40

Kai.

Twin boys? What the hell?

"Aww, that's so awesome, when are they coming out." Rei's tone implies she wants them out of her by tomorrow.

I turn to the doctor trying to ignore Toya flaring up at the corner, he barely wanted to be in the room for this appointment. I can feel his boy heat from where I'm standing. He needs to keep his hot head cool.

"Well, I'm estimating 3 months left." The doctor replies trying to look professional with her vague answers, I think she's only a student, then again, where Rei is concerned you can never be too sure.

Toya crosses his arms, "Are you sure that's all of them? Check again, I'm sure you missed a little girl. I mean there are cases when the machine can only detect two and miss one right?"

"Yes, but I've only picked up two. I'll check again, but if the last baby is hiding the machine won't see them, I only see two placenta's, Should it be a girl, there should be a third one, these boys are fraternals."

The last set were fraternals too, this is making it emotionally and mentally draining. On my end I got a straight forward answer it's not Kaiya.

"Sorry doc, don't check again, I lost triplets before and I'm just losing my fucking mind." Toya apologises leaving the room.

I wait for Rei and we drive home together, Toya left without us.

"I wish I remembered, it's not fair." Rei says and it's the last thing spoken between the two of us until we arrive at the house.

I open the front door and Toya is running around like a headless chicken.

Rei holds on to me for dear life afraid of his erratic behaviour.

It finally happened, Toya fell into the deep end.

We watch from the safety of the exit behind us.

When he's finally calm he looks at the door and sighs in relief. He walks towards Rei and draws her blood via a syringe.

Rei looks at me and I smile awkwardly, what am I supposed to say?

I pay attention so I can give her an answer. Toya has always been weird, what category of insane to I put him under today?

"Oh, it's the Hiryu family tradition of naming your unborn child, or children. This ceremony gives accurate results, it also amplifies the child's power. He will know if it's twins or triplets." I say and Rei nods awkwardly.

"Thought he was some kind of occult witch master cosplayer or something." She jokes and I laugh, of course she'd crack jokes at a time like this.

He does the naming ceremony and asks Rei for names.

"Killuhua and Aiden."

The names are written in fire and ice. Killuhua is ice. Aiden is fire. Aiden will be the first born.

Fuck.

"Are you unhappy?" Rei asks us both. She's one more second away from crying again.

"No, of course not." I say clearing my throat. I just wish it was Kaiya.

"Let's go. They'll be born with the Hiryu mark. Let's discuss where we'll live. I am not raising my sons in this backwoods town. I hate it here already."

Toya does not even bother coming up with an excuse, he's pissed of it's not the triplets.

"Really? You couldn't say that before I made friends?" Rei asks angry.

Toya was right, this pregnancy is different. Her emotions are all over the place, she's clumsy and so weak it's like their draining her.

Regardless their still family.

I walk behind Rei and stop her before she locks herself in her room again.

"Rei please understand, there are things that happened that you don't remember. We can't tell you out of fear it might just be too much for you, they are family and they are loved Rei, I promise you that, we just lost other children, we were hoping it would at least be them."

"Lost children?" She asks.

"Yes, our daughter Kaiya, she was the eldest. The triplets. Astrid, Kaen, and Kasai. Toya's children, that's why he was so persistent about there being a hidden third. Astrid was undetectable and a big surprise for Toya.

"We never got to meet the twins. They died while still in your womb. Barely made it past the first trimester. We're happy they made it out alive, it's just, we got to hold and watch the others grow, it hurt to lose them. We're just desperate to see them again."

She gives me a hug, "You're hurting so much. I'm so sorry, it's so unfair that I don't get to remember my own children, but you said we'd get them back so let's be patient okay. Let's give these two guys a chance too. They died too you know. At least the others met us."

"Yeah, I know, how about you go talk to Toya. He's a total mess right now." I step out of the way.

"Sure."