Chapter 71-73
Chapter 71
Bruno and Isela found the most perfect house in only a few days, They had spoken about finding a bigger house, but this last incident really just made it all necessary. It was big, had enough bedrooms and had a beautiful backyard for the twins to grow up. It was their home, forever. The only tough part was packing and unpacking.
”Bruno…look at this...” Isela said picking up a box she had put little notes in.”Oh my god…” she said picking up a wrinkled piece of notebook paper.
”Dear Isela,
I know I just met you. I know I don’t know you well. I don’t even know what your natural hair color is. But, what I do know is that you’re amazing. And that I could kiss your lips all day if you’d let me. Your lips are hot- especially when you wear the red cherry lip gloss.
Ice Pick Jones ”’
**
Summer of 2006
”What are you doing, Bruno?” Isela asked watching him take a napkin from the center of the table.
”Making you a hat. Then we can match.” he said folding the large napkin into several triangles popping in out to make it stand up.
”I am not wearing that, Bruno…we’re in a nice restaurant.” she told him watching him hand her the hand. She played with it looking at it intently. ”You said we would match. Where is yours?” she asked him.
”Right here….” he said taking his hat off placing it on the top of his head. She almost spit out the water she was drinking.
”Come on, Isela. You know you want to.” he prodded her.
”No, not really.” she told him. He gave her a sad face making her melt.
”Ugh, fine…” she placed the napkin on her head finishing her sandwich.
”Will you wear that every time we go out?” he asked her.
”Absolutely not, Bruno.” she laughed as she signed the check for the dinner.
”I think they’re cute.” the waitress said winking at Bruno.
”I will wear it to the movie, but that’s it. It’s going in the trash after that.” she told him as they walked out the door to several weird looks.
**
”I thought you threw that out, Isela.” Bruno said taking the hat away from her.
”No way. It was cute. You were trying so hard to impress me. It was so adorable.” he took the hat from her putting it on his head sitting down next to her as she went through the notes and the pictures.
”Oh god, I look so fat in this one…” Isela said looking at one of them at one of his early shows. ”While you just look so cute that I could eat you up..” she said looking at the picture where he wore his glasses, a hat and had a drink in one hand and a cigarette in other. Even with a drink and a cigarette in his hands he managed to be standing next to her with his arms around her tightly.
”That was a good drink…” he told her holding the picture picking up another one. It was a picture of them the night she told him she never wanted to see him again. She was wearing jeans, a sleeveless shirt and had casual flip-flops on while he wore his leather jacket, a t-shirt, red pants and chucks.
That was a shitty night, Bruno.” she told him.
”Hey, you kept the picture.” he responded.
”I looked hot that night.” she told him. ”I think I cropped you out and used it as a facebook picture for a while…”
”Oww. That broke my heart a little, Isela.”
”You broke my heart that night, Bru.”
I know I did.” he said kissing her to say he was sorry. She picked up the next picture seeing a picture Phil had taken of them at the 2011 Grammy’s. ”That was the day I forgave you.” she told him throwing it off to the side picking up the next one – a picture of them on their wedding day. Tears started to fall down her cheek as she took a hold of the picture picking up the next one, a picture he had taken of her in the kitchen the day they found out they were pregnant with Selena. ”I’m done with this. Put it all in the box.” she told him holding on to the picture tightly.
”Iselita…it never goes away, baby. I still feel her every single day-and knowing that Stella and Xavier will never know her makes it even worse.” he said moving in close to her to hug her. She laid her head on his shoulder starting to cry. He let her cry on him as she rubbed her back trying to comfort her.
**
”Isela..you are doing so well!” Dr. Garcia told her looking at her chart.
”Are you ready to see the babies?” she asked her.
”I want to see the babies…” Isela responded with a smile. The doctor got her all set for the ultrasound moving the machine around to get their heartbeats.
”Well, it looks like they’re growing just fine…Baby A is a bit bigger, but B looks like he’ll be just fine. Check out those fists..” Dr. Garcia told her.
”Aww, he’s a fighter. I hope she’s being nice to him…” Isela laughed.
”You’ve only got to keep them in there for a month and a half longer, Isela.” Dr. Garcia told her. ”We need to discuss induction, though. They are just fine, but because of your past we need to make sure that all of this is planned. How does December 7th sound?” she asked glancing at the calendar on the desk.
