The Perfect Family (TRILOGY To The Perfect Parents)

Chapter Sixteen - Home Birth

Harry’s POV
“Fucking hell!” I groaned loudly. After my water broke I tried as hard as I could to get up and make it down the stairs but the contractions were too strong. I called Louis at least 20 times but he hadn’t answered. “I can’t do this here.” I cried to myself as another contraction came, even stronger. Suddenly I heard people downstairs.
“Kids sit and watch some TV ok? I’m going to check on your Dad.” Louis said seriously. I heard mumbled yes’s and his feet moving up the stairs. “Haz? You awake.” I just moaned in response as he came in. “What are you doing?” He asked watching me lean over the side of the bed.
“I’m in labour with your babies you fucking TWAT!” I yelled loudly.
“Oh fuck! Now?!”
“No next month of course now! Don’t just stand there, fucking help me!” I snapped. He nodded and hurried over to me, quickly asking what I need him to do.
“Can you make it to the hospital?” He asked. I shook my head and he nodded again.
“They’re coming here and now Lou. I’m scared.” I whimpered.
“Ssh love. There’s no need to be scared ok Haz. We’ve been here before. We just have to do it here, that’s all.” He soothed rubbing my back.
“But they’re too early. What if something goes wrong? They can’t die!” I panicked.
“They won’t. Harry you need to stay calm ok? Lie on the bed, I’ll check how far dilated you are.” He ordered. “Sorry if I sound harsh love but I need to take control.” I nodded and did what he said, pulling down my pants. “Oh shit!” He gasped.
“What? What’s wrong?” I asked shakily.
“I can see the first baby’s head. Harry you need to push. Now!” He said sternly.
“N-Now?” I gulped.
“C’mon babe! I know you can do this. Please, do it for me yeah?” He said looking me dead in the eye.
“O-kay.” I nodded starting to get seriously nervous.
“When you get a contraction push.” He instructed. He ran to grab some towels, scissors and some string before making it back for me to push.
“I don’t want to do this…” I whined.
“Haz you have to. C’mon. It won’t take long, I promise.”
“But it hurts so much…”
“I know babe but soon the twins will be here and all the pain will be gone. Just breathe and push when you need to.” He instructed. Suddenly I got a really big contraction and pushed hard. “C’mon love. I can see him, his head is almost out!” Louis smiled.
“I HATE YOU!” I yelled loudly through my pain.
“There! He’s head is out Haz. Good job babe.” Louis smiled again at me. “Ok, just a few more big pushes and he’ll be here. I know you can do this.”
“Ok.” I nodded. My contractions kept coming and I kept pushing and soon the baby was here.
“You did it Harry. He’s here and he’s perfect.” Louis beamed. I heard Jacobs crying as he cut the cord and wrapped him up. He handed him to me and my eyes filled with tears as I watched Jacob wiggle and his eyes open. They were a perfect shade of blue and green, just like everyone else. “One more to go love.” Louis laughed.
“Oh yep.” I chuckled. Louis took Jacob and placed him between two pillows beside me so he wouldn’t roll off the bed, before attending to me.
“I’m so proud of you Haz.” He smiled.
“Thanks Lou.” I smiled back. The contractions soon returned and I started to push again. It was only 5 minutes or so and Ashton was here too. Lou and I decided on the name a few weeks ago, we thought it worked. “Why isn’t he crying?” I asked as Lou cut his cord. “Louis? What’s wrong with him?” I cried.
“He’s not breathing.” He answered quietly.
“No! No he has to be ok, Lou. No!” I sobbed. Louis tried patting his back and rubbing him but nothing was working. Our baby was dying and there was nothing we could do.

