10,000 Kisses
Chapter 121
"Nick? Nick?" AJ called walking down the hallway. AJ heard a faint 'what?' coming from one of the bedrooms. He checked them all finally finding Nick in the last one...the room farthest from Suz's.
AJ walked in to find Nick's hands covering his face, "Nick, what is the matter?" He waited a few minutes and got no answer, "Look, I apologize for making the crack about always saving your ass."
"It's not that," Nick finally said.
"Then what is it?" AJ probed as he put his arm around Nick and pulled him close. He could tell that there was something more then just the camera incident going through his mind.
"I'm scared, so scared," Nick said looking over to AJ.
"Well, so am I," AJ agreed.
"No, you don't understand," Nick continued, "During Kevin's depression, I became his rock...his everything. He counted on me so much that, AJ, if I didn't room with him on tour, he'd wake up with nightmares. Nightmares of all kinds of things that a mind can imagine."
"And?" AJ said suddenly realizing how deep Nick and Kevin's friendship had become and why he was so protective of Suzanne.
"I never let him down, NEVER, but I almost did. I almost did right now," Nick said as tears streaked down his face.
"Oh Nick," AJ said hugging his friend, "You're not going to let him down and you haven't at all. Do you see how you are handling Suz? How you are keeping her calm despite the raging storm outside and the lack of electricity and medical supplies?"
Nick didn't have a chance to answer AJ as they heard Suz scream.
"AAAAAJJJJJJJJ!!! NNNIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!"
The two men bolted out the door almost colliding into one another as they raced to the bedroom. Upon entering, they could just see the sweat roll of Suz and she was biting her lip, drawing blood.
AJ ran to her side, as he timed the contraction, while Nick checked her dilation.
"How far?" Nick said looking at AJ and Suz.
"Only 5 minutes apart now," AJ said as he watched Suz's face contracted in pain. She was gripping his hand so hard now that he thought she would surely break one, or all, of his fingers.
"Dilation?" Suz asked.
"Almost fully, almost fully," Nick repeated.
For the next few seconds, they helped Suz through the contraction.
They all settled back when it was over, just waiting now...waiting.
"Nick, I have a question," AJ asked.
"Yes?"
"How do you know all this stuff about birth?" AJ said.
"Books, AJ, an invention called books. Oh, and videos too!" Nick said.
"Huh?" AJ said.
"No one knew, but I often went with either Brian or Kevin to the library. We'd spend hours looking and talking about books on birth and parenting a child," Nick said.
Chapter 122
"Nick? In a library? Would have NEVER thought it," Suz said as she leaned back against Nick's chest, reserving her energy, "I thought he only know two things-Nintendo and Lyndsay."
"Hey!" Nick said playfully tapping Suz on the shoulder.
"You forgot one thing," AJ interjected.
"What?"
"Sex!"
"Sex?" Suz repeated, "I don't remember what the hell that is!" Then she laughed.
"Well, it is when a woman and a man get naked...and then the man sticks his..." Nick started until Suz clamped her hand over Nick's mouth. "Nick, if you knew what was good for you," Suz said in a pained yet laughing way, "you'd stop right there."
"Well, geez, you said you didn't remember!" Nick teased.
"Ha, Ha, Ha," Suz said sarcastically, "Do you want your dick to stay intact and have kids yourself one day?"
"Of course," Nick answered hestitantly.
"Well, then watch how you tease a pregnant woman in labor!" Suz said, giggling, as her hand slid down to his crotch.
"Ohhh, she's getting feisty," AJ warned as he laughed then back away slightly.
A few more seconds passed, as they sat enjoying the silence in the room for the meantime, until Suz spoke again, "AJ? Nick?"
They both turned to look at her, "Yes?"
"I don't know what I would have done if you guys weren't here with me. If you hadn't of come back early, I would be alone and lord knows how things would be," Suz started as she struggled to keep her composure intact.
Nick opened his mouth to talk but Suz stopped him, "No, hear me out." She turned slightly taking Nick's hands in hers, "I know how you feel about the possibility of letting Kevin down...and me. The walls in this house tend to echo, especially when the room you are speaking in is practically empty."
