Heart of Hope Read online

  Jenna called her doctor to let her know they were on their way. Callan called back after receiving Jenna’s message and said she would meet them at the hospital as soon as the girls got home from school and would spread the news that Jenna was in labor.

  Through his mind-numbing fear, Josh struggled to remember everything they learned in birthing class. What if she went into full labor before they got to the hospital? He certainly couldn’t deliver the boys, especially not in the car. Thoughts of everything that could go wrong spurred him to drive faster and send up urgent prayers that everything would be fine.

  “You were in labor this morning when you shooed me out the door, weren’t you?” Josh asked, looking at Jenna as she held onto the door in a death grip.

  “Quite probably,” she said as she worked through another contraction. “I thought I had indigestion. I haven’t been able to get comfortable for a couple of days, so I really didn’t think much of it. I honestly had no idea we’d be racing to the hospital this afternoon.”

  When they pulled up at the hospital door, Josh helped Jenna out of the car. They barely stepped inside when a nurse approached them with wheelchair.

  “We’re going to take your wife up and do an exam to see where we’re at in this process. Once you’re parked, one of the other nurses will bring you in. Okay?”

  Josh nodded his head.

  He ran back out and parked the car, grabbed Jenna’s bag, then hurried inside. A nurse escorted him down a hallway to an elevator and through a series of corridors to the maternity ward. He arrived in the birthing room as Jenna struggled to breathe through another contraction. When she saw him, relief flooded over her face and she held out a hand to him.

  Dr. Meliah whisked into the room and smiled at them both. “Everything looks good so far. You made it to thirty-seven weeks, Jenna. That is so awesome! I’m going to keep a close eye on you and let your labor progress naturally. We really want to keep on top of the preeclampsia, but you are doing splendidly. I’ll check on you periodically, but if you need something, push the nurse call button or Josh can run out to the nurses’ station.” The doctor left the room with a promise to check back soon.

  Josh sat down on a chair beside the bed, held Jenna’s hand, and smiled. “We made it all the way here, babe. Can you believe it? We’ll be saying hello to those two boys soon.”

  Jenna glared at Josh, panting through another contraction. “I can believe it. It seems exceedingly real right at this moment.”

  “Oh,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of her hand softly with his thumb. As he recalled what they learned in class, Josh spent the next few hours coaching and encouraging Jenna. She welcomed anything that would relieve her intense pain, so she was more than glad when the doctor offered an epidural. The needle caused Josh to wince and turn his head away. He could vaccinate cattle like nobody’s business, but watching the doctor insert that huge needle into his wife was something else altogether.

  Although she was exhausted, they continued working through her contractions. Josh thought the color of her face looked off, not just pale or flushed.

  “Josh, something isn’t right,” Jenna said as panted through another contraction. “Please, Josh, go get someone. Something isn’t right.”

  He ran out of the room and flagged down a nurse who hurried back, took one look at the monitors, and called for the doctor.

  Dr. Meliah rushed into the room and watched the monitors. She nodded to one of the nurses, sending her scurrying from the room. The doctor turned to Jenna. “How does your head feel?”

  “Like it will explode any minute.” Jenna gasped as another contraction hit her.

  “I was afraid of that. It looks like your blood pressure is getting higher instead of stabilizing. One of the babies looks to be under some stress as well. For your sake and his, I want to do an emergency C-section. We’ll get a clear operating room and wheel you in as fast as we can. Since you already had the epidural, you’ll be able to stay awake during the procedure. Do you want to watch it?”

  “No,” Jenna panted, clinging to Josh’s hand. “Will the babies be okay?”

  “I hope so, Jenna. We’ll get them out here ready to meet you as soon as we can. Just hang in there a little while longer.” Dr. Meliah turned and left the room.

  In a matter of minutes, a nurse wheeled Jenna to an operating room while another took Josh to scrub. Once they were in the operating room, he sat next to Jenna’s head, holding her hand while a screen above her stomach kept her from seeing what happened on the other side.

