Crashed (19 page)

“Har Har Har Ems. You know how hard that was for me.” Emily could see her friend’s brow starting to tense while she continued driving.

“Becca, you know I am happy for you. But we all know you guys have been seeing each other. You have never spent this much time with anyone, but me. Ever,” Emily continued, hoping to break through and have a real heart-to-heart with her sidekick. The girls had been inseparable for most of their lives and she could read Becca like a book. There was more to whatever was going on and she would pick it out of her best friend before the end of the day.

“He understands me more than anyone else has, I guess.” Becca shrugged. “We are a lot alike. Lots of one night stands. But when we were together there was just something more. Any time we touch each other, even in the most minor way...shit is just fucking explosive.” Becca’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. There was something more to their relationship all right.

“That first day at the fire station, Avery wanted to rescue you from Tom.” Emily chuckled, thinking back to finding her best friend wrapped in his arms, making out with him against the fire truck. “I told him you could fend for yourself.”

Becca burst out laughing. A single tear ran down her face as she tried to gain control over her hysteria. Emily was right, Becca could for sure take care of herself, and she did when it came to Tom. That was for sure.

“Why are we here?” Emily looked around the parking lot to see a hand full of stores, but no place either women would go to shop. HH Gregg, Sally’s Beauty Supplies, Hobby Lobby, and then she saw it. Babies R Us in the corner, connected to a huge Toys R Us location. Someplace she hadn’t been in ages. Becca had dragged her out baby shopping.

“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 flip-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 was when it hit her.

“They?” Becca questioned, 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
squeeeeeeee
and the women headed into the baby store.

***

Three hours 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 and venturing down the small, grey stone lined path leading to her beach front backyard. The sun was just starting to set, and the scene of the orange sun with a beautiful red hue 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 slowly 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. Her heart swelled as a smile spread across her face and tears pooled in her eyes.

Before she could look around to find Avery, the small speakers of his iHome started to play. Brad Paisley crooned from the speakers. The tears started spilling 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.

A movement caught her attention on the corner of the deck. 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 against him. 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.
Is this really happening?

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. As soon as his knee hit the deck, he couldn’t remember anything.

“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 herself to the desk, 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 pillow covered air mattress. The couple lay 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 which 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 in the door watching us.” The couple both started laughing, Emily slowly turning around to discover the silver haired peeping tom waving at her before blowing a kiss.

Epilogue

A small light shone from the nursery door as Avery walked down the stairs in search of his wife. He felt her get out of bed earlier, but quickly fell back asleep. Five o’clock would come early, and he had no choice, but to be at work by seven.

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 saw Penelope was fast asleep on her back in her crib. A small smile spread across her face as she dreamed. 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 the amount of pink, even with two daughters. Emily slowly stood up from the glider, re-adjusting her nightgown top so her breast was no longer hanging out. Something everyone in the house would enjoy, well minus Emily and Gram these days. Avery pulled her into his arms and gave her a good morning kiss as they sat staring at their baby girls.

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 arrived. Unruly barely scratched the surface, though.

“Remember our wedding day?” Avery questioned Emily with a look of genuine amusement on his face. Emily let out a quiet laugh as they both looked at their stubborn Penelope.

“How could I forget? She was in such a hurry to make her early entrance that we couldn’t even make it through our first dance. She was so jealous she popped my water like a balloon.” The proud mother spoke nothing but the truth. As the couple had made their way to the dance floor to enjoy their first dance as husband and wife, their pint size 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, noticing his bride’s sudden change in demeanor.

“
Are you okay?” 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 her mother through-and-through, impatient, demanding, and so damn snuggly. 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 nurse’s 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 damn 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 baby!

“
Avery Daniel Martin, so help me God. You better get your head out of your...AHHHHH FUCK...ass and deliver this baby!” Emily rivaled Satan at that moment in time. Avery feared for his life, and ability to have any more children in the future if he didn’t help his wife somehow.

“
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. Torn between overwhelming emotions, 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’ve been 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.

“
She didn’t want to wait,” Avery answered. “Emily or Penelope,” 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 so 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 forgotten there was another baby still inside her when she held Penelope. Cecilia quickly reminded her with contraction after contraction, one 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 deeply 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 Miss Taylor 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 every day, 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.” Emily looked at Avery, revealing to him for the first time her biggest fear of her entire pregnancy. “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. I was prepared, but I wasn’t. 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 bedroom 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 them, 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’d leaned on Emily through the entire process. Their bond of sisterhood, which had been tested through the years, was stronger than ever. Their relationship was rebuilt as Amelia struggled to put her sham of a marriage behind her.

“You know Tom bought her a ring, right?” Emily turned to her husband with her jaw hanging in the wind.

“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 any place she’d 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’s going to give it to her yet. But he’s 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’s going to bolt if he waits too long.” 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 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 ago. 

“I think I will ask a couple of the guys. I am sure Kelsey will come too; they all have been dying to see the girls. You know, it wouldn’t hurt for you to bring them to the station sometime.” Avery loved it when Emily brought the girls to visit him at work. He hated long shifts and being away from them all for days on end. It was part of the job, but it made the time go by easier when Emily visited.

“You do realize what it takes to pack up two babies to leave the house, right?” Emily sighed, thinking about the process of going anywhere or doing anything with twins. It was like packing for a small vacation. Hell, it had taken her and Avery less time to pack and leave for Georgia when he lost his mother.

“Join me for a shower, Mrs. Martin?” Avery pulled Emily into his arms and pressed another kiss on her lips, his tongue gently grazing her bottom lip.

“Avery. I’m going back to bed. I’ve been up since three-thirty this morning.” Emily turned for the bed, and collapsed against the mattress, praying the girls would sleep until at least seven-thirty today. “I wish you could just grow a set of tits and feed them in the middle of the damn night,” Emily added as Avery laughed before closing the door for the shower.

They always say the first what, six months, is the hardest? Right? It may be stressful and hard. I may be sleep deprived and bat-shit crazy, but I wouldn’t give up any minute of it. Avery and my daughters are the best thing that has ever happened to me.

One day we’ll all look back at this wild ride and miss these days. Mamas don’t let your babies grow up so fast, because in the blink of an eye you will want those sleepless nights back.