SuperDad

[Amorentia]

SuperDad

Marcus was determined to be the best labor and delivery coach ever. Given that I've birthed four children naturally, I wasn't down for a full Lamaze Class like he wanted. Instead our Midwife agreed to give us our own private Birthing class to help us both be ready for what was to come in our unique Quadruplet Home Birth. As soon as she arrived she did a full physical as we discussed the positions of each child in the womb.

"Marki is in perfect presentation for delivery." She explained. "Elissa looks like she should slide into place after Marki is out. The other two we can't be sure. When one of the babies is delivered we will use our wands as well as manual maneuvering to try to position the next baby perfectly for delivery. If one is out of place, we will be able to reposition them safe through wand manipulation. It won't be comfortable. In fact it can be very painful."

Marcus's complexion turned a bit green as he swallowed hard muttering, "Sounds painful."

With a wink I pushed against his shoulder assuring him, "But I'm tough." Best labor and delivery coach ever, I laughed to myself. Just the mention of pain and he'd losing it. 

The the Midwife began to discuss birthing positions with us, explaining to Marcus how each one can help the labor. Marcus loved most of them as they mimicked many of the positions we use to made love.

"Only this time, love, things will be coming out not going in." I teased him as he knelt a bit too closely behnd me while I was leaned forward on a Birthing Ball.

Gently the Midwife showed Marcus comforting touches for laboring women. He tried each one repeatedly asking "Just like this right?" Or he'd look at me, "Is that comforting enough baby? Do I need to do it more? Which one do you like best?" All I could do is giggle. This was already so much more than anything I received in any of my other labors. Things were looking up. But the time she got to good things for Dad's to say during the labor, I though he might just exceed my expectations. 

"Suck it up." I told him. "Don't be a wimp. Come on it can't hurt that bad. Or get you game face on are not allowed during my labor."

"Of, 'If it was me I'd have these babies out already.' the Midwife added. "My last Birth Father ended up with a concussion after saying that."

Marcus laughed earning kudo's by saying, "I'm sticking with 'I love you baby, your fantastic, there's no way a man could do this cause women are so much better than we are."

None of us were under in disillusion that this labor would be easy. It would not be ridiculously fast or easy like my births with Jaki and Bliss. It was my self healing and Pack strength, with the thanks of Magical Midwifery and Ewan Zabini, that made this home birth for my Foursome possible. Pulling out some charts, the Midwife began to explain the physical process of labor and delivery. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a bit more color drain from Marcus's face as she demonstrated effacement and dilatation. I stroked his hand to sooth him as she explained the Stages of Labor. Then she broke out the videos. When I felt my husband swallow hard, I put my arm around him for support thinking: this does not bode well for my labor.

Through each video my husband became more and more pale to a yellow green that almost made me feel ill. When the plug popped allowing the amniotic fluid to drain, his hand cover his mouth as his stomach heaved a bit. 

By the time the actual labor started with the simulated showing contractions, Marcus broke out into a cold sweat holding onto the back of a chair. 

Then his entire body swayed. I put my arm around him to hold him up.

From Marcus's reaction to the video, I didn't feel like my labor was looking promising.  After the Midwife left, I thought it was better if Marcus laid down for awhile. I did my best to go about my business so that I didn't start hitting him with a blunt object yelling, "Seriously? Seriously? A freaking video? I have to do this four times!!!" The purpose of all of this was to bring new life into the world, not to take his life out. Besides, I loved my husband. And I told myself that over and over again until he woke up. If watching the videos was hard, I figured the kids actually births with the gushing, oozing, covered in cream cheese babies sliding out of my happy place would send him running to the bathroom where he'd hit his head on the toilet passing out while he puked.

My husband was determined to work this out. It was his idea to start with watching my birth experiences with the children so far before attempting the videos again. I wasn't so sure about that idea. My children were my world. But some of their births were not the happiest times in my life. Mother lent her memory of Jaki and Bliss's birth. My memory was the only complete one of the twins birth.

Marcus POV

Peni pulled out the pensieve, bring in three tiny bottles with silvery memories inside.  Looking doubtful, she sat back watching as I started with Bliss's birth.  Falling into her memory, I saw everything.

There I was in the middle of The Shaman's birthday party with the entire magical community where out of nowhere I felt Bliss crowning. John was the first one to see the look on my face. Grabbing onto Blaise's arm I told him, "The baby is coming like now..."  

