Meet the Howlters

Two

YEAR: 2047

[Delilah's POV]

Winston: you ready to go?
Delilah: yeah. Just let me make up an excuse. I'll be right over

"Hey Joe," I called.
"Yeah, babe?"
"Winnie and I are going out for lunch. Can you watch Fiona?"
"Do I have a choice in the matter?"
"No, you do not,"
"Alright, see you in a few hours,"
"Bye," I said as I walked out. I walked across the street and got into Winston's car, which was waiting for me in his driveway. "Let's go,"
"Alright."

***

"Hi, Delilah Howlter. One o'clock ultrasound with Dr. Stevens,"
"You're late," the receptionist mumbled, snapping her gum. "Room 208,"
"Thank you," I sighed.

Winston and I made our way to the room and, thankfully, the doctor wasn't too mad that I was late. She just had me raise my shirt a bit and unbutton my jeans so the appointment could be over and done with. She spread the warm gel over my stomach and flashed me a smile before pressing the camera to my belly.

"How are you today, Delilah?" she asked.
"I'm fine. Yourself?"
"Not bad," she said. "How far along are you?"
"Eleven weeks,"
"Okay, let's take a look at your baby, shall we?" She smiled as she entered a few things into her computer and started moving the 'camera' around. "Listen," she whispered as she stopped on the left side of my stomach. "I got something," she beamed. "Heartbeat sounds steady and healthy,"
"That's always good," I chuckled.

She continued moving the instrument around for a bit, sliding it back and forth for a minute or two before she froze.

"Is everything okay?" Winston asked.
"Listen," she smirked.
"It's the baby's heartbeat," I raised a brow. "Is there something wrong with it?"
"Delilah, honey, look where the camera is,"

I sat up a little and glanced down at my stomach, only to reveal her holding the camera on the opposite side of my stomach. She looked over to her computer and slid it back to the left; a slightly faster heartbeat came through the speakers.

"Look," she moved the screen so it could face me. "Here's one," she pointed; then she moved the camera over. "There's another,"
"Oh my god," I gasped. My eyes started to tear up as I cupped my mouth and silently sobbed. "I-I'm gonna have two babies..."
"Congrats Dil," Winston said as he pat my shoulder.
"Miss Howlter, I should inform you that this is very normal. Twins do tend to get pregnant with at least one set of twins,"
"Why?"
"It's just a genetic thing. For you guys, it would be a heterozygous recessive trait," she explained.
"So, if I got my girlfriend pregnant, there's a good chance she could have twins?" Winston asked.
"Correct,"
"Whoa..."
"So, Delilah, would you like a few pictures of your kids?"
"Yeah, I guess," I shrugged.
"I'll print them out for you and you can lean yourself off," she said as she handed me a tissue.
"Thanks," I sighed.
"You don't seem too thrilled," Winston said.
"Cause I'm not," I mumbled.
"Here you go, Miss Howlter,"
"Thank you," I smiled. "Let's go."

***

"Miss, what would you like to drink?" The waiter asked.
"Water, please,"
"Will do," he mumbled. "I'll be right back,"
"Thank you," we said.
"Wanna talk about it?"
"Nope,"
"You have to, eventually,"
"Fine, I sighed. "I'm not happy about this for several reasons,"
"Name three,"
"One: Joe and I have no money. We literally both just started working and I only make £30,000 a year... Joe only makes £20,000. That is not enough to support three children. Two: we are running out of room in the house. There's Fiona's room, my room, the guest room, and the play room. Three: Joe and I work full time. Fiona goes to school then, dad and bear take care of Lyd while you're out job hunting. We can't exactly stick them with two more children and god knows we don't have the money to send them to daycare. My life is crumbling before my eyes, Winston... I'm scared and I don't know what to do,"
"Have dad and bear help you with daycare o-or they can just take the kids. Jenny makes a lot of money and she loves me a lot so, I don't think she would mind chipping in some money to pay for daycare. Give your kids to dad and bear while you work so you save money,"
"But then your house will be really crowded," I frowned.
"Here are your drinks," the waiter interrupted.
"Thank you," I smiled, weakly.
"What would you guys like to eat?"
"The steak looks really good," I commented. "Y'know what, I'll just take the antipasto salad with Italian dressing,"
"Okay, and for you, sir?"
"Fish and chips," he mumbled.
"Okay," he said as he walked away.
"Fish and chips? How bloody British of you, Winston,"
"Shut up, the fish here is really good,"
"Mhmm, I bet," I said. "I'm gonna steal some to most of your chips,"
"That's why I got them. You know how much I hate chips,"
"Yeah, I know, you're weird,"
"Shut up," he laughed.
"So, how are you and Jenny doing?" I asked as I sipped my water.
"I'm gonna ask her to marry me,"
"What!" I yelled as I started choking.
"Yeah, look," he calmly said as he placed a little box on the table.

