Final LockDown (22 page)

“Yes ma’am, we’re on it.” I know he will be saluting the other end, because that’s how they are.

I flicker through the biggest of my maternity tops and trousers and pull a wraparound top and a pair of stretchy leggings from their hangers.

I shove them under my arm as I run from the room. Distantly, I can hear Maria calling my name, loud and frightened, and it sends shivers through me.

Something is not right.

“Quick!” I hear her shout a little clearer as I near the bottom of the huge staircase.

I skid to a halt as I enter the kitchen to Maria on the floor, her trousers off and her legs wide as she leans against the kitchen island.

OH MY FUCKING GOD
!

This is not happening here, it can’t.

“Maria, what’s happening?” I ask panicking, not that her position isn’t a complete giveaway.

“I can feel them, I need to push Ab, fuck, I need to fucking push.” Her face is gritted as she strains.

“Not yet, god Maria, not yet it’s too soon.” I am beginning to panic and it isn’t good, for her, me or those two babies. Melissa still sits in her highchair, her face firm against the tray as she snores away. I am grateful the food has done its usual job and made her tired.

I use my phone to dial again, calling the boys once more.

“How is she?” one of them asks as soon as they answer. “On my fucking kitchen floor wanting to give birth. Come here and call me an ambulance please, tell them she’s in labour and ready to push. It’s only been twenty fucking minutes, this cannot happen. I don’t know what I’m supposed to fucking do right now.” I am hyperventilating, I can already see what a big cluster fuck this is becoming.

“Calm down Ab, just stay with her and if she really needs to push then you’ll have to deliver those babies yourself.” They hang up and then I look to my friend as I kneel at her side.

“It’s going to be okay Maria, everything will be fine.” I breathe out a heavy breath as I try to settle my own angst.

“So much pressure, fuck so much fucking pressure.” She really does have a potty mouth. The stream of extremities spilling forth would make a sailor proud.

“I know sweetheart, just bear with me, and keep pushing through it. You’re doing so well.” Fuck, fuck, fuck, and fuck again. I have no idea where to start, but I have a strong inkling having her knickers off would help the process.

“Maria you’re going to have to lift your bum up so I can slip your knickers off. I’m going to get a handful of towels and crank the heating up okay,” I tell her, and she lifts her bum from the hard floor a little so I can grasp the top of her cotton panties and draw them down her slender thighs and calves until they are discarded on the floor.

“Good, well done babe. I’ll be twenty seconds. I’m going to the airing cupboard to grab the towels, scream if you need me.” She nods and breathes in and out harshly as a contraction overtakes her.

I run from the room and along the hall to the cupboard. I grab a huge pile of towels and begin to run back towards her.

I ignore the door as it opens and a huge shadow covers the hallway. I ignore the stranger as he stands in the doorway calling my name. I ignore the man that had abandoned me and left me alone.

I ignore Leighton.

An angel stands before me, oblivious of my presence. How can I fault her, how can I even begin to comprehend the pain I have caused her?

With fluent movements and beautiful grace, she runs the length of our hallway, her hands piled high with towels. The heat inside the house is unbearable, sweat already beginning to appear on my forehead. I use my sleeve, wiping it dry.

“ARRGGHHH!” I hear a woman scream, the noise echoing through the halls.

Everything happens so fast. My front door opens, the twins and Antonio enter. I’m pushed against a wall, a fist slammed into my cheek and then arms wrapped around me. “Good to see you man,” Ant whispers in my ear. The twins nod their heads towards me before running towards the screaming.

“What’s going on? Who’s screaming?” I ask nervously, wondering what the hell has been happening?

“Little sis is in labour.” Antonio smiles at me happily.

“What, here? In my house? Why isn’t she in hospital?” I ask, following him through the halls towards the ruckus.

“Too late for that, man. She is already crowning with one of the fuckers. Your wife is on delivery duty.” Ant laughs as my face portrays the shock I feel.