Nick smiled half sheepishly then looked down embarrassed. He didn't want her to know that he was scared, but now she did.
"Listen to me! No matter WHAT happens here in the next few minutes or hours, you can NEVER EVER let me down. Just the fact that you didn't go screaming when you realized I was in labor is enough to put my trust in you," Suzanne said sternly. She knew Nick and AJ were both scared. She'd be more worried if they weren't!
Suz then turned to AJ, "And don't think that I don't think the same for you too, AJ. I don't think anybody knows how much they have helped me become the person I am today. Someone who has found someone to love and someone who loves her back, immensely, and now I'm about become a parent and I had give up all thought that it would ever happen until I met Kevin over a year and a half ago."
Suz continued to gaze at them as they processed everything she said then she continued on with a laugh, "Sometimes I still need to pinch myself to believe it...but I think the contractions make this VERY real."
As if her statement was timed to the second, she clutched Nick and AJ's hands and clamped down as her eyes slammed shut and another contraction rapidly spread from her back towards the front.
It was time.
Chapter 123
AJ timed the contraction as Nick comforted Suz through the episode. Finally, after a slight 2 minutes, it was over. But before she could catch her breath, what seemed like 2 seconds but was actually another 2 minutes that had passed, another contraction started. Suz could feel the impending contractions started to ripple over one another.
She grabbed AJ's hand tightly as Nick situated himself at the end of the bed. He quickly threw AJ a pair of surgical gloves and then hurriedly covered his own hands.
"AJ?" Suz said looking over at him before he pulled the gloves on.
"Yes?"
"Can you please turn on the radio?" she said pointing towards the alarm clock.
Following her instructions, he turned on the radio hearing the DJ announce that the hurricane winds had increased to over 150 mph. The hurricane was now considered a category 5.
"Turn it to country," Suz demanded sharply as another contraction hit her taking her breath away. Just as swiftly, the contraction was over. Even though it was the beginning, she could feel the tiredness seeping through her thighs and stomach.
"Suz?" Nick said looking up from between her legs. She was fully dilated and this child was going to meet its mother in just a short while.
Suz grunted in response.
"Are you ready honey? You are going to have to push at the next contraction," Nick explained knowing she really didn't have a choice in the matter. Silently, he said a prayer asking for any help that God was willing to offer.
She nodded her head biting her lip. She didn't want them to know just how excrutiating the pain was. She could feel the baby through the birth canal. To put it quite mildly, this was worse then trying to take a shit after being constipated, as someone had once told her!
Suz grabbed AJ's hand again as he pushed her forward and slid behind her. He had watched her frantically claw at her long hair during the last contraction, so he pulled the ponytail holder from around his wrist and pulled her hair up and out of the way.
"Thank you," Suz said smiling as much as she could manage.
AJ smiled, letting the message in his eyes answer her. He had a bowl of ice chips sitting there that he had been frequently feeding to Suz throughout the night. AJ took one of them and began to run it over her face which was sweating profusely. He could feel her lips becoming dry from her erratic, shallow panting so he slid a cube over her cheek and to her lips. She greedily opened her mouth wanting the shivering coldness of the ice cube more and more as the burning sensation between her legs intensified. She could feel the next contraction slowly build and she knew it was time.
"Don't push until I tell you," Nick said trying to remember some of the medical information that he had read about.
AJ and Suz just laid waiting for Nick's command. In the tense silence, you could hear the torrid rain and swooshing of the flooding streets.
Suz closed her eyes and leaned back against AJ just as Nick commanded to push, "NOW! Push, Suz. You can do it!"
AJ pushed her forward and held her hands as she kept her eyes closed and beared down on the first push. She suddenly let out a scream that pierced the air with such an intensity that Nick and AJ were both frightened.
Chapter 124
Nick had never seen so much blood in his life as he could see Suz push with all her might. He almost fainted at the thought that something as big as a baby's head was going to pass through her vagina but quickly recovered from the thought. Just as quickly, the contraction was over and he commanded Suz to stop pushing. He surveyed the situation and quickly called AJ down to the end of the bed as Suz rested briefly. Nick knew at this point that Suz was slightly out of it.
