Chapter 23

 

From Bottles to Bills

 

 

Courtney laid out the twin buntings Edith had knit. One was pale pink for Zoe complete with a bonnet, mittens, and booties. The other one was blue with a tighter weave and boyish details for Zack. She planned on putting them on the twins as soon as Seth arrived to pick them up from the hospital.

“This is going to be complicated, by the time I’m finished nursing Zoe, it’ll be time to feed Zack,” Courtney complained to Diane Connors, the new mother sharing her maternity room.

“I would think it would be easier to nurse them separately than both at once. At least you have a free arm.”

“The only thing that’s easier now is being here and having the help of the nurses. I can only imagine how overwhelming it will be when I get back home.”

“Aren’t you planning on having a nurse?” asked Diane.

“No, I took off a half a year from work to take care of the twins.”

“Believe me, Courtney, this is my third baby, and taking care of an infant is a lot harder than any job I’ve ever had. It’s twenty-four hours a day, every day, and with twins, I can’t even imagine how difficult it will be.”

Courtney laid Zoe down when Zack began to fuss. She latched the boy to the other breast while Zoe cried out to be held. “Well, Diane, hiring a nanny is very costly, and with twins, we have to try and conserve and save as much as possible.”

 

After Courtney finished her second feeding, she glanced down at her watch to see it was already twelve-thirty. “Diane, this is awful,” Courtney said in exasperation. “My husband told me he’d pick me up by noon. I can’t believe he’s running late. I’m exhausted and hungry, and I’m getting anxious. They’re predicting a storm, and I want to get the twins tucked into their bassinets before it starts to snow.”

“Did you try calling him on the cell phone?”

Courtney dialed Seth’s cell phone, feeling out of her mind with anxiety. After it rang five times, she got a recording. “This number is not available at the present time. Please leave a message at the beep.”

“Where are you, Seth?” Courtney ranted. “I’m going crazy here. I just finished nursing the twins. I’m starving, I need to eat something, and now I can’t even get you on the cell phone. This is ridiculous!” she shouted before slamming down the receiver, feeling infuriated at the first inkling of Seth’s irresponsibility as a parent.

Courtney glanced outside at the sterile landscape. The sky began to whirl with delicate snowflakes as gossamer as cotton candy, crystalline against the windowpane, sticking and then descending into slush. She looked down at the gray cement of the parking lot, and observed how the snow reflected off the ground as impatience inflamed her. She felt like she would go out of her mind if Seth did not get there soon.

 

“Courtney,” a manly voice projected while she mindlessly watched the snowflakes spin around the window.

Courtney turned around and looked at the door ready to scold Seth when she was greeted by the vision of Aaron standing in the doorway. He was dressed in a down-filled black leather bomber, which complimented his black, snow-sprinkled hair. His face exuded warmth and his eyes penetrated their dark power over Courtney’s weary spirit.

“I decided it would be better if I picked you up since Seth couldn’t get the hang of the infant seats,” chuckled Aaron. “Seth was afraid to drive the twins in the snow. New fathers can be very nervous sometimes, but don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll get the hang of it. In the meantime, Seth is busy at home helping my mother prepare the bassinets.”

“Well, that’s fine, but Seth promised he’d be here by noon, and I haven’t eaten since breakfast,” Courtney said in distress.

Even Aaron’s good looks and take-charge manner did not impress her at this moment of starvation. Aaron smirked before reaching into his coat pocket and taking out a brown paper bag.

“Here, I stopped off on the way and brought you a bagel and tuna fish from Bagel Boy, figuring you’d probably be hungry by now.”

Aaron chuckled lightheartedly. “Go ahead, eat, I see you have the buntings laid out. I’ll dress the twins while you have your lunch.”

Courtney poured herself a glass of ice water from the pitcher and began to nourish herself. Meanwhile, Aaron expertly lifted each infant one at a time and dressed them, complete with booties, mittens, bonnets, and snowsuits.

“Look how adorable they are!” Aaron raved.

Courtney finished up her bagel, feeling grateful for Aaron’s foresight. She knew Seth would have come empty-handed and would have probably been afraid to even lift the infants.

 

Aaron carefully positioned each infant into the two car seats he had expertly set up in the back of his white Jeep while the winter storm took hold.

“I’m going to leave these infant seats in here as a spare. This way, I’ll be able to take you anywhere you need to go if Seth isn’t available.”

