Love Endures
by Dani
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
"You look well today," Tyus commented as he entered Meg's room.
"I'm feeling alot better today, Tyus," Meg answered.
"Good," Tyus smiled. "Just let me examine you, and we'll see just how much better you and the babies are," he said and then began his examination.
Later that afternoon, Ben came into Meg's room. She was sleeping, so he quietly sat down beside her and watched her sleep for several minutes. She stirred a few minutes later and slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes met Ben's, and a smile immediately came to her face. "Hi," she said quietly.
"Hi," he smiled. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
"I'm..." She stopped when she remembered what Tyus had told her earlier that morning...
"You're what, Meg? Is something wrong?" he asked, concerned.
"Ben, I... Tyus said..."
"Tyus said what?"
"He said that he needs to deliver the babies in the morning..."
"In the morning? But I thought that he wanted to wait at least another week."
"He did. But he examined me this morning, and... Ben, he said that the babies need to be delivered as soon as possible."
"I don't understand," he said, shocked. "Is something wrong?"
"I don't understand either, Ben. All I know is that he said that the babies have to come out..."
"But... But will they be alright? Will YOU be alright?" Ben asked.
"I don't know," she said quietly. "He wants to do a caesarean first thing tomorrow morning," she informed him.
"I'm sure it will be fine," he said, trying to calm Meg... and himself...
"I hope you're right," she said quietly. "Ben, can you bring the children here tonight? I need to see them..."
"Meg, you'll get to see them as soon as the babies are born..."
"Ben, please... I need to see them before..."
"Okay," he agreed, realizing what she was trying to tell him. "But you'll still see them tomorrow morning... Along with our other two children..."
"Right," she smiled weakly.
Ben called Sara and Casey and had them bring the children to the hospital. Soon Meg was surrounded by her entire family, each person comforting her, and, in their own way, assuring her that everything would turn out fine...
"I can't wait to meet my new grandchildren," Joan smiled, holding back tears, trying not to show Meg how worried she truly was.
"I guess we'll have two more to spoil, right Joannie?" Hank said, forcing a laugh.
"Oh, no, Dad. Casey and I are taking these two," Sara added, trying to lighten the tension in the air.
"Exactly," Casey said. "We've got to get started if we're going to be caught up when you and Ben start spoiling our kids," he smiled.
"Right," Ben replied. "Pretty soon we'll be taking all of our children out to the beach together. All of us," he added, looking at Meg.
She smiled weakly at him. Audrey had her arms wrapped around Meg's neck, her head resting on her mother's shoulder. Jacob was sitting by Meg's side, with his hand gently placed on his mother's stomach.
"Mommy, I can't feel the babies," he said after several attempts at finding their kicking.
"They're resting," Meg answered. "They have a big day ahead of them tomorrow."
"Oh," he replied simply and removed his hand.
They sat in the room, talking about everything from the weather to plans for the next morning. When the family took the children to the cafeteria for a bite to eat, Ben and Meg sat in the room in silence, communicating only through touch. Ben held Meg's hand tightly and stroked her hair gently. He looked into her eyes and let unbidden tears flow quietly down his cheek. She reached over to gently wipe them away as she, too, began crying. He brushed his hand against her cheek, carefully wiping her tears away, and then lowered his hand to touch her stomach. He closed his eyes as he said a silent prayer for God to watch over the most precious things in his life - his wife and his children.
Finally Meg broke the silence. "Ben, I love you," she said through tears.
"I love you, too, Meg... I always will..."
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
Ben spent the night by Meg's side, holding her hand tightly. They were awakened early the next morning by Tyus.
"Ben... Ben, you have to get up," Tyus said as he shook Ben gently.
"What?" Ben asked absent-mindedly. "Is something wrong?"
"No, Ben. We need to prep Meg for the delivery," Tyus answered.
"Oh. Yes, of course," Ben replied. "I'll wake her up, okay?"
"Certainly. I'll give the two of you a few minutes," he responded as he stepped into the hallway.
Ben gently kissed Meg's forehead and stroked her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him. "Ben," she whispered.
"Good morning, darling," he replied.
"Good morning," she smiled wearily.
Although neither of them said a word, they were both wondering if this would be the last time they would tell one another good morning...
"Did you sleep well?" Ben asked.
"Of course," she smiled. "I always sleep well when you're beside me," she added.
Although neither of them said a word, they were both wondering if this had been the last time they would sleep by one another's side...
"Tyus wanted me to wake you. He has to prep you for the birth," Ben said as he continued to hold Meg's hand.
"How are the children?" she asked.
"I called Sara and Casey a little earlier. Sara said that Casey had been up half the night with Audrey. She just wouldn't let her Uncle Casey sleep," Ben chuckled.
Meg laughed along with Ben. Although neither of them said a word, they were both wondering if this would be the last time they laughed together about some silly little thing the children had done...
"I'm glad she's keeping them on their toes. They'll have to get used to those all night sessions,"
Meg smiled."I know. We're gonna be back into those pretty soon, you know," Ben added.
