of contractions that required constant focus, and she remembered if she lost concentration for one millisecond that her whole world would crash painfully and consume her.
Lindsey nodded his head. He supported her decision to receive an epidural. He smirked, remembering how rigid she'd been with her wishes for Elisabeth's birth – at home, absolutely natural, and him by her side for every agonizing hour. He was partly relieved to be in the hospital considering how many times Dr. Shepard had stressed that the second baby's delivery could go smoothly or turn into a c-section. He felt Stevie hug him to her. "I got you," he declared and offered support as another contraction began. He jolted as the door banged against the wall of the birthing suite.
"I'm back!" Elisabeth announced as she bounced into the room. "Did I miss anything? I got coffee and walked around for a while with Andrew. He won't set foot in here. I think he's terrified of seeing something," she chattered. "There aren't lattes here. Just regular coffee that's basically brown bean water. I think I used all the cream and sugar in the place. It's still terrible...like I don't even know why I'm still drinking it." Her words jammed together from the caffeine coursing through her veins.
"Elisabeth," Lindsey hissed. "Be quiet." He cursed under his breath and felt Stevie's nails dig into him. Her focus had been obliterated by Libba's entrance and incessant rambling. He sunk his teeth into his bottom lip and winced as Stevie grabbed a handful of curls at the back of his head. "Breathe through it," he reminded. "Long, deep breaths."
The blonde in his arms swore loudly and whimpered in pain, tugging on his curls harder. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," Stevie groaned through gritted teeth and roughly pressed her forehead into Lindsey's shoulder. "Goddammit, Lindsey. Harder. Not there. No. Goddammit." She reached behind her and shoved his hand over to her hip. "There. Do not fucking move your hand. Harder. More," Stevie moaned deeply.
"What can I do?" Libba asked with wide eyes. Her face contorted as she heard her mother's choice words and inarticulate responses to the crippling pain. She almost sounded like a dying animal in her opinion. It horrified her and made her doubt giving her parents grandchildren.
Lindsey turned his head, shooting his daughter a glare and pointing to the oversized chair in the corner. "Sit down and be quiet," he instructed, wondering if he was bleeding yet from Stevie's nails twisting like knives into his love handle. "Steph, breathe. It's almost over," he hoped with a fleeting glance at the clock and tilted his head back as she yanked hard on his curls.
Elisabeth gnawed on her thumbnail and bounced her knee, intently observing her mother and father. She shouldn't have had five cups of coffee and should have remembered the strict rule of silence. She drew in a deep breath and sheepishly smiled at her mother. "Sorry," she mouthed.
Stevie put a hand up to silence her daughter and shook her head. "I need to lie down after that one," she declared, settling into bed and thanking Lindsey for adjusting the pillows behind her back. She fixed the blanket and placed her hands over her belly. Stevie tilted her head, noticing the quick bouncing of her daughter's knee and fidgeting of her fingers. "Libba, how much coffee did you drink?"
"Three cups," she lied, dipping her brunette head. "Okay. Five cups honestly. I chain smoked half a pack too. I'm so nervous. I totally forgot about being quiet."
"Baby, it's fine," Stevie said and rested her head against the pillows. "Please remember to be quiet. If you can't, go outside. I know you want to be in here, but you cannot come in here like the energizer bunny, Elisabeth."
"Yes, mama," Libba replied and cracked her knuckles.
She cringed at the sound of Elisabeth's knuckles popping. "Lindsey, are you okay?"
"Yeah. I've had worse," he joked, cracking a smile and winking. He bent down and kissed her forehead. He backed out of the way as a nurse entered the room. "Time to see if she's a chocolate chip cookie?"
The nurse laughed, shaking her head. "Yes, Mr. Buckingham."
"I hate Abigail related that to food for you," Stevie said to Lindsey as she shifted to be checked. She looked at the nurse expectantly and took the smile on the woman's face as a good sign.
"Chocolate chip cookie and time for that epidural," the nurse disclosed and tossed her gloves into the trash. "He'll be in probably in a few minutes. He's just down the hall."
"Great," Stevie replied. She couldn't wait to see the man that would ease her pain. Stevie glanced at Elisabeth. "Baby, you want to go for a walk?"
"Why?" Elisabeth asked.
