Chapter 1: Christmas Gifts

Standing by the balcony of a residential flat, a girl in her early twenties was gawking at the Christmas lights.

Her elegant face forced a smile, seeing the busy streets of Monroe City. Her blue eyes gleamed, visualizing how happy she would have been with her father and grandmother. 

For a moment, it reminded her of how her father had practically disowned her, how her stepsister took her father's attention from her, and how the same person stole the affection of the man she had loved for two years. 

Samantha Davis made one mistake, and it led to her downfall. Not even her grandmother's pleading was enough to revive her standing within the Davis household. 

The pain of being dragged outside her own home came rushing back, and it warranted a tear to fall down her cheek.

She sniffed away her sadness and wiped the wetness on her delicate face. Her nose flared, and she sighed. "Grandma, I miss you."

She looked up at the heavens and said, "Mom, I wished you did not leave me."

Her mother supposedly died when she was just a young girl, resulting in her father remarrying. A tragic car crash took her mother's life, burning the vehicle and her mother's body to ashes. 

As the air blew against Samantha's golden hair, she looked down at her growing belly and traced the melon shape with both her hands. 

Yes, life was living inside of her, and she was reminded of the wonderful blessing she had received. Some women could not bear a child, while she had two coming. Her grandmother, Matilda, repeatedly advised her of this.

A few hours before midnight on the twenty-fourth of December, Samantha sensed nostalgia, recognizing a kick in her 35-week-old belly. 

For nearly nine months, she carried the fruits of her misreading. Despite the pressure coming from her father not to keep the babies, she made a motherly decision. Back then, something deep inside of Samantha convinced her that the babies she carried were hers to keep. 

Sadly, however, her grandmother could not stay with her. Her father advised against helping Samantha, but Matilda, being the caring grandmother that she was, did so either way, in secret. 

Samantha had been living with her aunt from her mother's side in Monroe city for six months. It was there that her grandmother sent her after being forsaken.  

Her father, General Winfield Davis, was the appointed general in the country's military forces. Much was expected from him and his daughter that upon hearing that she fell pregnant before completing the military academy, Samantha became the talk of the town.

In her father's view, she smeared the name of the Davis family.

Many questioned how the great general was unable to educate his daughter and how Samantha was such a capricious girl for a cadet. 

General Davis wanted Samantha to replace him in the military ranks. Despite having a dream of her own, she gave up on all her aspirations, so she could follow in her father's footsteps and continue the legacy of the Davises.

Yet, regardless of Samantha's previous sacrifice, it was not enough to cover for the dishonor she had brought her family. After being dismissed from the military academy, it was clear that the same tradition was bound to end. 

In a blink of an eye, gone was Samantha's old prestige. The formerly known beautiful and desirable daughter of the General became branded as a disgraceful woman.

Clayton Brown, her boyfriend, a senior cadet from the same military academy, naturally did not own up to her pregnancy as he was not the man she shared an intimate night with on one disastrous night. 

She fell pregnant at the age of twenty-one, and she knew nothing about the man she slept with.

While pondering about the horrors of her past, she heard her aunt Diana call out to her from the living room, "Sam, it's cold out there. Come inside. It's nearly midnight."

Samantha nodded and said, "Yes, aunt."

Her aunt aided Samantha as she took her seat in front of their small dining table, where they meant to share a glazed ham for their Christmas Eve dinner. 

She suddenly recalled the lavish display of food their house used to prepare for such a day, and it made her wonder if her father ever thought about her. Just as she was thinking of this, she noticed water dripping down her legs. She felt chills down her spine when she realized her water just broke!

"Oh, no, aunt!" Samantha placed her hands on her belly and said, "The babies aren't ready yet!"

"Oh, dear," said her aunt. "We - we need to go to the hospital."

The next few hours were a mix of anxiety and perplexity for Samantha and her aunt.

On Christmas Eve, getting a taxi alone to the hospital was a struggle. The hospital, it being a holiday, was understaffed, and her gynecologist was unreachable for some time upon Samantha's arrival. 

Contractions kicked in after just an hour of being brought to the maternity ward. From where she was settled, Samantha could hear the concerns of the nurses and the midwives as she cried in pain in each minute that passed. 

"Dr. Wilma is already coming."

"There is no ventilator available for the babies."

"They may be able to breathe on their own. We'll see."

"What's going on? Please! Please tell me," Samantha cried her heart out, worried for her babies' sake. While her doctor warned her that twins often come out early, her recent check-ups suggested they were healthy. 

Still, her doctor made advance preparations in case her twins would be delivered before reaching 36 weeks old. 

The head nurse came to speak to her, warning her about her premature delivery. Samantha was told, "Miss Davis. Since the babies are coming out soon. We just want to let you know your babies may need mechanical ventilators to breathe - "

"No, I was - I was." She shut her eyes close, trying to bear the pain."Ahh!"

