By mid-February, Jenna no longer fought against the boredom, having grown used to the idle passing of days.
Her blood pressure was lower, although the doctor diagnosed her with preeclampsia. Aware of how serious it could be, Jenna dutifully followed her doctor’s orders. The previous week during her regular checkup, Dr. Meliah said if she could make it one more week, she could deliver the twins any time and everything should be fine.
Josh, of course, gave her a pep talk about how they were going to make it, no problem. They narrowed down the list of baby names neither of them hated to three dozen. Bags were packed and in the car, ready to go. They’d discussed at length the birthing plan, the get-to-the-hospital plan, and the notify-all-relatives plan.
A few days after Valentine’s Day, Jenna sat on the couch, watching the news. A knock at the door drew her attention and she smiled as Callan breezed into the room.
Josh wanted to attend a bull sale about an hour and a half away and debated for days whether he should go, since she could have the babies at any time.
She encouraged him to go and he reluctantly agreed, but only if Callan stayed with her for at least part of the time he’d be away.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” Josh asked Jenna for the tenth time that morning.
Laughing, she rolled her eyes and pointed a finger toward the back door. “Go. Get out of here. Do whatever it is you do at a bull sale. I’ll be fine. Callan will take great care of me.”
“Only if you’re sure…” Josh kissed her cheek again and backed toward the door, offering her one last opportunity to ask him to stay.
Jenna waved her hand at him in dismissal and released a relieved sigh when he finally left.
“Good grief, he’s like a mother hen with a chick.” Callan laughed as Josh pulled out of the driveway and drove down the lane. “Has he been hovering like that for long?”
“Since the last trip to the doctor,” Jenna said, trying to find a comfortable spot on the couch. The last few days, she’d been hard-pressed to sit comfortably. Last night, an ache started in her back that seemed to grow worse instead of better.
As she rubbed her hands over her protruding belly, Jenna knew her figure would never be the same. However, stretch marks seemed like the least of her worries.
Her feet and ankles were a bloated mess and if her hands grew any more swollen, she’d have to let Josh cut off her wedding ring. She should have removed it a month ago, but refused. Now, she worried about losing circulation in that finger.
She felt nauseated and twinges had been fluttering in her stomach for hours. If she didn’t know better, she’d think she was heading into labor. Even if she were, it would be awhile before anything serious started happening. Briefly considering what she ate the day before, she decided she probably just suffered from indigestion.
When she awoke that morning, she hadn’t felt like eating anything despite Josh trying to talk her into toast. She relented and had a few nibbles just to keep him from fussing and get him out of her hair for the day. She appreciated his attentiveness, but she was tired of him treating her like a sister or a child instead of his wife.
He doted on her, encouraged her, fluffed her pillows, and made her tea. In every aspect, he’d been a role model husband and it made her nuts. She wanted him to leave a mess somewhere, to make some sarcastic comment that made her mad, to ignore her so she could pout for a bit about his insensitivity.
Instead, he treated her like a princess.
With a heavy sigh, Jenna admitted her emotions and thoughts ran amuck. She was probably one of the most blessed women on the planet to have a husband who devoted so much time and attention to her care.
Nevertheless, with him gone for the day, she battled resentment that he could actually walk out of the house and enjoy himself while she sat in uncomfortable misery, waiting.
Sniffling, she grabbed a tissue and gave herself a mental scolding. As Callan walked by to return a mop to the storage closet, she glanced at her.
After putting the mop away and rinsing off her hands in the kitchen, Callan sat down across from Jenna. “Emotions a little hard to control these days?” she asked with a knowing smile.
“Yes, to put it mildly.” Jenna released a choppy laugh. “I cry when I should be laughing, laugh when I ought to cry. I’m mad for no reason, cranky, and irrational. This is so far beyond what’s normal for me, and way beyond my ability to comprehend.”
Callan leaned back with a thoughtful look. “I remember when Laken was expecting Brant she really had a time of it. Tyler walked around on eggshells for the entire nine months. It didn’t matter what he did, she would either yell at him or cry pitifully. I don’t think anyone was happier than Tyler when Brant arrived and things returned to normal.”
Jenna laughed. “So you’re telling me I’m not the only one to ever have suffered.”
