Chapter 71: Chapter 71

Annabelle's POV

The next few months flew by. Life couldn't have been better with two lives growing beautifully inside me. I was huge with the weight of my babies but Stefan's love for me didn't diminish even an inch. In fact, he seemed to love me more. I stopped going to the academy since it was difficult to travel during the last few weeks of my pregnancy.

"Breathe in and breathe out," said gran as I sat down with her. I was feeling a little pain and gran was concerned that it might be time. She called mom and Stefan and they were on their way home. I did as gran asked me to but the deep breathing didn't help. I broke out in a sweat and the pain kept on increasing. Tristan walked in and saw my condition.

"Is the pain worse? We will take you to the hospital then," asked gran.

"It is bearable," I said, breathing in and out. Stefan came in looking scared and tense. He had no idea how to help me with my pain. Seeing him look so agitated, I tried to smile through it all.

"Relax, Stefan. I'm fine," I whispered. He tried to stroke my back and hair, to give me relief. Tristan had the car ready and was roaming around with the keys, knowing that he would be the one to drive me. Mom and dad too arrived after a few minutes. Martha got a bag ready with my essentials. Arielle sat with gran looking scared. After an hour, the pain was excruciating and I was unable to bear it any longer. Tristan drove me since Stefan was too tense and worried to do anything. Mom, Stefan, and dad accompanied me to the hospital. On my way to the labor room, my water bag burst, and everyone panicked. They took me to the birthing room immediately. By now the contractions had started and I felt like I was dying. Stefan stayed with me, holding my trembling hands all the time, giving me support. His face was pale and he looked more scared than I was. At that moment I saw a deep fear in his eyes, a fear of losing me.

"This is normal, Stefan. Relax. I'll make it through, nothing will happen to me," I smiled through the pain to give him comfort.

"I know! I'm praying for you!" He whispered, stroking my hands gently. I closed my eyes as an unbearable contraction hit me. I had no idea how others give birth to so many kids. For me, this was it. I couldn't go through this again.

After an hour of unbearable pain, I gave birth to the twins, Axel Nathaniel Henderson and Aurora Kate Henderson. Stefan was so overjoyed to hold them in his arms that words failed him. His eyes filled up with tears of joy. "I'd waited for this moment all my life when I'd be the first to hold my babies in my arms. I was on my way here when Arielle was born. I was the last one to hold her in my arms." Said Stefan, his eyes shimmering with raw emotions.

I'm glad that I could make your wish come true, Stefan," I told him. I would do anything to make all his dreams come true. They were special and precious to me.

"How are you, Rosy? Are you in pain?" he asked worriedly. I smiled through my pain. Of course, I was in pain but I was glad to be alive. I was very worried about my delivery having heard the experiences of Jenny and Martha before. But thankfully everything went smoothly for me. Martha brought Arielle to visit her siblings and she was ecstatic to be a big sister.

"They're so little, mommy," she said, beaming with joy. We were discharged in two days and I was happy to be alive and better. Arielle loved to help me with the babies. Beth became a full-time nanny and she was very busy with three kids to look after.

The whole family literally spent their free time with us. Mom and dad stayed with us till I regained my strength. Tristan, Adrian, and Julian bonded well with the kids and came to spend time with them whenever they could. Amelia and Cassandra became good friends with me and came over whenever they could. Claire also visited with Alexander. She was expecting her second baby. The whole house was alive with the sound of happy laughter and chatter. I was overstuffed with healthy food to help me heal better. I didn't mind, since I needed it most to be able to breastfeed the twins.

Stefan was glad that the ordeal was over and life would settle down a little. He had no idea how difficult it is to look after three! Axel preferred to stay awake at night and I became bleary-eyed because of him. He was cranky if I went to sleep at night. It was just the beginning though.

After two weeks, I was able to get back to normal life. I went to the academy for a few hours every day. That was a good beginning for me. I couldn't teach dance as I needed to reduce it first. Every day a fitness trainer came home to help me get back into shape. Axel calmed down after Stefan had a talk with him. I have no idea what sort of talk happened between them and what Axel understood of it but it seemed that it worked. I was glad that he slept at night from then on leaving me and Stefan to catch up with each other.

Life couldn't have been more blessed for us. I got more than I had ever asked for. We loved what destiny had in store for us! Although our initial period was heart-breaking, it was only a test. We emerged as winners and despite all our struggles and hardships, we were finally together, forever the way we were destined to be.

Stefan's POV

The last few months were blissful for Rosy and me. I had never been so actively involved during Claudia's pregnancy before so I had no way of knowing what she went through. With Rosy, it was so different. It felt as if I was pregnant instead of her. I could feel everything she went through. It was a roller-coaster journey for us for the last nine months and we enjoyed every moment of it together. We matured more as now we would-be parents to three kids.

With Rosy's pain during delivery, I experienced an acute fear. I couldn't see her in so much pain. I had a gripping fear of losing her seeing her suffer so much but she's a brave one and she battled through it and finally gave birth to my babies. I didn't want any more children if it meant putting her through so much pain. Three children were enough.

Holding my babies close, I felt as if I was in heaven. They were our blood, my own. I didn't have the privilege of holding Arielle since I reached two hours after she was born. I was glad that Arielle bonded so well with them. Now a proud dad of three kids, and my Rosy-looking rosier by my side, I didn't want anything else.

There was a time when I didn't believe in love and destiny. There was a time when I was too bitter to enjoy my life but all that has changed with Rosy's presence in my life. I started believing strongly in the fact that God has created a soul mate for each one of us. We need to wait for her patiently. God gives us indications and we should be attentive to them. Our hearts would know the one who's destined for us. Like my heart knew that Rosy was the one for me.

I was glad that I pursued her and won her over in my life. What compelled me to do so? My heart? My mind? Or was it because I was destined to be with her forever? Whatever it was, I was the happiest man alive to have found my true soulmate!