by A K August
The house would be empty when we got home, only for some reason, Katie went into full attack mode moments after hearing we were having a boy and a girl. The minute her lips crushed mine, I melted into her, and our kiss went wild. I barely heard the technician clearing her voice before excusing herself to gather the babies' pictures, leaving us alone in the room. That was a mistake. I knew we'd restrain ourselves from taking it too far in the doctor's office, so even though we hadn't had sex in a week and her body pressed to mine made me harder than granite, I pulled away and put a little distance between us. I could control myself for twenty more minutes until we got home.
But as soon as the technician clicked the door closed behind her, Katie had her hand down my pants, somehow getting my belt undone and zipper down without me even registering. I groaned as her fingers wrapped around my shaft and tugged. My hands slipped under her shirt and pushed her bra out of the way, clasping her breasts, already a cup larger with the pregnancy, now filling my palms so deliciously I almost lost it on the first squeeze.
Katie shimmied to the edge of the table and swiveled, her feet landing in the stirrups, exposing her glistening pussy. "We don't have much time." She gasped, her double entendre not lost on me. We were both so ready, foreplay could send us over, plus the tech would be back anytime. I'd have plenty of time to worship Katie when we got home, now was purely about need. In a way this was better, we'd get the release we needed quickly here, then I could take our time at home. I eyed the stirrups, noting their capability to swivel Katie's legs wider as I lined up and drove into her. My balls tightened instantly, as Katie pulsed around me. She grasped the handlebars on the edge of the table to steady herself as I latched onto the stirrups, using them to shift my angle, gaining leverage and going deeper with every thrust. I swiped along Katie's g-spot, feeling her tense and moan, calling out for more. The stirrups could be shifted back toward Katie's head, opening her further, and I leaned in to caress her breast with my tongue. She started to shake and I could tell she was on the edge. My balls grew and my cock seized. I reached down and pressed on Katie's clit, triggering her orgasm as I drove deep and shot into her, grunting through my release.
Spent, I pulled out and snagged a few tissues to clean us up, straightening our clothes just as the technician returned. She didn't keep eye contact long, handing us the pictures and reminding us to make our next checkup appointment with the front desk before we left.
We hustled out of the room, giggling, Katie grabbing my hand, pulling me to the door. I tried to steer her toward the desk. "We have to make an appointment, Katie."
"I'll do it online. I want to go home."
Her meaning was clear and I wasn't going to argue.
◆◆◆
"So, do you want paperwork or do you want to go undercover again?"
I shook out of the memory and what happened after we got home, stifling a smile.
I was at work—serious time.
What had Jeff been saying? Something about undercover work? He was still waiting for an answer. I don't know why I procrastinated answering him. I knew I didn't want to go back undercover. Sure it was exciting and the hard work paid off. I got terrible people off the streets. It was good work. But the thought of leaving Katie and our babies alone for months at a time, I couldn't do it. I didn't want to do it. I didn't even know if I needed the FBI anymore. I liked the work and would miss it, but it wasn't my life.
My life was waiting for me at home; everything I needed was there. The ring in my pocket would just seal the deal. I'd had it for over a month. I bought it the day after we found out about the twins. I didn't even realize where I was going, just compelled to walk into a store for some reason, a jewelry store. There were rows on rows of display cases, but I didn't look in any of them. I walked forward, turned left, and went to the last case on the right. It was like I'd been in the store many times before and knew exactly where to find what I wanted.
An assistant appeared behind the counter and I pointed to a cluster of rings in the center. She pulled out the grouping and my eyes latched on to one perfect for Katie. Five minutes after I'd entered the store, I had the ring in my pocket. I'd carried it around with me every day since, waiting for the perfect time to ask her to be part of my life forever.
I looked at Jeff again, shaking my head. "Not interested in undercover work. Thanks anyway."
He opened his mouth, but my phone chimed in. "What song is that?" Jeff wrinkled his nose.
