Expecting a Christmas Miracle by Laura Iding

one. They didn’t look identical, but they were pretty small so it was difficult to tell. Although a little more than three and a half pounds was not a bad size for a preemie.
    And if both babies could breathe without any help from a mask or a ventilator, that was a minor miracle in itself.
    “You did a great job,” Jadon said, kissing Alyssa lightly on the mouth. “I’m proud of you.”
    “Thanks.” This time she smiled through her tears. “I can’t believe we have daughters.”
    “Beautiful twin daughters,” Kim corrected with a smile. “Have you thought of names yet?”
    Alyssa nodded. “I’ve chosen Grace Aubrey for the older baby and Gretchen Louise for the younger one.” Her gaze darted to his. “I, uh, hope you don’t mind.”
    What could he say? It wasn’t as if they’d been together these past few months, planning for this day. Alyssa had been on her own. Of course she’d picked names for the babies.
    “Grace and Gretchen are beautiful names.” A part of him wished their last names would be listed as his, rather than Alyssa’s last name of Knight, but that wasn’t meant to be.
    “My grandmother’s name was Grace and my mom’s name was Louise, so I wanted to include both their names in their memory if the babies were girls,” she explained, as if expecting some sort of argument.
    “Alyssa, the names are fine,” he reassured her. “I love them, don’t worry.”
    She nodded and relaxed. “When can we hold them?” she asked Kim. “I’m anxious to see my babies.”
    “Just a few more minutes and the neonatal team should be finished with them.” Kim began cleaning up the delivery area. “One good thing about having small babies is that you didn’t need an episiotomy and there are no vaginal tears either. You should heal up very nicely.”
    “One bright spot as I’m trying to breast-feed two babies,” Alyssa said with a dry laugh. But then she caught the doctor’s hand, giving it a grateful squeeze. “Thanks, Kim. For everything.”
    “My pleasure.” Kim glanced at Jadon, including him as well. “Congrats to both of you.”
    “Knight baby girl number two is three pounds, threeounces, and is seventeen and a quarter inches long,” Renee announced. “She’s breathing on her own, too.”
    Three-three wasn’t bad at all. Jadon grinned as the tight knot in his stomach relaxed a bit. “Gretchen Louise. The younger, smaller baby is Gretchen.”
    “And the older one is Grace Aubrey,” Alyssa chimed in. “Can we hold them now?”
    “You sure can. Here’s Grace for you, Mom. And Gretchen for you, Dad.” Renee and another nurse handed each of them a tightly wrapped pink bundle. “We don’t want to keep them out of the isolettes too long. We still need to keep a close eye on them, but bonding is important, too.”
    Jadon gazed at Gretchen’s small, perfect face, her tiny lips, her button nose and her tiny, tiny eyelashes with an overwhelming sense of awe.
    He glanced at Alyssa and in that moment they shared a special intimacy, a bond that shook him to the soles of his feet.
    Together, they’d created these baby girls.
    Looking at Alyssa holding Grace and the way Gretchen slept so peacefully in his arms, he realized what he’d told her earlier was true. There was no turning back. He was a father now.
    This new, precious family was a part of his future. His and Alyssa’s future.
    If only he knew how in the world he was going to make it work.
     
    Alyssa rested for a few hours after the birth as the process had totally worn her out, but when she awoke she was alone in her room. She missed her babies. Onthe bedside table were two photographs, so she picked them up to gaze at the small pictures of Grace and Gretchen that the neonatal resuscitation team had given her.
    The babies were small, but doing amazingly well. Kim had explained that the stress of her labor over the past few days had helped the babies develop enough surfactant in their lungs to enable them to breathe on