It took significantly more effort to keep the misaligned hoop in synchronization with the better-weighted one, but these were far from the worst hoops Désirée had ever been forced to trundle. She had been her brothers’ official toy-tester since their very first day at the smithy.
“The fence!” Annie yelled in delight. “You were first!”
Désirée’s stick and the hoops flew in opposite directions as the children tackled her about the waist, jumping and embracing her as if they had won the Crown Jewels.
She hugged them back instinctively. Désirée had known the twins all their lives, but after spending entire days of nonstop time with them, she could not deny the truth: she’d fallen in love with these ten-year-old terrors. Walking away was going to be one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do.
Jack rescued the fallen hoops. “Let’s try one more time. Best two out of three.”
“You’re right,” Annie giggled. “That would only take one more time.”
Jack scooped his daughter off of Désirée and tossed her over his shoulder, where he attacked her with tickles. “You dare wager against your own father? Do you, ungrateful little scamp? Do you?”
Frederick and Désirée fell in beside them, each carrying an iron hoop.
“Can you teach me that trick?” Frederick begged. “I’ll beateveryone.”
“As soon as you memorize your multiplication tables,” she promised.
“Aww,” Frederick groaned, but his eyes were shining, no doubt already plotting his victory dance.
When they reached the house, Jack deposited Annie at the breakfast table.
“Start without me.” He gestured at his wrinkled sleeves. “I have to rescue my coat before the goldfinches turn it into a nest.”
Annie and Frederick piled plumb cakes and sausage onto their plates and wolfed down half before Annie looked up and sent Désirée a wounded expression. “Do wehaveto have a different governess?”
Désirée’s heart gave a twinge. “I am afraid so.”
“I don’t want a replacement.” Frederick scowled at her.
“No one could take your place.” Annie crossed her arms. “No one else can be you.”
“That is not how it is. Watch this.” Désirée reached across the table and pulled their breakfast plates out of reach.
“Bad form,” Frederick protested. “I was eating that sausage!”
“You already ate one,” she reminded him. “Where is it now?”
He narrowed his eyes. “In my stomach.”
Désirée turned to Annie. “And yours?”
“In my stomach.” She patted her belly to illustrate. “But there’s another on my plate.”
“You want to eat another sausage?”
Both twins nodded warily.
“Here.” Désirée speared a fresh sausage with each child’s fork and handed it back.
The meat disappeared in a blink.
“Where’s the second sausage?” she asked Frederick.
His brow furrowed. “In my stomach.”
“And the other sausage?” she asked Annie.
“Also in my stomach.”
“So, the second sausage didn’t ‘replace’ the first sausage?”
The twins shook their heads. “They’re still in our bellies.”
“That’s right.” Désirée circled around the table to crouch between them. “Now imagine people instead of pork, and your heart instead of your belly. You can fit as many people inside here—” She touched Frederick’s chest. “—as you are brave enough to let in. Even if it means a new governess.”
Annie’s lip wobbled.
Desiree cupped her cheek. “Loving someone in the future doesn’t mean you loved someone in the past any less. It means you were lucky enough to have had two fine sausages in your life instead of just one.”
