Page 59 of In the Air Tonight

I sputter with laughter. “Are you having a seizure or something?”

“Haha, nope. That’s you when Dad comes home.”

I bop her playfully on the head, retrieve the twins from their high chairs and step outside the front door just as the bus lumbers down the street. Another close call. Somehow I manage to juggle the twins and blow kisses to Charlotte and Levi and get myself back into the house without disaster.

I put the babies down on their mat in the playroom and run into the kitchen to grab my coffee without taking my eyes off them. They’re quick these days.

When I return to the playroom, Hayes has Hudson’s foot in his mouth.

I don’t stop that until Hudson starts to protest and then I separate them. But like the proverbial magnet and steel, they’re right back on top of each other a minute later. They hate being separated for any reason.

I’ve just put them down for their morning nap when the doorbell rings.

It’s probably my neighbor wanting me to try her latest confection. She’s working on getting a home baking business off the ground, and I’ve been assisting with social media.

I swing the door open, but it’s not Gretchen.

The sight of Houston Rafferty brings back a thousand painful memories in one big rush of emotions from a time I’d much rather forget. What the hell is he doing here? “Houston?”

“Hey, Neisy.” And that name… I haven’t gone by that since the summer from hell.

“Wh-what’re you doing here?”

“Could I come in for a minute?”

I realize I’ve been frozen in place since I realized who was at my door. “Of course.” I unlock the storm door and open it for him.

As my old friend steps into my house, I’m screaming on the inside. Houston was always so good to me, but he’s a reminder of a time I’ve worked so hard to leave in the past.

“Beautiful home.”

“It’s a mess. Four kids.” I shrug. “I gave up years ago.”

“I was happy to hear you and Kane were still together.”

“H-how did you find me?”

“I saw Ronnie.”

My mom’s cousin, who owns the restaurant where I worked with Houston. I haven’t seen Ronnie in years, not since…

I cross my arms, wishing that could protect me from the onslaught Houston’s unannounced arrival has unleashed.

“Could we sit?”

If he hadn’t been the one person from that time who was good to me, I would’ve said no, we can’t. I would’ve asked him to leave. But because it’s him asking, I sit on the loveseat while he takes the sofa in the one room that’s not been completely overtaken by kids.

“Why are you here?”

“I have some news about your case.”

Those words make me go cold all over with dread. “My case? There is no case. It was dismissed for a lack of evidence.”

“A witness has come forward.”

It takes what seems like a full minute for his words to register. “A witness.”

“Yes.”

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