”Whatever day you want, as long as they’re healthy babies.” Isela told her.
”Then December 7, 2013, we’re having these babies…at 7 am.” Dr. Garcia wrote it down in pencil Hernandez babies.
Chapter 72
A week after Dr. Garcia set an induction date Isela went back to the doctor…as she always did. She sat in the room waiting for the doctor humming one of Bruno’s new songs tapping her feet to the song. It was almost Thanksgiving and she was enormous. She couldn’t see her feet and she was consistently wearing flip-flops instead of flats or heels because she couldn’t even get a toe into them. Dr. Garcia walked in the room with a big smile on her face.
”Good morning, Isela…how are you today?” she asked her normal questions.
“When can these babies come out?” Isela asked bluntly. ”I am so pregnant that I don’t even think Shamu would be comfortable in this current state.” she said shifting her weight over to her other hip emphasizing how uncomfortable she was.
”Well, let’s take a look at the little ones and then we can see what we need to do...” the doctor examined her pausing for a few seconds.
*”Isela...it looks like you’re a walking around 3 centimeters dilated. You weren’t wrong in feeling that uncomfortable. And we have to keep these babies in there for a little longer. You’re sent to bed for the next week. And please, have Bruno come with you to the next appointment. The twins may not be burnt, but they’re will be a lot less complications with them if we can wait another week.” she explained.
”Okay…but they’re okay?” she asked.
”Yes, Isela. I need you to stay calm and relaxed. You have done so good this far. The bed rest will keep your blood pressure and everything else as low as possible. And just a week. We’ll see…there are plenty of people that are dilated weeks before they give birth.” the doctor explained.
”As long as they’re okay…” Isela said quietly.
*”The last time I want to see you out of the house is driving home. And after that it’s to bed. And I will see you and Bruno next week, same time. ” she responded leading Isela out the door.
**
”Brunnnoooooo…” Isela whined into his voicemail. ”She’s making me go on bed rest. Commeee hommmmeeeee….” she pleaded with him knowing that he was in Barcelona.
She threw herself on the couch grabbing the remote. She flipped to The Learning Channel watching one of the baby shows that she always loved to watch. When the mom and dad brought home the baby she started to cry. Damnit. I better not cry like that when we bring them home.. she thought to herself. As she was thinking about that her door opened. Yuli walked in the room holding a pizza.
”I got your text, sissy. Let’s feed these babies…” she told her flopped onto the big chair across from her sister.
”Hell yesss…pineapples.. ” Isela said excitedly taking a piece of the pizza from the box holding it over her hand.
”It’s half and half…” Yuli told her. ”It’s not all about your babies.. ” she responded pointing to her enourmous stomach at the same time. They devoured the whole medium sized pizza laying down on the couch after finishing.
”You’re coming over for the next few days until B gets back then?” she asked.
”Naw, Jamie’s going to come stay with me. The boys are with their dad for Thanksgiving…” Isela told her.
”Oh…but….” Yuli was a bit heartbroken by her sister’s decision to have her sister-in-law stay with her.
”You and Ben need to have the last few weeks by yourself. I think that was the best time Bruno and I had together throughout the who thing with Selena…” Isela told her sister.
”I get it…but you know you would never be in our way, sissy.”
”I know I wouldn’t...but Jamie offered the second I texted her and I know she gets lonely when the boys are gone. She comes over here all the time.. and you can come over here all you want. No matter what time of day or night it is…” she paused feeling the babies kick her. ”Wow, that was big…” she told her sister.
**
For the next three days Jamie and Isela watched 90s romantic comedies and horror movies on the couch. Jamie took care of Isela like a mother, catering to her every need. She even made her a bunch of Filipino food that Isela had been craving but could never cook.
Isela grabbed her phone half way biting into a piece of chicken seeing that Bruno had texted her.
Bby I’m on my way home! I’m gonna bed rest the shit outta you.
”What the hell does he mean?” Isela sad handing the phone to Jamie.
”Hell if I know. He’s so weird. ” she responded.
As she finished the statement the door opened, Bruno, Ryan and Dre walked into the room. Ryan and Dre held grocery bags while Bruno held a giant bouquet of flowers.
