Guns & Roses

Tatiana

I woke up with the strong desire to eat hash browns. I glanced at the digital clock near our bed and noted that it was 2 in the morning.

Getting up was a huge feat considering my growing belly. I was almost nine months and my due date can come anytime.

Dimitri stirred awake and was up in a second, his stance rigid.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“Nothing. I just want hash browns” I said.

“Seriously Tatiana? It’s two in the morning, go to sleep” he said.

“I can’t. I need my hash browns” I argued.

He let out a frustrated sigh and got out of bed, his muscular chest in full display as I stared at it.

“Do you still want your hash browns?” He asked teasingly. He obviously saw how I practically checked him out.

Snapping out of my hormone induced thoughts, I carefully got up and slipped on my silk bathrobe. My breasts were quite swollen and ever since we got the go signal from the good doctor, my sexual drive was more intense than usual. Dimitri wasn’t complaining either.

We were at it like bunnies but I just blame it on the hormones and my irresistible boyfriend.

Dimitri guided me towards the hallway as we took the stairs one step at a time. We were advised that walking was good and that I should squeeze in more physical activities as I could.

When we finally reached the last step, I was tired. When we neared the kitchen, we saw light illuminate from the outside.

Dimitri suddenly guided me to his back as he signaled me to be quiet. I rolled my eyes at his protectiveness.

When he walked towards the kitchen, a swoosh sounded off as he caught a knife between his hand.

“What the fuck Viktor?!”

“Oh. It’s you” Viktor mumbled as he bit his bagel.

"Oh it’s you? It could have been Tatiana you asshole!” Dimitri was seething.

I grabbed hold of his arm as he calmed down.

“Come on Dimi, you know I would have caught it other way” I teased.

Dimitri let out another frustrated sigh. “That’s not the point. And stop siding with him!” He said.

“Yeah, she’s right Dimi" Viktor teased.

As Viktor mentioned that name, Dimitri threw the knife back at Viktor but he merely caught it with ease.

“Dimitri!”

“What?”

“I can’t deal with this!” I said as I threw my hands up.

I went straight for the fridge and rummaged through it’s wide and odd range of food.

When my food cravings started, Dimitri immediately took me to the market to buy all sorts of food. Some, I haven’t even tried.

“Here you are!” I squealed in delight as I saw the the pack of hash browns.

“Come on, give it to me, I’ll cook it for you” Dimitri said as he tore open the packaging and I struggled to sit on the high chair.

Seeing my struggle, Viktor was immediately by my side helping me on the chair.

“You’re so..”

“Fucking finish that word Viktor and I’ll be the one to stuck that knife up where the proverbial sun doesn’t shine” I spat.

“You’re more scarier than usual too” he said as he sat down next to me.

“It’s the hormones” Dimitri quipped.

“Try carrying two babies inside of you” I retorted.

Yes, we have twins. One boy and one girl. Believe me, Dimitri was in more shock than I was when we came for my monthly check up.

“Here you go my love” Dimitri said as he handed me the golden hash browns.

“Thank you Dimi!” I said as I dug through my salted hash browns. The salty taste satisfying my craving.

“Hmm” I closed my eyes in my small delight but then I stopped chewing as I opened my eyes in shock.

“What’s wrong?” Dimitri asked, worry etched on his handsome face.

“Eww!” Viktor shouted from beside me.

“Why did you pee Tatiana?” He said as he step out from his seat. Turns out he had one foot near on my foot rest.

“Come on, let me help you to the bathroom” Dimitri urged.

“I did not pee you idiots! My water just broke!” I shouted.

Like a bucket of ice cold water poured on them, they both scrambled to their feet. One was searching for the car keys while the other one was alerting the whole damn house.

Pulling out some tissue, I cleaned myself up a little and got down from the chair. Getting the baby bag from the foyer, I made my way outside and unlocked Dimitri’s audi.

I threw the bag on the back and sat myself.

