***ATTENTION: CHAPTER HAS EROTIC SCENES***

*****

April 8th, 1996 (Monday)

Maddie was huge and Jackson was helping her to straighten up the last things before they went to the hospital. The C-section had been scheduled for this date because Maddie's circulatory system was compromised. The babies would have to spend some time on the incubator to gain weight. Despite the risks, the couple was calm. They were sure everything would be ok.

Jackson asked Robert to stay with them on the delivery room to make Maddie calmer.

That afternoon, Dr. Barnes took out the first girl, Mary Elizabeth. Minutes later came Mary Louise and, right after, Mary Victoria. All very tiny, could feet in the palm of the pediatrician's hand, but they were perfect, and they were breathing, although they needed care.

Jackson and Maddie cried once they saw their daughters before they were taken to the neonatal unit. Robert hugged his friends, saying they had been blessed. Jackson kept himself next to his wife the entire process of the C-section. He loved her more than anything and now would have three more women to fill his heart with love.

Maddie recovered soon from the surgery, anxious to be near her daughters who were in the incubators. She would have to live there in the hospital for the whole time the girls needed to be hospitalized.

Andrea dropped by to visit her cousins and when she saw them, she felt a kick in her belly. Apparently, her Mary Claire already knew the other Marys. She prayed so there wouldn't be any complications. Mary Louise was the smallest of them and seemed to need more care.

The big family was taking turns on the hospital so they wouldn't leave Maddie and Jackson alone. They needed to keep faith and hope.

After forty-five days, the triplets were already bigger and stronger. There were few scares but nothing serious. Soon they would be going home.

Andrea was with Maddie at the hospital, watching her pump her breast for milk, when she felt a strong kick that made her curve to the front and hold herself not to fall.

Maddie asked the nurse to call Dr. Toledo and made Andrea sit down.

In a short time, Robert appeared followed by Louise. Andrea was with a high blood pressure and strong contractions. He took her in his arms and carried her to the stretcher and she was taken to the surgery center. Dr. Barnes was at the hospital and quickly answered the call. She would need to perform an urgent C-section. While Robert was with his daughter, Louise called Ollie and Regina to let them know. Jackson arrived to see Maddie and heard the news. Everybody gathered on the waiting room to hear the news. Regina asked for help to the spirit of her father, for him to be next to Andrea, the same way he was next to her when the twins were born.

Andrea had already been anesthetized and couldn't feel a thing. She was calm, although she knew it was an urgency, and her pressure was very high. As a med student, she knew the risks she was taking.

Her father didn't leave her side until Ollie arrived and took his place. Half an hour after she was inside, everyone could hear the quiet cry of Mary Claire. She had arrived, safe and sound.

When the baby was put in her mother's arms, Andrea kissed her little head and felt a familiar smell. Where did she know that delicious smell from?

She got distracted from her thoughts when Ollie kissed her passionately and Robert asked them to look at him so he could take a picture.

Mary Claire was healthy, and Andrea was still hospitalized for four days, just as a precaution.

Exactly on the day of her dismiss, Jackson and Maddie's daughters were also sent home.

The four Marys arrived first at Robert's house. There were four pink baskets in which the little dolls were sleeping, precious beings of the next millennium.

After a big breakfast, Jackson and Maddie went home, where a team of babysitters was waiting for the mother and the girls. She thought his husband was exaggerating,  but appreciated the help.

Andrea went with Ollie and Mary Claire to her "doll's house". Regina and Sonia escorted them to help with the baby's care and breastfeeding. Mary Claire was very calm. Physically, looked like her father. She had dark hair and tanned skin. Regina carried her granddaughter to give her a bath and felt the nice smell she had. That perfume was familiar, but she couldn't remember who it belonged to.

Robert stayed in the living room of the main house making some calls. He told Andrea's college friends about what happened and asked them to bring the notes from the class to his daughter. He also talked to some teachers who were his co-workers and they guaranteed him that Andrea wasn't taking any risks of failing. He knew that, in the moment, it was the best he could do. That would make his daughter calmer.

The first two months went by very fast and without any problems. Mary Claire was tranquil. She almost didn't cry and slept a lot. Andrea had time to study and didn't miss any tests. Ollie worked at night three days a week. Every time he came home late, he checked on his daughter on her crib. She opened her little eyes and smiled at him, going back to sleep right after.

At Jackson's house, their Marys didn't give the couple a break. Even with such a big team of helpers, it was very stressful. They never slept at the same time, what made Maddie exhausted. Breastfeeding them together was complicated and Maddie used the pump to put her milk in bottles. The three of them were very hungry.

Robert always visited his friends and noticed Maddie's weakness. He asked for a blood test and prescribed a vitamin. He told Jackson to pay attention to his wife's health and look for a nutritionist to evaluate her feeding better.

Between diapers, bottles and pacifiers, six months went by. The four Marys' christening was on the same day. Jackson and Maddie chose Robert and Regina to be Liz's godparents, Ollie and Andrea to be Louise' godparents and Maddie's siblings to be Vic's godparents. Andrea invited her cousins Gregory and Alice, Gill's kids, to be the godparents of her daughter.

