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She planted a big kiss on his forehead and wiggled out of his arms before hurrying toward her toys.

“I don’t know if we are either,” I said and he slightly scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion.

“Nirah, this entire room is decorated for a little boy and the twins just said—“

“It’s called manifestation.” I interrupted him and he grinned.

“I don’t think it works like that when you’re already seven months pregnant.”

“Get out!” I pointed toward the door. “If you’re going to bring negative energy around the baby and I, you might as well leave.” I narrowed my eyes at him and he chuckled before grabbing my waist to softly kiss me.

“Ew.” The twins grimaced.

I looked down to see their arms full with their paint supplies.

“Ew?” Antonio quoted them. “How do you think you got here?” he asked and the shrugged.

“What are you doing?” Athena frowned at me.

“Mommy, you’re kissing a boy. That’s gross.” Arabella whispered to me.

“That’s good.” Antonio pointed a finger at her. “I want you to repeat that until you’re thirty.”

“I will Daddy.” She smiled up at him.

The twins found a spot across the room and Sally flashed in my mind. “Oh!” I swiveled around to face him. “How’d the call with Sally go?”

He chuckled, making me smile. “She got into a fight at school.”

My jaw dropped. “Is she okay?”

“She walked away unscathed, don’t worry,” he assured me and I exhaled slowly. “She got called into the principals office and after they explained to her that fighting was wrong, she said, and I quote ‘Take it up with my coach’ and didn’t utter a single word until they called me.”

My hand flew to my mouth. “Punishment?”

“A week’s suspension.”

A few months after our vacation in the Bahamas, Sally was adopted into a loving family. Antonio and I made it our mission to check in regularly, and even visit.

Thankfully she loved her new family, just as they loved her.

After giving birth to the twins, it became difficult to constantly keep in contact with her, and after Ilaria it got even worse. But, she was so happy that it didn’t matter. Because she understood.

I placed my hand on his bicep then froze.

“What is it?”

I swallowed. “If that’s the influence you had on a girl who wasn’t you biological child…” I trailed off, shifting my eyes to the girls and he burst out laughing. I swatted his arm. “It’s not funny!”

“Come here.” He pulled me closer, then lifted me bridal style.

“You’re carrying me downstairs and then you’re cooking me dinner. A massage or two wouldn’t be too bad either.”

“You’re really milking this pregnancy thing, aren’t you?” He grinned and I nodded.

“I popped out three of your demonic little children so yes,” I whispered so that they wouldn’t hear me. “Don’t even get me started if I pop out another little girl. It’ll be Armageddon,” I murmured against his lips and he chuckled.

“Me too! Me too!” The twins jumped up and down, putting their arms in the air.