LOGIN“Me me me,” he says, hardly able to contain his excitement. “My turn, mama. Please.” And he looks down, again, at his little girl. “Well,” I say, shifting her in my arms and leaning forward so Ian can better see her face. She frowns in her sleep, squirming a little and making me smile. “I was think
Several hours later, I’m changed and curled up more comfortably in my bed with Victor by my side, a baby in each of our arms, and our boys curled up like puppies at the end of the bed. Archie is on the bed too, cuddled between them. We sit quietly together, all still focused on the two little babie
“It’s all right, doctor,” I say, giving her a little smile and nodding towards the boys. “We found them.” “Oh my god,” she says, shaking her head and placing a hand over her heart. Then she frowns at them. “How did they…” “Window,” Victor says, gesturing towards it and sighing. “It’s all right. Th
“Come on, Evelyn,” the doctor says confidently as Victor squeezes my hand, his eyes darting between my face and the first baby, which the doula is now wrapping in her first swaddle. “One more push, and then you’ll be done, and you can hold your little girls.” “Okay,” I huff, sitting up and shifting
Slumped on the couch, Ian heaves a gigantic sigh. “What is taking so long,” he mutters, glaring angrily at the steps as if they’ve personally offended him. “You knew it would take a while,” Bridgette murmurs, running a hand over Ian’s soft brown hair and smiling fondly at her nephew. She sighs and
“Oh my god,” Victor gasps, instantly wide awake. “Oh my god,” he says again, grabbing my face and searching it like it has answers. “Are you – are you okay?” “Yes,” I say, nodding but then belying my answer with an immediate moan. I grit my teeth, my hand going to my stomach as I weather the contra
I can’t help the little giggle that comes out of me then. Honestly, it’s all so strange and ridiculous - and, really, really frightening – that all I can do is laugh and make a joke out of it. It’s a knee-jerk reaction, probably a poor one and a result of my exhaustion, but I’ve got nothing else.“
Victor’s frown deepens. “But,” he says, turning his hand palm up on the table. “I…did background checks. Everything you told us about your identity – it checked out.”Burton just shrugs a little, still not meeting our eyes. “The people for whom I work…they are powerful. They were able to ensure that
Rafe frowns at me.“Boys,” Rafe says, not looking at them. “Go play in the living room.”Ian opens his mouth – full of pancakes – to protest, but Rafe interrupts.“Take your food,” he says, his voice low and dismissive, “try eating them off the floor like a puppy. No forks, not hands.” The boys, suf
I could go into all of the details, of course – my memories of going to that place, somewhere in my mind but also somewhere beyond it. Of what it looked like there, of what we did, of how we…made the exchange. But…I suppose that some things I want to keep secret. Just between us.So, I improvise.“I







