Chapter 23

Fighting My Own Fears

He picked her up around 7 ("Pregnant ladies must be in bed early" he had told her) and an hour later they were sitting at a table at the Edelweiss Monotel drinking ... orange juice ("I'm being supportive" had been Rudy's explanation and Lynn almost told him that it wasn't his job to do that, but she refrained eventually).
"So, um ... when do I get to see little Danny again? And meet Max?" Pff, very clever, Lynn, now he'll think you're hitting on him, she thought to herself.
"Well, right now, Max has final exams, but exactly two weeks from now it will be his birthday and we'll probably celebrate it the next week-end. You should come" he said smiling "As for Danny" he continued smiling "You can see him on Thursday, in the park. But I was thinking maybe this time we could take a walk together the three of us. I mean five"
She smiled back.
"That would be nice. But I wouldn't want to intrude. Max's birthday, I mean. It'll probably be family and ..."
"Nope" Rudy interrupted "No family. Just a few of his friends, Danny and I"
"Rudy, why don't you ever talk about your family?" she asked cautiously "After all I did tell you everything about mine ..." she added.
"We're not really close. My brother didn't approve of my wife so we're not on best terms with each other since then, although he lives across the Lake" he explained.
"Lausanne?" she asked and he nodded.
"We send the occasional holiday or birthday cards but that's about it. I do see my grandmother sometimes but not too often because she lives with my brother's family."
"And your parents?" Lynn asked.
"They're dead. Car crash ... Georg and I were in high-school." he answered quietly.
"I'm sorry" she whispered regretting asking the question.
"It's okay" he said smiling. But seeing her still sad he opted for a happier subject. "I told you that my brother has a set of twins, too, didn't I?".
She nodded.
"Ten year old daughters" he continued smiling.
"One year older than Max" she observed.
"Yes" he confirmed surprised that she remembered Max's age. "He doesn't know them, though, and that's what I hate most about this sort of family feud between my brother and I. They could be friends if it weren't for us. There's also another cousin, one year younger than him, you know ..."
"Whoa, wait" she stopped him "How many nephews and nieces do you have?" she asked.
"Well, there are zero nephews and four nieces. My brother has four daughters. I guess he kept trying for a son" he smiled and shrugged.
"So did my dad, and he eventually stopped at four. I think he's hoping for grandsons now" she chuckled. But her smile suddenly faded as she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.
"What is it?" he asked concerned. "Are you okay?"
"I ... I don't know ... it hurts ..." she said in a weak voice placing her hand where her babies were "It shouldn't be hurting, should it?" she asked and he saw her eyes fill with tears.
"Maybe we should go to the hospital" he suggested trying to stay calm.
"NO!" she cried "I might be in labor and mom's supposed to be here when that happens. She's coming next week. I want to be in labor then" she explained and Rudy would have laughed if he hadn't been so worried.
He sighed, called a waiter and told him something quickly. Then he turned to Lynn.
"Tell you what, we go to the hospital and wait for your mom there, okay? It will be full of doctors, just in case something ..." but he stopped when painful memories surfaced and he realized what he was about to say.
"In case something goes wrong you mean?" she picked up quickly. "Oh, my God! I don't want to do this" she cried.
Fighting he's own fears he managed to comfort her a little.
"It's okay, I'll stay with you" he reassured her.
"I want mom" she said quietly but allowed him to help her stand and walk back to his car.
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He stayed with her and only left for a little while to call Corine and Lynn's mother. He couldn't tell how long it had been until Corine sent him out to get himself a coffee. When he returned, Corine was just coming out of Lynn's room.
"How is she?" he asked.
"She's in labor and refuses to cooperate. She says she'll only have the babies when her mother is here. I called her, but there's no way she can make it here so soon ..." Corine said.
"Isn't there anything we can do? Talk to her? Convince her somehow ..." Rudy said.
Corine shook her head.
"I don't know. She has gone through a lot lately. Deciding to raise those babies on her own was so brave that I think she is entitled to a little freaking out right now ... If only I could tell her Ellen was on her way ..."
"Her mother?" he asked.
"Yes. She a doctor, an Obstetrician, but I think what Lynn needs right now is the mother, not the doctor ... I have to get back to her" Corine said.
"Okay"
Rudy felt torn in two. He knew he could bring Lynn's mom to Geneva, he had the power and the means to do it. But ... he would have to do something he had sworn he'd never do ... There were wounds that still needed healing but Lynn was totally worth it. He prepared himself for a long conversation, then dialed a very familiar number on the closest public phone.
"Chateau Raven"
"Hello, Ivain, it's Rudolf. I need to speak with Georg, it's an emergency"
"Yes, Master Rudolf. Right away"
He closed his eyes and swallowed the lump in his throat fighting the urge to hang up, when he heard that voice so similar to his father's.
"Rudy, hello"
"Hello Georg" he answered.
"Ivain said it was an emergency. What happened?"
"I ... I need your private plane to bring a doctor from California, U.S. to Geneva ..." Rudy explained calmly.
"A doctor? Are you sick? The boys? Are Maximilian and Darius, okay?"
"The boys are fine, Georg. It's for ... a friend. She's pregnant and this doctor is one of the best in the field."
"Are you the father?"
"What?! No, I'm not the father. Listen, Georg, if you don't want to help me I'll find someone else. Goodbye" he said and was about to hang up when Georg stopped him.
"No, wait. Of course I'll help you, Rudy. I owe you, after ... Sabine"
"Yeah, you do owe me"
"Tell me all the details and I'll take care of it right away."
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He pushed the door open and walked to Lynn's bed, not paying attention to anyone else.
"Lynn, would you please look at me?" he asked gently.
She lifted her gaze and met him with sad eyes.
"Sweetie, I promise you your mom we'll be here in the morning. Trust me, okay?" he said taking her hand to his lips and kissing the back of her palm. "Now, please be a brave mommy and let the doctors bring the little guys into this world, would you?". He smiled at her and she nodded.
The 'audience' left out a sigh of relief.

