“I know that,” I assured him. “To the world they are identical, but in medical terms, they’d be classed as fraternal twins based on their hair colour alone.”
“How can they looked the exact same if they aren’t identical?” he questioned, unconvinced. “They don’t just look similar; they have the same everything just not the same hair.”
“They are just one of nature’s loopholes, I guess. They are the exact same but with different hair colour. I’m just sayin’ that accordin’ to science, they’d be classed as fraternal.”
Ryder whistled. “Never tell them that; they think they’re identical.”
“I won’t say a word.” I chuckled as I looked at the screen then at Sally. “I’m confident our babies are identical, but can you confirm it?”
Sally nodded. “They’re identical, honey.”
“How can you tell?” Ryder questioned as he took the seat next to the bed I was lying on and grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly.
“Fraternal twins are like any other siblings; the only difference is they share a womb. Identical twins come from the same egg thus share the same DNA pattern. There is no membrane dividin’ your twins, and they’re sharin’ a placenta meanin’ they come from the same egg that has split,” Sally explained. “I’ve seen scans like this hundreds of times over the years, and this one is textbook for identical twins.”
Ryder exhaled a deep breath. “Can you tell their gender?”
“I can.” Sally hesitated as she glanced between us. “Branna is sixteen weeks and four days along, and they’re both in the perfect position for gender to be determined and confirmed. Would you like to know?”
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—”
“No,” I cut him off. “It’s not broken; it’s just bruised. They’ll want me to do an x-ray, and I won’t have one being pregnant, so there is no point in goin’.”
Dr Harris nodded in understanding. “Okay, but if the swellin’ doesn’t go down, you get your arse to A&E. Do you hear me?”
“I hear you.” I smiled.
“You’ll be stayin’ overnight with us,” he then stated.
I sighed but didn’t protest, knowing it was for the best.
“I just want you to stay hooked up to the CTG for the night then you’ll be discharged come mornin’,” he added. “Just to be safe, okay?”
I nodded. “Will I be moved to the lower wards?”
“And take you away from Sally?” He snorted. “Even though you’re not in labour, sweetheart, there isn’t a chance I’d leave ‘ere with me testicles intact if I signed off on that.”
Ryder choked on his laughter while I embraced mine.
“It’s gettin’ late,” Dr Harris said. “Get some sleep; it’ll be sunrise before we know it.”
It was pretty late, and at the reminder, exhaustion suddenly struck.
“I’ll have a fold-up bed brought up—”
“He’ll just sleep with me.” I cut him off, smiling. “There isn’t a point in havin’ one brought up when he won’t use it.”
Dr Harris grinned. “I understand.”
He hugged me and shook Ryder’s hand before he left us alone. I was still in my clothes, and Ryder was still in his, but it didn’t matter. Both of our babies were okay and healthy, and that was all that mattered. Before I drifted off into a much
-needed slumber, I wondered how my sister would take the news, and without realising it, I dozed off with a huge smile on my face.
“Are you ready for this?”
Ryder glanced at me when I asked the question as we pulled into our driveway. It was just after nine in the morning, and I had just been discharged from the hospital. I had a headache from not sleeping well, but I was sick with excitement to share the news of our twins with our family.
“I’m ready,” he said. “Are you?”
“I’m ready for a shower,” I replied, “and some good food.”
“Me too,” my husband said as he glanced at the car parked next to ours, “but your sister and my brother are already here, so we’d best tackle them first.”
“You shouldn’t have phoned Bronagh,” I said to him. “We could have just told them what happened when we got ‘ere.”
“She rang me to make sure we were okay after the storm last night, and she just so happened to hear Ash talking in the background,” he stated as he unbuckled his seatbelt. “Not even I could talk my way out of that; your sister is too clever for her own good.”
That she was.
“You could have just said we were stoppin’ in on our way home from—”
“We aren’t supposed to be home from the cabin for another three days,” Ryder cut me off.
I opened my mouth to speak but closed it when I realised he was right.
“Are you laughin’ at me?” I asked as he got out of the car.
He was clearly smiling as he rounded the car to my side and opened the door, but he said, “At you, my love? Never.”
I took his hand as he helped me out of the car.
“You’re full of shite,” I told him.
He vibrated with silent laughter but stopped when the door to our house opened.
“Why didn’t you call me?” Bronagh shouted.
Here we go.
“I didn’t want you to worry—offt.”
I was cut off as my little sister charged at me, only slowing her pace briefly before she reached me to wrap her arms around me as she gave me a bone-crushing hug.
“Jesus, Bronagh.” Ryder scowled. “Be careful with her.”
“She’s pregnant, not made of glass,” my sister said to him before she looked down at my leg and realised it was bent.
“What happened?” she asked, her brows furrowed.
I sighed. “It’s a story that should only be told over a cuppa.”
“Dominic,” Bronagh shouted. “Put on the kettle.”
“I already did,” came his voice from the doorway.
I looked around my sister and saw Dominic standing on the top step with my niece in his arms.
“Georgie!” I squealed.
I halted when Ryder’s hand gripped my forearm.
“What?”
He frowned. “I’ll carry you.”
“You’ll make a show of me,” I informed him.
He rolled his eyes. “Everyone is still in bed—”
“Morning, neighbours!”
Ryder closed his eyes. “Except for Alec.”
I turned and waved at my brother-in-law who was getting his mail from the post box next to his front door in just his boxer shorts. It was so typically Alec being Alec that I didn’t even flinch.
“It’s a cold one,” I shouted. “Huh?”
He looked down to his groin then back up at me and said, “You’re a smartass.”
We all laughed.
“Come over with Keela,” I called out. “We have to tell you guys somethin’.”
“We’ll be over in ten,” he said before retreating into his house.
