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“Mom, I messed up. I was working as a nanny for Brent Sanderson, but things changed and I – we – fell in love or I thought we did. Now, I’m pregnant.”
Her mom’s eyes went wide but stayed concerned. “How far along are you?”
“Getting close to five months and with twins. I’m going to keep them, but Brent and I fought before I could even tell him. I can’t… Mom, I just can’t be with him.”
“But he doesn’t even know about the twins yet? Are you sure he wouldn’t be a good father? From what I remember of him with that little girl, Cara, he’s very sweet. He seemed to be so invested as a dad.”
“Mom, it’s too complicated. He wants to get us back on track, but there’s too much going on. I just need a place to crash and rest. Is that okay?”
Her mom hugged her again. “You can stay as long as you want. But just think about talking to Brent and at least letting him make the choice about the children. You have a tendency to cut and run so hard.” She stroked a strand of Jessica’s dark hair behind her ear. “Just don’t let that hurt you again. Don’t let that hurt my grandchildren, all right?”
Jessica sniffled. “Man, that was easier than I thought somehow. I figured you’d lecture me.”
Her mom laughed. “Oh, I will. But you’re too upset to let it all sink in yet. Once you get your plans set and feel better, believe me, I intend to talk your ear off about responsibility.”
Jessica bit back the petty response she would have indulged in a few short years ago. Her mom had been irresponsible about a lot of things, but so had she. Maybe they could build things back again, make it better than they’d been. Hell, maybe they could learn to be responsible together.
She sure hoped so.
***
The bed had been so comfortable that it hadn’t taken long for Jessica to lay back and relax. One moment, she’d been staring up at the ceiling waiting for a visit from the sandman. The next, she’d found herself back at Brent’s estate. No, correction to that. She was at Donald Sanderson’s home. Before her in the living room, Cara – looking taller and leaner – was playing on the carpet with two toddlers. Two little boys with unruly dark curls and eyes an icy blue.
Confused, Jessica rushed into the living room and looked at Cara. “I… We’re in San Francisco. I… The twins haven’t even been born yet.”
“What are you talking about, Jess? Kyle and Will have been here for a long time!”
“No, that’s not it at all. I… We can’t be here. Your grandfather could be home at any moment.”
“I’m here now,” Donald Sanderson said, striding into the room with all the confidence of the captain of industry he was. “It’s time for lessons.”
“Okay, color me completely confused,” Jessica said, her head spinning. “This isn’t real. I mean, this can’t be happening.”
Donald sat on the sofa and pulled out a few manila envelopes from his briefcase. “Today, I was going to teach the children how to ruin a career. Won’t that be helpful.”
Jessica rushed to the two little boys and gathered them up in her arms. “You can’t. They’re my kids.”
“They’re Sandersons, and Sandersons are taught how to win at all costs. It’s what I expect of Cara, and it’s what the next heads of my company will be experts in.”
“Brent and I…”
Donald shook his head. “You know that’s not how it works. Brent does everything I tell him. He might put up a good front of being opposed to me, hating me as much as you do, but he still lives here, doesn’t he? He lets Cara see me all the time, right? Then he has to be like me deep down, doesn’t he?”
She pulled her sons tighter to her. “You can’t do this to my children. I won’t let you. I definitely won’t let you ruin them.”
“I’m not,” Donald said, setting the folders on his lap and stroking his beard. “I’m making them better, making them like me. Now…” He opened the top sheaf of information. “… let’s talk about one Allen Billings, let’s figure out how best to bankrupt him. Shall we children?”
Cara grinned and laughed. “Good idea!”
Her sons broke away from her and sat on either side of Donald, giggling and cuddling up with Grandpa. One of them hugged him tight and said, “Can we do other things, too?”
Donald nodded. “I like how you think, Kyle. We can always get a bit more creative with the physical side of threatening, can’t we?”
Then, Donald turned to Jessica, and his smile stretched and grew, distorted his face till it was impossibly wide. Extra teeth seemed to grow from nowhere, and it was like looking at the great snapping jaws of a great white. Jessica screamed and screamed.
