Aria sank onto the edge of her couch, her laptop closed beside her, her hands still trembling from the email she had just opened.
The soft afternoon light filtered through the blinds, casting stripes of gold across the apartment. The babies lay sleeping in their cribs, the quiet only broken by the occasional sigh or tiny fluttering hand.
She held her phone, thumb hovering over Mia’s contact. She hadn’t called yet — hadn’t told anyone. But now… she had to. She needed someone to share this moment, someone who would cheer, laugh, and maybe even cry with her.
She pressed the dial, heart hammering.
“Hello?” Mia’s voice came through, bright and unsuspecting.
“Mia… you won’t believe this,” Aria said, trying to keep her voice steady but failing spectacularly.
There was a pause on the other
