#Chapter 273 – Freedom and Punishment

“I can’t believe they talked us into this,” Victor murmurs, anxiously massaging his temple with two fingers and glancing at me in the rearview mirror. I’m sitting in the back seat with one twin in my lap, the other pressed tight against my side. Rafe, seated next to Victor in the driver’s seat, likewise looks back at me dubiously. “It will be fine,” I murmur, ignoring both of them to kiss Ian’s head and stroke his hair. “They’ve had a hard day – it makes sense that they want to be close to us.” “Yeah, dad!” Alvin says, smiling towards the front seat. “Plus, Ian already got to see the jail, and I want to see it too –“ “Only fair,” Ian murmurs, still staring out the window. “There, Alvin! Did you see that white sign? That means we’re close!” Alvin, excited, starts to chitter to his brother, which gives me time to sort my thoughts. Perhaps predictably, I’m torn – half of my mind is now on my pregnancy, now suddenly real when for weeks it had just been…half real? A little fantasy all m