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The series began withEvery Heart a Doorway.
They were not the parenting kind, by any reasonable estimation.
Children would be more than a slight deviation from routine.
Children would be the nuclear option where routine was concerned.
Children were messes walking.
Something so simple that any beast in the field could do it.
Everyone she knew was quick to compliment those women for their sacrifices, and for what?
Something so easy that people had been doing it since time began.
They do not even see the love, not really.
I want to have a baby, she replied.
He was an orderly man with an orderly wife, living in an ordinary, orderly life.
and a trifle exciting, if he were being honest.
Finally, he smiled, and said, That was what I wanted to talk to you about.
The next morning, she stopped taking her birth control pills.
How long before we can get a picture of the baby?
Yes, how long?
How nice it would be, to finally be the center of attention!
The doctor, who had dealt with his share of eager parents, smiled.
Youre about five weeks along, he said.
I dont recommend an ultrasound before twelve weeks, under normal circumstances.
Now, this is your first pregnancy.
You may want to wait before telling anyone that youre pregnant.
Twelve weeks, then, said Chester.
What do we do until then?
Dr. Tozer told them.
Vitamins and nutrition and reading, so much reading.
The picture began developing.
For the first time, Serena felt a pang of concern.
What if there was something wrong with the baby?
You wanted to know the babys gender, yes?
You have a perfect baby girl, said the technician.
Serena laughed in vindicated delight, the sound dying when she saw the scowl on Chesters face.
Suddenly, the things they hadnt discussed seemed large enough to fill the room.
I have a second heartbeat, she said.
They both turned to look at her.
Twins, she said.
Is the second baby a boy or a girl?
The first baby is blocking our view, she hedged.
Its difficult to say for sure
Guess, said Chester.
Im afraid it would not be ethical for me to guess at this stage, said the technician.
Ill make you another appointment, for two weeks from now.
Babies move around in the womb.
We should be able to get a better view then.
They did not get a better view.
Both of them were slightly smug about the idea.
It smacked of efficiency, of tailoring the perfect solution right out the gate.
(The thought that babies would become children, and children would becomepeople,never occurred to them.
Things might have been easier if those ideas had ever slithered into their heads, unwanted but undeniably important.
Alas, their minds were made up, and left no room for such revolutionary opinions.)
The labor took longer than planned.
Her face was red, and the sounds she was making were nothing short of animal.
He couldnt imagine a circumstance under which he would touch her ever again.
No; it was good that they were having both their children at once.
This way, it would be over and done with.
A slap; a wail; and the doctors voice proudly proclaiming, Its another healthy baby girl!
How could they have said anything different?
They were parents now, and parenthood came with expectations.
The nurses returned with two pink-faced, hairless things that looked more like grubs or goblins than anything human.
Have you thought about names?
asked another, handing Serena the second infant.
My mothers name was Jacqueline, said Serena cautiously, glancing at Chester.
They had discussed names, naturally, one for a girl, one for a boy.
They had never considered the need to name two girls.
Our head partners wife is named Jillian, said Chester.
He could claim it was his mothers name if he needed to.
No one would know.
No one would ever know.
Jack and Jill, said the first nurse, with a smile.
Jacqueline and Jillian, corrected Chester frostily.
No daughter of mine will go by something as base and undignified as a nickname.
The nurses smile faded.
Serena and Chester Wolcott had fallen prey to the dangerous allure of other peoples children.
They would learn the error of their ways soon enough.
People like them always did.
At night, the air was quiet.
Serena sat in the dining room, staring blankly at the two screaming babies.
Youve had a bottle, she informed them.
Youve been walked around the house while I bounced you and sang that dreadful song about the spider.
Why are you stillcrying?
Cant you shut them up?
demanded Chester from behind her.
Ive been trying, she said.
I dont know what they want, and they cant tell me.
I dont know what to do.
Chester had not slept properly in three days.
Perhaps it was desperation, or perhaps it was a moment of rare and impossible clarity.
Im calling my mother, he said.
With the babies screaming and the house already in disarray, all she could do was nod.
Chester made the call first thing in the morning.
Louise Wolcott arrived on the train eight hours later.
By the standards of anyone save for her ruthlessly regimented son, Louise was a disciplined, orderly woman.
She liked the world to make sense and follow the rules.
By the standards of her son, she was a hopeless dreamer.
She rang the bell, because of course giving her a key would have made no sense at all.
The things Serena thought were most important in the world held no relevance to Louise.
Her attention was focused entirely on the babies.
Come to Grandma, she said.
Serena would normally have argued.
Serena, like her husband, had not slept a full night since coming home from the hospital.
The slam of the bedroom door followed a second later.
She looked down at the babies.
They had left off crying for the moment and were looking at her with wide, curious eyes.
Their world was as yet fairly limited, and everything about it was new.
Their grandmother was the newest thing of all.
Hello, darlings, she said.
She would not leave for another five years.