Along with a scream, a tear fell down her cheek before she resumed, "I was given steroids shots weeks before. My - my doctor can confirm this," Samantha tried to reason.

Steroids were supposed to help mature the babies' lungs in case they came out early.

"Miss Davis, the steroids will not guarantee that the babies can breathe on their own  - " The nurse's words were cut off by Samantha's shriek of pain. 

The resident doctor became obliged to check on Samantha's opening.  

"The baby is already crowning!" Advised the resident doctor. "Let's move her to the delivery room."

"Wait  - wait! Where is my doctor?!" She demanded an answer. 

"Your doctor is on her way," said one nurse. 

While she was moved to the stretcher and brought to the delivery room, Samantha was left utterly concerned for her wellbeing and that of her babies. Moreover, the pain of her contractions left her unable to think thoroughly throughout the whole process. 

Samantha could not afford a private room for her to give birth. Thus, while sharing the maternity ward, her aunt could not come to speak to her about the decision about her delivery. 

In the midst of the complexity, she barely noticed how the minutes had passed and how her doctor was finally there. 

"Sam, everything is going to be alright. Let's get the babies out." That familiar voice was enough to soothe Samantha, seeing Dr. Wilma in front of her. "Remember what I said before. Push along with your contractions."

In each push she made, she shed a tear. In each scream that left her lips, she internally swore it was the last cry she would yield in memory of her mistake. 

"You are almost there, Sam. Almost there," she could hear her doctor's encouragement. "You are doing a good job."

With a loud scream, Samantha pushed her hardest, and then the cry of her first baby came out. 

"Baby girl Davis!" Dr. Wilma announced. 

Another twenty minutes passed and her second baby came out, also screaming loudly inside the delivery room. 

"A loud cry here from baby boy Davis!" Dr. Wilma happily shared. 

"Sam, congratulations! Both of them are healthy and can breathe on their own," said her OB doctor before the babies were placed on her chest together for her to give warmth. 

She did not mind the conditions the little ones were in. The smoothness of their skins and their cries were enough to ignite her motherly emotions. 

Taking deep breaths, Samantha cried her heart out, knowing her twins were healthy. She took the chance to peck on her crying babies, relishing the fact that they were both fine. 

"Thank God. Thank God," she sighed with relief as her eyes fluttered and her heart drummed.

"It's nice to meet you, Kyle and Kenzie." With one last peck, Samantha whispered, "Mommy loves you."

At 2:45 AM, baby girl Kenzie was born first. Baby boy Kyle followed at 3:05 AM. Both are healthy and well and can breathe independently despite being born prematurely at 35 weeks old. They weighed 4.2 pounds and 4 pounds, respectively. 

***

Following a good amount of rest, Samantha came to see her babies on the night of Christmas day.

Her aunt was finally with her, caring for the twins from within the hospital's nursery. Her babies still had to be observed for some time, but they were generally doing well.

Samantha held them in her arms outright with the aid of a midwife. As she did, her aunt Diana suggested, "They are so beautiful. Let's call your grandmother. She has been so eager to see the babies."

It was only Matilda Davis, her grandmother, who sided with her throughout her pregnancy, supporting her financially while living with her aunt. While they lived cities apart, they had always been in touch as her pregnancy progressed. 

As soon as her grandmother came online through a video call, she cried along with Samantha, who carried her babies left and right. 

"Sam, my great-grandkids are so beautiful. They are our Christmas gifts - yours especially," said her grandmother. "Cherish them."

More weeping and gasping followed, but soon enough, after settling their emotions, Matilda Davis spoke again, "Sam, promise me you'll start anew. Your - your aunt will be helping you study as Kyle and Kenzie get older. Let's set aside the rest of the money we saved for your studies."

"I'm sorry that I can't visit you.... but - but I hope one day... one day, I will see my great-grandkids," her grandmother added, reminding Samantha of her age. Being in her late seventies was a disadvantage, and sadly, her grandmother no longer enjoyed traveling long distances. 

After seeing Samantha nod in agreement, Matilda continued with full conviction, "Promise me, you'll make a name for yourself. Prove to your father you can make it!"

"Yes, grandma. I will. I will," Samantha replied with water continuously streaming down her face. Her nose flared as she gasped for air. 

"Sam, I love you, my granddaughter. Be strong," advised Matilda from the other line.

While her grandmother continued to view her twins, Samantha was left to contemplate. Her thoughts silently said, 'Dad, I swear I'll make you see that I will be better.'

To the man whom she thought loved her but abandoned her in her trying times, she swore he would regret it one day. 

'Annie, you may have taken everything that's mine, but one day, I'll prove to you that I had much more to gain by choosing the life of my babies.' These were Samantha's constant thoughts towards her stepsister, the same woman who paved the way for her downfall. 

Lastly, Samantha glanced back down at her sleeping little ones. She gave them another peck on each forehead and promised, "You'll be my strength, my reason to fight, and together, we will be a family. I need nothing else."