Carina was in the kitchen washing dishes. She stopped for a brief moment when the baby kicked. She placed her hand on her nine month pregant stomach. The baby could be born any day.
After a while she suddenly had a contraction! She stopped. Another one hit, only a little stronger. She dropped the pan she was washing.
"Cassim!"
Cassim came running into the kitchen.
"What is it? Are you okay?"
"It's time."
Cassim carried her into their room and placed her on the cot that he had prepared.
He helped her stay as comfortable as possible durning the contractions, which were getting stronger and more frequent.
Hours later Carina looked at him.
"The baby is moving down."
Right after she said that she screamed in pain. Cassim hurried to the foot of the cot and pushed her dress up to her hips.
"Try to relax. You can do this."
Carina screamed everytime she pushed. After a while she looked at Cassim with a panicked expression.
"Are you okay?"
"It won't move down any farther. It's stuck."
"Push harder."
Carina pushed harder and screamed.
"No good."
Cassim thought quickly.
"Carina, I'm gonna have you stand up a little ways away from the cot, spread your legs apart a little ways, and push as hard as you can."
He helped her to her feet, and they moved a little ways away from the cot. Carina spread her legs apart a little, with Cassim supporting her, and waited for him to tell her when to push.
"Okay. Ready. One,... two,... three,... push!"
Carina pushed as hard as she could and screamed louder than before.
This was one of the few times when Cassim wished he didn't have such good hearing.
Carina let her head fall back on his shoulder.
"It didn't work."
"Try again."
"Cassim,..."
"Try again!"
Carina tried again. She let her head fall back.
"We're going to lose the baby, I just know it."
"Carina, focus! We are *not* going to lose this baby! You have to give it all you've got! To do that you have to focus, so quit talking and push!" Cassim ordered rather fiercely.
Carina did as she was told. This time she looked at Cassim with hope admist the pain in her face and eyes.
"It worked. I can do the rest on the cot."
Cassim put her back on the cot. Once the head was out he let her rest a little while.
"Okay, Carina, listen, you need to give it everything you've got to get the shoulders out. After that everything else will come easily and quickly."
"Alright."
"Okay. Ready. One,... two,... three,... push!"
Carina gave it everything she had and screamed so loud it left Cassim's ears ringing!
"That's it! Come on, Carina! You can do it! Here it comes!"
Cassim caught the baby and quickly cleared its throat.
"We've got a girl."
Just as he finished wrapping the baby in a blanket he heard Carina speak in a voice full of pain.
"Oh, Lord, no."
He turned to her. Before he could ask her what was wrong she screamed in pain!
He put the baby down and rushed to her side.
"What's wrong?"
"We've got twins! This one is stuck too!"
"Oh, for the love of..."
"Cassim, just help me!"
Cassim helped her to her feet and moved a little ways away from the cot. Carina got into position and waited.
"Okay. Ready. One,... two,... three,... push!"
Carina pushed as hard as she could and screamed. She did it ten times! She let her head fall back on Cassim's shoulder.
She was crying from the pain.
"It isn't working."
"Carina, keep trying!"
Carina tried again. When she stopped she was sobbing aloud.
"Oh, Lord, help me." she said between sobs.
"Focus, Carina! Come on! Push!"
Carina pushed with all her might. She screamed so loud Cassim's ears were ringing about as loud as a church bell!
Cassim was shocked and amazed. Carina had been pushing for two minutes straight!
Finally she let her head fall back on his shoulder.
"It's crowning. Hurry."
Cassim quickly put Carina back on the cot.
"C'mon, honey. You can do it. Push!"
Carina gasped in pain as she pushed but couldn't hold back a scream of pain as she began to push the shoulders out.
Cassim caught the baby and cleared its throat.
"We've got another boy."
Cassim wrapped the boy in a blanket, picked up the girl, and handed them both to their mother.
"They have your eyes." he purred in her ear.
"They have your hair."
It was true. Both babies already had a thick head of hair.
"What should we call them?"
"How about Aden for the boy, and Isabel for the girl?"
"Alright. Aden and Isabel."
Carina put Isabel in Cassim's arms. He looked down at the infant.
His head spun at the fact that this beautiful baby girl was *his* daughter!
"She's beautiful, like her mother." he cooed to Carina.
"Aden is the image of his father. In fact, he'll look more like you than Aladdin does."
Cassim looked at Aden. It was clear that baby would grow to look more like his father than brother.
Cassim and Carina went back to the palace and were greeted warmly and happily by the gang.
Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, and the sultan all took turns holding the twins.
Cassim wouldn't have his life any other way.
Curse or Blessing? by Cassim fan