Although neither of them said a word, they were both wondering if this would be the last time they talked about staying up with their children all night long...
Tyus entered the room once again. "Ben, I need you to step outside now. I've got to get Meg ready for the delivery," Tyus said.
"Of course," Ben replied. He looked back at Meg. "I'll be out in the hallway if you need me, darling." He kissed her gently and then turned to leave the room.
Later, Tyus exited the room and stepped over to Ben. "She's ready," he informed him. "We're going to take her up now," he added.
"Oh... Good," Ben replied nervously. "Can I see her before you go?" he asked.
"Of course. But just for a minute. They're bringing her out right now," Tyus answered.
The nurses pushed out Meg's bed. She looked at Ben with fear in her eyes. Ben walked over to her side and took her hand once again.
Although neither of them said a word, they were both wondering if this would be the last time they would hold one another's hand... They looked at each other.
"I wish I could go with you," Ben said quietly.
"So do I," Meg replied.
"But I'll see you as soon as it's over," he added.
"Right," she smiled weakly.
"I'll be right outside, Meg. As close to you as I can be..."
"I know," she whispered. "Ben?"
"Yes, darling?"
"Remember what we talked about the other day, okay?"
Ben reluctantly nodded his head. He bent to kiss her tenderly.
Although neither of them said a word, they were both wondering if this would be the last time they would share a kiss...
"I love you, Ben," Meg said through tears.
Ben gently stroked her cheek as she reached up to stroke his tears away. "I love you, too, Meg..."
Although neither of them said a word, they were both wondering if this would be the last time they told each other 'I love you...'
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE
Ben waited outside while Tyus began the caesarean. He felt horrible that he couldn't be there to hold Meg's hand this time, but Tyus had insisted that he wait outside. As he waited impatiently for the time to pass, when minutes seemed like hours, he paced the floor, praying for a miracle...
Hank and Joan had arrived at the hospital. Joan couldn't stand being so near, yet so far away, so she and Hank had made their way down to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee. Casey and Sara had also arrived at the hospital with Jacob and Audrey and were sitting in a larger waiting room down the hall. Ben had insisted that the children be there. Just in case... He walked around the room nervously, and finally was persuaded by a nurse to take a seat. He rested his head in his hands as he sat in silence. Unbidden tears flowed down his cheeks. Try as he might, he couldn't stop them from coming. He was scared. More scared than he had ever been in his life. Not only was he waiting for news on the birth of his children, but for news on the life of his beloved wife... He picked up a magazine and flipped through the pages, trying desperately to find something to occupy his time. He had no idea what the pages of the magazine held because the entire time he sat there, his mind was focused on one thing, and one thing only. His Meg...
Once again he stood and paced the room, glancing at his watch at regular thirty second intervals. This practice didn't make passing the time any easier, but the slight fact that time WAS passing comforted him... Very little...
He heard a noise coming from the hallway and looked toward the door to see if, and hoping that, someone was coming with news about Meg and the babies. His hopes were shattered when a young man entered the room to empty the trash bin and then exited. Ben sighed as he walked back to the chair and sat down once again...
He sat there, thinking about the last few weeks he and Meg had endured. She had been in the hospital for a month, and not a day went by when she hadn't begged Ben to take her home. He had refused, knowing that the best chance of survival for both her and the babies was to be surrounded by a medical staff 24 hours a day. Now he was beginning to regret the decision he had made. If Meg didn't pull through this... No. He couldn't resort to that kind of thinking...
A nurse came out of the operating room and Ben stood immediately. She passed right by him an into the hallway. She quickly returned and rushed back into the operating room before Ben could ask her anything. He sat back down and waited for... for anything. Anything to let him know that Meg would pull through...
Several minutes later, Tyus came out of the operating room. Ben stood again and looked into the doctor's eyes. He immediately sensed that something wasn't right, but he didn't dare ask what he was yearning to ask. Instead, he waited for Tyus to speak...
"I'm sorry, Ben..."
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
"I'm sorry, Ben..."
At the instant Ben heard those three words come from Tyus, his heart sank. He felt as if he would die at that very moment... He felt as if someone had ripped out the innermost portion of his soul... He felt completely lost...
"Tyus, what happened? What's wrong?" he asked as he stood there, unable to move.
"Ben, both of the babies are fine..."
"Thank God," Ben sighed. "And what about Meg?" he asked, yearning to know how his wife had pulled through.
"Perhaps we should sit down," Tyus suggested as he led Ben back to the chairs.
"Tyus, I don't need to sit down, I just need to know how my wife is."
"Ben, please," Tyus urged. "I'd rather you sit down first."
Ben reluctantly joined Tyus and took a seat. "Ben, we knew that Meg would have a difficult time with this delivery. We knew that from the very beginning..."
"Yes, Tyus. I know," Ben said quietly.
"Ben, we did everything we could, but - "
"No. No, Tyus," Ben said, not wanting to hear another word. Not a word that could crush his heart...
"Ben - ""Tyus, please tell me that Meg's alright. Please..." he begged.
"Ben, Meg is stable, at the moment, but she's very weak. She lost alot of blood, and I can't predict if she'll ever fully recover from this..."