Averting his face, Nick bent his head closer to AJ's, "We have a problem."
"What?" AJ said in a loud whisper.
"SHH, keep your voice down, I don't want Suz to hear you!" Nick said frantically.
"Oh my god, what's wrong?" AJ said as he was practically in tears.
"The baby is breached"
"What? You're fucking kidding me!" AJ said feircely, "what the hell does that mean?"
"AJ, it means that the baby is turned the wrong way," Nick answered.
"What are we going to do?"
"I want you to keep her calm and occupied as I try to turn the baby the right way."
"Ok," AJ said as sat back behind Suz and softly started to sing along with the song playing on the radio, 'Amazed' by Lonestar.
Nick quickly went to work pushing his hand through her vagina feeling up the baby's feet. He could make out the hands and face. His fingers touched the umbilical cord which thankfully was not wrapped around the baby's neck. He leaned forward knowing that both hands had to be inside in order for him to turn the baby. Both hands manuevered around the baby as time for the next contraction was fastly approaching. Nick gently manuevered the baby around her uterus finally satisified that the baby was now in the correct position. He pulled his hands out just as the next contraction hit, "PUSH!!"
Suz grunted loudly then pushed with all her might once again. Her fingers clutched AJ's so hard that he thought she was surely going to break them. But he didn't care because it would be worth it.
Nick could finally see the crown of the baby's head slowly slipping through her opening, "Come on, harder, Suz. I know you can do it. Only a little bit more."
Suz pushed harder as another scream was torn from her throat.
Off in the corner, the video camera recorded all the action going on in the room.
Chapter 125
Kevin bolted up from his seat on the plane in a sweat. In the process, he had woken both Howie and Brian up who were sitting on either side of him.
"Kev, what's the matter?" Brian said laying his hand over his arm and rubbing gently.
Kevin sat there rubbing his eyes trying to understand the dream he had just had.
"Kev?" Howie said getting more concerned as the silence stretched on.
"Do you know how much longer the flight is going to be?" Kevin finally responded.
"Uh, let me go ask," Brian said as his concern grew. He knew the dream that Kevin had involved Suzanne. He approched the flight attendent, whose name was Seirra, and quickly explained the situation with her. Seirra told Brian to wait a moment while she went and asked the pilots. Within a few seconds, she returned, "Uh, Mr. Littrell?" as she rung her hands together nervously.
"Please, call me Brian," Brian said realizing she had recognized him.
"Ok, Brian. The pilot has told me that we won't be landing in Orlando. All outgoing and incoming flights have been halted due to the hurricane. We will be landing in Louisana instead," Seirra said.
"Oh geez," Brian said running his hand through his hair.
"Is there anything I can get Kevin?" Seirra asked.
"No, but maybe you can help me. My instinct tells me that something isn't right at home either," Brian said pulling Seirra to the side. Soon, both of them were on the phone.
Brian hung up the phone dejected while Seirra hung up the phone at the same time with a smile.
"Brian!" She said tapping him to get his attention.
"Yeah?"
"I got a hold of the police in your area," she said excitedly.
"You did!?" Brian said jumping up and hugging her, "Oh my god!"
"They are going to send a patrol car out to the house as soon as possible," she said, "They have your cell phone number as well as Howie's and Kevin's and I gave her the private number to the plane."
"I can't thank you enough, Seirra!" Brian said hugging her again.
"No thanks is needed, Brian. I'm glad that someone is with her. No one should ever be in a situation of helplessness," Seirra said referring to Nick and AJ.
What neither of them knew was how lifesaving it was that AJ and Nick were there.
Chapter 126
Suz practically crushed AJ's hand as she tried to bend over pushing with all her strength. With a scream that shook the foundation of the house and drowned out the sound of the whirling hurricane, she felt her body heave in a rush of release.
AJ looked over as Nick quickly cradled the baby boy in his arms and cleaned him off. His eyes welled with tears as he heard the baby take its first breath.
