Twenty-Three

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Vanessa looked down at what used to be her feet and huffed. Being independent was long gone.

"Reid! I need you to help me!" She whined aggravated at the fact that she couldn't put on a pair of socks. She should've been used to it, it'd been that way for the past five months, but she still tried.

Reid walked out of the closet and shook his head. "Tesoro, I want you to rest. Cabbrieli won't be upset if you stay at home," Vanessa didn't get it, she was overdue and she still wanted to run the streets. She was confusing.

"Reid. I want to go and support Cabbrieli! If Aurora and Emil didn't come on their due date, they won't be coming today either." She tried reasoning with him. She really wanted to go.

Reid looked at her and it was his downfall. She was so beautiful and he couldn't tell her no. She was carrying his children and all she wanted to do was be supportive. She was so sweet. "Let me go get your boots," He walked to the closet and grabbed her flat boots.

"Could you grab my gloves and scarf too?" She asked and Reid walked out of the closet with those things and her coat. "Thank you!" She beamed.

Reid walked over to her and helped her put on her clothes. "I love you, Vanessa." He said while putting on her socks. He loved taking care of her.

Lailah pushed open their door and jumped on the bed. "I'm ready!" She kicked her feet in the air and smiled. "Mommy, are you getting ready?" She asked curiously.

Vanessa could've cried at how grown up her little girl was now. Last month they celebrated her fourth birthday with a trip to Disneyland, Lailah enjoyed it and she was showered with gifts. "You're growing up so fast," Vanessa cried and reached for her little girl.

Lailah stared at her and placed her hands on her cheeks. "You too, mommy!" She kissed her cheeks. "Daddy too! And the babies!" She fake sobbed.

Reid wrapped Vanessa's scarf around her neck and helped her off the bed. "Come on, Lailah. Let's go get in the car," He told her and she jumped off the bed and ran out of the room.

"That little girl was mocking me," Vanessa huffed and stepped into the elevator. She appreciated it now that she couldn't walk down the stairs without almost tripping.

Reid chuckled and kissed her forehead. "She was just being silly, amore." The doors opened and Lailah was standing there with her tongue out.

"That lelavator is slow, daddy." She puckered her lips and held Vanessa's hand.

They walked to the car together and Reid helped both of them in the car.

"I can't wait to see Cabbrielli! I know his bakery, I mean, Laken Bakery is going to be a hotspot!" Vanessa mused happily. She was so proud of Cabbrieli, he worked very hard to get where he was.

Reid just smiled. He didn't want Vanessa to be out, but he couldn't say no to his supportive wife. She was the perfect cheerleader.

The ride to Laken Bakery was quick and thankfully Cabbrieli reserved a special spot for them.

Reid got out of the car and helped his ladies out.

When they made it to the door, Cabbrieli opened it with a look of surprise.

"Wow! I didn't expect to see you here, Vanessa. How did you get my father to let you come?" He asked while hugging her.

Vanessa kissed his cheek. "I had to come! And he can't say no to me! The twins were supposed to come last week, they'll be fine for one night."

Reid took her hand and helped her in a chair. "She's right, son. Just one look at that sweet face and I'm gone." He winked at Vanessa and picked up Lailah.

"Cabby, can I help cut the ribbon?" Lailah asked with hopeful eyes.

Cabbrieli pursed his lips and hummed. "Of course you can!"

"Hi, everyone!" Davina said sweetly as she came from the kitchen.

Vanessa looked at her and hummed. Her dress was beautiful. Red was certainly her color. "Hi, Davina. You look amazing,"

Davina blushed and smiled. "Thank you, Vanessa. You look lovely. How are the twins doing?"

Cabbrieli wiggled his eyebrows at Vanessa and winked at Davina.

He was telling her that they were together! Not that she missed it, but it was nice that he told her.

She winked back at him and gave her attention to Davina. "They're late, though I'd rather them be late than early."

Reid nodded in agreement. "So when did this happen?" He didn't believe in beating around the bush. He liked Davina for his son, but he didn't know they were together.

Cabbrieli cleared his throat and held Davina's hand. "A couple of weeks ago I realized that I was moving a little too slowly, so I asked her out." His voice was soft and genuine. Vanessa wanted to melt at how adorable he was.

Reid smacked him on the shoulder and huffed proudly. "Ecco cosa succede quando diventi una spina dorsale e fai ciò che vuoi. Ottimo lavoro, figlio mio." (That's what happens when you grow a backbone and go for what you want. Good job, my son.)

