I had just heard the most beautiful words come from Ash’s lips. Putting her head in my hands and cradling her I asked, “Say it again Ashlynn.”
With tears in her eyes she said, “My water just broke.”
I felt tears forming in my eyes and before I knew it salty liquid was falling from my face but I could not take my eyes off Ashlynn. She lifted her fingers to my face and started wiping them away but it was not even worth it.
Kissing her on the lips, I pulled away and said, “We’re going to be parents.”
Nodding with my hands on either side of her face she said, “I know Jason.”
Laughing I screamed, “WE’RE GOING TO BE PARENTS!”
Ashlynn just laughed at me and started to get up. But just when she started to push herself up off the bed she put a hand to her stomach and bent over. Looking up at me she said, “Jason we need to get going.”
Through a grunt she said, “Like now!”
Quickly getting changed I helped Ash back into her clothes, scooped her up, and carried her to the car. I buckled her in and then bolted back to the apartment and grabbed the overnight bag. To tell you the truth I am not even one-hundred percent positive that I locked the door behind me because I was such a bundle of nerves. I tried to drive like a normal person but I was going crazy and Ash kept bending over and holding onto her stomach.
So I just said, “Fuck it,” and slammed on the gas with my foot. We got to the hospital in less than ten minutes and thankfully a cop didn’t pull me over for excessive speeding.
As soon as I parked I jumped out of the car and ran over to Ash. She was opening the door and beginning to stand but I picked her up in my arms. Closing the door with my foot I ran into the hospital as I heard Ash giggling and saying, “Calm down Jason, everything is going to be fine.”
Running into the hospital I ran over to the receptionist’s desk and said, “My girlfriend’s water just broke.” Lifting her eyes from the paper she was reading the receptionist looked up and a huge smile grew on her face. Looking to Ash I saw Ash lift her arms like she didn’t know what the hell I was thinking.
The receptionist then returned eye contact with me and said, “Take a seat in the waiting room and I will call shortly.”
I was just about to open my mouth when she put her hand up and said, “I’m just going to get a wheelchair for your girlfriend so we can take you guys back to the delivery room.”
Shaking my head I said, “It’s fine I’ll carry her.”
The receptionist turned to look at Ashlynn with a smile on her face. Giggling she said, “Right this way guys.” She took us into the room where Ashlynn was going to deliver our children and the feeling was overwhelming.
Placing her on the table I looked into her eyes and said, “I love you so much Ashlynn.”
With tears spilling from her face she said, “I love you so much Jason.”
Once Ashlynn changed into her nightgown and had the IV tube placed into her hand she called her dad and told him that we were having the twins early. It was already eight in the evening and Garrett and Janie were four hours away so Ashlynn said for them to not worry about it and that we would call if there was any news to break, no matter what time of night.
While Ash was on the phone with her dad I called Jade and said, “Hey Aunt Jade?”
I had to pull the phone away because she was screaming so loud and I started to laugh. “Well, you’re not an aunt yet but Ashlynn’s water just broke and we are at the hospital.”
Shrieking into the phone she said, “Okay Neil and I will be there soon,” and hung up. After that we called Sarah and Gabe, Maddox and Isabelle, as well as Patrick and Derrick.
The second everyone arrived to the hospital they ran in and greeted us. Jade was crying because she could not wait to hold the babies and spoil the hell out of them. Once everyone gave us their hugs and kisses they went and waited in the waiting room. Both Ash and I told them that it would be a couple of hours but they waved us off and said they wanted to be here when Bennett and Jaylin were born.
About two hours after Ashlynn’s water broke the contractions really started to hit her. I felt like such a jackass because I did not know what to do. My girlfriend was in pain and I didn’t know the first thing about how to help her. Of course we went to Lamaze classes but when you’re in the situation all of that nonsense is thrown out the window. I felt like such a pussy getting her fucking washcloths and goddamn ice chips while she was in the middle of getting ready to push out our son and daughter.
I kept asking her what she wanted me to do and she would just laugh and say, “Breathe in and out and just hold my hand.” I couldn’t help but laugh that my girlfriend, in the middle of contractions, told me to calm down. Still the second I put my hand in hers I could tell she felt calm. Well as calm as she could feel. I also felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.
While I wiped her forehead of sweat and rubbed ice chips against her lips she kept moving from side to side and groaning and moaning in pain. Every half hour or so a nurse would come in and check how far Ashlynn was dilated.
At the third hour the nurse said, “You’re nine centimeters dilated, sweetie. You might have these babies tonight.”
I looked over to Ashlynn as she looked up at me and I kissed her. I couldn’t believe that we were finally going to see our son and daughter.
Around 11:30 p.m. Ashlynn was ready to push. She was such a sport because she said that she didn’t want any drugs. I tried to talk her out of her decision but she was strong willed. While I held one leg Jade held the other as my beautiful Ashlynn pushed our kids out of her. Meanwhile I was a fucking mess. My heart rate was skyrocketing and fucking sweating the goddamn Mississippi River out of me.
Three pushes in the doctor said, “We have a boy,” and I heard our son crying. The doctor handed him off to a nurse to get cleaned up.
Taking a breather for maybe three minutes I quickly gave Ash a kiss and wiped her forehead with the cold washcloth that Jade ran under water for me.
Kissing her again the doctor said, “Ready Ashlynn?”
Taking her eyes from me she looked to the doctor and said, “Yeah.”
Nodding her head she said, “Alright Ashlynn, push on the count of three. One. Two. Three.”
I watched as Ashlynn’s face turned bright red and with four pushes I heard our daughter crying and the doctor saying, “We have a baby girl!”
As much as I wanted to look over at our daughter I couldn’t remove my eyes from Ashlynn. I was just so damn proud of her. She was breathing heavily and I quickly wiped the tears away from her face and the sweat from her forehead. Leaning down I kissed her and said, “I love you Ashlynn.”
Opening her eyes she said, “I love you too Jason.”
A nurse walked over, handing our little girl to Ashlynn and a few minutes later she handed our little boy to me. I couldn’t believe they were finally here and then realized Jade was still in the room. Lifting my head, I saw my sister crying with a huge smile on her face looking between the two of us.
Walking over to her with Bennett in my arms she looked down at him and cried even more. Lifting her hand to his face she leaned in and kissed him. She then looked up at me and said, “I’m so happy for you two.” With an arm still holding Bennett I lifted my other over Jade’s arm and pulled her into a hug.
Looking back over at Ashlynn I noticed she had tears in her eyes and was smiling at the both of us.
Walking over with Bennett in my arms I sat down on the hospital bed and kissed Ashlynn. When, “I love you Ashlynn,” left my mouth I turned my head down and looked at baby Jaylin. Jade sat down on the other side of me and just looked in awe at both of mine and Ashlynn’s children.
I was still numb from the experience that I almost didn’t hear the nurse ask, “So what are these little one’s names?”
I looked over at Ashlynn and nudged my head for her to tell the nurse. Smiling at me she looked down at our daughter and said, “Jaylin Annabelle Williams.”
