by Sarah Markel
Dej was busying herself by checking her makeup at the small mirror that hung by the coat rack. Alex and Kelly had agreed that she could start learning to apply the enhancements, but that she was to have approval from one or both of them before leaving the house. Alex snorted softly after giving the girl a once over. “We’re not going to let her wear that, are we?” Kelly whispered with disbelief. Alex shook her head and waited for her daughter to shift her attention from the mirror. Dej had chosen a too-short, black mini-skirt that barely covered her ass, and Alex was sure it must belong to one of her friends. She had paired the skimpy garment with a dark pink, form fitting tank top that splashed the word “Sexy” across the young girl’s small breasts. Dej had finished the ensemble with a pair of four-inch, black spiked heels that Alex had to admit, made her legs look much longer. Deciding that it was time to speak up, Alex cleared her throat.
“Excuse me young lady, would you mind going upstairs and asking our daughter to join us?” she said with a smirk when Dej turned her attention to them. “Funny.” Dej grumbled, taking the cue to go upstairs and change. “I told her you were going to make her change.” Zane said with a chuckle. Kelly shook her head and ambled over to the couch so she could sit while they waited for Dej to return. It took time for her to get seated, and by the time she got comfortable, Dej was bounding back down the stairs. The girl stood in the middle of the living room and stuck her arms out, twirling dramatically so her parents could see her outfit. Alex smiled at the new clothes, a knee-length loose white cotton skirt with matching ribbed white cotton tank top and a pair of white canvas shoes. “There’s my little girl!” Alex said with an overdramatic tone of nostalgia. Dej rolled her eyes and glared at her mother. Kelly had to stifle a bout of laughter when her daughter spun around, tossing her waist-length red curls over her shoulder, and stormed out the front door. While she, Zane, and Kelly roared with laughter, Alex helped her wife from the couch and the trio went out to join Dej.
*****
“Oh wow, Moms.” Zane said as the family walked toward their destination. Alex and Kelly had discussed the location of the kids’ party at length, and had decided that the largest gazebo in the park would be the best to accommodate their guests. Located on the other side of the park from the one that held a terrifying memory for the family, the main event gazebo had been lavishly decorated for the two teenagers. Instead of dividing the space in half, with one side specifically for Zane and the other for Dej, Alex and Kelly had decided to combine the whole thing into one theme. There were a rainbow of streamers and balloons outlining the frame of the structure, and a huge Happy Birthday Zane and Dej! banner was stretched across the top of the front entrance. When the group arrived, they took their time to look around at the effort that had gone into the party.
The middle of the gazebo had been converted into a dance floor, with large speakers and subwoofers strategically placed around the room. There were posters of the kids’ favorite band, Walk the Moon, hung on each of the support posts, and a makeshift stage had been set up along the back wall. Looking to his mothers, Zane arched an eyebrow. Alex shrugged, “What’s a teenage party without a band?” she asked, clapping her son on the back. “Who’s playing?” he asked with a smirk. Alex rolled her eyes and shook her head. “A local band that does cover songs.” She replied, looking to her wife so she didn’t give away the lie. Kelly chuckled and kissed her before allowing Alex to help her sit in a padded chair that had been brought in for her.
“Zane!” the trio turned toward the raised and excited voice, and Zane smiled as he held out his arms for Willow to run into. “Happy Birthday.” The girl said, kissing her boyfriend softly. Willow’s caramel colored skin turned red when Alex and Kelly let out a loud “Aww.” Zane shot them both a look and stuck out his tongue. “Zip it Zippy.” He said, pulling Willow away from the women. “That never gets old.” Alex commented, referring to the relentless teasing of her son’s relationship. Kelly nodded with a smile and watched the two young lovebirds as they inspected the posters. “I think they are going to forgive every little slight once the band gets here.” She said, squeezing Alex’s hand. “They are supposed to be here in about an hour. Steve is going to bring the blind folds.” Alex said, watching as Carrie arrived with Colton and their parents. Carrie ran over to Dej and pressed a kiss to the birthday girl’s cheek, before taking her hand and joining Zane and Willow. “You two outdid yourselves.” Lauren said when she and Judy took the chairs next to the women.