“If they aren’t here in 30 seconds I’ll fucking drive myself to the hospital”

If only the infirmary was equipped with the necessary machines for complicated births like mine, we didn’t have to check ourselves in a different hospital. And Dr. Moore was a surgeon, not an OB.

Suddenly the door to the driver’s seat opened and Dimitri sat himself. I tossed him the car keys and he scrambled to put the keys on the ignition. I rolled my eyes at him and in came idiot #2. Viktor sat himself and pulled his seatbelt.

“Are you okay?” He asked me frantically.

“I’m ok- Ahhh” I said as I felt the first contractions.

“Shit” Dimitri muttered as we drove off.

Dimitri was driving like a maniac while Viktor’s soothing words did not offer any help. He just looked liked a hyperventilating blubber fish.

When we arrived at the hospital, I was an angry, emotional, and not to mention sweaty mess. They wheeled me in where they led me straight to the delivery room.

The doctor examined how far I was and when she gave the go signal that I was ready to push, I was frightened.

“You’re ready to push Tatiana. When I say push, just take a deep breath and push your hardest okay?” She said, smiling assuringly.

I was not assured at all.

“You can do it baby” Dimitri said as he kissed my forehead.

“This is all your fu- AHH”

“Alright, Push!”

I pushed my hardest while I was gripping Dimitri’s arm for dear life.

“Push harder!” The doctor shouted.

I gave it my all and then a beautiful sound broke away my pain.

“It’s a boy” the doctor said. “Now, for the second one”

“Oh dear lord” I breathed heavily.

“Just one more baby, come on” Dimitri said encouragingly.

“Push!”

I pushed but the doctor’s face did not assure me at all.

“I need you to put all your efforts in this push Tatiana. Or else we might have to do an emergency c-section”

I nodded my head and sent a little prayer up above.

“Alright, PUSH!”

“AHHHH” just then, the room was filled with a baby’s crying voice and I had tears in my eyes.

“Congratulations, you both have a beautiful boy and a girl” the doctor said as she and the nurse brought my two beautiful babies at my side.

“Hi my babies” I whispered. I felt happiness but deep down I also felt something terribly wrong.

The machine beside me beeped loudly as the room suddenly turned into chaos.

“Get the babies out! Sir, I need you to leave”

“No way! Tatiana!”

“If you want us to save her you need to leave” the doctor said as she stood her ground.

Dimitri’s worried face was the last thing I saw before darkness clouded my vision.

***

Someone was weeping. I tried opening my eyes and the brightness was too much. Blinking the sleepiness away, I saw Dimitri holding my hand, his face stained with tears.

“Hey”

His head snapped up so fast and his eyes were wide as saucers.

“Don’t cry Dimi, the other guys might see you” I teased, my voice still small.

“Goddamnit Tatiana. Don’t ever do that again! I thought I lost you” he said, his voice cracking.

I can’t help but let the tears flow as I opened my arms. Dimitri laid his arms around me gently as I kissed his head comfortingly.

“I’m here. I’m here. I won’t leave you and the babies” I whispered.

“Where are they?” I asked.

“The room beside this. Viktor and the others are guiding them. Abram is also here” Dimitri explained.

He was still clutching my hand so tight. I brought it t my lips and kissed his knuckles.

“I’m sorry if I scared you. I’m alright now, see?”

“You lost a lot of blood Tatiana, you were close to dying and I can’t bear the thought of loosing you”

“I won’t leave you. I promise. Now, let me see our babies”

When the nurses ushered the babies in their acrylic cribs, I can’t control how big my smile was.

They handed both babies to me, and as challenging as it was to hold two babies at one time, I didn’t mind it one bit.

“What are we going to name them?” I asked Dimitri.

“Liliana” he said referring to our princess.

“Nicholas” I said gesturing towards our dashing baby boy.

“They’re perfect” I said adoringly.

“Thank you Tatiana. For everything” Dimitri said as he kissed my lips.

“I love you too, Dimi” I said smiling.