“I need a nap after all that.” Emily giggled as Avery helped her step up into his truck. Avery smirked to himself again, knowing he was banking on her mid-day nap to pull off his plan for the evening.
“Twins,” Emily continued as he got into the truck. “I thought one baby was more than enough. But now... two? I guess there have been two in there all along, but what the hell am I going to do? I am going to get as big as a freaking house!” Emily's voice turned from worried to a flat out whine.
“You are beautiful, and nothing is going to change that, especially my babies growing in that gorgeous belly.” Avery reached over, holding on to her hand tightly and rubbing his fingers along her knuckles.
“I hope so,” she smiled. Her breasts had already grown nearly a cup size, she had to buy a hand full of new bras since none of hers fit anymore. Her hips were becoming noticeably wider, and her skinny jeans were now a thing of the past. She praised her love for yoga pants, since they were slowly becoming the only thing she could fit over her ass. But the one change that didn't bother her, was the small bump forming. She thought it was forming too quick but now that she knew there were two babies in there, it all made sense. Her hand rubbed over her belly, and Avery's joined her.
“I love you, Ems.” Avery said before turning the radio on, and relief filled her. Everything would be okay.
“You sure you want to do this?” Tom asked his best friend as they walked back into the Antique store where Emily had found her perfect desk weeks ago.
“Yes, dude. Don't try and talk me out of it. This is exactly what I want to do. This is what I need to do.” Tom eyed his best friend never thinking he would see the day when he finally would settle down. The entire time they had been friends, Avery was married to his career as a firefighter. Yeah he had dated around, and occasionally picked up a hot piece of tail, but he never thought he would see the man of little words settle down.
Now they were standing over the jewelry case, waiting for the antique estate ring Avery had picked out a few mornings earlier. Emily had spent a long while looking at the ring in the case while they'd paid last time.
The little old man behind the counter slowly made his way back to him with the black velvet box in his wrinkled hand. He stopped in front of Avery slowly opening the box and pulling his glasses down onto the tip of his nose to examine it before he would hand it over.
“I cleaned it up nicely. I haven't seen this beauty shine like this since we got her in.” The old man smiled at Avery with genuine happiness for him. “She is a lucky lady.” He continued as he closed the box up and slid it across the counter and into Avery's shaking hand.
“That I am, sir,” Avery returned his smile and slipped the box into his jeans pocket, where it would be safe until tonight.
Becca insisted on dragging Emily out for the afternoon. Their first stop included lunch to fuel Emily up for an afternoon of her crazy best friend dragging her around like a rag doll. Her appetite had slowly started to return, so by one o'clock in the afternoon she was famished. The second stop was their favorite nail salon.
After that, Becca drove her to a strip mall, where in the corner was a Babies 'R' Us.
“Time for baby shopping lady!” Emily had been scared to buy anything for the babies yet. Becca continued yammering on “this is going to be the most spoiled baby ever!” She leaned over rubbing Emily's almost non-existent belly.
“Auntie Becca is going to spoil the hell out of you little one.” Emily realized her and Avery hadn't told anyone about their new found discovery at the doctor's office yesterday.
“Bec, I have to tell you something.” The serious look on Emily's face made Becca's stomach flop like she did something wrong. Before Emily could start whatever she had to say, Becca cut her off.
“Please tell me the baby is okay.” She started to blink back tears, looking at a slow smile spreading across Emily's face. Always a drama queen for sure!
“Yes, they are okay.” Emily replied as the relief washed over Becca's face, and she turned the car off, reaching for the handle to get out. That is when it hit her.
“They?” Becca asked with a grin, and Emily started to laugh.
“Yeah, Avery and I found out yesterday. Apparently there was a second baby hiding in there. Twins.” Emily finally started to accept that instead of the one baby they originally envisioned, there would be two. Double the diapers, double the feedings, double the clothes, accessories, everything. Two times every damn thing they would need.
