Chapter 24

Little Guys

Hours later a smiling Corine told Rudy that Lynn would like to see him. He rushed to her side and was greeted with a large smile.
"Hi" she said.
"Hi to you" he said looking at the baby cots next to her bed.
"You were right" she said "Two little guys ..."
"Congratulations! They look like their mother" he said grinning.
"They're too young to tell" she laughed. "That one" she said pointing to the baby on the left "Is William. He came first, so he's the eldest. And this one" she pointed to the baby on the right "Is James".
"Nice. What happened to Noah?" he asked smiling.
"Too biblical" she answered and they both laughed.
"Rudy?"
"Yes?"
"I want to thank you for making me do this. You said the right words, even if they weren't actually true"
"You are most welcome, little one. Now rest, because you'll have visitors soon. My words were entirely true, I'd never lie to you. Your mom should be here in about four hours. Sweet dreams" he finished chuckling at her bewilderment.
"Sweet dreams, little guys" he added smiling towards the twins, and then headed for the door.
Lynn sighed and closed her eyes, determined to chase away images of Denny, looking at the boys the way Rudy did. Denny was in the past.
......................................................................................................................................
The day after that found Lynn sitting on her hospital bed, flipping through a magazine, bored out of her mind. When the door opened and her sister, Billie entered pushing Andy's stroller, she squealed with delight.
"Billie! You came!"
"Hey, you" Billie greeted hugging her. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine. Bored" Lynn answered. "How are you? How's Richard? Is he here, too?"
"No. His intern exam is in a couple of weeks. He's at home, studying." Billie answered.
"Oh, look at you, you've grown!" Lynn exclaimed reaching out to pick Andy up.
"Ten months already" Billie said, picking him up herself and placing him in Lynn's lap. "Here you go. You're get tired of this pretty soon" she joked. "So, how about your cutie cookies, how are they?" she asked.
"Two days old and always hungry. Oh, and little Will has developed a liking for screaming. I swear he's the noisiest baby I've ever seen. Rudy says it's always like this with twins. They're usually the opposite of each other ..."
"Uh - uh, I've heard some stuff about this Rudy guy. Let me see, something about bringing you to the hospital and then flying mom here on a private airplane" Billie said smiling.
"Um, yeah. Apparently some rich friend of his landed him his private plane for this" Lynn explained. She hadn't insisted when Rudy came up with the same explanation the day before.
Billie nodded.
"What about the fact that he happened to be the one who brought you to the hospital?" she asked.
"Oh ... that. Um ... you see, we were out for dinner and ... um ..."
"Wait, as in a date?" Billie interrupted.
"Well, I'm not so sure about that. I mean who would ask a pregnant lady on a date?" Lynn shrugged.
"He did, didn't he? Well, I think he likes you" Billie giggled.
"Right, because I'm so cool. With pregnancy, now babies, thing, any guy would want me now?" Lynn said bitterly.
"Oh, come on! Having a baby is great. Let alone two. I'd love that ..." Billie said trying to cheer her up, but the short sadness in her eyes didn't escape the future psychologist.
"Love what? To have a baby?" she asked.
"Um ... I do have a baby" her sister answered looking at Andy who was busy playing with his left shoe.
"But you would like another one?" Lynn continued.
"Well ..."
"Let me guess" Lynn interrupted. "Richard doesn't want another baby but you do".
Billie sighed then decided to speak.
"A few weeks after the wedding he suggested I should see a doctor to prescribe birth control pills. I asked him if he didn't want other children and he said that he did, but that it wasn't the right time since I would be starting my internship soon ..."
"Well, he's right about that one. I mean it would be a great challenge for you two as it is, since you already have one kid. If you get pregnant now it would be twice as hard ..." Lynn reasoned.
"I like challenges" Billie smiled "Besides, I'm getting old ..." she said causing Lynn to laugh.
"You turn 26 this year. You're not even 30" she told her.
"Yeah, and you're not even 23 years old and you already have two children" Billie shot back.
"And you have Andy. I thought he was your baby ..."
"Andy is my baby ..."
"Then stop. Look, if you really want a baby wait a few months, see how work is going and if you still think you can handle it, talk to Richard about it. It's as simple as that" Lynn said.
"You do know what Kath would say if she were here, don't you?" Billie grinned.
"She'd probably call me 'shrinkie'" Lynn answered and they both smiled. "How is she, by the way?"
"She and Alexander have been invited to perform with the Champions On Ice in L.A.. She's thrilled."
"I can imagine" Lynn said genuinely happy for her younger sister.
"Mom and dad will be going and they'll video record it for us" Billie assured her.
"And Abby?" Lynn asked.
"Eager to start middle school" came the answer.
"Westwood?" and Lynn's smile grew wider as she remembered her middle school years at Westwood Academy.
"Where else? She's a Winston" Billie chuckled. She, too, had great memories from Westwood.
"I miss them" Lynn sighed. "All the time. And I miss you ..."
"I know. I miss you, too, Lynnie - bun. But it'll get easier now that you have the boys. You have no idea how busy a baby can keep you" Billie told her. "Oh, and I'm sure Rudy would be around, too" she added winking.
"Very funny" Lynn said making a face and they both laughed.