Paul Anka belted out the chorus to Having My Baby. Katie had jokingly programmed her ringtone to the song weeks ago thinking we'd have a laugh, and then I'd change it. It's a horrible song that I've come to love because it makes me think of her and everything she's bought to my life.
I laugh and answer the call. "Hi, baby. What's up."
"Baby time, honey."
I jump up and checked my watch. "How far apart are the contractions?"
She giggles. "I love you. Don't worry, Annie is with me, we're heading to the hospital, meet us there and don't forget to grab my go-bag. It's in your trunk."
She hung up on me before I could tell her to practice her Lamaze breathing. I ran down to my car and sped to the hospital, throwing on the police lights in the grille.
I don't care if it's not official business.
I remember my dad recently told me the story of the days leading up to my birth and his own race to the hospital, driving my mom's beat-up Volvo that they only took out in the summertime. The passenger door wouldn't stay closed, so they had to cinch the frame between the windows with a bungee cord. "It meant we had to drive with the windows down."
The Volvo was mom's first car and she loved the thing, but they didn't have money to fix the door in the early days, so they mainly drove my dad's ten-year-old Saab. It was raining the night I was born, and the Saab was in the shop for a maintenance fix, so they took the Volvo. He was trying to drive, holding a jacket over my mom to keep her from getting wet, clocking the time between contractions, and helping her breathe through the pain. "I'm not sure how I didn't get in an accident." He'd chuckled.
He was so nervous that night, he challenged everything the doctors said or did, asking if he could get a second opinion. "Nothing was good enough. I remember thinking that all the tools they had on the cart to help with the birth seemed archaic, stone-age tech. Abby was calm, even through the contractions. Told me I had to quit second-guessing the doctors and focus on helping her. She needed me to remind her that the pain was worth it. She wanted to feel every moment. Of course, I was horrified by that, but I just stayed glued to her side and did what she asked, held her hand, gave her ice chips when she was thirsty, told her I loved her."
I'd laughed at Dad's story. "Times have changed Dad. They have top of the line technology to help today. It will be fine."
I walked into the birthing room and looked around. Long metal tongs and an ancient contraption that looked like a combination clamp and gun are next to knives and scissors on a rolling tray. A small wooden stool with the front carved out sat off to the side, and nurses roamed in and out of the room, outfitting an incubator with a portable heat lamp strapped to the top. I feel like I just landed the Tardis into the middle of a 17th-century delivery room, ready to whisk the babies away after birth in a sci-fi traveling apparatus. Suddenly, I'm so sure about this hospital or these doctors.
"Anthony. Put these on." Annie handed me a smock and booties. She is already covered in the cerulean paper garment. I go over and kiss Katie as I donned the outerwear. It's similar to protective gear I'd wear on a crime scene and look around for the sign-in sheet.
"What are you doing?" Katie asked.
"I need to record my presence. Doesn't everyone who enters note the time they were here?"
She smiled and shook her head. "No, they don't."
"Well, they should. How else do you know who's to blame for an error if you don't have a record of who came and went?" I'm getting agitated now, my distaste for this place growing.
; "Anthony, look at me." Her eyes shimmered, the gold and silver flakes I love dancing in the light.
"Everything is going to be okay. The doctors know what they are doing. I just need you to be here with me. The contractions will be bad, we know that, but they are worth it to bring Andrew and Abigail here, right?"
I nodded at her, remembering what my father said. "Will you marry me?"
The words slip out before I can stop myself. She reminded me so much of my mother at this moment. I wanted her to know how much she means to me.
"Anthony Thomas Reece, if you're letting your protective responsible streak get the better of you right now, I'm not listening."
Her breathing increased, and I couldn't tell if she was angry or a contraction was coming. "I'm sorry I just blurted it out. I've wanted to ask you for weeks, just waiting for the right time."
"And you thought," she huffed, "while I was in the middle of giving birth," two short breaths, one long breath, "that was the right time?"
