Danielle
7.5 months later
Being with Rodney these past few months had been better than anything I could have imagined. Rodney was the perfect partner, attentive, caring, and loving. It hadn’t taken a lot of effort for me to fit into their routines and to make the duo a trio.
Tommy seemed to be happier than ever, and Rodney was relieved about that. He had been worried about Tommy’s attitude, about his mood swings, and how he was doing in school. Since I had moved in, everything had changed.
I was heavily pregnant, ready to pop any day now. I was so big, my belly protruded far enough that I couldn’t reach my own toes, and I had to have a pedicure every two weeks instead. Not that I was complaining. A little pampering went a long way now. My ankles were swollen, I was having hot flashes, and even though I didn’t have morning sickness anymore, with three babies inside me, there was hardly space for myself in my own body. I was ready to have these babies out.
I waddled down the aisle in the convenience store, loading ice cream and chocolate sauce into my basket. I hadn’t really needed to buy a lot of groceries, but lately, I had been craving ice cream, and I was out again. I put the basket down on the floor and pressed my hands against my lower back, trying to compensate for my weight in the front. I got so tired these days.
When I finally paid and made my way to my car, my dad was there, waiting for me. I froze. I hadn’t seen him or spoken to him since the day I had packed all my things and he had told me I was ruining my life. I hadn’t expected to see him, and I had no idea what to do or say.
“Danielle, I just want to talk,” my dad said. I didn’t know what my face showed, but maybe he realized how panicked I was. “I saw you go into the store so I waited for you.”
I swallowed hard. I had no idea what to say.
“I know it doesn’t seem fair for me to do it like this,” my dad started, “but I miss you.”
A lump rose in my throat. I was ridiculously emotional because of the pregnancy, and seeing my dad brought back a lot of emotions I had been pushing away.
“I miss both of you,” my dad added.
I shook my head. “That’s not my fault,” I said. I was on the defense.
“You don’t have to tell me. I know I was wrong. At first, I was scared for you because you’re my baby girl and I don’t want anything to happen to you. After I lost you, I was wrestling with my stupid pride. It took me this long to come out and say it to you. I’m sorry.”
Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I couldn’t stop them. “You have no idea how hard it’s been,” I said. I was angry. Angry and emotional, and I wanted to shout at my dad and hug him all at the same time.
“I know, sweetheart. I know.” My dad looked like he was going to cry, too. Of course, it was just an illusion–he was too much of a man.
I opened my mouth to say something, but suddenly, a gush of water soaked my panties. I looked down as the dark patch grew around my crotch.
“Oh, shit.”
My dad frowned at me, staring at my crotch area. “Danielle?” he asked.
“My water broke,” I said. It was happening. I was going into labor. My dad blinked at me like a deer in headlights, frightened and confused.
“Dad,” I said in a louder voice. “The babies are coming.”
My dad paled. When he looked up at me, he asked, “Babies?”
There was no time to explain to him about the triplets. “Get me to the hospital,” I said.
I held my car keys out to him, and he grabbed them before helping me into the passenger seat. He was suddenly active, doing what needed to be done. When I was in the front seat, my dad ran around to the driver’s side and jumped in.
“Hold on,” he said and slammed his foot down on the pedal, reversing into the road. He changed gears and floored it, tires squealing beneath the car.
“Dad, it would be great if we could get to the hospital alive,” I said, holding my stomach. Contractions had started, and I cried out.
“Call Rodney,” I bit out after the first wave passed.
My dad pulled out his cell phone and clamped it to his ear with his shoulder. When Rodney answered, surprised, my dad explained about waiting for me at the car and that I had gone into labor. “She’s giving birth right now, so meet us at the hospital,” my dad said and hung up.
I was freaking out. “Dad, it hurts,” I cried out when another contraction passed through me. I didn’t know what to expect.
“Just breathe, sweetheart. I’ve been through this with your mother, twice. You’ll be fine.”
Having my dad with me was calming. I had never thought that this would happen, that he would be the one to drive me to the hospital.
We arrived, pulling into the emergency entrance with squealing tires. My dad jumped out and shouted at the top of his lungs for nurses to come and help me. They raced out of the double doors with a wheelchair, helping me into it as another contraction caused me to groan and cry out. They rushed me into the hospital, everyone jumping to the sides to let us pass. My dad was right at my side, staying with me all the way. Rodney arrived a moment later, and only then did my dad leave us, going to the waiting room.
“It’s all right, angel,” Rodney said, taking my hand as they lifted me onto the bed. They hooked my legs into stirrups and a doctor checked how dilated I was.
“We’re going to have these babies now,” the doctor called. “Triplets.”
I was relieved everyone knew what to expect, and everyone knew we were talking about triplets. I was terrified. My body was going through things I had never felt before, and in a few moments, I would be a mother to another three children.
“Okay, Mama, I need you to concentrate,” the doctor said. “We’re going to get through this, one baby at a time. When you feel another contraction coming on, I want you to push.”
When my stomach contracted again, I cried out and did as the doctor said. I pushed as hard as I can.
“We’ve got a head,” the doctor called out.
