4.40 - Old Memories

Four months had passed since they were married. Velina had made Logan's house into her home too and fit in well with the rest of the family. On her way to work one day, she stopped in the parking lot, overewhelmed with nausea. She relinquished the breafast that she had eaten onto the pavement. Her very first thought was that she was pregnant. It had been on her mind since her wedding night. She and Logan took no precautions that night, or any night after that. When she got home that day she would be sure to check her menstral schedule, and see when she was due for it.

Adelaide still spent a lot of her free time writing her books, mostly she wrote adventure books but this one - the wedding and love being close on her mind still - was a romance. It was going very well, she had submitted quite a few chapters already and her publisher was anxiously awaiting more. Everyonce in a while she would stop typing and stare at the pictures of her two boys on the desk. Neither were young anymore, and she missed those days a lot.

Velina had woken up and pulled out some old clothes she had that were bigger than her normal. Her pregnancy suspsicions were confirmed for sure then, her stomach was starting to expand, but the rest of her body stayed the same, so she wasn't just gaining weight in her marital happiness. She wanted to be positive though, before she shared the information with her husband.

Logan came back from the store one afternoon and called for Velina, he heard an answer from the kitchen. Where she was made him realize that she had been in there a lot over the last month, making snacks or meals. He wondered why.

"Hey hon, you're making something again? You've been in here a lot lately."

Velina smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I've been craving a lot of things. I figure it's better to give in to your craving than suffer." She paused as she glanced at her feet, then back up. "I'm pregnant."

Logan's eyes went wide. "Are you serious!? That's awesome! You're sure? I mean, wow. I hadn't even been thinking about children, I've just been too into you to think about anything else. Wow. A baby... wow." His eyes wandered through the kitchen, but they didn't see it, he was thinking of what it would be like to have an infant in the house. They'd need more room. Four adults and a teen were already cramped in this 3 bedroom home. "Wow."

Smiling at Logan she told him that she was sure, and she was about into her second trimester already. She was excited but very nervous about the idea of a child gracing their lives. She also told him that she's pretty sure she'd be ready to take on the responsibility of one. He nodded in eager agreement and told her not to worry, if they stayed here for a bit that his mom would be happy to help.

Over the next few months Velina had maternity leave from work, she worked as an actress and no one was looking for a pregnant woman in any of their films. Logan stayed working of course but every day there all he would do is stare out the window that faced his own home. He would stand there for hours upon hours, just wondering what his wife was doing and if she was okay. He thought about the baby they would have and decided that he wanted a boy. A little boy that he could play ball with, help with his homework, teach to be a man. Of course he'd be great with a girl too, but he'd have to be more delicate. He was sure that either would be spoiled beyond the imagination.

The alarm didn't go off every day, but this day it startled him from his daydreaming. He rushed off to save the day with a quick glance of the clock. Of course it was 4pm, just before he gets off work.

It was apparently a large house fire. The entry door was stuck tight, he had to break it down. As soon as he stepped inside it seemed that he was surrounded by flames. He pulled the fire extinguisher and started blasting.

Velina had heard the fire alarm go off from across the street. She stood in the living room worrying about the fire, hoping everything was alright. Hoping that he didn't find anyone trapped or worse. She paced for an hour before sitting down, knowing that pacing wasn't helping. She turned the television on to try and distract herself from her thoughts. Even more now, since they were with child, she worried about him at work every day.

When he came through the front door and basically ran through the house, coming to the living room looking for her, she sighed with relief and stood up to hug him tight.

"Phew, you smell like smoke. Is everything and everyone okay?" She asked him.

"Oh yes. It was a good sized fire, but there was no one in the house. Everyone is safe. How about you? Are you okay?" Logan rubbed Velina's tummy and looked at her with concern.

Velina laughed, "Yes silly, not much could happen sitting here on the couch all day!"

Just a month and a half later, Logan woke and rolled out of bed. It was wet. His eyes went wide, staring at his wife. "HONEY! I think you're water broke. Get up. Didn't you feel it?"

Mumbling, Velina sat up in bed and felt more water gush from her. "Oi!" She stood up with a start. "No, no I guess I was sleeping really  hard, but I feel it now."

"I'll get the bag, you get in the car, we'll get out of here and get you to the hospital. Dear spirits today's the day!" Logan said.

Adelaide had heard Logan say that last sentence as she walked by their bedroom. She opened the door and came in without invitation right when Velina was having her first contraction.