  Terrified as he watched Jenna’s face turn ghastly white during the last few contractions, Josh fought paralyzing fear. He continued to send up prayers for the safety of the babies and his wife. If something happened to Jenna, he didn’t know how he could face another day.

  While he prayed, Jenna had all she could do not to completely break down. If something happened to the twins, she’d never forgive herself for not wanting them in the first place. She wanted them so desperately now, she’d give up everything she had just to make sure they were healthy and safe.

  As she turned her head to look at Josh, she stared into his warm gray eyes and found reassurance in his presence. “Josh,” she whispered as he leaned closer. “Pray for them, Josh. Please pray for them.”

  Josh bent close to her ear and whispered the heart-felt pleas he’d been uttering silently for the last hour. He recited one of Jenna’s favorite Psalms and her eyes lost their look of desperation. Scooting as close as he could, he put one arm around her shoulders while the other grasped her hand.

  “Here we go,” Dr. Meliah said, glancing at them before focusing her attention on the delivery. “Are you sure you don’t want to watch, Josh?”

  “Positive.” The sight of them giving Jenna an epidural made him queasy. He sure wasn’t going to be able to watch them go through the surgery.

  In no time at all, the doctor lifted the first baby and handed him to a nurse. He screamed with a loud, lusty cry and everyone smiled. He appeared to be a picture of health as the nurse cleaned him.

  “He’s a fine, healthy boy at six pounds, two ounces,” the nurse said with a smile in her voice.

  The second baby struggled with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. Dr. Meliah carefully untangled it and rushed the limp, quiet baby away from the surgery table. Time stood still until Josh and Jenna heard the cry of their second child. It wasn’t a strong sound, but a mewling whimper. Uncertain as to what happened or what to do, Josh continued to hold Jenna’s hand and whisper comforting words in her ear.

  “They are both going to be just fine, Jenna. Just fine,” Dr. Meliah reassured them over her shoulder.

  Soon, two nurses stood next to them, each holding a crying baby boy. “Here are your boys,” they said, handing the quiet baby to Josh and the first-born to Jenna.

  “This tough guy is a little smaller,” the nurse said, touching the tiny bundle in Josh’s arms. “He weighs five pounds, fifteen ounces, but he’s going to give his brother a run for the money.”

  Josh smiled and kissed the baby’s head, breathing in the scent of heaven. He thought his heart might burst with the love and joy filling it right at that moment.

  Jenna looked at the precious baby in her arms and marveled at the miracle God had made, identical twin miracles. Head covered in dark hair, this baby with the strong set of lungs quieted when she began softly talking to him.

  “Hey, baby, it’s Mama. Welcome to the world. We love you so much.” Jenna kissed his head and didn’t try to stem the tears running down her cheeks. She looked over at Josh, holding their other son. The baby was a perfect match to the one in her arms. He also had a head of dark hair and seemed soothed to hear his daddy’s voice. When Josh glanced at Jenna, his eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

  “Thank you, Jenna, for this amazing gift.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead as she reached out a hand to touch the baby. “Don’t they seem like two living, breathing miracles?”

  “Oh, Jo
sh, they’re so wonderful, so beautiful, aren’t they?”

  “They certainly are.” He smiled down at her. “They look just like you.”

  Jenna grinned weakly. “You obviously still need to get your eyesight checked. They look exactly like you.”

  “You think so?” Josh asked, beaming in pleasure. He suddenly remembered their inability to settle on names for the twins. “We never got around to picking out names. What are we going to call these two? We can’t keep calling them ‘the boys.’ They need their own names.”

  “Your sister and I worked on that this morning.” Jenna shared with Josh the names she and Callan liked the best. Josh immediately agreed they were the perfect names for their sons.

  A short while later, Josh walked out to the waiting area where Callan and Clay sat along with Big Jim, Bobbie and Steve, Jake, Vivian and Dan, as well as Aunt Amelia and Uncle Phil.

  When he stepped into the room, they all stood, anxious to hear any news. He grinned broadly as he looked at all the loved ones gathered to support them. “We’ve got two healthy baby boys and one mama who will be just fine.”

