Imogene Scott Next morning…I toss and turn, slipping in and out of sleep until my eyes blink open. My mind is a little hazy and I blink a few times. That’s when I see Damien, lying on his side, his head propped up on his hand, just watching me.I feel a smile pull at my lips as I meet his gaze. “How long have you been doing that?”“Good morning, beautiful.”A blush warms my cheeks. "Good morning."We sit up slowly and Damien stretches, before turning to me. “What do you say we grab a quick shower and head to the diner across the street for breakfast? Breonna and Lily are already there, probably having waffles and making a mess.”I stifle a yawn and nod. "Okay, but you go first."He leans over and presses a soft kiss to my forehead. Without another word, he heads to the bathroom, and I watch him disappear behind the door.I sink back into the bed, closing my eyes as a I feel my chest tighten. What if this doesn’t last? What if our second marriage becomes a sham too? I try to push i
Imogene Scott Breonna glances down, playing with the edge of her napkin. “I don’t know yet. They haven’t posted me to a specific location, but… I can only hope it’s close to home.”There’s a silence at the table, and I’m not sure if they can hear how fast my heart is beating. Or how sweaty my palms are. Breonna gives me a long, she can tell that I’m a little blow off. What I’m sure she can’t see, is how my mind is already conjuring images of how miserable it’d be without her.She’s everything, which is even an understatement. I’m not sure I’ll be able to cope with not having her around.Damien reaches across, giving Breonna’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze, while I try to keep my own feelings in check. I'm happy for her, truly, but the thought of the possibility of her moving far away is harder to swallow than I anticipated. I smile, swallowing down the sadness.“Well, here’s hoping it’s close,” I manage, giving her a reassuring smile. Breonna beams back, and the rest of dinne
Imogene ScottI feel so stupid for asking that question. For asking Emmett if he was really in love with Breonna after they had both affirmed that their relationship was solely sexual.Maybe one part of me wanted it to be more. That way, Breonna wouldn’t have to move away if she gets posted far away for the job. She would stay for Emmett.But knowing the kind of person Breonna has always been, I don’t think she would tie herself down for any man even if she were in love with him.I sink deeper into my seat and sigh for the sixth or seventh time, I’m not sure. I’m not sure I’ll be able to get any job done today. My thoughts are too loud in my head. Maybe I can do something else with that time; like go to the doctor’s appointment Damien arranged.He wants to be sure our baby is healthy and I understand he wants what’s best for us. I grab my phone and draft a text. [Me: Let’s visit the doctor today?]I really need to get things off my chest. I close my eyes and count seconds as I wai
Imogene Scott My brain quits. It takes at least a second for me to speak. “Nine weeks? How did I not know?”“It happens to a lot of mothers, Imogene.” Dr Walsh reaffirms.I’d been under work stress, Damien stress, for weeks now that I hadn’t even noticed the changes in my own body.Dr Walsh’s face lights up as he turns the screen toward us. “Well, Imogene… looks like you’re having twins.”“Oh my God.” I cover my mouth with a shaking hand.I can’t process it. Twins? My heart skips. I glance up at Damien, and he’s staring at the screen with wide eyes. His hand is gripping mine even tighter now. His eyes falls on me and he leans down, pressing a kiss to the back of my hand. “Twins,” he murmurs. “Two more kids.”The doctor clears his throat, smiling. “Would you like to hear their heartbeats?”I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Yes! Yes, please.”A new sound fills the room, a steady, rhythmic thumping. My eyes well up, and I blink quickly. Those tiny heartbeats are… they’re real
Damien Shaw Two more kids. The words are still sinking in. I watch Imogene get off the examination bed. She meets my gaze, and I feel like I'm really seeing her again for the first time. I thank the doctor, then reach for Lily’s hand and guide both of them out of the hospital.As we drive home, I can’t help but keep glancing at her. She’s turned toward the window, and I steal every moment I can to study her profile. Her hand rests on her stomach now in a protective way, like she’s already taking care of our two babies.“Stop staring,” she says, glancing at me.I smile, shaking my head. “How can I? I feel like the luckiest person on earth right now.”“I can’t believe it either, Damien. Two more kids…” I reach over and take her hand, squeezing it. “You’re going to have to take extra care of yourself now, Imogene. No excuses. You’re listening to me on this.”She raises an eyebrow. “I’m not a child, Damien.”“Right now, you are. And we’re already taking care of everything with the
Imogene Scott I’m standing here realizing I can no longer avoid my greatest fear—Breonna leaving—because this time, she’s not just moving a few blocks away or traveling for a weekend; she’s actually going far away to New York City. My chest feels tight, like someone’s twisted a rope around my ribs and is pulling it, tighter and tighter with every passing second.“I’ll leave you two to talk.” Damien says, sensing the tension.He walks down the corridors and disappears into the bedroom, shutting the door loudly behind me. He’s probably trying to let us know he’s not eavesdropping and cannot hear us.“New York, huh?” I say slowly, glancing down at my palms. They’re clammy and shaky. I’m struggling to keep myself steady. But there’s this creeping unease crawling up my spine, the same feeling I had when I thought Damien was never coming back. It’s bad, this feeling, it feels like something is breaking, even though I can’t quite see what.“Yes. I also wasn’t expecting it,” Breonna says,
