CHAPTER 38

It is a good day to welcome the newborn, after all, that’s happened. These were the thoughts running through the people seated outside the theatre waiting for the doctor to come out with the good news. They had all rushed down here as soon as they heard the news. Mrs. Swiss held Elizabeth tenderly in her hands. She was lost in thought as she recalled the day she had birth the labouring mother herself.

It had been quite an experience. Unlike her sister, Evangeline’s birth had been tough albeit interesting. Perhaps because Adriana’s birth had been easy and quite fast, Mrs. Swiss had looked forward to another joyful ride. While it was true that she had heard other mothers talk of how vigorous childbirth had been for them, she never experienced it with her first child, so she had paid such rumour no attention. Whenever the ladies in church then gathered for their tea talks, she listened to them rant on about their experience while complaining that their mothers had lied about the experience been endurable and completely forgettable.

“It’s a lie every mother tells their child, and in turn, the child grows up and say same to hers too.” lamented the fat woman that had pioneered the meeting ever since the childbirth talk rolled in.

“And the circle goes on and on” replied another.

Mrs. Swiss had looked at them both with a funny smile, “It’s forgettable” she said, and all eyes turned her way. Nodding affirmatively, she continued, “I spent barely twenty minutes in the room, and she popped out”

“How sweet.” the fat woman said, “You are one of the few lucky ones”

“Look forward to something quite different for the next child”

“I hear some have it sweet the first time”

“Yes, the loose one.” said a woman with a shrewd smile at Mrs. Swiss, “The ones with tight.” she nodded looking a bit embarrassed but it was all a façade, “You know, right down there because their husband’s the only man they’ve known” she paused deliberately as others nodded.

“Those don’t have easy first birth” the fat lady finished off Mrs. Swiss gave them all a sad smile. By saying that they implied she was loose and her easy childbirth was because Robert wasn’t her first man. She stood up from where she sat and went to the woman. Leaning down towards her ear like she was going to whisper something. “Robert was and still is my first man.” she said loud enough for others to catch the phrase. “You can ask his family, we gave them the proof.” she stood and faced everyone, “Stained handkerchief is it?”

“She didn’t mean to imply that…”

“No, neither did I.” Mrs. Swiss said with a quick smile. “We know those who had nothing to show the inlaws.” With shoulders high, she left their company. She realized most women didn’t want to hear that where they had it brimstone and fire, you had it easy. The reasonable thing to do would be to just keep it down. She concluded the women didn’t wanna hear it. And when they did listen, they go on to say how it could change with her second birth.

Sometimes Mrs. Swiss feel that some women simply exaggerate their labour. After all, women feign illness so their men could cook and be domesticated for ones. If exaggerating childbirth could be some way of making the men in their lives, see just what they had to go through to birth their wards. It wasn’t that she had not felt some pain too. But it was bearable, unlike how they described theirs.

“It was like being broken in every place.” explained her friend. Mrs. Swiss had only this friend with whom she could discuss such details. It wasn’t that they were close, but she was easier to talk with among her numerous list of friends. It was in the third trimester of her second child then, and so was the woman. Both had started on talks about the community before the conversation drifted to childbirth. Like most, the woman was telling Mrs. Swiss that the women weren’t exaggerating and had probably had rigorous labour as they claimed. “For hours, I pushed and screamed and just wanted the little bitch to come out” the lady gasped as if recalling the episode from 6years ago. “I couldn’t take in afterwards. Made Dave swear not to talk about another baby till I was ready”

“I never experienced such” Mrs. Swiss had replied seeing the woman had a sincerity to her tale. If she could stay off baby making for six years, that must be some experience. It got her thinking then that if the mothers weren’t exaggerating, that made her one of the really lucky ones. Nature had been good to her. When her belly started to show that she was pregnant again, most of her friends who knew of her easy feat the first time warned her against looking forward to a similar experience. “Every child comes with their uniqueness” they’d say, “You look forward to something different with her second child.” she ignored them thinking their jealousy made them wish her unwell. Her response each time was, “I could be just lucky again”

Altogether, she stopped talking to most of them about delivery. They could just shove their beliefs in their asses. Then came the day little Evangeline decided to pop into the world. The tough girl had shown up two weeks before her due date leaving her mother unexpected. She had gone for early mass that morning and got back feeling pains in her lower abdomen. At first, the pains were mild. By late afternoon, she couldn’t ignore the pain anymore, and Robert had driven her to the hospital. The following 2hours had been hell. The two hours felt like an eternity. She had been uncomfortable all through, feeling pains in every bone in her body. The doctors had wanted her to operate afterwards but she knew she could push through.