  Amid the cheers, hugs, back slapping and congratulations, Jake finally asked, “What did you name them?”

  “Thanks to some help from Callan, the boys are going to be known as Jaret Cole and Jace Keaton, named after both our families.” Cole was Josh’s own middle name, his dad’s middle name, and his grandmother’s maiden name. Keaton, of course, was Jenna’s maiden name. Jaret and Jace were two names they both liked.

  “Those are perfect names, Josh,” Vivian said as she gave him another hug. “Now, when can we see the babies and Jenna?”

  Before Josh could answer, a nurse ran into the room. “Mr. Carver, we need you to come, quickly. It’s Jenna.”

  Josh turned his gaze to their gathered family and caught Callan’s eye. “We’ll pray,” she said. He nodded before he hurried out of the room behind the nurse.

  He reached Jenna’s side. She was so pale her skin appeared translucent. An oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth, and her eyes were closed. As he took her hand in his, he looked at the doctor with fear in his eyes.

  “We’re doing everything we can, Josh, but her organs are starting to shut down and she had a seizure. On rare occasions, that happens with preeclampsia no matter how hard we try to stop it.”

  The doctor continued working while Josh continued praying. All of the sudden, a monitor started beeping.

  “We’re losing her!” A nurse looked at Dr. Meliah. “Come on. Don’t give up now, Jenna.”

  The medical team worked frantically to keep Jenna alive. “Josh, maybe you better step back now.” Dr. Meliah said.

  Josh shook his head, and held Jenna’s hand tightly in his own as he put his lips near her ear. “Jenna, don’t you dare leave me now. We have two beautiful boys just waiting for us to take them home. I need you with me. I love you, babe. Always have, always will. Please don’t give up. Please, Jenna.”

  “No pulse. She’s flatlining!”

  “Jenna, don’t leave me!” Josh cried out. “Jenna, no!”

  Epilogue

  Four years later

  Josh smiled at the tire store receptionist as she handed him an invoice to sign. Quickly writing his name and the date, he turned the paperwork back around to her and slid it across the counter.

  “Those boys of yours are growing like weeds,” the receptionist said, handing Josh his copy of the receipt as she looked over the counter at the twins, standing one on each side of their dad.

  “They sure are,” he said in agreement. He couldn’t believe the boys were already past their fourth birthday. The twins were identical in appearance except for their skin color. While Jaret had Josh’s dark olive-toned skin, Jace’s fair skin with a sprinkling of freckles across his nose came from his mother. They both had Josh’s dark hair, gray eyes, and dimples in their left cheeks.

  Jace, born with the cord wrapped around his neck at birth, was a little smaller and weaker than his twin. Jaret was protective of his brother, seeming to know he was the stronger of the two. When they were tiny babies, they often wouldn’t go to sleep unless Jaret had his arm or hand touching Jace.

  Josh glanced down at the boys and smiled. Expectantly, they gazed up at him.

  “Would you like some popcorn?” he asked, already knowing the answer. The tire store usually had fresh popcorn for their customers and the boys anticipated the treat whenever they stopped by.

  “Yes, please,” Jaret replied while Jace nodded.

  Josh partially filled two small bags with the warm popcorn and handed them to the boys.

  “Thank you,” they both said as they dug their little hands into the bags and took a bite.

  “You two ready to roll?” Josh herded them out the door with a wave to the receptionist.

  “Yep, Daddy.” Jaret vigorously nodded his head. “Let’s roll.”

  Josh helped the boys into their car seats. His pickup would soon smell like popcorn, but he didn’t mind.

  When he snitched a few kernels from Jace’s bag, the little boy wrinkled his nose. It reminded Josh so much of their mother, it made his chest tighten with emotion. Both of his sons looked like him, but so many of their mannerisms reminded him of his beloved Jenna. “Daddy, that’s mine.”

  “It is? I better even things up then.” Josh stole a few pieces from Jaret’s bag.

  “Daddy!”

  The boys started to giggle when Josh made a funny face at them.

