VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, [7], 8, 9, 10 ]



[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 08:07:20 06/14/13 Fri
Author: Nettie
Subject: Father's Day - Two years on

Disclaimer: all the usual
AN: Because you asked so nicely - this is a short sequel / epilogue. Please see longer AN at the end after you've read the story. :D

Father’s Day...two years on

Hopelessly outnumbered, Harm stood frozen against the wall in a darkened room. If his existence was detected, all hell would break loose, something he was desperate to avoid. He didn’t dare blink, he didn’t even dare to breathe, his foe seemed to have bionic hearing and one false move could be the end of him. While it wasn’t the first time he had been in this situation, his heart still pounded hard and his nerves were on edge. Slowly, ever so slowly, Harm slid a stockinged foot along the floor boards, not wanting a footfall to give away his presence. One, two, Harm glided towards the opening he knew was there. Three, four, escape was within reach.

A noise from behind caused him to freeze once more. Whilst he would never consider himself a deeply religious man, he began to pray, just as he had during similar encounters. In the darkness, he pleaded, begged and bargained with God to let him escape. Straining, he listened, hoping no further sound could be detected. With only silence, he continued his gliding to the door. Five, six, he was almost there. Seven, eight...freedom! Smiling smugly, Harm congratulated himself on another successful mission.

Leaning against the wall in the hallway outside, Harm rested his head and closed his eyes. Each encounter was a test of skill and nerve. Experience put the odds in his favour but he knew he needed to keep his wits about him otherwise the results would be disastrous.
“Are they asleep?” Mac asked quietly as she approached him.
“Finally!” he said in a whisper. “It took seventy-three minutes but they’re finally asleep. One of them nearly caught me but I managed to evade their radar.”
“Harm, why is it every time you do bed duty you make it sound like some dangerous undercover mission?” she asked him with the shake of her head.
“Because it is,” he said as they walked away.

Each evening, after both had helped with the nightly routine of dinner, baths, teeth and stories, one would remain in the bedroom to ensure they went off to sleep while the other would start on the task of cleaning up. They alternated this duty and Harm could never work out how Mac got them all asleep, without drama, and usually in under 20 minutes; his all-time best was 32 minutes .

Blessed with identical twin daughters and a son, life was certainly providing a challenge for Harm and Mac. From the time they discovered Mac’s shock pregnancy on Father’s Day, two years previous, there hadn’t been a dull moment. Ill until the fifth month of her pregnancy, Mac was then hospitalised during her sixth month. With her blood pressure high and one of the twins not doing so well, she was placed on full bed rest and remained so until the babies arrived, very early, at 32 weeks.

It took seven weeks for their son, Caleb, to come home, nine for Alexandra who was already being called Allie and a painstaking 21 weeks before Maddison was discharged. With the pregnancy being a surprise and the events which followed, Harm and Mac had remained in their two bedroom apartment and all three babies had shared the same crowded but functional. nursery. When the triplets had turned one, the MacKenzie-Rabb family had moved into what they hoped would be their forever home.

With spacious living areas and five bedrooms, each child had been given their own room. Perfectly decorated and well appointed, the novelty had worn off quickly and while they visited their rooms most days, they would only sleep if they were all together and soon all cribs had been moved into Maddi’s room.
“Have you decided what you’d like to do for Father’s Day?” Mac asked as she handed Harm a much needed cup of coffee.
“Not really,” he replied. The last one, his first one with the babies, had been a disaster. Feeling confident, he had suggested they go out for lunch to his favourite, family-friendly restaurant. He knew it would have been much easier to have lunch at home but he wanted to show-off his precious children.

Everything had gone well up until the waitress came for their orders. Having been asleep in the triple pram, Caleb started crying which woke his sisters and encouraged them to join in. It took nearly ten minutes to soothe the trio and order their meals. Just as they were being served Allie started crying once more, Maddi cried so much she started coughing, then coughed so much she vomited and Caleb filled his diaper with something so potent, Harm thought the Health Department might condemn the restaurant. The waitress had removed and parcelled up their meals before they even asked.

