29. Peyton

29

In a matter of days, I'm going to be a mom. The countdown is on and very real, and tonight is one of the last times it'll ever be Elle and me, doing nothing but watching movies. It's not going to matter what the movie is, we'll both cry because everything makes us cry these days. We can't help it. We're emotional but after tonight, we're going to be different. Our lives will have forever changed. But tonight, we're two very pregnant sisters who are going to veg out on the oversized reading chair my husband bought me, and just be.

Elle waddles into the room and collapses dramatically onto my new chair. She thinks she's big, but she's nothing compared to me. "I'm tired of being pregnant," she says with a sigh. "I mean, I'm not, but I am."

"You're preaching to the choir," I tell her. "But I don't want it to be over. It feels like it's too soon."

"It is," she says. She kicks her shoes off and then maneuvers next to me. Within seconds, our mom comes into the room with a bowl of popcorn and two bottles of water. Both moms are here, on standby, to help us go to the bathroom when needed. Which is honestly too many times to count during the day. I don't know what I would do or would've done without Josie being at my beck and call twenty-four-seven. My mom was here when she could be, but with the adoption of Oliver not yet final, she hated being away, and the rambunctious toddler is a lot to handle right now.

Elle's next to me, with a bowl of popcorn between us. She takes a few pieces, sticks them in her mouth, and then throws a handful at me. Normally, I wouldn't care, but we're sleeping here and it's not like I can easily roll over to get rid of popcorn kernels. Stevie Nicks appreciates her aunt's gestures though.

My sister turns her head and looks at me. "Are you scared?"

I do the same, facing her. "No," I say and then add. "Sort of."

"They're going to cut you open, P." She reaches for my hand and holds it.

"I know but this scar will be different. I want this one."

"I wish things were different."

"If they were, I wouldn't have the triplets. I don't think I'd change anything right now because I'm getting them. As painful and scary the accident was, it brought me Noah and now the babies. I really can't imagine my life any differently."

"You almost died on me."

"It's going to take a lot more than an accident to get rid of me, Elle. I'm forever going to be a thorn in your side as your big sister."

Elle sets her hand on my stomach and feels one of the boys kick. "He's going to be a hell of a drummer," she says. "And this guy," she moves her hand a bit higher. "I have a feeling he's going to be a poet or writer, someone who's laid back and just chill all the time." Elle slides her hand over to our girl. "And my niece, she's going to be fierce and determined to outshine her brothers and I'm going to help her every bit of the way."

I place my hand over hers. "The only girl among the boys."

"The instant princess. This little girl isn't going to have to ever lift a finger. There isn't a man in this family who won't dote on her."

"She's going to be spoiled."

Elle nods. "By me as well. I can't wait for her to be old enough to go shopping."

"Noah's ready for them to be three already so we can take them to Disney."

Elle puts her hand under her pillow. "Do you remember when Dad took us?"

I nod even though my memories are fuzzy. "The first time I remember parts of it. I think when we went around ten or eleven, I remember those trips better and definitely when we've tagged along with Ajay and Jamie to take the kids. I'm ready for us to do something like that with our babies."

Elle smiles. "They'll kick us out with our entourage because you know Mom and Dad will have to come with us. Josie and Liam will be there, too. Knowing our parents, they'll hire a videographer to capture every moment."

"Dad's ready to be a grandpa."

"Do you think Mom is?" Elle asks.

"Yes, I am," we hear her yell from the other room. We both roll our eyes.

"Are you going to name one of the boys Mason?" Elle asks.

I shrug. "We haven't decided on names yet."

"Peyton! You're having them in two days. They need names."

"I know." I groan and cover my face. "Nothing sounds right, and I only get one shot at this because I'm not doing this again, so they have to be perfect. We'll know what they're names are when we hold them."

"Noah Jr.?"

I shake my head. "No. He doesn't want a junior."

"Well, I think little miss would make a fine Elle Jr."

I laugh hard and have to hold my stomach to keep it in place. "Of course you would."

My sister shrugs.

"You could go all out with Elle Paige."

"I could or I could take a page out of Breaking Dawn and do something like Joskate."

Elle laughs. "No, LynJo."

"Okay, then one of the boys could be Pagison."

Neither of us can hold our laughter and it only gets worse when I yell, "I gotta pee!" Our mom and Josie come running. I don't need both of them to help me, but Josie is used to doing it and I know my mom wants to be the one.

When I come back, Elle's eyes are closed. Mom helps me into my spot and adjusts my pillows. She kisses my forehead and then tells the babies she loves them.

"Soon you can say it to them."

"I know I can't wait," she says as she moves my hair away from face. "Sleep now because you're going to need it. I love you."

"Love you, too."

When I returned to Beaumont to live, doing so put me in a conundrum with my obstetrician. With Dr. Ringman being in California I would have to find a new one in Beaumont or somehow make it back there to deliver the triplets. With Nick's help, I found a new one and I love her to pieces.

While the sun still sleeps, Dr. Harmon greets us at the entrance of the hospital. I'm in a wheelchair and hate it, but the weight of the babies hurts my hips and it's painful to walk. Noah offers to carry me however I don't need him straining a muscle and missing more time than he is now.