"You hate needles," her mother responded simply.
"That's an understatement," Lindsey mumbled under his breath. He remembered his little girl climbing him like a monkey and screaming like a banshee any time a needle came near her in a doctor's office.
"Mama, I'll be fine. It's going in you. Not me," she said and flashed a confident smile.
Lindsey smirked and passed a doubtful look to Stevie. He sat down on the edge of the bed and felt her grip his hand. "Quiet time," he advised Elisabeth and slipped his hands behind Stevie's back, applying pressure as forcefully as he could. He held his breath, fearful that he would be mauled a second time. Lindsey released his breath when the contraction was over. "Thank God."
"You survived," Stevie deadpanned and swiped her bangs out of her eyes. She turned her head towards the entryway. "There's my man of the hour."
Lindsey rolled his eyes as the anesthesiologist introduced himself. He helped Stevie sit up and crouched down in front of her. "Don't start doing splits or cartwheels after this magic trick."
She laughed hollowly and pinched Lindsey's cheek. For once, she was grateful for his lame jokes. It helped keep her spirits up. She took a hold of his hands and arched her back, feeling the cold antiseptic solution being rubbed on her. She stared into Lindsey's eyes, pushing out the thought of the needle going into her back.
Elisabeth scrambled out of her spot. She stepped closer, observing closely and gulping at the size of the needle. She swallowed hard as Dr. Stewart held the needle up and moved to her mother's exposed back. She took in a deep breath and released it slowly to calm herself. She reminded herself a thousand times in less than a minute that it wasn't her back that had a gigantic needle going in. Her eyes widened in alarm, seeing the needle sticking out. "Oh my God," she whispered with fluttering eyelids. Her world swam, and she dropped as the catheter was passed through the needle.
"What was that? Did Libba faint?" Stevie asked quickly.
Lindsey nodded and looked over at his girl on the floor. "Yep. Don't move. He's almost done."
"But Libba..."
"She'll be fine, Stevie."
Dr. Stewart taped the catheter in place and finished his work. "All done. Give it ten or twenty minutes. And she's up," he alerted, seeing the nurse sit Elisabeth up. "Welcome back!"
Elisabeth frowned and looked around the room in bewilderment. Her blue eyes drifted to the floor, and she felt her cheeks flush. "That's embarrassing," she muttered.
"Happens all the time," Dr. Stewart assured the young adult and helped her stand. "Might want to get a band-aid for the cut on your forehead."
"What?" Libba lifted her hand, swiping her fingers across her forehead. "For Christ's sake," she mumbled. "How did I manage that?"
Lindsey smirked. "Baby, you're talented like your old man." He watched as the nurse fussed over Elisabeth and ignored Stevie professing her love for epidurals.
"Why didn't I do this the first time?"
"You decided on a home birth the minute you found out that I couldn't be in the delivery room," he reminded her.
"That was stupid of me," she admitted and stifled a yawn. She felt immediate relief from that amazing needle. Her body and mind relaxed.
"That's a first," Lindsey quipped, rubbing her calves. His eyes drifted to Dr. Stewart taking care of the cut on Elisabeth's forehead. He held in his amusement as the anesthesiologist placed a Sesame Street band-aid above her eyebrow. Lindsey turned his head and cocked a brow. "What's with all the bells and whistles, Nancy?" he questioned the nurse and pointed to all the contraptions being placed on Stevie.
Stevie closed her eyes and listened to the every one of Lindsey's questions and Nancy's answers. She realized that her wonderful nurse had the patience of a saint. "Linds," she interrupted softly. "Let her have peace while she works. Me too," she added.
"I don't mind the questions," Nancy said.
"Am I still having contractions?"
"Yes," she replied. "I'll be back."
Stevie nodded her head and opened her eyes. "Lindsey, am I really still having contractions? I feel zip."
"Yeah," he responded and stared at machine monitoring the contractions. "Take a nap. I'll be right here unless I go to get coffee."
She silently agreed with his suggestion and beckoned Elisabeth over to her. She looked at her daughter's face and trailed her fingertip over the bandage. "Big Bird and Cookie Monster suit you."
"Mama, are you high from the epidural?"
"No. You have a Sesame Street band-aid, sweetheart," she clarified with a chuckle. "Go with your daddy to get coffee, but no more for you. I'm going to rest, and I love you."
