Page 26 of Triplets for the Dark Elf
“Mama, I colored!”
“Mama, Maeve hit me!”
“Mama, we made cookies!”
They are all three eager to hang onto her, and I am standing in shock as I take them in. Each one of them showcases some of Annalise’s features. But also…I see some of my own in them.
One girl has pewter skin but strawberry blonde hair. The other looks just like Annalise but with my black hair. And the boy… If I hadn’t thought that they may have been mine before, he confirms it. He’s my copy but with fair skin.
I don’t even realize I have stumbled forward into the light until the little boy locks eyes on me.Myeyes, indigo eyes. He has to be half-elf with those eyes.
He grips Annalise’s hand, yanking on it as he whispers loudly enough for me to hear, “Elf.”
I see her body go rigid, and my gut starts to churn. When she turns to look at me, there is pure panic on her face. She relaxes once she sees it’s me, which only makes it worse. What other dark elf was she expecting?
“Annalise–”
“You shouldn’t be here, Miothro.”
“Are they mine?”
She huffs. Looking between me and the kids, triplets I now realize. “This isn’t the time or place.”
I gulp, looking down at the three pairs of eyes watching me. I don’t care if it is or isn’t the right time forher. I need to know now.
“Annalise,” a small, older woman says as she appears in the open door frame. “Let me help the triplets gather their things…” Her eyes flick to me. “And then they’ll be ready to go.”
“Thank you, Lucy.”
The door closes, and finally, she turns to face me, arms crossed over her chest. “Annalise, I deserve to know if they are mine.”
“Why?” she snaps, but she’s not looking at me again. Gods! Why can’t she look at me?
“Because I want to be here for them if they are. I want to be in their lives. I hate the thought of having already missed out on three years. I want to make up for it before they think their father abandoned them.”
She clenches her jaw, and I stiffen. I can’t understand why she seems so defensive and distanced around me. When did this start?
I take a step closer. “Please. I just want to know if they are mine. You know…” I swallow, heart pounding. “You know how jealous I was of the twins.” My voice drops to a whisper. “If they are mine, please don’t keep this from me. I want this so bad, and you know it.”
Her jaw works, and I fear what she is going to say. If they aren’t mine, what am I going to do? I can’t stand thinking of Annalise with anyone else – an elf no less.
But it seems I got to her somehow. Despite the way she seems to struggle looking at me, she finally sighs and gives me a passing glance. “Yes, Miothro. They are yours.”
My breath catches in my throat. “I want to meet them.”
She groans softly, and I rub at my jaw. I don’t want to push her farther from me, but I have to get to know my kids. I may want Annalise, but there is so much to sort out between us before that could happen.
Being a father, though? That is something I am ready to do now. And I won’t let anything stop me, not when I have three beautiful children with the woman I never stopped loving. It’s almost perfect.
If they would just be in my life.
“Look, it’s late. It’s time for them to go to bed.”
“Annalise–”
She holds up a hand to stop me. “But I am off work tomorrow. Why don’t we go to the park? You can meet them then and get to spend time with them.”
A wide grin splits across my face, and I nod quickly. I know exactly the park she is talking about. It’s her favorite place to find peace. “Okay. Tomorrow then.”