“Double the shopping!!!” Becca let out a squeal and the women headed into the baby store.
Three hours later and an obscene amount of money later, Becca pulled her small SUV into Emily's driveway. Avery's truck was home, but it didn't look like there were any lights on in the house at all.
“Em, go around to the back deck. I will bring this stuff in for you.” Becca hid her intentions with concern for her pregnant best friend lifting anything heavy up the stairs to her front door.
“Sounds good, I could use some sand between my toes right now anyway.” Emily smiled, grabbing her purse and slinging it over her shoulder. The sun was just starting to set off in the distance and the scene of the orange-red sun in the distance was absolutely breathtaking. It was days like this that made her know she could never leave this house, or view.
A few more steps down the path, she started to notice candles lining the back deck. The stairs, the railing, everywhere. “What the...” she mumbled to herself as she started walking up the stairs.
Emily continued to examine her back deck. There had to be at least a hundred candles burning. In the middle of the deck was a huge pile of pillows on top of an air mattress? Is that the air mattress from the back of his truck? She continued looking around, noticing the familiar blankets from their first night together.
Before she could look around to find Avery, the small speakers of his iHome started to play. Brad Paisley crooned from the speakers. Tears spilled from her eyes before she could even think about looking for Avery. Brad continued singing about everything he ever wanted. 'Caus she's everything to me. Her hands covered her mouth as her lips broke into a smile.
Avery was sitting there watching her every movement, every emotion with a nervous smile on his face. He rose to his feet and made his way to Emily, slowly taking her hands and pulling her into his chest. Emily could feel his heart pounding rapidly while she ran her fingers over his strong chest.
“Emily?” Avery spoke in a whisper while he slowly started to pull away from her. Taking her hand he dropped to one knee in front of her.
Emily's heart jumped into her throat as her stomach plummeted to her feet. Tears began to pool in her eyes once again as she met Avery's gaze. His hand was shaking and a small bead of sweat sat above his eyebrow. He slid his other hand into his pocket and pulled out the black velvet box. Her breath hitched as she took in the scene before her.
Avery cleared his throat and wiped his brow before he started the speech he had expertly perfected, but couldn't remember for the life of him.
“Emily, from the day I pulled you out of that car I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. When I am awake I think about you. When I am asleep you fill my dreams.” He paused pressing a kiss on her hand before he continued. “I love you like crazy. I never thought I could have a love like this. You are my everything. You complete me in every way I could have ever imagined. Emily, will you marry me?” He popped open the box and pulled the ring out, holding it tenderly between his masculine fingers.
Her eyes landed on the beautiful ring she had fallen in love with weeks ago when she was searching for her desk. He had noticed! She opened her mouth but the words didn't come out. She lowered to the deck coming eye level with Avery. She placed a sweet kiss on his lips, before she could finally spit the words out.
“Yes, Avery!” He slowly slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, like it had been made solely for her. His strong arms wrapped around her, pulling them both back onto the pillo
w covered air mattress. The couple laid there for a while just wrapped in each other's arms, neither one wanting to break the silence between them as they enjoyed the sweet music that continued to flow through the summer night. Avery showered her face and neck with kisses while she ran her fingers all over any exposed skin she could find on his body.
“Avery?” Emily questioned, finally breaking the silence between them.
“Yes, babe?”
“I love you. Thank you for making me the happiest woman ever.” He smiled to himself, what Emily didn't know was, it was truly the other way around. She made him the happiest man ever.
“I would so make love to you right now, but I think Gran is at the door watching us.” The couple both started laughing, Emily slowly turning around to discover the silver-haired woman peeping through the drapes. She blew her a kiss.
Avery walked down the stairs in search of his wife. He felt her get out of bed earlier but had quickly gone back to sleep.
He slowly pushed the nursery door open, careful to be quiet. Emily sat in a plush, pink glider in the corner of the nursery with Cecilia in her arms nursing her back to sleep. Out of the corner of his eye he eyed Penelope who was fast asleep in her crib. She smiled in her dreams.