"Velina! You're in labor, what are you still doing here?" She asked. "Go go, shoo. Don't come back until you bring me a baby! Brian and I will set up the crib and some toys while you're gone."

The rest of the labor took all day, it wasn't until evening that the baby was coming. The earliest contractions had happened the night before, but those were not painful. Velina had technically been in labor over 12 hours. The doctor was pleased to announce that there were two babies on the way, not just one. The first had been delivered and was a beautiful baby girl. The second baby was on it's way out as the first was getting cleaned up. There was only about a minute and a half between each birth. The second baby was also a girl, just as lovely as the first.

When it was over, as Velina was lying there waiting for the doctors to finish up with her babies, so she and Logan could see them, her hands fell across her stomach. It felt very odd not to have the baby belly anymore. She had gotten used to it, and she knew right away that she would miss it. Logan had called home while they were waiting, standing right next to his wife, and let the rest of the family know that there were two girls. He couldn't contain his excitement.

Babies cleaned and given to the parents, everyone was sent home. Emma was the first one to greet the new family members. Everyone else seemed to be in bed, which wasn't surprising. It was near the middle of the night. They had been gone all day. They walked up the stairs to find that the upper hall had been turned into a nursery. There were two cribs and anything a baby could need up there. For now that would do.

David, Brian and Adelaide had all heard the new parents come home, and were out of their rooms before the babies were settled in the cribs completely. Logan and Velina stepped away, though not too far, so the others could look at the newest Fullers.

Adelaide was the first to scoop up one of the infants. "Oh she's so precious! What are their names? How adorable."

Logan spoke up, "The little lady you've got is Olivia, Dad there has Layla. Layla is named after Velina's grandmother, and we just loved the name Olivia."

"Perfect," Brian said as he snuggled Olivia. "So perfect, they're gorgeous. You done good kid." He said, looking at Velina. "Congratulations both of you." He gently placed the infant back in her bed so he was free to hug his son and daughter-in-law.

Later, Adelaide and Brian were downstairs watching television together when Adelaide suggested that they give the master bedroom to Logan, Velina and the girls. Brian agreed and told her that it was the best idea ever. Adelaide was hoping that would make them stay a while longer. She feared that they were going to move out now, and she wouldn't have any time to get to know the babies.

Suddenly the fire alarm was blaring in the kitchen.

Adelaide was the first on scene. She ran into the kitchen without thinking. Brian's fear stopped him dead at the doorway of the dining room. He watched the woman he loved rushing toward the orange flames and horrible memories flooded back to him. Not her too.

The fear that had stopped him before, ripped him out of his own thoughts and he rushed in after her brandishing the nearby fire extinguisher. As he sprayed, he looked pleadingly at his wife.

"Addy please go, please leave! Get out!" He yelled at her.

"I'm not leaving you alone!" She yelled back, flinching from the heat of the flames.

Brian nearly cried when she refused to go. He sprayed more, as fast as he could to put out the fire. Finally, the flames disappeared.

He turned with a cold glare to Adelaide, who wiped some sweat from her brow before seeing her husbands expression.

"Why didn't you leave?! I asked you do go! Addy! You..you.." He yelled, he brandished his hands at her. He was so scared for her that her defiance made him angrier than he had ever been "Why didn't you go?!" He demanded.

"Why are you yelling at me?" Adelaide asked, confused. "I didn't want to leave you here alone fighting that fire!"

"Don't you understand," He asked, starting to plead now. "I couldn't stand it if I lost you too, no way. Addy please, never ever rush into a room on fire again. Please understand me, I wouldn't be able to cope if anything had happened to you!"

Finally she got it, she hadn't been thinking that way, she was only worried about the new babies and his life. She hadn't thought that his first wife had died in a fire. Adelaide put her hands out apologetically. "Oh Brian. I'm sorry, I didn't think. I'm sorry."

Brian pulled her into a hug then. He squeezed so hard she thought she wouldn't be able to catch a breath. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, I was just panicked that's all." He said as he held her.

The next few days were spent cuddling infants and rearranging the house. Brian and Adelaide were moving to Logan's room and He and Velina to the master bedroom with the babies. There was more room in there for the new family. Brian and Adelaide liked the smaller room for them anyway, it seemed more intimate in a way.

The next year passed by as quick as a blink. Tending to infants - two infants - makes for a busy lifestyle. There may have been four adults in the house, but two worked so it evened out really. Everyone was always doing something. Cooking, cleaning, cuddling, feeding, or maybe just trying to be quiet while the girls slept.




To be continued...