"But she's okay? Tyus, please tell me she's okay..."
"Ben, I don't know how things will turn out right now, but she is stable at the moment..."
Ben looked at Tyus with complete fear in his eyes, although he tried to hide it as best he could.
"Tyus, can I see her?" he asked.
"In a few minutes, Ben. Would you like to meet your children first?"
"Yes, of course," he replied distantly as Tyus led him to the nursery.
Ben stood by the two bassinets holding the newest additions to the Evans family. He gently touched each of them, as if he was checking to see if they were real. He smiled weakly at the babies.
"Hello, little ones," he whispered. "I'm your Daddy..." he began, with tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there when you first made your appearance, but I'm here now... And I'll be here for the rest of your lives... And so will your mother... She HAS to be..."
"Ben, you can see Meg now," Tyus said as he stepped back up to Ben.
"Thank you, Tyus..." He reached down to lightly kiss each of the babies. "Daddy loves you... And so does Mommy..."
Ben entered Meg's room, fearing the worst, and finding close to it. He had never seen her look more pale, more fragile. He slowly walked to her side and bent to kiss her forehead tenderly. Her eyes opened slowly and she looked up at him.
"Ben..." she said quietly.
"Shh..." he replied. "You need to keep your strength up, Meg."
"I'm sorry..."
"Meg, there is nothing that you need to be sorry about... I saw the babies, Meg. They're absolutely precious."
"What were they, Ben?" she asked. "One boy, one girl," he smiled weakly. "I guess we were both right, weren't we?" he said as his voice cracked.
She tried to smile up at him but was almost too weak. "I love you," she said quietly. "And our children..."
"I love you, too," he replied in a whisper."Ben, if something happens - "
"Meg, please," he interrupted.
"Ben, tell the children I love them everyday, okay?" She paused to gather her strength. "Tell them I wanted to be there for them..."
"Meg, you WILL be there for them," he said, desperately holding back tears.
"But if I'm not, you have to tell them," she replied.
He looked into her eyes and slowly nodded his head. He held onto her hand and squeezed it gently, trying to assure her that everything would be alright...
"Ben, Meg needs her rest," Tyus interrupted.
"I'm coming," Ben responded. He turned back to Meg and kissed her once again. "I love you, Meg. I'll be back to see you again soon, darling... You rest now..."
Ben decided that he had to inform the family of the births and of Meg's condition. He didn't know exactly how he would do it, but he entered the waiting room hesitantly.
Joan immediately stood up. "Ben, how is Meg? How are the babies?" she asked.
"Joannie, let him breath," Hank said as he stood by his wife. "Ben?"
Ben looked at the entire family around him - Hank, Joan, Sara, Casey, and his sleeping children. He took a deep breath and began.
"We have two more adorable children. Another boy and another girl," he began.
"Oh, that's wonderful," Sara smiled.
"And what about Meggie?" Hank asked.
Ben bit his lip to hold back the tears. "Um, Tyus said that she lost a... alot of blood... She's stable right now, but... he doesn't know how she'll pull through..."
And at that, he collapsed, sobbing, onto the cold hospital floor...
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
"Ben!" Joan exclaimed as Casey and Hank rushed over to help him up. They managed to help him into a nearby chair. Ben hurriedly wiped his tears away and looked at the people surrounding him. How could he do this to them? He'd managed to maintain his composure around Tyus, the babies, and Meg, but having to break the horrible news to Meg's family - his family - had just brought him over the edge.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I shouldn't have gotten so upset."
"No, Ben, we understand," Casey replied as he patted Ben's back. "Are you alright?"
Ben didn't quite know how to answer that question. "I'm hanging in there," he answered. Jacob woke up and looked over at his father.
"Daddy, are the babies born yet?" he asked excitedly. Ben stood and walked over to pick up his son.
"Yes, son, the babies have been born," he answered.
Audrey looked up at him, rubbing her eyes with her fists. "Babies, Daddy?" she said simply.
"Yes, darling, babies," he responded.
"Ben, maybe you should take the kids to see the babies," Hank suggested. "Maybe we can talk Tyus into letting us see Meggie..."
"Right," Ben said as he gathered both of the children in his arms. "Come on, you two. It's time to meet your new brother and sister..."
Audrey giggled at the sight of the babies squirming in their bassinets. Ben couldn't help but smile at her as she watched her new siblings in complete amazement.
"Daddy, they're little," Jacob commented.
"Yes, son, but one day they'll grow up to be just as big as you."
"Wow..." he replied simply, still gazing at the babies.
Ben continued watching all of his children - his and Meg's. The three of them stood there looking at the babies for several minutes.
"Daddy, when can we see Mommy?" Jacob asked, completely oblivious to the troubles his mother was facing.
"Son, Mommy's tired right now," Ben answered.
At that moment, Tyus entered the nursery. "Jacob, your Mommy is asking to see you and your sisters and brother," he said. Ben turned to face him. "How is she?" he asked.
