Chapter 36

Heather

I'm now currently 8 months pregnant and about a week or so. I felt like a blowfish. I was huge and I couldn't see my feet anymore, I couldn't drive anymore and I was stuck at home. Not that I minded, every now and then Gabriele came home for lunch or he sent Aiden over to check on me.

Aiden became like a brother to me. Tristen came to visit last week and I was surprised to find out that he and Maria were official, she was engaged before Tristen and somehow he convinced her that she needs to be with him, he was truly in love with her and she was crazy in love with him. Maya gained a mother and I couldn't believe that he proposed, my brother -the forever alone meme- proposed.

They had a history. I'm happy he found his piece of heaven like I found mine.

Luca was officially six years old yesterday, we had a small party for him and he looked so happy, Gabriele was sad because his 'little man' was growing up so quickly. We showed him the sonar when we were three months pregnant and he asked: "Do they come in pairs?" We told him, no but that we were lucky. He is so excited and would usually talk to my ever growing stomach.

The past few months flew by, most nights Gabriele laid his head on my stomach and listened if he could hear anything. Sometimes I could see the little foot kicking my stomach or a little hand pushing. I could tell these two had a special bond because if the one kicks, the other one pushed. I already could feel the difference between them, one was stronger and the other one turned a lot more.

The previous sonar scan showed we were expecting a boy and a girl. Gabriele loved creating the baby room but as the twins grow up would have to move and strangely enough Aiden already bought us a house, he said it was his wedding gift, a house. This guy had way too much money for his own good.

We had agreed on names, the girl would be named –Adalina Elizabeth Armanto, after my grandmother and our boy named after Gabriele's grandfather-Dante Antony Armanto.

Both our families loved it including Luca who was planning his own soccer team already and needed another eight siblings.

I sat on the couch eating ice cream (I've been craving everything and ice cream, gherkins in ice cream, cheese in ice cream). I ate another scoop when a knock came from the front door, it was too hard to get up, last time I got up too fast I lost balance and fell down but thankfully Gabriele was there and helped me or else I'd stay there.

"Who is it?" I yelled, yes it was unmannered but I have two humans inside of me who take turns to kick me so give me a little slack.

"It's Aiden, can I come in?" I yelled a 'yes' and the door opened, he walked in with his striking black suit and smiled at me.

"Hi there love. I see you are eating the kitchen stock again." I loved his British accent and he always said love which irked Gabriele badly.

"Well it's lunch and ice cream is lunch. Are you picking up Luca this afternoon?" He shook his head.

"Gabriele said he had practice and he'll pick him up after wor., I am here to check up on you and those two." He pointed to my stomach.

"I'll be nice now and make your lunch because ice cream my dear don't count as lunch and I guess the two of them don't enjoy it one bit." He pulled off his jacket and tie and rolled up his sleeves. He liked to cook I gathered from what I saw and he had a girlfriend. Gabriele told me he is a dominant and he had a submissive that walked away. He and she are just getting things back on track.

"I didn't eat this because I wanted to, who do you think made me, the terrible two wanted it badly." He made me a stew and sat down beside me and ate. I felt a kick and cringed and soon after another kick followed.

"Are they kicking?" I nodded. Aiden smiled sadly, he wanted children but he couldn't have any.

"They say talking to them helps." He placed his hand on my stomach in concern and talked to them.

"Calm down there and enjoy uncle Aiden's stew, it's fantastic even Ramsey would bow down before me." I raised my eyebrow.

"Why do you have so much money when Gabriele is the owner of the company? " I asked breaking the silence.

"He is actually the main partner, I have a partnership too but Gabriele doesn't use his money he invests it in Luca's college fund and he donates most of it or gives it away. He has way more than I do. He loves splurging sometimes but he said that I throw my money around and he hides it because money doesn't matter, love does." I awed.

I felt another spasm and felt wetness trickle down my leg, oh no.

"Aiden?" He looked at me up from his stew.

"Mmmh?"

"My water broke."

"What do you mean...oh no, hell no." He sprung up and grabbed his keys.

"Okay, I'll grab your bag just stay here. I knew my stew was good but damn, they want to come out because of it, my talent is going to be the death of me." He jogged up the stairs and I stood there laughing at what he said.

