~~~~Love Above All~~~~

Chapter Six


Nick and Elisha could hear their children before they could see them. Rebecca and Brian ran joyously into the hospital room, followed by Linda and Brian. Elisha purposely had left the twins in the bassinet so her first two children didn't feel left out. Nick lifted them onto the bed and they squirmed all over her offering hugs, kisses and lovingly handwrapped gifts.

"Well what's all this then?" Elisha asked, with a twinkle in her eye.

"They're for baby Carter." Rebecca informed her, clapping her hands together happily.

"And this one's for you mommy." Brian said shyly.

"Oh they're beautiful!"

She unwrapped her gift to find a painting of their family by the two of them. She hugged them and had Nick tape it on the wall so she could see it.

"Would you like to meet baby Carter?" she asked them.

Rebecca and Brian nodded, eyes wide. Nick wheeled the bassinet closer to the bed and the children peered in. Brian carefully held up two chubby fingers and looked surprised, Rebecca hollered,

"Two baby Carters! One for me, and one for you!" she said to Brian.

Nick laughed at their reactions.

"Can I hold one?" asked Linda.

Elisha paused from tickling her oldest son. "Of course you can!"

Linda picked up the pink wrapped bundle and cuddled her close to her chest. "Oh, they're so gorgeous!" she breathed. "You are the luckiest parents alive!"

Elisha watched her friend holding her newborn daughter. It was so sad that she and Brian couldn't have children. They would be such excellent parents.

"Do they have names yet?" Brian asked Nick.

"Nope, not yet. We were thrown for a loop with having two, we gotta think more now!" He gazed with pride at his wife and children. Elisha was cuddling with Rebecca and Brian. Rebecca was holding her new sister and Linda now held their newborn son.

"You've got a beautiful family, Nick. I'm jealous!"

Nick felt a twinge of guilt. Here he was blessed with four wonderful children and his best friend, desperate to be a father, could have none. It wasn't fair.

"Have you thought anymore about adoption?" he asked.

"Actually, Linda and I talked about it last night after the kids went to bed. We had so much fun with them and we love them to death. We're going to look into some agencies today."

Nick smiled and clapped Brian on the back. "Good luck man, you deserve it."

Brian tapped Linda on the shoulder. "We should go, we have that appointment."

Linda reluctantly handed Nick his son. "He's gorgeous Nick, you're so lucky."

Before Nick took the kids to his sister's for the night, Elisha had Rebecca and Brian open gifts that the twins had for them. Rebecca was amazed to find some new Barbie outfits and Brian wanted to know how the babies knew he needed a new firetruck. The kids kissed and cuddled the babies, and climbed on Elisha for one last kiss before they went to Aaron and Angel's.

Nick leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Do you know you are one awesome mommy?"

She kissed him and laughed. "Yup! It says so right on that picture!"

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Mandy sat in her old bedroom at her parents house staring at an aged photo of her and Nick. It was taken so many years ago, when she was 17 and he 18. They were at the beach, wearing matching smiles, their blond hair blowing in the breeze, strands twisting together as one.

"I know you still love me Nick, she has you, but you still want me."

She tossed the picture at the wall, smiling at the satisfying sound the shattering glass made. A friend had called and filled her in on Nick's life. Married for eight years, 2 kids, how sickeningly sweet. Mandy still couldn't believe the judge had let her out. He was young and sympathetic. Didn't want to be seen as a hard-ass, she suspected. She played up to him, emphasizing how she had participated in in jail, going to counselling, and how much she was willing to be a fine upstanding citizen once released. She laughed. Once she took care of Miss Elisha that is. She would be a model citizen once she was gone. That bitch had stolen her man and Mandy had never forgiven her. She still needed to teach her a lesson.

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Nick returned to the hospital later that night after the kids were settled. Rebecca wanted to show him how well she could play a game and Brian got clingy. He thought mommy and daddy weren't coming home. He reassured him as he tucked him in bed that mommy and daddy would both come to get them tomorrow. He also had to make a run to Toys r Us for a car seat. They only had one on hand and needed another if they wanted to leave the hospital tomorrow.

"God, we need a van now!" he thought in horror, looking at the seats. "Brian is still in one, now these two!"

He shrugged, at least he could still drive the car to the studio.

When he entered the room, Elisha was feeding their daughter and their son was crying in the bassinet. Nick picked him up and sat in the rocker, cuddling him and softly singing to him. When that didn't settle him, Nick looked at Elisha with an evil grin.

"Now you know why God gave you two of those!"

She looked shocked and then threw a pillow at him with her free hand. "For your information, your new son is a piglet, just like you! He ate just before his sister and, if he had his way, I don't think he would have left her anything!"

"He's just healthy and growing!" Nick protested, looking down at him lovingly.

"And nameless." Elisha announced. "These poor babies need some names, Nick. Any ideas?"

"Actually, while I was shopping, the cashier was named Diana. I thought it was a really pretty name."

Elisha nodded. "And I was thinking, and tell me if you think this sounds dumb, your middle name is Gene and my idol, my favourite dancer of all time is Gene Kelly."

"Hmmm." Nick mused. "Gene Kelly Carter, I like it!"

"And Diana what?" Elisha asked. "My mind's a blank."

Nick thought for a moment while they exchanged babies. "Diana Marie? Marie is your middle name."

"That's lovely!" Elisha exclaimed.

"Gene and Diana, welcome to the crazy Carter family!"

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