Taylor's POV
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I had pulled a baggy jumper over me gazing out of the window and feeling the chilly November air in the morning. A thick one that slouches over my slim frame in a dark maroon colour, completing the look with a pair of leggings that quite frankly fascinate Matthew, and truly it's nice to attend the hospital with a happy reason rather than something tragic.
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"Taylor Elena Harris" the midwife calls over the waiting area and Matthew follows me into the small room. The nurse smiles over at us keenly having tapped away at the monitor before her.
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“So have we done a pregnancy test yet?” She asks softly and we nod.
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"So I missed my period, maybe five to six days ago and I haven’t had one for maybe six weeks" I stutter.
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“We took a test and it’s said two to five weeks” I explain glancing at Matthew.
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"My other symptoms have been tiredness and hunger and ugh emotional outbursts" I laugh and she chuckles.
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"You can perform another test but by no means do you have too, from what you are telling me it appears you are in the early stages of pregnancy, congratulations to you both" she smiles.
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"I'm happy to do another test" I say and Matty strokes my arm.
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“Of course” she says pacing over to a small cabinet and then popping a clear package on the side. Grasping the test, I go into the small cubicle away from the main room to perform the test. Once I place the plastic cover back over it, my nerves rattle. This test is the ultimate confirmation that I am pregnant, this is either the start of our forever or an almost chance at everything.
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I stride back into the nurses office tentatively as Matthew is chatting away with the older lady, leaving it on the desk as Matthew embraces me his arm going around my waist as I sit down next to him. The nurse then goes through some of the preliminary things like pregnancy do's and don'ts before glancing down at the test. I look up at her watching her face for clues before she turns to us smiling.
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"Congratulations you are expecting" she says to us and oddly hearing this news from a medical professional is more official somehow.
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“So you had said five or six weeks ago you had a period” she explains setting up the large bed over the other side of the room.
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“Shall we take a look, gauge how far along you are” she asks and I smile keenly at Matthew, he guides me over to the bed and helps me to get comfortable.
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“The jelly is cold” she explains before squirting some on my tummy and switching on the monitor. Feeling Matthew’s hand in my own as the probe sweeps over my waist and we watch the screen.
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“There we have your baby” she explains watching the screen, I notice that she has pulled glasses on.
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“Are you sure you had a period six weeks prior to this it’s just that baby looks more what one would expects at eight weeks gestation” she explains and I wipe my eyes from the stunned tears streaming down my face at seeing the outline of a little foetus in my tummy. Our baby.
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“It could have been longer” I say and she smiles.
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“Sometimes light bleeding occurs at the beginning of pregnancy” she explains and smiles.
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“I’ll give you a picture of the scan too” she explains softly.
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“Everything appears well, ohhh” she looks at the screen excited and I look up making out a second outline. A second small baby, both tiny and perfect.
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“You’re expecting twins” she explains looking over at us after a pause.
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“Baby a here” she explains showing me the first little baby.
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“Is slightly larger, than baby b here” she adds softly.
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“That’s fairly common” she explains and I finally look up at Matthew. His eyes wet with tears like my own.
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“We have two” he whispers and I grasp onto his hand holding onto him. He strokes me and then kisses my forehead as the nurse wraps up the equipment and hands me a paper towel for my now wet tummy.
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Before leaving she gives us a few pamphlets containing information on stuff that I can and can't eat. Issuing us an appointment in 2 weeks time for a checkup. The nurse tells me the serious stuff to look out for like spotting or blood and to reach out should I feel anything is wrong. She gives me a book with lots of contact numbers on including out of hours numbers for emergencies.
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Above everything she instructs me not to stress, to try to relax and enjoy the early stages. Obviously get lots of sleep and eat nutritious foods. She hands me some information on vitamins.
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"When should we tell other people?" I ask her already imagining telling my mother in her kitchen, and how she would cry and pull us into her arms smiling.
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"You can tell other people when you feel comfortable, some people choose to share their news at six weeks others at twelve weeks. It's a personal choice" she smiles as a rough guideline.
