Abby sat in a chair at the dining table in Laura’s kitchen, a piece of bread in one hand, her rabbit doll seated next to her.
Abby looked like Sarah when she was younger.
They both had that doll-like appearance—smooth, pale skin and round brown eyes with thick lashes.
Laura was busy making soup while Alec sat across from Abby, holding a potato in one hand and a peeler in the other.
From the looks of it, Alec had done it before, which impressed Laura.
“You’re good with this, Alec.
Not a scrap wasted.”
She picked up a peel from the pile.
It was almost translucent against the light.
Alec gave her a wide smile.
“Mom doesn’t allow us to touch knives yet, but she taught us how to use a peeler properly.”
“Mom is amazing!” Abby added, “She could make noodles from scratch!”
Laura smiled and remained silent.
Sarah must have tried her best to provide for her children.
“Have you settled well into your new house?
It must have been hard for you to move into a new place.”
Sarah hadn’t told her everything, and Laura wanted to see just how much the twins knew about their situation.
Alec and Abby exchanged a glance.
Alec shrugged.
“It’s good.
Way better than the ones we used to live in.”
Laura’s heart dropped.
She had seen the room above the garment shop.
It was smaller than Sarah’s walk-in closet back at the De Luca mansion.
“Do you like it?”
Abby nodded.
“It’s good.
I can see the trains from the window.”
“And the floor doesn’t creak,” Alec added.
“The roof doesn’t leak when it rains.”
Laura’s eyes stung with tears.
Those words alone told her more than Sarah was willing to tell her.
“Three days on the ship.
That’s a long trip for little ones.”
“We’re not little!” Alec objected, but the slight pout on his face made him more adorable in Laura’s eyes.
“No,” Laura agreed.
“I suppose you’re not.”
She set a plate of sliced apples in front of them.
Abby picked up a piece and bit into it.
“Mom says you knew her when she was younger.
Do you know our dad too?”
Laura’s hand went still.
“Did your mom say anything about him?” she asked in return.
Alec sighed.
“She wouldn’t say a word when we tried to ask her.
She looked like she was in a lot of pain, so Abby and I didn’t ask about him again.”
Laura looked at the two children.
Alec had finished peeling the potatoes and went to the sink to wash his hands, while Abby remained at her seat, chewing on her apple.
Laura had to be careful.
She didn’t know how much Sarah had told them.
“No, I don’t,” she said after a moment of silence.
“Not really.”
“Are Mom’s mommy and daddy not around anymore?” Abby asked.
“There was an accident…” Laura hesitated.
“They didn’t survive.
Your mom has been alone since then.”
“No wonder mommy is always sad.” Abby lost her appetite and didn’t get any more apples from the plate.
“I won’t leave my mommy no matter what!” she said.
“Yes!” Alec agreed.
“Don’t let anyone speak badly of our mom!”
“Do people where you came from speak badly of her?” Laura couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes.” Abby frowned and pulled her rabbit doll against her chest.
“They looked at her face, then laughed at her.
They are so mean!
Other aunties also say bad things about her.
That our dad probably left her because of her face!”
“Why is Mom’s face burned anyway?” Alec asked.
From the moment he and Abby were born, they had never seen their mother without a scar on her face.
It was already there as far as he could remember.
“I think you should ask your mother about that instead,” Laura replied.
“It’s not my place to tell.”
Alec’s jaw hardened.
He looked older than six.
No—Laura thought.
Alec looked like Adrian Moretti when he made a face like that.
“Then, can you tell us if our mom is going blind?” he asked this time.
Laura was taken aback.
Sarah told her the diagnosis from the doctor and the enormous amount she needed to have the surgery.
“Mom thinks Abby and I don’t notice, but we saw how she moves,” Alec continued.
“She misses her step sometimes.
She also spilled her drink and pretended it was an accident.
She bumps into things that could easily be avoided.”
“Alec—”
“And Mom cries at night.
Ever since she went to see the doctor,” Abby said, her voice breaking.
“Aunt Laura, I don’t want Mom to go blind.
I don’t want her to stop seeing us.”
Laura set down the bowl and pulled Abby into her arms.
The girl was so small.
Abby’s body shook as she cried.
Alec didn’t cry.
He sat across from them with his hands in his lap, his face hard.
“I saw the paper, Aunt Laura.”
Laura looked at him.
“What paper?”
“Mom went to see the doctor last week, right?
She didn’t tell us.
But I found the pharmacy bag in her things.
There were pills and an eye drops.
I didn’t mean to pry, but I saw the request slip.”
Alec reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a creased paper.
He unfolded it and showed it to Laura.
Laura took it.
She read the numbers at the bottom of the page.
The tests Sarah needed to take and an estimated cost for the surgery.
The amount had too many zeros.
“That’s too expensive.” Laura set the paper on the table.
“I know how much it is, Aunt Laura.” Alec’s voice was tight and small.
“It’s bigger than thousands, right?”
Laura nodded.
Abby raised her tear-streaked face.
“Mom is going blind, but she doesn’t want us to know,” she said between her sobs.
“Aunt Laura, should Alec and I pretend we don’t notice?
Should we pretend everything is fine?”
Laura didn’t know what to tell the children.
She thought about having a serious talk with Sarah later.
The twins were too smart not to notice Sarah’s troubles.
“We’re going to help her get the money for the operation!” Alec proclaimed.
Abby looked at her twin brother.
“But how?”
“I don’t know yet,” Alec admitted.
He clenched his small fists.
Their mother had done everything for him and Abby.
She worked late into the night so she could provide for them.
She gave up everything for them.
Everything.
“Don’t do anything dangerous,” Laura reminded them at once.
“If something bad happens to both of you, do you realize what your mom would feel?”
Alec opened his mouth to object, but no words came out.
“You’re still young.
Let the adults deal with this problem.
The only thing you need to do is to be safe and healthy.
Can you do that for your mom?”
Alec and Abby looked at each other, then nodded.
What they didn’t say was that they would find a way to help their mother.
They would never let her skip meals again.