I glanced at the watch on my wrist before looking up and noticing Patience cover her mouth as she yawned.

“Boys still keeping you up at night?” I questioned.

She smiled. “They’re doing better,” she responded. In addition to seven-year-old twins, Aaron and Patience had a set of nearly one-year old twins. “I’ll be right back,” Patience stated, before standing and exiting.

I lifted an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. Instead, I went over and worked with Destiny as she decided on what type of financial literacy courses she wanted to conduct in the five to ten hours she’d spend at the center throughout the week.

But I wasn’t oblivious when I saw Michelle get up and follow Patience out toward the restroom. I smiled to myself.

Chapter Five

Michelle

I headed to the space where the soda and snack machine had been set up already. Thankfully, the soda machine did have ginger ale as an option, but the snack machine didn’t have the saltine crackers I was hoping for, so I got the next best thing.

After grabbing the snacks, I exited the cafeteria area and headed farther down the hall toward the restroom. Just as I pushed the door of the multi-stall bathroom open, a toilet flushed and Patience exited one of the stalls wiping her mouth. She paused when she saw me enter.

I held out the contents in my hand.

“Animal crackers?” Grinning, she took the soda and crackers from me.

“The snack machine didn’t have saltines. We should work on that.”

She nodded. “I’ll make a note of it.”

I watched as she opened the can of ginger ale, taking a sip. “I would ask if it’s that obvious, but …” She held up the snacks I’d given her.

I giggled. “You two don’t quit, do you?”

It was meant to be a joke but Patience’s smile dimmed, becoming replaced by a forlorn expression.

“Hey, what’s that about?” I questioned, moving closer.

She shook her head, her long sisterlocks falling over her shoulders, semi-covering her face. Pushing her hair back, she lifted her head.

“Aaron’s going to be pissed.” She sighed, placing the hand that held the unopened animal crackers to her belly.

I frowned. “Why would he—” I stopped myself, remembering. “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh.” Shaking her head, she moved to the counter that held a row of white sinks. She placed the soda and crackers on the counter. “After what happened when Andreas and Thiers were born, he was adamant about not having anymore children. At least, not me birthing anymore.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, feeling sorry for Patience.

“I almost died after having my babies.”

I nodded, remembering that awful day, hours after she’d given birth. We’d received the call from Deborah after a distraught Aaron had called them, explaining what was happening. The entire family rushed back to the hospital. Thankfully, by then the excessive bleeding Patience had experienced was under control.

“But you didn’t,” I reminded her.

“Thank God.”