Sisters in Bloom

by Melissa Foster

  Her mother held tight to her arm, anchoring her in place, and in her best matronly tone, she said, “Kaylie, you stay still now. He’s almost done. You’re almost there.”

  “Breathe, two, three,” Chaz said, and Danica breathed right along with them.

  “Okay, you did great, Kaylie.” The anesthesiologist worked with Gail to tape the epidural catheter up Kaylie’s back to her shoulder. “Are you okay, Kaylie? How do you feel?”

  “I’m good. Thank you.”

  He stood by the bed as Gail helped Kaylie lie back. Then he touched Kaylie’s legs and torso with something she couldn’t see between his fingers. “Can you feel that?”

  “No. That’s good, right?”

  His dark skin contrasted with her fair complexion like chocolate against milk. When he spoke, he spoke with tenderness, as if he hadn’t a worry in the world, which instilled confidence in Kaylie. “That’s great. You shouldn’t feel much during the delivery. A bit of tugging and pressure, but no more of those all-consuming contractions. You’ll feel sensations, but you’ll do fine.”

  Kaylie breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

  “Thank you,” Chaz said, and turned his attention back to Kaylie as the anesthesiologist gave directions to Gail, then left the room.

  Chaz looked at Danica, and Danica touched her mother’s arm. “Mom, let’s give them a minute.”

  How did she know? Kaylie had been dying to get Chaz alone. She’d made a decision about the offer from Benton, and she wanted him to know before the baby was born. As soon as they were out the door, she said, “I need to talk to you.”

  “Me, too. Oh, God, Kaylie. Can you believe our baby’s coming? Today?”

  Kaylie wanted to spend the next ten hours gushing about how excited she was to be a mom and to finally meet their baby, but she’d been thinking about the record label ever since her water broke, and holding in her excitement was too much.

  “Chaz,” she said in a serious tone. She knew by his fading smile that he expected bad news. “Don’t worry. It’s not about the baby.” When his worry lines didn’t disappear, she reassessed telling him. Maybe it would be too much for him. Maybe he didn’t really want her to go, and he really was just being supportive, with the hopes she wouldn’t go.

  A contraction gripped her belly, and she watched with discomfort as her belly contracted, then eased. She breathed, clenching Chaz’s hand, feeling strangely detached from the contractions that had been racking her body just minutes before.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah, fine. It doesn’t really hurt very much now. It’s just pretty uncomfortable.” She breathed through the contraction. When it subsided, she said, “I’ve made a decision about the label.”

  His Adam’s apple bobbled as he swallowed.

  “I’ve worked really hard, and I just can’t see myself stopping now. I know I said I would wait until the baby was born to make the decision, but, Chaz, I can’t. I just can’t give up what I’ve worked so hard to achieve.”

  Chaz nodded. “Okay,” he said in a flat, emotionless tone.

  “Okay?” She hoped he’d say something more.

  “Okay. I support your decision.” He sat back and ran his hand through his hair. It fell from his fingertips in a playful fashion.

  He needed a trim, and Kaylie reached for his hair. She wanted to touch it, to touch him. To make sure he was okay with her decision. He leaned into her, and she took his head in her arms, held his forehead against her shoulder. “I know it won’t be easy,” she said.

  “We’ll make it work,” he said, then pulled back and rested his hand on her cheek.

  If Kaylie had ever doubted his commitment, the doubt was gone. Washed away like waves rolling back into the sea. She took comfort in his touch and relaxed into his warm palm.

  “I need to tell you something, too,” he said. “It’s not easy, and it might not even be important, but—”

  Another contraction crawled across her back and whispered across her belly. The mild discomfort turned to pain and pressure in her groin that she’d never felt before. Kaylie lifted her head from Chaz’s palm and grabbed the sides of the bed with a cry.

  “Breathe, Kaylie. Breathe through the pain.”

  She knew Chaz saw the panic in her eyes when he raced out the door to get the doctor. In the next thirty seconds, Kaylie had never felt so alone—or so scared. Pain ripped through her belly, and pressure built along her pelvis floor. Breathe, two, three. She tried to calm her raging anxiety, staring at the closed door, willing Chaz to return. The pain subsided as Dr. Lasco entered, followed by Chaz, Gail, Danica, and her mother. “Oh, God,” she cried, as another contraction hit.