“No.” she had replied weakly when Robert suggested they take that option. The doctors were certain if she wanted to, she could. So, she stubbornly strung her hope on that belief and she did it. When her baby had been placed in her hands after, it had been the best feeling ever. The irony of it all was her baby had been so small compared to the first child. When she started laughing right after carrying her child, the worried doctors had asked what was wrong?

“For such a trouble.” she replied staring into the newborn’s eyes, “She’s so small.” Everyone had laughed at that. That pain stayed with her for years. And she knew just what the other mothers had been trying to tell her all these years. It was perhaps the reason they didn’t bother having more kids. Robert and herself had agreed that two kids were all they could live with as career parents. But if the birth hadn’t been so rigorous, sometimes she believed she would have tried having another kid. Her husband wouldn’t mind at all.

“Oh, let her have it easy” Mrs. Swiss whispered. That experience; she’d never wish on anyone.

“Grandma.” Elizabeth turned from her laps, “Is she popping soon?”

Nodding at the little girl, the elderly woman said, “Yes, hopefully.”

“Do you think the baby could be a girl after all?”

“It’s a boy”

“But what if it’s a girl?”

“Then we’d all be proud of her still”

*****

From across grandma Swiss and little Elizabeth, Noah sat with Ethan, trying to pacify him. He was the reason his sister was crooned calmly in her grandmother’s warmth. The twins had another of their terrible fights over some toy they wanted to give their aunt and the baby. Ethan had been super excited since hearing the newborn would be a boy like him while his twin sister kept feeling abandoned. It was putting a strain on their relationship. The amusing thing was both twins forgot the baby wasn’t their parents and wouldn’t be living with them.

One thing could only solve this problem. And that would be, “For baby Valdez to pop out.” Noah said to his wife one evening as they sat down on the patio, watching the kids enjoy some screen time on their tablets after they had just had another power tussle. “The sooner the baby comes, then goes home, the earlier the kids would settle back in their routine and be cool siblings again.”

“You think that would solve the problem?” Adriana had asked uncertainly.

“Yes.” Noah replied. At least he hoped so. Like their mother, he was tired of settling fights between the twins. They fought almost all the time now. Thankfully, they weren’t in the same class in school. Those were probably the only time the two weren’t at each other.

“I don’t think so.” Adriana said, thinking things through. “They know Jason lives in Miami even if Evangeline still wants to keep her office in LA. And their place isn’t that far from here”

“Uhm, I see what you mean.” Noah said with a wicked grin, “I believe I have a solution to the problem then”

“Another solution.” corrected his wife. “And that would be?”

“To make another set of babies”

Adriana laughed so hard, she flung a pillow at him. “You crook; how does that solve the problem?”

“See it this way, will you?” he said, facing her, “The reason for this power drag is because they both want a sibling to play with”

“You cannot be serious with this”

“I’m just saying the truth”

“Keep up with that truth buddy.” Adriana said, she scooped a spoon of ice cream in his mouth before saying, “There’s no way we are having another set of twins”

“But they won’t be twins” he murmured trying to swallow the ice cream. She shoved another in his mouth, and another.

The little bot tapped his father, dragging him back to the present with him. “Why can’t I give him an Altara soldier?” Ethan asked his father while glaring at his twin who wasn’t even looking his way. “He’s a boy”

“Well, your sister likes that soldier”

“But she’s a girl” Ethan was adamant.

