It was the cries that woke me, like most mornings. Honestly, I didn't have a use for an alarm clock anymore. Riddle operated in a very specific way. Sleep at midnight. Wake up at 5. Every night. I was used to it by now.

I rolled sideways, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed and throwing the sheets away from me. It was April. The semester would be drawing to a close soon. Which meant time. Time was what I always needed. But for today, I just needed to focus on getting Riddle and Ronan up and dressed. Fed. Then it was to the grocery store because we were running low on milk and bread and…everything.

So, get awake, go to the grocery, get home, try and study, feed the twins lunch, get homework done and maybe have some free time to sit and breathe afterwards. That was the plan. Of course, things very rarely go according to plan when you have twins.

Riddle had woken Ronan up with his screams, and so I'd had to try and soothe both of them at once and get them fed at the same time. It'd taken an hour and a half to get them to eat a single thing of baby food each. And then Ronan had still been crying and had screamed so hard that he'd thrown his food back up. And that had made Riddle start crying again.

I didn't end up leaving the house until 8. But it wasn't so bad. The grocery store was open and that was all that mattered. But the actual grocery shopping was always a challenge.

The doors swished open and cold air hit me as I walked into Kroger, the smell of meat and processed cheese hitting my nose almost immediately. I pulled a basket out of the row with my foot before slowly lowering Riddle into the seat. R tried to lower. He kept kicking his legs and refusing to sit down.

"Riddle," I scolded, knowing he couldn't have any idea what I was saying. "Stop kicking mommy. Sit down." I said quietly to myself, using what little free movement I had with my other hand to gently tug his legs. Finally, he flopped onto his bottom, releasing a stream of slobbery giggles that had me smiling. He'd always been the more energetic of the two. Ronan was conked out on my shoulder, drooling all over my shirt. But it was okay. Riddle had woken him up much too early anyways. He always did.

"Welcome to Kroger," An old man smiled at me as I pushed the cart with one hand, and I managed to spare him a smile and a nod.

The first few months I'd been in custody, I'd been ashamed to go out. I'd been paranoid, seeing a disapproving glint in every eye that turned my way. A condescending tone in every voice that spoke to me. But the truth of the matter was, most people couldn't tell how old I was. Or they didn't know for sure I was their mom. So they didn't really judge me. It'd just taken me a little to become comfortable in my role.

"You want some bread?" I asked Riddle as we rolled down the isle, and held out the plastic wrapped loaf to him. His hands flailed for it, droll running down his chin as his chubby hands tried to grip it. "Home. When we get home." I said, slowly pulling it away from him and putting it into the cart.

"What's next?" I asked, widening my eyes at him and shifting my hip, readjusting my hold on Ronan. People fail to realize how exhausting it gets carrying around a baby. My arm was already beginning to ache but I'd known it would.

"Hmmm," I hummed, rolling through the next isle. "Here, you can hold this," I said, smiling as I handed Riddle a roll of paper towels. He gripped it tightly, and I watched his little fingers flex against the soft fabric. "Fun?" I smiled, continuing the push the cart, my fingers desperate to flex away from the plastic they were curled around.

"MOMMY!" Someone screamed in the next isle. A child of course, and I jumped, my heart thundering as I pushed the cart faster. A child. A lost child. Those were my first thoughts. They came to an abrupt halt as I turned into the next isle to find a little boy sprawled across the floor, kicking his arms and legs as his mother stood nearby. Doing nothing.

"MOMMY! I want to go home! Home now! Now! Now! NOW!" His cries became increasingly hysteric and I watched, with fascination and not just a little bit of disgust as his mother ignored him. Completely. Like he wasn't even there. Like he didn't even matter.

Of course he was going to scream. He was lonely. And my heart went out to him even as a part of me wanted to yell at him to shut up because Riddle was wide-eyed and looking confused and Ronan was beginning to wake up.

I backed out of the isle quickly, flustered. Encountering other parents was something I avoided. I had the bad habit of thinking I knew much better than them.

"Shhhh," I soothed Ronan quickly, praying that he might just stay asleep. Just for a little bit…

But no. In the next few seconds he became more and more lucid and I felt the tiny body nestled against my chest begin to shake with sobs that sooner or later were going to grow very loud.

"Shhhh," I said again even when I knew it wasn't going to help.

My eyes scanned isles of food, but I couldn't exactly remember what I was supposed to be looking for anymore. God damn it. Riddle was looking around, frightened. Of course. Ronan was crying now, with full out body shaking sobs and I released the cart to run a hand over my forehead. And that sign of stress was enough to set off Riddle. That and the noise.

So there I was, standing in the middle of the isle of a grocery store with two crying one year olds.

And I really wanted to cry too. Because all I'd wanted was one day, just one day where things went according to plan.

"Ronan calm down baby," I cooed, bouncing him. He wasn't in the bouncing mood. His cries increased in volume. Riddle released the paper towels and they fell on the floor.

"Riddle," I scolded lightly, even though I knew he couldn't have known he was supposed to continue to hold onto them.