"She's regaining her strength. She really wants to see the children right now, and I think that would be good for her... Just don't let her overexert herself, Ben."
"Of course," he replied. He then turned back to the children. "Well, are you ready to see Mommy?"
"Yes, Daddy," Jacob responded. "I wanna give her a big, gigantic hug," he giggled.
"Oh, you do, do you?"
"Yeah..."
"And why is that?"
"'Cause she's the best Mommy in the whole world," he said sincerely.
"Yes, she is, son... Yes, she is..."
"Are you up for visitors?" Ben asked as he opened the door to Meg's room. He was surprised to see that she was sitting up, and smiling.
"Of course I am," she answered. "And just who have you brought to visit me?" she asked.
Ben could still hear how weak she was in her voice, but he was very pleased to see that she was actually smiling. "Just the four most wonderful children in the world," he replied and brought in Jacob and Audrey. A nurse followed behind him with the twins.
Meg saw Jacob and Audrey and then looked over at the bundles in the nurse's arms. She began to cry and then closed her eyes to thank God that He had allowed her to see them.
"Would you like to hold your babies, Mrs. Evans?" the nurse asked as she neared the bed.
"Of course I would," she answered and then nestled both of the babies in her arms.
"Ring me if you need anything," the nurse said, and then left the room.
Ben sat down in the chair beside the bed and held onto Jacob and Audrey. Ben and Meg smiled at eachother, both obviously thinking the same thing. The whole family was finally together...
CHAPTER THIRTY SIX
"How are you feeling?" Ben asked as he and Meg sat together with their family.
"A little better, physically... Much better, otherwise," she answered honestly as she gazed down at the babies in her arms.
"Good," he smiled. "You gave us quite a scare."
"I'm sorry," she said as she looked over at him.
"I scared myself, actually."
"I know..." He carefully leaned over to place a gentle kiss on Meg's cheek and brush her hair away from her face. "But it will be fine. We've just got to give it a little time..."
She smiled at him. "Right..."
They sat there, looking at the newest additions to the family, for several silent moments.
"Ben?"
"Yes, darling?"
"We've got to name these angels," she smiled.
"Oh, I know," he replied. "Jacob, Audrey, would you like to help us pick out names for your brother and sister?" he asked.
Audrey looked up at her father and giggled. "Big Bird!" she exclaimed.
Ben and Meg both laughed at her suggestion.
"Sweetie, I don't think that Big Bird would be such a good idea," Meg laughed. "But thank you for trying," she smiled.
"Mommy, can we name him sweet cheeks?" Jacob asked.
"Sweet cheeks? Jacob, honey, where on earth did you come up with a name like that?" Meg laughed.
"Bette. She calls me that all the time, Mommy," he said, proud of his idea.
Ben smiled at his son. "Jacob, let's think of something else," he suggested. "We wouldn't want your brother to have the same name as you, would we?"
"Oh, no, Daddy," he replied.
"Alright," Ben grinned. "Have you got any ideas, Meg?"
"Well... I'd like to give our newest son your name. Audrey Megan already has mine, and it's only right that one of our sons has Benjamin as part of his name."
Ben smiled at her. "Okay... How about Caleb Benjamin Evans..."
"I like that," she smiled. "What do you two think?" she asked, looking at Jacob and Audrey.
"Good job, Daddy," Jacob said.
"Why, thank you, son," Ben chuckled. "Caleb it is then... And what about this little one?" he asked, taking the baby girl's tiny hand.
Meg thought about it for a moment. "Hannah Elizabeth... What do you think?"
"I like it, Mommy," Jacob smiled brightly.
"Thank you, sweetie. What do you think, Ben?"
"I love it. Caleb and Hannah..." Meg smiled down at the babies in her arms. "Welcome to the world, little ones..."
The days passed slowly as Meg regained her strength, lying in a hospital bed. Tyus had decided to keep the babies for a few extra days as a precaution, considering the difficult delivery. Soon the day came when Ben and Meg would learn just how much damage the birth of their babies had done to Meg...
"Good morning," Tyus smile cheerily as he entered Meg's room. Ben had already arrived that morning, ready to hear Tyus' final diagnosis.
"Good morning," Ben responded.
Tyus flipped through Meg's chart quickly and then looked at the nervous couple. "There's nothing to worry about... I'm coming with good news today," he smiled.
"Good news? Tyus, what is it?" Meg asked anxiously.
"Well, actually I have a little of the other news, too, but I think you'll be able to handle it a little better this time."
"Alright, Tyus, just tell us," Ben said impatiently.
"First of all, Meg will be able to go home with the babies this afternoon."
"Home?!" Meg smiled excitedly. "Oh, that's the most wonderful word I've heard in a long time..."
Ben smiled at her and reached over to kiss her."I thought that news might excite you," Tyus laughed.
"Excite me? Tyus, I haven't set foot in my own house in almost three months. This is absolutely wonderful news."
"Yes, it is... I can't wait to have you home again," Ben said, smiling at her.
Meg returned his smile and then looked back at Tyus. "Tyus, what was the other news?" she asked worriedly.
