Young Writers Society

Chrissy

I run out of the class room with the bell rings and I head to my locker. "This school is retarded." I say.

"I know." She says. I grab my AP Math book and part with Nattie. Justin meets up with me in the hallway and takes my hand.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"I just have this annoying teacher and he is just rude." I say. "I am actually looking forward to math because of him." I say. "I cannot wait till I am switched out of his class."

My guidance counselor taps me and smiles. "Hello, Christina." she says.

"Hi, Mrs. King." I say.

"Sadly we could not switch your schedule because of your three AP classes." She says. "Sorry." Before I could say anything, she walks away.

"This sucks." I grunt. Justin pulls me tighter and kisses the top of my head.

"I am sorry." He says. "Come enjoy math with me." He says sarcastically.

Natalia/Nattie

School drags by and finally the bell releases us.

"Gah!" Chrissy screams and bangs her head on the steering wheel. "I can't believe they won't change my schedule."

"Hey," I laugh softy. "It's going to be okay."

Chrissy drove us home and we surrendered to the piles of homework.

******

Three weeks drag on and my stomach is giant. I glanced over at Chrissy who was making popcorn and dancing to a song in the kitchen.

A small thump in my stomach made me gasp.

"Holy shit," I breathed.

"Nattie?" Chrissy called, looking over her shoulder. "Everything okay?"

"Come here!" I hissed.

Chrissy came running over, stuffing her face on the way.

"Wut?" She grumbled.

I took her hand and placed it where the bump was. "They're moving." I smiled. "My babies are moving"

She paused and we waited for the next kick.

Chrissy

I flip out and scream down the hallway. "I JUST FELT A BABY MOVE!" I yell. "TWO BABIES ACCUALLY!"

I call the boys and cannot wait for them to get here.

They come and worry that the baby was coming. "No silly. The babies are kicking. Not coming." I get on Justin's back and he carries me up the stairs.

"I am so excited." I sing. "I am making a song to express my feeling of excitement."

"You are crazy." Justin says.

"I know. I just can't believe it." I squeal.

We sit there with Nattie and just talk. It has been a while since we just talked. I just love the whole stress free environment. I lean against Justin and smile. There is a silent moment and we all look around. "Guys." I say and everyone looks. "I am so excited."

Natalia/Nattie

I sighed and leaned on Jace's shoulder.

"So, Nat." Justin smiled and twirled a piece of Chrissy's hair. "When are these babies coming?"

"Uh, I think according to the calendar I am 36 weeks right now? 37? But anyways Chrissy says full term is anywhere between 39-42 weeks. So we're getting close." I shifted my position so I was a little more comfortable.

"Wow." He breathed and I rubbed my tummy.

"We'll be able to hold them soon." I looked up at Jace.

He bent over and kissed my stomach.

"I honestly can't wait until I'm Aunt Chrissy!" Chrissy squealed. "I'm so ready to dress them up and teach them to sing and eek!"

"Don't forget changing their diapers in the middle of the night." I joked.

"That's the Momma's job." She teased back. "The Aunt does all the fun stuff."

"Okay, Aunt Chrissy." I laughed.

"Don't forget Uncle Justin." Justin interjected.

"Or Daddy." Jace grinned.

"Of course. The two most important men in my babies's lives. How could we forget them?!"

*****

The boys left and Chrissy and I were up in her room. I was sprawled out across her bed staring at the ceiling.

"I don't think I'm ready to do this." I said quietly.

"What do you mean?" She whispered.

"I can't be a mom. I won't know what to do."

"Don't say that." Chrissy scolded me. "We've read all the books and we have everything you and the babes are gonna need. I'll help you, Nattie. You're not going to be alone."

We were quiet for a moment and I took in what she said. She's right. I've read all the books. She's going to help me. We'll be fine.

"It's gonna hurt, isn't it?" I said, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah." She said softly. "But hey, what's life without pain? Besides, two little precious babies are going to come with that pain. And honey, physical pain is sometimes better than emotional pain and you've had tons of emotional pain. I know for a fact you're going to get through this and your kids are going to be the best because you're their mom and I'm their Aunt Chrissy."