“She is your sister, and you can always buy another toy for your little cousin” his father whispered in his ears hoping he’d let things go. But with the toy still clutched in his hands, it meant he was going to give it away. Elizabeth on the other hand seemed to have forgotten about the said toy. Maybe he should just let the incident play out “I’ll soon have a play buddy” Ethan replied his father.

“You realize he’s going to be living with his parents, right?” he said wanting to clear the air fast, so the fighters understand their predicament fast.

“Yes, but I’ll be living with them too”

While Noah did his best not to laugh, he couldn’t stifle the chuckle that escaped. Ignoring the glare from his mother-in-law, who still wasn’t on talking terms with him yet, he told his son, “Oh, buddy. What a choice you made”

“Did you hear that?” he said turning to his wife whom he expected to have said something to their son, he found her lost? For a while, he watched his wife beside him. She was staring unblinkingly at the theatre door. Though she said nothing, he knew she was remembering her delivery date too.

He remembered the day they paid the doctor a visit for the scan. The doctor had exclaimed and said, “You’re having twins, congratulations”

“What?” asked Adriana excitedly, hugging her husband, “Two?” she couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, a boy and a girl”

“Wow.” she exclaimed, “For six years we had no child, and now we’re going to have two?” she stood, and began dancing excitedly. For days, her joy knew no bound. The whole universe knew someone was ecstatic.

Then the realization hit and the euphoric mood varnished. “How am I to pop out two buddies at the same time?” she had screamed out some days later.

“Like everyone else.” he had responded with a shrug, “How else?”

“You don’t understand, birthing one is a hassle. But two, at a time?”

“Same” he drawled, teasing her Her worried look made him stop laughing. His wife did look scared for someone who had been so excited at the news of having two kids. And the journey had begun after then. For someone expecting two kids simultaneously, Adriana had prepared for something extraordinary. She had read up every twins-labour story, and write up she could find on the internet. Whenever she met any woman who’s had twins, she would ask how delivery had been. She was scared out of her wit. It wasn’t anything she had ever in her wildest dreams imagined.

His wife took to early morning and late-night warm-ups. She exercised so hard, maybe too hard all in a bid to stay fit, and poor Noah was left to pick up after her worried and sick. He had to call in for help from the doctor and her mom. The doctor scheduled her exercise routine and timed her so she doesn’t wear herself out.

The funny thing was her delivery had been swift. It didn’t last a minute! Adriana called to say her water broke and told him she would be driving herself to the hospital. He left the office while still on call with her until she got to the place. By then he was already halfway closer to the hospital himself. The instant he entered the hospital, the doctor announced his wife had safely delivered the babies. Compared to the distinct stories his wife had told him, her delivery had been quick, and a smooth ride. When he rushed in to see her, she held their babies proudly with the most radiant smile he’d ever seen.

“You did it, babe” he’d said, rushing over to their side. “Am sorry I wasn’t here with you”

She had smiled at him as she handed over Elizabeth while she gazing lovingly at Ethan. “I’m glad you weren’t” she replied, “I screamed my lungs out”

“You did a fine job ma’am” the doctor had said. Turning to her husband, he added, “She’s been working out. It made it so easy to do our work”

“Wow, good job babe” he kissed her fully on the lips with the babies still in their hands.

“Thanks, doctor.” she chuckled as the doctor closed the door to give them some privacy.

He sat down on the couch, cooing at the baby. “Our girl came first, and he followed right after”

Grinning at the memory, he reached for his wife’s hand. “Hey.” he said, “Are you okay?”

Adriana nodded, “Just thinking about Evan”

“She’ll be fine. Just like you. The Swiss women are the strongest ever”

“And you say the sweetest thing.” she said, snuggling into his warmth. “Remember when I had the twins?”

“Couldn’t forget ever” he smiled as their son leaned closer to them, wanting to catch the story. “Ethan was the toughest of all, kicking furiously”

“I was?” Ethan asked with a confused face, “And Elizabeth?”

