“Rory,” Ian said.

I turned my head and he kissed my lips and smiled. I didn’t know what was going on and I didn’t want to know. All I could focus on at that moment were my babies.

“Everything looks good with the babies. I don’t see any problems. I’m going to send you home and I want you on complete bed rest for the next forty-eight hours. There is to be no stress in your life during the next six and a half months. Do you understand?” Dr. Klein asked.

“Yes, doctor.” I smiled.

“Good. I’ll take you back to your room and I’ll get your discharge papers ready. I’m going to contact your OB doctor and tell him what’s going on and I want you to make a follow up visit with him next week.”

Ian took my hand and helped me from the table and into the wheelchair. Dr. Klein took me back to the room and I sat on the end of the bed, waiting for him to come back with the paperwork. Ian was quiet and I was worried. He stood in front of the window and looked out onto the beautiful day. Suddenly, he spoke.

“I guess this means you won’t be moving to Paris the day after tomorrow. You heard the doctor, you are to be on bed rest for the next forty-eight hours, so that means no Paris.”

“We’ll see,” I said.

He turned around and looked at me. “You’re wrong, Rory. There is no ‘we’ll see.’” He walked over and sat down next to me on the bed. He put his arm around me and pulled me close to him, kissing the side of my head. “It’s not a request. It’s a command, Rory.”

I didn’t respond. I sat there enjoying the warmth of him and the tender touch of his lips pressed against my head. I missed him so much and every time he touched me, I became weak for him. But this wasn’t about me anymore. I had two babies to think about. I pulled away from him.

“Rory, what the hell?” he exclaimed.

I remained calm for the sake of my babies. I pointed my finger at him and spoke softly.

“You don’t get to do this anymore. You don’t get to comfort me whenever it suits you. I needed you the past few weeks and you totally shut me out. You hurt me in ways that I never thought possible. You were the only person in my life I needed the most and you turned your back on me. I don’t know if I can ever forgive you for that. I’m sorry, but I’m still moving to Paris,” I said with tears in my eyes.

He didn’t say a word, but his eyes started to fill with tears. He got up from the bed and headed towards the door.

“I’m going to pull the car up. I’ll meet you downstairs,” he said with his back turned.

A few moments later, Carol came into the room with the papers for me to sign. She helped me into the wheelchair and wheeled me down to the exit where Ian had the car waiting along the curb. He got out and opened the door as I climbed in. The ride home was silent.

Chapter 35

Ian and Rory

My mind was filled with excitement and yet confusion. Twins. I should have known. Rory said she’d never forgive me. What the fuck am I going to do? Seeing my babies on that screen changed me. I couldn’t live without Rory. I needed her and I needed my children. I was wrong before. I got scared and I basically ran. I shut down and I shut her out. Give me those moments back and I’d change everything. The thought of her moving to Paris consumed me and was basically killing me. I felt like I was slowly dying inside and I needed to make things right. We pulled up in the driveway and Rory opened the door before I even had a chance to take the keys out of the ignition. She walked into the house and began walking up the stairs. I felt like she was walking away from me forever and it was too much to bear. Everything I feared flooded my mind at the same time and I couldn’t control it. I began to sob and fell to my knees in the foyer. Rory turned around and stared at me from the stairs.

“Please, Rory. Please forgive me. I can’t bear to lose you or my children. I need you,” I sobbed as I placed my hands in front of me on the floor.

Rory

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I walked over and put my arm around him.

“Ian, stop,” I whispered.

He turned his head and looked at me. I’d never seen him like this before. His eyes were soaked with tears.

“It’s okay,” I said as I kissed his head.

“No, it’s not okay, Rory,” he continued to cry.

