Behind The Church

VI

Christina

These last few years have been a blur. They went by so fast yet so slow and my memory is hazy in some places.

My Dad still hurts us, only now he has managed to hurt Kate in the worst way possible. He's so sly in the way he does it though. He's manipulative so Kate kept quiet. You'd think that Kate would tell someone, but she was seven for God's sake.

She's stuck through it all with me, though. All the abuse and rape, even when Dad would allow other people to use my body, she stuck with me.

I asked her out when we were nine, she said yes. She's been my girlfriend for three years, can you belive it? After all the pain she goes through, the pain and suffering she has seen my family go through, she stayed. Not even from a little distance away either. She'd visit our house and protect me, keep me safe. She's my rock, my person. And we love watching Grey's Anatomy together. We're in love with it but we're more in love with each other.

To prove this love even further, Kate moved to Wales with us while I carried the twins to term. I got pregnant and Mom wanted me away from Dad, so she packed us all up while he was on a trip and moved us all to Wales until the babies were born. Kate wouldn't let me go alone though, considering I had all of my siblings with me, she insisted to come.

"Kate, I can't allow you to move to a whole new country." Kat said.

"Please, Mammy. I don't want to leave Tina alone. I want to help her and be there for her!"

They had just found out that I was pregnant and that we were moving away.

"Where are you going to stay? Who will feed you? Look after you? Provide for you?"

"I could stay with Tina's family, I'm sure they won't mind, right?" Kate insisted, turning to my Mom.

"We'd love to have Kate with us." My Mom shrugged.

"Please, Mammy! I love her and I want to be there with her."

"I'll pay for her tickets, it's the least I could do." Kat gives in.

Kate hugs her in thanks before pulling me into an embrace of her own.

"I love you, Tina."

"I love you, too, Kate."

So, we all are staying with my grandparents who also happen to have all of my cousins from Spain and West Wales. They all love Kate and have been very supportive of us. Especially Cait, who is the same age as us.

"Tina? Are you alright?"

That's right, I'm in the hospital.

"Yeah, just thinking."

Her soft eyes study me.

"What about?"

"These last few years." I sigh.

"Well, don't do that. Think about the two beautiful little girls you're about to give life to. Have you thought of any names?"

"My Mom said she liked Judy but it's not to my liking. I was thinking maybe, Ruth? But I can't think of another one that will fit with it." I shrug.

"How about, Arizona?"

"Like, Arizona Robbins?" I question, my eyebrow raised.

"Yeah. And we could call her Zoey for short." she smiles.

I nod, "I like that. Ruth and Zoey. I like that a lot."

"I was thinking..." she trailed off.

"What were you thinking Kate?"

"Can they call me, Mom? I don't want you to be alone and we could both figure it out, together."

"I'd love that, Kate. But what about your Mom?"

"I don't think it should be her choice. I'm in love and I want to help my love as much as I can." Kate grins.

"What about last names?"

"Ruth and Zoey Rogerstone-Montgumery."

"You wanna double barrel?"

"Yeah. I'm going to love the girls and you with all of my being. I'm going to be here for all three of you. My girls."

"Thank you, Kate." I say, starting to cry.

"It's okay." she climbs onto the bed and hugs me as best she can. My bump is in the way a little bit so it makes it slightly difficult.

After the last few of my tears fall out, I realise the time, 22:43.

"You should go home."

"No. I'm staying. The doctors will have to drag me out, kicking and screaming." Kate says.

"Okay, goodnight, then. I love you."

"Goodnight, I love you, too."

------------------------------------

This is no way to wake up on my thirteenth birthday. My water just broke and my scream of pain from my first contraction woke Kate up.

"What's happening?" she asked, alert and ready to go.

"My water broke." I pant.

"I'll go get a doctor, it's okay. You're going to be fine."

She leaves the room and another contraction rips through me. I feel like I am being torn apart from the inside out.

Kate comes back a moment later with the doctor, both gowned and gloved, with my mother behind them. Also gowned and gloved.

"It's going to be okay, Christina. We're here." My Mother reassures.

"Can Kate stay?" I cry.

"Yes, I'm not going anywhere." Kate said, before anyone can object. They know that if they say no now, it won't end well.

"Come cuddle me." I sob as I scooch forwards a little so she can sit behind me. Kate does so and strokes my hair and holds my hand while kissing the back of my head. She's telling me sweet things as contraction after contraction comes, until I'm ready to push.

"You've got this. In a little bit, you're gonna see two beautiful girls. Our girls. Yeah? Just stay strong." she tells me. My Mom holds my other hand as the doctor tells me to push on the next contraction.

I do so and I feel Kate's hold on me tighten and I almost break my poor Mother's hand. Then I push again and am told that her head is out. One last push and I hear my baby cry.

About thirty seconds later, another contraction goes through me. By this time, she had already crowned.

A few more pushes and second baby cries and is taken away to be checked with her sister.

God, make it stop.

I feel myself begin to calm down from the pain and I relax into Kate.

"You did so good. I am extremely proud of you, Tina." Kate tells me.

"We're Mums now." I pant.

"Yeah, we are. I'm so excited to see them."

"Me too."

Not too long after, the doctor wheels in the cot that they're both in, per my request, and hands them to us. She tells us which one is the older one so we could tell her the names we've picked out.

"Look at them, Tina. They're beautiful."

"Yes, they are. So beautiful."