Authority ringing in his voice, Espinosa said, “Well, if they were in their own beds, in their own environment, I’d say three hours. Here, I’d say we’re going to be lucky if they sleep for ninety minutes. I have all the bottles lined up on the kitchen table, since that’s the warmest room in the house. We can fluff out the diapers now so they’ll be ready for the next change.”

“Yeah, why don’t you do that, Espinosa?” Harry said, lying down next to Jack.

“I’m calling Maggie to see what’s going on,” Ted said, walking to the front of the house. He took one look out the front window and raced back to the living room. “Hey, Jack, you better come see this. Our transportation is here!”

Harry started to swear in all his seven languages. Jack started to laugh and couldn’t stop. Espinosa continued to fluff open diapers. One by one the babies started to howl, until there was a crescendo of noise.

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Martine Connor swung her legs over the side of the bed, wondering what it was that had woken her. The silence that surrounded her told her there was nothing going on. Her throat was dry, and she needed a drink of water. She looked at the red numerals on her bedside clock, which glowed like beacons in the dark room: 4:10. She would have gotten up in another twenty minutes anyway.

Martine rummaged around on the bedcovers until she found her old robe, a chenille one that she’d had forever and a day. It was worn, frayed, an old friend she would never part with. It even had matching slippers, which were just as old and worn, and just as comfortable.

She brushed her teeth, then shuffled her way to the kitchen, where she made her own coffee. She’d always been an early morning, two-cups-of-coffee-and-one-cigarette kind of person. Just because she was the president of the United States didn’t mean she couldn’t remain that kind of person. It was this quiet time that she liked, “being alone with the universe time,” as she called it. While she sipped at her coffee, she reflected and made decisions.