The day after the storm dawned clear and sharp, as if the world itself had drawn a deep breath and exhaled the heavy, humid air of the night before. By afternoon, the entire estate was drenched in golden sunlight, the lawn sparkling from the rain’s memory. Ginny was outside, arms dusted tanned from sun and now flecked with soap and water as she hung a fresh load of laundry. The white sheets snapped and billowed in the gentle breeze, their shadows dancing across the grass.At her feet, the babies—Caspian, Briar, and little Iggy—were a tangle of limbs and laughter. Caspian and Briar, the twins, tumbled through the clover, chasing each other on unsteady legs, while Iggy sat in a patch of sunlight, intent on plucking at dandelions with pudgy fingers. The air was alive with the sounds of childhood: shrieks, giggles, and the low hum of bees drifting from the garden.Ginny reached up for another clothespin when she noticed something odd. Caspian and Briar, always in motion, suddenly stilled.
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