Big Tex (30 page)

Chapter 22  Loving Moments

Willow lay in her bed watching Sierra apply her makeup in the bathroom.  Sierra was getting ready for her first date since her and Micah had broken up, and she asked Willow if she could get ready at her house, to avoid the awkward situation with Micah.

"Are you sure that you want to do this Sierra?  You know, no one would blame you if you changed your mind and got back together with Micah."  Willow yelled to her.

"I'm sure.  Besides, Micah's gone out with a few different women already, why can't I go out and have fun?"  Sierra told her.  "This really is for the best.  It's so obvious that he never really loved me."

"Sierra, you know Micah loved you.  I don't know why you're acting this way."

"Well, if he really loved me, don't you think he would have fought to get me back?  He just accepted everything I said, and even agreed with me.  I mean, the whole vacation that you and Brody sent us on, we spent most of the time apart.  It was like he couldn't even stand to be near me.  Just further indication that we weren't meant to be."  Sierra said, partly angry, partly hurt.

"So that's what all this is about?  He didn't fight hard enough to stay with you?"  Willow asked.

"Part of it.  But it doesn't really matter now.  I'm just glad I figured all this out before we got in too deep."  Sierra said, then walked out of the bathroom.  "So, how do I look?"

"You look pretty, but it's the way you're acting that's ugly!"  Willow told her.  "I can't believe that you won't get back together with Micah just because he didn't fight hard enough for you.  You are insane!"

"Yeah, well, it just proved how he didn't love me at all."  Sierra said softly.  "I've got to go.  I'm going to be late.  Thanks for letting me use your bathroom."  Sierra turned and left the bedroom before Willow could say anything else.

Willow moved to the edge of the bed, trying to get up to use the bathroom to rid her sudden urge to pee.  As she rolled to her side, a piercing pain ripped through her stomach.  "BRODY!"  Willow screamed shrilly, with all her might.

Brody came running up the stairs and ran into their bedroom.  He saw his wife laying on the bed, gripping her stomach with tears running down her face.  "Oh my god Willow!  Are you alright?"  He ran over to her side of the bed and took her into his arms.

"I was just trying to go to the bathroom and now I'm afraid to move.  There's so much pain."  Willow sobbed.

"Can I help?  Do you want to go to the bathroom still or should I call an ambulance?"  Brody asked, trying to remain calm.

"Get an ambulance."  Willow choked out.

Brody reached over for the phone on the side of the bed and dialed 9-1-1.  He told them the emergency and they said they'd be there as soon as possible.  Next he called Willow's OBGYN to let him know what was happening.  He told Brody to pack a bag for Willow, that she would most likely have the babies when she was at the hospital.  He said that he would meet Brody and Willow at the hospital and have them pre-admitted so they didn't need to fill any paperwork out when they got there.  The next call Brody made was to his family, telling them to meet him and Willow at the hospital.

Brody held Willow the whole time that he was on the phone, trying to comfort her.  The ambulance showed up soon after Brody got off the phone, and Stella led them up to where Willow and Brody were.  Stella packed a bag for Willow as the EMTs got her onto a stretcher and put her in the ambulance.  She ran and gave the bag to Brody just as they were getting ready to shut the doors and leave.

Brody held Willow's hand the whole time, letting her know that he was there and that everything was going to be ok.  Tears poured from both of their eyes as they prayed that everything would end up ok.  They finally arrived at the hospital, and Willow was rolled into one of the exam rooms in the ER.  The nurses paged Willow's doctor to let him know that she was there.

A few minutes later, the doctor came in to see Willow and Brody.  The nurses had hooked Willow up to a few different monitors while they waited for the doctor, and when he got there he checked the readouts.  "Looks like you're going to have a couple of babies today Mr. And Mrs. Harris!"  The doctor said.

"I know I don't know what I'm talking about, but I don't think these are really contractions that I'm having Dr. Neil."  Willow panted.  "They're more like ripping pains."

"Well, everyone feels something different.  It may also be that they don't feel normal because your body is normally so skinny, and you're having twins that want to come out now."  Dr. Neil laughed.  "But, as far as I can tell from the readouts, there is no apparent danger.  Your blood pressure is fine, and the babies' heartbeats are strong.  We're going to need to get you brought up to Labor and Delivery and have you prepped.  Mr. Harris, will you be in the birthing room with her?"

