The Guard To My Sanctuary - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

It was time and I was equal parts excited and scared shitless about having my c section. I felt my useless cervix contract and let out a scream just as we pulled in front of the emergency room. Luckily Dr.Nisbalm was there waiting on me because I was definitely not in the mood to be patient. He had a big smile on his face and powder blue surgical scrubs on. He had been training on a three-dimensional model of my body so he was primed for the process.
"Now boys I'm going to need you to be patient with Daddy I'm a little anxious and you guys fighting over who's coming out first isn't helping. I promise that you all will be out soon enough. This is your first life lesson; waiting for your turn."
Marco got out of the car in a hurry his smile held excitement and anxiety as it should for the occasion. He talked to Dr.Nisbalm who had his nurses next to him. I felt bad I might have ruined their night plans. Farrah had her loose beachy waves pulled back in a haphazard bun and the two men were yawning. Her makeup was matted and her eyes looked like she had snatched her eyelashes off. Farrah walked up with the wheelchair in hand while Marco opened the door for me and helped me out and onto the seat. The moment I was sitting I was wheeled into the building and down a hall to a small room with a bed and monitors. The next moments were filled with me stripping out of my clothes and putting the thing gown on then being helped into the bed. The various pads and monitors were put on my body and Marco held my hand while smiling down at me as if I was Jesus or something.
"So today is the day, I'm so happy for other two of you. The first thing I'm going to do is check and make sure that you are prepared for the procedure before we go to the operation room," Dr. Nisbalm said reading whatever was on his screen. I want to wait an hour to get started and prepped and allow the coffee to kick in," he said looking at his small team.
"Alrrrrrrriiiight," I said feeling another contraction. I squeezed down on Marco's hand in pain and looked at him.
"You son of a bitch, you did this to me. I ought to have my Dad shoot you in your dick. You had one job, put the damn condom on," I yelled at Marco.
"I am so sorry Honey," He said startled at my words.
"Calm down in just messing with you, they hurt but not that bad," I said laughing. I needed some humor to break the nerves that were building in the back of my mind.
"That's not funny," he said rolling his eyes at me but didn't let go of my hand.
"I laughed that's all that matters right now," I responded then started doing my breathing exercises.
"Okay well give you guys some space," the Doctor said leaving the room. The moment he exited my Daddy entered with a smile on his face. Cindy walked in behind him wearing a golden state hoodie and some sort of leggings. The hoodie belonged to my dad which meant she was spending the night and had nothing to change into other than her suit or nothing appropriate to wear in public.
"Darling," my Dad said kissing my forehead.
"Finally going to see my grandson's," he said smiling.
I scooted over in the bed a little and patted the open space trying to ignore the pressure building inside of me. Marco sat down and my Dad climbed on the bed and wrapped his arm around me and I leaned my head on his.
"You're just like your mom pretending like you aren't in pain. She was so calm when she had all of you I was convinced that meditation she had practiced was some real form of pain relief," he said digging into his pocket. I watched as he pulled out a silver bangle reminiscent of the one my mother was wearing in my favorite picture of her.
"Is that," I asked after the pain passed.
"Yeah, it's one of hers. I kept them in a small box in the attic. These were the first thing she bought for herself when she moved to the states. She said they symbolize her will to succeed. I want you to take one of them. I gave Alder, and Cartier one and I will give Pine one when he finally settled down with whomever since he thinks everyone is blind. You can't take it into surgery with you but I want you to have it as a memory of your mother," he said and handed me the silver ring of metal. It was cold to the touch and somewhat dull but it had become one of my most prized possessions. I wondered what my Mom would say to me she always had a way of making the bad days turn sunny.
"Babies," the small voice of Cartier entered the room. I turned to my side to see Alder, Pine, and Thalia behind the small little ball of joy looking at me with excitement.
"You couldn't have gone into labor during the day," Alder said walking over to kiss my forehead.
"Hey what's that in the screen," I asked panicked.
"What," he said and turned behind him. I took the opportunity to reach over my brother and punch him in the balls. He doubled over and started cussing which earned him a snack in the back of the head from Thalia who walked over and kissed my cheek. Pine waved at me and took a seat next to Cindy who was looking at all of us calmly.
"Up," Cartier demanded to her Grandfather.
"Fine but you can't hurt him," my Dad said lifting her up and onto his chest.
"Hey Uncle Elm's favorite niece," I said running my fingers through her hair. She giggled at me and smiled showing her dimpled cheeks.
