Evelyn was there with the girls, all three of them on the bed watching TV. The twins were lying on their stomachs, side by side, chins propped on their hands, both laughing at a cartoon.
I stopped in the doorway for a moment, just watching them. I’d already noticed they were pretty children, but they were even more so like this—laughing and relaxed, without Anna’s usual scowl or Aurora’s look of constant fear.
I noticed they had changed clothes and had their hair done, both tied back in ponytails with clips that matched their outfits. Again, one was in pink and the other in blue. I found it helpful; it made telling them apart much easier.
Then my eyes shifted to Evelyn, who was sitting with her back against the headboard. She had changed, too. Instead of the pantsuit from earlier, she wore a dress more fitting for a dinner at an upscale restaurant.
Since I’d been in conferences all day and was already in a suit, I wouldn’t have time to change. Not that it mattered; I knew the Holloways would be coming straight from the event as well.
“Are we ready to go?” I said.
Evelyn nodded and slid off the bed. “Anna?” The girl in question turned her head. “Get your sister, it’s time to go.”
The smile on Anna’s face vanished. Aurora remained fixated on the cartoon.
“Can’t we stay and watch more?” Anna whined.
“No, Anna,” Evelyn replied patiently, slipping on her coat. “But I heard there will probably be cake for dessert. We can order chocolate and berry, your favorites. If they don’t have any, we’ll get more ice cream later. And if we get back early enough, you can come to my room and watch more cartoons.”
“Can we sleep there with you?” Anna asked.
“We’ll talk about that when we get back, okay? Now, get your sister. Coats on, it’s cold outside.”
With a resigned shrug, Anna did as she was told. She tapped Aurora’s shoulder. When her sister looked at her, Anna gave a simple nod, and Aurora understood it was time to leave. They both stood up.
I was slightly intrigued that Evelyn had asked Anna to get her sister’s attention instead of calling them both herself. But I was more intrigued by how well the twins seemed to be getting along with her. Anna hadn’t even called her silly, unlike her treatment of me.
Once the three of them had their coats on, we headed out to the hotel parking lot. A handful of persistent journalists were waiting, but it was easy to ignore them on the way to my car, letting them take their pictures as we went.
We drove to the restaurant where the Holloways were already waiting. They were a couple of doctors in their seventies who had been on the board of trustees for New York Center Hospital for nearly five decades.
“They’re just adorable,” Mrs. Holloway said, her eyes on the twins. “And you truly only just found out about them?”
“You can’t imagine my surprise,” I replied. And in that, I wasn’t lying at all.
She looked at Evelyn with deep understanding. “I can only imagine how difficult it must have been, raising two little girls all on your own…”
Evelyn offered a gentle smile and a simple nod.
Mrs. Holloway continued, “Dr. Turner mentioned you work as a translator.”
“Yes, that’s one of my jobs at the moment. And yes, it is very difficult raising children when the father isn’t around.”
That line was definitely not in the script.
I rushed to my own defense. “It’s not that I didn’twantto be there. I had no idea the children existed.”
“It’s true,” Evelyn confirmed, her tone softening as she looked at me with what seemed like genuine affection. “Because I had a selfish moment, thinking I could keep the girls all to myself. It was foolish, because Logan is a man who doesn’t understand the meaning of selfishness. He’s known his daughters for such a short time, and he’s already completely devoted to them.”
Why did I sense a hint of sarcasm in those words?
Mrs. Holloway reached out and took Evelyn’s hands in a gesture of deep sympathy. “Oh, my dear, you mustn’t be so hard on yourself. I’ve had three children, and I can tell you with certainty—pregnancy hormones can completely cloud your judgment. What matters is that you ultimately did the right thing by seeking out Logan and telling him the truth.”
Beside her, her husband nodded in agreement. “It’s never too late to correct a mistake. And it’s wonderful that you’re giving your relationship a second chance. It’s so important for children to grow up in a home with both parents.”
“Both?” Evelyn and I asked in unison.
Mr. Holloway took a sip of his wine before explaining. “The article we read implied you were reconciling. Isn’t that the case?”
