Snippet from Loving the Astrophysicist! Liam nodded after they drew back, then laid his head against Jareths chest, listening to his heartbeat. They stayed that way until they heard a sound and turned to look. Jamie stood there in the door. Im a father! he said breathlessly, looking unkempt, scared, and elated all at the same time. Jareth and Liam let go of each other and moved to Jamie, who grabbed onto them as they reached out to hug him. Jamie cried as they held him, and Liam found himself in tears as well. Jareth murmured softly, then pulled back. Patty? The baby? Babies, Jamie corrected, laughing. Twins! A boy and a girl! Pattys fine, tired, but fine. Shes asleep already, cause they had to do a C-section. Cmon, you gotta come see my babies. Liam and Jareth hugged and congratulated Jamie, and Liam found himself breathing more easily but very confused. How did you not know that you were having twins? Jamie laughed as they followed him out and to the nursery ward. The doctor thinks she was hiding behind her brother… He shook his head. She says it happens sometimes. The babies are small, and theyll need to be here for at least a week, but she says they should be fine. But what about their lungs? Liam asked as they stopped to look through the window into the nursery. There were a few rows of warming baskets, but only three babies, none of whom looked like Jamie or Patty. Where are they? They have them in the preemie ward, this way, Jamie answered, moving on to another door and entering it. Liam looked around closely, seeing all the latest equipment for caring for premature infants. Nurses bustled back and forth, murmuring softly to babies as they cared for them or taking notes. A nurse came forward, handing them masks, which they all hurriedly put on. Mr Manning, your twins are over here. They are together, right? Liam asked. Because Ive read that twins in natal units do best when kept together, especially when their health may be compromised. The nurse smiled at them. You must be Dr Manning, the brother-in-law. Youre right, research and experience does indicate that unless one has a communicable disease, its best to try to keep twins and other multiple births together as much as possible. Jacob and Janet are right over here. Liam flushed, and to his surprise, the nurse touched his arm gently. Dont be embarrassed, its good that youre aware of what they may need. Liam smiled back as Jareth draped an arm around his shoulders and kissed the top of his head. Jamie grinned. The nurse led them over to a larger incubator, and Liam could see two tiny babies, very red and wrinkly looking. They both appeared to have some kind of waxy substance on their skin, and he remembered that was normal, that it protected their fragile skin from the amniotic fluid before birth. They were tiny, tinier than he would have expected, even for being premature. He watched as the nurse directed Jamie to put his now gloved hands into the incubator to touch them gently. When did Jamie get gloves? Arent they beautiful? Jamie asked softly, staring at his children as he touched them, tracing his fingers over their faces as they slept. Both had little tubes that ran into their noses. Yes they are, someone else answered. Liam looked to see a tall man come forward. Im Dr Hearst, the obstetric pediatrician. Jamie looked at him but didnt withdraw his hands. How are they? Well, other than their lungs being a little undeveloped, they are in perfect health. A little underweight, but again, thats because theyre early. A little time and TLC, theyll be just fine. They will need to be monitored, of course, and I will recommend a specialist for that before they leave the hospital. Theyll be able to go home just as soon as their lungs catch up, the doctor answered as he stopped on the other side of the incubator. Liam watched, listening as Jamie asked more questions and the doctor or nurse answered, then Jamie gestured toward Liam and Jareth both. Cmon, you can touch them. The nurse held out a box of gloves to them. Liam looked up at Jareth, terrified. They were so tiny. Surely, they shouldnt be handled too much? Jareth smiled. Its okay, baby. You wont hurt them. Ive never touched a baby before, Liam answered nervously. He took a pair of gloves and put them on, looking nervously at Jamie, who smiled. Sure you have, Liam, Jamie answered. You took care of Empress when she was a kitten. Youve handled Princess and the other kittens just fine. Its the same idea, brother. Warmth went through Liam, as it always did when Jamie called him brother. Jareths family had wholeheartedly accepted Liam into their ranks, never making him feel unimportant or lacking. They never tried to make him feel like Loren had been a better husband to Jareth than Liam, either. In the years he and Jareth had been married, Liam had finally learned what true family was like. Tentatively, he stepped up to the incubator, put his hands inside, and touched Jacobs foot. He assumed it was Jacob because the baby had a blue cap on his head, while the other had a pink one. The babys foot felt incredibly fragile as he touched it, then he reached to trace over the babys leg and gently grasped his little hand, smiling when the babys fingers curled around his. Carefully, he reached to touch Janet, grinning when her fingers curled around his just as her brothers had done. A few minutes later, Jareth traded places with him, and he watched his husbands face light up with tenderness as he admired the twins. Suddenly, he wondered about that. Jareth, do you want children? he asked, without considering that maybe they should talk about this privately. Jareth looked at him and didnt even blink, just smiled. Liam could tell by the way Jareths eyes crinkled at the sides. Its something to talk about later.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 18:33:51 +0000