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He ss He still couldn’t quite believe he had a sister Or that she could be so fun, so sain, I’ve put out a few snacks" Susan’s version of snacks was a suacamole and chips, spinach dip with French bread, a platter of shrimp, and bowls of nuts on the coffee table She’d spent years feeding five hungry teenage boys, after all "Now come in, make yourselves at home" The massive fireplace and brickwork filled one wall, and a blaze was pu warmth into the room accompanied by the pleasant crackle of the fire

Theresa sat on one end of the sectional sofa, and Susan took a place next to her Tony relaxed into the couch on Susan’s right Bob had pulled chairs to the other side of the coffee table, but before Evan could take one of the seats, Bob sat with Kelsey beside hie next to hiht where he wanted her to be

"I want to hear all about raising twins," Susan said to Theresa "I’ve always e such a feat" The way she said it, you wouldn’t have thought she’d raised six kids herself

Theresa smiled fondly at Kelsey and Tony "They were easy babies Great kids"

Paige shifted next to him, and between theers Even as wound up as he was over her, the gesture relaxed hi more easily with Susan than she did with anyone but the twins "Especially the ave me a job the first day I was in Modesto I used the last of the ht at a cheap motel There was a coffee shop across the street, and I went in to ask for work The waitress said they weren’t hiring But there was aat the counter He said he needed a receptionist if I was interested And even when I told hinant, he didn’t retract the offer"

"You’d finally found a safe haven," Susan said in a gentle voice

"It was aat Evan, nor had she been speaking directly to hie was clear nonetheless In the world of his childhood, kids were left alone for hours They suffered abuse--physical, verbal, and more But Susan and Bob’s house hadn’t just been a haven for Evan--it had been equally as miraculous as Modesto had been for Theresa

Yes, she’d made a terrible choice between him and the twins, but if she’d come home for him first, would any of the in that squalid neighborhood, buried by his father’s fists?

Paige was impressed by Theresa’s story She’d beaten the odds, and the twins had grown into extraordinary people

If only she hadn’t left Evan behind

"I’ve worked for Hugh Cra

"He sounds like an ae, Evan sat still as a stone His expression was just as unreadable Paige wondered if the thought of Theresa i boss bothered Evan Because if she was settled, if she could easily have coh and his onderful," Theresa said softly "They’re both gone, and we all randparents," Kelsey said with fondness brireed with just a smile

"After the tere born," Theresa went on, "they kneas juggling the job and child care, so she would often babysit, and he letlanced at Tony and Kelsey, who sly "But I paid it all back" She took a deep breath, one that didn’t seem to do much to center her before she said, "I don’t kno I can ever pay you both back for what you did for Evan" Her voice atery, tears obviously close

Paige felt Evan stiffen beside her Aching for hi she could with everyone around theentle brush of his shoulder with hers

Susan patted Theresa’s leg "My dear, we’re the ones who have to thank you It was a privilege to have hi in her eyes "We love him with all our hearts"

"We love all our boys," Bob said in agreeames on the shelf," Kelsey said, clearly afraid that they were about to degenerate into a tear-fest "You randchildren"

Evan tensed once lanced at hi Whitney and her pregnancy lies All the grandchildren Susan didn’t have

Fortunately, Bob jurandchild from our foster son Matt Noah is nearly six We adore hi"

"When you’re not bingeing on Sons of Anarchy," Paige teased, hoping to lighten the ot ot to try The Walking Dead," Susan said like an overexcited teenager

Evan groaned like any son would when ehed Everyone but Theresa, as carefully watching the interaction between Susan and Evan Not with jealousy, but with regret