Aurora's response was swift."She almost never argued. Only Grandma."
The grandmother. This wasn't the first time she'd been mentioned.
Before I could ask more, Aurora signed another sentence, one that shattered my heart.
"I miss Mommy."
I crouched down to her level, running a hand through her soft, light brown hair. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart," I said, my voice and hands working inunison. "I'm sure she misses you both terribly, too. How about we get you back to bed? It's very late." She didn't look thrilled. "I can stay with you until you fall asleep. How does that sound?"
A bright, hopeful smile spread across her face, and she nodded. She wanted that very much.
Chapter fourteen
LOGAN
Five days passed in a blur. I was so captivated by the new laboratory where I was continuing my research that I spent my entire days at the hospital.
I’d leave the Holloways’ house very early, before anyone else was awake. I confess, before slipping out of the room, my eyes would always drift involuntarily toward Evelyn. I wasn't made of stone, and I had to admit, infuriating as she was, she stirred something in me.
Afterwards, I’d pause at the girls’ bedroom door and watch them for a moment. God, when they were asleep, they seemed so much easier to handle. Sometimes I’d catch myself noticing how beautiful they were, wondering how I could have had a hand in creating two such perfect little creatures. I wished I could interact with them more when they were awake,but it felt like a task for which I was fundamentally unequipped.
So I’d leave without breakfast and stay at the hospital until nightfall, returning so late that everyone was already in bed.
The Holloways usually arrived at the hospital after me, and I’d make a point of stopping by their offices to say hello. It was the polite thing to do, considering they were housing me.
Then, I’d bury myself in the lab. As usual, I lost all track of time. I’d order lunch delivery around four in the afternoon, and before I knew it, it was past ten p.m.
But I still intended to stay longer. I took a break, grabbed a coffee from the machine, and sat at my desk to check my email, waiting for some reports and data the Los Angeles hospital still needed to send.
However, when I opened my inbox, it wasn't that email that grabbed my attention, but one from another lab entirely—the clinic where the girls and I had given samples for the DNA test.
The results were in, sent as I’d requested.
I hovered my mouse over the file, feeling an unexpected tremor of trepidation.
But why?
The truth was, even though I’d never been in love with Eleanor, I had liked her. As a companion, a sexual partner, but mostly, as a friend—or as close to one as I got from anyone outside my family. Because of that, I felt I had no reason to doubt her letter. Besides, Anna and Aurora looked so much like me. Ellie would have had to find some long-lost twin of mine to have daughters who were my mirror image.
The test was just a bureaucratic step to formalize paternity. I already knew the result would be positive.
Yet, with that confirmation just a click away, a torrent of questions flooded my mind. Among them, of course, was the possibility of a negative result.
And it was strange to realize I felt a genuine fear of that. If those girls weren’t my daughters…
“Could I get a fake exam saying they are?” I thought aloud. The moment the words left my mouth, I felt a flush of shame. “No, of course I wouldn’t do that,” I muttered to the empty room.
But… what if they weren’t mine? Would I have to find Ellie and return them to her, removing them from my life for good?
Just the thought sent a sharp, unbearable pang of anguish through my chest.
Of course they were my daughters. I would find Ellie, but I would remain a part of Aurora and Anna’s lives.
Iwouldremain? I wasn't being very present as it was. Not as much as I should be.
I grabbed my phone, suddenly needing to talk to someone.
I thought of my mother, but she’d probably have a mini-freakout and tell me to just open the file and face the situation.