“Fuck.” I walk into the kitchen, wishing I’d closed my eyes first. Maria is spread open, everything she has is on show. I am scarred with a view of her openness with a head almost there. I close my eyes rapidly, turning around disgusted. “Jesus,” I huff out.

“Get the fuck over here, Leighton.” Maria shouts angrily towards me. Am I crazy for actually going to her, when she is in her state of undress? It is weird; she is like a little sister to me. Her eyes are murderous and I instantly regret my decision as I get to her side.

Another fist lands square on my cheek, a hand grabbing my shirt tight and pulling. With her face in front of mine and her teeth grit she spits venom at me. “You useless fucking bastard, if it wasn’t for the fact I am about to push two people out of my vagina, I would personally cut your balls off and ram them down your fucking throat, you coward.” I want to smile at her words, but think better of it, after she has already smacked me once.

“Okay,” I reply, not really knowing how to react to her hate towards me. I chance a glance at my wife, knelt between Maria’s legs. She refuses to look my way, the hurt vivid on her face. It breaks my heart, more than anything in this world, to know she feels such hatred towards me. I want to reach for her, to hold her and tell her how much I love her, how I went through hell and back to be here today a new man, but she won’t understand. Not yet.

“Now, you stay up here and let me use your hand as a stress reliever. If I break it, poor you.” I nod, agreeing with her. Ant looks to me and laughs silently and I mouth “fuck you” back at him. He understands how I am as a person, he has been there before when I am out of control. He will understand the things I have been through to get myself back here.

“What do we have here?” I hear someone say. Lifting my head I see two paramedics in green, and a doctor. “Ooh, looks like someone’s already too far to get in the ambulance. Looks like a home delivery.” The doctor speaks, slipping a pair of gloves onto his hands.

“Please, just get them out. It hurts so fucking much.” Maria screams as a contraction consumes her. I can vividly remember Abigail in exactly the same state, so tired and in so much pain. I feel for her I truly do, and if squeezing my hand to near amputation helps her, then I will stay by her head (preferably) for the entire time.

“Don't worry, sweetheart, they’re almost here. Now, dads, I'm going to need you both to hold her legs up, Miss,” he looks at Abbi. “If you could help her rest back, support her.” Abbi nods and moves from between her legs to support her back and move her so she is leaning against the island more.

“I'm going to wait outside,” Ant says, not needing the visual of his sister’s vagina imprinted on his brain. “Yeah, going.” He makes a gagging sound as the doctor starts to touch her private parts, checking the baby that is already making its way out.

“Right, Maria, when you feel your next contraction I need you to push, this baby is already on its way but is stuck inside the birth canal. Ready, and push.” My hand grinds, the bones pushing together as Maria squeezes hard, pushing down with all her might. “Good. One more and he’ll be out.” The doctor speaks and after a few seconds, Maria is pushing hard again, screaming one long drawn out cry.

The wailing of a baby makes everyone look down, the small human wriggling and screaming. Brad cuts the cord and wipes his eyes clear of the tears as he continues to hold her leg. “He’s beautiful baby, so tiny and so beautiful,” he speaks, kissing her head. Luke actually cries, looking to where the paramedics have taken the baby away in a bundle of towels.

“Now, there will be a few moments before the second one comes along,” the doctor announces and the twins place her legs down to tend to her. They both smother her face in kisses, talking of their pride and love for her.

“Shit, pain, fuck.” Maria cries, eight minutes later, contracting again. My hand is once again in a vice.

“Okay, the second one is coming. The same as last time, I need you to push when the next contraction comes. Ready, and go.” Maria cries louder than the last time, her energy minimal. She squeezes and pushes, and squeezes and pushes with everything she has, forcing the tiny bundle of joy out of her.

With an even louder cry, baby number two makes its way out. “Oh,” the doctor says and our heads all lift up.

“What’s wrong?” Maria asks, tears trailing her cheeks.