“Oh, a sweet little angel that one was” Adriana laughed easily, catching in on the joke, “Perhaps being two minutes older makes her more matured” she put her index right under her chin, looking thoughtfully at her daughter across from them “I’m older” Ethan muttered, “I’m the man. I’m stronger”

Noah ignored his rantings and went on with the charade, “And she wasn’t a pain in the ass like someone we all know”

“No, she wasn’t” she rolled her eyes and pointedly looked at their son for emphasis. Ethan looked about to cry.

“I don’t want to be a stress on you, mom.” he said with shaky lips.

“No, you don’t”

“I’m so sorry mommy”

Unable to torture him anymore, the parents hugged him, whispering in his ears the joys of having such an angel for a sister. “And you didn’t disturb mommy.” said his father, “Every child kicks, even Elizabeth.”

“It’s how we know you’re hale and hearty in the stomach”

“But is she older?”

Both parents looked at each other and gave a slight shake. While it was true that Elizabeth was a minute older than Ethan, he couldn’t handle the truth at the moment. He was angry and in a competitive state already. They both agreed without saying anything that he couldn’t handle that tiny piece of information right now. Pulling him back into their warmth, they hugged their cute baby *****

“A little push and it’ll be over.” said Doctor Tom to the surrogate mother. “Yes, that’s it. Good, again?”

Evangeline held her fiancé’s hand tightly. He gently rubbed her hair, cooing sweet nothings in her ear. He was beside her on the bed, offering her comfort in any way he could. His brows were burrowed in a tight frown as he watched the young woman struggle to birth their little one. They had been at it for almost thirty minutes now. He checked the clock again as the doctor asked to push.

“Gosh, arrrgh” Evangeline wailed and gave another push. The baby popped right out and she felt a soothing relief. Her smile widened when the doctor raised him.

“There you go.” said the doctor handing over the child briefly.

The new parents looked at their son and smiled. Whatever pain they had both nursed since her labour started completely varnished. “He’s cute” Evangeline purred excitedly. Jason smiled, “Like his mother.” he said before the nurses got the baby away to clean him up.

Doctor Tom set to work with the others. They cleaned up the young mother while her husband made her breakfast himself. Her labour had started last night while they had been home relaxing. Like everyone in Miami, they had woken up to the news of Logan and Audrey’s news. He had informed Evangeline earlier, so it wasn’t news to them. That had been some days ago but the internet was still talking about the lovely couple.

“It’s funny they have nothing interesting to feature when we could give them something classy” Evangeline mused “You have something juicier?” teased Jason “Yes, the Valdez’ wedding” she held up her ring finger, flashing her diamond ring happily at her husband.

“Well, it was you who wanted it done quietly”

“I did” she smiled at him. Last weekend, after they had gotten engaged, she had felt it would be right to have their son born while married. It would at least uncomplicated their situation a bit. Here they were, giving birth to a son who technically was hers, yet she would also be his surrogate mother considering his conception. It would make for an interesting tale when he was older. She could picture his reaction at being told his mother had him through implantation.

There was also her mother to consider. Evan knew Mrs. Swiss liked her son-in-law but wasn’t in full support of the path their relationship had taken. From the beginning, she had been against the idea of her daughter being a surrogate. Now, with them being engaged, she was happy. However, they weren’t married yet and would have a child soon. That would be having a baby out of wedlock. She could picture her mother saying it with a sour look given the chance to air her view. It was who she is; an oldie at heart; clinging to rules from the past. She believed things should be done in an orderly. Left to that woman, there would be no sex until the wedding night.

So, she had suggested they have a private wedding; just him with her, and the priest.

“Why can’t we just do it properly now?”

“And look like a sack of doughs on my day?” she laughed staring at her big stomach, “No, we can have the real thing after I get my figure back”

“Uhm”

“There’s a catch too” she threw in a bonus “What’s that?”

“Till we are rightfully wedded, there would be no sex”

“Why?” Jason asked, wondering what she was up to “Because it’s the right thing to do.” she teased “Plus you get the chance to have a romantic moment with your new bride alone afterwards” she further added, luring him in.

“I love the sound of that. And I know just the perfect romantic place” Jason had been a darling, insisting they travel to Paris for a romantic weekend and have their wedding there. the next day, he came home with their ticket even though they were flying in his jet.

