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I’d like that to be true, my mother
is . . .”
    “ Ne Ne,” Abi said. “There
was another child, a girl, born from a rape of the woman who claims
to be your mother, Tanesha’s gran. The child didn’t survive and it
broke the woman’s mind in two. Ne Ne was with child at the same
time. She chose to pass her child off as her friend’s child in an
effort to help her friend.”
    “ Why?” Yvonne
asked.
    “ Can you think of no
reason?” Abi asked.
    “ That woman hates me,”
Yvonne said. “Ne Ne loved me so much
and . . .”
    Yvonne’s eyes well with tears.
    “ Might I see her again?”
Yvonne asked.
    Abi smiled.
    “ Who is my father?” Yvonne
asked.
    “ Someone she loved very
much,” Abi said. “She’s yet to love another.”
    “ Am I a fairy
too?”
    “ Yes,” Abi lied. “You and
Ne Ne, you are Fin’s only living family. His family was
killed . . .”
    Abi smiled.
    “ That’s a horrible story
for another day,” Abi said. “Not today, when we are welcoming new
members to our family, our fairy tribe.”
    Yvonne smiled. She held her hand out to
Rodney and he took it. They looked over to where Jeraine and Fin
were talking.
    “ Does he love you?” Yvonne
asked in a low tone. “Treat you well?”
    “ Yes,” Abi smiled. “He’s
allowed me to spend all this time with you.”
    “ You’re my grandmother,”
Yvonne said.
    Abi smiled.
    “ Will I get fairy powers?”
Yvonne asked.
    “ More than you already
have?” Abi asked. “Would you really like that?”
    “ No.” Shaking her head,
Yvonne laughed.
    Abi smiled at Yvonne.
    “ Why did all of
that . . . happen?” Yvonne whispered.
    “ He wanted your fairy
power,” Abi said. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault really. It never
occurred to me. I discounted the human need to own and destroy what
is precious.”
    “ I met you right after,”
Yvonne nodded.
    “ Yes,” Abi said. “I came
as soon as we knew. There was little I could do
but . . . help.”
    Yvonne smiled at her.
    “ Everything is fine now,”
Yvonne said. “Is your man my Tannie’s lab partner? She said he was
handsome.”
    “ He is,” Abi smiled. “And
Tanesha? She is magnificent.”
    “ She is,” Yvonne
said.
    There was a sound of a baby wailing and the
waiting room broke into cheers. A few moments later, another baby
cried and they cheered again. Jill and Jacob’s boys had
arrived.
    ~~~~~~~~

 
     
     
    Jillian Roper
Marlowe
    and
    Jacob Lipson
Marlowe
     
    announce the birth of their
twins
     
    Tanner Handy Roper
Marlowe
    and
    Michael Bladen Roper
Marlowe
     
     

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy-nine Wishes
     
    Saturday morning — 10:12 A.M.
     
    Jill felt someone sit down on the bed and
she opened her eyes to stare at the white ceiling above. Her first
thought was about the boys, her second about Katy. Of course, the
boys disappeared with Megan a half hour or so ago. Katy was at
Paddie’s house. Jacob was out at the earthquake site with Aden,
Blane, and Sam.
    And she was . . . She wasn’t
sure.
    She looked around. She was in a comfortable
bedroom just off the medical offices. She was looking around at the
lovely room when she saw the person sitting on her bed. With a
groan, she started to sit up.
    “ Please, don’t get up,”
Liban said.
    Jill squinted.
    “ Yes, I dare come into
your room,” Liban said after reading her look.
    “ I . . .”
    “ Please,” Liban said. “If
I may, I’d like to talk for a moment. I have a few things to say.
If you ask me to leave, I will go immediately. But please, hear me
out.”
    Jill was too tired to argue. She gestured
for Liban to speak her piece.
    “ Thank you,” Liban
said.
    Jill lifted her lips in a guarded smile.
    “ The boys are beautiful,”
Liban said.
    “ Thank you.” Jill squinted
and wondered what Liban was buttering her up for.
    “ I know that you don’t
trust me,” Liban said.
    “ If you’re here to talk me
into letting your fairy take care of the boys, Jake and I have
already