19: Second Trimester

"Triplets? As in... three?"

Meredith laughed at Marisol's shock. "Yes. I will give you a few minutes to digest everything, and I'll put your genders in an envelope. When I return we need to discuss alterations to your birth plan."

Meredith stood up and left the exam room, leaving very shocked parents. Grey rubbed the back of his neck as he thought. Marisol twiddled with her thumbs.

"A-are you disappointed?"

"No," he said. "I just wasn't expecting..."

"Yeah, me either," she responded.

"It's alright. It will be a lot more work, but we can afford it. We have the room. We have each other. It's a good thing, Marisol."

She smiled, nodding. She pointed toward her lips and he kissed her, taking the hint. A few minutes later, Meredith returned and sat down in front of the couple. Marisol had sat up and pulled her shirt back down.

"So a normal birth is about 40 weeks, but with triplets anything more than 36 weeks can be extremely risky for the mother and babies. Because of this, it's safer to have a C-section than a vaginal birth. I do recommend a C-section, but if you insist we can attempt a vaginal birth."

"If a C-section is safer, we'll do that."

"Wait," Marisol said. "What are the complications of a C-section?"

"Well, about 85 percent of complications are bleeding after birth. Roughly 36 percent of women experience severe complications. Other things we should consider are blood clots or a bad reaction to anesthesia."

"What about the baby?" She asked. "I mean babies...Are there any possible problems for the babies?"

"Generally, babies are perfectly safe being delivered via C-section. It is much more dangerous for the mother."

"Which one is the safer option for Marisol," Grey asked.

"What do you mean me?" She asked, sitting up further. "You need to care about the babies."

"I do care about them, but I'd rather have you. We could always make more."

Marisol rolled her eyes, irked that he wouldn't put the safety of the babies above hers. "We need to discuss this later."

"What if Marisol delivered vaginally?"

Meredith shook her head. "It's far more dangerous for Marisol and the babies. The babies will be premature and will most likely require attention immediately after birth. More so, delivery of one baby is traumatic; three is often too much for the vaginal cavity and may lead to hemorrhaging."

"So C-section seems like the safest option," he said.

"Yes. Most women tend to go into labor before 40 weeks with triplets, but we will still plan a date for the C-section. Today is May 31st, so that puts 36 weeks on the first week of November. Do you have a preferred day during that week?"

"It's up to Marisol."

"Any day is fine with me."

"Great, so let's make it Friday, November 6th for your planned C-section. If your water breaks earlier, you'll have an emergency C-section."

"What else do we have to worry about?" He asked. It was clear that he was worried about all the possible complications that could arise. Marisol was at well, but her priority were her babies. She'd rather die than her babies. It irked her that Grey didn't feel the same way.

"Essentially, all the precautions you would take in a normal pregnancy are even crucial now. Marisol will be more exhausted, uncomfortable, she may even experience severe morning sickness. As we get further along, we may need to consider bedrest. You may also experience back pain. You will grow rapidly. You'll wake up one morning and feel huge. Light exercise is great as a counter to the ravenous hunger you'll feel. You are taking care of 4 now, so everyone must take this into account."

❥

As Marisol and Grey walked through the door, she could hear Tala's loud bark. She smiled, leaning down to pet her sweet half-breed.

"Do you want some tea?"

Grey smiled, placing his hand on her back. "I'll make you some." He looked down at Tala as she growled at Grey. Tala immediately separated Grey and Marisol.

He rolled his eyes as they made their way into the kitchen. "She's territorial."

Marisol sat down on the stool by the island. Tala jumped up and laid her paws on her lap. Smiling, Marisol gently ran her hand through her fur. "What do you mean? She's always been territorial."

"Yes, but now even more so. Now around people she knows she's cautious."

"Why's that?"

"You're pregnant now. She can tell." Grey put on the kettle, warming up water. "Do you want Jasmine or English Breakfast?"

"Jasmine. So what does that mean?"

"She's going to want your attention all the time."

Once the tea was finished, she took it upstairs to lay down. She was exhausted. Grey stayed downstairs to talk, reading some of his notes. Irabella walked in with Carlise and they sat down at the table.

