Swan

They were heartbreakers.

Dark hair, wide eyes, rosey cheeks and love heart lips.

'Beautiful, aren't they.' Mrs Linehan whispered. She was a darling woman, and I'd grown very fond of her over the past few months. She was middle aged and greying with a temper that frightened me on the best of days, but she had passion for the things that mattered most to me and her authority had played a large part in many of my major decisions. I'd grown respectful of her grumpy demeanour and it had served me well countless times.

'Absolutely stunning. How could anyone give you up?' I nuzzled my nose into Bumble Bee Blankets head and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

'They're orphans, Bella.' Mrs Linehan's stern voice shocked me, as though she was scolding me for eating one too many cookies. I looked up at her, cocking an eyebrow, but she didn't return my eye contact and continued to rock Duck Blanket back and forth in her arms.

'What happened to their parents?' I pressed, shifting in my seat so that I could cradle Bumble Bee Blanket closer to my chest.

'Mother died during child birth. Their father was a drug addict. Overdosed when they were four weeks.' She replied shortly, coldly.

'Oh' I wasn't quite sure how to answer.

We sat in silence for what seemed like an hour, and I just stared at their beautiful faces. I'd seen a lot of ugly babies in my time, each of which I had adored like every other and cradled close to me until it was time to say goodbye. But these girls, these girls were far from ugly.

She looked up at me then, breaking a smile for the first time since I'd met her, wrinkles forming around her chapped, bright red lips. 'I think you're exactly who they need'

'Really?' I asked sceptically. She never approved. Ever.

She nodded, 'I may act cold Bella, but I do believe that you'd make an incredible mother. Your levels of compassion and affection are like none I've ever experienced, and these babies need a loving home where they will be cherished and loved by someone more than your average adoptive mother. I also think that these babies need to know where they came from, and I trust you to keep them well informed. They don't need someone who will suddenly deliver the shock of their life when they find out their parents were drug ridden, irresponsible parents who left them the minute they were born. They need to know that they may have had a rough start, but that they have a loving home and always will, and they need to know this as they grow up in order to learn from their birth parents mistakes. And I think you're exactly the right person for this Bella.'

Tears had leaked from my eyes without my consent, and I swapped the baby into my other arm in order to wipe them away with the back of my hand. I nodded at her. We were not good with soppy moments, and this was the most heartfelt and longest speech she had given me.

Mrs Linehan cleared her throat and smiled a little before placing Duck Blanket back into the cot. Her normal self reappeared as she did this, her back straightening and her lips pursing.

'They're not named, so you'll need to consider names for them pretty soon. You may also want to think about your living situation, as I'm aware that you only have two bedrooms. They'll need more room as they grow up, of course, you know this already. Obviously you're very suited to adopting, so we have no concerns there. The adoption process could be a matter of weeks as long as we run into no complications, I'll aim to have them home before Christmas.'

'So soon.' I breathed, looking down at Bumble Bee Blanket again who was clutching the air with her perfectly formed hands.

'Is that a problem?'

'Oh, no, of course not! It's just been such a long time coming, and it's all happening so quickly.' I smiled at Baby and stroked the back of my hand across her smooth, porcelain skin.

'Of course,' She smiled again, eyes sparkling behind her thick glasses. 'You're going to make a wonderful mother Bella.'

My throat was thick with unshed tears. I had never felt so proud. 'Thank you'

'I'll ring you in the morning with an update.' She announced in a dismissive tone I'd come to recognise as my cue to leave.

'When can I see them again?' I asked, voice breaking slightly as I fought back tears.

She sighed, 'I'll bring them round on Tuesday?'

'Or I can come to see them, if it's too inconvenient for you' I offered.

'It's no trouble.' She replied, shuffling through some papers on her cluttered desk.

'If you're sure.'

She nodded quickly before handing me a copy of the sheet of information that she'd been supplied with and I took it between my teeth so that I could settle Bumble Bee Blanket back into the cot. I kissed both babies on the forehead and admired them once more before gathering my goat and scarf off the chair.

'Thank you Lillian, for everything.' I said fondly, smiling as brightly as I could.

She nodded again and I left the room quickly, knowing her distaste for people that hovered. We had that in common.

Lillian Linehan was a really stupid name.

'So?' Alice answered the door to find me stood with my hand in the air, ready to turn the key in the lock.

I simply grinned, and it was all the answer she needed.

She sprung forward and wrapped her tiny arms around me, squealing with excitement as she jumped us both up and down on my doorstep.

'Alice, calm the fuck down would you? I need a cup of coffee and something with an unhealthy calorie count' I laughed, pushing on her shoulders and holding her animated body still.

I walked through the house, kicking my shoes at the wall and throwing my keys onto the kitchen counter. I could almost feel the heat from Alice's glare. She hated it when I treated shoes or clothes with anything but the utmost affection and adoration.

I turned the tap on and filled the kettle, clicking it shut when it was at the max mark and setting it back down on the base. I flicked the little switch at the bottom and watched the red light flicker on and off.

