Chapter 44 Hysterical

Making a narrow escape from your little bundles of terror Mr.Maxwell?" Dana asks with a chuckle. Gabriel smiles as he took a seat at the counter and sips his shake. "Well, I wasn't really looking at it like that but Christ; they're scary, aren't they? I mean you really couldn't blame me for running for my life right now." He laughs. "You know they're going to get a whole lot scarier right?"

"I can only imagine if they are this scary right now, how will they be when they are about six months, they have only been home for a week and already I'm like totally exhausted." He chuckles.

"Well just know that we're here for you whenever you and Diane need us." She said with a warm smile. "Thank you guys so much for everything you've both done for us already; you ladies are a Godsend, I really mean that." He said and getting up he went over to her and hugs her and she totally melts in his arms.

He then let her go and smiles. "So…um… is Diane up yet?" She asks clearing her throat. "Nope….she's out like a light; and so is our little bundles of terrors." He chuckles and continues to sip his shake. "I still can't believe it; I mean I read all the books I could find on how to care for twins and I've watched all the documentaries I could get my hands on and I honestly thought I was ready but then our babies came along and said daddy, you ain't got this. Not even close." He laughs.

"They prove me wrong Dana, so now I'm literally right back at square one." He laughs. "Diana will be back soon from dropping Jasmine to school right?" He asks finishing his shake. "Yeah, she should be back soon," Dana replied biting her bottom lip. "Okay, I have two meetings so I need to go, and then I'm going to try and catch up with the guys so please tell my wife that I'll be back soon." "I will be safe." "Sure thing, later."

An hour later Diane came downstairs, went into the kitchen, and saw her sisters preparing what looks like her breakfast." "Hey," she said taking a seat at the counter and placing the monitor next to her. "Hi sis how are you feeling?" Dana asks. "Sore all over and extremely tired." She said with a groan. "Where is Gabriel?" "Oh he left, he said he had two meetings and that he'll be back soon."

"He must be so tired; we didn't get any sleep until about five this morning; I don't even think he should be driving, I think I'll call him." She said taking out her phone. He was in the middle of his first meeting when his phone begins ringing, he checks it and saw that it was Diane so he excuses himself and takes her call.

"Hey beautiful, how is it going?" He asks. "Are you okay? Did you get to your meeting safely?" She asks in a rush. "Yes and yes, I'm fine baby; how are you?" "I'm good, the babies are still sleeping and I'm about to eat breakfast, will you be home soon?" "Yes I will after I have lunch with the guys okay." "Alright be safe okay." "I will baby, I love you." "Love you more, please hurry home." "Sure thing baby girl."

At three pm he walks into KFC and saw Mike and Marlon already there waiting for him. "Hey guys, how is it going?" He asks dropping into the seat. "Going good, but wait, you look great for someone who just became a new father to twins," Mike said with a chuckle. "Looks are deceiving my friend because I'm dead beat on my foot right now. I feel like I could sleep for a week." He laughs.

"I'm going to go order our lunch I'll be right back," Mike said getting up. "So things hectic, alright me get dat, so how you a do sexually?" Marlon asks. "Sexually? Well, let's just say that there's a sleeping beast inside me right now which is going to take at least two hours of hardcore and I mean really hardcore sex to satisfied its cravings." He laughs.

"So wa you no caa scratch that itch man, Diane no have to know," Marlon said. "No Marlon I can't; idolatry is a sin." "So is suffering sexually man." "I have done it before and I can do it again, cheating on my wife is a line I'll never cross." He said. "You no have to be so damn perfect all the time you no man, let lose once in a while man; have some fun, man damn."

"It's not about being perfect, it's about choosing to do what is right, and now that you're a child of God I hope you know that goes for you as well." He said firmly. "I hear you, man," Marlon said rolling his eyes. "By the way, where is Justin?" Gabriel asks. "Oh, he says Claudette wasn't feeling well so he took her to the doctor," Marlon said. "Okay let me call him to see how things are going," Gabriel said taking out his phone.

He dials Justin's number but it went straight to voicemail. "He must be busy I'll call him back later." He said as Mike returns with their lunch and they each in turn went and got the flavor sodas they wanted.

They were on their way to their vehicles when Gabriel's phone rings, he answers it, and it was Justin. "Hey Justin where are you?" he asks. He heard Justin sniffles and immediately he became alarmed. "Justin, what's wrong? Where are you? Talk to me. What's going on?" "I…I'm at the University hospital with Claudette….she….oh God….she lost the baby." He cried.

"Bloody hell we're on our way." He said running the rest of the way to his vehicle. "Wait, a wa a gwan? Wa happen?" Marlon asks as he catches up to them. "Claudette lost her baby." He said getting into his vehicle and pulling out of the driveway with the guys behind him in their vehicles.

They got to the hospital, spoke to the lady at the nurse's station who points them in the direction of the room where Claudette was and they all went running towards it. When they got there they saw Justin sitting next to her holding her hand and she was sleeping. Gabriel walks over and puts his hand around Justin's shoulder.

