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After the appointment is scheduled, I walk Addy to the parking lot. Before we get in the car, though, I spin her around and kiss her forehead.
“Twins,” I say as I pull away.
“Can you believe it?”
“Definitely. You’re a special woman. It only makes sense that you’d have a special womb.”
She rolls her eyes and tilts back her head.
“It’s not a special womb. I just can’t believe we’re going to have them. Delivery is not going to be fun.”
“Come on, that’s a long way off. Let’s get some ice cream to celebrate. We can tell Izzy the good news when we pick her up from school.”
“Oh, my God, she’s going to lose her mind. I can’t wait to tell Dad.”
“When’s your next visit with him?”
“Tomorrow. Izzy’s excited. They love to play Scrabble when we visit.”
The thought strikes me as funny when I imagine Izzy, Addy and Tom sitting around a metal table playing Scrabble like they’re visiting him in a senior care center instead of a prison visiting room. Funny how unexpectedly life turns out sometimes.
“I’d like to come and meet him. Who knows how much longer I have left to make introductions?”
Addy smiles up at me and squeezes my hand.
“I’d really love that. Now let’s go get some ice cream.”
We get in the car and buckle in before heading over to McFreezie’s. It’s become tradition to go there now. I don’t even have to ask what she’s getting anymore; the woman practically lives off of Cotton Candy. I have to keep a tub of it in the fridge at all times in case she gets a craving.
When I pull into the parking lot and we park the car, the lights of the McFreezie’s ice cream cone sign reflects in her eyes.
“I can’t wait to bring our kids here,” Addy whispers.
“Technically we already are.” My gaze darts to her stomach. Addy looks up at me and giggles.
“Shut up.”
Then we head into the ice cream parlor.
Epilogue
Addy
“Comeon,justonemore big push,” the doctor says from the bottom of the table.
“You said that an hour ago!” I screech, the sweat from my forehead dripping onto my gown. The pain is unlike anything the birth classes prepared me for. I’m suing that teacher the second I get out of this hospital room.
“It’s only been a few minutes since the first baby was delivered,” Carter says from beside me. I turn to him and snarl.
“Shut up!” I yell. He has no idea what this kind of pain is.
“Big push!” the doctor says loudly. I bear down, pushing as hard as I can to get this baby out of me. “Come on, baby, come on. Look, look, there she is! We got her! Baby number two is clear.”
A nurse hands me first the boy, then the girl. I look down at their tiny perfect faces. I don't care that they’re slimy and covered in my blood. They’re absolutely beautiful.
“Wow. These are our babies,” I whisper. Carter leans forward and smiles.
“They’re so cute. They look just like you.”