We both stood up as he picked me up and carried me up the stairs. He stopped in the hallway and leaned me up against the wall, burying his head into my neck and sobbing like a baby. The only thing I could do was comfort him. I hugged him tightly as we both fell to the ground. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I began to cry with him as he poured his feelings into me.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I know I’ve overused that in our relationship, but I am. I need you to forgive me for everything. I was scared to be a father because my father wasn’t exactly a good role model and I didn’t want my child to turn out like me. I was so scared that I would fuck him up and his life and I couldn’t bear the thought of that. I’m so scared that I’m going to be a bad father and that’s why I pushed you away. Just like I did before you went off to Paris. I was so scared of loving you. I’m not a man, Rory, I’m a coward. And you’re right, I don’t deserve a woman like you. I don’t blame you for hating me. I hate me.”

My heart broke, hearing his words. “I don’t hate you, Ian. I could never hate you. I was angry, so angry.”

“I know you were and I’m so sorry. I would give anything to go back in time and start over. I need your love, sweetheart. I’m nothing without it.”

The tears poured from my eyes. “You have my love, Ian. I love you so much,” I said as I cupped his face in my hands.

“I can’t live without you. I want our family. Please say you’ll stay with me and not move to Paris. I love you so much, Rory, and I love our babies,” he said as he put his hands on my stomach. “I need all three of you.”

“We need you too, baby,” I cried.

Ian hugged me and we both stood up. He picked me up and carried me to the bedroom, kissing me the whole way down the hall. He laid me down on the bed and hovered over me, kissing me passionately.

“I want to make love to you so bad, but I know we have to wait. I miss you, sweetheart,” he said as he lay next to me and I curled up into him. “This is good enough. I just want to hold you forever. No more stress, sweetheart. I promise you there will be no more stress.”

I looked up at him and softly kissed his lips. “Twins, really?” I laughed.

A large smile grew across his face. “Two beautiful gifts from God is what they are.”

Ian

“When I saw them on the monitor, they became so real to me. Little human beings are growing inside you, Rory. I’m sorry it had to come to this for me to realize what a bastard I am,” I said as I tightened my grip around her. “Adalynn told me off. She hates me now.”

“She doesn’t hate you, Ian. She’s probably upset with you, and you know we say things we don’t mean when we’re angry.”

I sighed. She was right and I was going to spend the rest of my life making everything right for Rory and my family. She got up from the bed and I grabbed her hand.

“Hey, you aren’t allowed out of bed.”

“I’m only changing into my nightshirt. I’m really uncomfortable in these pants.”

I watched her as she changed out of her clothes and slipped into her nightshirt. She was so beautiful and I missed her amazing body more than I’d ever thought I could. I sat up so my back was against the headboard of our bed and I spread my legs, inviting her to lie between them.

“Come here, sweetheart.” I smiled as I held out my hand.

She smiled as she took my hand and nestled herself between my legs, lying her back against my chest. She looked up at me and I softly brushed my lips against hers. My fingers drifted down to the bottom of her nightshirt and slowly lifted it above her stomach.

“What are you doing?” She laughed lightly.

“I want to feel my babies,” I said as I gently placed my hands on her expanding stomach and slowly rubbed back and forth.

She placed her hands on mine and looked up at me. “I love you.”

“I love you more, sweetheart. When are we going to start telling people that you’re pregnant?”

“I think we should wait a little while longer to make sure everything is okay,” she replied.

“Okay, but you’re not going to be able to hide it too much longer. I don’t want you to worry because everything will be okay. Think positive, sweetheart.”

Rory

I stayed on complete bed rest for the next couple of days. Ian made sure I didn’t move except to go to the bathroom and when he wanted me to cuddle with him. The love of my life was back and more attentive than before. Maybe a little too attentive. He worked from home and refused to leave the house. In fact, he brought all of his work to the bedroom because he wouldn’t let me out of his sight. I sent Adalynn a text message, telling her that Ian and I were perfectly fine. I didn’t go into details because I wanted to tell her about the twins in person. She was due back sometime today and she said that she was coming right over as soon as she landed.

I was in the kitchen, taking my pre-natal vitamin, when I heard Adalynn’s voice.

“Where is she?” she asked Ian.

“It’s great to see you too, Adalynn,” Ian spoke in an irritated tone.

“I’ll deal with you later. I need to see Rory.”

She walked into the kitchen and immediately hugged me. “How are you?” she asked as she cupped my face in her hands.