"How was the doctor's appointment?"

Grey looked up at his mom. "It was good."

"Well, what's the sex?"

"We don't know yet. Marisol always wanted some type of reveal but she thinks she can't have one because of her disability."

"Nonsense. We can think of something," Carlisle said. "Actually, I might have an idea already."

"There's something else you should know," Grey said with a small smile. "You're about to have three grandchildren."

"Three? What?" Irabella's eyes widened in amusement. "Triplets? Congratulations, sweetheart!"

Grey went into his pocket, taking out the envelope. He handed it to Carlisle. "You have the idea, after all."

❥

It was warm out. She loved feeling the sun on her skin. She wondered if she tanned like she used to. It's been years since she had seen herself. She smiled, feeling Grey's hand run up her back.

"You okay?"

She smiled at his worry. "Yeah, I'm okay."

He gently laid his palm over her growing stomach. "You don't feel nauseous?"

She shook her head, smiling. She liked how his touch made her entire body tingle and wake up. Like somehow it wasn't just her that enjoyed his presence. "Why did you want me outside?"

"You deserve everything you want, Marisol."

Looking at him strangely, she felt someone else near her. She could tell it was Carlisle as he grabbed her hand. "We are going to play a game of chess. Well, three actually. And if you win, I'll hand you a chess piece. If it's a Queen, it's a girl, and if it's a King, it's a boy."

Marisol smiled as Carlisle led her further into the yard. There were three larger than average tables set up, so she had to stand to play with her mate's father. She smiled at Carlisle.

"I didn't know you liked losing so much."

He chuckled, cracking his knuckles. As the game began, Marisol couldn't help but ask questions. She could hear other pack members surrounding their game like they had the first night she played. "What would you prefer, Carlisle?"

"Boys. I don't exactly feel like killing my granddaughter's mate."

Marisol laughed. "You didn't kill me, though."

"Boys are different. My granddaughter is precious, no one should ever touch her."

"You do know women enjoy sex–"

Carlisle covered his ears, screaming. "Stop! This is my granddaughter!"

"So it's a girl?" Marisol's eyes sparkled.

"Oh, no idea," he lied, moving his rook.

"The Alpha position goes to the first born, right? Even if it's a girl?"

"Yes, although our pack has never had a female Alpha. Oh, God," Carlisle sighed. "What if my granddaughter becomes Alpha? I can't die for another few hundred years then!"

Marisol moved her piece again, wining their first game. She smiled, enthusiastically as Carlisle handed her a wrapped box.

"I think you cheat," he muttered.

She didn't respond as she ripped the wrapping paper off. Her hand delved into the box and she whimpered softly, feeling the piece. Grey walked behind her, whispering in her ear. "What is it?"

She lifted the piece with a brilliant smile. "It's a girl! Next game!"

They moved to the next board, and once again, Marisol won. Carlisle was beginning to think he had to rethink his approach. She could hear a car pull up and an eager Brad run onto the yard. "Ohmergod, did I miss it! What gender is the parasite?"

"The first gender is a girl!"

He looked at Abigail. "Excuse me, the first?"

"She's having triplets!"

"Ohmergod, imma pass out. She's so tiny! She's gonna explode!"

"They're playing games of chess as a gender reveal."

"Okay, das cute as fuck. Oh, I think she's about to win!" Brad watched as Marisol ripped open the wrapping paper. He had never seen her smile so happily.

"Boy!"

Brad watched as Carlisle angrily started the next game, asking himself how he always lost. Brad snorted. "You do know she profiles you, right?"

"Brad!" Marisol yelled.

"She what?" Carlisle asked.

Brad laughed. "She reads people– their actions, words, personality –and then comes up with a plan."

Everyone looked at Marisol. She blushed, itching her head. "You're an Alpha," she mumbled. "You make attacks quick and at the beginning. You're aggressive."

As the third game started, Marisol could tell that he had changed his game plan. She lost for the first time. Nevertheless, he still handed her the box and she opened it. She smiled, feeling the curvature of the piece. "Another boy!"