I had planned not to find out, but that was before I found out we were having bloody twins.
“I want to,” I admitted to Ryder. “Do you?”
He quickly nodded, making me laugh as I looked at Sally. “We’d like to know, please, Sal.”
“You’re havin’ identical twin boys.” She beamed with a clap of her hands. “Congratulations.”
“Boys,” I whispered.
“It really is Dominic and Damien all over again,” Ryder replied, his grip on my hand tightening.
“Bollocks,” I spluttered.
My husband laughed. “You can say that again.”
“Bollocks,” I repeated, and laughed when Ryder laughed harder.
Sally and Ash left the room without us even noticing because we were so wrapped up in one another and the news we were having twins. Identical twins.
“Oh, God,” I managed to say through the happy tears that flowed. “I’m goin’ to get huge.”
Ryder laughed and hugged me to him. “I can’t believe this, Sweetness. Twin boys.”
I couldn’t wrap my head around it either.
“Two kids down,” I said offhandedly. “Three to go.”
Ryder laughed again and squeezed me so tight it almost hurt.
“I swear I will take care of all three of you,” he vowed when he pulled back and stared at me. “I never thought I’d have this life.”
“Me either. We’ve hit the jackpot.”
He kissed me, and then kissed my stomach. For an hour, we talked, still in shock, but kept crying and laughing when we were overcome with happiness. Sally and Ash popped in every so often to check on me, and they even took some blood to run tests once I mentioned how laboured my breathing had been over the last few weeks along with my tiredness. Once the babies woke up and started moving about, my heart relaxed.
Both my and Ryder’s attention was turned to the door when it opened not long after Sally went on her break.
“Dr Harris.” I smiled. “Great to see you.”
“Branna.” He smiled warmly then shook Ryder’s hand. “Ryder.”
“How are you?” I asked after he gave me a hug.
“I’m great,” he said, but frowned at me. “You aren’t doing so hot, though.”
I winced and looked at the chart in his hand.
“You got my bloodwork back already?”
Dr Harris nodded. “The lab did me a favour.”
“So.” I exhaled. “What’s wrong with me?”
“You have anaemia, Branna. Very bad anaemia from the state of your bloodwork. Both an iron and a folate deficiency. I’m surprised you haven’t come in sooner for blood tests. Haven’t you been feelin’ more than just a little breathless?”
Yes.
“I didn’t think it was anythin’ bad.” I frowned. “I just thought the weather change was makin’ me feel sluggish.”
Ryder’s hold on my hand tightened.
“Is it serious?” he asked.
Dr Harris shook his head, and I practically felt the worry leave Ryder’s body.
“If left untreated, it can cause complications, but once treated, both she and the babies will be right as rain.” Dr Harris looked at me. “I’m prescribin’ you iron tablets and folic acid tablets. I know you’re a midwife and all that jazz, but you’re gettin’ the same talkin’ to as all me other patients. You need to take the tablets every day, and changin’ your diet a bit to get more intake of the substances in food wouldn’t hurt either. You and the babies will benefit greatly.”
“She’ll take the pills and change her diet,” Ryder replied firmly. “I’ll make sure of it. Don’t worry, sir.”
Bossy man.
I sighed. “I’ll take them, even if they are horse-sized tablets.”
Dr Harris laughed, and Ryder smirked.
“So,” Dr Harris said as he glanced back at my chart, “your babies share a placenta, so you know what that means?”
It meant not only were my twins identical, but also that sharing a placenta could have problems.
I nodded. “More frequent check-ups to monitor the pregnancy closer.”
“Exactly. We want this to go as smoothly as possible.”
“Is her pregnancy high risk?” my husband asked.
“Higher risk than most because it’s a twin pregnancy, but her anaemia is actually quite common. Things will only go in a direction we don’t want if she doesn’t get regular check-ups and report any problems she is havin’, no matter how small.”
Dr Harris was definitely chastising me because being a midwife, I should know better, and because he was correct, I only nodded.
He gestured to my leg. “You sure you don’t want to be transferred to—”