"Alright. Deep breaths. Don't panic. We will get through this. It's no big deal." I said and I heard her chuckle.

"Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself more than you're trying to convince me."

"No I'm not freaking out. I'm definitely not freaking out. I'm calm now." I took deep breaths and tired to remain calm because that was the most scary moment of my life. To think that she'd go into labor when I went to see her. What if I had been in one corner drinking my liver to death all in the name of bad feelings? More deep breaths and I was finally able to grasp onto a weak sense of calm within.

"Okay what next?" I asked when she moved away from the door.

"What's next is to have a shower and find my best maternity gown and throw it on. Have to make sure it's properly ironed. Oh and call my dad. He said he wants to be there when it's happening. And go through that labour bag and give me a sanitary pad. Don't want that bloody stuff to get on my underwear again." she replied and I looked at her as if she was crazy. Who the fuck wants to iron and look good when in labour? A shower? Finding her best maternity outfit and making sure it's properly ironed? I watched her pull out her mini makeup purse and she started rummaging through it.

"What are you doing now?" I asked with a light frown on my face. I was as confused as I looked.

"Finding the best lipstick shade. I can't welcome my babies looking ruffled. Have you called my dad?" She replied as she set a dark shade of red apart and I knew that was her choice.

I dialled her father's number and when he picked, I filled him in on what was happening.

"So where's Maya now?"

"She's going in for a shower."

"What the hell?"

"is this normal?"

"I don't know, I wasn't there when she was born." He replied with disbelief in his voice. We concluded the call and then I called the hospital to let them know we were coming. I went into the bathroom just when she turned the water off.

"What are you doing in here? I'm naked for crying out loud."

"Just want to ensure that you are safe."

"I've been showering on my own since I got pregnant. Go away." she shouted, embarrassment naked as she was rang in her voice as she tried to cover herself with her arms and that was what drew my attention to her body and despite the tension in the air, I felt my length harden in my pants

"You're so beautiful." I heard myself murmur.

"...is that an erection I see? You se... Fuck! Oh God." she shouted as she blindly reached out for something to grab which was my hand. I winced when she squeezed very hard and I felt my wrist bones shift within. When her hold loosened, she finally opened her eyes.

"That was stronger than the ones I have been having all morning."

"You've been having contractions all morning?" I asked with a frown.

"I've been having it since the preterm scare. Mini ones once in a while but today has been more consistent than the last two weeks but I didn't pay attention to them." I grabbed two towels from the rack and gave one to her. As she dried her face and neck, I did her legs. I was anxious to get going. Why was she so calm? It didn't make any sense to me at all. I was surprised she didn't kick me for touching her without her permission, considering how embarrassed she was about the whole thing.

When she was finally dry, she left to dress up and I stayed back in to put the towels in the laundry basket and then I peed. By the time I went back out, she was putting on lipstick and speaking to her friend Avery on the phone. Next was a text message to someone else. She handed a folder to me and said it contained my copy of the birthing plan and other things I didn't even know what they were. And we finally left for the hospital.

"This is all your fault." she said as she squeezed my hand and leaned onto me for support when she got another wave.

"I thought we both enjoyed the sex." I joked lightly and the look she gave me showed that it was the worst thing I could say in the situation. When we got to the hospital, it turned out to be she was just 2 cm dilated. So we were told to go home or do something to pass time for about 6 hours or when the contractions were 7 minutes apart, so we went to the movies, walked around and other things but 5 hours later, Maya was sweating bullets. I tried my best to be a good coach but she kept fluctuating. She'd want a massage now and then the next minute she won't want you to touch her. She swore like a sailor and almost broke my wrist. She even threatened to cut off my dick and eat it. That was sick and it made me shudder but it did show how bad her struggle was. At a point I said Baby you're doing great and what I got in return was Will you shut the fuck up, I know I'm doing great, I'm the one doing the work you little cunt. I did hear the doctor chuckle as she checked how dilated she was. Apparently it is normal.

"My vagina is going to be reconstructed because you couldn't keep it in your pants." she cried was I wiped the sweat and tears off her face. That little makeup she'd put on was gone, including the lipstick.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Don't fucking apologize to me" she screamed when another wave hit her. "Oh God Keith. When this is all over I will cut your dick and balls off and grind it and make a fucking sandwich with it. Then you wouldn't have sex and get me pregnant again."

I shuddered at her threat again. That was the one millionth dick threat as it was more creative than the rest. I also wondered if she knew that her words implied that we were getting back together.

