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The laughter in the room

The day our lives changed

 

She rushed in, her hair, freshly blown out, with a light smell of flowers wafting through the air. The sound of her shiny black stilettos clicked against the cold, vintage tiles. As she rushed to my bedside, all I could think was “wow, she looked fantastic for someone who wasn’t supposed to be here.”

 

I silently listened to her as she got caught up with the other doctors in the room.

 

“I was here to get my paycheck,” she said. “I randomly heard another doctor saying the momos were coming, and it’s not very often that you get to be here for the delivery of one of the rarest types of twins. It’s all going to be okay, Hillary. You’ve lived here for over 7 weeks. It’s time to get you on the journey back to your own house.”

 

30 weeks.

 

1 day.

 

I wanted longer.

 

“Here is a gown,” a nurse said, handing the stiff-looking garment to my mother. “And here is yours,” she said, handing my husband a similar, but larger sized gown.

 

“We will take your mom with us, and she will join you in the room so that dad can go right away with the twins to the NICU. Just remember, you may not be able to see them right away, as we will rush them to their incubators to ensure they are breathing.”

 

It was time.

 

As they wheeled me into the operating room, I nervously clutched the white, stiff blanket.

 

These aren’t my sheets from home, the ones I had been using all these weeks in the hospital.

 

As the two doors swung open, a flurry of doctors by the dozen were roaming around. I looked up, and the gallery was full.

 

Indeed, today was my day and theirs to see something they may never see again in their careers.

 

As I got settled in, she arrived. Her freshly blown hair, now under a surgical cap. Her stilettos, replaced with sneakers covered in teal booties. Her reassuring smile reminded me to relax.

 

“Everything’s going to be just fine, Hillary. Look how many people are here for the three of you. Everyone is excited to finally meet Jade and Eliza.”

 

Maybe it was my lucky day. My favorite doctor was just ending her shift, and she chose to stay. My other favorite doctor serendipitously was here, on the very day the momos were coming. It would be fine.

 

The doctors went to work, my only view a white cloth draped in front of my face. Periodically, the anesthesiologist would ask how I was doing, I would nod. I could barely speak. My mother and husband to my left, sat quietly waiting.

 

Then, out of nowhere, a giggle.

 

Then another.

 

And another.

 

Then, a fit of laughter filled the room.

 

“Hillary, I want to walk you through what’s happening. As we had partially delivered Jade, Baby A, Eliza felt she needed to be first, sticking her foot out and causing her to become Baby A.”

 

Well, I guess they really did have minds of their own.