Jarod held her hand as she started drifting off. "I'm staying right here." He promised.
Dr. Powell entered the OR room. "Are we ready?"
"Yes. She's out."
She made a small cut below her stomach. She reached in and grabbed a hold of a small object.
Pulling out the baby, Jarod heard crying. "It's a boy."
"Another boy!" He got excited.
She felt something. "Get him out of here."
"No."
"Jarod."
A nurse tugged on his arm. "Sir, you have to leave."
"Wait. What's going on?"
"Jarod. OUT!"
Another nurse help them get him out. "I'm sorry sir. She will be out to talk to you soon."
She shut the glass door.
Jarod pulled the gown off and threw it in the waste bag. He stormed out to the waiting room.
"What is it son?"
"They kicked me out."
He sat down next to his mother. "I promised her I would stay."
"It's okay. She knows you did. I'm sure everything is fine." His mother tried to comfort him.
"What is taking so long?" Jarod stood. He ran his fingers through his hair.
The door opened and Dr. Powell came through. "Jarod."
"Yes." He met her at the door.
"I have good and bad news."
"What is it?"
"The good news is, you have a daughter."
"I have a daughter!" He got excited.
"The bad news is, she is in critic condition."
"Tell me....."
"Dr. Robert is checking her out now."
"What about my sons?"
"They seem fine."
"My wife."
"She's in recovery."
"Can I see them?"
"When Dr. Robert is finished I will get you. Then I will know more. You can see Melissa in a few minutes."
She turned and left him standing there.
"What did she say?" Broots and Sam asked at the same time.
"I have two sons and a daughter." Jarod smiled.
"Triplets."
"Yeah."
They ran to the nursery window to peak in at the three but they had the blinds closed.
******
A nurse came out. "Mr. Russell."
"Yes." He walked toward her.
"Your wife is calling for you."
He turned toward the family that stood next to him. "Go. We will be here when you get back" He went to her side.
"Jarod." She moaned as he came into the room.
"I'm here." He took her hand.
She barely opened her eyes. "Jarod..."
"Shh...don't try to speak. I'm going to stay with you."
"You said that earlier."
"I know but the doctor made me leave."
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah." He didn't want to tell her about their daughter, not yet. He didn't know much either.
"I'm tired."
"You just rest."
"Jarod." Dr. Powell entered the room.
He glanced up.
"We are going to be moving her in a few minutes. She will probably sleep most of the day and into the night."
"That's okay. I want to stay with her."
"You can but I have arranged for you to see your children."
"Now."
"If you like, the doctor is waiting to talk to you."
"I will be there in a minute." He watched her sleep. "I will be back. I love you." He kissed her forehead.
"Mmm." She grunted.
He dropped her hand and followed the doc out.
"What did he say?"
"He's over here."
"Dr. Robert this is Jarod, the father."
"I have checked all of them out. Your sons are doing great. They should be able to go with you and your wife when she is ready to go."
"And my daughter."
"The next 24 hours will be the worst."
"Is there anything major wrong with her?"
"No. She is lucky. The best I can tell she is two weeks behind the boys."
"Two weeks. How?"
"She was conceived two weeks after them. I am having test run on the placenta. I think your sons are identical twins."
"Can I see them?"
"Sure." They showed him the way.
Jarod gowned up and washed his hands thoroughly. He went to the boys first. They were beautiful. They favored Kyle when he was that size. Then he moved toward his daughter. She looked like her mother. She was so tiny. "Can I touch her?"
"Yes."
She wrapped her tiny fingers around his index finger. He ran his other hand over her head. He was careful not touch the tubes that were helping her breath. She fit like a glove in his hand. He moved to her tiny toes. He couldn't believe she was here. Alive all that time and they didn't know she was there. A tear fell from his eyes as he watched her lie in that bed. He wiped the tear from his cheek when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. "She has a good chance." The voice replied. He turned to see both doctors standing there. "Girl babies have a better survival rate than male babies." Dr. Robert answered.
Jarod turn back to his daughter.
"We will leave you alone now. If you have any more questions we will be outside." They left.
******
Major Charles entered the chapel and found Jarod sitting on the second pew. He sat down next to him.
"How did you know to find me here?"
"Cause I used to spend a lot of time here when I lost you."
"She is going to make it. I know it."
"Of course she is."
"You really think so."
"If she is anything like her parents, she won't have a chance." He smiled at his son.
"Thanks."
"They moved Melissa to a room."
"I will be there in a minute."
"Take all the time you need, son." He got up and walked out.
******
He entered her room and saw her laying in the bed. She was still asleep. He took her hand, kissed it softly. "I love you." He whispered.
The family walked in. "Jarod, I was going to let you know that we were going to kids home with us. We will talk to you later." Margaret replied as she watched her son care for his wife.
"Thanks."
Angelo went to the bed. "Melissa doesn't know."
"No." Jarod looked up at him.
"Melissa tired." He let go of her hand and turned toward the door.
"Bye Daddy." The kids took turn hugging and kissing him bye.
"Bye. Be good for your grandma and grandpa."
"We will." He watched them leave.
"Jarod, call me if you need me." Ben responded as kissed his daughter's cheek.
"I will."
******
A few hours later, Parker came in and out of consciousness. She looked around the semi-dark room. "Jarod." She moaned.
"I'm here." He rose from his seat.
She ran her hands over her stomach. "Is it over?"
"Yeah. You did great."
"I'm tired." She yawned.
"Close your eyes." He took her hand. "I'm not going anywhere." He whispered.
"Jarod."
"Shh..." He stroked her forehead.
"Sit on the bed next to me."
