“Tommy?” I called from my spot in our bed.
It had been 6 months since we came back to Idaho and I was officially on bed rest due to the fact that at 8 months pregnant I could no longer see my feet. The twins were both healthy and strong, larger than the doctor had expected and I could barely move anymore, making me fully reliant on Thomas. We had spent the first 5 months we were back working in the shops with my parents but as soon as I was placed on bed rest we both stopped working as I was unable to take care of myself anymore which put me in a horrifically bad mood.
Thomas had spent the last month putting the nursery furniture together as well as buying clothing and everything we would need for the babies. We had found out that my dream had been correct and we were having two little boys, something that thrilled us both.
“Yeah?” he leaned into the bedroom as he pushed his glasses up.
“I need help.”
“Okay,” he came over and I held my hands out, allowing him to assist me off of the bed so that I could use the restroom.
Once I was done, I made my way to the living room and sat on the couch, groaning softly.
“Did you tape up your stomach like the doctor showed us?” Thomas called from the kitchen where he was making dinner.
“No. I just woke up from a nap.”
“Hm,” he muttered softly, his back now to me.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Whatever,” rolling my eyes, I grabbed the remote and turned the television on.
“Can you not? I have a headache and I… never mind,” Thomas sighed, bringing me dinner before retreating to our bedroom.
We had been arguing for the last month, my pain level something I was struggling with and I constantly lashed out at Thomas. It was never from a place of malice or even true anger, I was simply uncomfortable in my own body and while he was going above and beyond to assist me, I knew that I had angered him with my constant outbursts.
There was a sudden pain in my stomach, something I had never experienced and I groaned, clutching the couch.
“Tommy?” I called again.
“I’m going to bed.”
“Tommy I need you,” I cried out, “Tommy!”
He came running from the bedroom just as a flood of liquid poured down my thighs, “oh fuck.”
“Call an ambulance. Please,” panting, I gripped the couch as another pain shot through me.
“We have to get you downstairs. They can’t bring a gurney up here,” he grabbed his phone, calling an ambulance before running to the bedroom and grabbing our hospital bags. He tossed them gently down the stairs before coming over and helping me from the couch, “the ambulance is downstairs. We just have to get down there okay?”
“Mhm,” I nodded, tears streaming down my face.
We managed to make it down the stairs where we found two paramedics waiting for us, a gurney sitting there.
“Hello. I’m Shauna,” the first paramedic smiled, “we’ll get you to the hospital. Can you tell me your name?”
“Sparrow Hartley,” I muttered through gritted teeth, “please, Tommy please make sure…”
“I know. Ma’am,” he climbed in after they loaded me up, “this is my boyfriend, not my girlfriend. Understand?”
“Oh! Of course. No worries sir,” she smiled at me again, “how far along?”
“8 months. He’s scheduled for a c-section in two weeks but we’re having twins so…”
“They could simply be ready to make an early entrance.”
“You… we keep them in,” I panted, “I have to… I’m getting surgery too…”
“They’re not crowning or anything. Don’t worry. Just because your water broke and you’re having contractions doesn’t mean they’ll suddenly appear. Just breathe. Relax.”
“I’m trying,” I hissed, gripping Thomas’ hand, “Tommy… Tommy, I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay. I know,” he kissed the back of my hand, “I know baby. I miss you. No more. I don’t wanna fight anymore.”
“Me either,” I cried softly, rubbing his hand with my thumb, “thank you… I never tell you that do I? I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I love you… so much.”
“I love you too,” he whispered a nervous smile on his face, “everything will be okay. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know.”
Thomas called my parents as well as his own as we drove to the hospital. Luckily, Theodore and Killian had decided to come two weeks before my c-section instead of a week to spend time with my parents and they had become fast friends something that made Thomas and I incredibly happy.
They rushed me to a surgical suite and as they got me ready, they pulled Thomas aside to do the same. He needed proper protective gear to stay in the room with me as they gave me the first procedure which would be to deliver the babies.
“Hi Sparrow,” my OBGYN and surgeon Dr. McGuiness smiled as she had a nurse place a mask over my face.
“Hi Doctor,” I smiled, still in a large amount of pain.
“Seeing as this is a surprise, we need to clean your stomach for you. It’ll be incredibly cold for a moment but we have to disinfect everything.”
“Whatever makes this stop I am totally fine with.”
“Alright. Have you eaten in the last eight hours?”
“I can’t eat so no. I’ve just had juice and water all day.”
“Perfect,” she smiled again as a nurse began to clean my lower stomach, “first. Drink this,” she helped me sit up before handing me a small cup.
“Ew,” I groaned, “disgusting.”
