Chapter 2: Chapter 1
“It’s time.”
Professor Sam McPherson believed that he heard something; was it a nondescript noise from somewhere outside, or was it his wife? He opened his eyes and looked at the clock on the nightstand. It showed 3:14 a.m. He grunted, turned, and tried to go back to sleep. A couple of minutes later, he heard a similar noise again, this time, more forcefully, “Dear, it’s time.” Sam realized that his wife was the one that so rudely interrupted his sound sleep. He turned again and looked at his wife. She sat up, holding her abdomen, and she grabbed his arm with her other hand. Now Sam knew, it’s time. He jumped out of bed, slipped on the rug, and nearly fell on his derriere. He donned his jeans and a shirt that he kept on the chair for the last three weeks. He slipped on his tennis shoes and fetched the car keys from the dresser, “I’m ready; let’s go.” Jenny, his wife, looked dumbfounded at him and said, “Would you please help me, dear.” Sam must have momentarily forgotten what he and his wife practiced for the last three weeks. He rushed to his wife’s side of the bed, helped her up, while she donned her sweat outfit. She stepped into her slippers, and then he helped her to the car in the garage. From their home in Shaker Heights, it took him longer than expected to drive to the University Hospital; that’s in a suburb of Cleveland.
It rained. The windshield wipers could barely keep up, keeping the windshield free of rain. Large puddles of water accumulated along the street, wherever a drain was plugged up. In one instance, when the professor drove through a one-foot-deep puddle of water, the engine stopped, and he went frantic. He tried to restart it for nearly five minutes. Finally, it started, and Sam proceeded slowly to the hospital. Members of the ER unit rushed Jenny to the maternity ward, and they transferred his wife to a bed. The doctor examined Jenny. He pressed his lips, knowingly, “You are in labor, second stage, Mrs. McPherson.”
“Already,” said Jenny.
“Yes, ma’am. You were fortunate.”
Sam and Jenny promised themselves that they do not want to know the details of her pregnancy, though the nurses performed regular ultrasound examinations. Every time a nurse completed the examination, she looked in awe at Jenny but contained herself to say nothing, following doctor’s orders. Jenny noticed the nurses look, and she said, “Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing is wrong. Everything is normal, Mrs. McPherson.” Jenny nodded in agreement. It was difficult for her to accept the uncertainties of not knowing what’s growing inside of her. Along with her husband, they studied popular names for boys and girls. And they decided that if it’s a boy, they will name him Logan and a girl’s name might be Sophia. That is where they left it. Sam sat next to Jenny on an old, rickety hospital chair, attempting his best to keep his wife company. A male nurse returned and lifted the bed sheet to take another look down the tunnel, while he chewed on a piece of gum. Sam had trouble with the nurse’s matter of fact approach, and he shook his head. The nurse noticed this, and he said, “Something wrong, Mister?” Sam wasn’t sure how he should respond, but he finally said, “No, nurse. Nothing is wrong.” The nurse made an about-face for walking away, then he had a change of mind, returned, and said, “Mister, I do over a thousand deliveries every year. I know what I’m doing.” Then he finally walked away. The TV was still running, turned down low. Sam tried to figure out what the news anchor was saying. First, he saw two cars totaled on Euclid Avenue as a result of the downpour. Then he saw an apartment building on fire, flames escaping from the top floor. The fire department finally arrived, while the firemen ran around aimlessly. While Sam talked about the fire department’s negligent action, he felt his wife’s hand holding his and squeezing it tightly, “Dear, I think it’s time,” sweat running down her cheeks. Sam jumped up and shouted, “Nurse, where the hell are you? I believe that my wife needs you.” The male nurse was in the next room, tending to another young mother. He ran to Jenny while she was in excruciating pain and checked her, “Yes, you are ready. Push,” taking it upon himself to make this decision since he could not find the doctor. Jenny did the best that she could. It was difficult for her to comprehend that she will be a mother in just a few moments — holding a new life against her breast. One more push. The male nurse caught the baby, and he said, “It’s a girl.” He cleaned her, wrapped her in linen, and handed the baby to Jenny. She was overwhelmed because she connected forever to this baby. The male nurse gently pulled out the afterbirth while he looked at Jenny. She seemed relieved, but he could not allow himself to give the new mother a false sense of closure, and he said, “Mrs. McPherson, you are having twins.”
“What? Twins? How in God’s name is this possible?” But before she had an opportunity to say anything else, the second baby slipped through the canal. This one was much easier for Jenny. She felt relief and like an overly blessed person, giving multiple births. A few minutes later, Jenny had two girls on her chest; one on her right and one on her left. Now Jenny thought, two for the price of one. That’s not a bad deal.
“Are they identical twins?” said Jenny.
“No ma’am, they are fraternal.” Jenny passed one of the twins to Sam, “Could you hold her?”
“Of course. I can hold the baby.” Sam felt awkward, holding the precious weight in his arm, “She is heavy.”
“Of course. And I carried both of my babies.” Jenny couldn’t pass up this opportunity to tell her husband how difficult it was to carry this heavy load in her abdomen. Sam nodded, “Didn’t we say that we would name our daughter Sophia? What are we going to name the second one, dear?”
“We could name her Olivia, Sam.”
“How did you come up with a name so quickly when it took us forever to pick the first name?”
“I don’t know, Sam. It just came to me. It must be a mother’s instinct.”
Alright, then that it will be, Sophia and Olivia.”
Jenny stayed one night at the hospital, and the day after, Sam drove his new and happy family home. Now there were four in his family.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone