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This is what trauma looks like. This is how it manifests in a child.
I felt her pain in my soul and fought my own tears.
“No worries, Neri,” my dad said. “My treat.”
She nodded and sniffled. “I think Seff and Decker are done fighting.”
“Dear gods, I hope so,” my mom whispered.
Nereida sighed. “Jack and Vera, did they love us?”
“Yes.” More than they ever showed. Her parents had given up all rights to them before they were born. One day I would explain. “And I love you.” I swept the room with my hand. “Wealllove you and your sister, too.”
“I know.” She huffed out another sigh. “I’m gonna see if Seff’s okay.”
Then, she walked away.
I took the braid from Arteisma and nodded toward the bathroom. “Go on and finish up so we can hit the road.” She skipped off, and I rushed on in a panic, “Arteisma, if you want a haircut, please tell me before you take the scissors to your braid, okay?”
“Of course!” The smile she flashed me was goofy and sweet. “Besides, I like my long hair.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
“You’re going to need to keep an eye on Neri, honey,” Dad whispered. “She’s having a rough time.”
My mom laid her hand on my shoulder and said, “You know, there’s a good chance their family may come to claim them, right?”
“Yeah, but worrying about losing them will do no good. All we can do is wait and see.”
I crossed the room and peeked out the front door. Nereida and Seff were sitting next to each other on the wooden walkway, their legs dangling over the edge. Seff’s long arm draped around her tiny body, holding her to him as if she might slip off the edge and fall. They didn’t speak, only sat gazing out into the still-dark morning at the white landscape.
“He’s a good male,” my mom whispered beside me.
“Yes, he is,” I replied with a sigh.
“’Scuse me!” Arteisma pushed between us and out the door to join Seff and her sister.
“I made love with your dad the first night we met.”
“Mom!” I stared at her, wide-eyed in shock.
“He’s mysakana. Why would we wait?” She shrugged and smiled, then walked out the door. “Hey, you two, let’s let Seff get cleaned up and ready to go.”
Seff helped Nereida to her feet. He stood and watched my mom and the twins walk away.
My dad gave me a hug and whispered, “We’ll keep the girls with us tonight.”
A sudden panic rushed through me, making me stiffen in his arms. “Why?”
Were my parents trying to take the twins from me?
“You and that good male there need a night alone.”
A strange sort of fluttery excitement took over my body.
“But we just met.”
“The days ahead are never promised, sweetie. Your mother said that to me our first night together.” He pulled back and stepped outside to gaze toward the Alpha’s yurt. “We know that as a fact.” He looked back at me. “Enjoy every moment you can with that good male, sweetheart. Oh...” He held out a folded piece of paper. “And here’s the list of people we’ll need to contact. I copied their numbers on there, too. Usually, I’d radio them, but...”