Cabbrieli chuckled. "Non posso dissentire. Ti voglio bene, padre." (I can't disagree. I love you, father.) He hugged Reid.

Reid kissed his forehead and smiled. "Anch'io ti amo." (I love you too.)

Vanessa looked at Davina and saw her confused look. "They do that sometimes, you'll get used to it." She explained and Davina oohed.

Cabbrieli let go of Reid and looked at his watch. "It's time to greet the people."

"Well, Lailah may you do the honors of coming outside with me and cutting the ribbon?" Cabbrieli asked while kneeling next to Lailah.

Lailah furrowed her brows and nodded. "Yes. I can do it!" She took his hand and they walked outside of the shop.

Reid kissed Vanessa's forehead. "Sit tight, tesoro. If the opening gets too overwhelming, we will leave." He loved and supported Cabbrieli to the fullest, but Vanessa was overdue with their twins and if she got overwhelmed, things would go wrong. He wanted to prevent that.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine, just go and be with Cabbrieli." Vanessa told him firmly and sat back in her chair. It was surprisingly comfortable, which was super surprising.

Davina walked out and Vanessa was left in the shop alone. She didn't mind one bit. From the small view of the crowd outside, she wouldn't have alone time until she made it home.

-

It was four in the morning and Vanessa couldn't get the taste of a freshly baked brownie out of her mouth.

She was spoiled senseless at Cabbrieli's grand opening with brownies, cookies, and many other delicious desserts.

She looked over at Reid and saw that he was sleeping soundly. He looked so peaceful and handsome.

"Reiddd," She whispered and shook his shoulders.

Reid groaned and opened his eyes. "Is it the babies?" He yawned.

Vanessa nodded. "Yes."

Reid jumped out of the bed and ran to the closet. He didn't think twice about grabbing her hospital bag and running back to her side.

"The babies, they want some brownies." Vanessa admitted with a meek smile.

Reid dropped the bag and kissed her cheek. He wasn't upset with her. If the babies wanted brownies, they were getting brownies. "I'll get you some water too," He walked out of the room and downstairs to the kitchen.

Vanessa fist pumped and moved to sit up in the bed.

Something wasn't right. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked around.

Her mouth dropped and her eyes shot open. "REID!" She screamed.

"T-this time it's the babies! Oh, God! Reid!" She screamed again and grabbed a pillow and screamed into it.

Reid dropped the plate of brownies and ran up the stairs. "I'm coming, Vanessa! Don't worry!" He wasn't nervous at all, he just wanted her to be comfortable and calm.

He ran into the room and picked up the hospital bag and slid on his slippers. "Take deep breaths, Vanessa. I'm going to get Lailah in the car and I'll be right back for you." He told her calmly and caressed her face. "Breathe, baby."

He ran to Lailah's room and carefully picked her up. He grabbed her backpack and carried her out to the garage.

Once she was fastened in her seat, he kissed her forehead and ran back into the house.

"I'm back, tesoro!" He yelled while running up the stairs.

Vanessa grimaced and blew him a kiss. "You're such a good husband and father, Reid." She meant it.

Reid picked her up and carried her to the elevator. "I love you, Vanessa." He whispered as she panted and heaved.

Vanessa started to cry from the pain and Reid shook his head. "No, no, no, please don't cry. Shh, I'm gonna get you to the hospital and you'll be okay." He cooed and hurried out of the elevator and to the garage.

He opened the car door and laid her in the seat. "Take deep breaths," He fastened her seatbelt and got in the driver's seat.

"I don't want to! I-it hurts," Vanessa moaned in pain and squeezed her eyes shut.

Reid turned on the emergency blinkers and offered her his hand.

She squeezed it and groaned. "Drive faster, please." She cried. The twins were becoming a pain in her everywhere. "Reid," She whispered and tried to see if she could get some sleep.

-

Reid paced the room as Vanessa's midwife checked on her.

He wanted to help but he wasn't needed yet.

Vanessa looked away from Myrah and waved at Reid. "Could you call my mom?" She asked knowing that he was feeling useless.

Reid took his phone out of his pocket and dialed Jenna's number. As soon as the call connected he spoke. "Vanessa is in labor. We're in room 415." He hung up the phone and called Cabbrieli.

"Vanessa's in labor, son. We're in room 415."

He didn't want to conversate with anyone at the moment. He just wanted Vanessa to be okay and to see his twins. That's all.

He walked over to Vanessa's bed and held her hand. "How are you feeling, tesoro?"

"Better. Myrah says it's almost time to get in the water," Vanessa murmured tiredly. She was ready to get started and meet her babies.

