"Kendall, I'm sorry." I shake my head, closing Conner's diaper. "I just don't have time to be a maid of honor right now." I lay Conner on the floor with toys on his stomach and change Kaci.
"But I'm your best friend and I'm getting married." she says.
"Yes," I sigh. "I know, and I would love to be there, but I just don't have time."
She sighs. "Please?"
"Alyssa, you have family all over the place to help take care of the kids." Armstrong says.
I sigh. The doorbell rings. I shut Kaci's diaper and lay her next to her brother.
"I'll be right back."
Luke got hired as the new CEO of Apple and I got hired as the CEO of Disney. The twins are three months, I've lost the baby weight, and I'm just busy. Luke is at work.
I rush to the front door and open it.
It's my parents, Madison, and some kid.
I step aside and allow them into the house.
"Can you guys come back later? We need to speak with Alyssa."
Kendall and Armstrong nod and leave.
I pick up the kids and move them to their play pen, and then I turn to Mom.
"What's up?"
"Where's Luke?" Madison whispers.
"Work." I frown. "What's wrong?" my eyes flicker to the girl.
Mom sighs.
"We've been keeping a secret from you." Dad says.
I raise my eyebrows.
"Since the day you found us." Mom continues.
Everyone sits down.
I hesitate and sit down too.
"You want to tell her?" Dad asks.
"Not really." Mom mutters. "I will anyways." she sighs. "When Madison was born, we had to give her up just like we gave you up."
I sit back slowly.
"Okay." I whisper.
"And then I got pregnant a few years later...with Audrey."
I take a deep breath.
"And we have to give up her too, and then we got pregnant...again, this time, with Dakota."
"And you gave her up." I whisper.
"Yes. Audrey is fifteen. Dakota is eight...today."
I run my fingers through my hair.
"Why did you have to keep giving them up if the problem was solved?" I ask.
"Well, we thought it was, but every time we have kids, the problem comes back."
I take a deep breath.
"Dad, you were in the FBI."
"I know." he sighs. "We did what we could."
"Okay, so...where are Dakota and Audrey?"
"Well, Audrey is right here." Mom gesture to the stranger. She looks like a younger me.
I take a deep breath.
"We can't find Dakota."
"Where'd you find Audrey?"
"She found us. She still lives with her adopted parents, but she doesn't want to."
"We had to tell you." Dad says.