This year, they were triple toddler trouble and meals out had been few and very far between.
“Maybe we’ll have a picnic,” he ventured and Mac’s eyebrows rose. “The forecast is good; we could pack a couple of blankets and basket of food.”
“And where will we have this...picnic?” she asked curiously. The thought of taking the trio into a wide open space and then trying to enjoy lunch seemed a little ambitious to say the least.
“The yard,” he said, tilting his head towards the back door. “They’ve got every toy imaginable out there, the fences are high, the gate’s secure...”
“Sounds good to me,” Mac said with a laugh.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, pulling her to him.
“It really wasn’t that long ago that we were in positions of command,” she said linking her arms around his neck. “We said jump and people did. We could come and go as we pleased ...”
“And now we are at the mercy of three little people who wield their power unmercifully some days,” Harm added before he laughed.
“Would you change anything?” she asked, her lips inches from his.
“No,” he said slowly. “They’re a definite handful but I couldn’t imagine our lives without any one of them.”
“Me either,” she said before kissing him briefly.
“I must admit,” Harm said quietly. “After the initial shock of it all, I thought that having triplets was just a short cut way to have our family all at once. We waited so long to get together and had come to accept during our three years of marriage it was never going to happen...I sort of figured we were getting it all in one shot.”
“So, you’re saying our family is complete?” she asked which surprised him no end.
“I kinda figured it was,” he said slowly. “The pregnancy was hard on you, then the prematurity of the babies....what?” he asked as he followed her gaze downwards to her hand resting on her belly. “Are you pregnant?”
“Well...” she said slowly before nodding.
“Really?” he questioned, drawing her face up to meet his. She nodded once more. “Is everything okay?” She nodded again as a tear rolled down her cheek. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” she said resting her head against his chest. “Went and saw my doctor last week as I wasn’t feeling right and haven’t had my period for a while. Thought it might be menopause, you know?”
“Aha,” he said. “You’ve known since last week?” he added and Mac nodded.
“Well, I was going to tell you on Father’s day,” she said, raising her head once more.
“How far along are you?” he asked, caressing her face, not really believing they were having this conversation.
“Eight weeks,” she said with a sigh. “Everything looks good.”
“Well, four under three will make life interesting ...more interesting than it already is, but I’m sure we’ll manage,” he said, kissing her head. “It’s just one more to love, isn’t it?”
Mac took a deep breath, then another. When she finally made eye contact with Harm she shrugged. “Well....”

----

AN: A little farfetched you may be thinking but fact is stranger than fiction. When I was in high school I had two friends, both girls, who were best friends and were both the youngest in their large families. One was the youngest on 12, all single births. The other was the youngest of 13, which included two sets of twins and a set of triplets. My friend was the youngest of the triplets (had two triplet brothers) and they were only 13 months younger than a set of twin boys. So, her mum, at one stage, had five children 13 months and younger...good thing she had the older kids to help out too.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]



Replies:

[> Oh Nettie, that was too precious, and funny God bless any woman who has that strength, oh, and of course the dads too! Very happy story! -- JoyZ, 09:27:07 06/14/13 Fri [1]


[ Edit | View ]
[> Too cute. I love kids but the thought of triplets scares me. -- Beth, 12:32:53 06/14/13 Fri [1]


[ Edit | View ]
[> Thanks for doing another story to this poor Harm LOL -- B, 14:14:02 06/14/13 Fri [1]


[ Edit | View ]
[> I love how Harm "handled"getting out of the room. How many of us have done the exact same thing? I know I have. -- usmgrad, great story, 14:56:04 06/14/13 Fri [1]


[ Edit | View ]
[> This is just adorable! I enjoyed this story so very much Nettie, thank you. (inside.) -- Dee, 16:58:09 06/14/13 Fri [1]

I laughed out loud at the ending! More to love, and more to drive them crazy! Parenting is a wild and wonderful adventure.


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> inside -- Nettie, 17:02:05 06/14/13 Fri [1]

I was just reading today's paper and there's a woman who already has 3 boys and they've decided to 'try for a girl'. She's currently 17 weeks pregnant with naturally conceived quadruplets - 2 girls and 2 boys!


[ Edit | View ]

[> You've made my day -- JagFanUK, 20:12:00 06/14/13 Fri [1]

You have again excelled, made me laugh and wish for a sequel.
I have worked with prem babies for years and this held an even more special place in my heart, I have seen many little miracles and oddities in my time. Including 1 poor family who managed to conceive a set of twins before their current set of prem twins had reached term.

I love your writing so much. Never stop.


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> inside -- Nettie, 21:21:50 06/14/13 Fri [1]

Oh my goodness, two sets of twins inside a year. It would be a lot to handle but you'd have to consider yourself doubly blessed.


[ Edit | View ]

[> Trish must be in absolute glory! Wonderful follow-up and kinda does call for more.....hint, hint..... -- carramor, 23:09:43 06/16/13 Sun [1]


[ Edit | View ]
[> I eally enjoyed this and the surprise ending. We don't see large families anymore but in the past there were some wonderful stories to tell like your friend's. The older children usually turned out to be great parents themselves! Thanks Nettie -- PeggyC, 19:19:35 07/18/13 Thu [1]


[ Edit | View ]
[> Just catching up as I have been ill, really enjoyed this adorable story. -- Can Sheshe, 19:52:19 07/30/13 Tue [1]


[ Edit | View ]



[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-5
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.