Arvilla walked in and Margene and Carol could tell she wanted to cry.

"Hey.. you're back!" Margene smiles.

"Yeah.." Arvilla fakes a smile. "How were my babies?"

"Joe's asleep now, but it was clear he was missing his mommy. Heidi is just hanging out with us, but both behaved really well!"

"Good, good.. Come here, Heidi Ho." Arvilla takes her in her arms.

"She's all smiles now!"

"Yeah.."

"Arvilla.. are you okay?" Carol asks.

With her attention to the baby Arvilla nods her head.

"He told you."

Arvilla looks up in tears. "You knew?"

"He told us."

"I don't know why I'm so upset."

"He's a good friend and London is far. I understand."

"Everyone gets taken away from me. First Joe.. now Bobby."

"You can still talk to him, honey." Margene says. "Maybe he can visit!"

"He said he would but.. that's far. He won't visit. I shouldn't be so upset, I just don't have that many friends and he's fun to be around."

"I know he is. But you can still talk and message, and you still have Carol and I!"

"Yeah.. I'm sorry, I'll get over it. I promise."

Margene chuckles. "Don't worry. Let your feelings out. We love you and we completely understand."

"Thanks.."

***

June 2nd.

Arvilla laid in bed and cried silently trying her best not to wake the babies.

Today is Joe's one year anniversary.

"Its been three hundred and sixty five days since we last made love.  I wish I could go back to last year and hold you tighter. I wish I could kiss you and tell you how much I love you.  I wish I knew our babies were growing in my belly so we could have celebrated them together.
  I want you, Joe.  I want you here with me."

The babies were fussy the night before so they shared the bed with Arvilla.

They began to stir distracting Arvilla.

"Hi buddies.  Good morning!" She sniffles and wipes her tears. "How did you two sleep?"

Heidi babbles and smiles up to her mother.

"Aw you have such a sweet voice!"

Joseph then babbles louder than his sister.

"Oh you do too, sir!" She laughs.

Arvilla then kisses then both.
"Thank you for making me smile. Mommy loves you."

Heidi squeals and grabs a hold of Arvilla's hair.

"Ow! You sinker, that hurt!" She laughs.

Arvilla pulls her hair back and sighs.
"Today is a special day. Daddy has been in Heaven for one whole year! A year ago we were in Borneo, I'll take you there one day. Daddy loved it! We had.. special mommy and daddy time." Arvilla blushes.
"Then dressed up and went to dinner. We danced and.. well.. then it happened..
But little did we know you two squirmers were in my tummy! That's funny."

Heidi giggles.

"You think it's funny too!" Arvilla laughs and kisses her stomach. "Are you two hungry?"

Joseph breathes heavier and kicks his chubby legs.

"You're ready, I get it!" Arvilla chuckles.

She then takes a deep breath. "Alright. Let's start our day, little ones."