I rolled my eyes and snatched the tiny black box. I opened it and gazed at rather expensive looking ring.

"How on earth did you afford this?"
"I have more money than you think, Dil,"
"How? You've never worked a day in your life,"
"I have over a million pounds saved up from my lawsuit. So, I used some of that money to pay for the ring and I'll use some more of it for the wedding,"
"Winnie, you guys haven't even moved in yet. You don't know what life is gonna be like with her,"
"You and your husband-"
"Fiancé,"
"Whatever," he sighed. "He proposed when you guys were broken up. You already had a kid. You never lived together until you were engaged. Okay? How is my situation any different?"
"You'd be kicking dad and bear out,"
"We already talked about it," he smiled. "They're buying an apartment right outside of town. I'm sure, if you told them, they would be more than willing to take the twins off your hands while you worked,"
"What would you do with Lydia, then?"
"There's a daycare at Jenny's work. Charlie goes to school and I can hand Lydia off to her and she could stay in the hospitals day care,"
"Gotcha," I nodded. "Well, I hope she says yes," I said as I handed the box back to him. As I did so, my phone started buzzing in my pocket. "Hold on," I mumbled.

Joe: come home. Now.
Delilah: what? Why?
Joe: Susan died...

"Oh my god," I whispered.
"What is it?" Winston asked.
"Susan's dead..."
"Oh my god..."

***

"Mummy," Fiona cried. I walked in and I was immediately smothered by her hugging me and crying into me. "Mummy, she died!"
"I know baby," I sobbed. "Where is she?"
"Daddy buried her," she pouted.
"Awe, honey," I sighed as I dried her eyes. "It'll get better... Don't worry..." I said. "Hey, let's go out for dinner tonight. We can go anywhere you want,"
"I don't wanna go out,"
"Okay, then how 'bout we order a pizza, maybe watch some movies,"
"Can we watch princess movies?"
"Of course we can watch princess movies," I smiled as I hugged her. "Joe!"
"Yeah?"
"Can you order a pizza?"
"Yeah, sure," he shrugged.
"Let's go get in our pj's and watch some movies, okay?"
"Okay..."

***

"She's asleep," Joe smiled as he sat on the couch again. "Other than Susan dying, it wasn't a bad day,"
"Yeah," I mumbled.
"Do you disagree?"
"We need to talk, Joe,"
"About?"
"Hold on," I said.

I got up and searched through my purse for the picture of my ultrasound. When I found it, I let out a sigh and walked over to the couch again. I pursed my lips and handed Joe the picture.

"What is this? It's just...a picture..." He looked up to me and smiled as tears crowded his eyes. "We're having another baby..."
"Two,"
"I'm sorry?"
"We're having two more babies," I beamed.
"Two..." he whispered. "Give me your ring,"
"What?" I was taken aback.
"Give me your ring,"
"Joe, my fingers are so fucking swollen, I don't know if I could get it off,"
"Try,"
"Fine," I frowned as I took my ring off and placed it in his hand. "So what? Just cause I'm having twins now, we're done?"
"Just shut up," he giggled. He got up from the couch, held me hands, and got down on one knee. "Delilah Rose Howlter, would you do the honor of marrying me?"
"Oh my god," I sighed in relief.
"So?"
"Yes, you idiot!" I laughed as I hit him. He got up and put my ring on before he kissed me. "Awe, same ring," I teased.
"Do you want a bigger one?" he asked.
"What? Oh, god no. We need as much money as we can get," I said.
"Okay," he chuckled. "So, may I ask you why you always cut your hair after each failed wedding?"
"Cause I need something that makes me happy after I go through a failed wedding,"
"Short hair makes you happy?"
"Extremely,"
"Then don't grow it out for the next one,"
"I don't plan on it," I smiled. "I love you,"
"I love you too," he said as he kissed me.
"We're never getting married, are we?" I joked.
"Probably not."