Monica's POV
The moment we returned home, exhaustion crashed over me like a wave. All I wanted was to hold my children close. Austin bounded over, chattering excitedly about how he'd helped with his baby siblings, assuring me they'd been fed and were sleeping peacefully.
Despite my bone-deep weariness, sleep eluded me. My head throbbed with a relentless ache, and though the babies slept soundly and Morris was wonderfully attentive—waking to help with feedings and diaper changes—my dreams were fractured and dark. An inexplicable dread clung to me like smoke.
Dawn found me wide awake, my skull pounding mercilessly. The previous day's chaos had clearly taken its toll. After checking on the children—all sleeping like angels, including Austin—I slipped downstairs to the kitchen for coffee before reaching for pain medication.
Kayla was already there, quietly preparing breakfast. We were sharing a companionable moment when a tremendous crash echoed from the living room.
