My Michelle.- Complete Story!

Chapter 39 - A Christmas Gift.

Christmas arrived. On the evening of the 23rd December, Paul and Michelle decorated the tree ready to surprise the twins the following day. Christmas Eve was an exciting tingly feeling. Michelle could hardly wait for the following day and seeing the twins opening presents. After a lovely Christmas Dinner and present opening, the twins slept whilst Paul washed and cleared up. Michelle was sat in the living room, half watching something on TV, half asleep. Paul came quietly into the room and sat beside her. Michelle yawned.

"Have a snooze," he said, "I'll listen out for the children."

"Thank you! I need to put my feet up, they're swollen," said Michelle stretching, "Look at them, they're not very glamourous!"

Paul laughed. "It'll go as soon as you've had the baby, don't worry about it. Put your feel up and I'll rub them for you."

Michelle shuffled around until her head was on his knee and her feet on the arm of the sofa.

"Wrong way round." He was laughing.

Michelle yawned again. "Can't be bothered moving! I'm too tired and this is comfy!" She closed her eyes and was soon asleep.

He watched her sleeping. Relieved to see that she was looking relaxed at last instead of always rushing around. He reflected on their lovely day and once more deeply regretted the decisions he had made in his life. Then, once he had absorbed the quiet of the house and relaxed. Time passed slowly and Michelle slept. Paul became aware of noise from upstairs, alerting him to the fact that the twins were now awake. He gently slid himself from Michelle so as not to wake her. After collecting the twins for tea. He left Michelle sleeping. Then, once fed, he took them in to Michelle and placed them gently next to her.

"Mummy," he called softly to wake her, "mummy we want you!"

Michelle opened her eyes. Paul saw how her eyes lit up when she saw the children. She slowly sat up. "Hello you two, mummy had a big sleep like you. Shall we make some tea time now?"

"They've had some," said Paul, "I fed them earlier."

"Oh, thanks!"

"But mummy," he said, grinning, "Kathryn and James have found an extra present under the tree – it says for you. Come on mum – open it."

Michelle took the box off him and looked at the label.

"To the best mummy in the world from Kathryn and James xxx."

She opened the parcel to find a long thin cardboard box. She slid the box open and looked at the contents. It was a picture of the twins, sat with their father, surrounded by the ducks in the park.

"What a beautiful picture. Thank you." She remarked. She stared at it, noticing a sadness around aul's eyes she'd never seen before "Who took it Paul?"

"Our Mike. He came over to London for a visit a few weeks ago. I have a copy too."

After a quiet evening Michelle and Paul retired to bed, in separate rooms, around ten o'clock. Michelle fell asleep almost instantly.

In the early hours she awoke, with pressing need to use the bathroom. On the way back to bed Michelle felt a familiar sensation. She groaned to herself. The first signs that her labour was about to begin. She looked at the clock then lay down and timed each contraction. She knew she had a way to go yet and tried to settle down and possibly sleep. She was disturbed sometime later with a sudden stronger pain. She sat up as a second strong pain hit her. She groaned. This was it. She called to Paul, hoping he could hear her. Within seconds he was in her room.

"I'm in labour," she told him through gritted teeth, "I need to go to hospital."

"What about the twins?"