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"The leaflet should help you to see the development per week of your pregnancy and it may help you decide when you want to make that choice and share your news" she advises eyeing the pamphlets in my hands.
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Matthew holds me all the way out to the 4x4, and I cannot help but to imagine us having a boy and a girl all at once. A girl with long brown hair and a boy with his ringlets. Rosy red cheeks with greenish blue eyes.
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“Two huh” he chokes smiling over at me as he sits in the drivers seat.
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“Two babies, one for me to hold and one for you” I chuckle and he laughs resting his hand on my waist.
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"Thank you Taylor" he says gazing over at me.
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"For being the love of my life, and for seeing me seriously enough to have my babies" he chuckles and I hold his stare.
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"Thank you for putting babies inside of me" I tell him.
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“Lord” he says wiping his eyes as I take his jaw in my hands and kiss him.
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“We don’t have too, but my mum invited us over for dinner? Would you like to go?” He smiles at me gazing into my eyes.
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“I’d love too” I say and he wipes my eyes.
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“Okay” he says pulling himself together as we giggle and he starts up the car.
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Matthew drives like he normally would with his hand on my thigh as we head over to his mom’s, I’ve never visited her house before and I find myself wondering where she might live.
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“I can’t imagine your mom’s excitement” I say to him and he looks over at me slightly surprised. I suppose he had imagined that we would be keeping it a secret from everybody. Linda however is his mother and I feel comfortable sharing this news with her. And my own mother eventually.
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“Shall we show her the scan pictures” I smile and he chuckles.
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“She will go wild” he laughs.
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“I think we should” he smiles rubbing my thigh.
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Matthew exits the highway and heads through a cluster of streets lined with snow, I imagine them in the spring and how they would all look leafy and green. The snow sprinkles on the windshield as he turns onto a drive. I glance up at a house which is much like our own, he explains to me that Steve and his mother live together. I eye the large garage and the white oak porch and feel excited to see the place where he grew up. Imagining him running along these suburban streets or riding a bike through this garden. Or going bug hunting under the large trees. He sweeps his hair back and smiles over at me, running over to help me out of the car.
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"We also need to go Christmas shopping" I say smiling at him, as we crunch through the snow eyeing up the neighbours Christmas lights and decorations.
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“We can put up the tree too” he smiles.
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"Have you thought about where you want to spend Christmas by the way ?" He asks me holding my hand.
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"Christmas Eve at ours just us? Christmas Day maybe here at your mom’s, Boxing Day my mom’s?" I say.
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"You've planned this, I like it" he smiles rubbing my back as we climb the porch.
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"I will be showing by Christmas” I smile over at him.
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"Noticed you haven't been smoking" I comment and he blushes rubbing my back again.
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"Around you ? Are you kidding me. I would not do that whilst you're pregnant babe" he says kissing my lips.
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"I love you, thought so" I smile at him as he presses the door bell.
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Matty's mum greets us both by hugging us. The warm air rushing past her and heating up my chilly fingers.
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"Ah you both look so perfect together" she says looking us over before inviting us in. Wearing a red jumper which is a similar shade to mine we both laugh as she guides me into the large open plan kitchen. Steve smiles over to us both as he is retrieving a large bird out of the gas oven, the aromas fill the room and I smile feeling at home. Watching Matthew as he rests on one of the stools at the central worktop. How he appears so relaxed in his family home. I glance over at the warm fire and feel the heat warming up my skin whilst I sit next to him.
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"Right Taylor, what would you like to drink?" Matthew’s mom enquires.
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“Well actually” I begin as Matthew fishes the scan picture out from his pocket holding them tightly to his chest, like they are the most important pieces of paper he will ever hold.
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“I’m actually” I begin and I notice Linda turns around watching him with a grin on her face. She sets the Prosecco down and just waits.
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“We’re expecting” I say finally and she gasps happily pacing over to me and pulling me into a tight all encompassing hug. Steve congratulates us both leaving the cooking for a brief minute.