  Gail checked the monitors and reported the findings to Dr. Lasco.

  “This baby must be anxious to meet you,” Dr. Lasco said as she slipped on another pair of gloves and situated herself at the foot of the bed.

  Kaylie grabbed Chaz’s hand and watched as Danica allowed her mother to go to the other side of the bed. “Danica,” she cried. She didn’t mean to. She wanted her mother, too, but she needed Danica in a way she didn’t need her mother at that very moment. Danica had been her one constant throughout her life—through her parents’ divorce, through her year without contact with their mother. Danica stepped behind her mother and put her hand securely on Kaylie’s shoulder.

  “I’m right here. You’re doing great. Sassy spawn will be here soon.”

  Kaylie knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that no matter what happened, or how much the birth hurt, she was surrounded by love, and their baby would be born into that same safe cocoon.

  She closed her eyes as the next contraction tore across her belly.

  “Don’t push, Kaylie. You’re almost there, but fight the urge.”

  “I…have to,” Kaylie huffed through gritted teeth.

  Danica squeezed her shoulder. “Look at me, Kaylie. Look up here.”

  Kaylie did.

  “Breathe, that’s a girl. Just breathe. You’ve carried this baby for this long. You’re not going to disappoint her now. You can do this, and you will.”

  Kaylie nodded.

  “A little harsh, don’t you think?” her mother said to Danica.

  “She can take it. Besides if I say something softer, she’ll fight me on it,” Danica said with a wink.

  “Danica! Mom!” Kaylie snapped as the next contraction hit and she blew for the millionth time through pursed lips. “This hurts like a son of a” —huff, huff— “gun.”

  “You’re doing great,” Danica encouraged.

  “Kaylie, you’re almost there,” Chaz assured her.

  Kaylie suddenly remembered that Chaz had been telling her something. “Chaz,” she said breathlessly. “What did you want to tell me?”

  Danica caught his eye and shook her head.

  Chaz looked down at the doctor preparing to deliver their child, and the look in his eyes when he looked back at Kaylie pulled at her heart.

  “Whatever it is, you can tell me,” she assured him.

  “It’s about the label. I had Max check it out.”

  “Chaz,” Danica whispered harshly.

  “It’s okay. Go on,” Kaylie said, but when Chaz started to speak, it felt like someone had kicked her in her lower back. She cried out and sat up, bearing down with the pain.

  “Kaylie, don’t push,” Dr. Lasco commanded.

  “Ugh!” Kaylie whined.

  “You can do it, Kaylie. Lean back.” Her mother gently pressed Kaylie’s shoulders back toward the pillow.

  Her belly contracted, and she bolted upright again. “I can’t. I can’t wait. I gotta push.”

  Dr. Lasco spoke calmly and sternly. “Kaylie, I can see your baby’s beautiful head. Go ahead and push, but if I tell you to stop, you stop.” She lifted her eyes and nodded.

  Kaylie rode the crescendo of the next contraction until she thought her body might tear apart. She bore down and pushed, gritting her teeth; the encouragement of her mother,
Danica, and Chaz became white noise behind the rushing of blood in her ears. “Get it out!” she yelled.

  “Stop pushing, Kaylie. Stop.”

  She felt fingers on her shoulder, pushing her back toward the pillow. Her eyes fluttered closed, then open, as she tried to catch her breath. Before she did, another contraction gripped her and sent her reeling forward, bearing down hard. Who’s screaming? Make them stop! She opened her eyes and found the wails coming from her own throat. Suddenly, she felt an enormous pressure, then release.

  “Kaylie, stop pushing. Your baby’s head is out, but the cord is wrapped around its neck.”

  Kaylie looked frantically down at the doctor. “Oh, God. Fix it. Fix it, please. Please!”

  “Shh,” her mother urged. “She’s doing all she can.”

  “Danica!” Kaylie cried.

  Danica moved swiftly to the end of the bed. She covered her mouth and lifted her gaze to meet Kaylie’s, as tears of joy spilled down her cheeks.

