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Not wanting to eavesdrop but eager to overhear what they were talking about, I “accidentally” dropped Wren’s bag near the pantry door and got on my knees.

“Yes, Meara.”

I leaned closer to the door but kept my gaze on the bag. Wren appeared and peered into her bag before sticking her hand in. Ivy skidded over the floor and asked what was in the bag.

“I see. That’s a little disappointing, but I’m sure we’ll manage.” Sinclair’s voice drifted out.

Huh? Was this to do with me?

“There must be something interesting in there.” Ivy crawled into the pantry and ignored my hissing at her to come back.

“Yes, well, put a hold on that for the moment. I need to consider our current needs.”

Leaving her bag where it was, Wren whispered, “Wait for me,” and wriggled through the open door.

“Yes, I’ll be in touch when I’ve made a decision. Bye.”

Poppy wrenched the door open, and she and her sisters and father stared at me on the floor.

“What are you doing?” Poppy folded her arms and tapped her foot. “We’re going to be late.”

“I dropped something.” Hauling myself to my feet, I overbalanced and toppled onto my boss’s chest. I inhaled his unique scent that I used to think was cologne.

“Don’t go.” Sinclair had his hands on my shoulders.

“What?” I had the school run to do, grocery shopping, and a pile of ironing. He and the girls needed me.

“I have to tell the girls something.”

Oh. For a second I thought he was asking me to stay for good. The disappointment when he didn’t, caught me off guard. Since when did I want to be asked?

My boss sat the girls down at the kitchen table. “Aiden wants to stay home with his new baby.”

I picked at a nail, thinking about the implications for me. My job wasn’t affected by Aiden’s decision, but the triplets stared at him without reacting.

“And he doesn’t want to work while the baby is so little.”

Again the girls weren’t picking up on his signal, but I nibbled at the nail and ripped part of it off. I’d always known someone else would step in when I left. A stranger would be learning to tell them apart and doing the school run instead of me. I thought of the triplets as mine, and I’d be gone.

“Aiden won’t be working here anymore. He’ll be caring for his baby.”

“Oh,” the three of them said in unison.

He said he’d understand if they were sad, but the girls shared a glance and said, “No.”

“Aiden was nice, but he didn’t love us like River does.” Ivy gripped my hand and grinned.

“And now River can stay with us.” Wren leaned against me.

Oh shit. The pair had made a leap beyond what their father had told them.

“Sweetheart.” Sinclair picked up Wren. “River is here for a short time, remember. Meara will arrange someone else to live with us.”

“We’ll miss you, River.” Poppy looked up at me.

“Hey. None of that. We’ve got weeks left.”

“You need to get upstairs.” Sinclair’s strained voice acted like a tear on my skin as though I was ripping off a bandaid.