Alex let out a long-suffering sigh and spoke with a dramatic flair. “Nothing is too much for our little blessings.” She cooed, mustering up alligator tears. Judy and Lauren both snorted and Kelly slapped at her playfully. “Just wait, honey. Next year we will be throwing an even bigger party in triplicate.” Alex stared at her wife, thinking about that for a moment. “Oh my Gawd!” she drawled, placing her hand over her forehead and flopping back in her chair. “Is it too late to change our minds?” she asked, feigning despair. At Kelly’s hard stare, Alex forced a chuckle and batted her eyelashes. “I was just joking, baby. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.” She said, leaning down to kiss her wife. When Judy and Lauren were joined by the kids in a collective “Aww.” Alex and Kelly both snorted. “Shut up and go away.” Alex said, rolling her eyes at the group. Laughing, the others dispersed to entertain themselves while they waited for the party to start.
*****
“Okay you two, come over here. We have a big surprise for you.” Steve said into the microphone. Zane and Dej stepped away from their dates and joined him on the stage. When the pair were situated in folding chairs, Steve slipped a blind fold over each pair of eyes. “Alright, everyone needs to be extremely quite while the surprise is set up.” Steve warned the guests. When the crowd murmured their agreement, he gave Alex the thumbs up. Nodding, the woman jogged across the park to the bus that was parked on the other side of the bridge. It was further away then she would have liked, but she hadn’t wanted to risk ruining the surprise. Knocking on the door, Alex stepped aside as the band members emerged. “Thank you all so much, you have no idea how much my kids adore you guys.” Alex said, shaking the men’s hands. “No need to thank us. When we heard that Andrea Davis’ daughter wanted us to play for her kids, we jumped at the chance.” The lead singer said. Alex gave the man a quizzical look that made him chuckle. “Andrea has been providing the funds for our community outreach program.” He replied with a shrug of his shoulders. Alex nodded with a chuckle and led the men across the bridge to the gazebo.
As she led the band through the crowd of party guests, Alex had to put her finger to her lips to quiet several youngsters who gasped loudly. When the men were situated at their instruments, Alex made her way over to her wife, who was seated with Angie, Steve, Lauren, and Judy, and stood behind her with her hands on Kelly’s shoulders. With a nod to the band, Alex took a deep breath and waited for her children’s reactions. When the music for their favorite song began, Alex noticed her children’s posture stiffen. She watched with amusement as Zane’s had shot out to clasp his sister’s and the two turned blindly toward each other, their mouths hanging in disbelief. Just as the first lyrics to the song were uttered, the lead singer reached out and took off the blindfolds. Alex and Kelly laughed when twin creams of delight were heard over the music.
“Score one for the Mom team.” Alex said happily, watching her children sing along with the band. At the end of the song, as their friends and family danced wildly, Zane and Dej both screamed, “Shut up and dance!” one final time before joining them. Alex sat in the chair next to her wife and laid her hand over the woman’s belly. Kelly laced her fingers with Alex’s and leaned over to kiss her. “Best birthday ever, I think.” She said with a smile. Alex nodded and sat back, content to watch her children as they danced happily to the music.
*****
“You two are the best!” Dej said later that evening as the group walked through their front door. The majority of the day had been spent at the park, enjoying the par
ty with their guests. Once the party was over, Alex and Kelly had taken the kids to their favorite restaurant, Hole in the Wall, for dinner. When they had arrived, Kyle had welcomed them by leading the staff and other guests in a warm and energetic rendition of Happy Birthday, before seating them at their usual table. Because the dinner had been another surprise, Alex had left four ball caps with Kyle, who promptly brought them over to them before taking their order. While Zane and Dej participated in the house trivia game, Alex and Kelly had passed the time discussing their plans for the next day. Zane’s first baseball game of the season was to start at noon, and Alex had been worried that Kelly may not be up to going. “Honey, I will be fine. I’m going to be sitting the whole time, so don’t worry about me. It’s not like I will be playing short stop.” Kelly said, taking a bite of her pasta. Alex sighed in acquiescence and went back to her dinner.