“Thanks, Aaron,” Courtney said gratefully. “You certainly can’t very well take the twins in your Viper as much as you might want to.”

Aaron smirked as he started the car and turned on the heat to full blast. Within moments, the car became toasty while the winter sky framed their words. Airy swirls of white enveloped the car in a peaceful hush.

“Courtney, I’m happy to have you alone since I just wanted to tell you the paternity tests are conclusive. I have the results in my briefcase,” Aaron said matter of fact.

“You do,” Courtney said excitedly. “What are the results?”

“Are you sure you want to know?” Aaron hesitated.

“Of course I want to know. Why wouldn’t I?” Courtney asked impatiently.

“Sometimes it’s easier to just leave well enough alone.”

“No, just as you wanted to know, so do I and I have a right to,” demanded Courtney.

Aaron took the paperwork out of the briefcase and placed it upon her lap. Courtney looked down at the technical results, and tried to decipher its content.

Aaron simply said. “I’m not a possible match for Zoe, and unless you had another lover, then Seth is Zoe’s biological father.”

Courtney remained spellbound as Aaron smiled victoriously. “As for Zack, there is a 99 percent chance I am his biological father.”

“Really, that’s wonderful news, Aaron!” Courtney exclaimed in incomprehension as a new kinship embraced her heart with ambiguity.

“Actually, I’m very pleased with the results,” Aaron said rather smugly. “I’ve always wanted a son, and now I feel complete and like my life has finally amounted to something very important.”

Aaron looked over at Courtney poignantly. “Remember I told you I had no faith? Well, having Zack has given it back to me. I feel like this makes up for Jacqueline’s abortion, and I firmly believe Zack makes up for the child you lost also, Courtney.”

Aaron reached for her hand in camaraderie. The mention of her past recklessness made Courtney’s eyes fill with tears.

“Tears of joy are a good thing, sweetheart, and this proves to me life can reimburse itself. There’s something very special about having a baby with a woman. It’s a spiritual connection. I firmly believe it’s God’s will, and he gave us this blessing in forgiveness for what we both experienced in the past,” Aaron said with affirmation.

Courtney began to feel the same elation considering their commonality. “Maybe you’re right, Aaron, because it’s a special blessing to have twins, and even more special for them to have two different fathers. You’ve caused a miracle to happen, and whether it’s right or wrong, I’ll never question the miracle you’ve given me.”

Aaron grabbed a hold of her gloved hand. “Courtney, this is the miracle I’ve been hoping for, for nine months. If I would have just done things as I’d been doing, you would have conceived and given birth to Zoe. But now you have Zack as well, and he fills a void in me nothing else could. I’m only sorry we have to keep this miracle to ourselves. Of course, Zack can never know, and I’ll have to treat him like he’s my nephew, but I intend to have a close relationship with him.”

“Of course,” Courtney agreed. “Seth will have the glory of having a son.”

“Zack is a beautiful boy, and I know he’ll make us very proud one day.” Aaron paused thoughtfully. “Courtney, I’d like us to try to have another child in the future.”

“You can’t be serious, Aaron!” Courtney cried out.

“Why not? You’re a healthy woman, and there’s no reason why you can’t have another child. I’d like to do that for you. I know this sounds strange because it’s hard to envision the woman I love making love to another man. But I want you to resume your relations with Seth so if you do get pregnant, he won’t suspect anything, and just assume he got lucky.”

Aaron smiled with a conspiratorial persuasion. “Who knows, maybe he’ll get lucky and become a father again, or maybe I will. It’s not in our hands.”

“Right now, I’m too overwhelmed to think about having another baby.”

“Well, just so you know, you can resume activity in four weeks, and you can get pregnant while you’re nursing. At your age it’s difficult, so time is of the essence here.”

Aaron leaned forward and met her lips with a tender kiss. “I’m really looking forward to the weather getting warmer so you can visit me at the office at lunchtime. I close the office from noon to one fifteen every day, and everyone goes out to lunch. We can just put the babies in the playpen and the rest I’ll leave to your imagination.” Aaron gave her a sultry look that put a smile on Courtney’s weary face.

“If only I would have been lucky enough to have found you before Seth did, I would be a happy man, sweetheart.”

“Well, don’t forget you’re about to become a father again soon,” Courtney said with reservation.

Aaron smiled with bittersweet pride. “It’s different when you have a baby with someone you’re in love with. I mean, just look at the face on that kid.”

