Hot Coffee (The Hollens) novel Chapter 62

Ethan's POV

I watched them sleeping so soundly in the double crib in our bedroom. I had redecorated and arranged a bedroom across from ours for them, but Emma wanted them in the room with us so she could keep a very close eye on them. The first pregnancy was unsuccessful and I believed she would become very overprotective of the twins. 

The twins had come into the world yesterday, July 8th, at 11:04 a.m and 11:07 a.m. 

Emma's birthday was only four days away and I planned on making it extra special for her and my Nana.

As I watched my children Evan's eyes opened. They were a bright gray like mine. I couldn't help but smile as he looked up at me and gave a bright toothless smile. He was silent. He didn't make a sound, only stared as if he were judging me. I was tempted to pick him up and hold him in my arms. The son I'd always wanted was now here in my room looking up at me, and he was perfect. 

I couldn't help myself anymore. I leaned in and picked him up very carefully, making sure I supported his back and his head with my hands. I laid him against my chest, softly.

"Hi Evan. Welcome to the world. I'm Ethan and I'm your daddy. I love you and your sister, though she's still sound asleep," I whispered as I peered down at Emily. 

She was beautiful. She was sleeping so peacefully. 

Emma was still also sleeping. 

The girls.

"I love you and your sister and your mom so, so much and I'll always be there for the three of you, and we'll always be a family."

Evan made a small cooing sound like he was understanding what I was saying and replying in his baby language. His small figure was still in my hands and I didn't want to let him go. 

When I put him back down in his crib to rest, he began to throw a small fit, and then he began to cry. I picked him up again and he immediately stopped.

"Kid are you serious?" I joked as I walked around the room with him in my arms.

Emily woke up too. Apparently she had heard her brother crying, so she was now up and crying too. Evan heard her crying and began to cry. I now had two crying babies in the room. I went back over to Emily and attempted to pick her up but got frightened when I saw she was really throwing a tantrum and it wouldn't be wise to have both crying babies in my arms like that.

"Baby. Baby wake up. The babies are crying," I said to Emma, shaking her out of her sleep. 

She got up and attended to them both. Emily began nursing on her left and Evan on her right. It was really a sight. They were quiet as they fed from their mother. Their eyes closed and after a minute or so they released her nipples and were back asleep. 

Thank you Jesus.

"Hold Emily and I'll hold Evan. We have to make sure they burp before putting them to bed."

"But they're sleeping," I said, taking my daughter. 

I followed what Emma was doing, rubbing the baby's back gently with the palm of my hand. I was enjoying this-- fatherhood was awesome. I gave a giggle after the twins burped at the same time. 

We put them back to bed and I took Emma into my arms. "I love you," I told her, burying my face into her neck like a big baby.

"I love you too, daddy," she said with a smile and gave me a kiss on my lips.

_______________________

Flashback

Emma was six months pregnant. I came home from the office and met her in the bedroom-- the only place she enjoyed being. 

"Hi baby. How was your day?" I greeted as I walked into the door.

"Babe, can you get me some sparkling water, two cubes of ice, not too cold?" 

"Um, I want some orange juice." I never liked it but when I found it was her favorite thing to drink, I began drinking it.

"You don't want some coffee?"

"Okay. Sure."

She went over to the coffee machine that I also had installed in the room when she was eight months pregnant. She'd thrown a tantrum when I told her that Halley would make my coffee because I didn't want her downstairs in the kitchen where a busy chef was preparing meals with knives, hot ovens and blazing burners; she could've gotten injured or knocked over or something. I installed a coffee maker in the room like the one I had at the office. I didn't want her on swollen feet making coffee for me each morning but she insisted. The only way to satisfy her was to just let her make the coffee.

"Here," she said. 

I remembered the first time I tasted her coffee in the office. It took my breath away and, right then, I knew I needed her in my life.

"Are you alright?" she asked, combing my hair with her fingers.

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'm going and take a bath." She got up and went to the bathroom.

I heard small cooing noises shortly after. They were awake already. I stayed out of their sight. I didn't want them to see me and start acting up again. But that definitely wasn't the solution because they both started crying again, louder and louder.

"Emma!" I shouted.

"Just give them attention instead of hiding!" she called from the bathroom.

I walked over to the crib, their eyes latched on me and they stopped crying. They began smiling and moving their little hands around. My daughter and my son, my new pride and joy. I loved them.