Izzy smiled and tilted her head the exact same way I had. Paxton used to tell me to stop doing it all the time. Sometimes, I still did it, forgetting that he forbade it.
“I’m kidding. How are you? You look, well, just like me.” Everything in me told me to brush her off, continue on my mission, and get home to my family. I tried my best to send her away. It was right there on the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to sit on my sofa with her and catch up. Huddle up in pajamas and watch a movie. Find out what she’d been doing and let her meet her nieces.
I mirrored her smile and tilted my head—again—thinking about the ticking of the clock. I didn’t have time for this. Paxton would be furious if I came home empty handed. I had to go, yet I didn’t. I couldn’t. A hurricane could have been coming and I wouldn’t be able to stop myself. I laughed inwardly at my inside joke when I remembered a hurricane was coming. A tropical storm, anyway.
“Let’s go get a cup of coffee or something,” Izzy suggested with a pleading tone and sad eyes. I couldn’t blow her off. I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t want to.
“Izz, I can’t. We’re under severe weather warnings, you know? I have to get home. Rowan doesn’t do well with storms.”
Even with the smoky gray clouds, Izzy’s grin brightened the day. “Rowan? Boy or girl?”
That brought an instant grin to my face. God, I’d missed her. “Little girl—two girls. Rowan is six and Ophelia will be five in two months. They’re so cute, Izzy.” The sense of pride edged my words while a feeling of deep love burned my soul. I wished they could know her. I wished they could call her Aunt Izzy. The thought of them seeing us both brought joy to my heart. I pictured their confusion while they tried to figure out which one was their mommy.
“I can’t wait to meet them. How are you? Wow, Gabby. Two kids.” Izzy hugged me and I closed my eyes. There’s a feeling between twins that can’t be explained. In an instant, I felt whole again. I hugged her back, embracing her with everything in me, everything I had missed.
“Let’s go for a ride,” Izzy said in a coaxing tone with the same desperate plea, head tipping to the side. Her hands held a tight grip on my shoulders while her eyes fixated on mine. God. It was her. I couldn’t believe it.
My gaze darted to my phone when I realized the time. Paxton would be livid. I searched my brain for the best time to meet her. A time when Paxton wouldn’t be with me. Rowan’s dentist appointment. That was the best I could come up with. Paxton would be busy with his work. I grabbed my purse from the seat when the idea came to me. I handed her the appointment card with the address. Without thinking it through of course. Rowan and Ophelia would race to be the first one to tell their dad about Izzy. Someone who looked identical to their mommy.
“Meet me here tomorrow. I’ll come a little bit early.”
“Wait. Where’re you going? I haven’t seen you in almost thirteen years. You’re ditching me?” Izzy stared at me, eyebrows scrunched toward her nose with confusion and hurt written all over her face.
Silence stood between us while I tried to obey my husband. I knew it was a bad idea before I agreed, but it was so good to see her. I missed her. I missed us. I would make up some lie to tell Paxton and hope for the best. Maybe I could say I got stuck behind a wreck or something. Traffic. That wouldn’t be a lie. The road was a lot more crowded than normal. People like me, out for supplies, or going inland to get away from the storm.
I looked up to the dark clouds hovering above our heads with a heavy sigh. “We’ll go for a short ride,” I said in agreement. Izzy smiled with excitement and jumped in the passenger seat of my car. That worried me, too. Paxton would know. Her butt would leave a print in the new leather, she’d lose an earring, or her shoes would leave dirt. He’d find out some way.
Izzy’s fingers glided over the tan leather. “Wow, nice ride. I bet this cost a pretty penny. I love this.”
Personally, I hated the tan. I’d wanted the gray. Paxton had wanted the tan. “It’s not as much as you think. Paxton just knows people. He got a good deal.”
“It’s a Lexus,” she said with a nod and a smirk, fingers brushing over the soft leather in front of her. “I don’t care how good a deal he got. This car cost a shiny penny.”
I stared at her, unbelieving. Izabella really sat there, in my car. Right next to me. “It’s new. Paxton just picked it up yesterday,” I said while rambling off word vomit. I didn’t know what to say. All these years of rehearsing it, of practicing what I would say. Gone. Noting came to mind.
“You look great, Izzy,” I said. A feeling of nostalgia blanketed me when I glanced at her and remembered us. Gabby and Izzy. Jonnie and Clydes.