A New Rhythm

Three weeks later, the mornings in the Bradford household felt different—lighter, calmer, and filled with a kind of ease Lucy had almost forgotten was possible.

The sun filtered through the curtains in the kitchen as Lucy poured herself a fresh cup of coffee. Naiomi and Tyler were in their bouncers by the window, babbling to each other like little conspirators. Charlotte sat at the table in her pajamas, lazily working on a drawing of their family with colored pencils while munching on toast.

Tim entered the kitchen from the hallway, hair slightly tousled and a proud grin on his face. "Guess who actually slept seven hours straight?"

Lucy raised an eyebrow, sipping her coffee. "You?"

"Me. And the twins. Renee is officially a miracle worker."

Lucy smiled and looked at the babies. "I didn't want to get my hopes up too soon, but... we're really getting the hang of this, huh?"

Tim leaned against the counter and nodded. "Between Renee's help and us getting back into a rhythm, I almost feel human again."

Charlotte perked up. "Mommy! I drew all of us—including the babies and Renee!"

Lucy laughed and walked over to admire the picture. "You did such a great job, sweetheart. Look at that—Renee even has her braid!"

"I like her," Charlotte said matter-of-factly. "She smells like peppermint."

Tim snorted. "She does, doesn't she?"

⸻

Later That Afternoon

With Renee arriving each evening and giving them peaceful nights, Lucy had finally settled back into her job in public relations without constantly battling exhaustion. She'd even started planning meetings again, and Tim was back to working on set a few days a week, thanks to a production that allowed him some flexibility.

They'd fallen into a system: Lucy took the morning shift, Tim handled the early evening wind-down with the twins, and Renee took over through the night. Charlotte, ever the big sister, proudly told anyone who would listen that she helped by "singing lullabies that actually work."

The house felt like a home again.

⸻

That Evening

With the twins tucked into their cribs and Charlotte asleep down the hall, Lucy curled up on the couch with Tim. The lights were low, a half-finished movie playing quietly on the screen, more for background than actual attention.

Tim reached over and took her hand. "I've been thinking."

"Dangerous," Lucy teased.

He rolled his eyes with a smile. "I meant about us. About this—our life. It feels good. Like we're finally stepping into the version we always hoped for."

Lucy rested her head on his shoulder. "It really does."

"I want us to enjoy this, you know?" he continued. "Not just survive it. Renee was the right call. We're better parents when we're not falling apart."

Lucy looked up at him, heart full. "I love the way we're building this life. Even with the chaos—it's ours."

Tim leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Here's to routines, peppermint-smelling night nurses, and finally getting a full night's sleep."