Imogene Scott Two weeks later…Damien’s voice is calm as he repeats himself. “You do know you don’t have to work, right?” I pretend not to hear him as I pull the zipper of my dress up, looking at my reflection in the bedroom mirror. I adjust the hem and smooth my hands down the fabric, avoiding his eyes. But I can feel his gaze burning into my back. He’s been like this for two weeks now.“Imogene,” he says again.I take a deep breath, letting my hands fall to my sides. Turning around, I meet his eyes. He’s sitting on the edge of the bed. I knew this would be hard, hell, it’s been hard for me, too. But Damien’s worry has only made it harder. The doctors told us to be extra careful with my health, with the babies’ health, and it’s rattled him in a way I’ve never seen before. He hasn’t even been to the office since we got back from Hong Kong. He’s been working remotely, controlling everything. But I can tell it’s eating at him. We can’t both sit around, holding our breaths and wa
Imogene Scott The moment I pull up in front of Breonna’s building, my heart is pounding so loudly I can feel it in my ears. Something is wrong. I don’t know what, but my hands shake as I push the car door open and step onto the pavement.I rush inside and press the button to Breonna’s floor. When I reach her apartment, I see Emmett standing outside the door. He looks uncharacteristically disheveled. He glances at me as I approach.“She’s still not answering,” he says, his voice tight. I step past him and knock hard on the door. “Breonna? It’s me! Open up!” I call, my voice cracking slightly. There’s no response. I try again, louder this time, but all I hear is the faint hum of the building’s air conditioning. “She’s in there,” Emmett says, his hands running through his hair. “I know she is. I heard her moving earlier.”“Go get the master key from the security guard. Now.”He nods and takes off down the hall. I stay by the door, my palms pressed flat against it. My chest feels
Imogene ScottIt’s midnight, and I still can’t sleep. I lie on my back, staring at the ceiling because my mind refuses to quiet down. The room is dark except for the faint glow of moonlight seeping through the curtains. The house is silent. I curl my arms around my stomach, my fingers lightly tracing the curve of my belly. Two months. That’s all the time I have before the twins arrive, and yet I don’t feel ready. I barely feel capable of handling Lily some days. How am I supposed to take care of two more babies? I exhale slowly, willing the thoughts away, but they keep creeping back in. Damien was right about one thing—I’ve been forgetful lately. Not just little things like where I left my phone or if I locked the front door, but important things. I should have cleaned up the broken glass earlier. I should have been more careful. What if it had been worse? What if Lily had gotten seriously hurt because of me? My throat tightens. I know I should see a doctor, but the very
Damien ShawI let out a slow breath, my fingers pressing against my temples as I watch Imogene walk out of the room. The door doesn’t slam, but the sound of it clicking shut is just as final. My jaw tightens. Of course, she walked away. That’s what she does when she doesn’t want to hear something, shuts down, closes herself off. I loosen my tie, feeling the frustration settle in my chest. I hadn’t meant to start an argument. But how could she act like this wasn’t serious? It’s not just about her anymore. She’s been forgetting things more and more lately, and now Lily’s gotten hurt because of it. Just a small cut, sure. But what if it had been worse? What if she had stepped on something deeper, something that couldn’t be patched up with a bandage and a sticker? I exhale through my nose, rubbing a hand down my face. Fighting with Imogene never gets me anywhere. She’s stubborn. Too stubborn. But damn it, I don’t want to wake up one day and realize something terrible has happened be
Imogene Scott I carefully press the small, pastel-colored sticker onto the bandage covering Lily’s tiny foot. A smiling cartoon bear grins back at me, as if that alone can erase my guilt. I kiss her forehead, inhaling the soft, baby-powder scent of her hair. "I'm sorry, baby," I whisper, brushing a stray curl away from her face. Lily shifts on the couch, pulling the plush blanket over her lap. "It's not Mummy’s fault," she says in her small, serious voice. "Lily wasn’t careful." My heart clenches. Even at four, she’s trying to take the blame for something that’s entirely mine. I should’ve cleaned up the glass right away. I should’ve been more careful. I lift her tiny hand to my lips and kiss it. "Do you want me to get you anything?" Lily’s eyes brighten. "Chocolates!" I shake my head, smiling despite myself. "You know you can’t have sweets past seven, baby. It’s almost eight." "Please, Mummy?" She pouts, her big brown eyes glaring at me.I sigh. "Fine," I relent,
