Nathan chattered happily about his day as Keeley drove Violet to her ballet lesson. Violet, having decided at age eleven to become a professional ballerina, now took several lessons a week. She practiced for about an hour and a half every weekday, using pointe shoes three days a week. She never complained about the time commitment; completing her homework quickly usually left her with some free time in the evenings.

She grabbed her ballet bag from the trunk with a huff and said goodbye to everyone except Kaleb, who received no farewell. He was unhappy about this.

"Geez, all I did was tease her. Why does she have to be so sensitive?" he complained.

"She's a girl," Oliver replied, as if stating the obvious. "Girls are sensitive."

Keeley raised an eyebrow, curious how her nine-year-old son had reached that conclusion. Wasn't he a little young to be grappling with "girl problems"?

"You know Vi hasn't always gotten along well with her classmates," she said wisely. "It was probably a sore subject. Be more tactful next time, okay, Kal?"

"Alright," he muttered, still clearly upset.

Despite his teasing, Kaleb adored his sister more than anyone. As the only girl among three brothers, Violet was universally cherished in the Hale household. She might have been closest to Kaleb, being his twin, but her younger brothers loved her just as much.

When they arrived home, Keeley gave them an hour break before homework. Oliver and Nathan rushed off to play their favorite video game, while Kaleb absentmindedly waved a feather toy for their cats to chase.

Sassy and Smoky, siblings from the same shelter litter, were Kaleb's namesakes. Smoky was entirely gray, while Sassy was white with gray patches. Kaleb had named them; Violet couldn't think of names, and Oliver was too young to speak at the time.

It was obvious Kaleb was still upset about his sister's reaction. He shouldn't have teased her if he didn't want her to be angry.

Kaleb finally looked up. "You never told us about your day, Mom."

She smiled. None of her other children had asked. He could be so sweet.

"I had a great day. I got approved for human trials, and more people than expected signed up. Your dad is taking us to dinner to celebrate."

This cheered him up. "Where?"

"That Japanese steakhouse we like. Your grandpa is coming too."

Some of his worry lifted. "Awesome! Way to go, Mom."

Keeley ruffled his hair. "Thanks. I'm pretty excited."

"Because of Uncle Kaleb?"

"That's right."

Kaleb knew quite a bit about his namesake. He'd seen pictures and videos, noting their striking resemblance until his uncle's death. He knew they both loved baseball, but Uncle Kaleb hadn't played much due to illness and frequent hospital stays during baseball season.

He'd learned that his mother's career dedication stemmed from her brother's illness and death after that AWIS interview was published. Reading about her grief and their closeness had made him cry, and he'd also worried about losing Violet.

"Do you think he would have looked like me now if he'd lived?" Kaleb asked hesitantly, seemingly afraid of hurting his mother's feelings.

She smiled and nodded. "Probably. You're both good-looking guys."

Relieved and encouraged, he said, "Well, a lot of girls at school seem to like me."

Keeley almost laughed. For a moment, he sounded like Aaron in high school—a style completely unlike Kaleb's own; Kaleb wasn't cocky like his father.

"That's no surprise. You're cute, funny, and fun to be around. Everyone should like you."

He blushed. "You're just saying that because you're my mom."

"Nah, I'd say it even if I weren't," she promised. "You're a good kid, Kal."

This completely cheered him up. He abandoned the cats and asked for help with flashcards. Soon, the other boys joined them with their (much easier) elementary school assignments. Kaleb was a little jealous.

Keeley worked with her sons until it was time to pick up Violet. Kaleb offered to watch the younger boys, which she appreciated. She kissed his cheek goodbye.

Immediately, the other two demanded kisses. Perhaps she'd spoiled them with love. But how could she not? She was so grateful to have them.

Fifteen years had passed since she discovered she was pregnant with twins. Her gratitude for this second chance at motherhood never faded. Four beautiful children—more than she'd ever hoped for.

Aaron felt the same. Each child was a blessing, and he was one too. In her first life, she never would have believed he could be such a wonderful father. Keeley had the family she'd always dreamed of, and wouldn't trade them for anything, even during teenage moodiness.

The extraneous text at the end of the original was removed as it appeared to be an advertisement.