Briony thought it was too much trouble. "No need to bother the driver—I can handle drop-offs and pick-ups myself."

"Oh, all right. I'll let the driver know then."

She ended the call, tucked her phone away, and headed back inside.

It was Saturday.

The twins didn't have preschool today. The moment they saw each other, they huddled together, giggling and playing, thick as thieves.

Watching her son and daughter get along so well, Briony felt a rare sense of peace settle over her heart.

Little Mario had become so much more outgoing lately, chattier too.

Especially this time-after two weeks apart, he seemed to have put on a little weight.

That evening, while bathing the kids, Briony noticed the change most clearly.

He really had filled out. Where once his ribs had been painfully obvious, now his round little belly was starting to catch up to Little Nina's.

Stewart and Lorna had truly been taking good care of him.

Briony watched her son and daughter splashing and shrieking with laughter in the

tub, and her feelings were unexpectedly complicated.

kids had drifted off, Briony quietly slipped out of

went next door

who managed all of little

have changed so much in such a short time, it couldn't be

arts, and

Most families

she'd jump rope with Mario at

long

the worry that still

unkind to the young master,” Carol admitted. "So when she started taking him out, I'd

always

scared Ms.

one was around. I even asked Mario what

did he

Ms. Riley was cool-she chased away the

Briony blinked.

Chased away bad guys?

bad guys?"

he couldn't really

pressed her lips

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