Introductions All ’Round
As John sat down on the bed, he was in awe. She motioned for him to take one of them. Picking up one of the sweet, warm, sleeping little girls, he felt the wonder of it all overwhelm him.
Minutes later, Johnny couldn’t wait any longer. “I want to see my mommy!” he cried and took off running toward the cabin. Jasper and Doc caught up with him just as he got inside the house. Hoisting him up into his arms, Jasper looked to Doc for approval to continue.
With a nod and a smile, Doc said, “A quick visit, son. Mommy’s very tired.”
Silently, the two men entered the bedroom with the boy, motioning him to silence. On seeing them enter, John acknowledged them to come closer. Jasper set Johnny down next to his parents as the boy’s eyes widened.
Proudly, John showed his son one of his sisters. The child reached out to touch the baby in his daddy’s arms, filled with curiosity when her fingers moved at the touch. As he came to see his mommy, a look of genuine surprise and confusion came to his small, round face. He drew in a breath when he saw her holding another baby.
“Two babies?” His confusion grew by leaps and bounds.
Reaching out for him, she answered, “Yes, honey. You have two baby sisters. Would you like to see this one?” Trish took his hand and let him climb up on the bed next to her.
“They’re so tiny,” he kept repeating, looking from one to the other and back again.
Shortly, John laid his daughter down by Trish and took Johnny from the room, with Jasper following them out. After checking on mother and daughters, Doc joined the men outside.
Johnny was again playing in the yard. Jasper and John were talking together by the porch. When Doc joined them, John voiced his concern over Trish’s weakened condition.
“Giving birth to twins was more difficult, John. With rest, though, she should recover in time. She did very well.”
With further reassurances from Doc, John’s concern lessened. Shortly, Jasper and Doc took their leave. Coming in to check on Trish and the babies, he found all three of them fast asleep. Jasper left for Kentucky shortly after the twins’ birth.
Trish spent the next three days confined to bed, by John’s orders. Although she pretended to be angry, she was quite satisfied to do so. The birth had drained her much more than she had expected it to, and she secretly loved being taken care of by “her men.” Whenever Johnny came in to “take care of things,” her heart burst with pride and delight.
For nearly two weeks following the birth, Trish was pampered by her men. John took care of everything, even straightening the cabin and preparing all of the meals. They both helped with the girls. Johnny had taken to his duties as big brother and was quite serious indeed. He even tried his best helping Daddy with the laundry. Watching the two of them try to wrestle wet laundry was a sight to behold—John, lifting the sheets out of the basket, with Johnny’s assistance. As the sheets were lifted to the clothesline, Johnny would raise his arms as high as they would go and then jump to get them up there. Once, while the girls were sleeping, Trish watched the merry parade of laundrymen with feelings of pride and thankfulness that she had been so blessed to have such a caring, loving husband and son. She began to smile as she watched, then chuckle. By the time the second sheet was on the line, both of the laundrymen were soaked to the skin. Trish was almost on the floor with laughter.
John wanted to buy Trish something very special. Checking his funds, his heart sank. I want to buy her a newborn lamb, but can’t afford the high price they are being sold for. I’ll do the next best thing. I’ll get her a kitten.
He came home, apologies on his lips. “Oh, John, she is darling! Please don’t be upset, I love her. In fact, I am going to name her Baa.”
Time seemed to crawl one minute and race the next for Trish. Her days were taken up now, it seemed, in a never-ending cycle of feedings. Not that she was complaining, really. The girls were healthy, hungry, and happy; her family was complete. The only real problem arose one cool spring evening.