"I love you too," she whispered and kissed her mother's forehead. "I can't believe he put a kid's bandage on me," she complained to her father as they slipped out of the room.
"You'll forget it's there," he told her.
"And you'll never let me live it down."
"Nope," he answered quickly and put his arm around her shoulders, walking to the cafeteria with her. He filled two cups and used plenty of cream and sugar, offering Libba a cup. "I know what she said, but I won't tell if you don't."
"Deal. Are we going back to the room or a walk?"
"A walk. I need a smoke," he admitted and fished his crumpled soft pack out of his jean's pocket as he walked down the empty hallway. He held open the door for his girl and strolled to a bench, sitting down and lighting up.
Elisabeth took a cigarette from the pack. "I'm so glad you don't smoke menthol like mama did."
"I need to quit. She's been on me since she stopped." He thrust his arm toward Libba and lit her cigarette.
"Daddy, are you nervous?"
"A little," he admitted honestly. "It's so different from when you were born. I didn't know what to expect with you. I had enough time to adjust to the process and figure out what to do for your mom when she labored with you. I know what she needs this time around which is a good thing since it's going quicker," he paused and sipped the hot coffee. "I was terrified that she wanted a home birth with you. I worried about something happening and not being in a hospital."
"That makes total sense."
"Now, we're in the hospital, and I'm partly relieved that we are, but," he trailed off and took a long drag from his cigarette.
"But what?" Elisabeth inquired hesitantly.
"I'm worried about her delivering in an operating room and possibly having to have a c-section."
Libba put her cup down and eased her hand over her father's, squeezing his fingers. "I believe it'll be textbook."
He smiled at her and sat in silence until he finished smoking. He rolled the filter between his thumb and index finger, watching the leftover tobacco fall onto the pavement.
"I'm going to go back in," Libba informed him and flicked her cigarette.
Lindsey lit another and finished his coffee. He stood to his feet and combed his hand through his hair. He knew the next hours would speed by or drag with each minute since he wouldn't be able to sleep. He drifted back to the room with a fresh cup of coffee and plopped down in the chair next to the bed. He propped his feet up and glanced at Libba passed out in the corner. He wasn't surprised at all that she'd crashed from the caffeine. Lindsey picked up a book of word search puzzles from Stevie's bag and listened to her rumbling and rattling snores as the time passed.
He crossed out a word and rubbed his eyes, lifting his head from the book. "Hey sleepyhead," he said to Stevie as she pushed herself up to sit.
"Hey," she whispered back and glanced around the room.
"Libba's asleep."
Stevie peeked around him with an amused smirk playing at her rosy lips. Her eyes focused on her oldest, curled up like a pretzel in the oversized leather recliner in the corner. "I'll never know how she can sleep any which way."
"I guess the role of excited big sister is exhausting."
"Did you sleep?"
Lindsey shook his head. "I haven't slept a wink. I think you snored for the both of us," he teased.
"I wish you were half as funny as you thought," she mumbled and shifted in bed. She bit her lip and furrowed her brows. "Lindsey, I think you should find Nancy."
"What?" he asked, searching for another hidden word.
"Get the nurse. I feel like I have to push."
His eyes widened, and he flung the puzzle book aside, bolting from the chair and dashing out of the room. He ran to the nurse's station and locked eyes with Nancy. "Stevie says she feels like she has to push. Isn't that too quick? It's been an hour or so since she was an orange slice. She can't be a bagel," he rambled.
Nancy put her hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Buckingham, calm down. She could be ready, or it could be that the epidural needs more juice."
"More juice? I'm sure that's it," he said and trailed behind Nancy to the suite. He was surprised to see Elisabeth awake and holding her mother's hand. He smiled at her, telling her to stay right where she was. He turned his head as Dr. Shepard came into the room. He scratched his cheek and wondered if it was time since the top woman appeared.
"Word on the floor is that someone might be a bagel," she said, winking at Lindsey as she drifted by him. She exchanged a look with Nancy and nodded her head, popping a glove on and sitting on the bed. "Is there a lot of pressure, Stevie?" she questioned, putting her hand on her patient's knee and checking her dilation.
