“Oh, Lena. I’m going.”
She raised her eyebrows.
“Seriously?”
“Absolutely.”
I turned toward the window, where several departmental aircraft stood on the distant tarmac.
“But I won’t be arriving the way he expects.”
Christmas morning arrived under a cold, pale sky.
Our authorized departmental helicopter flight carried us toward Colorado, its powerful engines
humming steadily as the snowy landscape stretched below.
Seated beside me were the four people who mattered more than anything else in my life.
Noah.
Ethan.
Sophia.
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Olivia.
My eight-year-old quadruplets.
Two boys and two girls.
They wore coordinated navy-blue winter coats, neatly polished shoes, and small honorary insignia gifted by members of my unit.
Noah adjusted his miniature officer’s cap for what must have been the fifth time.
“Mom, are we really going to meet Grandpa?”
Sophia leaned forward.
“What about Grandma? Will she be there too?”
I looked at their hopeful faces.
“We’ll find out when we arrive.”
I wanted to promise them a wonderful reunion.
But I knew better than to make promises about people I couldn’t control.
All four children had inherited features that Daniel’s relatives would recognize immediately.
His striking gray eyes.
His slightly crooked smile.
And the familiar dimple that appeared whenever
they laughed.
There would be no convincing anyone that the resemblance was a coincidence.
For nearly a decade, Daniel had behaved as though my pregnancy had been nothing more than an inconvenient story.
But those four children were living proof of a truth he had refused to acknowledge.
As we approached the Reynolds estate near Fort Carson, the grand residence came into view.
Snow covered the surrounding grounds.
Holiday decorations framed the imposing entrance.
Rows of expensive vehicles lined the driveway, and the mansion’s tall windows glowed warmly against the winter landscape.
The helicopter descended onto the designated landing area near the estate.
The unexpected arrival immediately attracted attention.
Security personnel emerged from the residence, watching as the aircraft settled onto the snow.
When the crew indicated it was safe, I stepped onto the ground.
The winter wind swept across my formal dark-blue command uniform, catching the polished insignia on
my shoulders.
Noah climbed down first.
Ethan followed.
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Then Sophia reached for my left hand, while Olivia took my right.
Together, the five of us walked toward the mansion.
Behind us, the helicopter’s rotors gradually slowed.
Ahead, the enormous front doors opened.
