All from Vanessa.
My chest tightens.What the hell? Why would she text me this much? Did Gino not tell her I was being held captive?
Then I see the message from this morning.
Vanessa
Good morning, baby. Julian, Victoria, and I miss you so much. They still haven’t settled into a good sleeping schedule yet, but I’m trying. I can’t wait to see you—and for you to see the kids. I love you so much. Come home soon.
What.
The.
Fuck.
Kids?
Two photos are attached.
Two tiny babies lying in cribs. Light brown hair. Soft cheeks. Perfect little faces. One wrapped in a pale purple onesie, the other in soft yellow.
Before I can even think, I’m already on my feet, clutching my phone and running out the door toward my house.
THIRTY-ONE
VANESSA
I slowly pry open my eyes. The crying through the baby monitor has been going off for the last few minutes. Looking at the alarm clock, it’s almost seven in the morning. Pulling myself out of bed, I put on my robe and walk out of the room to the nursery next door. It’s been almost a year since Mateo left on a plane to Italy, and I haven’t heard from him since. No one has. Every morning I wake up hoping that one day he’ll walk through the door, but I’m starting to falter.
Walking into the nursery, there they are—my pride and joy and possibly the last living memory of Mateo. Victoria Mattea and Julian Matthew. The names Mateo had been set on, and their middle names are different versions of his. When they were born, I didn’t know, and still don’t know, if I’ll see their father again, so I named them after him. Every time I look at them, I’m flooded with memories from the last year.
I left my job at the hospital after Alonso and Lauren convinced me it was the best decision. I didn’t know what else to do. I wanted to be home as much as possible, just in caseMateo walked through that door. Lauren, Tanner, and I still talk. When I told them Mateo had gone missing, they completely understood why I needed to be home. Lauren came up with the idea of texting Mateo updates, just in case he ever turned on his phone. But after over five hundred messages, none have been read.
The twins were born almost a month early, and I needed an emergency C-section. They had to stay in the NICU for a few days because they were so small, but luckily they were able to come home after eight days in the hospital. Juliet comes over every day to help me, and Alonso has become one of my closest friends. Gino basically assigned him to live with me.
But over the last year, I’ve been kept in the dark. They won’t tell me anything beyond the fact that Mateo is alive—which I’ve had many words with my brother about.
A week ago, Gino sent Alonso on a trip, and of course he wouldn’t tell me where. So now I’m worried about not just my husband, but one of my best friends being gone too. Luckily Alonso has been texting me, but he still won’t say where he is. I understand that they don’t want to scare me, but I’ve told them I can handle it. No matter what I say, I think they’re scared of my reaction once I finally find out.
Working on autopilot, I get them both dressed and ready for the day. Victoria in a light purple onesie and Julian in a light yellow one. Like I do every morning, I send a text to Mateo with pictures of the kids.
Me
Good morning, baby. Julian, Victoria, and I miss you so much. They still haven’t settled into a good sleeping schedule yet, but I’m trying. I can’t wait to see you—and for you to see the kids. I love you so much. Come home soon.
I stare at the phone for a solid minute, hoping it will flip to read. It doesn’t.
Julian starts crying, pulling me out of my trance.
“Hi, sweet boy,” I say, and he smiles up at me from the changing table.
I scoop them both up and head downstairs. After settling them into their high chairs in the kitchen, I get their formula ready. While it warms, I start making myself breakfast and coffee.
I feed them each their bottles and quickly eat my bagel. When I glance at the clock, I realize it’s almost eight. Juliet will probably be here in half an hour, so I should get dressed.
I carry the twins back upstairs, one on each hip, and walk into the master bedroom. I lay them on the bed and quickly pull on leggings and a blue T-shirt.
At my jewelry box, I reach for the one piece I wear besides my wedding and engagement rings. It’s a necklace—a ring-holder necklace. Mateo gave it to me shortly after we got married so I could keep my rings around my neck while working instead of wearing them under gloves.
