“It’s actually a dock of three, all of which are controlled by the state-of-the-art monitoring system I had installed,” Joanna said as she picked up two hand-held units sitting on the table by the door. “No matter where we are in the house, with these, you not only can see the babies, but you can also hear them. So, if they so much as pass gas, we’ll know it.”

“I’m not sure I’m going to like that,” Addison said, arching an eyebrow as she studied the monitor in her hand.

Joanna’s dimples quickly appeared. “There’s also an app. It’s already on my phone and Evelyn’s, and I can put it on yours if you’d like. That way, no matter where we are, we can always look into this room, which means we can even go out to dinner and still keep an eye on them. Well, as long as we have a nanny, that is.”

“I thought you didn’t want one of those. Nannies, I mean.”

“That was before I had twins.”

“Are two that much harder than one?”

Joanna cocked back her head. “Um...how about you ask me that again in a couple of hours.”

***

After dinner was over, Joanna was not surprised in the least when Fran and Evelyn both offered to spend the night. She knew they had also noticed Addison’s reluctance earlier in the nursery when it came to tending to the babies, but Joanna also knew the best way to learn how to swim...was to be thrown into the deep end.

Hugs and well wishes were exchanged at the front door, and waves were given as the two women drove away, and no sooner had Joanna closed the door when the sound of their children’s cries came over the hand-held monitors.

“Looks like that’s our cue,” Joanna said, heading to the stairs. “Time to be mums.”

Addison scrubbed her hand over her face. Taking a deep breath, she followed Joanna up the steps, and into a room filled with the sound of hungry babies.

“Christ, what’s wrong with them?” Addison said, rushing over to the cribs.

Joanna suppressed a giggle as she opened the tiny fridge and placed a bottle in a warmer. “They’re hungry and probably wet, but the wet can wait,” she said as she went over and lifted Sheridan from the cot. “And since I haven’t yet mastered the art of feeding two at once, you get her, and I’ll get him.”

“Oh, no, I—” Addison’s words were cut off when Joanna placed the wailing infant against her chest.

“Just cradle her in your arms and keep her head supported. It’s easy.”

Addison stared at Sheridan as if she had come from another planet. “But...but she’s crying.”