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“They like you, really they do,” Maggie said.

“I couldn’t blame them even if they didn’t. I mean, I know how they feel. A man comes into Mom’s life and then along comes not one but two siblings. It must seem like things are changing for them.”

Maggie nodded. “They’ve been my three babies for so long and then their father has been constantly reproducing since we went our separate ways. I hear he’s dating again so who knows, these two might not be their last siblings.”

Jon sat on the bed and held Maggie’s hand. “You still feeling okay?”

“Great and the doctor decided to stop the IV to see what happens. He said if I can go throughout the day without going into labour they’ll let me go home tomorrow but I’ll be on bed rest until my due date.”

“That’s not such a bad thing. Having everyone wait on you twenty-four seven.”

* * * *

Maggie couldn’t stand it. She’d been sent home a week ago and since then had been in bed, only getting up to use the bathroom and shower. The girls had brought her and Jon ready-made meals. Jon had done laundry and shopping. Her assistant had brought her work and she’d chatted with clients by phone and email.

This morning she was restless—if she stayed in bed any longer she’d go crazy. She walked along the hallway and found Jon putting the last few touches to the nursery, hanging the two mobiles over the cribs.

“Shit, why won’t that stay together?”

She smiled when she heard him swearing when the mobile fell apart for the second time.

He was doing his best but she sensed Jon was petrified of the whole fatherhood thing. Not because he didn’t want to be a dad, but because he had self-doubts about dealing with babies. Maggie crept up behind him before putting her arms around his waist and resting her head against his back.

“What are you doing out of bed?” he asked, without turning around.

“Sorry, Dr Gunderson, but I’m bored.”

He rubbed her arms, turned slowly and kissed her. “Let’s take a nice slow walk back to the bedroom,” he said getting hold of her hand.

“Can I at least sit in the living room and watch TV? I promise to put my feet up.”

“I think I can allow that just this once.”

They walked to the living room where Maggie sat. Jon lifted her feet and placed them on the ottoman.

“Looks like it’s going to be a gorgeous weekend for the Memorial Day holiday,” she said, pressing the remote. “Not that I’ll be going out.”

“I’ll just take a quick shower, then get us some breakfast.”

Maggie flicked through the channels without finding anything she wanted to watch. How did women stay at home all day and watch soaps or daytime talk shows?

Maybe she’d get some work done. Her laptop was on the countertop in the kitchen. She stood. Outside, the neighbour across the street was planting flowers. She really was missing out on just about everything going on. They’d had all new landscaping installed in the front and side yards. She waddled over to the window to take a closer look.

It looked really nice and they’d even added a gazebo at the side. She stood on her tiptoes, hoping to see more but felt a pulling sensation in her lower belly.

Jeez, I’ll be in trouble
… She rushed back to the couch but felt a twinge again. She sat back and tried to relax. Surely that little walk to the window hadn’t done anything to her.

The dreaded labour pains again. She grimaced. She’d have to get Jon, but she wouldn’t tell him she’d been walking around. Maggie held the chair to steady herself as she stood and made her way to the bathroom where she could hear the shower still running. Halfway there, moisture cascaded over her legs.

Her water had broken.
This is it!

 
She made it to the bathroom. Jon had just turned off the shower and was stepping out of the stall.

“Maggie, what are you doing?”

She collapsed onto the floor. “I’m in labour. My water just broke.”

Jon, as a doctor, didn’t panic, but helped her onto the bed and then called for an ambulance. A few of the neighbours watched as she was wheeled out on a gurney and hoisted in. Jon held her hand all the way to the hospital.

Rushed into the ER, she hugged Jon, arms wrapped tightly around him, her face in his chest while being given the epidural for her C-section. He smelt of soap and shampoo, reminding her of the first time they’d had sex in Mallorca, almost nine months ago. She’d gone on vacation to see her best friend, fallen for her son and now was about to become mother to his twins. How bizarre was that?

“Ouch,” Maggie said, squeezing Jon’s waist. “Thought you said it wouldn’t hurt.”

“It’s all done.” He kissed her head.

She didn’t want to tell him how petrified she was when they put a surgical cap on her and wheeled her to the ob-gyn OR. Jon looked every bit the doctor in his own cap, mask and paper gown as he sat beside her.

“Kiss me, because I’m scared,” she said when they put up a sheet so she wouldn’t be able to see them cutting her open.

He kissed her through the mask and gripped her hand.

“They’re going to make the first incision, Maggie, but I’m right here with you,” he said.

Maggie squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think back to their days in Mallorca when she’d first met Jon.

* * * *

Jon looked over the sheet as the doctor held up the first of the babies to show him and Maggie. It was a boy and he was beautiful.

“We have a son, Maggie,” he whispered into her ear.

The first tear fell onto his cheek as she squeezed his hand. He never wanted to, never expected to be in this position, but now he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but witnessing the birth of his children, holding the hand of the woman he loved madly.

