Disclaimer: You guys know the story by now. I don't know them personally. This story is pure fiction. If you are too young or stories of this type are offensive to you, please read no further.
This is it guys. The final chapter. I just want to take a minute to thank some people. First of all, my best friend and editor, Scor. He spent HOURS finding my mistakes. Trust me, there were plenty. Of course, thanks to Nifty. Where would we all be without them. Lastly, thanks to all of you that read the story and especially those who took the time to email me. Your feedback is more important than you realize.
If you liked this story, look for Starting Line-Up. I think it will be in the "first encounters" area, but I'm not sure. If you are interested, let me know and I'll email you when I post the first chapter.
Comments to dannibailey@hotmail.com
Chapter14
The next 12 hours took their toll on all of you. Other than an occasional nap in one of the waiting room chairs, you had now been awake for 36 hours. You were tired, hungry and worried. The updates from Dr. Albright had brought little comfort. The contractions had slowed somewhat but had not subsided and you could see in his eyes that he wasn't expecting that to change.
It was 7:45 you noted as you checked your watch for what seemed like the hundredth time in the past hour. You headed down to the cafeteria for yet another cup of coffee, wondering just how long caffeine would sustain you.
"You guys want another cup?"
Neither were interested. Not that you blamed them. You were sick of it too, but at this point it was a necessary evil.
As you left the waiting room, you saw Dr. Albright at the nurses' station.
"Any news?" you asked, knowing full well if there was you would have gotten an update.
"I'm going to check on her now. According to her chart there hasn't been any change in the past hour, but if you give me ten minutes, I'll fill you guys in."
You bypassed the coffee and went back to the waiting room.
"Steve is checking on her now. He should be down in a few minutes."
They both nodded; too tired to give a verbal response.
The ten minutes turned into 15, then 20 and finally after a half an hour, Dr. Albright joined you in the waiting room.
His voice was serious but calm. "Okay guys, here's where we stand. The medication isn't working like I was hoping it would. It's only postponing the inevitable. The boys aren't cooperating."
Justin buried his head in his hands; obviously disappointed with the news.
"We did manage to take a sample from each of the twins, so that we could determine the oxygenation of their blood. The larger of the two twins appears to be doing fine, but the smaller one is showing some signs of stress. I can't hold off any longer. I've taken her off the medication and I gonna let nature take its course. Postponing the delivery any further is putting the smaller twin at more risk."
"What about Britney?" Joey asked immediately.
"She's doing great. She slept pretty well last night and as far as the delivery goes this should be easy on her. The twins are small and I don't expect any complications as far as she is concerned."
"And the twins?" you asked cautiously.
"Let's just say I'm cautiously optimistic. Right now they are doing okay, but delivery is traumatic. Anything could happen and making predictions at this point would be foolish."
The room was dead silent.
Dr. Albright continued. "I have a team standing by. The boys will get the best possible care. I'm having her moved to a room that's better equipped to handle this type of situation, so once that's taken care of you guys are welcome to stay with her from here on out."
He looked over to you and Justin with some concern.
"Neither of you two have been in a delivery room have you?"
You and Justin both shook your heads.
"You gonna be okay in there?"
"We'll be fine." Justin stated confidently.
"Good! There's gonna be a lot going on in there. I have a full staff for the delivery and another staff waiting to take care of the boys as soon as they're born."
He winked at Justin.
"The last thing I need it to have deal with is a daddy who gets woozy in the delivery room. I'm gonna have my hands full, so if you feel faint let one of the nurses know."
It was nothing like you could have imagined. Bright lights, ten different conversations going on at once, and Justin calmer than you have ever seen him. The two of you were standing on one side of Britney with Joey on the other, squeezed closely next to members of Dr. Albright's staff.
"Britney, you need to work with me sweetheart. I know you're tired, but just a few more pushes and you got it made."
"I can't."
Justin held Britney's hand tightly. "Yes you can Brit. Don't quit now."
Moments later, Dr. Albright held the first of the two twins in his gloved hands. There was no sound, just a gray lifeless body. You could see the panic in Justin's eyes and the sinking feeling in your stomach. Calmly he turned the baby face down in the palm of his hand and rubbed his hand vigorously up and down his back. Immediately, a tiny whimper could be heard which soon turned into a loud cry.
"There we go" he announced. "He just needed a little help getting started. I guess we can assume there's not much wrong with his lungs!"
He handed your newborn son to one of the many nurses waiting to care for the tiny infant.
"I need to put an ID bracelet on him. Do we have a name for this little guy?"
Justin was beaming. "Yes ma'am. It's Anthony Justin." He looked at you unable to contain his excitement. "Anthony Justin Martin"
Dr. Albright smiled. "Okay guys back to business. One down and one to go.
He looked to a member of his staff who was monitoring the remaining twin and asked, "How's he doing?"
He shook his head. "Not real good. His blood pressure is bottoming out and his heartbeat is shallow."
Justin panicked. "Dammit, do something!" he shouted loudly.
You could see the anger in Steve's eyes. "Shut-up Justin! I don't need your input right now. One more word and you're out of here."
There was no mistaking that the doctor had meant what he said and Justin knew it. Justin stepped back and took few deep breaths trying to recoup his composure. He realized an apology was in order but that would have to wait. Right now his only concern was your unborn son.
"I've got him!" Dr. Albright announced loudly.
Immediately all eyes were on the tiny form. Again there was no sound. This time Steve made no attempt to revive him, but instead handed him over quickly to the intensive care nurse.
"He's gonna need help. He's not gonna breathe on his own."
She laid him on a nearby able and while she took a stethoscope to his tiny chest, a doctor inserted a tube down his throat, hooking him to a respirator that would supply his lungs with oxygen.
