Eyes narrowed, Hill’s jaw dropped but not from the dizzying effects of the color scheme. The alcove wall was filled with pictures as was the wide cream shelf that curved along it. Hill had at first suspected they were more photos of his energetic escorts, but a closer look proved he couldn’t be further from the truth.
The cream frames carried snapshots of his family-his brothers, their wives, his parents, himself… he and Persephone when they were together, in love and still holding true to the belief that they had a chance. Boy were they idiots.
“Do you like it, Daddy?” Layah looked up at Hill and smiled.
Taking pity over what his height could do to one looking up from such a distinct disadvantage, Hill settled down to the floor. He rested back on one of the beanbags that hugged the wall.
“It’s great,” he made a conscious effort to soften his voice believing its depth might unnerve the tiny mirror images. He kept his movements to a minimum, not wanting to do a thing to frighten them. He couldn't believe they hadn’t already grown wary of his presence. He concentrated then on shedding more of his shock in order to talk to the girls. His girls. God, are they really mine?
It was impossible! No way was he, of all people, capable of producing anything so perfect.
“Could you tell me your names again? I um, I don’t want to say them wrong.” He watched them giggle and felt a smile tugging his mouth over the way they bumped against one another as amusement claimed them.
“I’m Leeya.”
“I’m Layah.”
Hill nodded. “Leeya and Layah.”
The girls gave their own approving nods. Hill believed he already had a fine idea who was the more dominant and outspoken of the two. Leeya gave her name with just the trace of challenge clinging to the introduction. In Layah, he sensed the hint of delicacy and an element that was more quietly assessing. As they stood there on either side of him, all he wanted was to touch them, to hold them, to feel their hearts beating against his. He didn’t think he had any heart left to lose. He couldn't have been more wrong.
“...Gram’Mani and Papa…”
Hill clued back in when he noticed Leeya pointing out his parents from the frame she’d taken off the low shelf. He nodded, feeling his heart constrict as he studied the picture. “Yeah...that’s my mom and dad.”
The girls giggled.
“You’re too big to have those!” Leeya declared.
“You’re never too big to have those,” Hill’s smile was soft, nostalgic as he studied the picture. How had Persephone done all this? He marveled, taking in the myriad of frames and memories. Memories he’d spent his life running from. He hadn't even thought of the pictures when he’d cleared out of the condo once she’d gone.
“Are they nice?” Layah was asking.
“Yeah, they-” Hill blinked, feeling the weird sensation behind his eyes. What the fuck? Tears? Impossible! He had never cried or felt the urge to cry a day in his life. He doubted he’d even cried when the doctor slapped his ass on his birthday. Regardless, there he was, feeling tears pressing for release.
“Yeah um, yes, they’re very nice.”
“Don’t cry, Daddy,” concerned, Leeya put the frame to the shelf.
“Are you sad?” Layah moved closer to his side.
Hill shifted his head once, indicating the negative. “I’m not sad. Not even a little bit. I’m very, very happy.” Happiest I’ve ever been in my life, he mentally tacked on the silent truth.
“I think only one thing could make me happier,” he chuckled softly when the girls began to bounce up and down in anticipation of whatever he was about to say.
“I could really use a hug.”
The twins didn’t hesitate, but flung themselves against Hill. Their little arms squeezed his neck as they held him in a dual embrace. Hill told himself to handle them like the treasures they were. His palms could span the entire widths of their backs with room left over.
The girls continued to giggle and squeeze,
though. Finally, Hill couldn't resist burrowing his face against
their necks and inhaling the baby scent that welcomed him.
CHAPTER NINE
Persephone approached her breakfast duties slowly in order to give Hill time alone with the girls. Her actions weren’t totally selfless however. She was quite eager to stave off the confrontation his expression promised would take place before the girls had hustled him out of the bedroom.
Over the years, she’d imagined the truth unfolding in hundreds of ways- hundreds of thousands of ways. She had never planned on this scenario. Kids...she gave a playfully begrudging smile. Kids didn’t give a damn about plans…
The morning had chugged along and she’d neither seen nor heard from her little family in quite some time. She exhaled in a rush. Family. God, could they be that finally? Would Hill want that? Would he want her still-after all this? The look in his eyes before he went off with the girls had told her not to count on it.
Reluctant as she was to find out what more that look promised, it was time to sound the breakfast bell. She headed for the corridor to the girls’ bedroom suite. Silently, she approached the double white oak doors when she arrived. Gently, she twisted the silver lever and leaned head first through the opening.
The area was silent, with no trace of the girls or Hill. She stepped into the room to perform a more thorough search and tamped down the delighted cry she almost gave at what she found in the alcove.
The girls had finally dropped off into the deep sleep their teacher had promised. The gaily colored carpeting provided the cushion for their bodies. Each had claimed one of Hill’s thighs as her designated pillow. The image portrayed was one Persephone wished she could add to the wall of pictures. Hill Tesano looking quite at home in the midst of a stereotypically feminine pink and purple explosion with two little girls asleep on his lap.
Persephone saw that Hill wasn’t asleep though. Far from it. His eyes were fixed on the girls as he gently toyed with their hair. Love and adoration streamed from the often elusive black depths as his gaze shifted from one child to the other and back again.
The emotion flooding his stare with the sweetest intensity, vanished when he noticed Persephone in the entryway. The mood change was seamless and beyond jolting when his entire focus shifted her way.
The weight of his stare was almost tangible and yet Persephone endured it. She stood firm and accepted all the look accused her of. Hill gave her the benefit of that cold glare but a second or three longer and then love and adoration were resuming their places when he looked back to the girls.
“Wanna help me get ‘em to bed?” He asked Persephone without looking her way.
Rushing over to comply, Persephone knelt close and took Leeya when Hill gave her over. She couldn’t help but notice and admire the gentleness with which he handled the child. For a man accustomed to handling things that were more fierce than fragile, he exerted the utmost care as though such things were an ingrained instinct. Persephone had every reason to believe that it was.
Whatever care or gentleness was ingrained, she had no doubt as to his feelings toward her in that moment. She could all but see the anger rolling off him in scalding waves. Soon, they were standing with the girls- Persephone holding Leeya, led the way to the two double beds atop a large white oak platform.
The parents worked in silence, getting the twins settled to their respective beds. They removed the girls’ sneakers and tucked them beneath the gray fleece blankets folded at the corners of each bed.
