Four Babies For Four ET1s

*Kamila*

“What do you mean you need me to push, you ugly bit...?” Even though I have the epidural, it hasn't completely eliminated the pain, and every time I have a contraction, I start to feel it again. I asked Dr. Travesty if she could have a new button because the one I've been pressing recently doesn't seem to be working to send more medications, and she said no.

Can you believe it?

He said it wasn't the button, it was the epidural itself, that he had already used it all, and although he would put in a new one if I needed it, he didn't think he needed it. She said she could push better if she could feel it a little.

What the hell? I don't want to feel it one bit! I don't want to feel it at all! I want the damn medicine!

But I have no choice. She says in a calming voice that irritates me, "Now, now, Miss Kamila, it will be okay." One of your babies is right here, ready to come out. So just give the kids a little push, and soon, this will all be over, and you'll have your babies in your arms, and you'll forget all about it.

I think his words are meant to be inspiring and calming, but they really make me want to scream and run away from this place. One of my babies has his huge head pressed at the entrance of my vajayjay, and he's ready to destroy my little hole because that's the only way he knows to get out! What's more, that one has three others behind him?

“Is there no other way?” I ask, tears beginning to stream down my face.

“No, not for you,” Dr. Travesty says in the same soft voice. —Your babies are all perfectly aligned, not causing any commotion, and can easily exit through the birth canal. We only go the other way when necessary. Recovering from surgery is not the way to start raising four young children.

“Cut me!” I scream as Tristan squeezes my leg. —I don't want to push them!

“Kamila, darling,” Mark says, leaning down and wiping the tears from my cheeks. -Everything will be fine. You can do this.

“Maybe I can,” I say, not doubting my abilities to push them. I'm strong, and even though I have the epidural and a complete lack of sensation, I think I can do it. I have fear only. "But what if... what if... it ruins me?"

The men exchange a confused look that almost makes me want to punch each of them again. “Ruin?” Reece asks, brushing my hair over my shoulders. Of all the times to forget a ponytail holder!

“That's right,” I say, fighting more tears. "What if I leave a giant hole in my thingy, and you guys can't even feel me anymore?" They'll get tired of me, find someone else, and everyone will leave me! Isn't it enough that my body has had to stretch to the size of Mount Vesuvius to accommodate all these damn babies? Now I have to create a cavern between my legs so they can make their grand entrance into the world!

Again, everyone looks at each other before starting to laugh. Now, I want to kill them all. "Come out!" I shout and point to the door. —And I'm not talking about babies! I mean his parents!

Tristan intervenes. —Kamila, darling, little flower, you don't have to worry about that. You will always feel amazing, even if your body doesn't completely return to how it was before. And we will always see you as beautiful, even if you are a little older than you were before we had our children. We love you for you, not for how you look. And we love making love with you because of what it's like to be with you.

“Don't worry about it, honey,” Mark says as Reece nods in agreement.

“I'm afraid to interrupt,” Dr. Travesty says in a sing-song voice, “but this one with the dark hair is ready to come out now!”

With new determination, I force myself and begin to push. I grit my teeth as Reece counts for me, and with Dr. Travesty's help, I only have to push a few times before she tells me to stop.

And then... I see her.

Small, purple and red with white liquid all over it, and angry as hell, she is holding a girl, my girl, with curly black hair and the fiercest fists flying.

"Oh, my Goddess!" I say while covering my mouth with both hands. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life.

“Is it mine?” Tristan asks, and has tears streaming down his face. —Is she my daughter?

—We won't know until we do some tests, but... it seems to be. It definitely has your hair,” says Dr. Travesty.

They lift the baby onto my stomach, and Tristan cuts the umbilical cord. The moment he rests on me, he stops crying, and I kiss him on the head. Her face is scrunched up, and I can tell she's still in shock, but she feels safe so close to my heartbeat.

I can't hold her for long, however, since another baby is arriving. A nurse takes my daughter away, saying she will clean her, and then I have to strain and push.

The next screams are from a girl with dark hair, but she's not untamable, and she has Reece's nose to be sure, so we as...ume this girl is his, and he cuts the cord.

In my head, I hear Eli's voice. 'I'm almost there, my love!'

'Hurry up!' I tell him. 'I haven't seen a red-headed baby yet, but... I can't wait much longer!'

After my second daughter is taken away to be cleaned and swaddled, I push again and a blonde boy comes out with a very serious expression. He's also the quickest to get out, once I start pushing, and I have no doubt that he is Mark's son as I stare into his face. He looks at me in amazement as I caress his cheek.

-Alright. Once again, says the doctor. —And we have to hurry.

They take Mark's son away from me, and I notice something I hadn't noticed before about the way Dr. Travesty is acting. She seems less cheerful now, which is strange because she is always so cheerful and friendly, despite her name.

But I'm not ready yet. “Eli is almost here,” I tell him. —I think it's his baby next.

-We can not wait-. Dr. Travesty's tone chills me. She turns to a nurse and says something, she nods and runs out of the room.

—Doctor, is everything okay?— I can tell from Mark's tone that he is worried too.

Dr. Travesty clears her throat. —I'm not sure right now, but I know we need to get this baby out quickly. Kamila, she pushes.

His order sounds like it came from the mouth of an ET1, so I don't argue. I strain and push, wishing Eli was here.

After three pushes, I'm exhausted and the room is spinning. I feel weak. I want to go to bed, but Dr. Travesty is yelling at me. —Kamila, you must push again, and you must do it now! —She orders.

It seems like it's further away from me now, and little particles of light dance around it. It's a strange feeling, like I'm at the end of a kaleidoscope.

“Kamila?” Tristan sounds worried. I try to focus my eyes on him, but I can't.

"What's happening?" I murmur.

—Kamila! “Push!” Dr. Travesty orders, so I do.

I hear a noise at the door, but I'm distracted, pushing with all my might. As I hear the baby begin to cry, I see a pile of red hair on his head, and my eyes connect for a second with a man whose head is adorned with the same lustrous locks.

-Are you here. Eli....— My voice is a whisper, and before they put my son on my chest, I fall back onto the pillows. My eyes don't stay open...

Everything fades away.