Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 90290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
My mom is the first to stand, followed by Katelyn and Elle. Slowly, everyone starts to gather.
I clear my throat. “The boys are tiny. They weigh just over three pounds. The girl is a bit bigger at four and a half. They’re in NICU, which as you know is standard.”
“And my daughter?” Katelyn asks, her voice breaking. “How’s my baby?”
“Peyton’s in recovery. She’s seen and held her babies.” I pull my phone out, bring up the photo, and hand it to Katelyn, sensing she needs confirmation of Peyton’s well-being more than anything. She covers her mouth to hold back a sob as she studies the photo.
“She looks like my girls.”
“She does.” I confirm. “I know you can’t see her hair, but it’s dark. The boys are a bit bald, but hopefully that will change soon.” I scratch the top of my head and laugh, enjoying how my hair has grown out since I shaved it in solidarity with Ben when he went through chemo.
Katelyn turns the phone to my mom. “Look at what our babies did,” she says in a hushed tone. Both grandmas start to cry and hug each other. I imagine for them this moment is pretty indescribable for them. From being best friends to now grandmas. My dad takes the phone and Harrison huddles around him. They’re heads are down but I hear sniffles. I step closer, only to have both of them look at me. I’ve only ever been afraid of Harrison a handful of times—this is one of those times.
“You’re going to be a damn good father, Noah,” Harrison says. I take this as a statement of fact. If I’m not, he’s going to hurt me. The threat is there and understood.
“Welcome to the Hot Dad’s Club,” my dad says as he gives me a hug. Leave it to him to make light of the situation. It seems everyone hears him and laughs.
Harrison and I hug, and he congratulates me. When we part, Elle’s standing there with worry on her face.
“Is my sister okay?”
I nod. “She’s perfect. She’s in recovery and wants me to go be with the babies while they tend to her.”
Elle hugs me, bump and all. “I’ll see if they’ll let me in recovery. I don’t want her to be alone.”
“I appreciate that,” I tell her.
Quinn hands me my phone, which I had honestly forgotten about. “I think boy B looks like me,” he says, smiling.
“Definitely.” We hug hard and he pats my back with his fist.
“Damn, I didn’t think I’d be this emotional over my sister having a kid.”
“Three,” I point out.
“Yeah,” he says, shaking his head. “I can’t wait to hold one of them. Hell, all three.”
“Me, neither.”
It’s like everyone needed to digest the magnitude of the moment and once they did, my family was well before they started in with a round of congratulatory remarks, pats on the shoulder for a job well done, and then cigars. My dad opens a box and hands them to everyone waiting.
“Names, yet?” My mom asks.
“No, not yet. Once we get a chance to spend time with the babies, we’ll name them. We have a list of finalists.”
“All I know is my niece has my name as her middle name,” Elle says proudly.
“She does,” I tell her. “At least she has a middle name.”
Everyone laughs.
We have a round of hugs and I promise to take a lot of photos and send them so the grandparents can gush about their grandchildren.
I head to the nurse’s station and as promised the nurse takes me to the NICU where the babies are. I pass by the large window and peer into the room of cradles. At quick glance, there are four babies in there right now, three of which are mine. Briefly, I wonder why the other is there and quickly pray he or she is okay.
Before we enter the nursery, the nurse shows me where to wash up, and tells me to put gloves and a mask on. After doing so, she takes me to my three children, boy A Westbury, boy B Westbury, and girl Westbury, all in the same incubator.
As I look around, I see how open this place is and how anyone can stand at the window to look in on the babies. Peyton has a ton of privacy, but the babies don’t.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be a pain, but is there something that can be done about their privacy?”
She nods and closes the curtain surrounding them. “Whenever you or Mrs. Westbury aren’t in there, we’ll have a staff member with them at all times.”
“I appreciate it.”
The nurse goes over the rules and then tells me Dr. Ashford will be in to speak with me shortly before leaving. It warms me to no end, knowing Nick will be the one caring for my children. I’m torn on what to do. I have three children who need my undivided attention and there’s no way I can give it to them at the same time.