“You want to cut the cord, Dad?” the nurse asked.

Dad.
That was his new title and he liked the sound of it already.

“Sure.” Jon stood when he was passed the clippers and, despite his training, his hand shook as it got closer to his boy’s umbilical cord. What if he messed up, what if he didn’t do it right?

He glanced at the little guy, so tiny and special. Could he see a little of Maggie’s mouth on his son?

“Is everything okay?” Maggie asked.

He realised he’d been daydreaming, going ga-ga over this perfect little human being he and Maggie had created all those months ago.

“It’s fine and he’s perfect.” Jon gathered himself together and made a quick snip before his hand shook again.

He sat back down next to Maggie and took her hand again while sneaking a peek at the nurse taking his son to weigh and measure him. He just couldn’t wait to hold his new son, cuddle him, give him his first kiss.

A few moments later, the OB lifted another boy over the sheet, umbilical cord still trailing.

Two sons. He was a father of two boys now.

“I’ve finally got some boys.” Maggie was grinning through her tears, as was he.

He took the proffered scissors to cut the second baby’s cord. He was a little bigger than his brother and, yes, definitely had Maggie’s mouth.

The nurse brought over their older son, and Jon didn’t wait to be asked if he could take him, instead snatching the blanketed bundle out of the nurse’s hands. He pulled the blanket down from around the baby’s face and showed him to Maggie.

“I have to say, you and I make some really beautiful babies,” he said. He kissed the baby’s head, smelling it, feeling its soft skin on his lips.

He was in love all over again.

His younger son was weighed, measured, wrapped and cuddled while the nurse tucked the older infant into a plastic hospital bassinet. They weren’t identical but it was still hard to tell them apart—they were both so wonderful.

Could a man be any happier than at this very moment? He kissed the baby and then Maggie.

If Maggie would marry him, life would be perfect.

Jon thought he should let Maggie’s three daughters know that their mom was doing fine and was now in recovery. When he entered the waiting room, all three of them stood at the same time.

“How’s Mom?” Annie asked.

“She’s doing really well. Everything went perfectly, no complications whatsoever.”

“Thank God,” Katie said. “We’ve been worried about her these last few weeks.”

“And the babies?” Sarah asked. “Sisters, brothers, one of each?”

“They’re doing great too. You now have two…brothers.”

Jon thought the girls would crush him when they threw their arms around him. He hugged them back. He’d only been a dad for about thirty minutes but he already understood how Maggie felt about her daughters and why they were so special to her.

“When can we see Mom and the babies?” asked Katie.

“She’ll be in recovery for a while but once they get her to a room I’m sure you can visit. And your brothers will be spending a day or two in the ICU nursery just to monitor them but I’m sure they’ll let you in to see them too.”

“I’m so excited, we finally have brothers,” Annie said.

* * * *

The babies had been home at Maggie’s house for three days now and Jon had to admit he was loving every minute of fatherhood. He looked over at Maggie, then at his mom and then back at one of his sons who was sprawled on the couch in front of him.

Jon didn’t know if Henry had smiled for the first time or was gassy. Maybe he needed a diaper change. The boys looked more alike each day, but Henry was more of a crier than his younger brother William.

Jon tickled the little guy’s left foot. Henry kicked and gurgled. Jon was getting the hang of this fatherhood thing and why he’d waited this long to do it was beyond him.

Okay, he knew why. He hadn’t met Maggie before. That’s what…who…he’d been waiting for. He hadn’t been afraid of commitment really. He’d needed the right lady to walk into his life and kick over his defences.

And throw in two babies, who he wouldn’t let out of his sight, and the scales had tipped. He tickled Henry’s foot again. This time he gurgled some more and, yeah, that was a smile for Daddy.

Jon’s mom stood beside him and laughed, tickling Henry’s belly. “I don’t think I’ll be able to leave these two when we go back to Mallorca, but Jon told me you and the babies will be moving there soon anyway so I’ll have that to look forward to,” said his mom.

While breastfeeding William, Maggie looked over at Jon, brows lifted. He hadn’t got around to asking her if that was okay with her yet. Shit, he should have done that before he’d said anything to his mother. She never could keep a secret. But he’d told her more to keep the peace than anything else.

“I think I’ll just put William back in the nursery. Jon, would you bring Henry in too? They could both use a nap,” Maggie said.

He was in trouble, but took Henry from Julie and followed Maggie. She draped William over her shoulder and closed the door of the nursery with the sole of her foot.

“What was that all about?” she asked him.

“I should have said something and I’m sorry, but… I have a career in Mallorca and it will be for the best, really it will.”

“What about my career?”

“You can have an interior design business there. If I move here it will be like starting over again. I worked hard to become a doctor. So I think it would be a lot easier for you and the boys to move to Mallorca.”