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“Here is the scan picture mom can you see that there are two little babies in Taylor’s womb” Matthew smiles and she places her hand to her mouth tears flowing down her cheeks. Taking the scan picture from him she swoons.
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“Twins!?” She exclaims and he grins, true happiness emanates from him and I bathe in his affection.
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“How far along are you” she asks sweetly and I smile up at her as she looks over the scan pictures.
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“Around eight weeks” I explain and she wipes her eyes.
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“I’m going to be a grandmother to twins” she smiles and I nod happily.
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Matthew stands and pours me a mock-tail, I thank him graciously as he hands me the glass and he kisses my cheek happily. Steve carves the lamb after clapping Matthew on the back just like a father would with his own son. Linda arranges the serving plates with roast potatoes, vegetables and roasted parsnips and mash on the table.
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"Please eat as much as you can" she laughs.
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"You are technically eating for three" she chuckles and I can see where Matty gets his laugh from. I smile at her wondering what traits our babies will inherit from both of us; hoping that they will be all him. Charming and creative with warm hearts and free spirits.
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"Thank you, this looks delicious. It's very nice of you to cook all of this for us" I say meaning it and eyeing both Steve and Linda.
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"Not at all" she says smiling at me.
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“I’m forever grateful to have a family to cook for” she smiles looking at us both.
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The food is delicious and I find I'm extra hungry at the moment. We talk about the prospect of having two little babies, how we may even have a boy and a girl on our first go. Linda has a few glasses of Prosecco as Steve remains his normal friendly self. Only adding to the conversation when he has something nice to share. Every now and again Matthew strokes my arm or my thigh under the table and I glance up at him smiling.
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Matthew and I clear away and load the dishwasher, he holds me in his arms in the kitchen as Steve and Linda busy themselves in the living space. I eye the fridge as he does all of the work; perusing over the snaps stuck to it with fridge magnets. Ones of Matthew and Kimberley as babies, him playing with toy trains and climbing large trees. He smirks and explains how Kim and him used to compete with each other most of the time; who could climb the highest tree and which could run the farthest stuff like that.
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“Let’s get you all home then” he whispers in my ear as I yawn slightly and I wrap my arms around his back.
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“Home. I love that. I want them to enjoy their childhood like we did. My mom was amazing looking after me; I never felt like I lacked anything even without having a father figure” I tell him suddenly realising that we’ve never discussed my father’s absence from my life.
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“He just left” I explain as he watches me intently a dishrag tucked into his jeans pocket as he hasn’t finished with it just yet.
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“He never left a note or gave me a hug goodbye. He just was gone” I explain.
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“It’s the biggest question mark I’ve ever had in my life; what did I do or not do. But I was only very young and my mother she made everything perfect for me” I tell him as he holds me and listens.
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“He was so present in my early days my mother said, I looked like him. Dark curly hair and blue eyes” I tell him softly as he rubs my back.
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“I understand, I will never ever leave you Taylor” he whispers, pushing my hair back and kissing me.
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“And our children” he explains softly and I smile up at him. Holding me for a few minutes longer he unwraps himself from me and guides me back through to the hall. Pictures line the walls of Matthew at various ages, some in the sunshine on summer holidays and others at Christmas. I smile telling him he should have been a model child, with his dark curls and how his mother dressed him in cute shirts and dungarees.
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“I know that it’s early days but I am immensely happy for the both of you” Linda explains as she stands by the door at the end of the evening. I smile holding onto Matthew as he tucks me into his waist.
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“My son, becoming a father” she sighs smiling and kissing him on his cheek.
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“Right before I cry again” she laughs pulling me in for another embrace.
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“We will see you soon” I say as she hugs me tightly.
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Matthew opens the door and guides me to the passenger side of the 4x4. Having buckled up he carefully reverses off of the drive and we wave goodbye to his mom and Steve who wait at the door. We stop off to get me a strawberry milkshake on the way home because I feel like one and he indulges my every desire, no matter what.
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