"I didn't think, I just knew." I took her hand, sliding the ring on her finger as I breathed with her through the contraction. "Hee, hee, hooooo. Hee, hee, hooooo." When her grip in mine relaxed, I knew the contraction had passed.
"I love you, and I want you to share my life, Katherine Angela Corcoran." She scrunched up her nose at my use of her middle name, one her aunt of the same name convinced her mom to use; an aunt Katie doesn't like, says she tried to dress her up like a Barbie doll when she used to visit in the summer.
"Every part of it, and I don't want to live a minute without you. Bringing Andrew and Abigail into our happiness complete our home."
"I love you too."
Abigail was for my mother and Andrew for her grandfather, who used to tell Katie she'd inherited her runner's legs from him. "They will take you places, sweetie," he'd told her on more than one occasion. She once told me her legs brought her to me.
I took a moment to thank her legs properly and found Katie was ticklish behind her knees.
"You didn't answer my question, Katie."
"What was the quuuuuuesssstttion?" She gripped my arm as her body tensed.
"Breathe, Katie. Hee, hee, hooooo."
"I know how to breathe, Anthony!" Her grip intensified like a hawk hanging on the edge of the bullet train. I grit back the urge to remove her fingers, knowing she was branding me with her claws. I kind of liked it.
"Will you marry me, Katie?"
She was doing the Lamaze breathing, and I kept eye contact, mouthing the words only, having learned she doesn't like to be told what to do. Her eyes were bloodshot with the intensity and the pain, sweat dripped down the sides of her face and I wiped it away from her eyes. I offered her some ice chips, pushing down my desire to kiss her when the water glistened on her lips, drawing my full attention.
Her breathing was almost evened out and she still hadn't answered my question. I was starting to get worried. Her eyes popped and she sat up in bed as another contraction hit. Katie's were lasting about thirty-five seconds each, and I counted after thirty, so Katie knew she was almost through it.
"Okay, Katie, you are fully dilated. With the next contraction, we're going push." The voice came from out of nowhere. I didn't realize others had entered the room until I looked around. Annie stood on the other side of the bed, just a few feet back, ready to help if needed, the doctor was seated, and had elevated Katie's legs into the stirrups. A nurse stood at the doctor's elbow, prepared to assist with anything requested. Two other nurses and a doctor were in the back of the room to do a medical check on the babies and weigh them.
"Everything okay?" The doctor asked.
My fear for Katie, for our babies, for the doctors' and nurses' ability to keep them safe, came rushing to the surface and I tensed up. This was the time; the babies were coming; Katie needed me to be calm, keep her focused. Katie squeezed my hand and I schooled my face, hiding my fear before turning to her. "I love you."
"Yes." She replied.
"Yes?" I laughed. "Yes, you love me too? Or yes, you know I love you?"
"Yes," she started as the contraction built. The medical team stiffened in readiness, the doctor telling her to push, Katie grabbing the railings of the bed for leverage as I positioned behind her to take the pressure off her back. "Yes," she screamed. "I will marry you!" She growled as the contraction racked her body and she gutted through the pain.
A tiny whimper sounded from near the doctor. "Is she all right?" I asked as Katie lay back on the bed.
The doctor looked up briefly. "Yes, Abigail is just fine." The wail increased, Abigail unhappy with the recent change of scenery. The doctor noted the time and handed Abigail off to the nurse who ushered her back for a vitals check.
The doctor turned back to Katie. "Okay, time to meet Andrew, Katie. Are you ready?"
I looked back at Katie, exhaustion and excitement playing across her face. "You can do it, baby. Time to complete our family."
The doctor read the EKG and told Katie the contraction was coming. I helped her sit up and she rested her back against Annie and I. When the contraction took over, she screamed. "OWWW! Anthony, it hurts."
I leaned in my head, nestled in her neck, and kissed her cheek. "I know, baby, but it's so worth it. For Andrew."