Myrah walked to the sink and washed her hands. "Actually, it's time now."

Reid kissed Vanessa's hand and helped her off the bed.

She decided on having a waterbirth after researching the safest way to give birth. She didn't want to have it at the hospital, but then she thought about having her babies at home where she lived, and then she realized that the hospital was the best bet.

"Take your time to get comfortable, Vanessa. Take deep breaths and hold onto Reid's hand if you need it," Myrah instructed her gently.

Vanessa looked up at Reid and cringed. "If I hurt you, I'm sorry." She took his hand and squeezed it.

Reid's heart pounded out of his chest at how beautiful his wife looked. She was stunning. "Don't apologize. I love you, my treasure." He kneeled down beside the pool and kissed her cheek.

It was hard for him to not be distracted by her full figure. He appreciated what the twins had done to her body, her beautiful shape turned to the shape of a perfection. Just lovely.

"OH MY GOD!" Vanessa screamed as the first baby crowned.

Myrah wiped her forehead and coached her breathing. "Come on, Vanessa. Deep breaths and a nice hard push,"

Reid's hand was crushed as Vanessa squeezed it. "Just push, my love." He encouraged her, though he felt useless. He hated seeing her in pain, but it had to happen for their babies to come.

Vanessa saw stars as she followed Myrah's instructions and pushed. "Owww!" She cried and pulled Reid's hand to her chest.

He was guilty now. Oh, he was going to buy her so many things and give her all the brownies she desired. Whatever she wanted, she was getting.

"You're doing so good," He whispered to her, and then a harsh cry broke out.

His eyes widened and he looked down in the water. "Wow,"

"It's a girl!" Myrah announced and wrapped the baby girl up. "Meet your baby girl," She handed the sweet baby to Reid.

She was beautiful. Tears filled his eyes as he stared in awe at his little Aurora. "Hi, sweetness. Aurora," He cooed.

Vanessa sobbed from the pain and seeing her husband holding their baby. "Oh, AHHH!" She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched the sides of the pool.

"Alright, mommy! It's a boy!" Myrah picked up the baby and wrapped him up. "You did so well, Vanessa. Now you've got your sweet little twins." She stood up with Emil in her arms and cleaned him off.

Vanessa watched intently as Myrah cleaned her baby. She wanted him now.

As if Myrah knew what she was thinking, she turned around and placed Emil in her arms.

"Oh, my boy. You're so precious! Hi, Emil." Vanessa cried as she rocked her baby. "Reid," She whispered hoarsely. She wanted Aurora too.

Reid carefully walked over to Vanessa and sat next to the pool. He wiped her tears and placed Aurora in her arms.

"Hello, gorgeous. I'm your mommy and that's your daddy," Vanessa sang tiredly and giggled as the twins instinctively latched onto her breasts. "Look, Reid!" She yawned.

Reid wanted to take a picture and savor the moment. His beautiful wife and their beautiful twins.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and snapped a picture. "You did it, Mrs. Portalo. How are you feeling?" He asked while smoothing her hair out. "You are so beautiful. A masterpiece, my Vanessa." He was even more in love with her now. It didn't even make sense, but it did.

Vanessa kissed her babies heads and hummed. "I feel empty now, and tired. I wanna go to bed,"

Her wish was always his command.

Myrah walked over to her and took the babies. They instantly started to cry, which made Vanessa's heartbreak. She wanted her babies back, but they had to be checked on. She didn't want anything to be wrong with them.

Reid picked her up carefully and carried her to the bed. "I'm proud of you. You're so awesome," Reid gushed and walked over to Vanessa's hospital bag.

He pulled out her nightgown, bonnet, and face wipes. "Let me help you sit up," He murmured while pulling the nightgown on Vanessa's body.

"I want my babies back." Vanessa's bottom lip trembled as she watched Myrah clean them up and weigh them.

"She's only helping them, my love. She won't keep them, I promise." Reid told her and cleaned her face with a wipe. He loved her so much. "I love you, my sweetheart."

Vanessa tried not to focus on the fact that she didn't have her babies and focused on how sweet Reid was. "I love you, Reid." She grazed his cheek. "I love your beard and everything else."

Reid smiled at his hazy little wife and pulled her damp hair into her bonnet. "You're so cute." He sat on the bed and held her hand.

"Here's your babies, mommy." Myrah said and brought the twins back to Vanessa.

Vanessa held them closely and narrowed her eyes at Myrah. She didn't need to keep her babies away from her for that long.

"They're so cute, Reid! They look like little cherubs," She was in love with her babies. Now all she needed was her little sweetheart. "Reid, where's Lailah?" She asked testily.