"Yes!  I'm not leaving her side."  Brody said, a little relieved that nothing was really wrong with Willow or the babies.

"Ok, well, you'll need to get washed up and get some scrubs on.  We're going to take Willow up now, you can meet us on the second floor.  If you need to call anyone, now would be a good time.  I don't think it will be long before the babies really start to want out!"  Dr. Neil told him.  He and a couple of nurses rolled Willow out of the exam room and into an elevator.

As Brody walked out, he heard his mother's voice in the lobby of the Emergency Room.  He walked through the swinging doors and called his mom's name.  "Mom!  Willow's in labor.  There's a waiting room on the second floor for you guys.  I need to get up there now before she has the kids without me."  Brody said, starting to get excited.  Maggie and Brighton hugged Brody, and his father shook his hand before he disappeared to be with his wife.

Upstairs, the nurses took Brody in a small room where he changed into scrubs and cleaned his hands, then led him into her birthing room.  As soon as he saw his wife laying in the bed, a smile spread across his face.  "Hey darling, are you ready for this?"

"You try squeezing two watermelons through your ass hole and tell me if you're ready for it!"  Willow snapped.  The nurses all smiled and Brody looked shocked.

"Get used to it, there's a lot more insults where that came from."  Brody turned around to find the doctor had walked in and heard what Willow said to him.  He leaned closer to Brody and whispered, "She's going to say a lot of stuff to you today, so don't take any of it to heart.  She's going through something hard to deal with, so don't get mad at her, just be there for her.  Laugh it all off."  He advised.

"Thanks Dr. Neil.  I should have been prepared for that."  Brody laughed lightly.  He went over to Willow's bed and held her hand as the doctor examined her progress.

"Well, this looks like it'll be a quick birth.  You're fully dilated and fully effaced.  Looks like it's time!"  Dr. Neil stated proudly.  "As soon as your next contraction starts, we're going to have you start pushing."  He said.  "Ok, here we go.  On the count of three, give me a good push.  One, two, three, go!"

Willow made a face as she started pushing.  She grasped onto Brody's hand even harder, causing her nails to puncture the skin on the back of his hand.

After the doctor told her to stop pushing, Brody looked down at her.  "I love you so much!  You're doing great."  He bent over and kissed her forehead and wiped her face with a cool, wet cloth that the nurse gave him.

"I love you too, but get your damn lips away from me you little freak!  That's how we got started with this little mess.  I swear, once these babies are out of me, you're never coming near me again!"  Willow growled.

Brody was thrown at first, but smiled anyways.  "Ah, but you can't resist me!  You're too in love with me."  He laughed a little and even made Willow smile a bit.  "I love you so much, and you're an amazing woman to be going through this."

The doctor interrupted Brody's little speech telling Willow to push again.  For the next hour, Willow pushed with all her might until the first baby finally came free of her body.  The doctor smacked his butt bringing a squeal out of the boy, showing his developed lungs.  Willow and Brody both cried tears of joy and relief, but the relief was short lived, as Willow had to start pushing again.  Brody told the nurses that the first baby was to be named Michael Brian.  Shortly after, a healthy Justin William was born.  Brody cut the cord as tears poured out of his eyes.

Willow and the babies were all cleaned up, then the twins were handed over to the new and proud mommy and daddy.  Brody stared down at the babies, trying to blink his tears away.  "They are so beautiful.  Can you believe we created them?  These are our babies Willow!"  He turned to look at her, seeing tears in her eyes also.  "You are the most amazing woman I have ever met.  I love you more and more each day, and I am just in awe of your strength to bring these two wonderful babies into our world."

"I love you too Country Boy.  I'm sorry if I said anything to hurt you, you know I didn't mean it."  Willow told Brody.  He nodded and told her he understood.  "Look at how perfect our little babies are.  I love them so much already!"

"I know, I love them too.  I was so scared that something was going to happen to you or to the babies when we brought you in earlier.  I don't know what I'd do without all of you."  Brody told her.

"Thank you Brody.  Thank you for helping me, and for loving me, and for giving us such a beautiful family."  Willow told him sincerely.  He leaned over and kissed her softly, but deeply.

"Hey, isn't it a little too soon to work on making more babies?"  A voice said from the doorway.  Brody jumped away from Willow and turned to see who it was.