She took a deep breath and pushed, letting the air out slowly in a high-pitched squeal eerily similar to Abigail's wail a few minutes before. I'll save that comparison for later. The contraction lasted well over a minute, and Katie pushed with all her might, but I didn't hear another cry.
"He's crowning Katie; I see the head. One more contraction, one more push."
Katie is shaking her head. "I'm too tired, Anthony, I can't do it."
I got in bed behind her, fully supporting her back, my knees bent, gripping the railings. "I got you." Katie wrapped her hands around my legs. "Together, we can do anything."
The doctor nodded and I felt Katie tense as the contraction built. "Hee, hee, hoooo." I chanted with Katie.
Then the doctor gave us the green light. "Push Katie."
I leaned forward with Katie and whispered in her ear. "We got this."
A deep breath, a long push, a wail from both my fiancée and my son and our family was complete. Katie slumped against me, and I wrapped my arms around her, kissing her temple. "You did it."
"We did it."
Annie ran out to the family room, where I knew Katie's parents, Dad, Jackson, and Claire waited to hear how things were going in here.
The nurses brought two bundles over and laid one in each of Katie's arms. The pink and blue packages were tiny; even with all the fabric tucked around them, they seemed no larger than a football. Abigail had more time to get used to the new space than her brother, a whole ten minutes, and was fussy. I loosened the wrappings, and her little arm popped out, her hand clamping down on my finger.
"Wow, she's got a strong grip." My heart surged with love for these little creatures, nearly cutting off my air supply.
"You okay?" Katie asked as she turned her head around to see me.
Her face grew concerned, looking at me, and she turned back to the nurse. "Something's wrong, can somebody look at my fiancé?"
The nurse chuckles, "I've seen this before. Don't worry, honey. He just became a dad; it takes a small adjustment. He'll be fine in a minute."
Katie turned back to me with a small smile and all the love in the world in her eyes. How did I get so lucky?
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
EPILOGUE
KATIE
The lights dimmed and everyone burst into song as I balanced a sheet cake in my left hand and a stack of paper plates and forks in my right. Anthony held the twins and tried to get them to both look at Grandpa Tom for a picture. Thomas had over 100 photos of them just from today and didn't seem to be slowing down. I frowned, noticing the big goober hanging from Abby's nose. That ought to look great at 8K. I wasn't sure whether I'd ask him to delete these later or make sure I got a hard copy to torture Abby in about twelve years.
I set the cake and service down and swiped my daughter's nose clean while grabbing her hands to keep her from pushing them into the middle of the cake. The twins were like night and day. Abby started talking at six months. A few words initially, but within a week, she was putting sentences together. She is inquisitive and easily frustrated; we hope that means she is a genius, and we can enroll her in advanced classes and not just a rebel who we'll be bailing out of jail in the few years. Andrew, on the other hand, is quiet. He speaks, but only when it's just Anthony and me in the room; otherwise, he communicates through his sister, a telepathic, silent language that only she understands.
Abby is very protective of her brother. We put them in daycare a couple of days a week to help with socialization and to free up my time for work. Andrew had his toy stolen by another kid, and Abby bit the kid before returning the toy to her brother. Yeah, we've spoken to her about biting people. The next time it happened, she punched the kid. Abby was put on probation, one more issue and they'll kick her out. Thankfully the kid got the message and leaves Andrew be, although Anthony and I have talked about setting up a legal fund for Abby. Genius or not, she's going to be a handful.
I smiled at Anthony as we help blow out the single candle. Abby squirms loose and plants both hands in the center of the cake, pushing down, squeezing the cake between her fingers.
Andrew giggles as Abby hands a chunk of cake to her brother while stuffing her face with the other. The room erupts in laughter and clapping as Thomas yells, "got it!"
Annie's by my side, scooping Abby up, "come on, munchkin, let Auntie Annie give you a bath." Mom is next in line, chuckling as she hands me a beer.
"Was I like that? Is karma coming back to bite me?"
