Page 41 of A Trial of the Heart

Chapter

Forty

Shiloh:

“I understand the jury has reached a verdict?” Judge Carol Owens questioned, looking in their direction.

“We have, Your Honor,” juror number one said with a shaky voice.

“Shiloh Monroe, please stand,” Judge Owens said, barely looking my way.

Six months had passed, and though the time had flown by, it had been an enjoyable six months. Rashad and I were doing well. I was due to be induced for the twins in a few weeks, and the case against me was finally coming to an end.

About three months ago, I was served with papers in regard to my license to practice law.

I had charges filed against me and gone to trial.

My future was in the hands of twelve jurors.

I took responsibility for my part in things and represented myself.

I hadn’t done anything wrong. Even if I had, I felt best being represented by myself.

Though the case stemmed from Rashad’s situation, he stood beside me every step of the way.

“Will the jury read the verdict?” she instructed.

Just after the judge said that, I felt one of the babies kick me as if they had something to prove.

The painful kick almost brought me to my knees, but I kept it together.

The twins were running out of space, and lately, they had not been playing nicely, so my body ached more often than not.

My stomach had tripled in size, my thighs had doubled, my nose spread, and my feet stayed swollen.

Anybody that glorified pregnancy by saying how blissful it was, was full of shit because I hadn’t had a blissful day since I could remember.

I looked over my shoulder at my support system on the second row.

LeeAnn sat perched with her legs crossed.

Her foot wrapped in her designer heels bounced slowly.

My mother had her hands pressed together with her eyes closed and leaned over.

I knew she was praying. Isla was even present.

She looked scared like she wanted to be anywhere but where she was.

Finally, my eyes fell to Rashad. He seemed the calmest out of the four of them.

When our eyes met, he winked, causing my knees to slightly buckle, and a tingling feeling that wasn’t the babies, consumed my stomach.

Smiling, I turned back to face the jury.

My smile faded instantly, and seriousness took over.

Whatever happens is meant to be, I thought as juror number one began reading off the one charge I’d been charged with. That didn’t matter to me. All I cared about was the verdict.

“We the jury find Shiloh Monroe…” I tuned back in, but the pain I’d felt from the twins was back and more intense than before. “Not guilty.”

“Ah!” I cried out in pain, gripping the side of the table, doubling over as the courtroom erupted in cheers. They were happy about the verdict. Meanwhile, I was in pain, seeming to fight for my life.

“Order! Order!” Judge Owens banged her gavel while shouting with authority.

Still in pain and hunched over, I looked over my shoulder to see my support cheering and happy. Like I’d called his name, his cheering stopped, and he looked my way. In a swift motion, Rashad hopped the two benches in front of him, making his way to me in seconds.

“Something’s not right,” I spoke through my pain. The pressure I felt in my lady parts was one that was unmatched to any pain I’d ever experienced.

Rashad grasped my waist, and my hands gripped his forearms.

“Are you in la—”

Rashad’s words were cut short by the popping noise we both clearly heard before I felt a rush of warm fluid flow down my legs.

When I looked to my feet, I was standing in a puddle of a watery substance as more streamed down my leg.

I was wearing a skirt, so the fluid was easy to see.

With wide eyes and an increased heart rate, I looked into Rashad’s eyes.

“My water just broke.” I spoke the obvious.

Rashad nodded, hoisted me from my feet, and cradled me in his arms. I was in pain, and the babies were coming, but the way Rashad pushed his way out of the courtroom, you would have thought he’d seen one of the babies’ heads crowning under my skirt.

Getting the picture as we passed them, my mother, LeeAnn, and Isla filed out behind us. It was baby time.

“Seven, eight, nine, ten!”

“Push, Shiloh. Push. You got this.”

“Come on, Shiloh. Don’t give up. Keep going. Keep going. Yes!”

I heard the many encouraging words as I pushed with all I could.

Rashad stood on one side of me helping me hold my leg up, while my mother stood on the other holding that leg up.

LeeAnn was at my feet prepared to welcome my twins into the world.

I’d come into the hospital a few hours ago with a broken water and five centimeters dilated.