“Something like that.”
“I know you don’t talk about it, but when you were pregnant did you have morning sickness or any of the typical symptoms?”
Callan took a moment to answer. Jenna realized she shouldn’t have asked Callan about her pregnancy, especially considering how painfully it ended. “I’m sorry. Forgive me. I shouldn’t…”
“No, it’s okay, Jen. I was just remembering. I didn’t really have morning sickness, but some days I felt queasy all day. And exhausted all the time. I remember it hurt a lot, like intense cramping, nearly the entire four months. Looking back, I probably should have recognized that as a red flag that something wasn’t right,” Callan said quietly. She reached out to Jenna and clasped her hand. “I appreciate being able to experience so much of your pregnancy with you. You know whatever you need, Clay and I are here to help.”
“Thanks, Cal. It means so much to both of us.” Jenna pulled her hand from Callan’s and blotted tears from her cheeks. In an effort to lighten the mood, she turned to a topic that Callan enjoyed discussing. “The only thing we need right now is to decide on names for the boys.”
“Are you any closer to picking two you agree on?”
“Not really, unless you think Dexter and Angus are good names.”
Callan erupted into a fit of laughter. “Tell me Josh did not pick those names.”
“He most certainly did. So I had to counter with Quillan and Barney.”
“You wouldn’t really give the boys those names would you?”
“Absolutely not! Josh can’t tell when I’m serious or teasing these days, so I like to have a little fun with it. I need some entertainment, you know.”
The two of them studied the list of baby names again. Callan went to Josh’s office and returned with a pad of paper and a pen. She started writing out combinations of names they liked and when Jenna saw them on paper, the two she liked the best jumped out at her.
“Oh, Cal, circle those two, right there.” Jenna pointed to two names on the list. “I love those names. I think Josh might go for them as well. What do you think?”
“I think they’re perfect. Now, we just need to get that hard-headed brother of mine to agree.”
By late morning, Jenna’s eyes continued drifting shut. She took a nap while Callan did a load of laundry and fixed lunch. An hour later, Jenna awoke, but still didn’t feel like eating. Callan made more tea and left her sipping it while she put away laundry then straightened the master bedroom.
“Do you want me to change the sheets on your bed?” Callan called out to the family room where Jenna rested.
“No. Josh just changed them yesterday.”
“Okay,” Callan said, walking back into the family room. “Anything else I can do for you?”
“I’m fine. I don’t need a babysitter every minute. You’ve got a client appointment you need to leave for soon, don’t you?”
“Yes, but I hate to leave you alone. I can reschedule if you want me to stay.”
Jenna made a shooing motion with her hand. “I’m fine. Josh said he’d be home by four at the latest and it’s almost one now. I think I can take care of myself for an hour or two.”
Callan slipped on her coat, uncertain if she should leave or stay. “Are you sure you’ll be fine?”
“Yes. I’m going to stay right here on the couch like a big lump and wait for Josh to get home. Thanks for coming. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you day after tomorrow.”
“You bet. I’ll be here.”
When Callan left, Jenna tossed and turned on the couch, trying to find a comfortable position. She rolled onto her side, but felt even more nauseated. Her back went from an unpleasant ache to sudden, sharp pain.
The twins seemed bent on wiggling nonstop. She wished they would settle down, just for a few minutes, so she could rest. Gently rubbing her stomach, she could tell they had dropped lower, a sure sign they would soon arrive.
Exhausted, she closed her eyes and was nearly asleep when a strong pain ripped through her. From the contractions she’d previously experienced, she sat up. The pain was real, not imagined. Concerned, she glanced at the clock on the wall, waited, and counted. When other contraction hit her followed by another, she took a deep breath. She needed to call someone to take her to the hospital.
Callan would be in her meeting by now and she always turned off her phone when she was with clients. Jenna called and left her a message, hoping the meeting would be brief.
Mentally running through a list of names of who else might be available, she knew Clay was in a class, Maggie and Jake were both working, and Bobbi and Steve were at the bull sale with Josh. Aunt Julie and Uncle Ralph were gone to Florida to visit their oldest son. Jenna grabbed the phone and dialed Josh, hoping he was already heading home.
“Hey, babe, how’s it going?” Josh asked, answering his phone on the second ring.