"Let me see my baby," Suz whispered tiredly.
Slowly, Nick climbed over the side of the bed, and reached out to hand Suz the baby. But of a look of pain across her face stopped his movements, "What's the matter?"
"Another contraction," Suz said through clenched teeth.
"Huh?" Nick said looking over at AJ.
AJ quickly snapped into attention as he pulled on some gloves. Within seconds, the contraction was over.
"What is it?" Nick asked frantically.
"You dumbass, she's having another baby!" AJ said aspirated as another contraction hit Suz again. Commanding her to push, within seconds she had delivered her second child, a girl.
AJ quickly cleaned her off and had her wailing in no time. He gasped as she opened her deep green eyes with a twinge of gold and looked up at him.
"My god, she is beautiful!" AJ said as he handed her over to Suz.
"Two children? Oh god, I've been blessed with two children!" Suz said excitedly as she looked at the two infants laying next to her.
Chapter 127
"Kevin?" Brian said sitting back down next to his cousin. They were now heading towards Louisana, or possibly, the west coast of Florida. They had decided that even if they couldn't land in Orlando, then they would land in the closest airport possible. So, as of right now, they were heading towards the opposite coast of Florida from where the hurricane was wrecking havoc, or Louisana. Though in that time, Brian hoped that the hurricane changed its course and then they could land in Orlando.
"Yes, Bri?" Kevin whispered so softly and dejectedly that if Brian hadn't been paying absolute attention to Kevin and looking at his face, he would have never known Kevin had uttered a single word.
Brian grabbed Kevin's hand and squeezed hard, "Tell me what the dream was about, please?"
A look of pain crossed Kevin's face as he recalled the dream in his mind. It was still fresh like he had woken up a few seconds before from the nightmare, not a few hours ago.
"Come on, Kev, it isn't going to help if you keep it inside. Maybe I can help you understand it," Brian voiced.
With a deep breath, Kevin sighed and began, "Well, in the beginning, I saw Suz at home, with all the dogs. She was watching TV and not really paying attention to the storm outside. Then, she decided to go to bed, and at the same time that a tree limb broke through our bedroom window, she bolted up in bed from a contraction."
Brian squeezed Kevin's shoulder as Kevin paused to wipe the tears that had escaped from his eyes, "Then all of a sudden, I saw Scott standing there yelling at her saying that she didn't deserve any children. That neither of us did. Then, he pulled our baby from her arms, which was really a ugly, grotesque doll, and then he threw, oh my god, he THREW the baby into the trash can as Suz sat there and listened to it wail and wail and wail.
By now, Kevin was openingly sobbing so hard that the other people on the flight had turned to stare at them. Howie, who had been sleeping, now had his arms around Kevin trying to control his violent shaking. Both Brian and Kevin were trying not to cry but it was near to impossible.
"Brian," Sierra said gently pulling him aside.
In the meantime, a doctor who was on the flight administered a tranquilizer to Kevin since he was now practically hyperventilating and no end in sight was near.
"Yes?" Brian said quickly glancing back and Kevin and fixating his gaze on him. Brian was ready to bolt to Kevin at any minute.
"The pilot just told me that they are going to be able to land in Florida. The hurricane is now starting to pass. In fact, it is now headed into Georgia and South Carolina," Sierra said.
"Thank god!" Brian exclaimed as he ran back to Kevin to tell him the good news.
Chapter 128
"I have two beautiful children," Suz repeated again softly as she ran her hand down gradually down each child's smooth arm.
"Uh, Suz?" AJ said glancing over at Nick from between Suz's legs.
"What's the matter, AJ?" Suz murmured as she continued to gaze at the children.
"Make that three children," AJ proclaimed as another contraction hit Suzanne.
"OH SHIT!" she exclaimed as Nick tended to the other two children.
Within seconds, she had given birth to another boy. She, no, Kevin and her now had three children...2 boys and a girl...triplets!
"You sure there isn't anymore in there?" Suz joked as AJ began to clean the baby off as Nick cleaned Suz off.
"I'm sure," AJ grinned, "Wow, three children. How come the doctor never told you?"
