Hope Is What We Crave (#Wattys2016)

Chapter Seventeen- Recovering

Rachel's POV
Things had been mostly normal for the last nine months. Aunt Libby and Uncle Ethan had announced three days ago that they had a baby on the way. And not just one. Twins! If it was a boy, his name was going to be Isaiah Mark. If baby is a girl, Amelia Elisabeth. They were still deciding on names if they had both boys or both girls. Oh, yeah. And there's another miracle that occurred. I was driving mom to the hospital. Yep! I'm sixteen, and I'm going to have a baby sister and baby brother in a few hours! Crystal Melody and David Joel. I'd called dad, who dropped and broke one of our plates when I told him. He met the two of us at the door of the hospital, and they went inside. I headed over to the graveyard, with a bouquet of roses. Yeah. Lucy had committed suicide two weeks after the trial. Maybe it was because she couldn't bear the fact that her parents and other people knew she'd been raped at twelve. I knelt beside her tombstone, brushing the red and gold leaves away. I placed the roses there, crying.

"Hey Lu. I know it's been a few days since I've come. I'm sorry. Crystal and David are coming, and I'm going to tell them about you. It's still kinda strange that I'm 16 and have baby siblings on the way. John and Korey Cooper wrote a song called Lucy, for your mom and dad. They miss you, and I do too. I miss our staying up late watching movies. I miss playing popcorn poker. I miss laughing at how goofy dad looked in Esther and Country Song. I miss watching The Wally Show on YouTube and cracking up at that. I miss you more than words can say. I still don't get why you did that. We were here for you. I wish you hadn't gone through that. I've got to go. Love you, Lucy." I turned around, hands in my pockets, and looking at my feet. I felt like life had stopped since she had died. But then, I got in the car, turned on the radio, and a song that I hadn't heard in forever started playing. Tell Your Heart To Beat Again. I just sat there, and I cried. I had basically put my life on hold because I lost my cousin, my best friend. As I heard this song, I realized I couldn't keep going like that.

As of headed home, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. After nine months, I'd finally been able to let Lucy go. I changed the radio station, and it came to The Wally Show. It was a Cinco De Betty. I loved those. I got home, and just sat in the car, listening to it.

It was a little mean, but at the same time, it was hilarious. It finished, and I went inside, and fell asleep. I woke up three hours later, and heard a knock on the door. I peeked out, and saw Jude and Phoenix grinning at me. I smiled, rubbing my eyes and opening the door.

"Hey! What are you two doing here?" Phoenix pointed to the car. Uncle Luke and Aunt Courtney got out.
"Mama say we come visit. Dat okay?" I picked him up.
"That's fine with me." He kissed my cheek, and Jude hugged my leg.
"Rachel, where Uncle Joel and Aunt Moriah go?" Jude asked, looking around. I let everyone in, and the boys started fighting over who would sit on my lap.

"Hey! You can both sit with me. Stop fighting, or neither of you can." They calmed down, snuggling up beside me.
"David and Crystal are on the way. I dropped mom off at the hospital with dad about four hours ago." Luke chuckled.
"So if they're anything like their sister, it'll still be awhile." I looked at him, confused.
"What? You took about twelve hours. Your mom wanted to sleep for two days after that." I laughed.
"Wow. That's crazy. I was listening to Wally again on the way back." He chuckled.
"Oh really? What was it this time? Another band?" I giggled.
"Nope. Cinco De Betty. Wally vs a bug zapper." Everyone cracked up as I related what happened, and even Jude and Phoenix laughed. I knew they didn't know what was going on. That just made it even more hilarious. I invited them to stay for dinner, and Luke insisted on ordering pizza for us. September 12. My seventeen birthday was in less than a month. That was crazy. Leah was getting back from New York in two weeks. Christmas had been a lot of fun, but the new year had been hard, as Lucy died. When mom and dad first announced that she was pregnant again, I had taken a picture. It was the two of them, each holding a side of an ultrasound picture, and then they had kissed right as I took the picture. Now, it was framed and sitting on the piano. I opened it, and Phoenix came up to me.

"Play something?" I smiled, messing with his hair. I played Music Of The Night, from Phantom Of The Opera. He started playing Hot Cross Buns when I finished, and Jude started playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. So, we had two songs playing at once. Courtney smiled, watching the boys play.

"It's so fun to watch them do this." Then she smiled sadly.
"And sometimes Lucy would start playing Old MacDonald on her cello. They'd fuss at her, and she'd stop, and then start again." I hugged her.
"I miss her, too." She gave me a smile as Luke came back into the living room, holding up two pizza boxes.
"Anyone hungry?" The boys took off, heading for the table. I got plates, glasses, root beer for the adults and me, and milk for the boys. We continued to laugh and talk as we ate. It was amazing to believe that in a few hours, I'd be meeting my baby brother and sister. It was a miracle that mom and Aunt Libby were both having twins. I guess God was blessing us again. After we cleaned up from dinner, and they headed home, I dozed off on the couch, my phone and the house phone beside me. Today had been a pretty good day.

Author's note- Voila! What did you guys think? And to just watch the first and third videos if you haven't already. And if ya have, you can watch again! So funny!! And I know it's unlikely that two people in a family would both have twins at the same time, but it's a fan FICTION. So, Imma do it! Couple more chapters, and then sequel! Hooray!! Love you guys!- Craver_Priceless