“Do you ever think about having kids?” Sean casually asked.
Nicole stiffened and stood up warily. “I can’t have kids,” she blurted, a blush quickly going up her neck. Sean froze suddenly, and Nicole’s heart dropped. Her stomach roiled and a sour taste filled her mouth.
“Okay. That’s good to know—" He started to say and static filled Nicole's ears. She could not do this. She turned to leave the rail car when Zaina burst in the door.
“Nic, Devin needs our help now!”
“I gotta go,” she said to Sean, and ran out the door after Zaina, grateful she had the excuse to walk away from Sean. Devastated by the sudden thought that they weren’t going to be able to make it, Nicole felt tears begin to well behind her eyes. Once again, her broken body was coming between her and happiness. Zania grabbed her hand and pulled her along. “What’s going on?” Nicole asked.
Zaina picked up her long, flowy skirt so that she was able to walk quickly toward the brewery without tripping. Nicole double-stepped to keep pace with Zaina. “Devin arranged for her babysitter to help watch the boys at the fest, but she canceled, so Devin came by herself with the twins today.”
“Oh no, she didn’t.”
“Yep, she didn’t want to miss the fest, her being the mayor and all. She wanted to make an appearance and it’s not like you can come to the First Annual Family Fest and not bring your kids, right?”
“True, but these are the twins.”
“Also, true.”
“Anyway, while Devin was schmoozing some constituents and taking some credit for how well the fest was going, the twins took off and went into the brewery.”
“And what’s the big deal?”
“They went into the brewery part of the brewery!”
“Oh!” The lightbulb went off in Nicole’s head. The twins were not in the bar part of the brewery. Somehow, they’d managed to get into the back where the beer was brewed. “This is bad. Good Lord, how did that happen?”
“It’s the twins. The question should almost be 'How could it not happen!'”
Zaina led Nicole around to a plain metal door around the back of the building. She knocked twice and Devin opened the door.
“Thank God you’re here, Nic,” Devin said, throwing her arms around Nicole.
“Where’s Jasper?” Nicole asked.
“We aren’t sure. I’m hoping the three of us can get the twins out of here without anyone having to call the fire department.”
"Are they okay?" Nicole said loudly.
Devin crossed her arms. “They are perfectly fine. They are just refusing to get out of there and I can’t pull them out.” She pointed.
Nicole’s mouth dropped open. The boys were on the other side of the large metal grate that separated the fermenters from the rest of the brewery floor. The grate was about five feet high and had slats that were about five inches apart. “How did this happen?”
“I suppose the same way they got out of their cribs and made it out to the garage when they were two. Give them five minutes unsupervised and they will amaze you.”
“You really need a nanny, Dev,” said Zaina.
“You don’t say, Captain Obvious.”
“Sorry, I know, I’m not helping, but I did run and get Nicole.”
“True and I’m not sure exactly how I can help…” Nicole pondered.
“Nicole, you’ve worked at a school for fifteen years, you know how to speak these kids’ language,” Devin said.
“You know I just work in the office; I’m not a teacher or a social worker.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Nic. You’re better with kids than I am,” Devin proclaimed.