“Josh,” Jenna panted as a contraction slammed through her. “I just started having some serious contractions. You coming home sooner rather than later would be a good plan. Right now, if possible.”
“Where’s Callan?” Josh sounded upset. Jenna heard muffled voices then the sound of something thudding, like he was running.
“She had a client meeting and left a while ago.” She gasped through another contraction. “Please say you’re on the way.”
“I’m on the way. I’ll be there as quick as I can. Don’t move. See if you can get in touch with Callan or even Laken. I don’t want you there by yourself.”
An engine revved and tires squealed in the background.
“Josh, drive carefully. I don’t need anything happening to you.”
“I will and I’ll be praying the whole way.”
Josh waited throughout the entire sale for the bull he’d been eying to be reach the auction block. He’d just engaged in a good-natured bidding war with an acquaintance from Sublimity when his cell phone rang.
As soon as Jenna said the word contraction, he handed his auction paddle to Steve and took off running. He peeled out of the parking lot, grateful the roads were clear and dry. A little more than an hour later, he whipped off the highway, glad he hadn’t received a speeding ticket as he shaved twenty minutes off the normal travel time.
He jumped out of his pickup, hurried into the garage, and started Jenna’s car. She’d be much more comfortable making the hour-long trip to the hospital in it.
When he ran into the house, he found Jenna on the couch, holding her stomach. Fear filled her eyes while her face held little color.
“Babe, it’s going to be okay. Everything will be fine.” Josh dropped to his knees on the floor in front of her and brushing the hair off her face. “Are you ready to go now?”
“Yes.” Jenna breathed through another contraction. “I just need to go the bathroom again before we leave.” Josh helped her to the guest bathroom and waited. He heard her gasp then all was quiet.
“Babe, everything okay?”
“Just a give me a minute.”
Her voice sounded panicked and he wiggled the doorknob that she’d locked. “Do you need some help?”
“No!” Jenna yelled. The one thing she was going to do if it killed her was maintain what little dignity she had left with Josh. That meant he would not be emptying any bedpans, he would not assist her in the bathroom, and he most certainly was not getting a view of anything south of her equator.
“Just bring me a set of clean clothes, including socks and shoes, please.” She’d barely closed the bathroom door when her water broke, soaking her clothes and puddling on the bathroom floor.
Josh turned and ran into their bedroom, quickly returning with a set of clothes for her. She cracked the door and took them from him before shutting the door again.
“Are you sure you don’t need some help?”
“I’m sure.” Jenna changed her clothes and threw towels over the mess on the floor.
When she finally opened the door, she looked determined yet frightened. “I think we better get a move on. My water just broke.”
Josh blanched before grabbing her coat from a hook by the back door. Quickly helping her into it, he walked her to the car and helped her slide onto the passenger seat. He ran around to the driver’s side and they made a fast trip to the hospital.
Jenna called her doctor to let her know they were on their way. Callan called back after receiving Jenna’s message and said she would meet them at the hospital as soon as the girls got home from school and would spread the news that Jenna was in labor.
Through his mind-numbing fear, Josh struggled to remember everything they learned in birthing class. What if she went into full labor before they got to the hospital? He certainly couldn’t deliver the boys, especially not in the car. Thoughts of everything that could go wrong spurred him to drive faster and send up urgent prayers that everything would be fine.
“You were in labor this morning when you shooed me out the door, weren’t you?” Josh asked, looking at Jenna as she held onto the door in a death grip.
“Quite probably,” she said as she worked through another contraction. “I thought I had indigestion. I haven’t been able to get comfortable for a couple of days, so I really didn’t think much of it. I honestly had no idea we’d be racing to the hospital this afternoon.”
When they pulled up at the hospital door, Josh helped Jenna out of the car. They barely stepped inside when a nurse approached them with wheelchair.
“We’re going to take your wife up and do an exam to see where we’re at in this process. Once you’re parked, one of the other nurses will bring you in. Okay?”
Josh nodded his head.
He ran back out and parked the car, grabbed Jenna’s bag, then hurried inside. A nurse escorted him down a hallway to an elevator and through a series of corridors to the maternity ward. He arrived in the birthing room as Jenna struggled to breathe through another contraction. When she saw him, relief flooded over her face and she held out a hand to him.
