Kiwis | Harry Styles

Fifteen

"Jessi Styles?" My eyes flick up from the page in the magazine I've been staring at for the last ten minutes but my body makes no other attempt at movement until Harry holds out his hand. His palm is sweaty which is how I know he feels just as nervous as I do. He smiles softly and kisses my knuckles which slows my thumping heart. 

"Baby number five? You guys probably know the drill better than I do." The sonographer smiles.

"You'd think it would get easier, but it doesn't." I smile as Harry helps me up onto the examination table.

"I'm Tasha. This'll be a little cold." She squeezes the liquid onto my bump. "And you must be Dad?"

"That's me." Harry smiles as he holds tightly to my hand. "Luckiest guy in the world."

"Aw, isn't he a sweetheart?" Tasha grins at me as she presses the transducer to my stomach.

"He is."

"OK, so let's see what we've got here?" She says mostly to herself as her eyes fix intently on the screen which is angled away from us. Harry grips my arm as we eagerly wait to see our baby. I love this part, that first glimpse of a little person. Our little person. It makes everything seem so real. "Hmm..." Her gaze becomes more serious, and she moves the transducer around. I nervously look towards Harry, who places a reassuring kiss to my forehead. More agonising seconds pass by in silence.

"I-is there something wrong?" I'm now gripping Harry's hand so tight I think I'm crushing bones but he doesn't bat an eyelid.

"Don't worry Jessi." She smiles. "I just have to get the Doctor for a second." And with no other information she left.

"Harry?" I whimper as I feel a tear roll down my cheek. I've never been so scared in all my life.

"Everything will be fine, Baby. She said not to worry." His pointer finger swipes away my tears. I take a deep breath as she returns with Dr. Ross.

"Jessi, Harry!" He nods, his face giving nothing away. He follows Tasha to the screen and stares just as intently as she had. "Oh my! It seems you were right." They talk as if we're not even here and I want to scream at them, why won't they say what is wrong with my baby? More tears roll down my cheeks but I can't stop them.

"Look, not to be rude but will one of you please tell us what is going on?" Harry snaps. His fingers carefully wiping away my tears again.

"Oh. I'm sorry Mr and Mrs Styles, I didn't intend to worry you." The sonographer replies.

"Jessi, Harry! Meet your babies!" Dr Ross spins the screen towards us and my heart soars as I see our little baby wriggling around, right next to another little baby. Holy Shit! Babies? Plural? I gaze at the screen in astonishment.

"We're having twins?" Harry gasps. "We're having twins!" His voice happier this time. I'm glad somebody is happy. I'm terrified. Two babies. Twins. Baby five and six.

"You asshole!" My hand stings as I smack Harry's arm. "How dare you do this to me? And now? You couldn't have done this when I was in my twenties? Oh, no!" Harry's laughing cuts off my rant.

"It's not like I did it on purpose, Baby. I'm pretty sure I couldn't have even if I wanted to." He kisses my cheek.

"You will be fine, Jessi." Dr. Ross chuckles.

"I'm guessing you would like some photos printed?" Tasha interrupts.

"Oh yeah. We promised our youngest photos." I smile as I'm reminded of the blueberry jam incident.

"The kids will be so excited." Harry's fingers tickle as he runs his hand over my bump. His eyes flick back to the image of our babies on the screen. I can't believe we're having twins. The shopping list has just doubled, where am I going to find the time? I'll have to stop working much sooner. It will be twice the work with bath time, changing, night feeds. Just the thought of it all is exhausting. And I'll have to give birth twice. But the longer I stare at the screen with Harry, the wider my smile becomes. We have two happy healthy babies and I can't wait to meet them, knowing full well that all the stress and all the pain will be 100% worth it when those babies are safely in our arms.