  A high-pitched cry filled the air, and Kaylie fell back, laughing, as another contraction took control and sent her upright once again. This time she pushed with all her might and felt the pressure of the baby as it slithered out of her body. She lay panting, waiting for the doctor to say something. Anything. Finally, Dr. Lasco rose to her feet and held the baby up so Kaylie could see.

  “Say hello to your bouncing baby girl.”

  “A girl! It’s a girl!” Chaz said, and leaned down to hug Kaylie.

  “Sassy spawn!” Danica cheered and hugged her mother.

  Kaylie looked at her baby, covered with blood and goo, her wrinkled face a mask of wailing cuteness, her impossibly tiny arms and legs flailing in the air. She was her baby. Their baby. She looked from the baby to Chaz as another contraction stole her thoughts.

  “Kaylie, I need you to focus,” Dr. Lasco said in a serious voice.

  “What?” Kaylie gritted her teeth. This couldn’t be right. Something was wrong. Her belly contracted and she had to push again. She bore down hard.

  “Kaylie, listen to me.”

  A nurse that Kaylie hadn’t noticed earlier took the baby and hovered over it beneath a light.

  “What is it?” she cried.

  “Ultrasounds are not always right,” Dr. Lasco said. “I need you to push again, Kaylie. Push until I tell you to stop.”

  Kaylie pushed until her face hurt and she had no breath left in her lungs.

  “Good, good. Hold on now.” Dr. Lasco glanced up at Kaylie. “Looks like you’re going to have another member of the family.”

  “Twins?” Chaz and Kaylie said at once.

  “You insisted on having only the one sonogram because you didn’t want to know the sex of the baby.” Dr. Lasco lifted her smiling eyes to Kaylie, then continued. “It was so early on that we just didn’t pick up on the second heartbeat. That happens with twins sometimes. The beats are the sa—”

  “I gotta push!” Kaylie cried.

  “Okay, push, Kaylie.”

  She bore down again and felt the same relief when her second baby slipped from her body. She fell back, out of breath, exhausted, clenching Chaz’s hand.

  “Twins?” Tears of joy streamed down her mother’s cheeks. “We have no twin genes in our family history.”

  A distinct cry, different from the first baby’s, filled the room. “And now you do. May I present to you your son,” Dr. Lasco said as she stood with their second baby.

  Kaylie lay holding Chaz’s hand, her eyes on the nurses who hovered over the babies. She turned toward her mother, who was wiping joyful tears from her eyes as she bent down and hugged Kaylie.

  “I get it,” Kaylie whispered.

  “I always knew you would,” she said.

  Danica stood by the table where the nurse cleaned and checked out the babies. “Kaylie, she’s the most gorgeous sassy spawn I’ve ever seen, and he’s, well, he’s just going to be a lady killer.” She wiped her tears and watched as the nurses brought the swaddled babies to Kaylie.

  Holding her babies for the first time was like nothing Kaylie had ever experienced before. Something inside her changed, a switch flipped, a door opened, and she knew she would never be the same again. She kissed their foreheads and tried to listen as the doctor told her what to expect with regard to recovery. Kaylie didn’t register a word of it. She couldn’t take her eyes off of their beautiful daughter and son.

  She looked up at Chaz and knew she’d made the wrong decision.

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  “Chaz.” He lowered himself beside her. “I can’t do it,” Kaylie said. She looked at the babies and got lost in the beauty of them, oblivious to the fact that all the blood had drained from Chaz’s face. When she looked back at him, she saw the unbridled fear in his blue eyes.

  “Kaylie, I won’t work as much. I’ll change however you think I need to.” Chaz shot a look at Danica.

  Kaylie caught the worried glance and pulled his chin, locking eyes with him. “Oh, goodness, Chaz. Not us. I can’t take the job with the label. I can’t do it. I can’t leave them. I don’t want to.”

  Chaz’s eyes darted to Danica. Kaylie looked at her sister. Her dark curls stuck out at all angles. She looked from Kaylie to Chaz and back again.

  “What is it?” Kaylie asked. They both had a guilty look in their eyes. “Danica Joy, tell me what’s going on.”

  Danica bit her lower lip and moved closer to the bed. “Look how beautiful she is,” she said, touching the baby’s cheek.

