It was nearly a week since the Clements had arrived back from the hospital. They had learned quickly that it was more peaceful for everyone if they allowed the babies to sleep together. During this pregnancy the idea of twins set her emotions tumbling between fear and joy. The friends and family continued to comment on how sweet and good natured the girls were- so long as they were not separated from the other for an extended period.
The young mother and father were graciously accepting the peaceful sleep that they were told would not come for months. The girls were so quiet that they had to set alarms in order to feed them in a scheduled manner. They had figured this out after sleeping continuously for five hours on the first night home.
The nursery was simple and warm. The clothes and bed dressings were cloaked in a soothing mixture of lavender and vanilla. Their mother, Sonia, had researched about essential oils during her last month of pregnancy. Undoubtedly she had attributed their calm nature to both their comfort in each other and the presence of such a scent.
It was easy for Sonia to return to sleep after feeding the girls. Her husband would often get up and feed one as she was the other. It was calming and quickly becoming her favorite part about 2am alarms. She knew that many parents listed late night feedings as 'the worst'. But with the lights kept low, looking up across at her other child in his sleepy arms, feeling one gently in her own, she felt rested and filled with pride at how her family had been stitched together.
The heart stopping wail had torn both of them from the bed. Perhaps the chill inside them came from never having heard their child scream like this. Fear grips all new parents when they hear their child crying. The seconds it took from their bed to the nursery disappeared as they both paused beside the crib. Sonia heard the blood rushing and clogging her ears so loudly that the baby's continued screams were lost.
"Where's Tegan!? Where's Tegan!?" It became her whispered mantra as the father tried to soothe Sara and pass along all information to the detectives. Sonia sat in the rocking chair with her legs to her chest hours after everyone had gone. "Where's Tegan... Where's Tegan?" It was a hoarse whisper now. Sara had cried herself to sleep in her father's arms. Dawn approached slowly to confirm that time does not stop for tragedy.
