4

 Over the next several hours, I floated in and out of cognition, a blend of pain and the fog from medication clouding my thoughts. My mind, unclear and disoriented, tried to grasp the broken conversations that reached me in my half-conscious state.

The voices of the Monroe triplets were ever-present, ebbing and flowing through my fragmented perception. "It's beyond belief, what he did to her," one of them voiced, loaded with anger and disbelief. "If he comes near her again..."

"We'll protect her," another asserted confidently. "She's in our care now. It's our duty."

Their talks about my father were filled with revulsion. "To imagine a father could do that to his own child," Cassy commented.

Within this madness, a whirlwind of emotions engulfed me – fear, exposure, a feeling of being in a world that was foreign to me. The relentless pain in my head was a harsh reminder of my father's cruelty. I longed to scream, to escape this painful reality, but my body was unresponsive, heavy, and numb.

And then there was the sensation of a hand finding mine in the dark. This contact was soothing and comforting in the chaos of my mind. At times, the healers would quietly speak to the triplets, their voices filled with concern. "The medications might lead to panic," they advised. "Keep her company. Comfort her."

They did. The hand holding mine became a constant, soothing presence through the night. I could sense the warmth of someone close by, the gentle rhythm of their breathing, and even soft snores occasionally. Were they staying with me in this strange room?

This thought brought an unexpected feeling of security. In my bewildered and aching state, I thought about Kael, Knox, and Kyran. Their silent watches, soft touches, and comforting words wrapped around me, shielding me from my fears and the stark reality of my circumstances.

As consciousness slowly seeped back into me, it felt like surfacing from a long, turbulent dream. My eyelids fluttered open, revealing the soft, diffused light of the room. The first thing I noticed was one of the Monroe triplets, his chair pulled close to my bedside. He was asleep, his head resting near our joined hands on the mattress, his breathing rhythmically accompanied by faint snores. Across the room, slumped over in chairs, were the other two brothers, also deeply asleep.

The room, with its rich wood and polished marble, spoke of the luxury and warmth of the Monroe mansion. A sharp pang of pain coursed through me, nudging me to shift slightly in the bed. I tried to be as gentle as possible, not wanting to wake the sleeping brother beside me.

However, my movement stirred him. Gradually, his eyes opened, acclimating to the light. A smile spread across his face as he noticed I was awake. He leaned in closer, his gaze moving to my injured eye with evident concern.

"Glad you're back with us," he murmured, his voice a soothing melody in the quiet room. 

A mix of gratitude and confusion filled me as I stared at the triplet, who had been by my side. "Thanks... sorry, which one are you?" I asked.

He chuckled, a sound that seemed to fill the room. "Well, I usually don't tell people when they ask," he said with a playful glint in his eyes. "But considering you're just waking up, I don't want to add to your stress..." His voice trailed off, and instead of answering, he turned and called out, "Hey guys, wake up, she's awake."

The other two brothers stirred, rubbing their eyes as they sat up. Their expressions brightened as they approached to see me awake. 

As they moved around the room, the identity of the triplet holding my hand became a blur. Their similar appearances and mannerisms made it challenging to distinguish who had been my guardian as I slept.

One of them left the room to fetch Cassy and Missy, and curiosity got the better of me. "Who was sitting over here with me?" I asked the remaining two.

They exchanged a look and then smiled. "one of us," they said almost in unison.

I feigned frustration, playing along. "Ugh, is this a game you all play often?"

"Yep," they replied together, their synchronization almost uncanny.

"Okay, but why?" I asked, genuinely curious.

They explained that people never learned to tell them apart if they always identified themselves outright. It was a bit of a test, a playful challenge for those around them.

I pondered this. "Well, I guess that makes sense, but... I need a starting point here."

Their smiles widened, and finally, one of them relented. "Okay, this jerk here is Knox, and I'm Kyran." 

Knox punched his arm and said, "No more hints!" with a smile. 

