“Great, this is just what I need,” Callie Randall mumbled to herself as the sky opened up to release a torrential downpour. She absolutely hated driving in the rain, but it couldn’t be helped. One of her babies was sick, so she’d risk a hurricane if that’s what it took to get her little one to the doctor. She hoped her neighbor would be all right with Paris while she was gone.

Taking a quick look in the rearview mirror to check on London, Callie smiled. The little girl was sleeping without an apparent care in the world. Sometimes Callie wished she could be two all over again, with no cares or worries instead of being an unwed mother with twin daughters, a heavily mortgaged house and struggling dance studio.

Though she didn’t regret having her beautiful daughters, she often wondered what might have been if she hadn’t fallen for Terrell’s bullshit. She’d believed that he’d stick by her, but the minute he learned of the pregnancy, he couldn’t dump her fast enough. On top of that, he was living out her dreams in Europe with the dance troupe she’d worked so hard to be a part of.

Life wouldn’t be such a struggle if he occasionally sent child support, but that sorry bastard always had an excuse. He’d only seen his daughters twice in the two years since their birth and then completely disappeared from their lives.

When she found herself alone and pregnant, Callie had left New York to go back home to the small North Carolina town she’d grown up in, only to hear her parents say they told her so. The first year had been a struggle, but when she got a small inheritance from a distant relative, she used it to get her own place and open up a dance studio. She had a few students and hoped that she’d eventually have more, but until business really picked up, she moonlighted as a waitress on the weekends.

Breathing a sigh of relief when she pulled into the doctor’s office, she shut off the engine. Once she got an umbrella out and shrugged back into her raincoat, Callie walked to the rear passenger side to unbuckle London. “Baby, we’re here.”

London opened her big brown eyes, a dazed expression on her face, before she started to cry. “Hurts, Mommy,” she whined, cupping a small hand over her ear.

Callie suspected her daughter had an ear infection. Paris had had the same problem just a couple weeks before. “I know it hurts, baby. That’s why we’re here at the doctor’s office. Now hold on to Mommy’s neck while I lift you up.”

“Do I get a lollypop?”

“Only if you’re really good. Can you be Mommy’s big girl today?”

London nodded, her pigtails bobbing. “I want a red lollypop.”

“We’ll see.”

With her daughter in one arm and her umbrella in the other hand, she raced to the big stone building, trying not to get wet. Once it was London’s turn to see the pediatrician, it was just as Callie had suspected — an ear infection. Not only did London get her red lollypop for being such a good girl for the doctor, she got a blue one to take home to Paris.

Callie felt a lot better once she and her daughter were back in the car, although the rain hadn’t subsided a bit. London sat strapped in her car seat happily licking her red lollypop while gripping the blue one tightly in her other fist. When Callie had suggested putting the extra lollypop in her purse, London adamantly refused, wanting to be the one to give it to her sister.

London was the younger twin by ten minutes, but she was the nurturer of the two, always making sure her sister was taken care of and content to let Paris take the lead. Paris was the more assertive twin, but just as sweet and caring.

Callie didn’t realize she could love two people as much as she did her twins. People often asked why she chose to name them after European cities, but in her mind, they seemed to be the most logical choices. After all, had she not gotten pregnant she’d be in Europe, dancing. She might as well have the next best thing, and Callie knew she wouldn’t trade her little treasures for all the trips to Europe in the world.

Callie couldn’t wait to get home to see Paris. When she was away from her kids, she always missed them. Halfway home, she decided to take a shortcut on a back road. Just then the rain let up. “That’s good at least,” she muttered to herself. It was getting dark and driving at night was bad enough without the slashing of water on one’s windshield.

“How are you doing back there, London?” she asked, looking into the rearview mirror again to check on her daughter.

“Good,” London answered between licks.

Callie glanced over her shoulder to make sure London wasn’t making a mess, and when she looked straight ahead again, she was surprised to see a blinding white light. It was so glaring, in fact, she couldn’t see where she was going and ended up swerving off the road. Panic sliced through her as she lost control of the vehicle. The more she tried to right the wheel, the more out of control the car went.

In the backseat, London began to cry, obviously sensing her mommy’s plight. “Hold onto your seat tight, baby.” Just as she got the words out, she felt a falling sensation. Callie didn’t know exactly what happened, but as the little economy car landed with a loud crash, she thought about her beautiful baby girls.