“I need to feel them, Greg. I need to hold my babies.”
He nods his head before he walks over to the nurse who is standing not that far from us and speaks softly. I can’t hear what he’s saying to her and I honestly don’t care as long as it gets my babies in my arms.
We spend a while trying to figure out how to maneuver things so that I am able to hold my daughters. With my cast, it isn’t possible to hold them both at the same time, so Greg helps the nurse place Lillian in my arms. The first time I feel her against my skin, I weep. I try to keep it together, but when that featherweight is pressed against my chest… I lose it. Greg stays close, keeping one hand against Lillian’s back and the other arm draped across my shoulders.
I hold her for about ten minutes before Greg takes over and the nurse helps move Lyndsie into my arms. Just like with Lillian, I bawl. Completely lose it. Greg pulls one of the rockers next to my wheelchair and sits next to me while he cradles Lillian against his strong chest.
“They’re so small, Greg. You swear they’re going to be okay?”
“I promise, Beauty.”
I smile.
He smiles back, leans in, and kisses me lightly.
I place a kiss on Lyndsie’s downy head, locking eyes with Greg as he does the same to Lillian.
We sit there a little while longer until the nurse comes up and asks if we would like her to take a picture for us.
And with my girls safe in our arms, my husband by my side, and a love big enough to smother you, we take the first picture with our daughters.
“I can’t wait to get one of those with Cohen.”
“You and me both.”
“Soon?”
Greg looks over at my question, that big smile from last night back on his face. “Soon,” he vows.
Epilogue – Greg – Three Months Later (Christmas)
“Daddy! Daddy! DADDY!” Cohen’s warm breath hits my ear and his whisper is loud enough to wake the dead.
I groan, knowing that there is no way Cohen’s going to sleep anytime soon. I feel like I just fell asleep seconds ago, which isn’t far from the truth.
“C-Man, what are you doing awake?”
“Got things to do, Daddy!” Jesus, he’s starting to sound more and more like Maddox daily. Ever since they bonded when the girls were in the hospital, I feel like my son is turning into a Locke clone.
“Son.”
“Daddy.”
Melissa snickers next to me, and I know she gets a kick out of our four-year-old turning into some little mini alpha boy.
“Cohen, why don’t we go to sleep for just a few more minutes?” Or hours, I silently add.
“Can’t.”
“Annnnd why can’t we do that?” I finally peek my eyes open and jump when I realize how close he is to my face. “Jesus, son, do you have to sneak up like that?”
He giggles softly. “I didn’t sneak up on you. I was just talking to you, Daddy. We have to go… Go now!”
“Okay, okay.” I throw back the covers, remembering a second too late that I’m still naked from taking Melissa just a few hours before.
“HA! Daddy has his wiener rings in! Daddy, your wiener is funny looking with Mommy’s earrings in there!” He starts dancing around the room, chanting about my goddamn wiener rings.
Melissa sits up and starts laughing uncontrollably. I look over at her and notice that the sheet has pooled around her waist about the same time Cohen does. I hold my breath…waiting for it.
“Mommy! Boobies! Mommy has boobies. Boobies. Boobies! Ha ha ha! I want Lucky Charms for breakfast! Let’s go! I’ll go get my girls!”
It’s my turn to laugh now. Melissa is blushing about ten shades of red, and I’m standing in the middle of the bedroom, naked as the day I was born, laughing at my wife.
As hectic as my life is between Cohen and all his crazy fun, two little girls who seem to do nothing but wake and eat with a little sleep sprinkled in there, and a full-time job, it’s moments like this that make me realize just how lucky we are and just how blessed we are to be here.
It hasn’t been easy. Melissa had to stay in the hospital for two weeks after she woke up. The doctors wanted to make sure that she was completely cleared before they would release her, and I was okay with that.
Lillian was able to come home with Melissa, exactly a month after she was born. She’s such a strong little girl. Taking Melissa and Lillian home was bittersweet. In one hand, it felt so good to have them home, but I think we all felt the hole from that not having Lyndsie home with us left.
It was for almost three weeks full of daily hospital visits later that we were able to take Lyndsie home. She had issues with her reflux that just kept setting us back, but finally, almost two months after she was born, we were able to bring her home and complete the Cage family.