Dr. Meliah whisked into the room and smiled at them both. “Everything looks good so far. You made it to thirty-seven weeks, Jenna. That is so awesome! I’m going to keep a close eye on you and let your labor progress naturally. We really want to keep on top of the preeclampsia, but you are doing splendidly. I’ll check on you periodically, but if you need something, push the nurse call button or Josh can run out to the nurses’ station.” The doctor left the room with a promise to check back soon.
Josh sat down on a chair beside the bed, held Jenna’s hand, and smiled. “We made it all the way here, babe. Can you believe it? We’ll be saying hello to those two boys soon.”
Jenna glared at Josh, panting through another contraction. “I can believe it. It seems exceedingly real right at this moment.”
“Oh,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of her hand softly with his thumb. As he recalled what they learned in class, Josh spent the next few hours coaching and encouraging Jenna. She welcomed anything that would relieve her intense pain, so she was more than glad when the doctor offered an epidural. The needle caused Josh to wince and turn his head away. He could vaccinate cattle like nobody’s business, but watching the doctor insert that huge needle into his wife was something else altogether.
Although she was exhausted, they continued working through her contractions. Josh thought the color of her face looked off, not just pale or flushed.
“Josh, something isn’t right,” Jenna said as panted through another contraction. “Please, Josh, go get someone. Something isn’t right.”
He ran out of the room and flagged down a nurse who hurried back, took one look at the monitors, and called for the doctor.
Dr. Meliah rushed into the room and watched the monitors. She nodded to one of the nurses, sending her scurrying from the room. The doctor turned to Jenna. “How does your head feel?”
“Like it will explode any minute.” Jenna gasped as another contraction hit her.
“I was afraid of that. It looks like your blood pressure is getting higher instead of stabilizing. One of the babies looks to be under some stress as well. For your sake and his, I want to do an emergency C-section. We’ll get a clear operating room and wheel you in as fast as we can. Since you already had the epidural, you’ll be able to stay awake during the procedure. Do you want to watch it?”
“No,” Jenna panted, clinging to Josh’s hand. “Will the babies be okay?”
“I hope so, Jenna. We’ll get them out here ready to meet you as soon as we can. Just hang in there a little while longer.” Dr. Meliah turned and left the room.
In a matter of minutes, a nurse wheeled Jenna to an operating room while another took Josh to scrub. Once they were in the operating room, he sat next to Jenna’s head, holding her hand while a screen above her stomach kept her from seeing what happened on the other side.
Terrified as he watched Jenna’s face turn ghastly white during the last few contractions, Josh fought paralyzing fear. He continued to send up prayers for the safety of the babies and his wife. If something happened to Jenna, he didn’t know how he could face another day.
While he prayed, Jenna had all she could do not to completely break down. If something happened to the twins, she’d never forgive herself for not wanting them in the first place. She wanted them so desperately now, she’d give up everything she had just to make sure they were healthy and safe.
As she turned her head to look at Josh, she stared into his warm gray eyes and found reassurance in his presence. “Josh,” she whispered as he leaned closer. “Pray for them, Josh. Please pray for them.”
Josh bent close to her ear and whispered the heart-felt pleas he’d been uttering silently for the last hour. He recited one of Jenna’s favorite Psalms and her eyes lost their look of desperation. Scooting as close as he could, he put one arm around her shoulders while the other grasped her hand.
“Here we go,” Dr. Meliah said, glancing at them before focusing her attention on the delivery. “Are you sure you don’t want to watch, Josh?”
“Positive.” The sight of them giving Jenna an epidural made him queasy. He sure wasn’t going to be able to watch them go through the surgery.
In no time at all, the doctor lifted the first baby and handed him to a nurse. He screamed with a loud, lusty cry and everyone smiled. He appeared to be a picture of health as the nurse cleaned him.
“He’s a fine, healthy boy at six pounds, two ounces,” the nurse said with a smile in her voice.
The second baby struggled with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. Dr. Meliah carefully untangled it and rushed the limp, quiet baby away from the surgery table. Time stood still until Josh and Jenna heard the cry of their second child. It wasn’t a strong sound, but a mewling whimper. Uncertain as to what happened or what to do, Josh continued to hold Jenna’s hand and whisper comforting words in her ear.