"I'll eat the sandwich with you as punishment."

"Never. I got fucked, I got pregnant and I'm the one her vagina will never be the same again. So I get to be the one to eat the dick sandwich not you you greedy piece of shit." she finished with a shout before slumping onto the bed and breathing hard.

"I'm tired. I can't do this anymore."

"Come on sweetheart. It's almost over. Just push when they say you should and everything will be fine." Maya had been pushing for what felt like hours and there had been little obvious progress. If she had gone with a C-section as her doctor had recommended considering the fact that she's having twins, it would have been over soon but she'd said she didn't want a C-section, something about fear of being cut up.

In as much as I focused on Maya, the next words I heard made me look up. "We have to perform a C-section."

"What?" I gasped when I heard the doctor's words.

"We have to perform a C-section. This has gone on for too long and it's dangerous for both you and the babies. You are exhausted and the second baby just showed a sign of distress."

I knew all about distress and C-section and everything since I had read all I could but I hadn't wanted to do the whole C-section business but at that moment, it was obvious I had no choice but to do that if I wanted to save mine and NY babies lives. I started crying because I felt like a failure. I couldn't even get birthing my babies perfectly. I knew it was a possibility. My doctor had even advised me to go for it but I had insisted on natural birth. When she saw how adamant I was, she explained to me that despite all that, I should know that there was a possibility that it'd happen, mainly because I was carrying twins. So I knew it was possible but I still didn't like it. I hated the thought of being cut open, and I didn't want to think of the scar that would come with any skin injury, which was why I had spent over 10 years of my life trying to avoid any physical injury so as to not scar.

"Hey now. It's going to be fine and before you'll know it, you'll be cooing at your babies." one of the nurses said to me to which I nodded even though it didn't exactly make me stop crying or feeling like a failure. Just then, he was told to leave the room while they prepared me for the surgery. I started panicking.

"No. Wait. He has to be in here with me."

"Ma'am, we have to get you ready as wheel you to the operating room, and they have to talk to him too and get him ready. He will be back soon. This hospital allows the presence of partners, so he won't be gone for long" the nice nurse tried reasoning with me. Everything passed in a blur and what felt like hours later even though it wasn't just minutes, Keith came into the operating room I had been wheeled to, wearing scrubs and a mask.

I was happy the curtain was there to prevent me from seeing what was going on because I sure as hell didn't want to see my intestines.

"I can't feel anything from here down. What's going on?"

"I honestly do not want to look. I don't wanna see your intestines."

I heard the attending nurse say she was just inserting a catheter. Eww.

"I'm so scared." I whispered as more tears seeped out of my eyes into my ears.

Taking my hand into his once again and squeezing it lightly, Keith spoke as he used his hanky to wipe my face, sweat, tears and all. "Tell you what? When we're done, I'll make you the cheesiest burger you've ever has in your entire life."

"Really?" I asked and he nodded with a smile.

"Yup. And because you need some cheering up right now and a distraction, I'll let you in on a little embarrassing secret."

"What secret?" I could hear the movement in the background as they got ready for the C-section. They were having a conversation as if they gave together for tea. I liked the fact that there was no tension in the atmosphere and Keith was trying to keep my attention on him and it was working.

"I cry when I poop." he said with a straight face and I chuckled a little.

"What?"

"When I really push down, I tear up a lot. I actually feel tears welling up in my eyes when I go number two."

"That's so weird."

"I know right? It scared me back when I realized it. I thought I was dying." he replied with a little laugh.

We continued having little conversations, and I even asked a few questions which the doctor answered. It felt like forever but I when the first boy came into the world. He was soon followed by his brother. Neither of them were given to me immediately as they went to clean them up and other necessary things. I raised trembling hands to my face and tried to cover my mouth when a happy sob left my lips.

"They're so wrinkly and the one I saw now has so much hair" I said in a choked voice.

I wasn't the only one moved by their birth. Keith's eyes were bright with tears too and he laughed a little before leaning in to press a kiss on my forehead and cheek.

"I love you." he said and I looked into his eyes. This man had made me laugh and cry and feel so many good things and the bad too. This man had been trying to fix things between us after messing up, this man that had been as involved as possible despite my negative attitude, this man had been with me throughout delivery even though he didn't have to. This man had my heart and refused to let it go. This man that is the father of my children. This man that I loved with all my heart despite everything that had happened.

"I love you too." I replied with a small smile on my face. I truly did love him despite everything.