”Aww, my brother is so sweet. ” Jamie said. ”Thanks for the flowers…” she told him laughing.
”Unless you’re my sexy baby’s mama…these aren’t for you.. ” Bruno answered kissing her on the cheek.
”These are for you though…” Ryan said taking another set of flowers out of a bag.
”I like her flowers better…” Isela said over her shoulder.
”You’re gonna have to fight me for ‘em..Sel..and I think I’d win right about now…” her sister in law teased her.
”Fine...I’ll take the pretty ones next to you... ”
After putting the flowers away the group sat down to watch American Pie.
”Shoot...she fell asleep…” Bruno said looking over at Isela toward the end of the movie.
”Leave her there…” Jamie told him. ”She said she was having the hardest time finding a way to sleep the past few nights...”
Bruno led everyone out of the house after cleaning up the food Jamie had made them. He walked over to Isela watching her breath. Her hair was all over the pillow and she had mascara on her cheek from rubbing her eyes. He licked the tip of his finger wiping it off her face kissing her lightly covering her with a blanket that was laying on the floor.
”I love you, Isela…”
Chapter 73
Bruno watched Isela put on a giant Loyola Marymount sweater over her sweat pants. She struggled the whole way through her attempt. He cracked a smile at her.
”Stop laughing at me!” she yelled at him throwing a slipper at him. ”You need to wear that sympathy belly thing…or three of them so you know how this feels.” she made a sad face at him making him feel worse than he already was for her struggles.
”Aww, baby. I didn’t mean to make you upset..” he said walking over to her to hug her. He saw a tear come down her cheek.
”Iselita? Why are you crying?” he asked her touching her face.
”I don’t know. Everything makes me cry now.” she tried to smile at him through her tears. ”I cried at the end of Beauty and the Beast yesterday…” she said commenting on watching the movie with his nephews.
He couldn’t help but laugh at her. He held his head low smiling at her emotional turmoil. She punched him in the chest knowing that he was laughing at her.
”I hate you!” she told him.
”I hate you too.” he said taking her hand to have her sit on the couch. ”Let’s watch Hot Rod..” he told her taking a hold of the DVD.
”Oh my god…yees. Please…” she said putting her feet underneath a pillow to keep them warm.
”What do you want to drink?” he asked her walking to the kitchen to get a drink and some carrots and peanut butter for her.
”Why are you saying that weird?” she asked him.
”Why am I saying what weird?” he asked her making her giggle.
(Here’s the youtube for you to understand that exchange..it’s a flippin’ awesome movie. I know Bruno would know it…)
”I love this movie, Brunz…” she told him taking the bottle of water he handed her placing the carrots and peanut butter off to the side. ”Owwww…” she said as she moved the popcorn over to the middle of the couch.
”What?” he asked her suddenly becoming concerned.
”It’s not the first time, Bruno…they’ve been doing this for a while..” she reassured him. ”Stay in there babies. You’re not ready yet.” she told her stomach.
**
Isela and Bruno went to her next doctor’s appointment together. Dr. Garcia instructed Isela to stay in bed for another week, but did tell her that if the contractions got much worse that they would have to induce her. As they walked out the doctor’s office she cringed holding back a verbal reaction. She grabbed Bruno’s untucked shirt as he walked in front of her. She knelt down onto the floor cringing again.
”Isela….your water broke…” he said in shock.
”What?!” she exclaimed looking down onto the ground.
”Come on…let’s go back inside, sweetheart…” he said holding her tightly.
”Katrina…her water broke…her water broke…” Bruno said quietly to the receptionist. He saw Dr. Garcia welcoming her next patient off to the side. She excused herself quickly to see why Bruno was back in the office. ”Dr. Garcia…her water broke…” Bruno said frantically.
”Call the hospital, Katrina…I will be there in 30 minutes…okay?” she told Bruno. ”Get there fast…we can’t have these babies naturally.”
Isela was anxiously texting her sisters and brothers. Bruno came back to her holding his hand out for her. ”Come on, let’s have these babies…”
”Owwww….” she cried several times as he drove quickly to the hospital. He grabbed the nearest nurse telling her that Katrina had called ahead. The nurse led them into their private room where he helped her lay down.
