Learn From Cigarette Burns

I reached over and ran my hand through my hair tiredly as I tried to determine what show I wanted to watch next. I quickly flipped through the shows stored on the DVR and then decided on the latest episode of House. Just as I settled in and put my feet up on the coffee table, my wife’s cell phone began ringing. I sighed heavily and then paused the show before snatching it up.

Without looking at the caller ID, I flipped the phone open and answered it with a sigh.

“Oh, Johno?” Asked David’s familiar voice.

“Hey, what’s up man.” I said.

“Not … much,” he said in a distracted voice, “um, is my sister handy over there?”

“She’s in the shower right now.” I replied. “You wanna leave a message for her or anything? You want her to call you back?”

“Um, naw, that’s … that’s okay.” He said. “I’ll talk to you later, Johno.”

“Alright, later man.”

As the line went dead, indicating that David had already hung up, I frowned softly at the phone. After closing it, I set it back where I had picked it up and couldn’t help but wonder what was troubling my brother in law. A few minutes later, my wife walked into the living room, followed closely by the newest addition to our family. Dee took a seat beside me and then sighed softly in contempt.

“Stitch, my pretty boy,” my wife cooed to the black and white mutt Jack had rescued from the pound.

The dog lying at her feet lifted his head, eyeing her to happy, brown eyes. Dee reached over, scratching behind his ear, and Stitch began wagging his tail fiercely. Needless to say, Dee had fallen in love with Stitch the second she saw him walk through the front door. She fell even more in love when she found out that he had been taken to the pound after his previous owner had passed away in a freak accident. Already house broken, we didn’t have to worry about any accidents in the house.

“Your brother called while you were in the shower,” I informed my wife, “he didn’t say that he wanted you to call him back, but he sounded a bit worried.”

Dee frowned softly and then readjusted the towel on her head. “Can you hand me my phone, babe?” She asked.

I leaned over and snatched up her cell phone from the coffee table. I handed the phone over to her and then reached over, stroking Stitch’s head. He closed his eyes, loving the attention before sighed quietly and resting his head back on his front paws. So far Stitch has fallen in love with every single person he’s met, but he’s preferred Dee over everyone else.

Not wanting to eavesdrop on Dee and David’s conversation, I got up and made my way into the den to mess around on the computer. A few hours prior, Dee and I were officially unpacked and settled into our new house, and the day after tomorrow we would have our house warming party.

Jack and Alex were up in the guest bedrooms, sleeping off all their hard work for the night, leaving Dee and I to have the living room to ourselves, seeing as how all the way until today Jack and Alex had been sleeping in here.

After checking my e-mail and my MySpace account, I heard Dee call my name. I told her that I would be in, in a minute or so, and then logged off and shut everything down. When I got back to the living room, I saw that Dee had pulled out some blankets and a couple of pillows.

“David is spending the night?” I guessed.

“My brother got into a fight with my mom and pops.” Dee sighed. “Apparently Ava’s parents contacted my parents, telling them that David hasn’t offered a single penny for the medical bills. David’s argument is that he offered plenty of money, but Ava was too accept any of it. For some reason my parents didn’t believe him … probably because David is known to be a damn cheap skate, but I believe him.”

“A part of me wonders if those two deciding to stay separated is actually worse than them getting together.” I sighed.

“If they were together, one of them would be dead by now.” Dee muttered. “They used to get along just fine before all this happened, and now, even with the little time they spend together, they’re starting to loathe one another.”

“And here I always though Ava was a nice girl,” I said.

“Yeah, so did I.” Dee said. “Maybe it’s just all the hormones from the pregnancy that’s throwing her out of whack. I’m not getting all crazy like her, am I babe?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head, “you have your days, but it’s nothing I’m not use to.”

Dee shot me a dirty look, but didn’t say anything as she began to fix up the couch for her brother. I went over and started to help her, but she shooed me off with a wave of her hands.

“I got this,” she said, “how about you head upstairs, babe? I stay here and chat with my brother for a little while.”

“Alright,” I agreed.

Coming up behind my wife, I wrapped my arms around her middle and hugged her gently.

“I have a quick confession.” I muttered into her ear.

“Hmm?”

I leaned over, kissing her cheek softly. “I’m really, really horny right now.” I whispered.

I caught a glimpse of a smile from my wife before she turned and looked toward the front door when the doorbell rang.

“That was fast.” I sighed.

“He said he was just a few blocks away when he called.” Dee replied.

“I guess I’ll head up to bed and have some ‘alone’ time.” I grumbled as I released my wife from my arms.

In response, Dee turned around and placed her hands on my hips, squeezing them in a playful manner. “You go up to bed,” she grinned, “and wait for me to get there, Mr. O’Callaghan.”

“And just how long will I have to wait?” I questioned with a smile.

“Five minutes, max,” she said.