Chrissy

I wake up screaming and crying with pain. My stomach hurts so bad. Martin comes in and takes my hand. "What's wrong?" He asks.

"It hurts." I say, holding my side. "Please make it stop." I cry out to him.

He runs and gets my parents and they dart in and my dad holds me. "We will call the doctor." They said. Martin and my daddy help me down to the car and drive to the hospital.

"I want to see Nattie." I cry as we pull in. My mom nods and calls her.
--
"I am so sorry Chrissy. Your appendix exploded." The doctor says.

"What?" I say. "No, it can't be. Am I going to have to have surgery?"

"Yes." They say.

I begin to cry. "Mom where's Nattie?" I ask.

Nattie walks in and she lays next to me on the bed. "Nattie, I do not want to do this."

"It will be fine." Nattie says.

"Nat I am scared." I say. "You know how I am with blood and everything like that. I cannot do this."

"Yes, you can." She says.

Natalia/Nattie

My phone buzzed, shaking me out of my sleep. I groaned and slowly sat up,adjusting my weight so my stomach was comfortable. I reached for the phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Natalia?" Chrissy's mom sounded rushed and panicked. "Natalia, come quick. We're at the hospital. Chrissy has appendicitis. She's getting it removed in two hours so hurry!"

Holy shit. "I'll be there as fast as I can."

I hung up and wobbled downstairs. I grabbed my car keys and sped to the hospital. The nurse escorts me to Chrissy's room.

She was curled up in the hospital bed with tubes coming out of her arms. Her eyes were red and swollen and I crawled in her bed next to her.

I tangled my fingers in her hair and tried to get her to relax.

"Nattie, I do not want to do this." She whimpered

"It will be fine." I said even though I wasn't sure.

"Nat I am scared." She whispered. "You know how I am with blood and everything like that. I cannot do this."

"Yes, you can." I urged. "Listen to me okay? I will be right here the whole time alright? You're going to be fine. The doctors know what they're doing and everything will be over before you know it. You're going to be okay, babe. We both are."

I took her hands and placed them on my stomach.

"Close your eyes." I instructed. "You're the bravest person I have ever met. We both know that you're just over thinking everything. Just take a deep breath, try to rest and it'll be over soon. I'll be waiting for you as soon as you're done."

Chrissy's shoulders relaxed and soon she fell asleep. The doctors came in and wheeled her out with her dad.

"Only one family member in the operating room." He said to her mom as they wheeled her past the metal doors.

"She'll be okay." I smiled at her mom.

"I know she will." She smiled back.

We sat in the waiting room and suddenly a huge wave of pain rushed over me. I doubled over and grasped my stomach. A large puddle dripped into my seat.

"Oh my god." I gasped and Mrs. Edens rushed over to me. "Shit." I cussed and glanced at the clock. Chrissy had only been in surgery for a half an hour.

"Nattie, what's wrong?" She asked.

"My water..." I stuttered. "I-I think it just broke. But it can't happen today! I still have two more weeks!"

Chrissy's mom and a nurse sat me in a wheel chair and pushed me towards a room labeled Labor and Delivery.

"No-no!" I waved my hands. "Chrissy, she needs me-goddammit." I cried as my abdomen clenched together.

"Miss," The nurse helped me onto a hospital bed. "You're about to have your baby. Your friend will be fine."

She stuck an IV into my arm.

"I still have two more weeks!" I cried. "They'll be okay, right!?"

"Well they'll definitely be premature. I'll get the doctor in here straight away." The nurse turned towards Chrissy's mom. "Help her keep track of her contractions. We need to start counting them so we know when she needs to push."

Chrissy's mom nodded and the nurse rushed off.

****

A couple minutes later the doctor arrived. He was older than Chrissy's doctor.

"Miss Anderson, we're going to have to preform an emergency C-section. Your baby is very premature." He said and they wheeled me down the hall.

The pain was so intense that black spots began to cloud my vision.

"Chrissy.." I mumbled as the pushed me through the same metal doors I watched her go through earlier.