Justin turns his tear-stained face and looks at his friends. "She was hysterical, they had to sedate her. Oh god, what am I going to do? How are we going to get over this? Why did this happen? Why are we being punished?" He cries as he asks each question. "We are here for you man always," Mike said standing on the other side of him while Marlon stood behind him rubbing his shoulders.

"So wa really happen?" He asks. "This morning she said she wasn't feeling well and when she came back from using the bathroom she said that she was spotting so we decided to come to the doctor so they can check her out but by the time we got here she began feeling some severe pain and the bleeding got worst." He said as fresh tears fell down his face.

They began tending to her immediately but it…it was too late….they couldn't save our child." He said sobbing harder. "I'm so sorry man, is there anything we can do for you now? Anyone you want us to call?" "No it's okay I already did and they are on their way." He said still sobbing. A few minutes later Gabriel steps out into the passage and calls Diane and told her what had happened and that he would be home as soon as he could.

They sat with him, just holding his hands until Claudette's family showed up. They then hug him and promise that they will be back in the morning and left; on their way out they saw the few family members Justin had that didn't shun him because of his illness making their way towards the room. He and the guys wave at them and gave them a sad smile as they continue on their way.

It was seven pm when he enters his house; Diana then left but Dana and her kids stayed. He gave her an update on how Justin was doing, said goodnight, and went to find his wife. "How's Justin?" She asks as soon as he enters their bedroom. "Not good baby, not good at all but his and her family are with him right now; me and the guys will go visit him in the morning. It's just so sad and unfair; it's like he just can't catch a break." He said smiling down at his sleeping kids.

After they spend two nights going back and forth from their room to the babies they had decided to move their crib in their room for a while, less walking more feeding, and rocking and changing, and such. "I thank God for my family everyday baby girl, I love you." He whispers kissing her lips softly. "Love you more." She moans kissing him back. "I'm going to go take a shower." He said taking off his shirt and walking towards the bathroom.

The following morning he arrives at the hospital to find Justin in the same clothes and position he left him in the night before. With tears in his eyes, he walks over to him and wraps his arm around him. "Hey, how is she?" He asks in a soft tone. "They had to sedate her again, she wouldn't stop screaming Prince. She is so fragile, I don't know how to ease her pain; I'm trying to be strong for her but something inside me died along with my child; I feel broken Prince and I don't know how to put myself back together much less help her." He said as silent tears run down his cheeks.

"We're here for you and all you can do is be there for her, have you eaten anything since last night?" Justin shakes his head no. "Do you feel up for a walk, maybe a porridge and a shower?" he asks softly. 'I don't want to leave her." He said wiping his eyes.

"At what time did they sedate her?" "Around five this morning." He answers with a sniffle. "We could be back in half an hour before she wakes up, come on you need to eat something, I know the last thing you want to do right now is eat, but you need to and then you need to take your medication then we can come back." He urges him softly.

Justin was contemplating whether or not to move when Mike and Marlon walk in and without saying anything they both walks over and hugs him tightly. "I was just trying to get him to come with me so he can eat something, take his medication and take a shower," Gabriel said softly.

"Hey man, that sounds like a good idea, gwan man we will stay right here till you come back seen," Marlon said patting his back. "We'll be your shoulders to cry on while you be her's, and just know God is always with you, always, so go take care of yourself, do what you have to, and come back," Mike said ruffling Justin's hair. "Okay." He chokes out, he then stands, kisses Claudette on her lips, and slowly walks from the room with Gabriel beside him.

It was now Tuesday afternoon in the last week of March and Gabriel was taking her and the babies to their six weeks doctor's appointment. The last six weeks had been the busiest weeks of their life; even though she was told to stay in bed. She wasn't allowed to walk around very much but she had her hands full with taking care of herself and feeding the babies, changing the babies, and pumping milk from her breasts which leaked a lot. Taking care of twins plus an energetic six-year-old was a lot more work than they had ever expected.

Gabriel was still trying to balance work and help her with the babies and Jasmine which he was becoming an expert at if she should say so herself and he was also helping Justin and Claudette through a very difficult time. Her sisters help her during the day when Gabriel wasn't there and then he and she would take turns at night; they also got a lot of help from her family, his aunt, and his friends.

On their way back from the hospital Gabriel turn to her and smiled. "What're you smiling about now?" She asks smiling back at him. "You, our babies, my life, I'm so happy that I can't stop smiling." He said and gave her a wide grin. "I know what you mean, I feel the same way, we're very blessed." She said running her fingers along his cheek. "Yes we are and I'm never going to take any of our blessings for granted."

Food for thought

We can't compel our families to receive our savior but we can continue to love and pray for them. And we can remain confident that in God's providence wonderful surprises will happen.

Thank you to all my valued readers, thank you for your votes and comments, I appreciate you all. I've had fun writing this book so I really hope you're all enjoying reading it.