Chapter One

“Anita dear, wake up.” Roberts voice interrupted my dream of dancing bottles, babies cries, little footie pajamas, cradles and pastel colored walls with bunnies covering the walls.
“Hmm?” I mumbled disoriented. Robert chuckles, kisses my cheek.
“Wake up sleepy head, its past seven-thirty now.” I opened my eyes; everything was blurry for a moment. Then I could make out his beautiful chiseled face, clear brown eyes, and tousled blond hair, that was spiked with styling gel.
“Wait, seven-thirty?” I ask, sitting up on the couch bewildered for a moment. “But I never take naps.”
“I know, that’s why I’m kinda worried about you. Is there something you’re not telling me?” And then it all comes back to me, the doctor’s visit, the pregnancy test, my mom on the phone. My mouth hangs open, I could have sworn it was all a dream, but then it again if it was a dream it felt awfully real...
“Oh my God, Robert. I’m pregnant.” The words slide off my tongue. He’s stunned, at first I think he’s about to vomit, for his face turned a pale shade of green, but then he’s smiling, white teeth gleaming in the lamp light.
“Oh Anita! This is wonderful! Oh my lord, when did you find out? How long have you known about this? What’s the gender?” He slams me with more questions than I can answer, so I pick the first to answer, simply because it’s the only one I remember.
“I found out only today, love.” I smile sweetly. He leans in and kisses me passionately, I laugh when I feel him smiling. “I have to go back in tomorrow so they can give me prescriptions for vitamins and stuff to take; you can go if you like.” I offer. He hugs me, then springs up and runs to the phone, picks it up begins to dial and then stops.
“Is it okay with you if I tell my mum?” He asks softly. I nod. He dials the rest of the number and puts the phone to his ear. “Oh this is so exciting Anita! Just think! A baby of our own! We get to dress him or her in little onesies and frilly garments and all of this other stuff- oh hullo mum, how are you?” I grin and get up, stretch and walk to the kitchen, better get dinner ready.
-Four Months Later-
Ugh, I cannot stop eating! This being pregnant business is slightly annoying, the eating, random cravings, not being able to sleep, or sleeping too much depends on the day I suppose. I already have a bump. My clothes are beginning not to fit anymore, my pants are a little tight, and my shirts cling to my skin, which annoys me because I hate feeling confined.
I felt bad, I haven’t gone to the doctors since getting my prenatal vitamins, and I was supposed to go in once every month, it’s been four months. I felt selfish too, I know I should go but I’ve been working more and sleeping more, and eating, you guessed it, more. I feel like I just haven’t had the time.
So, I finally picked up the phone and called my doctor’s office and made an appointment. The receptionist scheduled me for the very next day at three. I was excited, I couldn’t wait for Robert to get home so I could tell him, and he can even go. At four and a half months you can get an ultra-sound. See the baby; maybe even find out the gender. Robert came in shortly after the phone call.
“Robert?” I called from the office, I was working on an article about ‘The Effects of Heavy Metals on Children in the U.S.’ for the ‘Current Event’s section of the Onaway Outlook. I had just finished the third paragraph that was talking mostly about the different chemicals that were the main cause of the issue, zinc, copper, magnesium, you know the usual things that can make it so you have the same symptoms of Aspergers, ADD/ ADHD, and can also cause depression, high blood pressure, fatigue and whole barrel of other things too, its pitiful really.
“Anita? Where are you, love?” He called out, it echoed in the halls.
“The office Hun!” I shouted back. Footsteps thudded off the walls and then he was in the doorway, holding a bouquet of red and yellow roses and a heart shaped box of chocolates.
“Awe! You remembered! Thank you!” I practically ran to him, gathering him in a bear hug.
“I love you.” He whispered in my ear, sending chills down my spine.
“I love you more.” I whispered back, giggling. He set down the items on the table next to me and picked me up.
“Whoa! What do you think you’re doing?” I asked laughing, he grinned up at me. Seeing him this happy always made my day.
“You’re light as a feather.” He said lifting me up then down and then back up again.
“Yea right! I’ve gained like ten pounds!” I scoffed. He put me back down, put his hands on the small of my back, I put my arms around his neck, our foreheads touched and we both laughed.
“I have great news Robert.” He cocked his head, we separated and I bounced off to our room.
“What is it? Don’t tease me Anita! It’s not funny!”
“Oh but it is my dear.” I lay down on the bed, trying to look sexy, which didn’t go well considering the bed practically swallowed me. I propped myself up with pillows.
“Tell me, please?” He begged, giving me puppy eyes and pouty lips.
“Hey! That’s cheating and you know it!” He shook his head.
“Fine, I called the doctor’s office today; I have an ultra-sound tomorrow at three.” I beamed; I twirled my hair with my finger, making tiny ringlets with my blond hair that bounced back like a pig’s tail.
“Oh that’s wonderful! I can’t wait! I want to know the gender so badly Anita!”
“You’re telling me! I still have five more months to carry him or her around, I would like to get started on the room soon, and knowing what the gender is will be a big help!”

-Ultra-Sound-
The waiting room was packed today; some people were forced to stand. Finally after almost forty-five minutes of waiting, a nurse came to the door and called my name out. Robert took my hand and we went in together.
“Okay Anita, I’m going to put you in room seven, just down that hall and the last one on the right.” She smiled politely. The room was awfully dark; the table had a thin sheet of white paper on it. And it makes the most annoying crackling noise on the face of the earth when you lay on it.
The machine was on my right, the wand and petroleum jelly lined up next to each other, there were two screens, one on top of the other. One probably for the image, the other I was guessing to show heart rate and other things. Robert looked nervous, his hands were clammy and his eyes were glazed over.
“You okay Robert? You look like you’re going to be sick.”
“Oh yes, I’m fine Anita, don’t worry about it, I’m just a teeny tiny bit nervous is all.” He smiled weakly. I patted his hand gently, the door opened and the Obstetrician came in holding a clipboard. She plucked some gloves out a box on the counter and turned a lap on in the corner.
“Good afternoon Anita, I’m Dr. Hoogenboom and I will be doing the ultra-sound.” She shook my hand.
“I take it this is your husband?” She asked, gesturing towards Robert.
“Yes, I am Robert Ticona, Anita’s husband of three years.” He shook her hand gingerly and smiled meekly.
“Let’s get this show on the road, shall we?” She asked, snapping her glove on her and picking up the jelly tube. I nodded, I couldn’t even talk, I could feel the tears already and I didn’t know a single thing about the baby yet! She squirted some of the jelly on my stomach and rubbed it in with the wand, she flicked the screen on and pressed a button on the keyboard, I looked away, I didn’t want to look yet.
A drumming sound erupted from the speakers, but it wasn’t just one heartbeat, it was multiple heartbeats, I mean obviously mine was in there but it sounded like a marching band to me, a mini one anyways. I glanced at Robert, whose jaw was hanging open.
“What?” Fear filled my tone. He pointed at the screen clapping a hand to his mouth, a tear fell down onto his cheek, and he was smiling so widely that I imagined his face must have hurt.
“Congratulations Mrs. and Mr. Ticona, you are going to be the proud parents of twins.” I must have misheard her, did she say twins? That can’t be possible! And then I remembered something, twins were very common on my dad’s side of the family. I looked at the screen finally, and sure enough.
Two tiny fetuses filled the screen, I smiled as the tears fell, and I laid my head back onto the pillow, overwhelmed with excitement, happiness, and fear. I felt it deep in my soul that the months to come were going to be much harder than I originally thought they were going to be.