“Do you, Jason Valdez take her, Evangeline Swiss as your lawfully wedded wife?”

With a quick nod, the over-excited man replied, “Yes, I do”

“And do you, Evangeline Swiss, take him; Jason Valdez as your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do”

“With these rings, I thee pronounce husband, and wife” he announced giving the rings to the couple. Even the priest looked impressed with the shiny stones. He watched as the couple slipped the rings on each other, and the man pulled his bride himself right before he gave the go-ahead. “You may kiss your bride”

Afterwards, the couple had rushed off to their hotel to seal the deal. He had also taken her to interesting places, and the weekend had been a fun one to remember. While everyone knew they had travelled for the weekend, nobody knew what had happened there. It had been what she wanted, and he had given her just that.

Looking at his wife and the ring she held up proudly, he smiled at her bright look. “I suppose we can have a paparazzi post something.” he said reaching for his phone. “Should I call it in?”

“No, my mother would have a feat.” she laughed, then wince. Ignoring the sharp pain in her stomach she added, “It’s bad enough we didn’t tell them.” what she hadn’t said was her decision had been spurn on partially by the same mother who by the way wouldn’t get it. “She’s…”

The look on her face made him sit up, “Evan, are you okay?”

Swallowing hard, Evan peered down at her stomach, “I don’t think so.” she wailed, “I think the baby’s coming.”

He had rushed to get the baby bags while calling for James who was in the other room. Together they had taken Evangeline to the hospital. As she walked tiredly and winced in pain, he wanted to lift her and have her there already. But he remembered her sound warning not to carry her. And so they were here, earlier than her scheduled date for their baby’s birth.

“Before I open the door for the family.” said Doctor Tom, “I want you to nurse the baby and we can take him for some checks”

“Okay.” Jason replied while Evangeline nodded.

The doctor called for the nurse, and the baby was brought in. He had been cleaned up, and dressed in the baby clothes his parents had brought. The doctor handed the baby to her, then stepped out. Evangeline and her man had a laugh trying to breastfeed their baby for the first time.

*****

“She delivered safely” announced doctor Tom to the lot gathered outside the theatre. Everyone stood up at once, and with a smile, he opened the door and went his way.

“Oh, thank God.” Adriana said, rushing in to see the couple and their newborn. Everyone followed eagerly to see the new addition.

“Hello.” Adriana said walking into the room. She rushed to hug her sister, and then Jason. The baby wasn’t returned yet, so everyone took the chance to congratulate the parents.

“Congratulations.” Robert said, patting Jason at the back before hugging him, then his daughter. “Congrats baby.” he said in her ears.

“Thanks, dad”

The twins came forward to greet the new parents too. “Congratulations Linne.” said Elizabeth sitting beside her. On the other side, her twin sat and held the new mother, “Congratulations, but where’s he?”

“He’s here” announced the nurse, walking into the room with the baby. She handed him to Mrs. Swiss who took the baby happy and started moving slightly. Robert watched amused. He never understood while everyone danced once they had a baby in their hands. He had watched his wife do it severally, dancing to some unheard beat.

“He’s so cute.” Mrs. Swiss said, looking at her husband, “Wanna hold him?”

He stretched out his hands, nodding that she handed over the baby. Once he had the baby and he smiled at him, he started moving, rocking the little one. He was so into the rocking that he didn’t realize it was exactly what his wife had been doing earlier.

Elizabeth and Ethan were beside him immediately. Mrs. Swiss made them seat on the vacant bed in the room and helped Robert hand the baby first to Ethan who was so eager to see his new playmate. She stood by the boy until it was time to pass the baby to his twin. Elizabeth smiled at the little one, staring at his cute small nose, and lips, and closed eyes. She laughed happily as the baby was retrieved from her and put in his cot.

“He has such small hands and eyes” she mused. “Tiny legs too” added Ethan, and they both burst into laughter.

“You think he looks like me?” asked Ethan, “Since he’s a boy”

Elizabeth couldn’t help laughing at her brother’s folly, “How can he? Is he your son?” she asked “I know I got you there” he laughed, “But he sure looks like you”

“Nah, I’m not his mother either” the twins laughed again and soon started playing with each other.