The saving grace when it comes to having triplets is I'm being induced. This means we were able to choose a date that coincides with Noah's schedule. Luckily for us, he's off for a few days due to the holiday and when he returns to Portland, he'll be a dad.

Sounds like a damn good few days off to me.

"Good morning, Peyton. Noah." Dr. Harmon leans to the side slightly. "And the rest of their family."

Yes, I'm the one who comes to the hospital with my family in tow. I don't know why I thought Noah and I would do this by ourselves. What a silly notion, especially with the family we have.

We follow Dr. Harmon down the corridor and into the elevator. Not everyone can fit so they take another elevator. Noah's behind me, with my parents on each of my sides, while Elle rests against the wall with her ever growing belly taking up space. I'm thankful Ben said he'd come later. I worry about him getting enough rest with the lifestyle Elle keeps. I told Elle she didn't have to come. Noah would call her after I had the babies and could have visitors, but she insisted. It's the same with my grandpa and Bianca. They're here so they don't have to wait for news on their first great grandchildren.

Somehow, the rest of our family beats us to the floor. I think about making a fat joke, but Elle's cranky in the morning and I don't want to hear it from her.

Dr. Harmon leads us to my room. It's private and something Noah stressed we needed. I'm not certain but I think either Liam, my dad, or the band donated money to this wing because they didn't make a fuss when my husband made the request.

We get to the end of the hall and Dr. Harmon stops. "The private waiting room is here," she says as she points into a room. And the guard will stand here."

"Guard?" I question.

"Just so we have privacy, Peyton," Liam says.

I understand, but then I don't. We're in Beaumont. No one should bother us here.

"I'm going to take Peyton, get her changed, and go over the procedure with her and Noah, and then you may come in," she says as she looks at me. "If Peyton wants you in there."

"See that, I'm in charge."

Elle cackles.

"After surgery, she'll be in recovery and then she'll be able to take a visitor or two at a time. However, I need you all to remember, there are women on this floor in active labor, and some who have given birth. Unless the babies are in the NICU, they are in the rooms with their mother's. Please keep your voices low."

"I feel like we've been scolded." I hear my father say to Liam. Leave it to these two to make jokes right now.

Dr. Harmon doesn't wait for them to agree before she motions for Noah to continue pushing me into the room. There are blue and pink roses on the nightstand and a banner that reads: Welcome Westbury Babies, hanging from one corner of the window to the other.

"Isn't this a bit premature?"

"I think our moms wanted you to feel the love before you had them," Noah says into my ear.

"Okay, Peyton. We're going to get you changed and hooked up to these monitors."

Noah helps and takes advantage of seeing my bump for one last time. "I'm going to miss this," he says as he kisses my stretched skin. "But knowing I get to hold them today is pretty freaking awesome."

"Yeah, it is."

Noah leads me to the bed and helps me get settled. A nurse comes in and tells me she's going to start an IV. I've been poked and prodded so many times, needles don't bother me as much as they used to. Still, Noah has me focus all my attention on him.

"Can you believe these three still don't have names?"

"I know. Does that . . ." I take a deep inhale when the needle pinches my skin. "Are we going to be bad parents?"

"Nope," he says as he shakes his head. "As long as we call them something one, two, and three, we'll be okay."

"It's Thing One," I tell him.

"Nah, I'm sure that's trademarked or something. We need to come up with our own moniker for them."

"Elle says boy A is going to be a drummer."

"He can be whatever he wants as long as he's healthy."

"They're healthy," I tell him. He wasn't in town when I had to get the steroid shots to help their lungs develop before today. "Dr. Harmon is convinced they're done cooking."

"She would know, right?"

"She would."

I'm so busy focusing on Noah, I don't realize until I hear the sound of rushing horses echoing in the room.

"Those are some strong heartbeats," Dr. Harmon says. "What do you say we go meet these three?"

Noah and I nod as my bed is pulled away from the wall and heading toward the door. I expect to see our immediate family, including Nick and the kids. But when I see Quinn, I start to cry. Elle told me not to expect him because of the tour.

"Quinn," I cry out as I reach for him.

"Hey, kiddo. You didn't think I'd miss your big moment, did you?"

"Elle said?—"

"Sometimes I like to keep you in suspense." Elle interrupts. "Now go have those babies because someone has to get back for his show tomorrow."

Quinn rolls his eyes. "I'll be here when you're out. I'm not leaving until I've met my niece and nephews."

"We'll be back soon," Noah says.

We continue down the hall. I'm taken into one room, while Noah follows a nurse into another. I look around in a panic and pause when I see three cradles in the corner, each with three nurses. They're waiting for my babies. I close my eyes, afraid I'm about to hyperventilate if I watch what everyone is doing around me.

I smell Noah before I hear him. "Open your eyes," he says.

He's sitting next to me, dressed in a blue gown, but with a pink hat. "They had both colors. I couldn't pick."

"Are you ready for this?"

He nods.

"I've never been more ready for anything since I said I do."

"Peyton, we're going to start now," Dr. Harmon says. I give her a nod and keep my eyes on my husband as he takes my hand and squeezes it.