Louis’ POV
“Is he going to be ok? Please someone tell me something?!” I begged as the paramedics took the babies and Harry away. Juliet heard the screaming and called an ambulance, we taught her how to do that in case something happened to either of us.
“We don’t know anything for now sir. Please just sit down.” The doctor answered pushing me towards a seat.
“No! No you have to tell me. That’s my baby!” I yelled getting frustrated. I didn’t even know if they got Ashton breathing or not.
“Sir please, just calm down.”
“Louis?!” Someone yelled from behind me. I turned around and noticed Anne running over. She had all the kids behind her as well as Gemma too. “Have you heard anything?” She asked. I shook my head.
“They won’t tell me. What if he’s gone Anne? What if we’ve lost our baby?” I panicked. I was so scared that something had happened to Ashton.
“Hey that’s not going to happen yeah? If he’s anything like you and Harry he’ll be a little fighter. How’s Harry?” She questioned, as her and the kids piled onto the cold, plastic chairs.
“He was crying when he was in the ambulance. He kept telling himself he killed the baby. I couldn’t watch Anne, it was so upsetting.” I explained trying not to cry in front of the kids.
“Where’s Daddy?” Darcy asked suddenly.
“Yeah, why he not here?” Anna added.
“Your Daddy had the twins love. You have two new baby brothers.” I smiled at them both.
“Is he ok?” Juliet asked seriously. Her and Alfie were both giving me the same look.
“Yeah honey. They’re all ok.” I lied, hoping they wouldn’t catch on.
“Uh Louis!” A nurse called loudly. I got up and quickly ran over to her.
“I’m Louis.”
“Harry is asking for you.” She smiled softly. I nodded as she led me to his room. She opened the door to let me in and closed it behind me.
“H-Hi.” Harry said softly. He looked exhausted.
“Hey babe. How are you feeling?” I asked walking over to him.
“Like shit.” He muttered. “Did you hear anything about Ashton?” He asked back looking at me pleadingly.
“No, sorry Haz. They wouldn’t tell me.” I answered sitting beside him on the bed.
“That means something’s happened. He hasn’t made it.” He cried. “It’s all my fault. He’s gone and I couldn’t help him.”
“No. No we don’t know that Harry. He’s fine. They haven’t said anything different.” I said seriously, wrapping my arms around his shaking body.
“B-But h-he w-wasn’t b-breathing.” He sobbed. “He never even cried.”
“We don’t know, maybe they got him breathing. I bet they did. He’s going to be fine, he will.” I sniffled myself. Harry shook his head and buried his face into my chest.
“He’s not. He’s gone.” Suddenly the door opened and the nurse came back in. She looked sombre, like something was wrong.
“Is everything ok?” I asked. She sighed and looked down. “What’s happened?”
“Your baby is very sick. There’s a high chance he won’t make it through the night.” She answered quietly.
“He’s alive?” Harry questioned pulling himself away from me. She nodded. “But he’s going to die.”
“We don’t know that. He’s a fighter, but the odds are against him.” She said.
“That doesn’t mean he won’t make it. You said he’s a fighter.” I spoke up.
“We’re going to try everything we can. You can see him if you’d like?” She smiled softly.
“Lou, can we see him?” Harry asked, looking up at me.
“Of course we can babe.” I smiled back. The nurse and I helped him up and into wheelchair before I started pushing him down to the nursery. “Is Jacob doing ok?” I questioned.
“Jacob is doing very well. He’s very cute.” She giggled. “Are these your first babies?” She asked.
“Oh no. We have 6 all together now.” Harry laughed but then went quiet. I know he’s worried about Ashton, everyone was.
“That sounds like a handful.” She chuckled. “Now it may be quite confronting seeing your baby in here. He has quite a few wires attached to him and he’s a small baby.” She explained as we reached the nursery.
“Can we touch him?” Harry asked.
“I’m not too sure yet, but once we get in there a doctor will explain everything to you both.” She answered pushing open the large, wooden doors. I followed her as she led us through the nursery and to a room in the back. “This is the NICU, the baby unit for small and premature babies.”
“Nurse Ellen.” A doctor smiled as she led us over to him. “Hello Louis and Harry. I’m Dr Adams, I’m going to be looking after your baby.” He said shaking each of our hands.
“Ashton.” I corrected. “His name is Ashton.”
“Ashton.” He smiled at me. “I like that name.” He chuckled.
“I don’t want to be rude but when can we see him?” Harry asked butting in.
“Right. He’s just through here.” He smiled again leading us to a smaller room. There were 4 small glass incubators in the room and each had a tiny baby inside. It was heartbreaking to see them all in there but even worse to think that our baby was in one too. I never expected this could happen. We stopped at the closest incubator and Harry and I peered inside. There was our baby. He was so tiny. His hand wouldn’t be the size of a 20 cent coin (Sorry guys, Australian currency). Harry gasped softly, covering his mouth.
“He’s so small.” He whispered.
“The poor thing.” I added.
“He’s doing well, better than he was when he first arrived so that’s good. He’s starting to breathe a bit on his own and even took some milk.” The doctor explained.
“Do you know exactly what is wrong with him?” Harry asked.
“We’ve narrowed it down to the fact that they were born early and he was clearly the smaller twin. Your other baby was the more dominant twin and that’s why Ashton is smaller. His lungs are underdeveloped.”
“How long do you think he has to stay in this thing? He should be able to come out right?” He asked seriously.
“We aren’t too sure on when he’ll be able to leave the crib but you’re welcome to stay day and night if you wish.” He answered.
“What about Jacob? When can we see him?” I questioned.
“You can see him right now if you’d like?” I nodded before going to turn Harry around.
“You go. I want to stay here.” He said quietly.
“You don’t want to see Jacob?” I asked. I thought he’d want to know if he was ok.
“I’ll see him later. You go and cuddle him for me.” He smiled softly. I nodded and kissed his cheek before following the nurse back out of the NICU.
“Some parents want to stay with the sick baby. I wouldn’t take it to heart.” She said quietly.
“I’m not, I just thought he’d want to see Jacob too. He is our son.” I sighed. “I feel bad. I know it’s not Ashton’s fault he’s sick but we do have more than one baby.”
“It’s going to be hard Louis, but you guys will get through it.” She smiled. I smiled back as she took me over to Jacob. He was so adorable. I picked him up and rocked him back and forth as he slept. “He looks like you.” She said quietly. “Shit sorry! I’m not supposed to say things like that.” She panicked.
“It’s fine really. I think he does look like me.” I chuckled. “What’s your name again?” I asked her.
“Katie.” She answered.
“Well Katie, is it ok if I have some time alone?” I questioned.
“Of course. Take as long as you need.” She left the room silently as I sat in a chair beside the crib. He stirred a bit and yawned before opening his eyes.
“Hey baby.” I smiled. “You’re very cute aren’t you?” I laughed. “I’m so excited to meet you little guy, you and your brother. You knew about him all along didn’t you? There’s going to be a lot going on for a while baby, sometimes Daddy won’t be able to come and see you but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you. Ashton is very sick and we need to make sure he doesn’t go away too quickly. I love you Jacob, don’t ever forget that.” I kissed his forehead softly before sitting back in the chair a bit. I know things aren’t going to be easy but I know Ashton can make it through this, he has to.