Love Times Two | Roxy & Rufus
Roxy had been in hospital for a couple of days since having the babies, acquainting herself with her new children. The experience of labour had been… interesting, to say the least. She hadn’t expected to have them at the campsite, but that’s what had happened and she couldn’t help it. Luckily there’d been a hospital nearby so she was able to go there after the babies had been born, and once someone had found some signal on their phone. Roxy had been fairly exhausted since; it’d been tiring enough the first time, so having twins pretty much doubled the pain and she would have been happy to sleep for a whole week. Though, of course, she still enjoyed the company of her twins: a son and a daughter, whom Roxy had become instantly smitten with and were both equally beautiful. She’d expected to have the babies without Rufus around, so had been preparing herself for months to be a single mother to them both, but obviously recent events had changed that. Things still felt quite awkward with Rufus, but now it was different - they were both now parents to two very special babies.
Since they’d been born, Roxy had been wondering what to name them. Over the past few months she’d perused many baby name books, and she’d taken a particular shine to a few. She hoped Rufus would feel the same about the names too. At night, it would hit her that Rufus hadn’t been there to share her pregnancy experience whatsoever, so he was pretty much jumping in at the deep end. It made her feel lonely, even though she knew he’d be there now and would help her out as much as possible. It’d be a difficult journey but Roxy was determined to make it work; every day she regretted giving up her first son for adoption, so she wouldn’t let anything get in the way of her being a proper mother again.
Roxy awoke to a knock on the door, and after rubbing at her eyes and slowly sitting up, she allowed the person to enter. She smiled softly when she saw Rufus come in. The babies lay in separate cots beside the bed and she looked down at them. “They’re sound asleep,” she remarked quietly. “Tha’s a first. The amount o’ times they woke me up in the night… I’m surprised I got any sleep at all.” She chuckled and reached over to stroke their cheeks gently. “It’s gonna be like this every night now, in’t it? We’d better get used to it.” This was the first time Roxy had described her and Rufus as ‘we’ in what felt like a long time, so it surprised her to say it but her smile didn’t falter. She looked up at him and beckoned him closer to the twins. “I’ve been thinkin’ about names,” she said after a few moments. “Wha’ d'ya think about… Eva an’ Jack? I mean, I’ve got a list of other ones if ya don’t like them, bu’… Well, I jus’ thought they were nice.”
Rufus’s hands felt weak. Numb against the rubber of the wheel. How this could be happening astounded him. But it was equally wonderful- a terrifying whir of emotion and the domineering thought that this could be a new start for him; him and Roxy together. He’d felt his life had been snatched away from him and now it was rushing back with two beautiful children.
The first time he and Roxy had been reunited, and he’d seen that she was pregnant, he hadn’t thought it could have been his. If he’d been thinking clearly there would have been no doubt. But his mother’s lies had corrupted his mind, made him think that Roxy’s happy ending lay with another man. The other man who ultimately never existed.
Rufus’ heart seemed dormant as he entered the room. He stared at Roxy, afraid to see the babies for the fist time but that only gripped him for a moment. “How are you feeling?” He croaked, every sense in his mind and body swollen. He moved slowly forward, hesitant but also desperate to see his son and daughter, read their expressions and similarities- fix the future they could all share together. It was such a stunning change from where he’d seen himself so recently. Suddenly everything enlightened; beautiful. There would still be sparks and flares to their life- nothing was eternally perfect. But this was promised to be constant. Rufus’ future embraced being the best father he possibly could.
As he stared down, crying seemed pointless to tackle. This was the happiest moment in his life. He wore no shame in that. “I reckon we can handle it. We’ve lived with Cosmo,” He smiled, the sort which replaced a laugh and looked up at Roxy. “You’re going to make the most wonderful mother, Roxy Tyler. Through sleepless nights and everything this might throw at us. We...This is our family. All in this room. Isn’t it?” Rufus’ voice was almost questioning, as though that realisation had just dawned on him, but his voice was purely overjoyed. Even when muffled, trying not to wake the children. Rufus raised his eyebrows, his lips floating into a smile. “Eva and Jack. No...No. I love them.” His gaze intertwined with Roxy’s. “Eva and Jack, the junior Tyler’s.” He chuckled. “What about middle names? Have you thought of them? Because...It might be nice to name them after friends.”