“They are both going to be just fine, Jenna. Just fine,” Dr. Meliah reassured them over her shoulder.
Soon, two nurses stood next to them, each holding a crying baby boy. “Here are your boys,” they said, handing the quiet baby to Josh and the first-born to Jenna.
“This tough guy is a little smaller,” the nurse said, touching the tiny bundle in Josh’s arms. “He weighs five pounds, fifteen ounces, but he’s going to give his brother a run for the money.”
Josh smiled and kissed the baby’s head, breathing in the scent of heaven. He thought his heart might burst with the love and joy filling it right at that moment.
Jenna looked at the precious baby in her arms and marveled at the miracle God had made, identical twin miracles. Head covered in dark hair, this baby with the strong set of lungs quieted when she began softly talking to him.
“Hey, baby, it’s Mama. Welcome to the world. We love you so much.” Jenna kissed his head and didn’t try to stem the tears running down her cheeks. She looked over at Josh, holding their other son. The baby was a perfect match to the one in her arms. He also had a head of dark hair and seemed soothed to hear his daddy’s voice. When Josh glanced at Jenna, his eyes sparkled with unshed tears.
“Thank you, Jenna, for this amazing gift.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead as she reached out a hand to touch the baby. “Don’t they seem like two living, breathing miracles?”
“Oh, Josh, they’re so wonderful, so beautiful, aren’t they?”
“They certainly are.” He smiled down at her. “They look just like you.”
Jenna grinned weakly. “You obviously still need to get your eyesight checked. They look exactly like you.”
“You think so?” Josh asked, beaming in pleasure. He suddenly remembered their inability to settle on names for the twins. “We never got around to picking out names. What are we going to call these two? We can’t keep calling them ‘the boys.’ They need their own names.”
“Your sister and I worked on that this morning.” Jenna shared with Josh the names she and Callan liked the best. Josh immediately agreed they were the perfect names for their sons.
A short while later, Josh walked out to the waiting area where Callan and Clay sat along with Big Jim, Bobbie and Steve, Jake, Vivian and Dan, as well as Aunt Amelia and Uncle Phil.
When he stepped into the room, they all stood, anxious to hear any news. He grinned broadly as he looked at all the loved ones gathered to support them. “We’ve got two healthy baby boys and one mama who will be just fine.”
Amid the cheers, hugs, back slapping and congratulations, Jake finally asked, “What did you name them?”
“Thanks to some help from Callan, the boys are going to be known as Jaret Cole and Jace Keaton, named after both our families.” Cole was Josh’s own middle name, his dad’s middle name, and his grandmother’s maiden name. Keaton, of course, was Jenna’s maiden name. Jaret and Jace were two names they both liked.
“Those are perfect names, Josh,” Vivian said as she gave him another hug. “Now, when can we see the babies and Jenna?”
Before Josh could answer, a nurse ran into the room. “Mr. Carver, we need you to come, quickly. It’s Jenna.”
Josh turned his gaze to their gathered family and caught Callan’s eye. “We’ll pray,” she said. He nodded before he hurried out of the room behind the nurse.
He reached Jenna’s side. She was so pale her skin appeared translucent. An oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth, and her eyes were closed. As he took her hand in his, he looked at the doctor with fear in his eyes.
“We’re doing everything we can, Josh, but her organs are starting to shut down and she had a seizure. On rare occasions, that happens with preeclampsia no matter how hard we try to stop it.”
The doctor continued working while Josh continued praying. All of the sudden, a monitor started beeping.
“We’re losing her!” A nurse looked at Dr. Meliah. “Come on. Don’t give up now, Jenna.”
The medical team worked frantically to keep Jenna alive. “Josh, maybe you better step back now.” Dr. Meliah said.
Josh shook his head, and held Jenna’s hand tightly in his own as he put his lips near her ear. “Jenna, don’t you dare leave me now. We have two beautiful boys just waiting for us to take them home. I need you with me. I love you, babe. Always have, always will. Please don’t give up. Please, Jenna.”
“No pulse. She’s flatlining!”
“Jenna, don’t leave me!” Josh cried out. “Jenna, no!”