Page 56 (1/2)

Prologue

~Natasha~

“Auntie Tash,” Kevin says, holding out his hand covered in honey Greek yogurt “Wash me”

“Holy co did you do that?” I hurry over with a ashcloth and wipe down Kev’s fingers, then glance over at his twin sister, Kelsey “That doesn’t go in your hair, sugar”

She laughs and rubs yogurt on the side of her head “I’ it”

“Your hair?”

She nods, and I blow a lock of hair out of my face Where is my scrunchie?

“Yeah I’ it”

I groan and checkWhere are they? Monica, my very best friend in the world, and her husband, Rich, left the kids withalone They even went to a rental house up on Whitetail Mountain A fancy place with a pool, where they could enjoy each other and have all the sex in the world

And I kept the thich I don’t mind at all I love these two But, man, they’re a handful And Monica was supposed to be here two hours ago

“Auntie Tash,” Kelsey says “I want es”

“Okay I can do that” I recheckboard in my destroyed kitchen

We watched ht for our slu four-year-olds, it’s important to have a wide array of snacks on hand for

And the remnants of those snacks are still spread all over my kitchen

As much as I love them both, I can’t wait for Monica to pick the nap

How she does it with twins, I’ll never know

I check

“They were coht?” I double-check ht there Monica back She harassedon the kids I finally had to tell her to stop bugging o attack her husband

She called once yesterday to say hi to the twins

And I haven’t heard from her since

When noon rolls around, and Monica is now several hours late, I decide to call Sam, Monica’s brother

It rings five times before he picks up

“Yeah,” he says

“Hey Are you swamped?”

“Yeah, I’ next week”

“Oh, right” Sahter position in Spokane It’s only four hours away, but the thought of hiut “So, your house sold, then?”

“Yep I close on Monday I’e for now Are you okay?”

“I’ the twins this weekend so Monica and Rich could have soet the kids thisAnd, honestly, I’ worried”