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.