"Well, we knew that the pregnancy was a risk to your health, Meg, and I told you that another difficult delivery could cause more permanent damage..."
"Yes, I know."
"Well, it did cause some damage. Besides the condition you've been in since the birth, the delivery caused permanent damage... You won't be able to get pregnant again," Tyus informed them.
Meg knew that this news was most likely coming, and she had thought that she was prepared to face it - again. But as she heard the doctor's diagnosis, she couldn't help but cry.
Ben was also expecting this sort of news, but it upset him as well. He took Meg into his arms, and held her tightly, stroking her hair gently.
"I'm sorry," Tyus added. "But you're very lucky that you pulled through your last pregnancy as well as you did, Meg. You should be very thankful for that."
"Oh, Tyus, I am..."
"WE are..."
"I understand," Tyus replied. "Listen, I'll just let the two of you have a few minutes and then I'll come back with the release forms," he said and then left the room. Ben gently wiped the tears from Meg's cheek.
"Hey... We've got the most wonderful family in the world, Meg. Don't cry..."
"I'm sorry," she replied quietly. "I couldn't help it... But I'm extremely happy with the family we DO have, Ben. I couldn't ask for anything better..."
"Neither could I..." he said as he stroked her cheek lightly. "I love you."
"I love you, too..."
CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN
Later that afternoon, Ben and Meg pulled up to their house - the house that Meg hadn't seen in months. When he parked the car, he glanced over at Meg and saw the pure joy in her eyes as she gazed at their home.
"Happy to be home?" he asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt.
"Happy doesn't even begin to describe it," she replied, as she, too, unbuckled her seatbelt. "Now let's get our babies into the house," she smiled excitedly.
They got out of the car, and each took one of the babies from the carseats. Meg smiled at Caleb as she lifted him out of the seat. "Hi, sweetie," she cooed.
"Are you ready to go home?" she asked, anxious to go herself.
Ben carried Hannah to the front door to meet Meg. He reached to open the door for her, but she quickly stopped him. "Wait, Ben... Let me do it," she smiled.
"If you insist," he grinned and watched as she opened the door slowly. She walked into the house, smiling, and then entered the living room where she was greeted by her entire family.
"Welcome home, Mommy!" Jacob shouted. "Look at this," he said excitedly, pointing to a hanging banner.
The banner said 'Welcome Home Mom, Hannah, and Caleb' in blue fingerpaint. Around the letters were Jacob and Audrey's hand and footprints in various colors of paint. She looked over at Jacob and Audrey, and smiled. "It's beautiful," she smiled. "I love it... Did you make it yourselves?"
"Aunt Sara helped," Jacob informed her. "But we did all the hard work," he said proudly.
"Hey," Sara laughed. "I cleaned up the mess. That was the hard part," she teased.
"Well, whoever did it, I love it," she winked at Sara. She walked over to the sofa and sat down with the baby. Ben joined her as Audrey rushed over to them to get another peek at the babies. She slowly reached out to touch Caleb's tiny hand and giggled when he moved his fingers. She looked up at Meg, who smiled at her. Audrey then returned her gaze to the baby and kissed his cheek carefully. Her smile broadened when the baby cooed in response to her kiss.
"Baby likes me, Mommy," she said giddily.
"Yes, sweetie, I think he does," Meg smiled. Audrey then stepped over to Ben to get a good look at the baby in his arms. "My blankie, Daddy," she pouted when she saw the soft, pink blanket wrapping her baby sister.
"No, darling, your blankie is in your room," he smiled. "We bought a new one for the baby."
She smiled at him, relieved that the baby hadn't taken one of her most prized possessions. She then placed a kiss on this baby's cheek and waited for her response. Hannah looked up at Audrey and smiled. Audrey looked up at her father and grinned brightly.
"She likes me, too," she said happily.
"Of course she does, Audrey," Ben smiled. "You're her big sister."
When the family had spent most of the evening doting on the babies, they finally left Ben and Meg alone to enjoy some time with their own family. Ben was putting Jacob and Audrey to bed, and Meg was sitting in the rocking chair in the nursery, holding the twins. Ben stepped into the nursery door and saw Meg holding the babies. He remained quiet as he watched her doing one of the many things she did best - loving.
"It's good to be home, isn't it?" she cooed. "Mommy's very happy, and I love both of you very, very much. I wouldn't trade you two for anything in this world," she said, tears forming in her eyes. "You're the most precious gifts anyone has ever given me..."
"And I can say the same thing," Ben smiled as he walked over to Meg's side.
She looked up at him and smiled. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to get a reminder of just why I love you so much," he replied and bent to kiss her cheek.
"Have I told you lately just how incredibly amazing you are?"
She simply smiled at him. "Well, you're pretty amazing yourself," she responded and then looked back down at the sleeping babies in her arms.
Ben placed his finger in Caleb's hand and touched the baby's tiny fingers gently. He looked up at Meg. "Thank you for making me a dad - again..."
"Thank you for making me a mom - again," she smiled as he leaned down to kiss her.
"You know, Mom, I think we should put these two into their beds and crawl into our own," he grinned as he began to take one of the babies from her.
