***
The next weekend, we threw the twins a little party. There were no close family from Anna’s side, no church folks. It was just close friends and laughter and two little boys smearing cake everywhere.
Anna laughed loudly, the weight off her shoulders.
That night on the porch, fireflies blinking, Anna pressed her head to my shoulder.
“Promise me we’ll raise them to know the truth, Henry. All of it.”
“I promise. We’re not hiding anything from them.”
Sometimes, telling the truth is what finally sets you free. Sometimes, it’s the only way to start living.