Jarod climbed on the bed. He leaned back against the pillow. She laid her head against his shoulder. "Thanks." She drifted off again. He held her hand tight as he watched her sleep.
******
The next morning Dr. Powell opened the door to see the sleeping couple. She was going to check on her other patients when Jarod woke to sound of the creaking of the door.
"I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay."
Parker opened her eyes to the sound of voices.
"Does she know?"
"No. She hasn't been a wake long enough."
"Know what?" She commented.
"Well...look who decided to wake up."
"Know what?" She asked again.
"We have something to tell you."
"Tell me."
"Remember when we took you to the OR for a C-section?"
"Yeah." She could tell something was bothering them but didn't know what. "Is something wrong with one of the twins?"
"No, they are fine."
"Then what?"
"We had a surprise."
"What?"
"You had another baby."
"Another baby? You mean like triplets?"
"Yeah. You have two sons and a daughter."
"What? How?"
"Your daughter was hidden by one of the boys."
"Is she fine?"
"She is doing better. She will have to stay in the hospital for several more weeks. She is two weeks behind the boys."
Parker not believing what she heard, shakes her head. "I want to see her."
"You will...later."
"No. NOW!" Parker got upset.
"You will later. I promise. You are not getting out of bed until I know you can stand by yourself."
"I can. Now take me to them." Parker pulled back the covers and started out of bed when Jarod and Dr. Powell stopped her. "Get out of my way."
"Wait. Let us help you."
"I can do it myself."
"Fine. Let her do it." Jarod replied to the doctor as he stepped back. He knew she was hard headed.
"Okay." She took a step back in case she had to help her.
Parker slid next to the edge, pulled herself up when she felt something cold hit her leg. She pulled the covers all the way back to find a ice pack. She looked at it funny and threw it to the end of the bed.
"In case you had swelling." The doctor answered.
Parker placed her feet on the floor. She stood. "See I told you I could do this." She began to feel her knees buckle. Jarod and Dr. Powell grabbed her before she hit the floor.
"You were saying." Dr. Powell looked down at her.
"I can walk. Give me a minute."
"I tell you what. You go and clean up, shower. I will be back in one hour to take you to the nursery."
"I want to go now!" She commanded.
Dr. Powell gave her one of her own looks.
"Okay. One hour."
******
Parker entered the nursery slowly. She wasn't sure what she would find.
"The boys are doing great." The doc pointed toward them.
"Jarod."
"I'm here." He sauntered up next to her.
"They are a good size for you having them at 32 weeks."
"What do they weigh?"
"Well this one, weighs 5 lbs. He was the first one born. The second one weights 4 lbs and 10 ounces."
"And our daughter."
"She weighted 3 lbs and 5 ounces.
She is over here." Parker turned to see the littlest baby in the nursery.
"Oh my..." Her hands covered her mouth. "Can I touch her?"
"Yes."
Parker reached her hand into the incubator. She picked up her tiny foot. She wanted to kiss it but couldn't. "Look at her feet. They are so tiny." The baby cried as she ran her finger down her toes to her heel.
"They are sore from the lab work that we have ordered on her. Don't worry, her heels will heal soon."
Parker then brushed the back of her hand over the top of her head. As the baby cried a little more, Parker buried her head in Jarod's chest. He cuddled her tightly.
"It's okay." He said in her ear. "She will be fine."
Parker turned to her daughter once again. Then back to him. "I'm ready to go back to my room."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." Jarod took her arm and they walked back to her room.
A nurse came in as Parker was getting settled back in bed. "I have one more arm band to put on you, Mrs. Russell."
"What it is?"
"This a security band. It matches the one your husband and newborns are wearing. If someone tries to walk out with your baby the alarm will go off and the doors will lock."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. You have three beautiful babies. I heard you did a good job in the delivery room."
"Thanks." She smirked.
The nurse smiled and exited.
Jarod took her hand. She looked over at him.
"Melissa, are you alright?"
Before she could answer him, the door opened and four little heads popped in.
"Mom!" They all ran to her side.
"Hello baby." She kissed each one. "I missed you."
"We missed you too."
Angelo entered the room with Margaret and Charles following. Jarod met his father at the foot of the her bed.
"Hello, son."
"Hey, dad."
Margaret took the chair that Jarod was sitting in.
"Does she know?" The Major whispered.
"Yes, she does." Parker answered.
"Hey, I didn't know you were listening." He went over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You have three more beautiful children in the nursery. Have you seen them yet?"
"Yes. We just came back from there."
"I'll let you visit with the kids." Jarod faced his father. "Dad, do you want to walk out here with me?"
"Sure."
******
"Dad, thanks for keeping the kids."
"It's nothing. We have enjoyed being with them."
"Have you talked to Ben?" They walked up the hall.
"He came by this morning."
"How is he feeling?"
"Better. He said he will come by when you get home."
"We should be home tomorrow."
Jarod and the Major stopped at the nursery window. Jarod stared in at his daughter. She looked so helpless.
"Jarod, how are you doing?" He put his hand on the pretender's shoulder.
"Fine." Jarod looked up at him. "Why?"
"You look tired. Are you sure you don't want to go home for a while?"
"Yeah." He breathed. "I have to stay here." He glanced back in the nursery.
The Major watched as Jarod's voice turned to babble.
"Son."
"Mmm." He turned back to his father's attention.
"How is Melissa doing?"
"You know Melissa. Never showing her true feelings."
"How is she really doing?" The Major's eyes looked downward onto Jarod.
"I don't know." He took a step to the couch, which was next to the wall. He ran his hands through his hair. "She's hiding something."
"I'm sure you will figure it out. You know her best."
They walked back to her room.