"Not a bad idea, Dad... Not bad at all..."
Several minutes later, Ben and Meg were lying in their bed again. Together...
"Just hold me all night long, Ben, and don't let go," Meg whispered as she nestled into Ben's arms.
"I don't plan to ever let you go, Meg," he replied as he pulled her even closer to him. They laid in silence for several minutes before Meg spoke again.
"This feels so good... Being back in OUR bed, and being wrapped in YOUR arms... I've missed this so much..."
"I've missed it, too, darling," Ben whispered.
"You have no idea how many times I woke up in the middle of the night, reaching for you, and you weren't there..."
"I'm sorry, Ben..."
"I'm not... I mean, I'm sorry that you weren't here then, but I'm very glad that you're here now. If you hadn't spent that time in the hospital, we wouldn't have those two adorable angels sleeping in the nursery," he smiled as he gently brushed her cheek with his hand.
"You're right," she replied quietly.
"I'm very glad that I can hold you in my arms again, Meg..."
She reached up to kiss him tenderly. "And I'm very glad that I can BE in your arms again... I love you so much..."
"I love you, too... And I always will..."
CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT
Meg recovered from the delivery much better than had been expected. Although there were still medical problems to deal with, the simple fact that she was in her home again was very helpful. Ben had been extremely helpful with the children, as had Tina with the cleaning, housekeeping, and the occasional stroll on the beach with the children when Ben and Meg needed to just be alone to talk for awhile. Ben walked up to the nursery after an afternoon at the office and found Meg sitting in the rocking chair, obviously exhausted. She had been insistent on becoming a part of the household again, and had overdone herself with things that she really shouldn't have been doing, from housework to taking on too much at once with the children. He walked over to the cribs and peeked in at the babies. "Hey, you two," he whispered quietly as he bent over to pick them up, one at a time. "Daddy missed you this afternoon," he smiled as he cradled them in his arms. "Looks like you've kept Mommy busy though," he grinned as he noticed the basket of laundry by the rocking chair, half folded. "I don't know what the two of you think you're doing, but you're tiring your mother out every day," he added as he walked back over to Meg. He just looked at her for several minutes without saying a word, then turned to take the babies back to their cribs. "I'm gonna take care of Mommy, my darlings. I'll be back soon," he smiled as he returned to Meg's side. He bent over and kissed her forehead gently. When she didn't stir, he realized that she was more tired than he had thought. "I've got to slow you down, Meg," he said quietly. He carefully picked her up and carried her into their bedroom where he gently placed her on the bed and covered her with a blanket. "Rest up, darling. You'll need it," he grinned to himself as he kissed her once again and then left the room. He shut the door behind him and walked down the hall to check up on Jacob and Audrey. They were both napping peacefully. He checked in on the babies again, then retreated to the living room and picked up the phone. "It's time to put this plan into action..."
A couple of hours later, Meg woke up to find herself alone in the bedroom. She got out of bed and walked across the hall to the nursery where she found the babies' cribs empty. She proceded to check Jacob and Audrey's rooms where she also discovered empty beds. She frantically rushed down to the living room where she found Ben sitting on the sofa.
"Ben, the children are gone!" she exclaimed as she rushed over to him.
"I know," he replied calmly.
"Ben, where are they?!" she demanded.
"Don't worry, Meg. The children are with your parents."
"My parents? Ben, why didn't you tell me that you were taking them to my parents?"
"You were sleeping, darling. Besides, if I had let you in on this earlier, it would've ruined the surprise..."
"Surprise? Ben, what are you talking about?" she asked curiously.
"Just that. A surprise. But you've got to come with me..."
CHAPTER THIRTY NINE
"Ben, come on. Tell me what you're up to," Meg pleaded.
"I can't do that, darling... But I can show you," he grinned.
"Well, show me," she smiled. "Ben, you know I can't stand this suspense."
"I know," he replied. "But you'll have to. For a bit longer, anyway..."
"Ben..."
Ben pretended to ignore her and walked over to the desk. He picked up an envelope and walked back over to her. "If you'll go upstairs to our bedroom and open the closet, you'll find suitable attire for the evening. Meet me at this address in an hour," he instructed. He kissed her cheek gently and walked towards the door.
"Ben, wait," she called after him. He turned and looked at her again.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Just wait and see..." And with that, he was gone...
Meg eagerly rushed up to the bedroom, opened the closet and found a garment bag hanging in front of her. She grinned as she took it from the closet, removed the garment bag and examined the dress. It was the same black evening gown she had worn months ago on their last night in Venice. She smiled as she recalled the events of that evening and how little use she had gotten out of the dress. "Well, I guess I can finally wear this for more than fifteen minutes," she laughed to herself. "If I can still fit into it..." She dressed quickly and prepared herself for the evening - including Ben's favorite perfume, her pearls, and a simple upswept hairstyle. Once she had groomed herself to her satisfaction, she remembered the envelope."I should have opened that earlier," she scolded herself. She picked it up and hurriedly opened it. Inside was a small note card.