Blaise went completely useless in shock. While the Pack stared in horror, heckling me with smart ass remarks, the ladies of the community gathered around to help deliver my perfect Blissful right in the middle of the celebration. (To read Bliss's Birth Click HERE).

Watching how Blaise handled it, I promised myself I would do better for Peni.  I would be there by her side helping in anyway I could.

Jaki's birth was also ridiculously easy and quick. We had enough time for Jacob to arrive before I was already pushing our baby boy out. It was a bit tense in the room because of the circumstances surround Jaki's conception. I was married to Neville. Jacob was with Nessie. Both of our significant others were in the room. The tension was thick. But everyone was doing their best to remember this wasn't about us but the new baby. It wasn't his fault he was being born into a difficult situation. Holding my little love, I cried at how beautiful he was - just like his Papa. But also I cried in mourning for all the people we hurt in order to have him. Looking at my new baby, my Mom's memory recorded me telling my new son through tears, "It's you and me, little one. No matter what I love you with all my heart. I'll take care of you and protection you forever."

Wiping a tear from my eye at her pain, I vowed to make sure our children were born into an atmosphere of love.  Peni would only cry tears of joy watching our children.  Well, tears of joy and possibly pain, cause no part of those video's made it look like that felt good.

Through the delivery Neville was wonderful, holding my hand, brushing my hair, encouraging me through the almost thrity hour labor.

"I see a head full of black hair!" The Healer at Saint Mungo's announced. I laughed thinking he was going to take after my Quileute heritage. When he came out, I was proven wrong. The entire room when quite when my Deni was born carrying the brown coloring of his Afro British Father who I had an affair when in a brief time when Neville and I split. Neville left the room. I remember the entire room being quite. Even the healer held my son like he was an alien - shocked by the outcome.

I had to close my eyes for a moment at the looks on every one's faces at the birth of Deni.  I loved that boy like my own, seeing their faces wide with shock, watching Neville walk away, it broke my heart for him...for her.

"Give me my son!" I demanded.

They laid my first born son on my chest. Quickly I wrapped him in my gown and sheets holding him close to me, falling instantly in love. Though not what I was expecting, he was beautifully perfect. I had no tears. My resolution looking at my son was clear. He was mine, and I was his, no matter what anyone had to say about it. I names him after who I thought was his Father, Dean Thomas II - Deni. (Read who his Father really was HERE).

Seeing her determination in the face of that moment,  I leaned over to kiss Peni, telling her softly that I loved her, loved all her children and would love the ones she was carrying even if they weren't mine.  They were a part of her and that was all that mattered. .

The tears didn't fall until after the Healers were warming my Deni giving him a bath and a through exam. Neville didn't return. No family was with me. It was just nineteen year old me and the Healer's in the room. I couldn't stop crying feeling so alone and terrified for the future of myself and my sons. Again the Healer's announced a headful of dark hair. When he emerged, a miracle had occurred. The second twin was an identical likeness of his Father, Neville Longbottom. My twins were Fraternal Twins with different Fathers. More tears poured from my face.

Watching Neville come back in, his face filled with joy at the sight of his son, my heart hardened further.  Deni should have been given the same reception. 

It was just my boys and myself as we were moved to the recovery room. It was over an hour before the Healers were able to track down Neville to tell him what happened. When he entered the room, our eyes met. I don't know if I ever stopped crying that day. Neville held his son. I held Deni. Together we tried to make the best of the situation.

Pulling Peni close to me, I held her, placing a gentle hand over the curve of her stomach, "This birth will not be like any of those.  I will be there for every minute, for every push, for every little one that enters the world.  You'll cradle our children while I cradle you.  You won't ever be alone.  I promise you that." I leaned down, kissing her soft lips, hoping she knew I meant every word.

Peni POV

Like everything with Marcus, his tenderness after watching the memories of the kids births was like a healing rain. I wanted this birth to be different. It was the first time I knew without a shadow of a doubt my husband was the Father of the children we were having. No matter how Marcus reacted during the actually birth, I knew I faced worst situations, and always came out okay. These births were going to be special even if it was just because of my own determination.

The next day Marcus redeemed himself. Rounding up myself and the kids, we had to close our eyes as he lead us into the side room where he had set up a Ultrasound machine. Having the kids involved made the experience. They were more excited than I was. This was the first time they could put mental images to the squirming things that were alive in Mummy's tummy. Marcus's blue eyes shone with love seeing his children face to face for the first time. It was my pleasure just to sit back to watch all of their reactions.