Looking up he caught Emily's gaze settling on him as a lazy smile spread across her lips. She was clearly exhausted. Walking over to her she slowly unlatched Cecilia and passed her off into Avery's arms. He placed a gentle kiss on his daughter's forehead before laying her down inside the pink frilly explosion Emily called a crib.
Her decorating skills were phenomenal, but Avery would never warm up to that amount of pink, even with two daughters. Emily slowly stood up from the glider, re-adjusting her nightgown top. Avery pulled her into his arms and gave her a good morning kiss.
They had only been part of their family for six months but neither parent could figure out how they managed life before the unruly pair of twin girls.
“Remember our wedding day?” Avery questioned Emily with a look of genuine look about his face. Emily let out a quiet laugh as they both looked at their stubborn Penelope.
“How could I forget?” The proud mother spoke nothing but the truth. As the couple made their way to the dance floor to enjoy their first dance as husband and wife, their pint-sized firecracker decided she wanted to make her grand entrance into the world.
Emily gasped as the chorus to 'God Gave Me You' started to play. Avery's face went from happy to nervous in an instant.
“Are you ok?” Avery questioned quietly, not to tip any of the guests off if something actually was wrong.
“Um, my water just broke.” Emily answered him as they parted and looked down to the growing puddle on the dance floor. As they eyed the giant pool of fluid, the entire hall erupted into cheers, laughs, and hoots from all the firemen.
“Guess it's time, babe.” Emily smiled as they hustled off the dance floor for the exit.
“She really is something else, huh?” Avery smiled, admiring the sleeping girl. His Penelope was just like her mother through-and-through—impatient, demanding, and so damn snugly. She had been so anxious to join the world they barely made it to the hospital before she was born.
“We need a room, immediately.” The red headed nurse who greeted them at the elevator doors yelled down to the women gathered behind the nurses' station. “She is crowning! GET OFF YOUR ASS!” the fiery nurse yelled and they all began scattering in different directions. Emily growled at each and every nurse as they passed down the hallway, she was progressing so fast there was no time for an epidural and she was ready to start murdering people, starting with Avery.
“Just don't push until Dr. Bennett is here,” the nurse demanded. There was no way she could keep her body from pushing, hell it was already trying to push on its own.
“I can't believe you started pushing without the nurse or the doctor there.” Avery chuckled. His wife was absolutely fearless.
“I figured you had the training, and there was no way I was going to try to hold her in when she was trying to claw her way out.” Emily laughed. There was no way she could have held Penelope in any longer than she did. They were all lucky they were in the hospital and not Avery's pickup truck on International Speedway Boulevard. “She wanted out! I couldn't argue with her!”
“Don't push Emily!” Avery yelled as his face flashed with horror. She was pushing, the doctor was nowhere to be found, and the nurse had stepped out for God knows what. He was alone, with his wife, pushing a baby out. Of course he had medical training to deliver a baby, but he never planned to deliver his own!
“Avery Daniel Martin, so help me God. You better get your head out of your... AHHHHH FUCK... ass and deliver these babies!” Emily rivaled Satan at that moment. Avery feared for his life.
“Okay Ems. Take a deep breath and push when your next contraction starts.” Moments later Emily complied with his order, and he could see his daughter's head slowly emerging. Overcome by emotion, he held his breath and prayed the doctor would arrive. A minute later another monster of a contraction crashed over Emily and she pushed once again.
With that push, tiny Penelope made her way into his arms, just as the petite red headed nurse walked through the door of their labor and delivery suite. If someone could have snapped a picture of her face, or even got a video they would be the million-dollar winner on one of those funniest video shows.
“OH MY GOD! What are you DOING?!” She screamed at Avery as Penelope screamed her newborn lungs off, securely in his arms. He looked down at his daughter, and up at his wife who had tears of joy streaming down her face.