“Nothing is wrong, Maria, but you have a little girl.” Maria’s head flops back, cries erupting from her throat. She releases my hand and I move away, allowing the twins to come to her side.

“We have a boy and a girl?” she asks them, looking to where they both have been taken away.

“We have two babies, a boy and girl Maria. I’m so proud of you.” Luke kisses her soundly on the lips, stroking her hair from her face. Brad rubs her hand, lifting it to his lips to kiss it.

“A girl?” she asks again, dumbfounded that the ultrasound technician had been wrong. “A girl?”

“Would you like to meet your babies, Maria?” the doctor asks, holding two tiny little babies.

Maria nods hard, crying like a baby. Gently the doctor places one, then the other in her arms. She leans down and kisses both of their little heads, tears dripping onto them. “What will we call her?” She looks to her boyfriends, both of their eyes wet with tears.

“Isabella? I think she should be called after your mother, baby,” Brad says, stroking his little girl's head gently.

“Really?” Maria asks smiling, her eyes flickering between the four things she loves most in the world.

“Yes baby, it is perfect.”

“And what about our son, which name do we choose?” she asks them, finding it hard to pick between Thomas Bradley and Joshua Luke.

“How about, Joshua-Thomas Luke Bradley?” I look to my wife and her sparkling eyes, the pride in her friend is substantial. The name she has created is perfected.

Maria gasps excitedly. “I love it. My beautiful little JT.” The boys huddle around their girlfriend, kissing her, kissing their children and crying.

“Antonio meet your nephew.” Ant walks to Maria’s side and looks down at his niece and nephew for the first time.

“Nephew? As in one?” he asks, taking the small baby Maria offers him.

“Yes, this is Joshua-Thomas Luke Bradley.” He smiles wide, stroking his enormous finger across his nephew’s cheek. He places his lips softly to his head and cries.

“Hey little man. God, you’re so tiny and beautiful. I'm always going to be here for you, you know that right buddy? Me and you against the world,” he whispers.

“And meet your niece, Isabella Antonia Bradford.” Antonio’s eyes bulge from his socket with pride as he takes the second baby from Maria and smiles down at her. Her name held a piece of his, it held the love Maria has for her big brother.

“Hey little lady. Jesus, Maria she’s fucking cute. If any guy comes near you, I’m going to cut his dick off. I assure you,” he whispers to her, already overprotective. I understand his words, feel them myself with my own daughter.

Where is she? Where is Joseph?

“Congratulations sweetheart, you did real good,” I tell her, leaning in and kissing her head.

“Thank you, Leighton. Oh, and please sort things out with Abbi, she needs you,” she informs me, looking to Abigail who is currently cleaning the floor around Maria.

“I will.” I walk off towards my wife, who has ignored my presence the entire time.

“Abigail,” I say, waiting for her to answer, but she doesn’t. “Baby please.” I beg, kneeling by her on the floor. Still nothing. “Baby. I'm dying here, please talk to me.” I am almost crying, pleading with her to understand and look at me with her bright blue eyes. They always heal me, always make me feel the love she has for me.

“Talk to you, fucking talk to you? Talk to you, like you’ve spoken to me the last month? Talk to you like I’ve been wanting to since you left? Talk, like you should have before you left, before you left me to suffer and drown?” She looks me dead in the eyes, sadness and anger smothering them. “I hate you, Leighton. I needed you, I needed you to save me, to help me, but he came and took everything again, he took me again.” She begins punching me in the chest with her one hand, the one that works.

I let her take it out on me; let her punch me relentlessly until she is shaking with hurt. She cries hard, her entire body shuddering. I pull her to me, burying her face into my chest. “Shhh, it’s okay, I'm here, I’m never going again, baby. I'm here, I’ll save you.” I allow my own tears to fall, finally, allowing her to feel everything I feel. I’m not heartless or soulless anymore. I love her, I love her so much it kills me to know how much I hurt her, to think of how she has coped without me.

“I needed you.” She trembles against me, gripping my shirt with both of her hands.