He came down with the bag and jogged outside pulling his car up to the sidewalk. I walked out slowly and clenched my stomach as a contraction hit, it felt like my insides were turning inside out. He helped me into his sports car, he sped to the hospital asking if I was okay and all I could do was yell in pain.

He got to the hospital in record time, a nurse rushed out with a wheelchair.

"Call Gabriele, Aiden, call Gabriele now!" Aiden looked distraught and grabbed his phone. I'm happy Aiden was here to help. Our new doctor came in and hooked me up to the machine to check my vitals, I was about two weeks early but it was expected with twins.

"So it's normal birth?" I nodded, a c-section was the normal way for twins but I didn't want them to cut my babies out, a natural birth times two was my fate, without meds.

"It'll be okay. We have to wait a few hours until you are fully dilated and then we can continue from there. You got here quickly."

I pursed my lips and another contraction came. Aiden held my hand and looked at me he was severely freaked out.

Gabriele rushed into the room.

"How are you doing?" I looked at him lovingly.

"Waiting for them." He wiped away the hair sticking to my face. Aiden left because he needed to get Luca home and Gabriele called my parents and his. He ran out just after and came back with a cloth full of ice and placed it on my forehead holding my hand as another contraction came.

A whole fifteen hours later and the doctor came in. My parents were waiting outside and Aiden was keeping Luca busy at home.

"Okay, you're fully dilated so it's time to push." There were a few nurses and one nurse who was there in particular in case emergency. That did not make me feel at ease.

"Okay on the count of three you need to push hard." She counted and I pushed with all my might holding Gabriele's hand as he chanted to me," You can do it, I'm here every step of the way."

"Again." I pushed again and still crying from the pain.

"One last big push, I can see his head. His sister is very helpful." I pushed again and yelped in pain. I heard a small cry and looked up to see the doctor taking out a pink bundle and handing it to the nurse, she checked him.

"Baby two is in a perfect position, you're lucky that they cooperate so nicely. It's rare that both could be born naturally." Another contraction hit and Gabriele tried to soothe me as much as possible.

"Let's push again." I pushed hard and then again with the most terrible pain you could imagine until I heard another cry, the doctor handed her to the nurse. Gabriele was crying, well everyone was crying. The nurse checked the babies and wiped them down.

"They are perfect ." The doctor handed Gabriele our little boy and me our little girl.

"Dante and Adalina, you are finally here. Hi, my loves." He kissed Dante's head and cooed at him, I looked into Adalina's eyes, I looked over at Dante who was cuddle on Gabriele's chest and Adalina on mine.

"They look so cute." I heard a whisper from the door, it was the mothers. They both came in and held the babies, we all marveled at how small and precious they were. His father came in later and followed by mine. The grandparents were in the seventh heaven.

Aiden and Luca came by a bit later, the babies were handed around as all the parents wanted to hold them. Aiden held onto Dante and smiled.

"He kind of has Heather's eyes." He held him up a bit. Luca looked at the babies wide-eyed.

"This is your brother Dante and your sister Adalina." Gabriele introduced them.

"Where did they come from?" Luca asked and everybody laughed, Gabriele patted Aiden on the back.

"Since you talk the most around here you can explain." It felt like déjà vu, every time Aiden mentioned anything and Luca asked what it is he was in the hot seat and had to get creative quickly coming up with an explanation that has nothing to do with what he meant. Ah, uncle Aiden.

"So when are we getting more grandbabies?" My mother asked everybody looked at her and I and Gabriele scowled at her.

"I'm done, ask Tristen to make a few," I said sternly. They are barely two hours old.

"Make a few what?" He leaned into the doorway.

He came up to me and hug me and gave Gabriele a pat on the shoulder.

"Mom wants grandbabies, more of them and there is four in total now so she wants a lot."

"About that..." He rubbed his neck.

"No way, you got Maria pregnant!" He blushed and scowled at me.

"See told you you'd get more grandbabies, my dear." My father muttered.

I love our family so much and I couldn't wait for the future with them and my babies, Dante, Adalina, and Luca.