Mary Claire was very sweet. She had a calm look on her face and always caressed people's faces with her tiny hands. Her perfume was natural and delicious. Andrea didn't get tired of smelling her. Her dark hair got curly just like Ollie's. Her brown eyes were big and beautiful. She didn't look like her mother at all. Although she had inherited many physical traits of her father, she reminded her of someone, but couldn't quite figure out who...

It was Sunday and Robert decided to take his granddaughter for a ride on the street and walk on the sun a little bit. She was very quiet but watched everything with those beautiful eyes.

He walked through the streets filled with trees with the child on his arms, talking and pointing at plants and birds. They stopped in front of a playground and stared at the kids playing.

Mary Claire pointed at the sky and then stared at him and caressed his face.

Robert got pale... he had just discovered who she looked like. The same look, the same smile and the same way of caressing people's faces: Mary Claire was the gypsy. Then, as if she could understand what was going through her grandfather's mind, she babbles "yeah" many times.

Robert took the way back home. He needed to talk to Regina.

When he arrived at the gate, the girl started shaking her head as if she was saying no and made a sound.

─ Pa, na, na.  The child kept shaking her head.

─ Don't you want me to tell your grandma? 

The look she gave him was clear. He had to keep it a secret. 

 ─ Alright, princess. Let's keep this between us. But soon the other will know it too. 

Mary Claire gave him that enigmatic smile.

When he walked in, he saw Andrea and gave her the baby. He decided to go out again and walk around, because he wanted to understand what had just happened.

While he was walking through the streets, Robert analyzed what he had discovered.

He was the only one to notice the gypsy's soul in the child. Why? Why didn't she want him to tell anyone? A thought scared him: would someone die? Would him and Regina be separated? An anguish pressed his chest. He wasn't prepared for that separation. He knew that it was inevitable, one day it would have to happen, but it was still too soon. In his mind he started seeing images of Regina. Her singing by the piano, conducting the choir, riding Skylight, performing at Carnival, breastfeeding the twins, thrilled by the twins christening, her smile, her nice laughter, her beautiful look, her kisses, her passion when they made love...

He lifted his eyes to the sky in a silent prayer asking for more time with her. An urgency to be with his wife took over him and he ran back home. He arrived breathless and found his mother-in-law.

─ Do you know where Regina is, Sonia?

─ She said she was going to take a shower. Did something happen?

─ No, nothing. I just want to tell her something that I forgot.

He ran upstairs and when he walked in the room, he heard her singing in the bathroom. He locked the door and started undressing himself. He walked slowly to the shower box and scared her when he opened the door.

─ I need you, honey, now.

─ I can tell, she said, mockingly.

He ignored the joke and kissed her desperately, holding her so tight, as if he could merge their bodies.

He put her body on the wall and lifted her by her thighs without stop kissing her. No foreplay, he penetrated her.

Regina moaned. Her eyes were fixed at her husband, trying to understand that urgency and at the same time being taken by that heat that consumed her.

Robert released himself quickly but kept going until he took her to climax. He then relaxed and an exhaustion took over him.

His forehead was pressed against hers while he was looking for a way to explain to her what had led him to act that way. He didn't want to scare her with guesses. Yes, they were just hunches, nothing concrete, on the thoughts that had crossed his mind.

─ Bert, what happened? What is the matter, honey?

─ I'm not sure, Re. I was walking on the street and missed you, felt a need to be inside you. I'm sorry if I were stupid. Did I hurt you?

─ You didn't hurt me but surprised me. It's been a while since you acted like the tough cowboy... I was kinda missing it.

She made a joke to relax, because she knew something had happened to leave him like this.

─ You missed it, didn't you? I need to be more attentive then. Do you have any plans for tonight?

─ I told the kids I would take them to the movies. Do you wanna come with us?

─ Yes, maybe it's a good idea. What time?

─ There are sessions at 4pm and 6pm.

─ Let's get the 6pm. Then we will have more time for what I have in mind. I still miss you. How about the hot tub?

At 5:30 pm, they arrived at the movie with the kids: the twins and the nephews, Edward and, Louise's kids. Robert was calmer and the kids talking distracted him from his thoughts.

At night, laying down next to Regina, watching a TV show, he felt that anguish again. His life was amazing, and he wanted more time. Tiredness started to warn him down, he hugged Regina and feel asleep spooning her. In his dream, he met his father-in-law.

─ Robert, my son, we are always by your side. You and Regina still have many years together. Push away those sad thoughts from your mind. Your prayers have been heard. The child's secret was revealed to you, so her care is doubled. We must always be watching. Keep in charge of this big family. You're everyone's rock and will still be for a long time. Remember, you are not alone.

Robert woke up as if someone had touched his face. The room was dark, and it took a while for him to see something. The silence was only broken by Regina's breath next to him. He got up carefully and drank a glass of water. He remembered his dream. A big peace invaded him. Nothing would change. He was in charge and Mary Claire really needed him.

He went back to bed, hugged his wife, going back to sleep. This time, no dreams.