"I'm not getting a pulse."
Dr. Albright wasted no time. He reached for a syringe of epinephrine off of the instrument table and inserted the needle into the motionless infant.
His frail body twitched as the stethoscope was again placed on his chest, and a huge smile covered the nurse's face.
"That did it. There's a heartbeat!"
There was a collective sigh of relief in the room and you could feel Justin's knees cave as he turned and held you tightly. Your vision was blurred with the tears filling your eyes and the `congratulations' of the hospital staff sounded far off in the distance.
When he finally let you go, Justin's turned his thoughts to Britney. He leaned close to her and ran his hand gently along her cheek.
"Thank you sweetheart. You have no idea how much I love you right now."
She smiled, wondering if he knew that at any time in the past eighteen years she could have said the same thing to him. He was her first love. Little had changed in those eighteen years.
"I love you too, Justin." She lifted her head and kissed him quickly. "Now, go check on your boys. That's where you belong right now."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. I'm fine. Joey's gonna stay with me."
She turned her head and your eyes met as a single tear ran down her cheek. "Take care of my boys, okay Gary?"
You were overcome with emotion as the full meaning of her words struck home.
"I will Brit. Thank you."
Twenty four hours later, your world was an entirely different place. David Cole, the second born and tiniest of the two twins was now breathing on his own. He had even managed a tiny cry, which had brought cheers from the PICU staff and had nearly broken Justin's heart.
So far, only the two of you and Britney had been allowed in the nursery to see the boys, but you had been promised if they continued to improve that the first official viewing' and family portrait could take place later today.
Donned in the obligatory green hospital scrubs, you and Justin had spent the night keeping a watchful eye on your two young sons, talking to them softly and gently touching them through the small opening of the incubators. It was killing the both of you to be unable to hold them, but Dr. Albright had advised against it and Lynn had made you promise to hold off until the moment could be captured on film.
"I still can't believe how tiny they are" Justin commented. "AJ only weighed 4lb 9oz when he was born and he looks huge next to David."
"I know" you concurred "but when you only weigh 4 pounds everything is huge in comparison."
Justin laughed. "Yeah, I was thinking we should have named him after Chris.
I wonder if he was a runt when he was born."
You shook your head. "No, I don't think so. I'm convinced that all those years of beating off before he met Danni stunted his growth."
Justin was laughing loudly when Dr. Albright entered the nursery.
"Well, its nice to see you guys laughing. I know the past 48 hours has been a roller coaster for all of you."
"Can we hold them now?" Justin asked impatiently.
Dr. Albright looked at you grinning. "He's not much of a conversationalist is he?" I'm trying to make small talk and he's totally blowing me off."
"He's kinda got a one track mind."
"I can see that. And to answer your question Justin, yes you can. Britney is on her way down now and when you three are ready I'll open up the nursery curtains so the crowd in the waiting room can take a peak at them too."
"There's a crowd out there?" you asked fearing the press had overtaken the hospital.
"Well, they say they're all related to you guys but I have my doubts. I do know that some guy named Lonnie said whoever was in the waiting room had his okay to stay and I wasn't about to argue with him."
The nursery door opened slowly and Britney giggled softly as she looked at the twins. "Lordy, they are just the cutest things in the world aren't they?"
"Yeah, they are" you agreed.
"So are you ready to hold them?" she asked beaming.
Justin could never remember being so nervous. "I think so," he said biting his lower lip.
Dr Albright pulled back the curtain, allowing your family and friends to see your sons for the first time. He had been right. There was definitely a crowd. Your moms of course, were right up front dying for a glimpse of their new grandsons. Danni and Alyssa were squealing like teenagers, Josh and Danny were holding Mandi and Kyle who had no chance of seeing their new siblings without being lifted above the crowd and Lance and Joey were helping Steve, who as usual was armed with photography equipment. There were others of course who had meant so much and you and Justin over the years. Carson, Wade and Aaron stared in amazement, while Lonnie took turns raising each of the smaller `NSYNC kids' high enough so they too could look at the newest additions.
Dr Albright opened the first incubator and Britney reached in and lifted up tiny AJ. Carefully, she placed him in Justin's waiting arms. He walked over to you, waiting for David to be placed in your arms before turning toward the window allowing everyone a closer look.
You would have thought the constant flashing would have disturbed the twins, but they were obviously content in the comfort or their fathers' warm embrace.
"You know, I normally wouldn't allow this, but I just have to have a picture of this family." Dr. Albright stood at the door to the nursery with a tiny hand in each of his. "I had no idea that these adorable little ones were yours."
Justin grinned widely. "Yep, we're the parents of four now. I think we have our hands full."
The doctor looked down at Mandi who within seconds had managed to pull his stethoscope out of his coat pocket.
"Oh, I think you already had your hands full."
You and Justin sat down in two rocking chairs so that Mandi and Kyle could have a close up look.
Mandi gently touched AJ's tiny hand. "Mandi's babies" she announced.
Justin kissed her forehead. "Yeah, they're Mandi's babies."
Steve tapped lightly on the glass and motioned for you and Justin to come close to the glass. As you did, he turned his camera around so that the LCD screen was facing you and Justin and he showed you the first picture of your new family. He had caught Justin just as he was kissing Mandi and David Cole had his tiny hand wrapped around Kyle's finger as you watched in amazement.
It was priceless. A family portrait that you would treasure forever.
No, on second thought what you would treasure was standing next to you. The man who stole your heart and filled your life with love and a sense of excitement that was beyond your wildest dreams.
What you would treasure forever, was Justin.
THE END