AllFreeNovel
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Narrator
Do you believe in kismet—aforce or personified power that determines the course of future events? This is the question posed with the start of a story so complicated—who could have foretold how life would intricately weave two lives together, where people would look upon them in both wonder and disgust.
Predestination, fate, and destiny are synonyms for each other. But could fate be so cruel to predestine the separation of two souls that should have been together from the beginning?
Love is that all-powering emotion and it can’t be told what to do. And here lies the story of two men switched at birth.
“Evelyn, can you hear me?” The voice of the doctor cuts through all the chatter in the delivery room, but he doesn’t get a response from his patient.
“Baby number one is healthy and happy and ready to meet his sibling. Now, I need you to push hard so he can be reunited with his little brother or little sister.”
“I can’t do it!” The mother is heard throughout the room, and the father—who had just asked for the score of the football game—is now completely focused on his wife.
“Evelyn, honey. You can do it. I know you can. And Noah knows you can.” Almost as if their first twin understands the conversation, the baby shrieks in indignation as the nurses continue their ministrations.
Noah is the name they decided on for their first boy. Naming twins had its difficulties, but not finding out the gender of the babies meant they had to pick out two boys’ and two girls’ names.
“Noah?” she echoes, as if she doesn’t remember it was the one of two boy names they could agree on.
“Yes, Noah is doing well. Don’t you hear the lungs on that kid?” His wife nods her head, acknowledging her husband. “Now, it’s time to meet William or Layla. Come on, baby. Being a mother is all you’ve ever wanted. Let’s make it official and meet the final member of the James clan.”
The husband’s encouragement helps the mother rally, and she begins to push.
“Evelyn, you’re doing so well. The head is crowning. He or she will be here soon.” Her doctor tries to walk her through the next couple of minutes of the grueling birth. Her eyes brighten at the doctor’s words of affirmation; she’s anxious to meet this little one who is making things so hard on her.
She understood from the beginning of their pregnancy that this would be the only time she’d carry babies. It was too hard on her body, after having several miscarriages. And when she was blessed with twins, she realized fate had intervened. She’d never have to wonder what it would be like to have multiple children. She’ll know for every day of their lives. Her children will have each other even after their mother and father pass away.
“One more push?” she asks, and her husband squeezes her hand and rubs her back.
“Yeah, Evelyn. One more push. And then you’ll have your family,” the doctor explains, knowing that Evelyn has always wanted to be a mom. He’s been with her through all the miscarriages. If anyone knew how much she’d always wanted to be a mother, he does.
She pushes, and suddenly feels relief, but it’s short-lived. Evelyn doesn’t hear the baby crying. “Did I do it? What do we have, Carl? A boy or a girl?”
His eyes look over the sheet covering her stomach, but he can’t see anything. He stands to take in the scene in front of him while Evelyn clings to his hand in fear.
The doctor barks, “Get the pediatric NICU in here stat,” and the charge nurse has an entire unit in the room within a minute.
“What’s going on, Carl? Is the baby okay? What’s wrong with—is it a boy or a girl?”
The husband’s eyes stay focused on the too-still baby as the obstetrician walks around the end of the bed to both parents.
“Doctor, what’s going on?” Carl asks.
“Evelyn, Carl. We’ve experienced respiratory issues, and the pediatrician…”
She hears the wordslife line, helicopter, and should the dad go. It’s the only thing that permeates her fragile and emotional mind.
The same charge nurse responsible for calling the NICU team screams from the end of the table. “Doctor Ellis! There’s blood everywhere.”
“Evelyn?” Dr. Ellis calls, grabbing her wrist and checking her pulse. “Are you okay?”
Her eyes roll to the back of her head, and her husband comes rushing to her side, his eyes wide with panic.
“Stay with the baby, Carl,” she commands of her husband, then moves her eyes to the doctor. “Save my baby. Whatever you do, save my baby.” These are her last words before losing consciousness.
* * *
