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**Zoe's POV**
Everytime I look at my girls, I have this curious thought running through my head. Which guy is the father. They have blondish hair like Pavel, but I've seen Zac's baby pictures & he was surprisingly the blondest kid ever until he was about 10, then his hair started getting darker. Sometimes it looks like they have Willems grey eyes when the light hits them some days. Other times they have blue with a little green like Pav or deep blue like Zac.
I really don't want to be the one looking at them, when they're 15 wandering who is your father. It's not super serious. I know how recessive genes work. They could've gotten the features from one of my ancestors. My dad told me his great uncle had green eyes & my mom says there's a little Creole on her side. So who knows.
Hopefully my curiously will fade over time. I just know that they're the cutest babies I've ever seen. My mom told me that all mother's believe that, when their babies are born. I still think it's true for mine though.
I woke up pretty early. I'd decided to take the girls on a walk to the store. I wanted them to get outside at least once a day & the walk might help me loose some baby weight. I think I might be fairly lucky that my stomach was bigger then average already. My loose clothes hid my baby flab that's slowly going away. I've been doing post pregnancy workouts & my doctor said nursing them helps too. I'm right on track to becoming my normal plus size self.
I walked with them slowly to the grocery store. I had them slightly covered, so they could see some of their surroundings while not being out for germy sick people to touch or breath on them.
There were a lot of cars driving by next to the sidewalk. I was walking slowly, as a motorcycle slowed down when passing me & turned his head towards me. I felt like he was looking at me, but I couldn't see his face through his dark helmet.
I guess he wanted to see if my babies were cute, wasn't use to seeing black people or maybe he had a new mom fetish...or maybe he was just attracted to bigger black women dressed in maxi dresses that cover any curve she could possibly have underneath it. I thought with a slight amusement.
I kept walking as the motorcycle rider turned their head back to the road & drove off. I was surprised Remie & Aiva hadn't started crying from the noise of the traffic. Yep good babies.
When we made it to our destination, I covered them up a little more & strolled through the grocery store. It was quite in the store. I guess since it was close to 10:30 am, not many shoppers were out
I was strolling through the store when I got to the frozen food aisle.
"Zoe". I looked back quickly when I heard my name. It was a reflex I had been trying to stop just in case something like now happend. There was a guy I didnt recognise, jog walking towards me from behind trying to catch up to me.
"Hey. It's Zoe right" he asked like he knew the answer but wanted to hear it. He looked friendly and..normal in his baseball cap, jeans & white shirt. In my experiences, that didn't really matter much.
(The guy ^^^)
" Sorry wrong person". I replied kindly. "I just heard someone yelling behind me & turned to see who it was." I was trying to sound sincere even though I suck at lying in told. "I'm Grace but it's still nice to meet you. Hope you find your Cloe" I said with a smile as I started to walk again.
I saw his eyes glance down to my tattoos then back at my face.
"Oh I'm sorry, I apologize. You just looked like a girl I knew." He said with a tight lipped smile moving a little closer.
I started backing up as I talked. "Yeah I get that a lot. I've been mistaken for too many people to count" I fake laughed as I was still trying to slowly get out of there.
"Ok. Again, Sorry about that. Have a good day." He said as he turned to walk away.
Dang 10 minutes in a store & Im already about to leave.
Where could he have known me from, In a normal life, if I was thinking practically. Maybe the clinic for my checkups, or when I gave birth to the girls. I didn't want to even let it cross my mind that the guys could've somehow found me. I've been pretty careful so far & they definitely should be over me. I'm seriously not stalker special.
I've sacrificed to much & worked too hard to start over for them to have found me after all these months.
I needed to stop thinking about it. It was just bringing worry.
I kept pondering possible answers to the question circaling in my head anyway. Places he would've known me from. At church I'm known as Grace. All I knew was that I wanted to leave the store. I didn't even buy anything, I just left out the door I came in.
I was going to head home, then decided to go to the dollar store next door & order an uber from there. I didn't want to be alone, so I planned to go hang at the library until Matt & Abby got off work.
I'm sure, my boss, wouldn't mind. She's been wanting to see them anyway. If they started to cry, I could just take them to the quite reading room if it's empty or the employee break room.
I tipped the Uber driver because she helped me break down my stroller & stick it in her trunk while I snapped in the babies in the crammed back with me.
I was only eligible for partial maternity leave, since I hadn't been there long & I was a part time employee on paper. So I still work there technically. I feel like I'm ready to start work again, but I'm not ready to leave the girls with complete strangers that cost an arm & a leg. When we got there, my boss was happy to see me with the girls. Sometimes she's a jerk, but when you catch her on most days, she's a nice person.
I took the babies to the back to nurse them. I felt safer in the library with all the people around. I wish I trusted the police, but I still have this feeling that they're shady ever since I found out, one or possibly more were working with the guys. I know they're not all that way, but I can't help but feel it.
.
.
About 4 mostly boring hours later, Matt & Abby came to pick me up. I was starving but at least the girls had a walking food dispenser. I told them what happend, while we drove to Matt's house in the car. Abby said I couldve been paranoid & that maybe I told someone my real name not thinking about it.
