thirty-nine.

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After those three days it was hard to say goodbye to a place so peaceful. Val and I left feeling much closer and stronger to one another as mothers and as lovers. We talked a lot about our fears and worries. Tears were shed both glad and sad, but we found comfort in each other that we felt the same. I called Estelle's son and placed the key under the mat along with a note on the counter that if they should ever find themselves in Massachusetts, they could expect the same hospitality. I loaded our bags into the car and began to drive home. Val held onto my hand the entire time.

"I think Chris and Zane should go up there some time too," she said. "It was so good for us, I can imagine what it would do for them..."

"That's not a bad idea. They could use the getaway too. I just hope they don't break the bed frame..." I laughed. I pulled into the driveway, seeing a large amount of magic radiating around the house – different from the spells normally placed on the house. "What are they doing in there?" I asked under my breath. We grabbed our bags, heading inside. The twins immediately greeted us, not letting us past the door way. They asked all about our trip and the third time they asked me to describe the moon at night, we figured they were hiding something. Val knelt down to their height and took their hands in hers.

"Ava Elizabeth, Noah Christopher. What are you two hiding?" The two of them blushed as Odie came rushing down the stairs.

"Moms! How was your trip?" Val stood up, looking at him curiously.

"Our trip was fine. Odell Alexander, what's going on here?" I heard his heart skip a beat as he took a breath to try and make up some lie.

"Uh –"

"Chris? Zane? Are you two upstairs?" I called out. I heard Chris' woosh, as he appeared at the top of the steps. He was hiding something behind his back.

"...Hey..." he said, awkwardly smiling. Zane appeared behind him. His hair was disheveled. He cleared his throat and whispered in his ear.

"We're not ready yet..." Zane said.

"Not ready for what?" I asked. "Vampire hearing remember?"

"Shit..." he said quietly. "We were trying to surprise you..."

"Surprise us with what?" Val asked. Chris and Zane smiled and motioned for us to come upstairs. I could see Chris had a paintbrush in his hand and when we got closer, I could see they both had paint in their hair. Val and I looked at each other, confused. I looked down the hall as we reached the landing and noticed there was an extra door on the left hand side of the hall.

"...You didn't," I said softly.

"Not entirely. We thought you two were gonna be home later tonight," Chris said.

"So it's not really ready yet... But I guess the secret's out," Zane said. He grabbed the doorknob on the extra door and opened it. I could smell the fresh paint and as I walked towards the door, I felt tears form in my eyes. Val gasped next to me, covering her mouth as she began to cry too.

"So..." Odie said, coming up behind us. "Do you guys like it?" I took a deep breath, drying the tears off my cheek. I could finally see what they were up to. The magic was coming off the extra room in the house. The walls were painted a light grey; one wall was painted a soft yellow. The trimming around the window and baseboards was white. The crib and matching dresser were sitting in the middle of the room, completely built, and covered in a clear plastic tarp. There was a grey rug rolled up in the corner of the room, leaning against a white rocking chair.

The Delacours: Part DeuxWhere stories live. Discover now