The house was quiet. The lights off, Yuri and Angela tucked into bed downstairs. The twins, Nadia and Thomas, were sound asleep across the hall from Red's room.

And Red couldn't sleep to save her life.

There were no snoring inmates to lull her to sleep.

Galina was technically a free woman, but all she could think about was Litchfield and her girls.

Yuri had bought her a smart phone—why a smart phone and not just a regular phone, she still couldn't figure out why—and she stared at it. She put her reading glasses on, looking back at the phone. Her fingers tried tapping the screen, getting the numbers to light up.

It rang. And rang.

Then she realized how late it was, and went to hang up, but she heard a voice on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" The gruff voice sounded like it'd just woken up.

"Sam?" She was breathless. Unsure of what to say next. It had taken her near an hour to even call him.

"Galina? Is everything okay?" He sounded more alert now.

"Yes, I just couldn't sleep."

"Oh, really? They say that the first few nights outside of the prison system can be the hardest. Just, take it easy. Tomorrow is Saturday, I'm off, I'll bring over some rolls. We'll have coffee and relax." Sam rambled on as he did when he got nervous.

She could turn him down.

Tell him that now that she was out of Litch she didn't need him.

But that would be a lie. She knew full well that it would be a dirty lie. And she knew she didn't want to and couldn't survive the new world without Sam's support.

"I'll have to watch the twins, but yes, you could come over and we could watch them together."

There was a sharp silence on the other end of the phone before Sam said he'd be there in the morning.

"Maybe I should be the one to make rolls, you can come and enjoy them, my love."

"Okay, now sleep. Two one-yea-olds will ware both of us down tomorrow."

They said goodnight to each other, giving a second's pause before they hung up—like in-love teenagers. Red could already feel calmer. Resting her head back into the pillow, she watch the darkness surround the house and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Red looked in on the twins. Downstairs, both Yuri and Angela were up and about, holding down a variety of jobs, the new parents were working more than not.

Peeking into the bedroom where her grandchildren slept, Galina felt the pangs of motherhood flood her. Nadia's bright red curls framed her face, her plump cheeks a rosey red. Thomas' dark hair was a mess, taking after his babushka. He got the plump lips of her son and blazing blue eyes to match. He'd be a stone-cold heartbreaker when he grew older.

She tugged open the shades on the window a crack. Gentle enough to wake the twins, both of them stood at their cribs, trying to reach out to the other.

"How are my little angels?" She scooped up Thomas, setting him on her hip, then Nadia, balancing her on her other hip.

It'd been a long time since she'd carried two children at once. Once the three of them got downstairs, Nadia jumped into the arms of her mother. Thomas, on the other hand, flopped his head against Red's shoulder, sticking his thumb into his mouth.

She could smell him, still had that baby smell.

Yuri left first. He'd be gone the longest.

With a bottle propped in Nadia's mouth, Angela finished feeding one twin while Galina fed Thomas.

To her, it felt like the old days. Feeding babies. Watching her help walk out the door. But she had the babies. Her grandchildren.

And once Angela left, back tracking a handful of times to repeat orders for Red, the mother-in-law finally pushed her out the door. If she could handle the three boys and the café, there was no reason why she couldn't handle the twins. The fact that Angela didn't know Sam was coming over was something that she could live forever and be happy never knowing.

So what if Red had to call in reinforcements?

Her boys were spread out. A couple of years between each of them. Thankfully, just enough.

In their button-clipped cream onesies, the twins waddled around the house. Tried to go upstairs, but were thwarted. And just when she was going to dial Sam's number, he knocked at the front door.

Easy enough.

The two young ones and the one—not so young one—herded toward the door. She danced around them, not stepping on any bare toes.

Galina opened the door with ease.

There'd been no way to expect anything when he showed up, but Sam Healy loved the sight. The cherub-faced little girl made a mad dash around his legs when he caught her.

It was a first.

He'd held his nieces and nephew—but that had been over twenty-years ago. And this was Red's granddaughter. The little girl was different. She wasn't a new-born, but Sam could still cradle her in his one arm with ease.

"Sam," Galina sighed. A smile tipping along the ends of her lips. Her shoulders un-knotted themselves before his eyes.

Sam took charge. With his other arm, he scooped up the little boy, causing a shrill squeal to pierce into his ear-drum.

Something sparked in Red's blue eyes as she watched him carrying the twins in. For the first time in a long time, he felt elated by a woman's look. He was doing something right, this was what he needed to do.

The house smelled like cinnamon and sugar—the closer they got to the kitchen, the stronger the smell came.

Nadia, Red told him, wouldn't stay still for long. And as soon as her feet touched the floor, she ran around the room faster than her stubby legs could handle.

"I'll run around with them—" he cooed, letting the twin terrors peel around them like race-cars, "—but I get a kiss from my main gal first."

Spreading his hand on the small of her back, Sam pulled her in for a passionate kiss that sent stars to blur his vision.

Then he realized, it was pain. A blinding pain.

Nadia had her mouth open, pressed against his calf—biting down hard.

It startled him, but he tried not to move.

"Nadia!" Red yelled and dove into a string of harsh Russian words for a toddler. This time, her grandmother picked her up off the floor. This time, Nadia got three sharp swats on her bottom before she was put down.

Large tears tumbled after each other down her face. Sharp chin quivering.

Thomas stood by his babushka's legs—not offering any kind of condolence to his sister.

Meanwhile, Sam was still shocked that Red had just spanked the girl. He plopped down in one of the stools that surrounded the island. Reaching out for Nadia's hand, he pulled her up onto his lap, coddling her.

"That won't help her, Sam," Galina snapped.

"Yeah, so what?"

Nadia curled into him, almost a perfect ball, her head resting on his chest, hand clenching his shirt.

"I might not have any of my own kids, but that doesn't mean I can't spoil yours."

"Oh, gag me."

She did have to admit that seeing her granddaughter curled up in his arms made her uterus hurt. And she'd be lying if she ever denied having thought about a family with Sam. Being Mrs. Galina Healy. Watching her belly grow and knowing it was Sam's child. Sam, the man she loved. The man she wished she could have spent her life with—well more of her life.

"Galina?" Sam leaned his head toward her, trying to get her attention.

Now that she was out, her daydreams about being with Sam were coming true. And, just like a dream, it felt like it might end at any minute.

Sam pulled at her hand, and they all clambered onto his lap. Sam holding Nadia and Galina. Galina holding Thomas.

"Let's go in the living room." Sam motioned for Galina to give Thomas to him. This time, the curled up on the couch.