The only people that knew where we were, were the Parkers & I know they wouldn't tell anyone. Besides, there was no way for the guys to link them to us in Utah.
Matt took a long winding way home, just to make me feel safer. I kept looking behind to make sure we weren't followed. I didn't see anyone, so I felt a little better. Maybe Abby was right. Maybe it was in my head. Maybe I was making a mountain out of a molehill.
Whatever the case may be, I decided to stay with them for the night.
.
.
We arrived home just in time to change the girls again. I didn't want to be a downer, but I was tired of how lovey dovey Abby & Matt were acting. I'm not bitter, but the hole ride home, they held hands in the front seat & randomly looked & smiled at each other. Then they randomly kissed each other here & there. I didn't get it. They didn't act this way before.
I really am happy they found each other...even though they knew each other. I guess being engaged revamped their love. At the moment, I've been in screw love mode. Who needs it. I can just love the girls & they'd love me.
I slept in the Guest room with the girls. When I went to sleep, Abby was watching TV, flipping chanels on the couch. We had played with the babies & held them, then they started falling asleep. So I took them to bed & slept too. When I got up in the morning, Abby wasn't on the couch. I guess she slept in Matt's room, went for a early walk or she was in the shower.
Matt said I could stay there all day or he'd take me home. I accepted the choice to be taken home. I wasn't going to go outside at all, but all the babies things were home & my stuff. I had made up my mind to just stay inside with the babies. I refuse to risk going out to be recognized again. Abby came out of the restroom showered & ready for work.
We dropped Abby at work first because I was in no rush, & she was. Then Matt took me home. Before she got out of the car, she said she would be over later after a late shift.
I didn't want her to feel obligated for some reason, so I told her she didn't have to come over if she was going to be tired. I tried to make it clear that I wanted her to come over & this was about her & not me. She understood & still said she'd be over later anyway.
Matt didn't say anything as we talked, he was playing the role of just driver. When she left, I decided to have a conversation with Matt to clear things up. "Hey Matt, I just wanted to say thank you for everything you've done for us- well for me."
"I know Abbys probably told you way more then I would've about what we've been through." I wanted to get my feelings out.
He nodded in agreement, which made me a bit curious to know exactly what she did tell him. "I'm glad she feels safe with you. She feels like you can protect her, because I know if she didn't, she wouldn't even think about going back to Texas right now. So I'm just saying, don't let her secure feelings get her hurt... Because honestly, I'm still too scared to go back right now. Im not gonna lie about it."
"Don't worry about Abby. I'll keep her as safe & protected as I can. I love her. She knows she can count on me. You can too. you've become a friend & I see how close you are with Abby too. You're like her family, so I guess you're going to be like my family too." He gave a quick smile
"Still thank you. I don't want you to think I don't appreciate all you've done. You've been a life saver & I'm happy you guys are getting married. My little Abby's growing up" I said pretending to get emotional.
He gave a small smile as he continued to drive. I could tell he wanted to say something else, & I was right "I know you're not comfortable with going home right now, but I actually think it would tear Abby apart if you didn't show up to her wedding."
He didn't say anything else after that & I didn't either. "I'm not being selfish, am I. I don't even want to think about this anymore. I'm just tired" I thought to myself.
We made it to my place. I undid the girls carriers & he took the stroller out of the trunk. I spent the rest of the day reading, cleaning & taking care of the girls. I took a shower while they were in their carriers so I could glance out at them.
I knew my mom hadn't seen the girls yet, so I decided it was time to dress them up & take a cute picture with them to email her. I didn't get a reply back but knowing my mom, she wouldn't open it until the weekend when she checked her email.
I started getting a little cabin fever being in the house all day. There wasn't much to do. I didn't see how some women could be home all day in a small house. I guess if they're staying home, they have a spouse to take care of that's working.
I wanted to go outside. I wanted to go to a movie. I wanted to do anything. I wanted to go to church since I hadn't been since the girls were born.
At that moment, I felt bad for the thoughts that were going through my head. I had thoughts that the babies were weighing me down from my life of just worrying about me. How, if I want to go somewhere now, I have to pack a whole dam stroller of nappies, bottles, blankets & whatever. It's not like I could take them to a bar with me in that stroller. Things would be a bit easier if I didn't have them.
I don't know why all the negatives popped in my head, but they made me feel so guilty. I went & picked the girls up one at a time & hugged them.
"I'm sorry babies. Mommy didn't mean it. I love you so much" I actually started to cry. It's not like they knew what my thoughts were, but I felt like they read my mind or could sense my feelings.
"Unforgettable in everyway,
& forever more,
that's how you'll stay.
.
That's why, darling, it's incredible,
That someone so unforgettable,
Thinks that I am
Unforgettable, too"
My emotions were taking over. "Why the hell am I crying" I thought after singing their song to them. I didn't want to let them go. I heard a car on the driveway. It was close to 6:30pm meaning Abby was 45 minutes earlier then I thought she'd be. I put the girls back in their cribs, whipped my face clean & went to look out the window. Maybe it was the owners even though they were out of town again.
My heart almost stopped, this can't be good. I let go of the shade & backed away quickly.
That's not Abby & it definitely wasn't the owners.