At first Jaki sat with his fists on his cheeks saying a lot of, "I don't see it," over and over till he finally got sight of a foot jumped up and down yelling, "I see a foot!" Marcus lead the kids in a guided tour of the body parts on the screen. We counted fingers and toes in Quileute. There was a lot of talk about who the babies were going to look like.

"They'll have some of you and Deni and Nevi and Bliss" I explained. "But mostly a combination of Daddy and me."

We were pretty sure we identified Daddy and Grandpa John's nose on one of the boys. Nevi melted my heart by insisting the girls had Mommy's pretty eyes.

"Is that a winky?" Deni said through seven year old giggles.

"Can't we call it something more manly than that?" Marcus asked me.

"Sorry," I laughed. "Captain winky."

Marcus grinned offering a better option: Sergeant Winkey.

Then I answered Deni that no, what he was looking was not a Sergeant Winkey it was a leg.

Nevi was the first to spot the real thing sending he and his twin in a fit of giggles as Nevi said, "That's a winky." Deni identified, "That's his bum." All someone needed to do was fart and burp for their boyish humor to send them into full hysterics. All I could focus on was trying not to groan seeing whichever boy the twins where laughing at had a head that was much larger than his brothers and sisters. I hoped things in the Ultrasound appeared larger than actually were.

From the positons we tried to guess which baby was who.

"That's Elissa," Nevi pointed excitedly."

When the baby moved the boys begin giggling again at the winky as Deni corrected him, "That's not, Elissa."

"Let's hope not " I laughed as Marcus added a, "Seriously."

When we found who we believed to be Elissa Jaki announced, "She looks like Blissful!" 

"I swear she's not going to look like Bliss." I swore to Marcus who  didn't seem the least bit upset. It meant so much to me he didn't question my integrity in this. He just grinned joking, "Peni...you got some 'splainin' to do."

Blissful wasn't interested at all in the babies on the screen. She sat on Marcus's knee more interested on swirling her tiny fingers in the thick gel. My persistent girl continued even as I moved her hand away and Marcus told her, "No, it's yucky, baby."  Then she decided tasting it was a better idea which ended in one of her nasty faces as she started spitting everywhere to get the taste out. 

"Told you it was yucky, Princess," Marcus said with his never ending patience. Then Bliss decided it was better to splat her flat palm in the gel making it go everywhere. The boys weren't to happy with the drips of gel that hit their faces, but Marcus and I laughed as we tried to wipe away the mess.

Next her toddler fingers then tried to take over the ultrasound scanner when she decided it was more fun than the gel. With her lips pursed she kept trying to grab it from Marcus. She even tried flashing him the pretty eyes to get it from him. When that didn't work she arched her back making a grab for it declaring it, "Mine!" Marcus gave in. Daddies little girls were so lucky to have him. Letting her hold onto a part of it letting her participate and even zoom in over some parts of my stomach. That entertained her for while. Like her brothers, her fascination quickly faded.

"I wonder what my hand would look like?" Nevi's eyes got wide.

Deni held up his shirt asking, "Can we look at my stomach?"

Jaki argued, "No, I'm next!"

Soon after all the kids left Marcus and I alone as we watched the screen enthralled with with watching our children. I put my hand over his sliding my fingers through his as we got as much of a fill of our babies as we could now. He may not be able to stomach the birthing process, but he was the most tender hearted man I ever met. Moreover, he was my sweet man and I loved him. Emily and John stood quietly in the corner watching. Marcus shook his head seeing the hand his Sister placed on his Father's arm. That's when I noticed something very important was missing.

"Where's the gel? The gels gone" I asked hoping Marcus still had it. When he looked at me clueless, we heard little laughter from the hallway with the sound of someone sliding across the floor as I yelled, "Boys!!!!!!" 

Peni Clearwater written by Amorentia. Deni, Nevi, Jaki and Bliss written by Amorentia.  Marcus Flint written by shtteredprncess.

  

Want to read more? What to join in the Creative Writing fun? Our full stories are in Through The Looking Glass. Link HERE to join. Be sure to tell them Peni sent you!

[Nessie_Jacob]

Oct. 19, 2009 at 12:04 AM

Peni (and Marcus too hehe) the babies are so beautiful! Can't wait to meet them all.