We were just a mass of cells then. Listening to mother's accelerated heartbeat as she discussed future aspirations with our father. It is easy to tell when she is passionate about something. The heart never lies. "One more child" she explained to him. "I'll have to have one more so that L.P won't be lonely when I move away". L.P is our older brother. He was only 2 however she spoke of him often. Every cell is her body knew who L.P was. My sister and I had desires for that kind of fame however we were worried. Five days into our existence, I forced my way out of her to grow into a body of my own. Even then our energy would clash with one another. I couldn't wait any longer. We were already at odds over our shared placenta and I couldn't imagine having to share an amniotic sac too. Now here we were listening to our mother's heartbeat race at the possibility of one child. One child. I silently prayed she that she wouldn't mind one more.
Mother was stupefied when our duplicity was revealed. Her reaction was so intense that when the doctor offered selective reduction, I felt my very existence hanging in the balance. I was smaller so the reduction would be me. I think they called me Baby B. Try to envision my relief when after a pause more pregnant than her, she whispered "no" ever so tenderly. She would keep us both! News of my sister and I were received with joy. Our mother's health, the food that nourished her body and prenatal supplements encouraged rapid growth. My dimple came in. Buds for our arms and legs began to develop. Bone started to replace cartilage. Our neural tube (brain, spinal cord, & central nervous system) was complete. And now that we were able to move, my sister and I bumped heads we barely had even more. I could have sworn she was receiving more attention from the placenta then I was. We were both thriving but I was in a constant state of hunger. Quit eating all of the food, sister! Mommy would not feel us fighting for weeks to come.
Fully formed by 3 months, we grew to be quite demanding. We had arms, hand, fingers, feet and toes now. We were hard workers like our mother and it took a lot of work to grow. We fed off of her energy to the point of depletion. Mother was in a constant need of sleep to save energy to care for our brother and go to work. My sister and I had disparate tastes too. Grandma made the best food however we wanted certain foods at varying times. When you don't like your food, you send it back to the waiter, right? Much to our mother's dismay we sent a lot back! Our twin battles would cause her to be regurgitate almost everything she consumed. This would be a long road.
20 weeks in and my sister and I just couldn't get along! We had separate sacs but our's mother's small stature made for very tight quarters. A sonogram appointment proved disastrous results from the pressure we were putting on her cervix. The worried doctor caught us right in time and ordered my mother to bed rest. I overheard her say that our chances for survival were slim to none. She was hoping for a miracle because she didn't have in her to ever try for another child if she was to lose us. When I overheard our Grandma praying over us, I just knew we had to deliver the miracle our family was hoping for. Even still our situation was declining. Surgery was performed in a desperate attempt to hold in two explosive personalities that wanted out. And we really wanted out!
In the midst of it all, Mother found names to fit our distinctive personalities. My sister has always been gregarious. Even our sonographer found her luminescence undeniable (always dancing and showing the world that she was a girl). Her middle name would be inspired by our ever-supportive and frolicsome aunt. Her first name would be after a gentle soul much to amazing for this world. Peyton Gianna suits her perfectly. Since I was the more relaxed of the two and private in my affairs (I refused to share my gender for awhile); my middle name would be after my grandmother. The one who prayed over us. My first name would be after a special boy my mother said she never had the chance to meet but would always love. My name is Carter Marie.
And so we stayed in. Peyton and I agreed to quell all disagreements and steady our spirits until the time came for us to depart this womb of ours. We already loved this woman who carried us so far. Peyton loved our mother's conversations with our brother. She couldn't wait to meet him. I couldn't wait to match the face to the voice that read me stories every night. So we held on. And yeah, we heard the date in which our doctor scheduled for our departure from the womb; but even so we were so excited that we came a day early. Let me tell you this, true love is true love. It's a magnet too. In a room filled with strangers, a victorious cry wasn't released until we saw her face. And man, she was beautiful. And do you know what was even more beautiful then that? Yes, yes, you got it. Peyton could go that way and I could go my own way. See you, sister! Until the next fight that is.....
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