Sunday Scribblings: The Joy of Twins

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. No characters are based on real people, whether living or dead. Any resemblance to a real person is pure coincidence.

Rene stared uncomprehendingly at the doctor. "What you say?"

"I said you're having twins Mrs. Carter."

"That's what I thought. How'd this happen?"

"Well, Mrs. Carter, you may have a genetic predisposition to having twins. And even if not, it's a relatively common occurrence. You are now in your second month. That means seven months more at most. But because they're twins, there's a good chance they may come earlier."

The doctor, looking uncomfortably down at the ground, continued.

"Mrs. Carter, I need to speak with you about your options."

"What you mean?" Rene asked with an edge in her voice.

"I've delivered your four other children. And I know that your circumstances are difficult."

"They hard. So what?"

"Mrs. Carter, I think you might want to consider another alternative to keeping these children yourself."

Rene squirmed in her chair a bit. She didn't even let the thought through her head. Not after her experience as a foster child being shipped from house to house. Hearing about her mother's exploits in the street. And her death at the hands of gang violence. Rene knew she had siblings. A brother and two sisters. But had no idea where they were. Or who they were even. Just a comment once from her mother on one of her infrequent visits.

"Hell no! You ain't takin' none o' my kids. They all mine. And I take care of 'em. My boyfriend help me too. He work part time."

"Mrs. Carter. You live in a shelter downtown. And you can barely take care of the four children you have."

"Shut up, bitch! I can too take care of 'em. They eat. They sleepin' under a roof. And these babies in here" she said pointing to her stomach, "they gonna be just as well takin' care of. These are my babies and they ain't bein' takin' away from me!" There were no tears in Rene's eyes. Just large, round, challenging brown orbs daring the doctor to say something else.

Later that evening after all her children were asleep - they all stayed in the same 8' x 12' room - Rene whispered to her boyfriend Donyell.

"What we gonna do D?" she asked.

"We gonna love our kids. That's all we can do."

"I dunno if I can do it, D. It's just too much. Maybe that doctor's right."

Donyell turned towards her. "That doctor ain't right. What you gonna do? Get an abortion? Or give 'em away? You know what happened to us with that shit. No, we gonna take care of 'em no matter what. We got each other. And we got our kids."

"Yeah, I know. You're right. I love you D."

"I love you too Rene. Now, stop worrying 'bout it right now. You sleep. And we'll figure it out. We have so far."

But she could't stop thinking about it that night. And she was still awake three hours later when her youngest started crying.