I’d progressed fast, reaching ten centimeters in less than two hours.

The babies were ready but not coming as I’d been pushing for an eternity and not one baby had made their entrance.

I was tired and exhausted, and I was starting to think all the I got this, and the babies were almost here was a hoax.

Hearing ten and the contraction subsiding, I breathlessly dropped back on the bed, attempting to regain my strength and regulate my breathing.

“I can’t do this.” Tears ran down my face, settling in my ear. “Just give me the epidural,” I cried.

“Shiloh, you know that’s not an option now,” one of the nurses spoke softly as she stroked the top of my head.

“Then wheel me to the fucking operating room and give me a C-section,” I cried. I didn’t want to be rude and curse, but the pain I was dealing with had me not acting like myself.

“Shiloh we cannot do that; you’re already ten centimeters. You’re going to push these babies out, and that is that,” LeeAnn stated with authority. “Now, on this next contraction, shut up, bear down, and get this first baby out.” She spoke like my true friend and not my doctor.

“I can’t.” The tears wouldn’t stop, and snot dripped from my nose.

“Shiloh, don’t give up, baby girl.” My mother rubbed my leg.

“It hurts so bad.” I wanted to be strong as everyone kept proclaiming I was, but I just couldn’t find the strength.

“Baby?” Rashad spoke, getting my attention.

“There is no giving up. You got this. I know this is a pain you don’t want, but the faster you push out our children, the sooner it’ll all be over.” He spoke softly.

Everyone else had encouraged me, but when Rashad spoke, and I stared into his eyes, I believed him most. I could do this. I couldn’t give up no matter how intense the pain was.

“Next contraction is coming, you ready?” LeeAnn asked.

I looked away from Rashad to her for a brief second. Her expression was stone, but her eyes were soft and compassionate. I looked back to Rashad and found that peace I always saw. I nodded, though he spoke no words.

“Let’s go, Shiloh,” LeAnn said.

Pulling in a deep breath, I dropped my chin to my chest, placed my hand behind my thighs, closed my eyes, and pushed.

I knew I wasn’t alone in the room, but as I pushed with the little strength I had, I tuned them out and gave it all I had.

My vagina felt like it was splitting down the middle, and it burned like LeeAnn had set a match to it.

“Go, go, go.”

“Shiloh, you’re doing it.”

“Oh my gosh! Look at that hair.”

The many voices filled my head, but I still didn’t give them any attention.

“Oh my gosh!” I screamed, feeling the pressure and my vagina actually split seconds before I heard the loud ear-piercing cry of a baby.

“It’s a girl!” I heard someone say, but I couldn’t react as another contraction was tearing through my body, and I felt the urgency to push.

“I gotta push.” I was already getting into position.

“Let’s go then,” LeeAnn said.

I closed my eyes, preparing to push again.

I thought the first baby took me out, but I was damn sure mistaken as the last baby was giving me a run for my money.

I was pushing until the nurse got to ten, but even then, I didn’t give up.

I wanted this baby out and the pain to seize.

Feeling pressure and then an instant state of relief, I relaxed my body back on the bed, heaving heavily.

The second baby’s cries were heard but nowhere near as long as their older sibling.

“It’s a boy!” LeeAnn announced with a shaky voice.

Before today, Rashad nor I knew if the babies were fraternal or identical or even the sex. We decided to wait until the birth. Hearing the announcement of them both had truly been worth the wait.

My eyes had been closed, but when she said that, I opened them, looking toward her. Tears stained her beautiful face.

“You did it, friend.” Her voice cracked.

“I did it, friend.” I now had tears of my own. I looked to my mother as she cried and sniffled. “I did it, Mommy.” I felt like a little girl.

Leaning in, my mother kissed my forehead. Her tears fell on my face.

Finally, I looked to Rashad. His face held a proud expression.

“You did it, baby.” He spoke before I could utter the words to him. “Thank you,” he added softly before I felt his soft lips pressed against my forehead.

The pain had been one that felt like it would take me out, but now that they were both here, the pain didn’t matter. I had done it.