Adriana and Noah exchanged looks, and she mouthed ‘they are on talking terms again’

Evangeline seeing the exchange asked what was wrong “Oh, we’ve had to settle series of fights since they knew you were having a boy.” explained Adriana, “Ethan hasn’t given his sister a break since”

“That’s bad.” Evangeline said, “Poor Lizbeth, that must be why she wanted me to have a girl” she smiled looking at the playing kids now. “They have gotten over it now, yeah?”

“It seems so.” replied their mother, “His arrival seemed to have settled the case”

Noah leaned over, taking the spot that Jason had vacated earlier to make room for the family. He was over with Robert now discussing heatedly while Mrs. Swiss watched the baby with the twins in his cot as he sleeps peacefully “Just be prepared for some visitor soon as he says so”

“Why?” asked Adriana looking bewildered “I couldn’t resist throwing in the punch a while ago.” he shrugged, “I told him the baby would be staying with his parents.” he smiled as he said the remaining part “Our son believes he’s coming to stay with the baby”

“Wow, some visitor that would be.” Adriana teased as everyone laughed “Can’t believe he’s going that far”

As they laughed over the situation, Evangeline brushed off a hair from her face and her sister sighted the rock on her finger. “Wow” she exclaimed “I didn’t see that ring before.” she said out loud, and everyone looked at Jason for answers, “Good job Valdez”

Jason looked their way from where he stood with his in-laws who weren’t aware yet of their relationship. Well, it looks like they are now. “It meant a lot to Evangeline that our son be born into wedlock.” he laughed happily, “So we did a little wedding last weekend.” he turned to everyone apologetically, “We intend to do the real thing with everyone after she’s fit enough” he promised Evangeline looked at her mom, knowing she had done this for her. “I was too big and wobble.” she said, refusing to admit it out loud. Now that she thought about it, she felt weird saying; oh mother, I did it because I know it would make you proud of me. Deep down, this was what it came down to, she realized now. Her mother had never really been proud of her decisions. Right from little, she had always been seen as the tough sibling, the manipulative one. It was Adriana who got the good compliments from her mother while she, well. Her father sang her praises until he had walked out on them afterwards, leaving her with a mother who saw her as nothing but a rebel “She finally agrees” Zoe cried out, rushing into the room. She had got the first flight down here upon hearing that her friend was in labour. She ran into the new mother and hugged her.

“But sexy all the same” Evangeline said pointedly before hugging her friend.

“Yes, you were.” Jason mused “Then, and now”

“Thanks, baby” the couple locked gaze sensuously.

“Did I hear some private wedding went down?” asked Zoe while going to check the little baby, making the newlyweds look away reluctantly.

“Yes, we did.” the surrogate mother replied, “We intend to do proper one when I can rock in my wedding gown.” she laughed, “So we had that quick one, and we will send you the invite when we’re ready for the family gathering Mrs. Swiss beamed at her daughter with pride. She stepped forward to hug her, “That’s a good one”

“Yeah, I know mother” Evangeline hugged her too “I never thought my opinion counted”

“Since it bothered you so much, I thought I’d do right by you”

“I think I’m just one hell of an old boring woman”

“With strict rules.” she teased. “You’re still my mother”

“A tough one on you.” she said, sitting beside her. Adriana stepped aside to give them some room. “I didn’t hate you, Evan.” she smiled shakily, “I saw in you the ‘me’ I had forgotten in a while. A bolder, fiercer me” holding her daughter’s hand, she continued, “I didn’t know how to handle that. it was too much to see”

“Oh.” Evangeline smiled, unsure what to do with this new piece of information.

“I wanted that little girl gone for good.” continued Mrs. Swiss, “But the more I pushed, the fiercer you become, and I began to see who I could have been had I not chosen this other path”

“What path mother?” she asked, holding her mother’s hands tighter “I think that should be a tale for another day.” she leaned to peck her daughter, “Just know I love you.”