“She is beautiful Emily, she looks just like you.” He brought the newborn to her mother's arms, completely ignoring the nurse who was having a meltdown watching the couple. Emily held her tiny little girl in her arms as Dr. Bennett walked through the door in a hurry.
“I guess you don't need me,” he joked as he grabbed the scrubs the nurse had waiting for him.
“Neither girls could wait.” Avery answered. He answered the unasked question.
“I can't believe she was so damn easy to deliver!” Emily reminisced. “But she was so tiny.” Avery reminded her. Penelope had been the smaller of the two girls, only weighing in at five pounds even. Avery insisted he would break her, even if he was only changing her diaper. Neither of them had ever seen a baby that small.
“Cecilia made up for the both of them in the difficulty department.” Emily added, “Still does,” she took a deep breath trying to remind herself, she was only a baby. A difficult baby, but this too would pass, just as their first six months had, in the blink of an eye.
The monitors started beeping uncontrollably. Avery eyed Dr. Bennett while Emily screamed through another contraction. She had almost forgot there was another baby still inside her when she held Penelope. Cecilia quickly reminded her with contraction after contraction, on top of each other with no sign of relief.
“Emily, we need to put some oxygen on you. Baby B is having a little trouble, and we want to see if this will help her before we take you to the OR.” Dr. Bennett's serious look slowly started to send Emily into a panic. She inhaled as deep as she could, repeatedly through the oxygen mask they placed over her nose and mouth. It wasn't working at all. The machine continued to beep loudly.
“This is Dr. Bennett. We need OR 2 prepped. We are moving Mrs. Martin upstairs for an emergency c-section.” Avery and Emily looked at the doctor with horror in their eyes. Emily instantly started crying and Avery was by her side in a second comforting her.
“This happens everyday, love. Everything is going to be okay. I promise you.” Avery spoke softly as the doctor and nurse moved quickly around the room.
“You don't know how scared I was. The only thing I was petrified of through my whole pregnancy was a c-section, but I knew it would be a huge possibility with twins. When Penelope came so easily I figured Cecilia would just fly out after her.” She pushed her longer blonde locks behind her ears and turned for the b
edroom door.
“Come on, I don't want to wake them. It is way too early for this shit.” Emily dragged Avery out of the nursery, stopping to only click on the monitors before they returned upstairs.
“What are you guys doing today?” Avery asked Emily as he pulled his work uniform out of the closet, walking toward the bathroom with it, only pausing to stop and smile at the smudged paint outside of the bathroom door.
“Becca and Amelia are coming over to spend the day with me and the girls.” Amelia was finally starting to move on with her life, her divorce has been finalized only a month after the girls were born, and she had leaned on Emily through the entire process. Their filial bond which had been tested through the years was stronger than ever.
“You know Tom bought her a ring, right?” Emily turned to her husband with her jaw hanging open.
“He what?” Emily questioned with shock. Becca was the least committed person she had ever met. She couldn't stay in a job for long periods of time, she moved once her one year lease was up anyplace she had ever lived, and most of all Tom was the only man who made it past the one night stand limit she had firmly in place.
“He bought her this huge engagement ring. I don't think he is going to give it to her yet. But he has been itching to.” Even though Avery was supposed to keep it a secret, there was nothing he could keep from Emily. He was a horrible liar and no matter how hard he tried, he could never keep anything from his wife.
“She is going to bolt if he doesn't wait.” Emily became serious. She liked Becca and Tom together, even if they made her sick to her stomach sometimes. He was good for her, and she kept him out of trouble. As much as Becca wouldn't admit it, they were meant for each other.
“We are going to make dinner for you guys on Thursday night when you get off your seventy-two. Make sure Tom knows, and invite Captain Sullivan too.” Emily began plotting her sister's return to the dating scene with the very man who had become a very close member of their extended family. Captain Sullivan was only a few years older than Amelia, but had lost his precious wife to cancer five years prior.
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