By the end of the workday, Keeley was exhausted. She had barely started anything, as she only worked part-time to keep her promise to pick up the children after school.

She was at the lab for only six hours instead of eight, like everyone else. This was probably another thing Kate would hold against her. Dealing with people who disliked her from the start was exhausting.

She tried to push these thoughts aside by the time she arrived at preschool. She needed to focus on her children and whatever they had to share about their first day.

When she reached the classroom door, Violet spotted her first and flew into her mother's arms. "Mommy, I missed you!"

Keeley held her daughter tightly. She had missed Violet too. Being apart from her children was harder than she expected. They had rarely been separated since the twins were born.

"I missed you too, baby. Did you have a good day? Where's your brother?"

"He's still playing with his new friend," she said sullenly.

"Kaleb, your mother is here!" the teacher called from the back of the room.

Kaleb was building a block tower with another boy. He hadn't noticed his mother arrive, but when he did, he ran to hug her, just like Violet, chattering excitedly.

"Mommy, we played blocks and learned a new song and got to ride bikes! I like preschool!"

"I don't like it. I want to stay with Mommy," Violet said mutinously.

"Well, Mommy's here now," Keeley said lightly, to diffuse the situation. "Come on, let's go home and make cookies."

Kaleb continued talking about his wonderful day on the ride home, while Violet sulked. Keeley hoped this difficulty with preschool wouldn't last. She knew many children struggled initially, being used to their mothers' constant presence.

At least Violet had Kaleb. However, her reaction today suggested jealousy that he had left her to play with other children. Keeley wished Violet would branch out and make friends. What would she do when she was too old for Keeley to arrange playdates?

Aaron thought Violet would become more like Keeley as she grew older, but she was definitely more like her father. She didn't relate well to others—apparently, that was genetic, not solely a product of his difficult childhood—and clung to the few people she liked.

Violet was quiet, intelligent, and contemplative. She could already read at age three and had started piano lessons after insisting she wanted to play like her father.

He didn't play often, but a few months earlier, the Hales had happened upon a piano in a furniture store and played a tune. Violet had been captivated.

She was a good child, but much shyer than Keeley had been at that age, so Keeley wasn't sure how to help her make friends. She, herself, had been more like Kaleb, making friends easily as a child.

Still feeling insecure from preschool, Violet insisted her mother carry her into the apartment building. She loved being held, but it was becoming harder for Keeley as she grew heavier. The elevator ride to the penthouse was long and arduous for her arms.

Once inside, Keeley set Violet down, and the little girl raced off to find the cats. Kaleb followed. They loved Molly and Dinah far more than the cats loved them. The cats remained wary after some accidental abuse when the twins were younger, even though the children had finally learned to be gentle.

Keeley and Aaron had told them countless times, but toddlers sometimes struggle to grasp such concepts. The poor cats were likely scarred for life.

While the children chased the cats, Keeley began preparing the cookie ingredients. As she mixed, she reflected on how much easier baking was with a KitchenAid mixer. It made things ten times faster.

Because Aaron was somewhat overprotective about Keeley overworking herself, they had an excessive number of fancy cooking gadgets designed to save time. The kitchen was large enough to accommodate them all, but sometimes she laughed at the sheer quantity.

She smiled, remembering her husband's thoughtfulness. She was a lucky woman.

But she dreaded telling Aaron about her workday when he inevitably asked. He would likely become upset and demand Kate's dismissal. You can't fire someone for disliking their boss, as long as the work is still being done.

Besides, it was only one day. Kate might change her mind once she got to know Keeley better. Keeley considered herself fairly likable.

"Violet, do you want to help me pour in the chocolate chips?" she called, once the dough was formed.

It was better to save the easier tasks for her, rather than letting her make a mess with the flour. Keeley had learned that lesson earlier in the year.

"Coming, Mommy!" Violet yelled back, slightly out of breath. "I wanna do it!"

Keeley handed her daughter the bag of chocolate chips. The recipe called for one cup, and the two-cup bag was half-used, so she let Violet pour the entire amount in. The little girl watched in awe as the KitchenAid mixed the chips into the dough.

Keeley also let Violet help with the cookie scoop. Her small hands weren't strong enough to grip it properly, so they did it together.

"I like cookies. I don't like preschool," she said sadly, clinging to her mother's leg. "I want Mommy all the time."

Keeley stroked her daughter's hair. "I know, sweetie. Mommy wants you all the time too. But I have to go to work so I can help people like Uncle Kaleb."

The children didn't know much about their uncle, only that he was very ill and died before they were born. Violet had cried when she first learned this, fearing Kaleb was also sick and dying. It took much reassurance to calm her down.

"Do you miss Uncle Kaleb?" Violet asked innocently.

"All the time," Keeley said wistfully. "He was my best friend, just like Kaleb is yours."

As her son grew, he looked and acted even more like her brother. Sometimes the memories were overwhelming.

"I thought Daddy was your best friend."

Keeley chuckled. "He is. But I didn't meet Daddy until after Uncle Kaleb died."

"Oh." Violet immediately changed the subject. "Can I have four cookies?"

Ah, this kid! She loved her mother's baked goods almost as much as her father did. "Let's start with one."