“Do I get to have my way with you?” I asked shyly.

Dee stood up on the tips of her toes and kissed my lips quickly. “You’re going to lay there and enjoy whatever I decide to do to you.” She smirked against my lips.

She released me and then started off toward the front door, but not before smacking my butt in a playful manner. I watched her walk away with a sexy swing to her hips and bit my lip, feeling like a giddy school boy once again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I cried softly as I clung onto my husband’s hand. The pain in my stomach wasn’t as bad as it was, after they had given me some sort of medication, but the fact that I had no idea what was happening was enough keep me in tears.

I had woken up about half an hour ago with pain like I had never felt before in my belly. Scared out of my mind, I woke up John and David, and made them take me to the Emergency room. Now, even being surrounded by so many people, all I could think about was me and John’s unborn children.

John sat on the bed with me, an arm wrapped protectively around my shoulders as he discussed a few things with my doctor. John confessed to the doctor that I had performed oral sex on him a few hours prior, and he wanted to know if maybe something had happened then, but the doctor had assured him that that wasn’t the case.

As the doctor set me up with the ultra sound machine to observe what was going on with the babies, John whispered sweet words of comfort into my ear. I squeezed his hand tightly, wishing that I was back at the house, sleeping soundly in our bed.

“Alright Dee,” the doctor said, examining the screen, “the babies look fine. Who is your gynecologist?”

“Dr. Stokes,” I said quietly, “can you call him please?”

“Of course, I’m sure he’ll be here as soon can, Dee,” the doctor assured me, “we’re giving him a call right now.”

With some small assurances from the staff, as well as my husband and my brother, I managed to tolerate the oncoming minutes spent waiting for Dr. Stokes. Finally, the familiar elderly man came strolling through the door.

“Hi Dee, hi John.” He greeted us.

“Dr. Stokes,” John said, relief showing on his face, “thank you so much for coming here so early in the morning.”

“Of course,” he replied, “let’s take a look, shall we?”

Without another word to us, Dr. Stokes started doing his thing, ordering tests left and right, and examining the ultrasound for himself. After what felt like hours of tests, pokes, and prods, Dr. Stokes pulled up a seat beside my bed. He scooted himself closer as he flipped through the papers in his hands one last time, and then sighed softly.

“How are you feeling, Dee?” He asked softly.

“I feel better now,” I admitted, “the pains all but faded away. Have you figured out what’s going on, doc?”

“Dee, it appears that you have what is referred to as an incompetent cervix, or a weakened cervix.” Dr. Stokes said, looking up at John and I. It’s caused by pressure on the cervix which causes the cervix to open before the baby, or it your case, babies, are ready to be born.”

“What does this mean?” I whispered. “I mean … are the babies going to be okay?”

“Yes, they’re fine, Dee.” My doctor assured me. “Sometimes, for women with an incompetent cervix, we perform what’s called a cerclage, which is where we insert a suture in the cervix to keep it closed. But, since you’re carrying twins, what I would recommend is putting you on a mild sort of bed rest regimen. Little to no lifting, that sort of thing.”

“In other words, let John do everything?” My brother smiled in a halfhearted attempt to lighten the mood.

“Or the younger brother,” Dr. Stokes teased, “either one.”

“Hey now, doc,” David smiled, “I have my own child I’m expecting.”

“I heard,” Dr. Stokes replied, “funny, I haven’t seen Ava at the office at all, who is she seeing for her check-ups?”

“Dr. Laughlin, I believe.” David said softly.

“I was kind of hoping to deliver all the kids in the Thompson clan,” Dr. Stokes said, referring to the fact that he had been our family’s gynecologist for many years now.

“I’ve been trying, doc,” David sighed, “I’ve been trying.”

“I know, David.” Dr. Stokes said softly before turning his attention back to me, “so, Dee, I think that it’s safe to send you home, hun. Just take it easy. No more unpacking any boxes, you hear me? Leave all the work to John and David.”

“Alright, doc.” I said. “Thank you.”

Dr. Stokes reached over, patting my hand in a comforting manner. “I’ll see you in a couple of weeks for your next check up, Dee.” He said as he stood up. “Tell your folks I said hello.”

“I will, doc.”

After saying our goodbyes, John left the room to take care of our insurance with the front desk, leaving my brother to help me into my clothes. He made sure to look away as he held up my sweatpants, and then shut his eyes tightly as he helped me into a button up blouse.

“You know,” David said as he helped me into the wheelchair that a nurse had brought into the room, “I’m starting to wonder how much Ava will let me into our child’s life. With the way she’s acting now, it doesn’t seem like she really wants me around.” He muttered.

“Just give it time, David,” I said, “you two still got a ways to go.”

“I hope you’re right,” David said as he wheeled me out into the main hallway.

I sighed softly as I spotted John up ahead of us, and hoped I was right as well.