The next few weeks flew by very quickly. Before Natalie knew it, she was right in the middle of her second trimester, and Heritage Day weekend was upon them.The long weekend coincided with Speed Freak's summer launch and the Raven's opening game of the season at Stargazers Stadium.Her siblings called her bright and early Friday morning to let her know they were already on their way to the airport two town's over. Levi had insisted on booking them plane tickets, and both were anxious out of their minds since it would be their first time on a plane."What if the plane goes down?" Amber asked."Yeah, what if we crash into the sea?" Jamie added his concerns, and Natalie was surprised the thought had even crossed his mind. He was usually level-headed and scientific about everything."Guys, you both need to relax. Nothing will happen to you. I've flown a few times," she assured them as best as she could but neglected to mention on a helicopter. "We'll be there at 10:00 AM."She and Levi w

Goodbyes…Levi never really liked them.But then again, who did?For him, though, this goodbye was especially hard since he'd just found Colleen, and now she was flying off to Lord knew where with Mark, and he didn't know when he'd see them again.He didn't want them to go, but asking them to stay would be downright selfish. He had Natalie and the twins, and he was so deliriously happy. Colleen and Mark deserved the same happiness he'd found."So this is it then?" he said, jamming his hands in his pockets.They were at the international travel terminal at the airport, where Mark and Colleen were about to board a noon flight bound for São Paolo. What led them to pick Brazil as the first stop on their three-month-long world tour was still a mystery. Levi had asked, but the details had remained sketchy. They seemed excited, though."Yeah, and we really have to go," Mark checked his watch and patted him on the back as they exchanged a hug.Turning to Natalie, he pointed at her tummy. "Tak

Levi called his assistant on his way back to the hospital and cancelled all his meetings for the week."Sir," Angela said before they could hang up. "We are all thinking of you. Norah and Natalie's team are beside themselves with worry. But she's a fighter. She'll be out of the hospital in no time.""Thank you," he smiled into the phone, praying with all his heart she was right. He'd lose his mind if anything had to happen to Natalie and their twins. They'd come too far for him to lose her now, especially after everything they'd been through.After he hung up from Angela, he called Amber. She was hysterical, and it took him a long time to calm her down and assure her Natalie, and their babies were fine, and there was no need for them to drive down to Rock Union.He was immensely relieved when he found Natalie sitting up, chatting with his folks and her bestie.Now that he was back, his parents and Emily excused themselves, promising to return later to relieve him."See, I told you I'l

In theory, the idea of having twins had sounded fun and appealing. But the reality was far from it, as Natalie and Levi soon learned over the next few weeks.Indeed, it was double the blessing, double the fun, and double the joy. But it was also double the work, and it didn't help that the first week after they brought them home, Juno and Mars decided to go on different sleep schedules.If she and Levi didn't have a strong support system to rely on, Natalie knew they would have lost their minds in those first few weeks.Mrs Ackerman semi-moved in with them, splitting her time between the Blue Mountains and Green Point. It was nice having her around; she was a pro at the never-ending laundry of tiny-sized human clothes and the general upkeep of the house.Levi suggested hiring a nanny full time, but Natalie wasn't sold on the idea. She wanted to be hands-on and involved in the twins' upbringing."Love, it's not working," he said after one particularly difficult night. They were running

"Is everything okay with you two?" Colleen approached him. "I'm sensing a weird vibe. Are you guys getting cold feet?""I don't know about Nat, but I'm not," Levi replied and pushed his hands in his pockets. "How was she today? I don't know…These last two weeks, she's been so calm.""And how is that a bad thing?""Because I know Nat. A wedding is a huge, life-altering event, and she doesn't do life-altering events well. Her knee-jerk reaction is to run. I'm just scared that—Never mind.""No," Colleen refused to let him leave her with half the info. "You're scared of what?""She's too calm, Leeny. The last time she was this way was when she threw you the welcome party. The very next day, she made a run for it without telling me about the twins.""That was months ago!" Colleen reminded him. "You're overthinking this. I've seen the way Nat looks at you. She's crazy about you and your babies. She won't leave you in the lurch! Besides, where would she run to? This is her home town."Right,