After that emotional whirlwind, we had pizza for dinner, and now Zayne was tucking the kids into bed and reading them a story.
The house was now much quieter than it was an hour ago. The kids had laughed through dinner, crumbs went flying everywhere, though Zayne hadn't minded. He cleaned up their mess like it was nothing.
I kept watching him, wondering when this strange new normal would stop feeling like a dream.
Emily had called earlier, said she'd be staying at a friend's house. But I had a feeling she was crashing at a nearby hotel instead. That was Emily—always knowing when to step back and give me space, even without saying it out loud. Some things between us didn't need words.
I stood quietly by the door, watching them from the hallway. The lights in the twins' room were dimmed, while the stickers on the walls and ceiling added an extra glow. Zayne sat cross-legged on the floor between their tiny beds with a book open in his lap.
"Once upon a time," he began, his voice soft and steady, "high above a quiet little town, there was a small cloud named Nib…"
Zia was curled into her blanket, her chin resting on her hands. Zeal was already halfway under the covers but kept peeking out like he didn't want to miss a single word.
"Nib didn't like moving like the other clouds. He wanted to stay in one place, right above the town he liked so much." Zayne waved his hands in the air for special effects.
"But why didn't he want to move?" Zeal asked, frowning.
Zayne smiled. "Because he liked watching the people below. The trees, the kids, the birds… Sometimes we like what feels familiar."
Zia tilted her head. "Did the other clouds bully him?"
That made me laugh quietly in the corner. Of course she'd pick up on that.
Zayne shook his head. "No bullying. Just teasing. The other clouds didn't understand him, that's all. But one day, the wind came really strong and tried to carry Nib away."
I watched as both twins leaned in, completely drawn into the story. Zayne continued, changing his tone lightly to fit the mood. "Nib got upset. He cried a little, and the raindrops fell gently on the little town. But the kids down below looked up and smiled. They danced in the rain and thanked the little cloud."
"Aww," Zia whispered.
"Then the wind told Nib that sometimes… we help more when we move. So Nib let go, and the wind carried him away. And he left behind a rainbow just for them." Zayne looked up, closing the book.
Zeal blinked slowly. "Is Nib happy now?"
Zayne nodded. "I think so. He found a new sky. And he helped people along the way."
The twins yawned in sync, their eyes heavy but they still focused on him like he was Nib from the story.
"Okay," I said softly, stepping into the room, "that's enough story time for one night."
They groaned but didn't protest too much as I tucked them in and kissed their foreheads. "Goodnight babies."
"Goodnight mommy. Goodnight daddy." They said through yawns.
I smiled. This is our life now. It's no longer goodnight mommy but goodnight daddy as well.
"Goodnight babies." Zayne gave them kisses as well and got up quietly.
As we left the room, I glanced back one more time. Zia was already asleep, clutching her bear tightly while Zeal was still whispering something to himself, probably about clouds.
"You're good at storytelling." I giggled as we closed the door behind us.
"I work with kids remember. " He raised his eyebrow lightly.
"Ahh. Right." I had forgotten that detail.
"What was it like?" Zayne suddenly asked.
"What was what like?"
"Raising the kids? The bedtime routine? Everything?"
I smiled faintly as the memories came crashing down on me. "It was wonderful. Hard? Yes. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. They make all the struggles worth it.
Though I have to admit I ran into several roads on the way. I was a new mother with two kids and it sometimes felt like I wasn't doing enough-"
"I'm sure you did amazing— you are doing amazing. The proofs right there in that room." He nudged his head in the direction of the twins' room.
"Thank you."
"Hmm," He nodded thoughtfully, "I on the other hand, well that's a different story. I don't think I'm good at this whole... parenting thing."
"It's just been a day. And I think you were pretty great."
"I never wanted kids." He confessed.
I straightened. This was... news. "But you work with kids?"
"Ironic isn't it?" He shrugged, "I love children. That's why I do what I do... I just never saw myself as a father. Didn't think I'd be good at it."
The look on his face led me to believe there was more to the story. A deeper reason why he never wanted kids. But it wasn't my place to ask.
"When I saw them, I was... shocked." He continued. "I didn't know what to think, what to say, how to react. Even now, it still feels like a dream. But I'm not going to walk away." He turned to me seriously, "I can't let you carry the responsibility for both our actions."
"You don't have to feel pressured to-"
"I don't feel pressured." He cut in gently. "I want to get to know them. Be in their lives. Everything. I want to make up for the time I lost and make new memories with them... Even I'm surprised by what I'm saying," He chuckled, a warm smile tugging at his lips. "But I guess they've already worked their magic on me."
That's all I needed to hear. He was putting in the effort and that was more than enough. "If it's any consolidation," I began, "You're doing a great job already. And, you're better than me at bedtime stories."
"That's two more points for me." He smiled.
"Let's make it four."