Chapter 377

The pain came in waves, sharp and constant, and I had to clench my teeth just to stop myself from crying out. My face had gone pale, and sweat soaked my hair and skin as if I’d just stepped out of the shower. I didn’t know if this meant the babies were coming. I had no experience, but the due date wasn’t until next month, which felt far too early. Once we got to the hospital and I was examined, it turned out to be a false alarm. The babies weren’t coming yet. The pain, the doctors said, was just because the little ones were unusually active. Nothing serious. The babies were having a great time, apparently, while I suffered for it. I lay in the hospital bed, exhausted after so many tests, but at least the babies had settled down. Ashton was in the room, along with the top obstetrician. ‘Mr Laurent, Mrs Laurent,’ the doctor said, ‘there’s really no way to prevent this. In fact, this is a good sign. It means the babies are healthy. Mrs Laurent’s regular exercise has helped a lot.’ Ashton