“Please,” Alvin says, guilt written all over his little face. “Please don’t be frightened – we didn’t want to tell you, because we knew you would be frightened.”“Really, mama,” Ian says, giving my hand a squeeze. “It’s okay.”I’m almost gasping now, I’m so freaked out, my head spinning to look all
“Yeah,” Ian says, a little rueful, still rubbing his injured backside. “We didn’t want you to freak out. Like you’re doing. Right now.”“That’s it.” I say, standing up sharply, somehow managing to balance my plate of food in my hand and not spill it all over the floor. “Family meeting. In the tent.
Alvin folds his hands in his lap, shrugging one shoulder. “Ever since we were very little –““Since we can remember, I guess,” Ian picks up, miming his brother’s action.“We’ve always been able to see the magic. To notice it, when others don’t,” Alvin finishes. Both boys look apologetically Victor a
“But now,” Alvin says, looking at us in disgust. “You guys are like, gross.”“What?” Victor says, baffled and frankly a little offended. “We’re gross?”“Yeah,” Ian says, looking between us with his nose wrinkled. “We didn’t want to tell you, because we didn’t want to hurt your feelings – and because
The next morning, Victor and I make short work of packing up the tent. We send the boys off with a little H20 test kit to see if they can find fresh water, and they come back with a couple of bottles full. We quickly set the water to boil over the rekindled fire and then re-bottle it, slipping it in
“That’s enough,” I say, looking confusedly between the two. They never fight. I then lean down to pry Ian’s hand away from his eye, inspecting the damage. No harm done, just irritation. “Alvin, apologize. Ian, accept it. Let’s all move on.”Honestly, I just don’t have the energy to deal with that to
“Are you serious, Evelyn?” he sputters, his eyes going wide. “After all of this? All that we’ve been through?”“What?” I snap in response, shaking my head so that my hair falls back over my shoulder. “Is it not a legitimate question?” “No, Evelyn!” He says, his voice raising in anger. “It’s absolut
My eyes fill with tears then, and I come up with nothing. He’s right, of course – we are beyond all of this – we’ve had these talks. And if we do die here – And god damnit, but I’m determined to live – but – If we do die. He’s right. I want to go with my arms around him, full of the knowledge that
“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
And between them, my three Alphas have kept me sane. Even though every other part of the end of this pregnancy has worked hard against that sanity. Very, very hard. Even though the TV is on, capturing both of our attention, Ian very suddenly turns his head towards my stomach, like a dog hearing a w
As it turns out…I cannot. I cannot spend 3 months in bed, waiting for my babies to be born. Two and a half months later, I’m basically climbing the walls, I’m going so crazy sitting here in this bedroom, waiting for my little girls to be born. I’ve done it this long, though. I’ve stayed in my bedr
“Why?” Victor asks, suddenly serious in the sea of merriment. “Evelyn, why aren’t you here? What’s wrong?” “Um…” she says, her eyes glancing away awkwardly. “Because…I went into early labor…and I’ve been put on bedrest…” The tablet cracks as it falls to the floor. Rafe gasps, reaching down for it