Cassy breezed into the room, her energy instantly brightening the atmosphere. She approached my bedside with a blend of concern and sisterly affection. "Oh, honey, let's get you cleaned up," she said, eyeing my disheveled state. "These boys, I swear, they'd let us sit here with mascara all over our faces."

Standing quietly at the door, Kael said, "Well, if I don't put it there..."

His remark was cut short as Kyran playfully punched him in the arm, a mix of annoyance and brotherly reprimand in his gesture. "Insensitive ass, wow," Kyran retorted, his tone light but carrying a hint of sincerity.

Cassy, with a firm but playful demeanor, ushered the triplets out of the room, her focus entirely on me. As the door closed behind them, she gently removed the makeup from my face, her touch careful and motherly.

As she worked, Cassy shared insights about the night. "The guys barely left the room, even when Dad was scolding them for 'babysitting a rogue,'" she said with a giggle.

Curious and anxious, I asked, "How did Gerald handle Kael bringing me back to their house?"

Cassy paused, her expression thoughtful. "Well, he wasn't exactly thrilled, to be honest. And he's still not too pleased about it. But I don't think you'll be here for much longer, maybe just a couple more days."

Her words struck a chord within me. "Oh, then I guess I'll have to find somewhere else to go," I said, a sense of uncertainty creeping in.

Cassy stopped and looked at me funny. "You're going back to the triplets' townhouse with them, right?" she asked, almost as if the answer was a given. Her question took me by surprise. The thought of staying with the Monroe brothers in their townhouse was comforting and daunting.

Just as I was absorbing the implications of her statement, the door swung open abruptly. Gerald Monroe burst into the room, his presence commanding and filled with a clear intensity. He demanded, "Who's your father?"

The room fell into a tense silence. Gerald's gaze finally settled on me, and his expression transformed from anger to surprise, to a kind of shocked concern. "Oh my Goddess," he exclaimed, taking in my bruised face. "You weren't exaggerating. Her father really did a number on her." His tone softened, the initial harshness giving way to a more empathetic note. "Who's your father, child?" he repeated, this time more gently.

I was left bewildered at Gerald's abrupt departure, his reaction hanging heavily in the air. "Burkett Foster, sir," I had responded to his question, a sense of unease settling over me.

He sighed deeply. "Oh my. Really... No wonder..." And with those words, he stormed out of the room, leaving a trail of questions behind.

I turned to Cassy. "What was that about?" I asked, trying to make sense of Gerald's reaction.

Cassy shrugged, equally puzzled. "I don't know... But I'm sure one of the guys will fill you in shortly," she replied. Then, her tone shifted to a playful whine, a glimpse of her teenage spirit shining through. "They never tell me anything. Now that you're around, you'll have to spill everything to me."

Before I could respond, Missy started to enter the room, but Gerald pulled her into the hall, whispering something to her. During their hushed conversation, the room's atmosphere shifted with the energetic entrance of Koda and Kage, the two youngest Monroe siblings. At seven years old, they were a whirlwind of energy and total chaos.

Their eyes lit up as they saw me, their excitement clear. They held a homemade card and a bunch of flowers in their hands, clearly plucked from their mother's garden without permission. Their innocent affection was heartwarming, starkly contrasting to the somber mood that had just filled the room.

Cassy introduced them to me. "Skyla, meet Koda and Kage. They've been talking nonstop about you since they found out you were here."

I couldn't help but smile at their bright, eager faces. "Are they twins?" 

She laughed. "Yeah, but thankfully, these two aren't identical like my older brothers."

Speaking of which.. "How do you tell them apart? They're playing some sort of game with me, trying to get me to figure it out."

She leaned in as if sharing a secret. "Well, if they've started that game, they'll be relentless. But here's a little trick – look at the parts in their hair. Kael is the oldest, Kyran is the youngest, and Knox is right in the middle."

 The game the triplets were playing was a playful challenge, but now, with Cassy's insider knowledge, I felt more equipped to join in on their fun. Maybe even beat them at their own game.