“What am I supposed to do?”
She was silent for a moment.
“I could go backto work.”
“But?”
“Childcare for two babies.”
I looked at the cribs.
“Rent.”
“Food.”
“Transport.”
My voice broke.
“It won’t work.”
“Come here.”
I closed my eyes.
“Dana…”
“My spare room.”
“It’s tiny.”
“It has a door and a roof.”
I looked at Ava sleeping.
Mia made a tiny sound in the other crib.
“I don’t know if we’d fit.”
“We’d make it work.”
I wanted to say yes.
But fear won.
Not fear of Ryan.
Fear of failing the babies.
My maternity leave was unpaid.
My job was technicallystill waiting.
But Ryan’s salary covered almost everything.
Maybe I could wait until he sailed again.
Go back to work.
Save money.
Plan properly.
Then leave.
That night, I found Ryan standing in the nursery holding Ava.
Her tiny fingers wrapped around his thumb.