I barely turned back in the direction of my own house before I was lifted off the ground. I yelped and latched onto my husband, hoping I dug my nails into him a little harder than he’d like.
“You’re goin’ to annoy me to death,” I told him.
“Safety first,” was all he said.
I shook my head as he carried me inside our house with my sister hot on our heels. We gathered around the kitchen table, and when I realised one twin was missing I said, “Where’s Dame?”
“Sleeping,” Dominic replied like it was obvious. “We used our key, and when I looked in his room, he was snoring, so I didn’t wake him.”
Ryder yawned. “Go wake him now.”
“Is it bad news?” my sister asked, taking the seat next to me.
I turned to her and saw fear in her eyes.
“No, baby, it’s not.”
“You want Alec and Keela to come over, and Damien to come downstairs,” she said, unconvinced. “Somethin’ is goin’ on.”
“It’s not bad news,” I assured her.
She gave me a once-over.
“I’d have been there in a second,” she said and leaned into me, hugging me tightly.
“I know,” I said, returning the hug, “but I didn’t want to worry you.”
“Worry me next time,” she stated as we pulled apart. “It freaks me out knowin’ you were in the hospital and I had no idea.”
I didn’t plan on there being a next time, but to appease her, I relented and agreed.
“I know it’s early, but how is Aideen?” I asked, noting she, Kane, and Jax weren’t there.
“On ‘er way,” Bronagh said. “We debated callin’ ‘er because of ‘er just havin’ the baby, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She threatened us a time or two on the phone for even hesitatin’.”
I smiled. “You would have opened a can of worms if you didn’t call ‘er.”
“Tell us about it.” Keela snorted as she strolled into the kitchen followed by a now fully dressed Alec. “She’s only just calmed down from havin’ Locke. There is no way in hell I wanted to piss ‘er off.”
After we had hugged one another, we spent the next few minutes looking at pictures of the newest addition to our family, and it only added to my excitement about Ryder’s and my baby news.
“I recorded some of the labour for you,” Keela said and handed me her phone.
I winced through some of the footage when I saw my friend in pain, but then I straight-up cackled at other clips.
“If you ever approach me for sex again, I’m cuttin’ your dick clean off,” Aideen bellowed at Kane, who was just staring at her and rapidly blinking.
“Babydoll, do you want—”
“What I want is for you to jump out that window right there,” Aideen cut Kane off. “You did this to me!”
Ash looked at Kane. “Isn’t this her second child?”
“Yeah,” Kane replied.
“Then why—”
“I’m sorry,” Aideen cut Ash off. “Does havin’ a baby make it stop hurtin’ like fuckin’ hell the second time or somethin’?”
Ash bit down on his lower lip, clearly trying to hide his smile.
“No, ma’am,” he replied to Aideen. “It’s just as bad as the first time… or so I’ve been told.”
Aideen leaned back into her pillow and said, “I’m surrounded by fuckin’ eejits.”
“Breath, Ado,” Keela’s voice sounded. “You’re doin’ brilliant, babe.”
“Keela, I’ll make you eat that fuckin’ phone if you’re recordin’ me!” Aideen warned.
The screen went black seconds later, making me laugh.
“She was sweet as pie after she had the baby,” Keela said, laughing too. “I felt sorry for everyone in the room with ‘er when she was pushin’ because for the few minutes I was there, she was a nightmare.”
“Bran!”
I looked up at my name being shouted and smiled at a groggy Damien, who was rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“Heya, son.” I winked.
Everyone often teased us because since Damien moved back into the house, I had become somewhat of a mother hen to him, and he had zero objections to it.
“You look great,” he beamed as he crossed the room and bent down, hugging me. “Your bump is so much bigger.”
“You aren’t supposed to
say that,” Dominic stated from behind his brother. “It upset Bronagh whenever you said it to her.”
Damien straightened. “Bronagh’s emotions were—”
“Were what?” my sister cut him off.
“All over the place,” Damien finished, mischief glinting in his eyes. “You were a crying machine.”
Bronagh grinned as she took Georgie from Dominic and shrugged her shoulders at Damien, not denying she was a hormonal mess whilst pregnant.
“Why were you in the hospital?” Damien asked, concern in his gaze. “Dominic mentioned it’s why you’re home early from your honeymoon.”
“Aideen, Kane, and Alannah aren’t ‘ere,” I said.
“We’ll tell them later,” my sister almost exploded with apprehension. “Please, Branna, is the baby truly okay?”
I looked at Ryder who nodded. I looked from my friends to my sister, and each of them looked scared to death, so I knew I couldn’t leave them in suspense.
“Long story short, I had fallen up at the cabin, and to be safe, we went to the hospital,” I explained then smiled. “It turns out that both of our babies are doin’ really good.”
Bronagh almost let Georgie fall, and if it wasn’t for Dominic grabbing her, my niece would have hit the floor in seconds.
“Shut up!” my sister screeched and lunged at me. “Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!”
I laughed and so did Ryder.
“Both,” Alec said looking at Damien. “Did she just say both?”
He blinked. “I think she did, brother.”
“Well, fuck me sideways,” Alec said. “Another set of twins in the family?”
I nodded, smiling.
“Yes!” Dominic and Damien said in unison and fist bumped one another.
“Why’re you both so excited?” Ryder asked his brothers, his brows raised.
“Because,” Damien grinned, “For years, you always said if you had twins like us, you’d know it was some form of punishment from God.”
I looked at Ryder while he glared at a laughing Damien and a grinning Dominic.
“Is that true?” I asked, chuckling.
“Maybe,” my husband replied, still glaring at his younger brothers.
“They’re identical twin boys like you both, too,” I commented.
They never needed to know that they were technically fraternal twins. No one would believe them anyway if they said they weren’t identical; they look like the exact same person just with different hair colour.