Twins Under His Tree by Karen Rose Smith Read Free Book Online

Grace?”
    â€œSit down,” Lily said, motioning to the sofa. “I hate it when you loom. What’s under your arm?”
    â€œWe’ll get to that.” He considered her comment. “And I don’t loom.”
    â€œWhatever you say,” she said too quickly, with a little smile.
    Shaking his head, he set the box on the coffee table and lowered himself to the sofa. Not too close to her. Before he’d driven over here, he’d warned himself about that.
    â€œThe babies are so small,” she explained, worried. “I can touch them but I can’t hold them, and I’m dying to hold them.”
    â€œYou’ll soon be able to hold Sophie, if not Grace. How’s their weight?” he asked, digging for the bottom line like a doctor.
    â€œThey’re holding their own. My milk should be in soon and I’m going to pump it—” She stopped as her cheeks turned more pink.
    â€œDon’t be embarrassed. I’m a doctor, Lily. We talkabout this all the time with our patients.” Right now he had to think of her as a patient so other images didn’t trip over each other in his head.
    â€œI know. But it seems different with…us.”
    Yes, something did seem different. Her perception of him? His of her? The fact that they’d been friends and maybe now something more was going on?
    Nothing should be going on. It was way too soon for her. Maybe way too late for him.
    â€œCan you tell them apart?” he asked, knowing conversation about her little girls would be comforting for her.
    â€œOf course. Sophie’s nose is turned up a little bit more at the end than Grace’s. Grace’s chin is just a little daintier, a tad more refined. They both have Troy’s forehead and probably his eyes. It’s a little too soon to tell. Sophie’s a half inch longer than Grace, but Grace could catch up if she gains weight.”
    â€œShe’ll gain weight. They both will.”
    â€œGrace is still on the ventilator.” Lily’s voice trembled a bit.
    Needing to fortify her with the truth, he asked, “What does Francesca say?”
    â€œFrancesca insists they’re doing as well as can be expected and I have to give them time. I just feel like I should be doing something. Do you know what I mean?”
    â€œOh, yeah. Sitting still isn’t easy for either one of us.” He patted the box. “That’s why I brought this along. Doing is always better than worrying.”
    â€œA gift?” Lily tore the wrapping paper off and read the information on the outside of the box. “Oh, Mitch, this is one of those new baby monitors.”
    â€œIt is. The screen is small, but there’s a portable handset you can carry with you to another room. So I’m also going to hook up a larger monitor you won’t need binoculars to see. It’s in my car.”
    â€œI can’t let you—”
    He shook his finger at her. “Don’t even say it. You’re going to be running yourself ragged when those babies come home. Having cameras in their cribs and a monitor down here so you can see them will help save a little bit of your energy.”
    â€œIt will save a lot of my energy. Thank you.”
    Her blue eyes seemed to try to look inside him, into his heart…into his soul. That unsettled him. His soul was tormented at times by everything that had happened in Iraq. He hadn’t been able to save his friend, and that, along with the PTSD symptoms, clawed at his heart. He quickly replied, “You’re welcome. Why don’t I get this hooked up? That way it will be ready whenever you bring the babies home.”
    â€œThe cribs were delivered this morning. Gina supervised so I didn’t have to run up and down the steps. But I don’t know if she put the bedding on.”
    â€œDon’t worry about it. I can position the cameras with the bedding on or off.”
    â€œDo you need my help? I