Picking up the twins from school was becoming routine for Arianne. Whenever she finished work, it didn’t matter whether she was at ho or at the office; she always made ti to do it. Being late wasn’t optional. Routine had quietly replaced reassurance.
Her driver pulled the car to a stop in their designated parking space at the school grounds. Arianne’s new female bodyguard, Mira, opened the door of the backseat for her.
"Madam—" Mira started, but seeing the pointed look Arianne gave her, she imdiately corrected herself.
Arianne didn’t want to be addressed as Mrs. Rochefort in public, and she made it clear on Mira’s first day at work.
"Miss, do I have to accompany you on your overseas trip next month?" she asked.
"No," Arianne replied once she stepped out of the car. "Your responsibility is to look after the twins while I’m not around."
Mira nodded and followed Arianne as they entered the school building. She kept her distance from her new boss and paid more attention to their surroundings instead.
Ms. Ruiz t them in the hallway. She had sent Arianne a ssage earlier for a short eting.
"I’m sorry for the short notice, Ms. Sumrs," Ms. Ruiz started as she opened her office, imdiately taking a folder from her desk. "These were the sa consent papers that I sent to Mr. Rochefort, but were never returned. Would it be possible if you sign these instead?"
"Of course," Arianne replied.
She accepted the folder and skimd through the papers. Accepting the pen the teacher offered her, she signed them without further questions. She noted, though, that the consents were dated over two months ago.
"Have you decided who would accompany the twins on the trip?" Ms. Ruiz asked.
Arianne paused. That was sothing she hadn’t discussed yet with Franz. She considered sending him a ssage, but stopped when she rembered seeing his schedule earlier.
With how busy his schedule was these days, it was rare for them to see him at ho.
The shared calendar reflected the change more clearly than any conversation. The evening blocks that had once been marked tentatively were now filled with rehearsals, press briefings, and travel windows that adjusted automatically as new confirmations arrived.
None of the entries required acknowledgnt from him. They simply locked into place.
"I’ll go," she answered, knowing it wouldn’t be possible for Franz to commit to the trip.
Ms. Ruiz clapped her hands together.
"Great," she exclaid. "I’m really glad the twins have soone like you to rely on. I’ve been seeing improvents in them these past few weeks, though they still keep their distance from the other kids."
Arianne crossed her arms.
"Have they said sothing at least?" she asked.
Ms. Ruiz shook her head and sighed.
"I wish they did, but no, Ms. Sumrs." She set aside the folder Arianne had returned to her and placed it in the drawer of her desk.
"They only speak when soone asks them a question. They won’t even ntion their parents anymore."
Arianne nodded. She noticed that too but never asked the twins about Alex and Layla. The twins rarely asked her about them anymore, as if speaking about their parents only reminded them of painful mories.
They no longer ntioned their parents, not even at ho.
"Is it possible for to observe how they do in class?" Arianne asked. "Of course, discreetly."
Ms. Ruiz nodded this ti.
"Of course, Ms. Sumrs. They’re still in the classroom as we speak."
She led them to the classroom where the twins were.
When they reached the classroom, Ms. Ruiz gestured for Arianne to take a look through the glass mirror.
The room was like any daycare Arianne had expected. The walls were painted with colorful miniature and cute animals. At the back of the room, different charts were posted—alphabet, numbers, typical weather, and the solar system.
Arianne looked for the twins among the children inside the room. She found them seated in the back corner, playing alone, not participating with the rest of the class.
Leo stacked colored building blocks, ignoring the noise around him, while Lily sat across from him, a book splayed on her lap. For others, it might seem like she was reading, but for Arianne, Lily was staring into nothing and using the book as a prop instead.
The twins behaved differently at ho. Lily always carried a big sister persona, appearing responsible to her younger twin brother, while Leo was reserved but wouldn’t shy away from asking Arianne and Franz to hold him.
"Have they always been like this?" Arianne asked the teacher.
"It was worse when they returned after the accident. They were inconsolable, especially Leo. We had to ask Mr. Rochefort to bring them ho and allow them to rest for another week. I’m actually surprised they ca back a week later," Ms. Ruiz admitted.
Arianne said nothing and continued observing the twins. Her attention shifted toward the activity table, where the class had begun forming smaller groups. Leo remained seated, arranging the blocks in front of him in one straight line before adjusting them again.
When another child approached to play, Leo instinctively pulled away, moving the blocks slightly closer to his side.
Across from him, Lily stayed where she was. Another girl ca up to her and said sothing. Lily smiled, but didn’t answer.
Ms. Ruiz excused herself and went back inside the classroom. Arianne stayed where she was.
Soone repeated the instructions. Chairs scraped softly. The children began clearing the tables, toys collected without much noise.
Leo paused when another child brushed past and sent the blocks sliding. He gathered them again, piece by piece, and put them back.
Nearby, Lily closed her book and set it down.
When the bell rang, the twins picked up their bags more slowly than the others. They joined the line near the exit once it had already ford.
They reached the corridor where Arianne and Mira were waiting. The twins’ faces instantly lit up as soon as they saw Arianne. They rushed to her side, beaming wide smiles.
Lily started sharing what they’d done earlier. It was as if they had put on a mask to hide what they truly felt inside.
Arianne inclined her head and listened to Lily. She held Leo’s hand as she guided them toward the main hallway.
Leo tightened his grip around her fingers, and she did not loosen her hold.
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