Courtney wrenched her neck around to look at the handsome face of her son. His dark skin made him look like a miniature Aaron already, and his brown eyes had the same surly intensity as Aaron’s. It appeared like they might darken to black.

“He’s a beautiful boy,” Aaron said proudly. “And Zoe is the most beautiful baby girl. Just so you know, having two different color eyes is called heterochromia, and it’s nothing more than genetics. Zoe is perfectly healthy.”

“I’m getting used to her having different color eyes,” said Courtney. “I like to think of her eyes as blue-chocolate.”

 

Aaron drove into the driveway where a giant stork, set out on the front lawn sprinkled with snow, greeted them. Pink and blue Mylar balloons were attached to the mailbox with silver ribbons reading, “It’s a Boy. It’s a Girl.” The balloons blew merrily, with the wind of the Great South Bay ruffling their ribbons.

Aaron carried Zack in and Courtney carried in Zoe. The trio of Edith, Seth, and Natasha greeted them excitedly as soon as they opened the front door.

“Look how precious the twins are!” exclaimed Edith while Seth looked on proudly.

“You did good, Courtney,” said Natasha in awe. “Here you were, worried you would not be able to conceive, and you have brought home twins. Look at how tiny they are. They look like dolls.”

Courtney and Aaron carried the twins upstairs to their beautifully prepared bassinets. Seth had placed them to each side of their bed. Zoe’s was on the right side, and decorated in white eyelet and tulle with pink bows and rosettes for a real fairy princess. Zack’s was on the left and covered in baby blue broadcloth, accented with white bows.

“Look at that, his and her bassinets,” Natasha beamed with her own belly protruding in mammoth proportions for her slender, statuesque frame.

Courtney laughed wearily. “Zoe is on my side of the bed. This way, when Zoe wakes up, I can take care of her, and when Zack wakes up, Seth will take care of him.”

Seth laughed nervously. “Wait a second the babies need their mother, not me. Remember, I wouldn’t make a very good wet-nurse.”

Courtney laughed in good cheer.

Edith scowled her brow insolently. “No, Seth, but you can change a diaper, I hope, because there’s going to be a lot of that going on.”

Seth sighed and rolled his eyes in dread.

Edith frowned. “Seth, you’re also going to learn how to lift and hold them. Don’t worry, they won’t break. I’ve never in my life seen a father who was afraid to pick up his own babies from the hospital,” Edith said in a clipped tone.

“Believe me, Edith, when there are two to take care of, it gets a little stressful. Seth will catch on what to do,” Courtney said supportively.

“Well, at least they’re both safe in their bassinets since they predicted a big storm tonight,” said Seth.

“That is the benefit of nursing,” said Natasha. “Courtney has all the nourishment she needs without having to run to the store and sterilize bottles.”

“Actually, I will need to sterilize bottles when I use the breast pump. Seth, did you get the breast pump?” Courtney asked with apprehension.

“I’m sorry, I forgot,” Seth replied apologetically.

“I told you how important the breast pump was!” Courtney cried agitatedly. “This way, if the babies feed at different times, I can feed one and then express milk afterward, and you can help me by feeding the other with the bottle.”

Edith’s eyes raged with ire when she blazed upon Seth. “I don’t know what’s wrong with you, Seth. They sell them right in Calvar Drugs on Main Street. You could have just called, and they would have delivered it. But now I doubt they will still be delivering in the snow. It’s coming down too hard.”

“That makes it much more difficult for me, Seth. I don’t mind nursing, but at least the breast pump would free me up a bit,” Courtney said in exasperation.

“Don’t worry,” Aaron said reassuringly. “I’ll go take a run down there now in my Jeep and pick it up for you, Courtney.”

“No, I’ll go,” Seth sheepishly offered.

“No, you stay here and help Courtney!” demanded Edith authoritatively.

“I’m just going to take a nap while I have the chance. By four o’clock, I’ll be feeding Zoe again, and then Zack won’t be too long after her, so I need all the rest I can get.”

“Maybe you should get them on the same schedule,” suggested Natasha.

“No, it’s better like this. You have no idea what it’s like having two infants latched onto you at the same time. It really tires your arms out. Doing it one at a time, I can prop the baby on the nursing pillow.”

“Won’t it be difficult to find time to express milk with the breast pump? Are you sure it’s such a good idea, Courtney?” asked Seth.

“It’s a brilliant idea,” snapped Edith. “On the other hand, giving you the bottle to feed one of the twins might be too much for you to handle, Seth.”

