Footprints in the snow

Chapter 1

I was in a daze. I lay back on the grass with my hands behind my head, soaking up the last bit of sunlight before the snow storm hit. We were supposed to get almost 2 feet of snow, but as far as I could tell, there wouldn't be any snow for a few months. It was a warm 72 degrees outside and my children begged me to turn on the water sprinklers. Finally giving in to their matching puppy dog eyes, I went outside and fulfilled their wishes.

My eyes were beginning to close when the cries of my baby boy rang out. I scrambled to my feet and rushed over to where they were playing. My two year old daughter was attempting to tend to her twin brother's scraped knee.

"Mommy, Joshie has a boo-boo." She said without taking her eyes off of his knee. "I thinks he needs a Band-Aid."

For a two year old, she was quite the nurse. She enjoyed playing surgery games on my phone and told me that she wanted to be a nurse, like her daddy. Whenever anyone was hurt, she'd spring into action and assess their injuries. So far, everything needs a Band-Aid.

I thanked her, picked up my sobbing boy, and took him into the house with my little nurse following close behind. I sat Josh on the couch and told Julie to keep him company while I fetched the first-aid kit.

When I got back, they were both laughing. Josh was sucking on a lollipop and Julie was making silly faces at him. I concluded that Julie had given him a lollipop to make him stop crying and got bored and began playing with her face. I cleaned Josh's knee as he quietly finished his lollipop. When I finished, they both wanted to go back outside and play. I was about to object when I heard the front door open.

"I'm home!" The person called out.

My twins looked at each other. "Daddy's home!" They yelled in unison.

They both began running, but their father met them halfway there. He scooped them into his arms and gave them kisses on their cheeks.

I watched as Marco turn them upside down and gently place them on the floor. They immediately locked onto his calves. His deep laugh filled the room and I couldn't help but join in. Marco waddled over to me,  wrapped his arms around my waist, and kissed my nose.

I kissed his lips and detached Josh from his leg. He picked up Julie and held her close. I couldn't help but be jealous of their Father-Daughter relationship. I remember how excited Marco was when he found out I was pregnant with twins. I thought he was more excited about Josh until I saw the charges on our credit card for the sickening pink things from Babies "R" Us.

When Julie was born, Marco never wanted to put her down. She slept on his chest, he changed her diaper, and she was constantly wearing "Daddy's Little Girl" onesies. The only time that I could really hold her was when she had to be breastfed and even then, Marco would take her out of my hands so he could burp her.

I shook myself out of my memories and turned on Tellatubbies for my kids. After 2 years, I still have no idea why they enjoy it so much.

Marco set Josh and Julie up with apple juice and animal crackers while I started on dinner. So far, all Josh eats are boiled egg yolks and all Julie eats are boiled egg whites. Which means, I had to incorporate that into their dinner.

Yay.

As I began dinner, I started thinking about what the agenda for tomorrow was. Marco didn't work on weekends, so maybe we could all go to the park. After that, if the twins aren't too tired, we could go get frozen yogurt. I haven't had frozen yogurt since I was pregnant with Josh and Julie, so I'm looking forward to it.

I was thinking about the flavors and toppings of my froyo when Marco embraced me from behind, reached over my shoulder, and swiped one of the sliced green peppers I had on my cutting board.

"Hey!" I said, pushing him away. "I need those."

"I think I need them more." Marco said as he took another one. "I'm starving. The lunch you prepared wasn't very filling."

"You didn't eat it. You left it in the fridge."

Caught in his own lie, he took another sliced bell pepper and sulked out of the kitchen. I giggled to myself and finished cooking.

()()()()()()()()()()

For ten minutes, I watched as my toddlers picked at their food. For fifteen minutes, I watched as they gagged at the smell. For five, I watched as they shoveled it into their mouths. Marco and I had already finished eating by then. We were just sipping sparkling grape juice and watching the magic of two small children eating. But of course, dessert was next.

When they finally finished eating, we chased them around the house. Not because it was a game, but because it was bath time. I think bath time is the absolute worst part of my day. Every night it's the same thing.

"Mommy, I don't need a bath! I don't smell bad!" (Yes, you do).

"Bath time isn't fun, mommy! Why don't we use the sprinklers?" (Or the hose).

"How about you spray on that stuff you use when you and daddy go out?" (...No...).

After bath time, it's bed time. That's not too bad, I guess. Usually, they're too tired to argue about not being tired. Currently, we're reading "The CandyMakers". They both seem to enjoy the book, especially the detailed descriptions of the candy.

When they finally fell asleep, Marco and I tiptoed back to our bedroom. When we got back to our room, Marco grabbed my hips and kissed me.  Soon, we were undressed and between the sheets, rocking the bed against the wall. This didn't happen every night, but most nights.

()()()()()()()()()()

I woke up around 7am to the sound of snow gently hitting the window. I guess the weatherman wasn't wrong this time. I looked over and saw Marco sleeping against me, but the twins weren't in the bed. I shook him until his sleepy eyes finally opened.

"Marco, did you take Josh and Julie back to their beds?"

He groaned and shook his head. "I don't think they got into the bed last night."

That was odd. Usually, I wake to Julie and Josh spread across the bed, Marco on the floor, and me hanging off of the edge. I rose from the bed and threw on my robe and slippers. I trudged tiredly to the twins' room and opened the door. I found their beds neatly made their snow boots missing from the shoe racks.

I sighed impatiently. They were probably in the backyard, playing in the snow. I went downstairs and opened the screen door to the backyard and saw the even blanket of snow.

I felt my heart begin to race.

"Julie?! Josh?!" I yelled as I ran around the house like a mad man. "Marco!" I screamed. Marco almost tumbled down the stairs. He was still wearing his silk boxers. "What? What's wrong?"

I couldn't breathe. I was trying to tell him that they were gone but all that came out were sobs. "Twins, can't find them!". Marco understood me.

"Josh? Julie?" He yelled. "Come on, no hide and seek! Where are you?"

Silence.

My knees gave out and sunk to the floor. I couldn't see anything through the tears that were streaming down my face. Marco held me in his arms and I heard him talking to someone on the phone.

"Yes! They're missing! I don't know when they went missing, last night I think. Get here now!" He was yelling. Marco let out an angry noise and threw the phone across the floor.

"Julie! Daddy doesn't think this is funny anymore. Come out, come out wherever you are!" He said as he ran around the house. I was curled up in fetal position in a puddle of tears. This couldn't be happening. Not to me. It can't be happening.

I screamed a tear-filled scream and soon, Marco was by my side. I could tell he was crying too because his voice was breaking as he tried to soothe me. He held me tightly and kissed my hair.

"It's OK, It's OK..." He whispered softly.

And those were the last words I heard when my body slipped into a state of numbness and my brain seemed to turn off.

"It's OK...."