  “What do you think we should have for dinner tonight?” Josh asked as they drove home. In the rear-view mirror, he watched the twins devour their popcorn. They were sweet boys with nice manners, especially for four year olds. Josh was so proud of them, some days he thought he might burst.

  “Burgers, please,” Jace said, munching his popcorn.

  “Yeah, burgers,” Jaret agreed. “With a pickle.”

  “With a pickle? Who likes pickles?” Josh asked as they pulled into the driveway and he parked by the back door.

  “I do! I do!” the boys yelled in unison.

  “Why don’t you two go play in the backyard for a while?” Josh set them down on the ground then carried a bag of groceries into the house.

  Jace and Jaret ran into the backyard and hurried toward the tire swing hanging from a big oak tree. They reached out for it when a familiar voice called out to them.

  “Where’s my love, you two?”

  The boys spun around and ran onto the back porch, into Jenna’s open arms. “Hi, Mama!”

  Both boys climbed onto her lap and gave her salty kisses before scrambling down and bouncing off one foot to the other.

  “Mama, we got to help Auntie Callan plant flowers today and Uncle Clay had lunch with us and gave us horsey rides.” Jace rested his hand on Jenna’s leg as he looked at her excitedly, recalling their day spent at Callan and Clay’s house.

  “Auntie Callan said we are big boys and good helpers,” Jaret added, leaning against his mother’s other leg.

  Jenna grabbed them both in a warm hug and kissed them again. “Your Auntie Callan is correct. You are good helpers and big boys, and I love you very much.”

  “Love you, Mama,” they said before running back out to their swing and jumping on it together. Jaret turned around and grinned, looking like a miniature of his father. “Daddy said we could have burgers with a pickle for dinner.”

  “Oh, he did, did he?” Jenna laughed when both boys nodded their heads so enthusiastically they nearly knocked off their little John Deere ball caps.

  Jenna had been sitting in the backyard enjoying the warm April afternoon, waiting for her men to come home. As she leaned back against her anniversary bench, she ran a hand over the smooth wood and released a deep, contented sigh.

  Life was so good.

  She could hear the pivots cha-chinking as they watered the hay fields while the baby calves chased each other in the pasture behind the house. Watching them frolic and play reminded her of Jace and Jaret’s anti
cs.

  Jenna worked two days a week in the office and spent the rest of her time working from home. Despite her initial reservations about how it would work, she discovered it was possible to have a successful and rewarding career while fulfilling her most important roles as a mother and wife.

  Jace and Jaret had been miracles for which she daily gave thanks, along with her own spared life. Those two little boys, the babies she at one time vehemently wished would just disappear, meant everything to her, along with their daddy.

  Josh had to be one of the best fathers. He’d never shied from changing a diaper, sitting up when the boys were colicky, or rocking them to sleep. Now that they were bigger, he often took the twins with him so Jenna could have some peace and quiet while she worked.

  Callan kept the boys on Mondays while they spent Wednesdays in Portland with Aunt Amelia, having any number of adventures.

  Jenna watched Josh walk out the back door with two glasses of iced tea and smiled.

  “Hey, babe, I thought you might like a cold drink.” He handed her a glass as he settled beside her. After placing his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her close and kissed her cheek.

  “How did your day go?” he asked, taking a deep drink of the tea.

  “Great. I was able to leave the office early. It was such a beautiful day, I just had to sit out here to enjoy the warmth and sunshine. How did the boys do with Callan?”

  “Good. You know how much she and Clay enjoy having them.”

  “Almost as much as we do,” Jenna said with a knowing smile. Suddenly serious, she looked at Josh with love and warmth while he fell into the molten pools of her eyes. “If I haven’t mentioned it before, I am so grateful to you for giving me all this.” Jenna waved her hand around for emphasis.

  “All this?” Josh raised a questioning eyebrow at his wife. “All what?”

  “You know what I mean.” Jenna playfully smacked his leg when he shot her a cocky grin. “Thank you for giving me this beautiful farm, the peace of country life, our sons, and most of all, your love. You took on this city girl and turned her into a country lover. I can’t imagine my life any other way.”