Chapter 22

Milk For You

Lynn was walking out of another exhausting class, next Monday (of course being pregnant with twins made life itself quite exhausting), when she saw Rudy smiling at her from across the hallway.
"Hey" she greeted him "What are you doing here?"
"Coffee, remember? Actually coffee for me" he said gesturing with the plastic cup in his hand "And milk for you" he continued handing her another plastic cup.
"But ... how did you know where to find me?"
"I had to ask around. Apparently there's only one, beautiful, blonde, pregnant med student at the University. Oh, and the fact that I knew your name helped."
She burst out laughing and Rudy realized he liked seeing her happy.
"So, are you and the little guys up for a walk?" he asked.
"More like up for a nap, but a walk would be nice, too" she answered.
"Don't you think it's a little early for a nap together?" he asked playfully.
"It's never early for a nap. Besides it's only 11:30" she played along. "Let's go for a walk" she said laughing again at his dumbfounded expression. They walked and talked about babies, and studies, and Geneva and another hundred silly things.
Lynn was humming when she closed the door behind her and Corine showed up out of nowhere to help her with her ever present schoolbag and her coat. She was such a nice lady and she enjoyed having someone to fuss over. And very pregnant Lynn was the perfect candidate for the job.
"So" she smiled "Who's the nice guy with the fancy car?" she asked.
"Been peeking haven't you, Tante Corine?" Lynn asked back.
"A little" she confessed helping Lynn to the couch and adjusting the pillows to support her back.
"His name is Rudy and we met in the park. Remember the guy that comes with his kid every Thursday? That's him. Looks like we've been eying each other for some time. And he is nice." Lynn spoke.
Corine smiled.
"You do deserve a nice guy, mon ange" she said stroking her hair.
"Soon I'll have two major 'defects'. Even nice guys tend to run in the opposite direction when faced to that ... Don't get me wrong, I love my babies and I'll never regret deciding against abortion but I knew the moment I decided to keep them that it might be just me and them for the rest of my life ..." she smiled sadly. "But I'm happy I have them".
"Oh, mon ange, life has it's own way of settling things, you'll see. I'll go fix you something to eat" Corine said kissing the top of her head. "I won't be long".
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Lynn sighed as she sat back on her bed. May 21. Another two weeks till her due date. She had kind of gotten tired of this being pregnant thing. She hated not being able to tie her shoes or do her own pedicure. She didn't remember her mother being so helpless while pregnant with Abby. Then again Abby was her mother's fourth pregnancy and one baby only. She was carrying two ...
The phone ringing interrupted her thoughts.
"Hello?"
"Hey pretty lady, it's me" she heard Rudy's voice at the other end.
"Oh, hi" she answered.
"How are you feeling this morning?" he asked her.
"Um, huge?" she heard him laugh.
"Would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight?"
"Dinner?" she asked bewildered. "But it's ... I'm ... pregnant" she mumbled.
"Which is why I'm not taking you skiing" he answered.
"Ha! You couldn't do that even if I weren't pregnant. It's May, no snow" she observed jokingly.
"Wait until you have those babies and I'll prove to you that I can. But, until then, dinner?"
"I'd love to".