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Even though mother and babies were healthy, Stavros had been doubtful they’d be allowed to leave the hospital just twelve hours after delivery But Holly had been adahtly be home

That was his wife, he thought, shaking his head in ad nothing stand in her way

“Wait

,” Holly called as Eleni and Colton and Freddie started up the steps of their brownstone “I can help—”

Noas Stavros’s turn to be adamant “No, Holly Be careful!”

“Wait,” she cried after her children, pushing herself up frorimace with pain

Setting his jaw, he lifted her froainst his chest

“What are you doing?” she gasped

“Taking care of you”

“It’s not necessary—”

“It is,” he said firmly “You look after everyone else My job—” he looked down at her tenderly “—is looking after you”

And he carried her up the stoop, into their five-story brownstone

The hardwood floors creaked, glea warmly as the fire crackled in the hundred-year-old fireplace Holly had decorated the house for Christmas with her family’s homemade decorations They hadn’t expected the babies to arrive early They weren’t due until January Although when, he thought ruefully, did any Minoses let other people’s expectations stand in their way?

When Holly had gone into labor yesterday, she’d stared at the three stockings on the fireplace with their embroidered names, and cried, “The twins can’t be born before Christs!”

Now, as Stavros carried his wife past the five stockings hanging on the fireplace, he sasp