"Cousins, I'm having cousins," she said to me placing her small hand on my belly.
"Yep you are, when you get bigger they are going to be chasing the boys off along with all the other macho men in your life," I said to her just as a contraction hit. Marco looked concerned but stayed seated as I talked my way through it with everyone.
The hour seemed to move at a snail's pace but finally, the doctor came back in the room and told me it was time. Farrah washed my abdomen and didn't have to use the razor she brought in since I shaved. Then they placed the catheter in for the surgery. Finally, the anesthesiologist came in and administered a spinal block which made me feel so weird. I handed Marco my band and got a kiss from everyone in the cheek as I was carted off. Marco held my hand securely and took my ring so he could put it in his pocket.
"Please don't do anything stupid like die on me leaving me with three sons to raise okay," he said bringing his face to mine.
"I promise," I said and kissed his cheek then he pulled away by the Polynesian male nurse to help him scrub in for the procedure. I took a deep breath.
'Now boys your Daddy is really scared but I made a promise to live through this to your Papa and we keep promised in the family. I'm going to need you three to cooperate with your Dad's'
They brought me in the operating room and shifted me to the table where I lay naked and exposed. I wanted Marco but knew they wouldn't let them in during the initial starting phase.
"Alright Elm let's get this started. Don't be nervous just focus on breathing and the medicine should keep you calm. You may feel some tugging sensations and pressure but that is completely normal and the anesthetic won't wear off anytime soon," Dr. Nisbalm said to me.
"Alright team plays my music," he said and 'This is how we do it' blasted through the speakers. I smiled at the song choice. The team put up the privacy curtain to shield my view and it was showtime.
"Alright I'm incising the transverse, or bikini line in laymen's terms," I felt a tugging just above my pelvis and heard the sound of suctioning and burning. I knew it would leave a scar but I planned on getting it tattooed over with ink in my skin tone to make it less noticeable. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see a nervous Marco forcing a smile. I felt pressure as they had to find the proper access path to my uterus and hoped to god they didn't fuck me up inside. After a long period of listening to nineties R&B through speakers overhead, Dr. Nisbalm spoke.
"Alright I'm going to incise the uterus and then I can start pulling the babies out in the order you specified," Dr. Nisbalm said. I felt more tugging and felt excitement at thought of seeing my children come into the world. Farrah smiled at me and squeezed my free hand.
"I love you," Marco said to me. Farrah pulled down the divider and held up a mirror just as Dr. Nisbalm was bringing out our first born. I should have been disgusted but it didn't bother me.
"I love you too," I said as I felt an enormous amount of pressure and then there he was eyes squinted in the bright lights and light skinned that I could already tell would darken based on the color of his ears. He was covered in blood and fluids but was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Dr. Nisbalm asked Marco to cut the cord the Doctor placed him on my chest which was gross and beautiful at the same time. I reached for him feeling his soft skin.
"He's beautiful," Marco said. I looked up to see him crying tears of joy.
"That he is. Maddox Marco Taffery," I said to him and to the baby. His face brightened at the middle name I picked.
"A junior, or well sort of a junior," he said with a smile.
"Yeah, you know just compromising," I said. The black nurse took him away to a side table to clean him up. He looked big and healthy which was good since he and his brother's had me cramping all the time. He didn't cry too much which I hoped would remain constant.
"Maxwell takes the placenta to get tested and come back for the other two," Dr. Nisbalm said.
"Elm time for baby number two," he said and I felt pressure again and out popped Calloway who cried the moment he was out. Dr. Nisbalm placed him on my chest and I held onto him. He was smaller than Maddox but looked healthy enough. I looked up to see Marco with huge tears in his eyes.
"Calloway Joseph Tafferty," I said as he was taken away. Tears starting to fall out of my eyes.
"Alright last but not least," Dr. Nisbalm said. I felt him pulling and then relief. The loud cries of a baby filled the room and the child was placed on my chest and I held him. He was the biggest of them and was my little kicker. Unlike the others, he had a head full of hair and was alert to his surroundings. I laughed at him looking around with his eyes.
"Ozias Alexander Tafferty, you're going to be a wild one aren't you," I said to him and Marco laughed. Darius took him to the side with the others and brought Marco along to hold the babies himself.
