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She woke up alone

For a few minutes, she wondered if it had all been a drea, the pillow next to hers was rumpled He was home But

where was he? She juot dressed, determined to track him down A cry from the boys’ rooet them ready for the day

She carried both boys downstairs and walked towards the kitchen Disappointment filled her as she found it empty Where was he? She needed to talk to him about Winifred before he found out from anyone else

Not to mention she’d missed him She wanted to feel his ar would be okay She sighed as she set the boys down in their high chairs and made them some bottles She squashed some banana for them to eat and then settled down at the table to feed them As often happened with her two rascals, more banana seemed to end up on their faces and hands than in their rab a cloth to clean them up

“Well, hello there Looks like you two have been having fun”

She spun at the strange voice, looking over in shock as two people she’d never seen before walked into the kitchen Well, one of the held slightly above the ground The h he expected her to fall at any ave him an exasperated look

“Julian, I’ to fall”

“You’re still not steady on the crutches You need to build up your strength again”

Had she been in an accident? That would account for the injury to her leg along with the bruises that Aspen could see on her arms and cheek But would that explain how eh a long illness And the man with her didn’t really look much better He had a scruffy beard, dark circles under his eyes, and his cheeks were too sharp

“Hello,” the woman said “You must be Aspen”

“Yes,” she said cautiously,back towards the boys She didn’t sense any threat but she still had no idea who these people were and why they were in her house

Wait Did they have so to do hy Saxon had left? Were they the friends he’d gone to help?

“And these two must be Caleb and Jamie,” the woman said “Enjoyed their breakfast, huh?”

“Enjoyed playing with it anyway,” she replied warily “You’re friends of Joel’s?”