“I’m glad you two enjoyed yourselves.” Alex replied, hugging her daughter tight. “We only have two more of these joint parties to throw for you two, and we wanted this one to be special.” Dej beamed at her mother and slipped off her shoes, before making her way behind the couch and leaning down to hug Kelly. “I love you both, and I couldn’t have asked for two better mothers.” The girl said with a smile as she placed a kiss on Kelly’s cheek. Kelly patted her daughter’s arm and kissed her back, “Well, we are the lucky ones. No one could ever want two better kids.” Alex smiled at the scene and wiped away a tear as her heart beat rapidly. She didn’t know why Kelly’s words had affected her so strongly, but the woman’s sentiment had touched her deeply. Taking a deep breath to quell the tears she felt threatening, Alex turned her attention to Zane. “What time are you two meeting Colton and the girls?” she asked. “In about half an hour. I don’t know when we’ll be home, but don’t worry, I will keep a close eye on Carrie and Dej.” He said with a reassuring wink.
Alex hugged her son and made her way to the couch to sit behind her wife. Since Kelly’s size made it difficult for the pair to relax in their favorite position, they had altered it to be more accommodating. Alex took her spot behind Kelly, and patiently helped her wife lay on her side. When Kelly’s head was situated on her lap, Alex ran her fingers through the long curls that she loved so much. The pair sat quietly, Kelly with her eyes closed as she enjoyed the feeling of Alex’s fingers in her hair, and Alex gazing down at the woman she was devoted to, until the kids came back downstairs to leave. After a quick kiss to each of their mothers, Zane and Dej walked out the door to join their friends.
“Are you tired, baby?” Alex asked when the door closed. Kelly nodded and covered a yawn. “It’s too early to go to bed, though.” She said, looking at her phone before setting it back on the table. “Sweetheart, if you’re tired go ahead and go to bed. You aren’t sleeping very well, and you need as much sleep as you can get before the babies are born. God knows we aren’t going to be doing much of it after.” Alex said gently, hoping Kelly hadn’t taken her concern as a command. Kelly sighed and yawned again, rubbing her hand over the side of her belly. “You’re right. Come on, let’s go to bed.” Alex smiled at her wife’s agreement and stood carefully to help the woman up. As they made their way slowly up the stairs, Alex frowned when she felt Kelly wince. “Babe?” she asked, pausing on the stairs until Kelly was ready to continue. “I’m okay, honey. I think one of the babies hit a nerve.” With a deep breath, Kelly continued up, holding on to the handrail and making a concerted effort not to wince when the sharp pain hit again.
Alex guided Kelly over to the bed and helped her remove her clothes and underwear. She slid a large, loose nightshirt over her wife’s head and carefully helped her get comfortable. She made her way over to the closet to get a few more pillows, keeping her eyes on Kelly for any signs of pain. Seeing none, Alex chalked it up to the day’s excitement and went over to get the blood pressure wrist unit from the dresser. She knew that something was off, but without any physical indication of what it might be, Alex decided she was better safe than sorry. Slipping the unit on Kelly’s wrist, Alex waited patiently as the device inflated against the pulse point. Glancing at the readout on the screen, Alex shrugged to herself when she saw that Kelly’s blood pressure was normal. Leaning down to press a kiss to her wife’s temple, Alex turned off the light before going back down stairs.
*****
Alex sat at the kitchen table and watched contemplatively as her wife pushed pancakes around her plate. Kelly was seated across from her, her elbow propped on the table, with her cheek resting on her closed fist. When they had awoken that morning, Alex had noticed that Kelly’s movements were slower and more careful than usual. She had offered to let Kelly stay in bed a while longer, but the woman had declined. “I can come down and have breakfast with the rest of you. I just feel a little off today, that’s all.” Kelly had said as she finally managed to get to her feet. Reluctantly, Alex had gone downstairs to make breakfast, stopping at the kids’ doors to wake them. Now that the meal was almost over, Alex was worried by Kelly’s unusually slow and quiet demeanor. Throughout the last several months, the one thing that hadn’t changed with Kelly, was her energy. It didn’t matter if she was ready to vomit, tired, or sore, the woman was always in happy spirits. This morning, however, it was as if someone had drained every ounce of the energy that normally radiated from her.