Chrissy
I wake up and everything is blurry. I see my mother, father and Justin. I smile at him and hold out my arms. He comes over to me and kisses my forhead. "Where's Nattie?" I ask.

"She went into labor." My mom said.

"Get me in there now." I scream.

"You can't.."

I cut her off. "Mom, I have to be there." Justin wheels me to her room and I sigh.

"Nattie, I am here." I say trying to get up, but Justin puts a hand on my shoulder so I cannot get up. Jace was already here.
--
I hear the cries of babies and I smile. Jace and Nattie hold them and Justin and I lay together and watch them. "My turn." I say. Jace brings me the little baby and I hold her in my arms. "Hi, I am your aunt Chrissy. I am really crazy, but I love you so, so much. You have the best mommy and daddy ever. You am so blessed."

The baby is so tiny and beautiful. I get a little sore and tired and I give the baby. I curl up to Justin and go to sleep.

Natalia/Nattie

I open my eyes and all I see is the blue tarp that separated me from the doctors.

"Hey, Nat." A strong hand stroked my cheek.

I turn my head and see Jace standing next to me. His eyes are watery and he's glancing nervously from me to the team of doctors on the other side.

"Jace.." I mumbled, barely able to get my voice above a whisper.

"Shhh. Don't talk." He smiled. "It's going to be okay."

My head pounded and I felt a small tug from inside my stomach.

"Here comes the first one." The doctor yelled and a sharp cry erupted through the room.

A nurse held my daughter up next to me and my eyes filled with tears. She was so tiny and still plastered with blood but to me she was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

The nurse rushed her away and quickly after the doctor pulled out my second one. His cries were as loud as his sister's and another nurse showed me him before carrying him away.

"It might be a little while." The doctor said. "Since they are premature they will have to go through more tests but you will be able to hold them soon."

A couple more small tugs and I was all stitched up. Jace wheeled me back to my room and lied in bed with me while the babies were still getting ready.

"You did such a great job." He kissed my forehead. "You and Chrissy will have matching wounds for a while."

I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder. "We're going to be okay, right?"

"Of course, love."


*****

My babies were soon wheeled into my room in their incubators. The nurse handed me our son and handed Jace our daughter. They were asleep and wrapped up in blankets with hats on their heads. His small pink face was scrunched together as I looked down at him.

The door opens and Justin, Chrissy and her parents come rushing in. The sound of the door must've woken the babies because they began to cry.

"Nattie, I am here." Chrissy declared, trying to get up but Justin stopped her/

"My turn." She held out her arms and Jace handed her the little baby. "Hi, I am your aunt Chrissy. I am really crazy, but I love you so, so much. You have the best mommy and daddy ever. You am so blessed."

I smiled weakly at Chrissy and a nurse came in to put the babies back in their incubators.

"You two should probably get some rest. You'll both be here for a couple days." She turned to me. "Miss Anderson your babies are healthy, but they're a bit small. They'll stay in this incubator tonight and we'll check on them again tomorrow."

I nodded and quickly dozed off.

****

When I woke up Chrissy was holding one of the babies. By the blue hat I knew it was my son.

"Want to know what I named them?" I asked and Jace handed me my daughter.

Chrissy nodded enthusiastically.

"Owen Jay and Ellie Christina Anderson." I smiled down at the little girl in my arms. "I love you my tiny baby girl." I whispered.

Chrissy

"I would be so much more excited if I was not in so much pain." I say. Ellie's middle name was my name. I wanted to be so happy but I was in so much pain.

"I know you are excited." She said. The doctor came in and gave us both meds. This sucks. I wish I felt better.

"Good." I say. "I want to hold Ellie."

"You two are going to be buddies." She laughs.

"Owen and I are too. I held him while you took a nap." I say. "I love being an Aunt."

Justin and Jace came in with food for us. "Thanks dear." I say to Justin. "Jace, Owen has your eyes." I say.

"I know, he is going to be one handsome little boy." Jaces said.

I laugh and roll my eyes. "Of couse."

"This is one crazy family." Justin says.

We all laugh and nod. "Yes, we are." I say.