Page 42 of Gideon

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. I don’t want you or Haley anywhere near the mob.”

“How’s Kat and the babies?” she asked, changing the subject.

Before I could answer, Haley lit up. “The babies! Mama, can we go see them? Please?”

“I’d love to see them, too,” Laney said, standing and glancing back at me. “Well, are you coming?”

I hesitated. “Shouldn’t we call first?”

“No,” Laney said, smiling. “They might say it’s not a good time, so we’ll just show up. Is her mom still there?”

“I’m not sure,” I replied.

As we approached the house, we heard the unmistakable cry of a newborn. “Oh, listen to that!” Laney said, her face lighting up. “I love that sound.”

“You, sweetheart, are crazier than I thought,” I teased as we knocked on the door.

“Come in!” River’s voice shouted over the noise.

We walked into chaos. Kat and the babies were crying, and River looked like he was barely holding them together. Laney didn’t hesitate—she walked straight to Kat and hugged her.

“I don’t know what to do,” Kat said, her voice trembling. “My mom got sick and had to leave. I thought for sure I could take care of everything. I think they’re hungry, but how do I know if they’re getting milk? I can’t see through my boobs. They won’t stop crying. What did I do wrong?”

“You haven’t done anything wrong,” I reassured her. “Gideon, take River and Haley to the kitchen and make some chamomile tea. I’ll help Kat with the babies.”

I kissed each baby and handed one to Kat, adjusting her arm to hold the little one properly. Then, I gently lifted her breast and showed her how to check that the milk was flowing. Afterward, I took the other baby and positioned them to nurse. Within five minutes, both babies were sucking happily.

“If you get anxious, your body tenses up, and the babies pick up on it,” I explained. “Stay calm, and your milk will flow. If I were you, I’d feed them at different times. Wake the hungrier one first, feed that one, and then switch to the other. It’ll be much easier that way. If you wait for them to wake up, they will both be screaming.”

“How do you know so much about twin babies?” Kat asked, looking surprised.

“When I was in college, my neighbor had twins. I spent a lot of time at her house, helping her with the babies. She was so anxious they’d cry constantly. But when I held them, I stayed calm, and they didn’t cry.”

“Did she breastfeed them?” Kat asked.

“No, she decided not to. I thought that was sad, but it was her choice as their mom.”

“Where was their father?”

“He left her when she told him she was having twins. I felt bad for her, so I helped as much as I could.”

“How long did you help her?”

“Three days a week, I was out fishing, so I wasn’t always available. Her parents lived out of state, so she didn’t have much support. I worried about the babies because she became very depressed, and I started noticing bruises on them.”

Kat gasped. “Oh no. What did you do?”

“I called her parents and told them she needed help. I also told them I thought the babies were in danger. They showed up the next day and took her home with them. About a month later, her mom called me to say Emily had checked into a hospital. She thanked me for calling.”

Kat looked down at her babies, her expression softening. “Look at these little angels. Thank you, Laney. I didn’t even ask you about your family.”

“I love them,” I said with a smile. “They’re so loving and fun. Who would’ve thought I had such a big family?”

River knocked on the door and poked his head in. “Thank you, Laney,” he said earnestly.

“You’re welcome,” I replied. “If you need me, call me. I’ll be at Gideon’s.”

When I came around the corner, Gideon greeted me with a smile. “Here I am, sweetheart. Ready to go home?”

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