“Mom?” Zane said carefully, reaching over to lay his hand gently on Kelly’s arm. “Are you sure you’re okay to come to the game today? I completely understand if you want to stay home and rest.” Kelly looked at her sixteen year old son and smiled weakly. “I haven’t missed a game in five years, son, and I’m not about to let a little fatigue stop me from watching you hit it out of the park.” Zane nodded, his expression skeptical, as he stood to clear the dishes. After clearing the table, the boy ran off upstairs. “Dej, why don’t you go upstairs and get changed? We’ll be heading out here in a bit.” Alex said when her daughter finished her food. When the twelve year old had gone upstairs, Alex scooted over into the chair nearest her wife. She brushed her fingers over Kelly’s cheek and tipped her chin up. “Babe, I’m worried about you. You don’t look like you’re alright, in fact you look like you haven’t slept in days.” she observed. Kelly let out a frustrated sigh and stared hard at her wife. “Alex, I’m fine. I’m hot, tired, irritable, and there is a human being sitting on my bladder. I’ll admit that I’m getting anxious to meet the children that have been trying to kick their way out of my body, but I’ll be fine. Can we please just go enjoy our son’s baseball game?” Alex let out a breath and ran her hand through her hair as she nodded. Standing, she held out her hand and helped Kelly to her feet. “Alright, but if you start feeling worse, we are coming home.”
*****
“Go, Zane, go!” Alex bellowed happily from her seat as her son rounded third base and headed toward home plate. When the boy dove forward and slid on his belly over the plate, the crowd erupted. “Yes! That’s my boy!” she screamed, jumping to her feet. Glancing quickly at the scoreboard, Alex reclaimed the seat next to her wife and laced her fingers with Kelly’s. She studied the woman next to her and squeezed her hand lightly. “How are you feeling?” Kelly lifted her eyes to meet Alex’s and forced a smile. “I’m okay, sweetheart. Just a little chilly.” she replied softly. Alex gazed at her wife worriedly and reached over to rest her hand on the swollen expanse of Kelly’s abdomen. “You behave in there, you three. Let mommy enjoy your brother’s game.” Alex said softly, leaning down to press a gentle kiss next to her hand. Kelly chuckled and shook her head. “Good pep talk, coach.” she said when Alex righted herself and turned her attention back to the field. Kelly pressed her free hand to the side of her stomach and winced as a sharp pain flashed through her. The pains that had started the night before had come back that morning when she had first tried to get out of bed, but had eased off by the time the family had left for the baseball field. During the first few innings of the game, the discomfort had been tolerable. But now, at the bottom of the fifth, wi
th her son stepping up to the pitcher’s mound, Kelly knew that something was wrong.
As Zane pitched his third strike in a row, Kelly squeezed Alex’s hand hard. Looking over to her wife, Alex felt fear wash over her. “Kelly?” she asked, seeing the color drain from her lover’s face. Kelly gasped as another stab of pain coursed through her body. She felt dizzy and cold, and her whole body hurt. She looked up into Alex’s panic-stricken face. She noticed that Alex’s eyes were not looking at her face, but at her lap. Unable to see what Alex was looking at, Kelly slid her hand down under her belly as another wave of pain struck. “Someone call an ambulance!” Alex screamed, as Kelly looked down at her blood-stained hand. Unable to focus on what was going on, Kelly felt her consciousness slip away as her vision dimmed and the sounds of the people around her faded into the distance.
*****
“What have you got?” asked the tall blonde man in blue scrubs as Kelly was wheeled into the emergency room, Alex clinging to her limp hand. “Thirty-nine year old female, thirty-two weeks pregnant with triplets. Diagnosed pre-eclampsia. Passed out at a baseball game. Her wife called for help when she noticed the blood.” the paramedic answered, rattling off the woman’s vital signs. The E.R. doctor grabbed the rails of the gurney and yelled for someone to call OB, before he guided them into an exam room. Once inside, while the nurses attached leads and monitors to Kelly’s arms and chest, the man gently pressed his fingers around the expanse of her abdomen. Frowning, the man glanced at Alex, before lifting the hem of Kelly’s skirt. “Is this her first pregnancy?” he asked the room. “Yes.” Alex squeaked, fear making her throat tight. Just then, a young woman entered the room and walked straight to the doctor. “You called for a consult, Dan?” she asked as she pulled on a pair of gloves. While the doctor relayed the pertinent information, a monitor began to beep rapidly and a nurse yelled “BP’s crashing!” The young woman looked to Alex and said, “She and the baby are in trouble. I need to get her up to surgery.” Alex paled. Looking from Kelly to the waiting doctors, Alex nodded. She watched, fighting a losing battle with the tears that cascaded down her face, as her wife was rushed out of the room. God, please don’t take them from me. She pleaded silently as a nurse guided her out of the room and gave her directions to the proper waiting room.