“You’re doing great, baby.” I smile down at Sophie, so f**king proud of her.
“Okay, Mom and Dad, we’ve got baby number two, and she is a pretty girl as well! I’ll let you see her after I have her checked over,” the doctor says.
“Two girls.” I laugh, looking down at Sophie, who looks worried. “You did great, baby.”
“Rr-ee.”
“What?” I ask before pulling the mask away from her face so I can hear what she’s saying.
“I’m worried.”
“Everything’s okay, baby. You and the girls are okay.” I kiss her before putting her mask back in place and smoothing her hair away from her face.
“Two girls… Can you believe that?” I ask her, shaking my head. I certainly can’t.
I smile when I see a small one forming on Sophie’s face, and I’m so happy to see that smile again. At that moment, a second cry fills the room, forcing me to let out a long breath. All three of my girls are alive and healthy; nothing would ever matter as much as that.
“See, baby? They’re already showing off. Listen to those lungs.”
“Okay, girl number one is four pounds and seven ounces and seventeen inches long. Girl number two is four pounds and three ounces and sixteen inches long,” one of the nurses yells from across the room.
“They’re so small,” I whisper and watch across the room as a nurse puts one of the babies in an incubator.
“Why are they putting her in that?” I ask, my heart starting to pound.
“Her O2 level’s a little low, but that machine will help bring it up.”
“Are they both okay?”
“Twin number one is doing great, and twin number two needs oxygen but looks great otherwise,” the doctor says, calming me.
“Baby”—I look down at Sophie—“we really need to give them names. I think they may get upset with us if we refer to them as twin numbers one and two for the rest of their lives,” I tell her, trying to change the look of worry I see in her eyes.
I move the mask away from her face again, and she answers, “Willow and Harmony.”
“Those are perfect.” I kiss her forehead.
“Are you mad you didn’t get a boy?” she asks with genuine concern.
“How could I be mad when I have two beautiful girls?”
“I can’t wait to hold them,” she says softly.
“Me either.”
I look down at my daughter, Harmony, who’s been sleeping quietly in my arms for the last hour. Her sister, Willow, is still in ICU being monitored. They said that it’s just a precaution; they were worried about her oxygen levels. I’m willing to do whatever is necessary for her to get healthy so I can take all my girls home. Sophie is still out of it from the drugs they gave her for the C-section. She’s been asleep since they brought her into this room.
I look over at Sophie and can’t believe that it was just a few hours ago I was worried out of my mind, not knowing if she or the babies were going to be okay. After Sophie was brought into the room, I went out and saw my family to let them all know that she and the babies were doing great and I would call them the next day when they could come by for a visit. They were all worried, and as much as I wanted them to meet my girls, I didn’t want anyone near them yet.
“How is she?” I look up from Harmony’s sleeping face to her mom’s beautiful eyes.
“Perfect.”
“And Willow?” Her voice cracks, and I hate that she’s upset.
“She’s fine, baby. The doctor said she should be in here with us by tomorrow morning. They just want to monitor her for now.”
“Can I hold her?”
“Of course you can. Let me lay her down so I can help you.” I carry Harmony over to her bed before going to Sophie to help her sit up, adjusting the bed and pillows around her. Once she’s comfortable, I bring her Harmony and watch as tears fill her eyes.
“She is perfect.” Her eyes meet mine, and this time, they’re smiling.
“She is, and so is her sister.”
“I can’t wait to have both of them with us,” she whispers.
“Soon, baby.”
“I can’t believe how much I love them already.” She traces a line down the center of the baby’s tiny nose. I nod; I can’t talk with the tears clogging my throat.
We stay close the rest of the night, and the next morning, when they bring Willow in, I lose it completely. Seeing my wife holding each of my girls to her breast while they feed is a moment I will never forget. I can’t believe how perfect my family is. My girls are both gorgeous. Harmony has dark-brown hair like her mother, and Willow’s hair is dark blond like mine. We won’t know what color their eyes are for a while, but I pray they’re brown with golden flecks like Sophie’s.
“I want you to sleep for a while, baby. I’m gonna have a nurse help me take the girls out to meet everyone while you rest.”
“They can come in here,” she says quietly, looking down at the girls, who are both sleeping.
“No way, baby-mama. You need your rest, and I know if we stay in here, you won’t sleep.”
“I don’t want to miss anything,” she complains with a pout.
I smile then bend forward, kissing her. “I won’t let you miss anything. They’ll probably sleep the whole time anyways.”
“Okay, but if they smile or do anything cute, you need to take a picture.”