Chapter 81

Ten days later, my twins and I were ready for discharge. Aurora was growing slowly but steadily. Gabriel, however, refused to leave, or even give me space. When I didn't indulge his whims, he paid triple for a room next to mine and, I'm certain, fabricated a fake illness for himself.

I argued with him constantly, even about inconsequential decisions, simply to spite him. Perhaps I was angry, hurt, or maybe it was just postpartum hormones making me volatile.

Sam hadn't visited, despite my asking Alice to inform him he could. I wanted to talk to him, demand answers, and understand if our long friendship had truly cost my children their father because of his feelings for me. Perhaps his absence was for the best.

While I fed the twins, Gabriel paid the entire hospital bill. At the counter, the clerk simply smiled and said, "Oh dear, your husband paid an hour ago."

Of course he did.

I gritted my teeth, remaining silent. Gabriel responded with a wide smile.

Back at my grandfather's house, Gabriel frowned at the single cot in the hand-painted nursery.

"One?" he asked, displeasure evident in his voice.

"Gabriel," I replied patiently, "one cot seemed appropriate. They're still very young." (Sam had bought a second cot, but I canceled the order after he offered to be the babies' father. The money was refundable, and it felt wrong to accept it from him.)

"This is a cot. Why not a cradle?"

I stifled a groan. "Gabriel! Can we talk outside?"

He nodded. I looked at Luna, who understood my request to watch the twins.

I gulped, stepping outside, followed by Gabriel. I crossed my arms. "You need to go home."

"And leave you and my children here? Nonsense."

"Gabriel," I inhaled deeply, "there isn't enough space for all of us, especially with your men following us since the hospital."

"Which is why you should come home with me. We have space; we can raise them peacefully."

"There is no 'we,' and even if there were, I don't want to go to your house. It's too large and impersonal, unsuitable for four people—it feels designed for a million staff," I told him, likely for the fifteenth time in ten days. "I'll raise them here, and I'm capable of doing so alone. You're welcome to be part of their lives, to visit whenever you want. We can work out a custody arrangement later."

He stiffened but said, "I can visit anytime, you said?"

"Yes," I agreed, eyeing him suspiciously. Was he really agreeing so easily?

"In that case," he grinned, "I'd like to visit now. And for your information, I plan to stay for the foreseeable future."

I gritted my teeth. "Gabriel, you look adorable when you're mad. But you're insane if you think I'm letting you leave. If you throw me out, I'll break in. You'd have to have me arrested for trespassing, and even then, I can't guarantee I won't bribe the police and be back within the hour."

I sucked in a deep, frustrated breath. "Where were you when I needed you? Now you're here, now that I've finally learned to live alone?"

"Learned to live alone?" His eyes darkened.

I pursed my lips. I should have simply said yes, hurt him back, but I couldn't. He was still the only man who made me feel a million firecrackers were exploding inside me when he was near.

"Where will you even stay?" I asked, deflecting.

"I won't be in your way. I'll take the living room couch, if that's okay."

My chest ached, the hollowness returning, but I said nothing. I left.

Time lost all meaning after I came home. Having one baby is hard; two are harder. When one cried, the other slept; when one slept, the other cried. I was constantly up, covered in milk, vomit, and pee.

Every day and night felt the same, yet different.

I only slept when they were both fed and awake, and Gabriel took one while Luna took the other. They entertained the twins for a few hours while I napped until one cried again. I wasn't using formula yet.

It wasn't all chaotic. There were good moments, like tonight. Despite both babies sleeping, I couldn't. Anxious about being away from them, I sat in their nursery, watching them.

Entering, I saw Gabriel asleep on the couch. He barely fit, his feet dangling, and he seemed uncomfortable, constantly shifting. Luna had repeatedly offered to trade places with him, but I'd refused. I wanted to see how long his stubbornness would last.

Apparently, he had no plans to budge.

His determination thawed my cold heart that night. I placed a light duvet over him before returning to the nursery, but that must have woken him, because minutes later, he entered.

"Can I join you?" he whispered. For some reason, I didn't want to say no. I nodded and scooted over, despite plenty of space on either side.

Gabriel sat quietly to my right, legs outstretched, mine hugged to my chest.

"Can you believe they're ours?" he murmured, more to himself than me, but it brought a smile to my lips.

"No," I replied in a happy daze. "They're growing so fast, right?"

"So fast," he agreed. "I swear Aurora smiled at me the other day."

"Before we know it, they'll be crawling."

"I take pictures of them every day. I'll make a huge album to embarrass them in front of their friends when they're adults."

I giggled. "Such a doting dad. Who knew?"

"Who knew?" he repeated dreamily.

A comfortable silence settled, one I had no intention of breaking until he spoke.

"It was a recording," he said quietly, and I turned to him.

"Sorry?"

"Lily called me the morning you arrived. I barely remember the conversation, only that I told her to move on and that it was goodbye," he added, my heart sinking at the mention of that day. "That call was recorded. She only played those three words."

"How? What?"

He looked at me. "You really thought I'd let it go? Someone took you from me… Of course I was going to find out the truth."

"Did she confess?" I asked.

He nodded. "I sent Lou—the investigator I hired to find you—and she confessed. She'll pay, Freckles."

"I don't want her to," I said quietly, suddenly aware of how close our faces were. As much as it hurt, as much as I wanted proof, after having these babies, everything seemed insignificant compared to how my life had changed. "Is this the girl Sam saw you with? He said she looked like me."

"Oddly, she did. And yes, Sam saw her the day I hired her," he said. "You talked to him?"

"Yes, when I first returned, I ran into him. He went cot shopping with me."

"It should have been me," he said, masking the hurt in his voice. "I would have bought two cots. Maybe the entire store."

"He actually did buy the other cot," I told him.

"Where is it then?"

"I canceled it," I whispered, swallowing. "After he offered to step up and…"

"And?" Gabriel's tone shifted from soft and affectionate to firm and angry.

"Be my partner and the babies' dad."

I looked away, unable to watch his expression shift from hurt to anger.

"What did you say?"

"I said no, of course," I replied hastily, offended he even asked.

"You waited for me?" he asked, and I knew the answer would lead me down a path I wasn't ready for yet.

I stared at my ex-husband and offered a small smile. "I'll clear out my grandfather's room tomorrow and prepare it for you. Goodnight, Gabriel."

"Goodnight, baby."

END