The drive to Sara and Peter's home only took about fifteen minutes seeing as they lived just a few miles away from Ben. The closer Ben got to their destination the more nervous Laura became. As Ben drove, he phoned Sara to let them know they were on the way. Little did they know that she would be waiting on the front lawn for the arrival of her sister.
"What's taking them so long, Peter?" Sara asked as she glanced down at her watch for the umpteenth time.
Ben turned left into the long, curved driveway and as he pulled up closer to the house Laura was pointing out things she had remembered, like the tire swing, which hung from the tree in the front yard and the rock garden she and Ben helped construct back when they were teenagers. Although engaged with finding things she'd recognized, she noticed her sister immediately.
"Oh lord! She's as big as a house!" Laura said as the car stopped and Ben shifted into park. Her heart pounded, her hands became clammy and she trembled as Ben opened her car door.
Sara stood anxiously on the lawn in front of Peter; his arms around her waist and her hands clenched against her chest, but as soon as the car stopped they walked quickly toward it. Sara wanted to run, but in her condition, that was obviously impossible.
"Man, is it good to see the two of you!" Peter said as he reached out to hug his brother. Sara paused momentarily, in disbelief that her sister was actually standing right in front of her. With tears in her eyes, Laura reached out and pulled Sara in, hugging her as tight as she could. The two women sobbed, clenching tightly to one another.
The neighborhood was very quiet and just as Peter suggested they take the celebration inside so they don't alarm the neighbors, Sara let out a blood curdling scream and grabbed her stomach. Sara was only eight months pregnant and when the first contraction befell, it scared her to death. Frightened that she did something to harm the baby; Laura ran back to Ben as Peter ran to Sara's side, "Oh honey! What is it?"
"Oh I'm all right Peter. It was just a surprise is all, but I do believe my water just broke," Sara said excitedly, yet rather quiet and breathless after the contraction subsided.
Laura watched in shock as Peter panicked, telling Ben to drive her to the hospital and he would go back into the house and get their other children. Sara laid on the back seat and Laura sat sideways, reaching behind her seat to hold her sister's hand.
"Drive faster Ben!" Laura shouted as Sara began another scream and then panted.
Laura remembered the lamaze classes she went to with her sister when Peter had to work during her first pregnancy. Almost instantly Laura began to count as Sara squeezed her hand tightly. "We're almost there Sara! Hold on!" Laura cried out as Sara's screams of pain continued and her contractions had gotten much closer together.
Ben pulled up to the emergency entrance and Laura ran in to get help. Nurses and the security guard rushed out with a gurney to get Sara into the hospital. Peter pulled in behind Ben just as the hospital staff wheeled Sara through the ER doors.
He ran in to be with his wife, "Ben! Take care of the kids, Please?" Peter shouted as the doors closed behind him. Fumbling with the restraints on the children's car seats Ben cursed under his breath, "What the fuck? How do these things work? Arghhh, " he yelled as the safety belts finally released and the children climbed down.
Laura and Ben took the children into the hospital to wait for their mom, dad and new brother or sister. Bobby, four years old and Linda three years old were tired and slept curled up in chairs as Ben and Laura paced impatiently awaiting any news from Peter or the nurse.
Three hours after they arrived, Peter came into the waiting room with a huge smile across his face, he could barely speak. "So? What's the word big guy?" Ben asked breathless, clenching Laura's hand.
"Well, the doctors definitely missed something, a big something during all those office visits!" Peter said as tears filled his eyes and then he continued. "Y-- you aren't going to..." he stammered, but was interrupted by Ben.
"C'mon man! Will you just spit it out? Is she okay? What did she have?"
Peter sat and took a deep breath as tears rolled down his face. He looked at Ben and Laura, clasped his fingers and put his hands up to his chin. In shock he finally responded, "Twins! A boy and a girl! They are cleaning the babies up now. We can go back and see them in a little while."
Peter finally relaxed in his chair as Ben and Laura congratulated him. Within an hour after the births, the nurse returned and informed them they could go back to see Sara and the babies. Peter woke Bobby and Linda and carried them back to see their mother and their new siblings.
Ben looked into the room, seeing a couple nurses tending to the newborns and Sara's obstetrician checking on her, he told Peter that he and Laura were going to go back home and that they would come back tomorrow. "Sara looks exhausted and besides, the two of you probably want to be alone right now anyway," Ben added.
Peter grabbed Ben by his shirt saying, "Like hell you will. Now get your ass in there and see Sara!" as he pulled him into the room.
"Oh no! I'm sorry, but you can't come in like that." A nurse whispered as she glared at Ben and then at Peter. She rushed over and Ben stopped in his tracks, not quite sure what was the matter.
"Come, follow me," the nurse said as she directed Ben and Laura to a small room opposite the nursery. She handed Ben a sterile gown and booties before handing Laura the same. "Put these on and then you may go visit Mrs. Whitfield and the babies," the nurse said as she walked out of the room. Ben was dressed first and helped Laura because her hands were trembling so much she couldn't get her gown tied.
When they were properly suited, Laura walked into the room. She felt an immediate comfort as she glanced around. The walls, a pleasant pale yellow with stencils of cartoon characters and the baby's beds were even in the room. On the opposite side of Sara's bed sat two white wooden rockers on either side of a large window with a view of the garden.
Laura saw Peter sitting in one of the chairs holding his new son while Sara, still in her bed, held their new daughter. A tear formed in Laura's eye when she saw her sister and she froze in the doorway. Ben walked up behind her and gave her a slight nudge.
"Are you going in or what?" he whispered as he walked around her towards Peter. Sara lay on the bed, looking down at her children, smiling. She still looked exhausted, but very happy with her to older children on the bed beside her and her new daughter in her arms.