Stevie groaned softly and nodded her head, gripping Libba's hand tighter. Elisabeth rubbed her mother's arm to comfort her.
Dr. Shepard threw away the glove and met Stevie's eyes. "You're at ten. We'll get you down to the operating room. Let's meet these babies," she spoke cheerfully and grinned at Stevie. Her green eyes met Libba's blue ones. "Libba, I usually hate a crowded room, but I'll let you in...if you want."
Libba mulled it over within minutes. Part of her wanted to witness the twins' arrival into the world but a larger part of her didn't want to be there if her mother had to have a c-section. Her being a hysterical ball of worry wouldn't do anyone any good. She thanked the redhead for her offer and hugged Stevie, kissing her cheek. "I love you, and I'll see you later, mama."
"I love you too, baby...so much. Don't worry. I'm in good hands."
She squeezed her hand and hugged her father on the way out the door. Stevie looked at Lindsey and reached for his hand. Her head swirled at how fast it all seemed to be moving. She felt like she was in a daze as she was wheeled to the operating room. She squinted from the brightness of the lights and listened to the buzz of the room. It sounded like there were a million people in the room. Van Morrison's music hit her ears, and it dawned her that she wasn't going to have the almost spiritual and sentimental birth experience that delivering Elisabeth had been. She felt panic ripple to the surface until she felt Lindsey's lips press into her temple.
"I'm right here," he murmured and tucked her bangs into the cap on her blonde head. He shifted closer to her and sang in a low voice to her.
Stevie closed her eyes, listening to Lindsey sing Crystal to her. She drowned out the music filling the operating room and let herself focus, trying to will her body not to push even though she knew it was pushing without her help.
Dr. Shepard's clear voice broke her out of her concentration. "Stevie, you're pushing on the next contraction," she declared.
She pushed with every ounce of strength, listening to Lindsey's encouragement and gripping his hand. She pushed two more times and heard her baby's wails of frustration at being torn from the cozy home. She looked up at Lindsey, beaming at him as Dr. Shepard announced that their daughter barreled into the world first at 3:30AM. "Hi Emalie," she whispered as the baby was placed on her chest. "Look at her, Linds."
Lindsey stared at his little girl with misty eyes. "Happy Birthday, Emalie." He placed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "She's perfect."
Stevie touched his cheek and leaned in, kissing his lips. She saw the look on her doctor's face as she performed on ultrasound to check the position of the second baby. "Abigail?"
"There's been a flip flop. I have to turn him before the contractions pick back up," she explained. "I have five minutes tops. Maybe less."
Stevie nodded and didn't complain as a nurse gently took Emalie out of her arms. She needed to refocus her efforts on getting her son into the world.
Lindsey kept an eye on his daughter and massaged Stevie's shoulders. He heard the faint swear word fumble out of Dr. Shepard's mouth, and she mentioned Stevie had begun contracting sooner than expected. He helplessly watched as she and another doctor pushed and pulled, manipulating Stevie's uterus from inside and out. He tried to remain calm, listening to the back and forth of the skilled doctors. The baby's hand was in the way then it wasn't in the way. He thought his heart stopped beating when he heard the baby's heart was decelerating, and an internal monitor was inserted to watch the decelerations more closely. Lindsey reassured Stevie that everything would be smooth with the second delivery.
"Head down! Sunny side up but head down," Abigail informed the parents. "Lindsey, you are going to owe her a helluva gift for this delivery."
He smirked, not comprehending what it meant for the baby to be sunny side up in the womb. He cheered Stevie on with each push and dabbed the perspiration from her forehead. "I bet he'll come out on the next one."
Stevie shook her head in disbelief. With every push, the baby would come down but pop right back up once the pushing stopped. There was too much room to keep him traveling down the birth canal. She let her head fall back against the pillow and closed her eyes, taking a breath. "I don't want to be cut open."
Dr. Shepard had been careful and patient, but time was ticking. It had been over twenty minutes since Emalie was born. "Stevie, his heart shows he's not having the best time. I'm going to use a vacuum extractor to keep him low. I'll get him out without surgery."
Stevie felt like she'd be hoisted onto the operating table with each fleeting minute, but she pushed and pushed with all of her might. She wanted Seth out and in her arms. She could see Emalie being held by nurses, and she wanted her baby girl in her arms. Tears spilled out of her eyes, feeling torn between the baby in the room and the baby in her belly. She was weak, exhausted, and overwhelmed. "Linds, go to her."