“I know. Now,” she gestured to someone and a different nurse came over, “they’re going to do your epidural. Your chest will go numb first and spread to your toes. Do not panic. That’s normal. It’s so you won’t feel anything. We’re going to place wraps on your legs to keep your blood flow going and a nurse will give you a catheter. Luckily, you won’t feel that. After everything is numb, we’ll begin. Once the babies are checked, you and your partner will get to hold them for a bit. Then he’ll be escorted out and Dr. Donaldson will come in to do your hysterectomy. They’ll simply increase the epidural so that you can stay awake. That way as soon as we have you stitched up, you’ll be able to visit with your children. Sound good?”
“Yes. Where’s my Tommy?”
“I’m right here,” Thomas came into the room in his medical gear and sat on the stool near my head, “hi baby.”
“Hi,” I whispered, looking over at him, “can you see what they’re doing?”
“Mhm.”
“Is it gross?”
“Not yet,” he laughed, rubbing the top of my head, “but I probably won’t look when they start. I can’t handle blood well.”
“I appreciate you staying here even when you’re disgusted.”
“I wouldn’t miss the birth of our sons,” he pressed his forehead to the side of my head, “our dads are on their way with Connor and Juniper. Callum wanted to come but he has to stay with Hannah and Elijah. They’re all sick so it’s not good for them to be around the babies.”
“Alright.”
Elijah Wesley Hartley had been born three months ago at the beginning of July. He was a sweet boy with golden curls and deep brown eyes. He loved to be held and I missed him terribly as I was unable to spend time with him the last month due to my inability to leave the apartment.
“Step one is done,” Dr. McGuinness called softly, “and… baby one,” she laughed, “is wonderful. Welcome to the world little guy.”
Thomas smiled, a tear rolling down his cheek as I stared at him.
“What does he look like?”
“Well, he’s a bit dirty. I think we’ll have to wait a moment.”
“Okay,” I nodded.
“Baby number two… oh,” Dr. McGuiness gasped and I tilted my head up, trying to see over the curtain.
“What’s wrong?” I started to panic and Thomas kissed the side of my head, his right arm wrapping around the top of my head to rub my cheek.
“Nothing. Nothing just… hang on.”
“Don’t lie to me,” I whispered, “please.”
“Even I’m not sure honey. They’ll tell us. Just hang on.”
It took a few minutes but one of the babies was suddenly brought over and laid on my chest, crying softly. The top of his head had a blue beanie but around the front were small auburn curls poking out. He had the same sharp nose and puffy lips as Thomas and when he opened his eyes, I let out a cry as Thomas’ sea foam green eyes looked back at me.
“Oh hi,” I whispered, kissing the baby's forehead, “hi Phoenix.”
“Yeah… he’s definitely Phoenix,” Thomas sniffled, placing his hand on Phoenix’s back, “oh he’s so cute.”
“He looks just like you.”
“Mhm.”
Dr. McGuiness came over and laid the second baby on my chest, concern in her eyes, “he’s okay. I promise that there’s nothing wrong. But… he has no right eye. It’s a condition called anophthalmia. Essentially, the bones and everything formed for his socket, but the eye itself didn’t. Other than that, from what we can tell so far, he’s healthy.”
“C… can we get tests for hemophilia and type one diabetes as well? It runs in my family,” I whispered.
“Of course. Once they’re in your hospital room. You’ll want to take him to a doctor who specializes in his condition.”
“He’s perfect,” I sniffled, “hi Hyacinth. We love you both so much.”
“We just get him an eyepatch like Papa Addi and raise him to know that he’s perfect the way he is,” Thomas whispered in my ear.
“Oh, I know.”
“Thomas?” Dr. McGuiness smiled, “we have to take you and the babies now. Follow nurse Poppy and they’ll get you set up. Your parents can visit as well. Sparrow should be there with all of you in an hour.”
“Thank you,” Thomas nodded, before pulling his mask down to quickly kiss me, “I love you. You did so good.”
“Thank you, babe. I love you.”
I watched as Thomas left the room with Hyacinth and Phoenix before I closed my eyes, fully relaxing. Another doctor came into the room a few minutes later and after an hour I was wheeled to a private room where my parents, Killian, Theodore, Connor, and Juniper were waiting with Thomas, all of them cooing over the babies.
“God shut the hell up you’re so loud,” I groaned.
“How are you feeling?” Thomas rushed over to me.
“I can’t really feel anything. My chest hurts though.”
“He’s producing,” Nurse Poppy called softly, “you have to express it somehow or you’re going to get an infection in your chest.”
“Just give me whichever one is hungry,” I smiled and Theodore carried Hyacinth over. I pulled the blanket up a bit to hide my chest and slowly began to feed Hyacinth, “they’re just a means to feed the children until I have them removed. It’s okay. I’m still a man. No need to tiptoe around my anatomy guys. I no longer have a uterus, ovaries, or anything anyway. That’ll help quite a bit. But… I can’t leave the hospital for five days so…”
“We brought you a gift,” Juniper smiled and had Connor give Thomas a large gift bag that held a breast pump, “we weren’t sure how you’d feel about chestfeeding. We wanted to give you another option that way Tommy can help too.”