'So what is she like?' Alice asked me, I could feel her buzzing, feel her tiny form bouncing about the room.

'Beautiful. And not just baby beautiful. Actually beautiful' I grinned, turning towards her and leaning back against the work top. 'And there's two of them. Twins.'

'Twins?' She gaped.

I nodded.

'Can you,' She paused. Obviously choosing not to finish her sentence, almost as though I had already answered the question she was about to ask.

'Can I what?'

'Well, I was going to ask if you'd be able to deal with twins, being a first time mother and all, but it was a stupid question' She laughed at her own idiocy.

'I'll be fine.'

'I know.'

I reached for the envelope that I'd been given with the only information they had on my girls. It wasn't much, but it was all I had. I opened it and ran my hand through my hair, feeling the tears well up in my eyes before I'd even read it.

Name(s): Baby Girl A & Baby Girl B

Mother's Name: Ellen Greenbank (deceased)

Father's Name: Nicholas Henderson (deceased)

Home Address Of Parents: Unknown

Family Members in Contact: None

Family Member Locations:

- Grandmother on Mothers side: Somerset, United Kingdom. Name unknown.

- Mothers only Sister: Somerset, United Kingdom. Name unknown.

- Mothers only Brother: York, United Kingdom. Name unknown.

-Grandfather on Fathers side: Texas, USA. Name unknown.

-Grandmother on Fathers side: Texas, USA. Name unknown.

Birth Date: 30th October2005

Time of Birth:

-Baby Girl A: 15:09

-Baby Girl B: 15:12

Weight at birth:

- Baby Girl A: 5lbs 9oz

-Baby Girl B: 5lbs 7oz

Conditions, Medical Requirements or Allergies: None discovered.

Additional Information: Ellen Greenbank passed away shortly after their safe delivery . Nicholas Henderson was not present at the birth. Both children were passed straight into foster care, as the hospital and police believed that the father was not fit to care for them. The father passed away four weeks and a day after their birth.

'Scumbag' I muttered, wiping tears away from my eyes and pulling two more sheets of paper out of the envelope.

'Sorry?' Alice mumbled, looking up from the fridge. I hadn't even noticed her opening it.

'Their father. He was a scumbag' I frowned, handing her the sheet of paper. She took it and folded her legs, sitting in front of my fridge with it wide open. I'd never understand her logic.

One sheet of paper was a list of contact numbers, i pinned it to my notice board. The other was an A5 photo of Baby Girl A and Baby Girl B. I smiled and ran my thumb over it before handing it to Alice.

'Oh Bella. They're so beautiful' She whispered, smiling up at me after staring at them for a full minute. Love radiated from her eyes, and jealousy.

'I know. I need your help with a few things. Naming them, for example' I grinned, reaching for the photo and pinning it on top of my contact list.

'You've got enough baby names to name an army of newborns Bella' She giggled, patting me on the shoulder affectionately.

'They need something special. Something thought up especially for them' I sighed. I clicked my fingers together and eyed the last snickers bar in the fridge. Alice handed it to me without a word.

'Call them Alice and Rosalie.' She suggested smugly. I laughed at her childish suggestion and shook my head.

'They need something beautiful, and it needs to be three syllables.'

'Why three syllables?' Her eyebrows knitted together above her grey eyes and she smirked a little at me whilst she poured coffee into my favourite mug without even watching what she was doing.

'Because my last name is one syllable, and their middle name needs to be two. It'll roll better off the tongue that way'

'Fine, then name Baby Girl A "Rosalie Alice Swan"' She grinned, as though her name choosing was a huge success.

'Alice' I warned, doing my best mummy scowl at her.

'Fine. How about something foreign, like Madeleine or Charlotte'

'Too French. But foreign is good. Their mothers side all seems to be from England. Think of English names' I encouraged, peeling the plastic wrapping away from my snickers bar and tucking in.

'Look in your baby naming book, I'm sure you can find a few English names you like. I've got to run, I'm meeting Jazz for coffee at half three' She kissed me on the cheek and smiled at me, all the excitement in her eyes almost the same as my own.

'Ok, coming round on Tuesday to meet them?' I covered my mouth, trying not to spew chewed up nuts and chocolaty goodness all over her.

'Sure sure' She answered as she pulled her coat on and picked up her keys and her coffee off the table. She waved and left the kitchen, her heels clicking along my wooden floor.

The door clicked shut and I was plunged into icy silence, with only my thoughts to keep me company. I'd never have a quiet moment again. Thank god. I'd never been one to enjoy spending time on my own, and for as long as I could remember I had lived with someone. But ever since Alice had been with Jazz, she rarely spent any time here, although most of her stuff still hung in the closet in her room. I was often left with the radio to keep me company. I'd never owned a TV, my mother called it the devils box and I'd grown to live without it.

I lifted myself onto the work top and sat, thought.

I was finally starting my family. Making the lives of two beautiful children better.