”It will be over soon, baby..” he told her kissing her on the head. He wiped the painful tears off her cheek.
”I know I’ve said I’ve hated you a lot, Bruno…but right now…I really hate you…you did this to me…ohhh myyyy gooooddddd…”
”She’ll be over it in a few minutes…” the anesthesiologist reassured him as he brought in a big needle to put in Isela’s back.
”Hold my hand, Selly…” he said watching the needle go into her back. ”Oh my god…that was big…” Bruno gasped. Things happened so quickly last time that he didn’t remember the size of the needle.
”Dr. Garcia is here…she’s just about to scrub in for you. And I will be there too…” the other doctor said.
”Can you put that in my back too? I don’t know if I’ll make it…” Bruno responded.
”If that’s the least I can do for you, Mr. Hernandez…” the doctor said walking out the door.
”I don’t think he’s going to give it to you…” Isela responded.
”No, I don’t think so either…” Bruno said squeezing her hand. Dr. Garcia walked in wearing pink scrubs with a smile on her face.
”Ready?” she asked.
”Get these under cooked babies out of me..” Isela told her doctor.
”They’re just about perfect, Isela…” Dr. Garcia said finishing her exam. Three nurses came in after she finished her exam wheeling Isela down the hallway. Bruno didn’t let go of her hand the whole way down the hallway.
”I’ll be right back…” he reassured her as one of the nurses took him aside to give him all the doctor’s essentials that he would need.
”You’ll feel a little pressure…” Dr. Garcia said cutting into her.
”Don’t look Bruno…you freaked out last time…” Isela told him.
”I’m not going to this time…I want to see them…” he said peering over the small sheet. She saw him make a grossed out face and then return to a normal concerned face as the doctor continued to work her way to the babies. Suddenly they both heard a loud cry.
”It’s our baby boy!” Dr. Garcia responded holding the baby up for them to see. Isela started to cry as Bruno knelt down to talk to her.
”Isela…he’s healthy…and he’s perfect…just perfect…” Bruno said kissing her. Both of them looked over at the nurse who was wrapping the baby in a blanket. Before they could take their eyes off of baby Xavier Dr. Garcia interrupted them.
”I’ve almost got our little girl…” she said excitedly. She paused for a second as they all heard another set of high pitched cries…
”Oh my god…” Isela said gasping out of happiness.
”Bruno…she’s so darn cute…” she told him.
”Just like her mom….” he replied watching the nurse wrap the other baby. Dr. Garcia spent some extra time stitching Isela up.
**
Thirty minutes later Isela laid in the bed with her little sister Lola sitting next to her.
”Where did Bb go?” she asked.
”He’s with the babies. He said he’d bring them in to us.” she told her sister.
He walked quietly behind the nurse looking at all the babies stopping as he noticed his children. The nurse handed him Xavier carefully.
”Hold him tight, Bruno…” she told him. Bruno looked down at the baby’s closed eyes. He was breathing perfectly and looked so healthy. It was so different than the last time. He felt himself start to tear up. I’m not going to cry yet. I’m not going to cry yet. Not without Isela here…he thought to himself. ”Now with your other arm…gently…here…” the nurse said handing him a little one with a pink hat on her head. He looked at her carefully. She looked so much like Selena..but so different. She had her nose this time. And he could see a little curl escaping her hat. He touched it moving it out of the way. She started to cry as he touched her head.
”Shhh…baby girl. Dad’s right here. shhhh. ” He reassured his newborn. The nurse touched Bruno’s arm indicating that he needed to take the babies to his wife.
A few seconds later Bruno walked into the room where Lola and Isela were sitting.
”I brought babbbieeeesss…” he smiled at them. Isela held out her arms to hold them sleeping babies.
”Isela…they are both perfect…so perfect…”
”Aww,,,B…her curls are already out of control….” isela said touching her daughter’s head the same way he had moments ago. As she touched her head her eyes opened looking right into Isela’s eyes. While Stella kept her eyes on her mother Xavier continued to sleep trying to move his arms to stretch. Isela touched his arm playing with his little fingers. He held on to her hand. ”Oh my god…you’re right Bru…they are perfect…” she said starting to cry for the 100th time that day-November 22, 2013.