The retching happens again, this time accompanied by a distinct cry at the end—a whimper following the sickening gagging. A child’s cry. It’s not Mikey this time. It’s one of the twins.
I skulk out of bed and glide my feet into my slippers, tug a sweatshirt over my head, and emerge into the hallway to see who is up sick. A strip of light stretches the length of the bathroom door and I can hear voices on the inside, Brittany and Valerie, though I don’t know which belongs to which girl. I don’t even know how to tell them apart when I’m staring them straight in the face. Distinguishing their voices behind a block of wood is like playing “Guess what’s behind door number two.” I definitely won’t win at that game.
That’s when I hear a third voice, and there’s no question at all as to whom it belongs.
“It’s okay,” I hear him whisper, followed by a soothing, shushing sound that causes a calm to wash over me. “You’re going to be fine.”
I tiptoe toward the bathroom and rap lightly on the molding encasing the door with my knuckle.
“Hey,” I whisper, my hand on the brushed silver handle. “Is everything okay?” I slowly press the door open and glimpse Ran, Valerie, and Brittany huddled on the tile floor, Brittany hugging the toilet, sitting in Ran’s lap, and Valerie slunk down on the floor next to them, her sleepy head resting on his broad shoulder.
“Yeah,” Ran says quietly, his eyes flickering over to the twin wrapped around the toilet bowl. “Brittany just has a little tummy ache.” He runs his palm over her tumbling golden curls. Her bloodshot eyes glance up at me.
“Mommy always says not to wake her up,” Valerie informs as I crouch down to their level. “Brittany gets upset tummies a lot, so I help her instead.”
Ran gives me a troubled look over the top of Valerie’s head and I exchange the same heartbroken expression. “I heard them in here about a half hour ago,” he explains.
As if on cue, poor Brittany lurches forward again, her tiny arms trembling as she dry heaves into the bowl. Tears stream down her chubby cheeks and Ran reacts instantly, wrapping his hands around the collection of hair at the nape of her neck, securing them in his strong hand as a ponytail. Her small frame and his formidable one are the exact opposite of one another, and the tenderness he shows as he sweeps her face with the soft back of his hand does something to me that I didn’t expect. The blur collecting at the edges of my eyes makes it feel as though the entire bathroom is submerged in water and I’m sinking into it. I gasp for air because he keeps stealing it from me.
“Shhh,” he soothes, running a wet washcloth across her forehead. “It’s okay.”
I slide my back down the wall and seat myself right next to Valerie. She angles her face toward mine, and for the first time I notice that she has a smattering of tiny freckles peppering her upturned nose. I don’t think Brittany has those. I’ll have to remember that.
“Mommy says her juice makes her sleepy.” Valerie shimmies her weight toward me and presses her face to my shoulder. I panic, not having any clue as to how I am supposed to respond. Nurturing is not something in my nature. “She says never to wake her.”
I’m sure she does. I’m sure Mommy’s “juice” makes waking her an impossible task.
“You done for now?” Ran asks as Brittany swivels around to him, planting her cheek against his chest, her eyes barely open. She gives him a heavy-eyed, lethargic nod. “Here. Just rest, okay? I’ll be right here if you get sick again.” Brittany curls further into Ran, tucking her legs up under her to fit in the hollow of his cross-legged lap, and she brings her hands up to her face between her cheek and his chest like she’s praying. “You’re going to be fine,” he murmurs against the crown of her blonde hair.
I gaze down at Valerie and she’s completely out, drool pooling at the corner of her mouth, catching on the fabric of my sweatshirt. She’s not at all a peaceful looking sleeper, and I realize that might be a trait we have in common as I remember my drool-filled nap session in the truck on the way up to the cabin.
“Sorry we woke you,” Ran whispers, his hand still sliding through Brittany’s