Chapter 51

Annelise was all set for their twin girls to arrive. At thirty-four weeks pregnant, everything was ready. The nursery was a picture of perfection, decked out in a charming mix of purple and green, with a patchwork quilt and floral design.

They had a list of names for the girls, and the car seats were tucked away in the closet, ready to be fitted into the spacious new SUV they’d bought.

Their sons, Ollie and Henry, were smitten with the new car, always wanting to be in it, even when it was just parked in the garage. Annelise would just shake her head as Michael indulged them.

Annelise felt enormous, fifteen pounds heavier than she’d been with Henry, and she was anxious about how she’d look post-birth.

She remembered the hard work she’d put in at twenty-eight to get back in shape, and knew she’d have to do it all over again, this time while caring for four kids. The thought was daunting.

Ollie was loving first grade, especially now that he could read more books. A new bedtime routine quickly took shape; he had to read a book to one of his parents every night.

Michael was thrilled that Ollie craved this time with his parents, especially with the imminent arrival of their siblings. He was a tad worried about how Ollie would handle the big change.

Henry was a little mischief-maker, always exploring and dragging his uncles to the far end of the yard in search of worms and bugs.

Annelise still felt the sting of her father’s loss, but she chose to remember the good times they’d shared when she was a child. Her mother hadn’t reached out to her, and she didn’t want to dwell on it.

Michael was concerned about how she’d cope with the loss and betrayal, but she seemed to be moving forward, accepting what had happened.

When they’d first returned from Chicago, she’d spent a lot of time with Naomi, which had helped Annelise regain her footing and continue being the incredible wife and mother she was, despite her mother’s actions.

Peg was firmly on Annelise’s side, telling her sister she was being foolish and missing out on life’s best moments. She declared they wouldn’t speak again until her sister realized her mistake.

At thirty-six weeks and one day, Annelise went into labor at two-thirty in the morning. Michael hurried the boys into the car, then helped her in.

They dropped the sleepy boys off with Craig and Leslie, then raced to the hospital. Once settled in a room, they braced themselves for the long haul.

Progress was slow. Annelise was having regular contractions, but she wasn’t dilating quickly. By nine-thirty, she was only at four centimeters.

She was determined to avoid a C-section if possible, so she started walking, hoping to encourage the girls to engage and speed up her progress. Michael walked beside her, and they spent what felt like hours strolling the halls.

They chatted and laughed as they walked, reminiscing about the boys and their adorable antics. When Annelise’s water broke, they returned to her room, just as Naomi arrived.

The nurse was pleased to see she’d progressed to almost six centimeters. Her doctor suggested some pain meds so she could rest before the main event, and Annelise agreed.

She was tired, remembering that Henry’s birth had taken fourteen hours. Naomi kept watch as they caught some sleep.

Annelise woke later, feeling refreshed and eager for their babies to arrive. She was at seven centimeters, and the contractions were intensifying. She persuaded Michael to go with Naomi to grab some food.

Alone, Annelise thought about her mom. She picked up her phone, hesitated, then dialed the number. As she waited for an answer, she wasn’t sure what she wanted more: for her mom to pick up, or for it to go to voicemail.

It went to voicemail, and Annelise said, “Mom, it’s me. I’m in labor. It’s not progressing quickly, but hopefully the girls will be here by this afternoon. I thought you might want to know…”

“If you change your mind and want to meet them or the boys, our door is always open, as long as you can accept that our life is here. I love you, Mom, and I miss you…”

She put her phone away and whispered to herself, “That’s the last time I reach out. I can’t keep doing this to myself. I need to be whole for my kids. I have a family here that loves and accepts me.”

She lay back, rubbed her belly, and asked her girls to hurry up so she could meet them. She felt a surge of pressure and saw a strong contraction on the monitor. Naomi and Michael returned with a nurse to check on her.

“Ani, you’ve made some progress! You’re almost at nine! I’m going to get the doctor and prepare everything!” The nurse beamed.

Michael kissed her and sat next to her as the room buzzed with activity. An hour later, Annelise heard the first cries of their first daughter. Naomi started crying and taking pictures.

Michael helped clean the little girl as she lay on her mother’s abdomen. They took her to the warmers, and he cut the cord and spoke to her. She was a beautiful little girl, weighing five pounds, eight ounces.

Annelise took a breather, waiting for the next one to get into position. Ten minutes later, their second girl arrived. After kissing his wife and telling her he loved her, Michael followed the nurse to the warmer.

As the baby lay there crying, Michael noticed her leg and pointed it out to the nurse. She nodded and said, “I saw that, and the doctor will be here in a moment.”

Michael felt his heart race and tried to stay calm. The on-call pediatrician, since they were technically a bit early, examined the baby and then turned to Michael.

“I’m sorry, Michael, it appears that Baby B has a club foot. We’ll need to run some tests to determine the severity and the treatment plan,” he explained gently.

Michael looked at his daughter, wiped his tears, and prepared to tell his wife that one of their babies had a deformity, knowing it would shake her world.