Valeria felt her world spinning out of control around her. She tried to hold on to one of the waiting room chairs, but finally Richard's arms were all that kept her from going face first into the floor. “There's got to be something we can do!” Layla cried. “He can't stay like this forever, it's not fair.” “No, it's not,” said the doctor. “But right now we can only hope and pray for the best.” Valeria couldn't count the tears she shed that day, or the next, or the next, as she waited for Nick to wake up with no results. “Either you get up and get to your feet, or I'm going to ask Amelia to sedate you!” Andrew warned her. “I should have forgiven him,” Valeria muttered, looking at Nick. He was unconscious, connected to an oxygen line and looking too calm. “I had the chance, I had plenty of chances...” “Doll, you can't do this to yourself...” “No one can say he didn't fight every chance he got.” Valeria wiped away her tears. “But I didn't want to forgive him.” Andrew hugged her tig

Valeria took a deep breath. She had taken classes, read books, done absolutely everything she was supposed to do, but nothing could prepare her for the pain she was about to feel. “I'm going to give you a vasectomy with manicure tweezers!” she yelled at Nick as another contraction hit. “And without anesthesia!” Nick stoically endured the finger squeezing and all the curses that suddenly came out of that pretty little mouth, and accompanied her every step of the way. It wasn't a difficult delivery considering they were twins, but it still lasted over thirteen hours. The family crowded outside the hospital's delivery room and if Amelia hadn't planted her feet, they would all have gone in with her. Finally, Lisa was the first to come out, and Layla only took another five minutes. They were healthy, plump, and beautiful, and weighed six pounds each. Amelia cleaned them, and after the routine check, she put them in Valeria's arms. “How are you feeling, love?” Nick asked, wiping away h

“You're so crazy,” laughed Connor and he almost spat out his champagne. “Do you really want to do it?” “Of course,” Valeria assured him. “But I need help because you obviously know the right people.” “Okay, I'll set it up,” Connor agreed, "but I'm not responsible for the outcome.” “Honey, you and I know what that outcome will be!” laughed Valeria, toasting him. “Yes. It's perfect timing anyway, in a couple of weeks I'm going to New York for several months and I wouldn't have wanted to miss this.” “New York? Right! Dad told me you're opening another office there,” she recalled. “That's right. We'll expand Sheffield & Lieberman. Jake will stay here and I'll take over the New York office.” “Well, I wish you all the success in the world,” Valeria congratulated him. “And I hope with all my heart that I only have to call you just because we miss you!” “Amen to that!” They said goodbye, and Valeria went straight to the twins' office to include them in the plan. The whole family had t

Eight years later. Alice entered her father's office and saw him sitting in front of the window, aloof and worried. “Dad? Are you all right?” she asked, approaching her. Nick smiled, hugging her. “Hi, honey, you're out of school early! I thought you had your final exams.” Alice had gotten into Stanford University at thirteen, and Valeria, Nick, and the twins had moved to San Francisco. “Well, I did, but some idiot apparently didn't think he could pass the exam, so he triggered the fire alarm and they had to postpone it.” Alice sighed, sitting down across from him. “What's got you so worried?” Nick ran his hands through his hair in despair. Over the years Alice had become his best friend and the closest of his daughters, because the twins, besides having each other, were at an age when they didn't even know he existed. “I'm worried about your mother,” he confessed. “She's been very... irritable the last few weeks. I do my best not to upset her, but the truth is I don't understand