a sound breaks into our little bubble. It’s May, and she’s using a bullhorn.
“Hey! Toni and Lucky! Did you guys tell each other you’re in love with each other yet or what?”
I slowly shake my head at her as we watch Ozzie pull the bullhorn out of her hand and spank her lightly on the butt.
“She is so going to regret that,” I say, making a mental note to seek revenge after her honeymoon.
Lucky drapes his arm over my shoulder. “She means well. She offered to plan our wedding, you know.”
I drop my head into my hand. “Oh, dear God, spare me.” I can already picture it: me in a dress so big I can’t fit through the door, fifteen bridesmaids, and a crew of ten kids carrying flowers and rings.
Lucky laughs and squeezes me tight. “Don’t worry, babe. I got you.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
When my labor comes, everything’s all orchestrated and planned out. Lucky is wearing scrubs and he’s sitting on a stool near my head, and a green surgical curtain blocks my view of my belly. One of our babies—Milli or Vanilli, we’re not sure which—was being stubborn and refusing to turn around and head out of the warm home he or she has been enjoying for the past almost nine months, so the doctor ordered a C-section. I’m shaking with nerves and whatever medications they have me jacked up with.
“Excited?” Lucky asks me, a piece of his beard not covered by his mask tickling my face as he leans in closely.
“Very. And nervous. I don’t want to die.”
He frowns at me. “You’re not going to die. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You’re going to be just fine,” the anesthesiologist says through her mask. “I’ll be watching you like a hawk.” She looks up at the monitors over my head that are attached by wires to my chest, my arms and about five other places, it seems.
I ignore her in favor of staring at my babies’ father. “I want to get married,” I blurt out.
I’m guessing his grin is huge. He’s wearing a surgical mask, and all I can see are his eyes, but they pretty much disappear into his cheeks.
“Now?”
I nod, holding his hand with a grip of iron. “Yes. Right now.”
He laughs. “We can’t do it now, silly. You’re about to have two babies.” He glances over his left shoulder, looking over the curtain. “I think they’re getting started.”
He turns his attention back to me. “Hold that thought, babe. I promise, I’m not going anywhere. Let’s get Milli and Vanilli outta there, and then we’ll call Jenny. She can make all the plans.”
I nod, breathing in and out as evenly as I can to calm myself. Jenny will do it. She handles everything like a pro. She’ll tell May no big dresses or big hair.
“Just relax,” the anesthesiologist says. “Everything’s going to be fine. Tell me if you feel nauseated or dizzy.”
“Ready to get started?” the obstetrician asks. He peers at me over the curtain, his dark brown eyes twinkling in the surgical suite’s lighting.
I nod. “Yes. Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Okay!” He disappears behind the curtain again and I feel pressure down below. My whole body is really warm, but I’m still shaking.
“Things are going to move pretty fast,” he says, jerking my body a little with whatever he’s doing. “Here we go . . .”
Nurses rush over and another doctor leans in. “Baby A is coming out . . .” my doctor says.
We didn’t opt to find out the sex of the babies, so all I can do is yell the name we’ve been using for Baby A. “Milli!” I yell.
There’s a faint cry of an infant and then some laughter. “Milli is a boy!”
I start crying right along with my baby. “Milli is a boy, Lucky—did you hear that?”
Lucky’s crying too. And then he stands, looking over the curtain. “Oh my god, he’s gorgeous.” Lucky looks back at me, laughing and crying at the same time.
The doctor holds the baby toward me so I can see him. I catch a glimpse of a tiny red body and a scrunched-up face before he disappears. He’s handed off to a nurse, who takes him over to a bassinet. I watch as best I can, wishing the anesthesiologist would move out of the way. She’s blocking my view with her fat doctor head.
“And Baby B . . .” A second baby is lifted from me and starts crying right away too. “Is a girl!”
“Vanilli!” Lucky and I yell together. Then we