When it came time for the gifts, I called Maggie, Phoebe, Celia and Abby up to the front with me as my official gift unwrapperers. There was just too much.
"My god, you were right." I whispered to Viola who was seated to the back left of me. "They all are competing for best gift." I heard my mother laugh on the other side of me.
"I told you." Viola practically sang out.
"Just wait till you get to the big stuff." Viola’s voice had taken on that familiar naughty tone and I could only imagine what would come out of her mouth today.
I received three double strollers, two single strollers, bassinets, highchairs, clothes, shoes, towels, organic designer baby washes, bibs, a year’s supply of diapers, silver spoons, silver forks, a silver pacifier, jewelry for the babies, baby swings, designer diaper bags, designer luggage for the babies, a daddy diaper bag (manly style included)…it just went on and on.
When we got to Viola and Liam’s gift, I was relieved that it was simply an envelope. I opened the envelope and there was a donation to the children’s home in honor of the Iverson Twins and a spa package for me for after the babies arrived. I smiled and kissed Viola’s cheek.
Henry and Anne had bought two cradle swings, which were actually really cool and, clearly, very expensive. The bassinet part of the swing hung from a moon shaped base and the cradle part would hug the baby as if it were being swaddled. I had learned from the Lamaze classes that swaddling was good. Very good.
I got to my mother’s gift and slowly opened the box. Inside were my baby booties and bonnet. I turned to her with tears in my eyes.
"Thank you!" She moved forward and hugged me tightly. "We have Aidan’s and now I can use mine too." I kissed her cheek heavily.
"We brought you home in those." She wiped tears from her eyes, mimicking my own actions.
I took a deep breath when I saw the amount of gifts that were still waiting on me. Looking over to my side, I saw Maggie and Abby throwing wrapping paper at each other and laughing. I started laughing too.
All of a sudden, a familiar pain tore through my back. It was the same pain I had been feeling when I was put on bed rest, only this time I was sitting in a puddle of water.
Chapter Six
Double Delivery
Lilli
"Lilli?" Viola’s hand landed on my shoulder.
"Lilli, baby?!" My mother was on the other side of me.
I groaned out and held my stomach.
"Car, now."
"Oh, dear!" I could hear Aunt Anne exclaim.
"I’m calling Aidan." Elora yelled as she put her phone to her ear.
"Car! Now!" I yelled, again.
"I got it!" Jay shouted from behind me.
I panted through the sharp cramping. It was the same, but it wasn’t. This time the pains wrapped around my abdomen and I could feel the muscles tighten up my stomach. The pressure that was building between my hip bones was the worst thing I had ever felt. I was waiting for that moment when the creature would rip from my stomach, just like in the movie ‘Alien’.
The pain subsided and I took some deep breaths. "Breath in." deep breathe, "Breath out." deep breathe. Viola was taking the panting breathes with me, helping to coach me through.
"Whoa." She stopped and grabbed the table next to us. "I’m getting dizzy." She giggled out.
I was about to giggle with her when the next pain ripped through my lower back, wrapping me in its torturous hug.
"Oh God!" I groaned out in pain. "I’m going to kill Becca." I growled, "and then I am going to kill Aidan!" I panted heavily. "Fuck!" My hand was clutching my stomach.
"The car is here." Jay appeared and went to pick me up.
"Don’t touch me!" I shouted and he jumped back. "Oh god, oh god…" the pain was so intense that I prayed I would pass out.
"Isn’t ‘Oh God’ what got you into this trouble?" Viola giggled out. I groaned.
"Lilli, we need to get you to the car." Celia said sternly as Jay was slowly making his move to pick me up. The pain subsided and I nodded. He lifted me and we moved to the car.
Two nurses helped me into a wheelchair when we arrived to the hospital. Viola and my mother were moving along side of me. After Viola tripped in her heels for the second time, she shouted ‘fucking shoes’ and kicked them off. I laughed through the panting. It was just too damn funny.
I was settled into a private room and hooked up to all the monitors.
"Well, Mrs. Iverson, your contractions are very close and they are at a very nice strength." The doctor looked over my chart and the contraction monitor.
"Nice? Does it look like they’re are nice? This is like a curse from the Devil himself…" I exclaimed.
Aidan burst into the room.
"And speak of the Devil…" Viola snorted out.
"Lilli, are you okay?" He panted.
"Do I look like I’m…..OKAY?" I groaned and started panting.
"Okay…uh…breathe. In and out, in and out…" Aidan tried to coach.
"If you puff one more breath in my face, I swear to God that I will strangle you with one of these fucking wires that are attached to me!" I threatened and then breathed through the contraction.