“Thank you,” I sniffled, using a hand to pull the blanket down a bit to look at Hyacinth, “oh he has white hair,” I laughed, “I dreamt of you,” whispering, I softly rubbed Hyacinth’s right cheek, “I knew exactly what you’d look like. You and your brother.”
“They’re exactly like you dreamed?” Thomas called softly.
“Mhm. Even the one eye. I knew,” I nodded, still staring at Hyacinth, “he’s asleep.”
“Here,” Shiloh carefully took Hyacinth and Kai brought me Phoenix so that I could nurse him on the other side.
“Do they have middle names?” Killian smiled, hugging Thomas.
“Oh we hadn’t talked about that,” I gasped, “ow! Phoenix bit me.”
“He’s a bit stronger than Hyacinth,” Thomas laughed, “we were watching them while we waited for you.”
“Rude honestly. But man they’re cute.”
“True. But we need middle names.”
“How about… Hyacinth Orion after my dad and cousin?”
“Oh I love that,” Thomas laughed, coming over to sit next to me, “and… Phoenix Osian…”
“R… Really?” Killian gasped, “Oh… Tommy really?”
“Absolutely. He told me about your parents,” I smiled at Killian, “it’s perfect.”
“Thank you,” Killian let out a small cry and kissed my forehead softly, “thank you, Sparrow.”
“Mhm.”
We sat quietly for a long time before everyone slowly left, leaving Thomas and me with our brand-new babies.
“Any regrets?” Thomas whispered, holding Phoenix as I held Hyacinth, both of us sitting on my hospital bed together.
“Just one…”
“What is it?”
“That I didn’t think I was worthy of true love until I met you,” I laid my head on his arm, “also, can you press the call button? I’m fucking starving.”
Thomas laughed loudly, kissing the top of my head as he pressed the button, “I’ll make sure they bring you the best food you could have asked for.”
“They won’t have it here. They barely have anything we’ll eat. But you know what I want as soon as I’m home with you?"
“What is it?”
“That ramen you used to make me when we lived in Berkeley.”
“Anything for you, baby,” he kissed me softly, “anything.”
“Do you truly forgive me for how I treated you the last month?”
“I do. That doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt being ignored, being treated like an annoyance. I just wanted to love you. Support you. But you kept trying to push me away again. I know how much pain you were in. That’s why I tried not to let it get to me. But it did. A lot actually. Sparrow… I considered ending things,” he whispered, his eyes filled with tears, “but I knew if I just waited until… until our sons were born we would get to this point. Where I could see how truly sorry you were. I knew you loved me. I knew how much you loved me. But you hadn’t actually told me in a month and it… it really sucked. I need to hear it okay?”
“I… knew you were close to leaving. But I also knew you wouldn’t abandon our children. But I am so sorry. I love you. So much. I am so happy I can tell you that now without it choking me. I promise to tell you all the time.”
“I don’t need to hear it all the time,” he laughed, “but at least once a day would be nice.”
“That I can do,” I laughed.
Hyacinth started to cry and Thomas traded me, taking him over to a bassinet in the room to change his diaper and clothes. He brought him back a few moments later and I smiled when he laid him on my thighs gently, taking Phoenix to change him as well. A startled gasp escaped me as I read Hyacinth’s onesie.
“Tommy?” I started to cry.
“Hm?”
“Tommy!”
He turned to me, Phoenix cradled in his arms, and in his right hand, he was holding a small gold band, nerves apparent on his face as he came back to me, “I… thought this might work better than just taking you somewhere when you’re healed. I wanted to ask this in the presence of our adorable children.”
On Hyacinth’s onesie there was a print that read “Papa will you marry our daddy?” Phoenix was wearing a matching one I realized when Thomas laid him next to Hyacinth before getting on one knee next to my hospital bed.
“You really want to marry me? Not just because of them,” I gestured to the twins.
“I would have married you the day you asked me to be your boyfriend finally.”
“Tommy…”
“Sparrow… will you marry me?”
“I guess.”
“Aero,” he rolled his eyes, “come on put some enthusiasm into it.”
“Of course I’ll marry you,” I whispered, “I’d love nothing more than to be your husband.”
Thomas jumped up and kissed me deeply, cradling my face, “Thank fuck I was terrified you’d say no.”
“I just want to confirm again that you’re marrying me because you love me, not because of the boys.”
“Absolutely,” he pressed his forehead to mine, “only for you. I love you, Sparrow.”
“I love you too, Tommy.”
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