Nurses moved all around me, checking my vitals and making sure everything was going well. Rodney was a pillar of strength, holding onto my hand and talking to me in soothing tones whenever I felt like it was too much.
“One more push, Mama,” the doctor said, and when I did, a tiny cry filled the room.
“It’s a boy,” one of the nurses said, taking the baby and cutting the umbilical cord.
I only had a moment to appreciate what I had done before I had to push again. Baby number two was on its way, and the contractions nearly crippled me. The doctors talked me through the second round, telling me when to push and when to hold back. Before long, a second cry joined the first.
“It’s a girl,” Rodney said with stars in his eyes. He smiled at me. “One more, angel.”
The third time around, it was almost automatic. I knew exactly what to do and when to do it. I was getting exhausted, my body taking a beating, and when they took the third baby out of me, I collapsed back on the pillows, sweating and panting.
“You did it,” Rodney said. “Another girl.”
The nurses cleaned the babies, calling the times of birth and doing the tests to make sure they were healthy before they brought them to me, swaddled in blankets. I held the boy.
“Hello, little Mark,” I said, smiling. A nurse stood by me with one of the girls. “Hello, Ava.”
“And hello, Rose,” Rodney added with the second girl in his arms. “Three beautiful children.”
Tears ran down my cheeks again. I had just given birth to three babies, and they were the most beautiful things I had ever seen. Three sets of tiny little fingers, and three sets of tiny pink toes.
Someone knocked on the door, and my dad stepped in. He looked nervous, as if he wasn’t sure he would be welcome. Rodney smile and walked over to my dad, shaking his hand with the baby still in his arms.
“Welcome,” he said.
“Well, who do we have here?” my dad asked.
“This is Rose,” Rodney said. “And over there, we have her sister Ava, and their brother Mark.”
My dad chuckled. “That’s a good name,” he said. He came toward me and reached out his hand.
I took it and squeezed. “I’m glad you’re here,” I said.
“Me too,” my dad said. He looked at the three babies, his eyebrows raised. “I have to say, I didn’t expect three of them.”
Because we hadn’t spoken, he hadn’t known that we were expecting triplets. It had to have been a shock.
“Can I hold her?” my dad asked the nurse who was still holding Ava. She looked at me, and when I nodded, she handed Ava to my dad. My dad held her against him, more than capable of holding a baby. He looked down at her and smiled.
“You have your mother’s nose,” he said softly. “You’re going to be a beauty one day. Just like your sister.”
I smiled, and Rodney leaned down and kissed me. I couldn’t have imagined it better than this, having my dad with me, all forgiven and having three wonderful babies.
“Tommy is going to be so excited when he comes home from school,” Rodney said. “I’ll bring him straight here so he can meet his brother and sisters.”
I nodded.
“I have something for you,” Rodney said. My dad and I both looked up at him. “You can consider this a push present.”
I had heard of the push present before, the gift that the father gave the mother to thank her and commend her for what she had gone through giving birth to their child. I had gone through a hell of a lot, squeezing three children out into the world in one go. Still, the idea of a push present was a little foreign.
“You didn’t have to get me anything,” I said.
“Oh, but I did. You see, having you as a part of my life has made me the happiest man on earth. And you have just given me three beautiful children. Danielle, you are everything I ever wanted. I love you more than words can say.” He slid his hand into his pocket and retrieved a small black box. He got down on one knee. “Will you be my wife?”
I was shocked. Of all the things I thought he would give me, an engagement ring wasn’t one of them. We had only been together a couple of months, but I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, and apparently, so did he. I was crying and nodding, holding my hand out for Rodney to slip the ring onto my finger.
My dad cleared his throat. We both looked at him, and I realized he had tears in his eyes.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am for you,” he said to me and Rodney. It meant the world to me to have my dad’s blessing.
After everything we had been through, we had come out on the other side together. The company was flourishing. Rodney’s software release had skyrocketed his profits. As if the public had liked how he had committed to me, Rodney had more fans than ever.
A while later, Rodney left to pick Tommy up and bring him to meet the babies. While he was gone, my dad sat with me, and we talked about everything that had happened over the past few months, catching up. When someone knocked on the door, I expected it to be Tommy, but instead, Lisa, my mom, and my brother Junior walked in.
“Hello, sweetheart,” my mom said, kissing me on the head.
“You’re not at work,” I said.
My mom shook her head. “It’s not every day your daughter gives birth.”
“And we’ll have to find another nickname for this little guy,” Junior said, touching baby Mark’s cheek. “We already have a Junior around here.”
I smiled. Lisa cooed to the baby girls, and I looked at the people surrounding me, realizing I had everyone I needed in the world right here. Well, almost everyone.
A moment later, Rodney arrived with Tommy. Tommy ran to the babies, and Rodney oversaw as he said hello to his brother and sisters. Tommy looked more than excited about the additions to the family.
Rodney came to kiss me, and together, we announced our engagement to everyone. I took a contented breath and let it out slowly. This, with everyone around us and the babies in the cribs, was just the beginning of our future.
And I couldn’t wait to see how it would unfold.
THE END
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