“Give him a break,” Courtney demanded defiantly. “This is the first day the twins are home. Let’s not start badgering Seth already. You men should be smoking cigars down in the parlor and celebrating.”

“They would have been if Seth had purchased the breast pump,” Edith said curtly.

“Let them go together to get the breast pump!” Courtney snapped impatiently. “I’m tired and just want to be left alone so I can rest. Listening to this bickering is more than I can handle right now with the stress of being a new mother.”

When the three of them exited her room, Courtney closed her eyes, feeling like she could have slept the entire day through. The dim light of the day shed a gray shroud over the semblance of her sleeping angels. All around the room were flowers and baskets of baby goodies well-wishers had sent. Courtney planned on opening them later, dreading to keep track of all the gifts people had brought to the hospital. She dozed off with anxiety knowing she would soon be awoken by cries.

 

Aaron trudged through the storm, which obscured his vision, even through the high speed of the windshield wipers. “Aaron, you did a great job. I have to tell you how thankful I am. You’ve made me a father,” Seth exclaimed.

“The good thing is, now that Courtney has given birth, she might be more fertile the next time around,” Aaron said.

“I think twins are more than enough for us to handle right now,” Seth replied with reluctance.

“Seth, you don’t have the luxury of waiting a couple of years considering Courtney’s age. She’ll be lucky if she can have another, so I wouldn’t waste any time if I were you. She’ll be ready to try again in a month. And the good news is, this time it’s more likely she’ll conceive naturally, even considering your problem, because sometimes a woman becomes more fertile after she’s given birth.”

“I don’t know if I can handle the expense of having a third child, two are more than enough. You’re talking about Hebrew school, a Bnai Mitzvah for the twins, college, a wedding for Zoe.”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Seth. My practice is doing really well, and hey, I have a nephew, and I intend to spoil him rotten. This way you can spoil Zoe, she’ll be a real daddy’s little girl. If there is anything you need for Zack, please don’t hesitate to ask, and I mean it, bro. But you have to promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“That you and Courtney will try to have another baby, do you promise me that?”

“I would if I could get near her long enough to try. My love life with Courtney has a lot to be desired. Believe me, it’s not much better than what you have going on with Natasha.”

“Don’t worry, in four weeks she’ll be as good as new, and you can resume all activity,” Aaron advised in ulterior motive with his eyes glistening in mirth, while keeping them fixated on the road.

“That’s good to know because I’ve been going to Rosita’s apartment twice a week now. Believe me, I would go there every day if I could afford it. It’s a lot easier, and the good thing about Rosita is she never says no.”

“Rosita will say no, all right, just show up without a hundred-dollar bill, and she’ll say no,” ribbed Aaron as he pulled over to the pharmacy.

Aaron reached inside his wallet and handed Seth a hundred-dollar bill with ease. “Here, bro, the next one with Rosita is on me, enjoy it!”

“Thanks, Aaron, I appreciate it!”

Seth happily tucked the hundred-dollar bill in his wallet. “Who would ever think my bachelor party surprise would turn into an addiction? That woman has me hooked. So long as I have the money, I don’t mind, Rosita keeps me happy. I feel a little guilty now that I’m a father, but with twins, it’s double the stress, so I suppose I deserve to treat myself.”

Seth smiled unscrupulously. “Come to think of it, Aaron, Rosita is probably home in this storm. I’ll call her and see. Do you think you can drive me there if she’s home?”

Seth laughed playfully. “You heard what Courtney told us, she said we should be in the parlor smoking cigars. Rosita is hotter than any cigar! I think we both deserve to have a little diversion on the side to celebrate the birth of the twins. This way, I don’t have to feel so guilty alone.”

Aaron hesitated. “No, you go, Seth, Rosita is your thing. I’ll wait out in the car.”

“It certainly looked like she was your thing too. I’ll never forget you and her in the kitchen on the night of my bachelor party. Now that was brazen!” Seth grinned playfully. “I’ll call her on the cell while you run in to get the breast pump.”

When Aaron came back into the car, Seth was smiling in anticipation. “Go straight and make a left turn down there past the railroad tracks. Rosita is waiting for us.”

When they got in front of her shabby apartment complex, Aaron looked a little wary to endeavor to go inward. Aaron suggested, “Listen, have Rosita come in the car with us, and I’ll drive her to my office. I’d feel a lot more comfortable partying with her there.”