"I don't know," Suz said cocking her head to the side, "I've heard of instances where sometimes you can't tell there is another heartbeat instead of just one. But right now, it doesn't matter to me."
For about a half hour, Suz sat their studying her children and caressing them softly until Nick spoke.
"Suz, are you capable of getting up? I'll help you take a shower," Nick said hesitantly. He couldn't even imagine the kind of pain that she was probably in. She had given birth to not one...but three children without the use of any drugs. Well, she didn't really have much of a choice, now did she?
Suz thought about it for a minute. Even for as much pain as she was feeling, she wanted to be clean, "Yeah, can you help me up? At this point who needs modesty when it comes to me being naked?" Then she laughed.
"Well, if you feel left out, I'll strip," AJ offered as he was ready to unbutton his shirt.
"Please god, no," Suz said shielding her eyes, "I don't want to be struck blind!"
Nick snicker softly as he helped Suz walk to the bathroom, "You are capable of watching the babies until we get out?"
"I'm fine!" AJ said waving them away.
Within 15 minutes, both Nick and Suz emerged fully cleaned.
"You can go take a shower now, AJ," Suz said looking over AJ's body. His head, which was a little longer then usual, was soaked to his head from sweat. Blood was covering his clothes. Basically, he looked like a truck ran him over.
Jumping up in joy, AJ raced off to the bathroom.
Nick helped Suz to the bed arranging the two boys on either side of her and the girl in her arms, "What are you going to name them?"
"I'm not sure," she murmured, "I want to wait until Kevin gets home."
"Oh my god," Nick said suddenly.
"What's the matter?" Suz said looking up in horror.
"The video camera is still rolling!" Nick exclaimed as he glanced over at it.
"Oh yeah, it is!" Suz said introducing each nameless child to the camera..or more so, to Kevin.
"And Kevin, you should be VERY proud of this wonderful man," Suz said putting her arm around Nick. "And to that one in the bathroom," Suz said pointing towards the door where AJ was taking a shower. Suddenly the door opened and AJ ran out.
"OH MY GOD!" Suz said closing her eyes in mock horror. AJ tore through the room buck naked to the other bathroom trying to find a towel while at the same time, the electricity went back on allowing Nick and Suz to see everything!
"Oops," Nick said, "I guess we forgot there were no more towels."
AJ slowly walked back into the room with a towel around his waist, "Sorry about that but SOMEBODY left no towels!" He turned to stare at Nick.
"Sorry," Nick said trying to hold the laughter in.
"Hey AJ?" Suz said with a gleam in her eye.
"Yeah?"
"Say hello to Kevin," Suz said pointing towards the camera that was STILL recording.
"Hi, Kevin!" AJ said turning to the camera and then turning back. Nick and Suz watched it register across AJ's face. They burst out laughing when AJ ran to the camcorder and stopped it from recording.
Kevin would now be able to see EVERYTHING that happened!
Chapter 129
~Orlando Airport~
Kevin rushed through the terminal, with Brian and Howie barely keeping up with him, anxious to get home to Suz since they still couldn't get a hold on her on the phone. Kevin had already called the electric company in the area and they had informed him that they were working on getting the electricity to everyone back on.
The skies had now cleared like there had never been any rain in days, except for the wet pavements and flooding.
Kevin plopped down in the plush cushion on the limo, feeling the tiredness seep through his bones but he was determined to stay awake. Brian and Howie had just managed to climb into the vehicle when the drive pulled away. Brian was thrown across Howie's lap.
"Gee, Bri, I didn't know you felt that way for me," Howie joked hoping to get Kevin to laugh but he didn't even glance in Bri and Howie's direction. Brian climbed off Howie and smiled gratefully at his attempt at a joke.
~The House~
Nick gently woke Suz up, "Suz, honey, I think someone is hungry."
Nick watched as Suz slowly woke up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She pulled herself up reaching out for her little girl. Nick slowly placed the baby girl in her arms and then turned to walk out of the room.
"Nick, can you do me a favor?" Suz said.