"Alright I'm going to sew you up and have those placentas tested to see if one or more of them are like you then that's all for now. The babies seem healthy and are getting checked as we speak," Dr. Nisbalm said smiling at me. I heard Marco laughing at the babies while I started to feel tired.
"I'm sleepy," I said aloud to no one in particular.
"That's fine everything went as planned and we upped the meds so you can get some rest. Your babies will be there when you get up along with the results okay," Dr. Nisbalm said as I drifted into a restful sleep...
All I remembered from my dreams were clouds. I couldn't get the fluffy cotton-like substance of pure white out of my mind. I opened my eyes and saw that I was surrounded by family. I looked up and saw my Uncle Kunaal holding Maddox. I don't know how I was able to tell since I didn't even have my contacts in but I just knew which one was which. Marco had his shirt off and was holding Ozias to his chest while my Dad held Calloway in his arms letting everyone else marvel at him. The three boys looked healthy and I was happy to see them being loved on.
"Hey, can I hold my babies," I asked sarcastically causing everyone to turn around.
"Elm, Honey," Marco said walking over to me and placed Ozias on my chest. I felt numb still but knew it wouldn't last long. I held my plump baby in my arms while he was sleeping. My Dad came over with Calloway and placed him in my other arm.
"I missed you nephew, you have some handsome young men on your hands," My Uncle Kunaal said gently positioning Maddox in the middle. He kissed my cheek and sat down next to Pine who smiled at me.
"Cousins," Cartier said and I smiled big and bright.
"Yup cousins," I said. I held onto them and cried tears of joy that they were finally in my arms.
"Ahhh look at the happy family," Dr. Nisbalm said entering the room.
"You did really well Elm, everything went as planned and they are all healthy," he said in a way to lead into other news
"What is it," I asked him as Ozias started squirming a little.
"We ran test on the placenta and found out that Calloway had a heightened level of estrogen present so I went ahead and did an ultrasound and was able to find a small uterus behind his prostate leading me to confirm that he is indeed a fruitful intersexual like yourself," he said looking at me and Marco.
"Okay, well we can handle that," Marco said and caressed Calloway's head. The doctor nodded before speaking about how to care for the infant's and that I'd have to stay for three nights before he could send us all home then left.
"Wait," I said to him and he turned around.
"You can publish the story, I mean you've helped get me here it's only fair. Just no pictures of me, you can do the babies since their faces will change but you know," I said. He smiled and said "thank you," before leaving out. My family then took pictures of me and played with the babies before my Psychiatrist walked in.
"Hey," I said to her and she gave me a warm smile. I had been neglecting my sessions since the pregnancy but she would always call and spot check on me.
"They are absolutely positively adorable," she said with a smile.
"Thank you," I said smiling back at her.
"I'm so happy for you, I just wanted to drop by I have to get back to my ward but you know if your feeling down you can always call me when you need me and even if you don't," she said then left. I smiled as she left and noticed that it was dark outside.
"You guys can go home I'm going to be fine you have work in the morning," I said. It was like I gave them the green light. They got up and kissed me goodbye then left out all except for my Uncle.
"What are you doing," I asked him as he grabbed a Maddox from me.
"Marco needs to sleep and you need to rest some more so I'll stay and make sure the babies are alright in NICU," he said and placed him in the cart. He grabbed the other two and placed them in their carts before calling a nurse to take them away. He followed soon after with a smile on his face while looking down at them.
"Can you lay with me," I asked Marco and he climbed in still shirtless. His nipples were hard meaning he was cold. I lifted the covers over him and he pulled me into his embrace. He smelled of that new baby scent which was good.
"They are so handsome and amazing," Marco said.
"Yeah, they are I can't believe they grew inside of me for all those months and are finally here," I told him.
"Yeah it's crazy, Corey kept asking for pictures. It was nice I just wish," He stopped mid-sentence.
"Your brother, you want to share this moment with someone from your family," I finished his sentence for him.
"Yeah no offense to your family because they are my family now," he said holding up my hand and I noticed the ring had been placed on my hand along with my mother's bangle on my arm. I smiled at the image and got closer to Marco hurrying my face in his side.
"I understand," I said.
"Yeah having our family made me realize I hadn't fought hard enough for him," Marco said sounding ashamed.
"Hey, how about you start looking for him again maybe you might find him," I said getting tired again.
"Yeah maybe I'll do that but for right now I just want to enjoy our time together," he said and kissed the top of my head and laid his head back.
"I love you," I said to him.
"I love you too and all that you have given me," he said back.