'Meg, I'm sure you opened this the second I went out the door...'
"Oops," she laughed, and continued reading.
'...so I won't reveal much about our evening. I just thought that you and I could use some time alone, and you deserve a little rest and relaxation for an evening. Just bring your beautiful self to this address in an hour. I love you. Ben.'
She smiled as she fingered the card, admiring Ben's handwriting. She read the address and realized that she should be on her way if she was going to make it in time...
Later, Meg drove up to a small cottage and pulled into the driveway. She got out of the car and walked up to the front door. Attached to the doorknob by a white ribbon was another note. She removed it and opened it anxiously.
'I'm waiting for you...'
"Thank you, Mr. Evans," Meg smiled to herself. She turned the doorknob and walked into the room. Like many times before, the room was filled with candles and white roses. She smiled, recalling the same familiar feel and fragance of many other evenings alone with her husband.
Ben stepped into the room, dressed in full formal attire - a black tuxedo. He stopped several feet away from Meg and just stood there, admiring her beauty. He smiled at her, and she returned his smile.
"Good evening, Mrs. Evans," Ben said as he walked over to her. "May I say, you look quite ravishing."
"Thank you," she said quietly. "You look rather handsome yourself."
He smiled at her and pulled her in for a soft, tender kiss.
"I like the surprise," she smiled up at him.
"Well, I'm glad you do, darling, but this is only the beginning," he grinned.
"Oh, really? Ben, you're really outdoing yourself."
"I can never do enough for you, Meg," he said sincerely. "I love you..."
"I love you, too," she replied, and they shared another tender kiss.
"Well, would you like to see your next little surprise?" Ben asked.
"You know I would," she grinned.
He smiled at her, took her hand, and led her over to the table where their dinner was waiting. He pulled out her chair and helped her sit down. He then took his seat on the other side of the table. They enjoyed a quiet dinner alone for the first time in months...
"So, what's next our agenda for the evening?" Meg asked as they sat on the sofa in front of a roaring fire.
"Well, I suppose I could give you this," he said as he picked up a small package from the table beside him.
"Ben, you didn't have to buy me anything," she said as he handed it to her.
"No, but I wanted to," he smiled. "Open it."
She removed the wrapping paper and opened up the small box to reveal a charm bracelet. She lifted it out of the box and examined each of the charms. "Ben, this is... this is beautiful," she smiled through tears.
"I'm glad you like it," he said, and kissed her forehead gently. "There's a heart for each of our children..." He read each of the inscriptions.
"Jacob Aaron, Audrey Megan, Caleb Benjamin, and Hannah Elizabeth..."
"Ben, I love it," she smiled and kissed him passionately. "Thank you."
"No, thank you, Meg. For each of these," he said as he took the bracelet from her and helped put it on her wrist. "I can't thank you enough for everything you've gone through to give me - to give US - our four little angels."
"Ben, I couldn't have done it without you. Having your children has been the most wonderful thing I've ever done, and I thank God every day for letting me be here to see all of them," she said, tears in her eyes.
Ben gently wiped her tears away and kissed her cheek. "I wouldn't be able to make it without you. You're amazing, Meg. And you deserve the most wonderful life that any person can have after all you've gone through."
"Ben, I DO have the most wonderful life I could ever ask for. I have you, and Jacob, and Audrey, and Caleb, and Hannah. I don't need anything else... I don't WANT anything else. All I need is the five of you and your love..."
"That's exactly how I feel about you and the children, Meg. If you hadn't..." He paused as he fought the painful thoughts going through his head.
"Meg, if you hadn't pulled through that last delivery, I wouldn't have made it either. You're all I need... You and the children... And I'd be a fool to ask for anything else."
"Oh, Ben..." she smiled. They kissed again and held each other tightly for several long moments. Meg finally pulled away."Ben, maybe we can take this into the bedroom..."
He smiled at her. "Meg, are you sure you're ready?" he asked.
She nodded her head. "Absolutely."
He stood, picked her up, and carried her into the bedroom. She giggled as he placed her on the bed
"What are you laughing at?" he grinned.
"I was just thinking... I won't get much use out of this dress after all..."
CHAPTER FORTY
"Children, please!" Meg scolded, trying to sound firm, but being unable to hide her laughter.
"Mommy, come and play!" Audrey giggled as she rejoined her brothers and sister in their game.
Ben walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Hello, gorgeous," he smiled as he bent to kiss the back of her neck.
"Hello, handsome," she replied, continuing to watch the children.
"What are the children up to?" Ben asked.
"YOUR children are running wild all over this beach," she informed him as she watched the twins destroy yet another of Jacob's attempts at building his sandcastle.
"Oh, so they're MY children when they're running wild?" he chuckled.
"Exactly," she replied. She took his hand and led him over toward the children.
"Daddy, look!" Jacob exclaimed, pointing at the mound of sand he called a castle.
"That's wonderful, son," Ben smiled.
Caleb and Hannah rushed over to once again destroy his creation. Audrey giggled as she, too, stomped over the sand.
"Hey!" Jacob cried, and then began his pursuit of his siblings.
