The Next Morning....
"Good morning, Mom!"
The twins greeted me brightly before showering me with kisses. I immediately pulled them into my arms, hugging them tightly.
They seemed extra cheerful today, and for a moment, their warmth eased the heaviness that had been sitting on my chest since last night.
After visiting Cairo at the hospital, Bern and I had a long talk about what we should do next.
Out of fear that Cairo might recognize me, I had to force Bern to cover up my lie—for now. He hated the idea and we argued. But in the end, he agreed. Maybe because he saw I had already made a promise to Cairo.
And now, I'm bound by that promise. I have to see him every day, after I drop the twins off at their school.
Why did I choose this path, of all things? Why pretend, when there are a hundred other ways I could have approached him? I don't know.
Maybe because the guilt still weighs too heavily inside me. Maybe because I still believe I don't deserve to call myself his mother.