  “Can it,” Kaylie said sharply. “Chaz, why do I feel like you guys aren’t telling me something? Is something wrong with the babies?”

  “No,” they said in unison.

  Kaylie watched Chaz clench his jaw. He looked up at her mother, then back down at Kaylie again.

  “Whatever it is, just tell me,” Kaylie said, on the verge of tears.

  “I had the label checked out. Remember I asked Max to check it out?”

  “Yeah, so?” Kaylie asked, her eyes darting back and forth from Danica to Chaz.

  “It’s—”

  Danica jumped in. “Kaylie, let’s focus on the babies. Everything is so good right now. You’re so happy. Let’s just focus on them for a while. Right, Mom?” She turned to her mother for support.

  “I can’t…Here. Can I hold one of them?” Her mother took the baby boy in her arms.

  The nurse removed the tape and catheter from Kaylie, and Kaylie waited as Dr. Lasco and the nurses left the room.

  “We’ll come get them shortly,” Gail said before closing the door behind her.

  Chaz took Kaylie’s hand and said, “I have to tell you something, and Danica, please don’t cut me off.” He didn’t give Danica a harsh look, but rather a gentle smile. Then he mouthed, Please? When Danica nodded, he said, “I wanted to tell you earlier, but I was afraid to ruin things for you. Benton Records is owned, partially, at least, by Lea Carmichael.”

  Kaylie nodded. “I know,” she said, matter-of-factly.

  “You knew?” he asked.

  “Yeah. I knew.”

  “Why didn’t you say something?” he asked. “Why’d you keep it from me?”

  “I figured you knew, and I was waiting for you to say something. I was there that day you asked Max to check it out. Remember?”

  “Then how could you take the offer? Why would you?” Chaz asked.

  “I’m not a stupid person. I know that crazy woman is capable of all sorts of stuff. You’re not the only one who knows how to Google someone, you know.” She looked at Danica, then back at Chaz, and realized that they both were looking at her incredulously. “Look, I just figured that this was my one chance to make it, and if you and I know what she’s capable of, then we know what to watch out for. She can’t come between us if we’re both aware of how she is. So…” She shrugged. “Why not use her for her connections?”

  “Kaylie, she’s so much crazier than you know.”

  “Chaz, I think I know how crazy she is. I’m sorry. I should have told y
ou sooner, and maybe you should have told me, but the day I had the meeting, I asked all the right questions: who owns the company, what’s expected of me, who will oversee my musical career, my travel, my gigs. They were very up-front about it all. They said she was the one who had found me and she’d practically demanded that they rep me, but Mr. Thompkins said he’d have total control over my career and that they’d even put it in writing and make sure it was stipulated that she had no say in any of that end of things. I never had a chance to tell you about it. Everything happened so fast, and the night after I met with them, you seemed a little bothered by something, and I still hadn’t made up my mind about if I wanted to sign with them or not—regardless of Lea’s role in it all. With all of their assurances, it seemed like I could still have this great career regardless of her.”

  She watched understanding dawn on Chaz and Danica, and she reveled in the pride that gleamed in her mother’s eyes as she cooed over the baby.

  “I should have told you sooner,” Chaz apologized.

  “And I should have told you. I guess we both have to work on the whole tell each other everything thing. But at least neither of us withheld it for the wrong reasons. When you said you’d support my decision to take the job, I knew how much you loved me. That woman’s a psycho, no doubt, and who knows, maybe she would have tried to tear us apart.” Kaylie kissed her little boy’s head, then said confidently, “I would never have let that happen, but once I heard their cries” —she nuzzled the baby— “I knew I couldn’t leave. I can’t leave them and I can’t leave you.”

  “Kaylie,” Chaz said. “We can make it work.”

  “Free babysitter.” Danica waved from behind Chaz.

  “Maybe in a few years,” Kaylie said. “Right now, there’s nothing that will take me away from you, or from them.”

  Chapter Fifty-Seven

  “Can you believe it’s been three weeks since Kaylie had the babies, and she still hasn’t named them? Who does that?” Danica and Blake were driving toward Kaylie’s house for a barbeque that Kaylie swore she was ready for.

  “You know Kaylie. Decisions aren’t her forte,” Blake said with a laugh.