"It's hard to believe that they've grown up so fast," Meg sighed as she watched her family.
"I know..." Ben smiled. "It seems like only yesterday that we brought Caleb and Hannah home from the hospital. I can't believe they're almost two years old now."
"Neither can I," Meg said as Ben held her in his arms.
They stood there together, simply gazing at the miniature versions of themselves. Each time they looked at the children, they were reminded of how strong their love was and how much they had endured to make it this far.
"Meg?" Ben said quietly when he noticed a single tear trickle down her cheek.
"Hmm?" she said as she quickly brushed it away.
"Are you alright, darling?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm fine," she assured him.
"You were crying..."
"I wasn't crying," she lied.
"Yes, you were crying, Meg..."
"Okay, maybe I was, but I'm fine. I promise."
"Meg, please tell me what you were crying about," he said, beginning to worry about her.
She caved in. "I was just thinking about our children," she admitted. "It's just so hard to believe that we've been so blessed..."
"I know... Sometimes I wonder what I ever did to deserve you and our four little angels."
"You loved us, Ben. That's all I've ever needed from you. Your love..."
"And that's all I've ever needed from you, Meg, but I'm very glad that you gave me the four most precious gifts I could ever ask for."
"If you'll remember, Mr. Evans, I had a little help in giving you those gifts," she grinned.
"Oh, yes. I seem to remember being involved somehow," he teased.
"Have I told you lately how very much I love you, Ben Evans?"
"Yes, you have, but feel free to tell me anytime you want," he smiled. "I happen to love you, too, Meg Evans..."
She simply smiled at him and then looked over at the children again. "I think it's time we took our little family inside before they destroy the entire beach," she laughed when she noticed the numerous holes and piles of sand dotting the beach.
"Perhaps you're right," he smiled. "Children, it's time to head home," Ben called.
"Daddy, we wanna play," Audrey pouted.
"Pleeease..."
"No, darling, it's time to go inside. Come on..." Ben instructed.
Caleb and Hannah both made a running leap for Ben's arms as he bent to pick them up. He lifted the twins into his arms. Audrey held her arms up for Meg, and she obliged, carefully lifting her up. Jacob took Meg's free hand as they began walking toward the house.
"Come here, beautiful," Ben smiled as Meg entered their bedroom.
She obeyed and walked over to the bed to join him. "The children are sleeping," she informed him. They were pretty tired after their day at the beach," she yawned.
"It sounds like their mother is rather tired, too," he chuckled. "Why don't you crawl into bed with me and let me help you go to sleep?"
"If I let you help me 'fall asleep' I'll be up all night," she laughed and crawled under the sheets with him.
"I promise I'll behave myself," he assured her. I just want to hold onto you all night long," he said as he pulled her into his arms.
They rested in each other's arms for several silent moments before Meg spoke.
"Ben?"
"Yes, darling?"
"What would you say if I told you I was pregnant again?"
Ben almost choked when she spoke those words. "Meg, you can't get pregnant again. I'd say that you were crazy if you told me that."
"But what if it was true? What if I was really pregnant again, Ben?"
"Meg, you're not telling me that..."
"No, no. Like you said, I can't get pregnant, but if I, for some unexplainable reason, DID get pregnant again, what would you say?"
"Meg, why are you asking me this? It doesn't matter what I would say, because it can't happen, darling."
"Ben, you aren't cooperating. I'm trying to talk to you and you aren't cooperating."
"What do you want me to say, Meg? Do you want me to tell you that I'd be thrilled? I wouldn't be," he answered quietly.
"You wouldn't?"
"No, I wouldn't," he said again, afraid of what she might say to him.
"Why?" she asked simply.
"Because if you were pregnant... Meg, I couldn't handle almost losing you again. I'm very thankful that we have our four beautiful children, but I'm not thankful for what we had to go through to get them... You have no idea how scared I was when you were about to have the twins..."
"Yes, I do, Ben. I know exactly how scared you were, because I know you, and I know myself, and I know that we were both scared."
"But why did you ask me that, Meg? Why did you ask me about having another baby?"
"I didn't ask you about having another baby, Ben. I asked you what you would say if I told you that I was pregnant again."
"Alright... Then why did you ask me that?"
"Because I needed to know how you felt... How you honestly felt about this... I guess I did know in my heart, but I needed to hear it from you. I needed to know that our family is enough for you."
"Oh, Meg, of course our family is enough for me. It's MORE than enough for me."
She smiled at him. "You don't know how happy I am to hear that."
"And you don't know how happy I am to have you in my life. After everything, you're still here..."
"Of course I'm still here. I could never leave you..."
"And I wouldn't want you to. I don't even want to think of what my life would be like if I didn't have you in it..."
"You don't have to, Ben. I love you. I always have, and I always will. Our love has endured everything that's tried to stand in its way over the years, and we're still together. And happier than ever, may I add," she smiled.
He returned her smile. "You are absolutely amazing, Mrs. Evans."
"You're pretty amazing yourself, Mr. Evans... And I'm looking forward to the rest of my life with you..."
THE END