The bell that clanked against the door as she opened it seemed almost at a distance.Bree walked as straight as she could, trying not to stumble, toward the first booth she saw.
She almost cried in relief when she put the carriers down on the booth with a thump.Neither twin liked being set down so hard, and they began crying harder.
“Shh, it’s okay,” she whispered, the words sounding garbled to her own ears.
She half sat, half fell into the booth next to one of the babies.At this point she couldn’t even tell which one it was.
“Good thing one of you is a boy and one is a girl, or I would never know who was who,” she whispered.
They both just kept screaming.
For the life of her, Bree couldn’t remember how to get them to stop crying.She just wished everything would stop spinning before she got sick.
When an older lady wearing a bright yellow apron walked up to the table, Bree wondered if they were going to get kicked out.And what in the world she was going to do if they did.
“Can I help you, sweetie?”the woman said.
Bree just stared at the woman for a few moments.“I never planned on being a mother.This is too hard.I was the wrong choice.”
She was saying too much, maybe putting them all in danger.But the older woman just smiled and sat down across from Bree.“I think all mothers feel like that sometimes.How about if I help you?It looks like these little guys need to be fed.”
Bree tried to study the woman’s face, but it was going in and out of focus.“Yes, they need their bottle.I need to give them their bottle.”
“When was the last time you got a decent night’s sleep, honey?”
Hadn’t she just been asking herself that question?
“When I was ten.”Before she’d realized what the Organization really was capable of.
The older woman chuckled and patted Bree’s hand.She wasn’t used to touch, but this felt warm, comforting.“I’m sure it feels like it.I’m Cheryl Andrews.Me and my husband, Dan, own the Sunrise Diner.We raised three kids of our own, so if you don’t mind, I’d like to help you out and make a bottle for your little ones.Give you a chance to rest.”
Could she trust this woman?
Did she have a choice?
“Why don’t you just let me get the bottles ready for you.Is it okay if I go into the diaper bag?”
Bree just nodded, everything still fuzzy as she watched the woman walk.Bree was still staring at the doorway when the woman came back out a few moments later, an older man behind her.
She’d made the bottles.
“Thank you,” she whispered.She felt like crying she was so thankful for the kindness.
“This is my Dan.He and I are just going to feed your babies.Is that okay?You just sit there and rest, okay?”
“Okay.”She leaned her head against the back of the booth and watched as the older couple spoke soothingly to both children before putting the bottles up to their tiny faces.
Then there was blessed silence.
Then there was nothing at all.
THEFIRSTTHINGthat penetrated Bree’s consciousness as she awoke was the silence.Followed by liquid under her cheek.It took her a moment to realize she’d been sleeping with her arms folded on a table.
Where were Christian and Beth?
She jackknifed upright, looking around.The carriers were still in the booth, but neither baby was there.
Terror slammed into her like a sledgehammer.How long had she been asleep?How could she have let this happen?She bolted out of the booth, looking around frantically, then came to an abrupt halt.