"Myrah's assistant took her out before you got in the pool. She should be sitting with your mom now," He explained and pulled out his phone.

As he went to dial the number, someone started knocking on the door.

He got off the bed and opened the door.

"Hi, daddy! You see grandma and grandpa? Cabby was here, but he left!" Lailah babbled as she walked into the room. "Mommy! Is that the babies?" She asked in awe while looking at Vanessa.

Vanessa beamed at her darling and looked at Reid. "Put her on the bed, I want her to see Aurora and Emil."

Reid picked her up and sat her next to Vanessa. "You see Aurora and Emil?" He asked Lailah who nodded with her mouth wide open.

"Wow! Mommy, can I touch them?" She asked sweetly.

Vanessa's eyes filled with tears. "Yes," She was overwhelmed by the twins and Lailah being a sweetheart.

Lailah reached out nervously and touched both babies. "They so soft!"

Vanessa yawned and closed her eyes. "It's because they're new," She murmured.

"I'm here to meet my little brother and sister," Cabbrieli said as he walked into the room.

Vanessa opened her eyes and saw Cabbrieli with a bouquet of flowers.

"These are for you, my lovely stepmother." He placed the flowers on the bedside table. "Wow, I've never seen a woman look so beautiful after giving birth," He kissed her cheek and looked at Reid. "Uh, padre, if I didn't have Davina,"

Reid smacked his shoulder and rolled his eyes. "Stop talking about my beautiful wife and say hello to the twins." He knew that Cabbrieli was partially joking, Vanessa was exquisite, and not even his own son could be blind to that.

"Reid, could you go find my parents? I want to see them," Vanessa asked because she knew that Lailah didn't find their room without any help.

Reid warned Cabbrieli with his eyes and left the room.

"Take a seat, Cabbrieli. You can't say hi from so far away," Vanessa insisted.

Cabbrieli sat in Reid's spot and looked at the twins. He looked afraid.

Lailah grabbed his hand and led it to Aurora. "Look, Cabby! This is Rora!"

Cabbrieli's eyes widened as he touched Aurora. It seemed to Vanessa that he'd never seen a newborn before.

"You don't have to be afraid, Cabbrieli. Would you like to hold them?" Vanessa wanted him to see that there was nothing to be afraid of. "You won't hurt them, I promise."

Cabbrieli gulped and held his arms in the same position Vanessa's were in. "Okay," He stared intently as Vanessa placed Aurora in his arms.

"Omg." He gasped. "She's so tiny and cute! Normally babies look like mush, but it makes sense that yours are adorable." He said bewildered.

Aurora opened her eyes and stared at Cabbrieli.

"Take Emil too," Vanessa wanted him to be comfortable with both babies. She handed him Emil and wrapped her arm around Lailah's waist. "Hey little girl," She kissed her temple.

"Hey little mommy," Lailah mocked her.

The door opened and in came Reid with Jenna and Lucas.

"I found them," He told Vanessa and sat back down. "I see you're bonding with Aurora and Emil." He noted at Cabbrieli.

Cabbrieli made a silly face at the babies and looked at Reid. "I am. They're beautiful, all thanks to the darling Vanessa. They look nothing like you," He sassed.

Reid didn't respond. He's the reason why Cabbrieli was handsome, only his son liked to joke about it. Not everyone could be the Italian Stallion, so Reid just smiled. Vanessa loved him.

"Here you go, Vanessa. I don't want to keep them away from you for too long, I read that new mothers are possessive over their babies." Cabbrieli handed both babies back to Vanessa.

Reid laughed and rested his hand on Vanessa's thigh. "She embodies the fact perfectly."

Jenna rushed to Vanessa's side and kissed her face. "Oh, you look so beautiful. And so do my grandbabies!"

"Can we finally know their names?" Lucas asked as he walked to the other side of Vanessa's bed.

Lailah nodded. "Rora and Emil!" She said proudly.

"Aurora," Reid said lowly so that she wouldn't be embarrassed.

Jenna and Lucas smiled.

"Here, you can hold Emil and dad can hold Aurora." Vanessa was willing to part with her babies only long enough for her parents to see them.

She watched her parents hold her babies with caution. She was exhausted. She moved around to get comfortable and closed her eyes. It was time to take a well-deserved nap.

-

Reid watched Vanessa sleep and he couldn't wrap his head around how he got so lucky. Well, not lucky, but blessed.

He sent everyone away a little bit after Vanessa fell asleep, and Lailah went home with Jenna and Lucas.

He

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