"No," he said firmly. "Nothing is moving me from your side. Baby, you push with everything you can."
With the next push, Stevie screamed loudly and thought for sure she'd broken Lindsey's hand or eardrum. "I can't do it!"
Dr. Shepard held the baby up and grinned from ear to ear. "You did it though!"
Stevie fell back and couldn't believe her son was finally out of her. He came twenty-eight minutes after his sister, and he had such a rough trip. She licked her salty lips and waited for him to cry. "Cry, Seth. C'mon, baby. Cry for mama."
His cries slowly poured into the room. She took him carefully, and her heart broke at the sight of his misshapen head. "Poor baby," she whispered and lightly kissed his head. "Lindsey, look at his little head."
"Will it stay that way?"
"No," Stevie and Dr. Shepard told him in unison.
Lindsey brushed his fingers over his son's hand and wanted to hold him. He didn't get the chance to hold Seth before a nurse whisked him away.
She sighed heavily, yearning for more time with her boy. Seth needed to be checked because of the heart decelerations. "Lindsey, go tell Libba and Andrew that we're all fine."
"I still need to be with you."
"You don't. I'm good. Abigail, tell him to get out of here and make the announcement."
"Get outta here," she commanded as she finished up the delivery. "You won't miss a thing but placentas. Go back to the room and wait. I plan on having her back in there in about twenty minutes."
His face twisted in revulsion at the mention of placenta, and he stepped over to his son and daughter, asking about their conditions and measurements. He slowly turned and looked over his shoulder at Stevie. Lindsey purposefully marched over to her bed. "I'll get a vasectomy."
"What?" she asked, arching a brow and wondering what spurred the sudden revelation.
"Seth is seven pounds and four ounces and nineteen inches long. Emalie is six pounds and ten ounces and eighteen inches long."
"Jesus," she muttered to herself. "That came out of me?" she gasped.
He solemnly nodded his head. "I'll get a vasectomy before they're six weeks."
"Lindsey, I love you for the offer, but I can't even think about your junk right now. Go to the waiting room and tell Libba about her brother and sister." She shook her head and asked for her babies.
Nancy lifted Emalie out of the warmer and placed her into her mother's arms. "She's beautiful, Ms. Nicks."
"Thank you. Please, call me Stevie. Is everything okay with Seth?"
The nurse looked back at the doctor hovering over the boy. "Let me see," she said and walked over, chewing on her lip as she listened to the older man standing to her right.
Stevie cradled her brand new love in her arms, letting her nurse as she whispered sweet nothings into her tiny ear. "You're going to be a handful, Miss Emalie Reese. I can tell," she murmured to her and glanced at the doctor, peering at the embroidery on his scrub top.
"Stevie, I'm Dr. Green. I want to take Seth for scans. I've detected a heart murmur. I need to make sure the murmur isn't serious. It may be small and close on its own, or it could be the sign of an underlying issue with his heart."
She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She adjusted Emalie as she unlatched from her breast. "Underlying issue?" Her mind couldn't fully process the man's words or how a seemingly healthy newborn could potentially have a serious heart problem.
"The murmur could be a sign of a structural problem. Let me take him, and I'll get him back to you as soon as I can. I'll go to the room and tell your family about Seth. It'll give you a moment with him." He stepped aside as Nancy brought Seth over to his mother and placed the boy into her arms.
Stevie thanked Dr. Green and Nancy, holding her babies in her arms. She gazed at Seth, acknowledging the features Lindsey had passed onto him. She kissed his forehead and stroked his plump cheek as tears pooled into her eyes. "I love you, Seth," she told him and let Nancy take him away from her. Her eyes didn't leave the pair until they'd exited the room. She shut her eyes and rubbed her hand up and down her daughter's back. She thought of one of her son's namesakes that had died of a heart attack barely two years ago. She thought of Morris; he'd suffered a heart attack on Valentine's Day of 1974 and slipped away. She remembered Ruth telling her that Jeffrey had a heart murmur when he was born. She let the tears flow down her cheeks as she prayed that the doctor would return her son to her soon along with good news about his condition.