"Very funny sis!  You guys can come in and meet our new little guys!"  Brody said when he saw Brighton, Maggie and Brian standing by the door.

"Ah!  How cute are they?"  Brighton gushed.  "They're so tiny!  You better not drop and break one Brody!"  She teased her brother.

Maggie and Brian came over closer to the bed and each took a baby.  "They're just beautiful!"  Maggie said with tears in her eyes.  "Congratulations you two.  I am so proud of you.  Wow, I'm really a grandma!"

"And I'm really a grandpa!  They are so precious!"  Brian said, then leaned down and kissed Willow's forehead.  "How are you feeling, Mommy?"

Willow looked kind of shocked.  She didn't expect anyone to care about how she was feeling, let alone her father-in-law.  "I'm sore, but it was all worth it!"

"You guys should have seen Willow.  Well, not really seen her and everything that was happening, but just how strong she was.  I don't know how she did it, but she got those babies out.  It was just…just…beyond words.  I couldn't ask for a better wife, or a better life.  Everything is just perfect and I am so happy."  Brody told them.  Willow smiled at him as her eyes started to droop.  "Take a little rest.  We'll take care of the babies and the nurses should be in soon to take them to the nursery."  He leaned over and kissed her forehead.  "I love you!"   He told her, but she was already asleep.

Brody and his family talked quietly for a little while, then the nurse came in to take the babies to the nursery.  Brody's family left for the night, and said they'd call Micah and Sierra to tell them the babies were born.  Brody sat in the chair next to Willow's bed and watched her while she slept.  He was truly proud of her an awed by her strength and he felt like he couldn't say it enough.  Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, Micah sat on the couch, all alone in his and Sierra's house.  He was waiting for her to get home from her date, and hoped that she wouldn't be much longer.  Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, he heard the front door open.  Sierra slowly walked in and was startled when she saw Micah on the couch.

"So, did you have fun?"  Micah asked bitterly.

"What does it matter to you?"  Sierra snapped.

"Why are you doing this Sierra?  Why are you trying to hurt me?  To hurt us?"  Micah asked, the pain in his voice rather evident.

"In case you forgot, when we broke up, you weren't exactly complaining.  Besides, it's not like you've even tried to get back together with me.  I obviously mean so little to you that you can let me go easily, but then you say I'm hurting you?"  Sierra said with anger.  "Face it Micah, you're just mad that I went out with someone tonight.  You don't want to be around me, but you don't want anyone else to be with me either.  You can't have it both ways.  I'm not going to become a lonely old woman just because of you."

"How did this all get so blown out of proportion?"  Micah asked, putting his head in his hands.  "Sierra, please sit down and listen to me.  I need to say some stuff to you, but I need you to listen to me and really hear what I have to say."  Sierra began to protest, but shut up and sat down instead.

"Go ahead."  She said shortly.

"Ok, when we were at Brody and Willow's wedding, I was definitely jealous of what they had, but not for the reasons you think.  I felt like I wasn't good enough for you and that you deserved better.  I didn't agree to this separation between us because I don't love you.  I agreed because I love you too much and I figured you were better off without me.  I tried to let you go, but it was so hard.  I had to put some distance between you and I, thinking it would help me get over you.  But it didn't work.  I still love you Sierra, and I can't let you go."  Micah told her, his eyes full of sorrow.  He got off the couch and kneeled in front of her.  "Sierra, you mean the world to me, and I know I don't show it as openly as Brody and Willow do, but it doesn't mean that I love you any less.  I want and need you in my life.  I need you like I need my next breath."  Micah reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.  He opened the lid to show Sierra a beautiful diamond ring.  "Sierra, will you take me back and marry me?"

Sierra sat there in shock.  She looked back and forth between the ring and Micah's eyes.  "Are you asking me because you don't want anyone else to have me, or do you really want to marry me?"

"Would you quit being so damn stubborn?  I love you, you fool!  I mean, of course I don't want anyone else to have you, but it's because I want you to be mine for the rest of our lives.  I want to wake up next to you every morning, holding you in my arms thinking how great my wife is.  I want kids with you, and maybe even a dog or two.  Sierra, I love you and I am miserable without you.  If you want me to beg, I will.  Please, please, please marry me!"  Micah said, and started to chuckle a little.