Imogene ScottI jolt awake, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps. For a moment, I don’t know where I am. The room is dimly lit, the heavy curtains keeping most of the daylight out. My heart is racing, my body damp with sweat. I sit up slowly, pressing a hand to my chest. The dream is already slipping away, but I know what it was about. Georgia. It’s always Georgia. My dreams are always about her. Mostly about that night she died.I exhale shakily and push a damp strand of hair from my face. My nightgown clings to my back, sticky with sweat. The dream lingers, making my skin prickle with unease. Why won’t these nightmares stop?I reach for the glass of water on my nightstand, desperate for something to soothe my dry throat, but my hand meets empty space. I blink, frowning. It’s always there. I always leave it there. And then I remember—I moved the jug before my nap. But where? I try to picture it, but my mind feels sluggish, foggy. Did I put it in the kitchen? On the dr
Damien Shaw I’m at my desk, working through a contract revision when Kia steps into my office. I don’t look up immediately, still focused on the document in front of me. “Sir, someone’s here to see you,” she says. I finally glance up, rubbing the bridge of my nose. The first thought that comes to mind is the damn principal. I hope he hasn’t shown up here to grovel in person. I already made it clear—either they fix their behavior toward Lily, or I pull every last cent I’ve donated to that school. I don’t need another pointless apology. But when the door opens wider, it’s not the principal. It’s Sheila. I frown, leaning back in my chair as I take her in. She looks… fine. Not sick. But Imogene told me Sheila was unwell and wouldn’t be coming in for a few days. So what the hell is she doing here? “Sheila,” I say, watching her carefully. “Mr. Shaw.” She nods in greeting. “What are you doing here?” My tone is sharp.She offers a small smile, shifting on her feet. “I was
Imogene ScottI take my time getting Lily ready for school the next morning. With Sheila still sick and not coming in, the task is entirely mine, and I don’t mind. I cherish these moments—though today, my mind feels sluggish. I’m bothered by Georgia’s bracelet I found yesterday and the strange sense of forgetfulness creeping into my life lately. Lily sits on the edge of my bed, swinging her little legs back and forth as I button up her white blouse. She tilts her head back to look up at me.“Mommy, what’s wrong?” she asks. I pause for a second, startled. “Nothing, baby.” I smooth down her collar, making sure it sits perfectly. “I just want to remind you that if anything happens at school, if you feel sick or if someone makes you uncomfortable, you have to tell me, okay?” Lily nods, her curls bouncing with the movement. “Yes, Mommy.” “That’s my good girl.” I kiss the top of her head and take her small hand in mine, as I lead her out of the house. The drive to school is fi
Imogene Scott Lily giggles as she picks at the last piece of her banana pancake. Her tiny fingers are sticky with syrup. I watch her as I rest my head against the back of the chair. But my mind is somewhere else. The bracelet. I close my eyes and tilt my head back, staring up at the ceiling as if the answer is hidden somewhere in the cracks. Did I put it there? Had I forgotten? That’s the only logical explanation. Lately, I’ve been forgetful—missing appointments, losing track of time, misplacing things. Maybe this is just another slip, another thing lost in the chaos of my mind. But it doesn’t feel right. I inhale deeply, my fingers curling into my lap. I need to see it again. “Lily, baby, I’ll be right back,” I say, pushing my chair back. She nods, too focused on her food to question me. I walk upstairs slowly, each step. When I reach my bedroom, I hesitate for a moment before stepping inside. The room is dim. I make my way to the dresser. The drawer creaks
Imogene Scott Lily swings her legs under the table, her tiny feet barely brushing the ground as she happily digs into her mint chocolate ice cream. A small smear of green is at the corner of her mouth. She hums quietly as she eats, completely lost in her own little world. I should be able to enjoy this moment. Watching her be this happy should bring me peace, but it doesn’t. My stomach twists as I stare at her even though my own ice cream is melting in the cup. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have let things get this far. I shouldn’t have let my past mistakes bleed into Lily’s life. She’s just a child, my child, and she deserves to grow up without the weight of my sins pressing down on her. She looks up suddenly, “Mommy, are you okay?” I force a smile, even though my face feels stiff. “Of course, baby.” Lily nods, satisfied with my answer, and goes back to her ice cream. “Very good, Mommy,” she says in her soft, sweet voice before taking another spoonful. I w
Imogene Scott I pull back from Damien’s embrace. He exhales heavily, brushing his fingers over my cheek before saying, "I need to get back to work. I’ll see you at home tonight."I frown. "You don’t think you should go home first? Shower, change?"He smirks, rubbing his jaw. "It’s already midday, I’ll do everything later tonight."I shake my head, wrapping my arms around him again despite the sweat and stress clinging to his skin. "I want to hug you all day even though you smell so bad.""No, I don’t," he scoffs, tightening his hold on me. "You’re just being mean."I smile against his chest, inhaling deeply before stepping back. "Where are you headed now?" he asks, brushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear."Lily’s school."His expression shifts. "Something wrong?"I open my mouth to say no—because I don’t want to worry him, because I know how he gets—but then I remember: no more secrets. That’s what we promised each other.I press my lips together and nod. "One of Lily’s clas