"Sure"
"Turn on the camera again," She said waving her hand towards it.
Smiling, Nick turned it on to record again and walked out of the room.
~The Living Room~
"AJ," Nick said as he entered the room, "We have to take her and the children to the hospital. They have to be checked out."
AJ readily agreed and called 911. Since the rain had now stopped, they were able to dispatch an ambulance that would take them to the hospital while AJ followed in his car.
Within minutes, Nick had composed a note to Kevin to come to the hospital as soon as they got home.
Soon, the ambulance was ready and Suz was finished feeding the baby.
Ironically, within minutes of the ambulance leaving, Kevin, Brian and Howie arrived home. Kevin frantically searched the downstairs finding Nick's note for the three of them to come to the hospital as soon as they got home.
"Oh my god," Kevin said sinking into chair.
"What's the matter?" Howie said leaning over his shoulder and reading the note.
"Christ, Bri, we have to get the hospital now," Howie said pulling Kevin up and out of the house. They jumped into Kevin's truck and broke all laws speeding to the hospital. Luckily, they didn't encounter any floods or debris that inhibited their ability to arrive at the hospital as quick as possible.
Chapter 130
Kevin tore through the ER doors, "I'm looking for either one of three people that was brought in here within the last hour."
"Name?" the nurse on duty asked.
"Either Nick Carter, AJ McLean, or Suzanne Richardson," Kevin said breathlessly.
The nurse looked down her chart, "Suzanne Richardson..what is your relationship?"
Kevin looked at her dumbfounded, "My wife!"
"3 floor...room 3009," the nurse said pointing towards the elevators.
Within seconds, Bri, Howie, and Kevin arrived on the 3rd floor. Kevin went to rush down the hallway until he saw AJ and Nick laying down in the lounge.
"Nick, AJ!" Kevin said running into the room.
"Kevin!" Nick said running up to him and hugging him, "We were worried about the three of you."
"The three of us!? I was worried about the three of you! Where's Suz??" Kevin said wildly.
"Follow me," AJ said who had been silent up until now.
Nick and AJ led Kevin to Suz's room. He slowly walked in while the rest of them stayed in the lounge. Brian proceeded to inform Nick and AJ of Kevin's dream on the plane. Nick and AJ refused to tell Howie and Brian anything more then Suz had given birth.
~Suz's room~
"Oh my god, baby, don't tell me that my dream is coming true. Don't tell me God took another child of ours away," Kevin said grasping Suz's hand and placing his forehead against it. Slowly, his cold tears began to drip on Suz's hand forcing her awake.
She listened for a few minutes at his wretched sobs until her heart couldn't take it anymore, "Kevin, baby."
Gradually, he lifted his head, "Suz?"
"Honey, don't cry, please don't cry," Suz said.
Her words only caused him to cry harder.
Suz looked over Kevin's head at the nurse who was holding one of her sons. It was his feeding time.
Gently, Suz nudged Kevin to stand up. The look of surprise and love in his eyes when he saw the little boy in the nurse's arms had her bawling within seconds. Kevin took the baby from the nurse's arms and watched as she walked out of the room.
Soon, Kevin was watching as the little boy fumbled for Suz's nipple and then latched on finally and started to feed. Kevin slid in behind Suz resting her against him. His arms wrapped around her and caressed the top of his son's head as he fed.
When their son was done feeding, he quickly fell asleep cradled in his mother's arms.
"What did you name him?" Kevin asked huskily.
"I couldn't name him without you being here," Suz said.
"I love you, Suzanne Elizabeth Richardson," Kevin proclaimed as his lips captured hers.
"And I love you too, Kevin Scott Richardson, except there is something I should tell you," Suz said looking at Nick and AJ standing in the door holding the other two infants.
"What is that?" Kevin asked concerned.
"Meet your daughter," Nick said walking up to him and handing him his daughter.
"And your other son," AJ said also walking up to Kevin.
Kevin looked up in disbelief, "Three children? We have three children?"
Suz looked over at AJ and Nick worriedly. She didn't know how to gauge Kevin's reaction.
Email the author: Suzybear69@aol.com