They're babies. I reminded myself. But it was just one of those days. Those days when nothing is going your way and it pisses you off and you just want to scream at something. I awkwardly bent to pick up the paper towels and throw them into the basket, all the while trying to collect the thoughts that had been scattered by infant screams.

I felt a great glob of spit fall onto my shirt.

"Shhhhh," I tried again, closing my eyes against the slight tingle there. The threat of tears that I couldn't deal with right now.

I'd signed up for this. I could do this.

I reached a hand over and soothingly ran my fingers through Riddle's hair, rocking my body back and forth in the hopes that it might calm Ronan. I scraped my nails lightly along his scalp.

Nothing was working. Apparently it was one of those days for them as well.

"We're okay," I whispered, continuing my movements and trying to figure out what else I could do to help. "We're okay."

"Need help?" A voice asked me, and I spun around, my eyes landing on a girl with a pretty smile and long curly hair. And, I couldn't help but notice, superb fashion sense.

"Umm," I hesitated. I hated asking strangers for help. It made me feel terribly inadequate.

"Here, I'll push the cart. Do you have a list?" She asked, not bothering to wait for any sort of confirmation as she lightly pushed me aside and gripped the handle. For a moment my heart stopped and I waited for her to suddenly take off with Riddle.

She didn't.

"Yeah," I mumbled, reaching into my pocket and fumbling with the slightly warm piece of paper. "Here." I smiled through my embarrassment. I hated needing help. I hated not being able to do my job as a mother. But I wasn't going to refuse. I couldn't right now, not when I was on the cusp of an emotional breakdown. End of course exams were coming up.

"Okay well you have bread and paper towels. You need milk, cream cheese, and yogurt from the dairy section. We'll get that last." Her voice trailed off, and I watched her eyes wander over the paper. Ronan was quieting down finally in my arms but Riddle's cries were not slowing.

"Riddle, shhhhh," I hushed him, stepping closer to the basket and pressing my lips firmly to his forehead. "Shhhh," I whispered. He just looked at me and let more droll fall down his chin.

Ronan squirmed in my arms and whimpered, and I quickly moved to press my lips to his forehead next. He was warm. But I couldn't tell if it was from all the crying or if it was a fever.

"I'll need to pick up some sort of child fever reducer too." I muttered, not sure why I was telling this woman. "I'm Lily by the way." I said, realizing I'd forgotten to mention my name.

"Danielle." The woman beside me smiled, beginning to push the basket. "Who are these two darlings?" She asked, and only then did I fully realize she had an accent. British.

"This is Ronan," I said, slightly lifting my arm. "That's Riddle," I sighed, running a hand over his cheek. He turned his head toward my hand.

"Ma!" He cried, coughing. Great. Just what I needed. Two sick babies. I prayed that he was only coughing because of his cries. Then he dissolved into to snotty babbling.

If Danielle was surprised to hear him call me mama she certainly didn't show it. She just kept pushing the basket slowly.

"Are they sick?" She asked worriedly, coming around a corner and picking up a box of brown rice and several boxes of spaghetti and mac-and-cheese. We lived on that stuff.

"I don't know. Ronan threw up this morning but I thought it was because he was crying too hard. It was just one of those mornings." I said, shrugging, knowing she wouldn't understand.

She didn't say anything to that, just kept pushing the cart and letting me try and calm them down. Ronan had fallen asleep again, a sweaty weight against my body. Riddle's crying was simply half-hearted snorts and yells now, and he'd taken to sniffing and gurgling.

I switched Ronan to the other arm, resting my cheek against his forehead. He was definitely warm. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. Bad day. Bad bad day.

Now I had to add a doctor's trip into my schedule. I reached over into the basket and fished around for my phone in the pocket, pulling it out and running through the list to the pediatrician.

I glanced at Danielle and smiled as I dialed the number. You could never be too safe. It rang twice before the receptionist picked up.

"Dr. Karken's office how may I help you?"

"Hi, this is Lily Draven, my twin boys seem to be running a little fever I was wondering if you had any openings today for a check-up?" I asked, biting my lip and pressing my head to Ronan's forehead again. He was definitely warm.

"We don't seem to have anything open today but we have a space open tomorrow at 8:30." She said.

I breathed sharply through my nose. My classes started at nine.

"Do you have anything else, maybe after 3? I won't be out of school until 2." I asked, waiting as I heard her typing away on her keyboard on the other end.

"We have something at 5." She said.

"That would be good." I said, sighing in relief. At least something would work out. Maybe.

"Okay, I have you down. What are the children's names?" She asked.

"Ronan and Riddle Draven."

"Alright. Please be here at least 30 minutes prior to the time of your appointment."

"Thank you." I said, and hung up quickly as I felt Ronan start coughing against my shoulder. I knew that cough. I grabbed a cloth out of my bag and put it over my shoulder, waiting.

And there it was, the spit up.

"Ohhh baby," I sighed, rubbing his back with my free arm before reaching back to use the cloth to wipe up the vomit. "I'm sorry, I know, I know." I said, as I listened to the garbled no's and ma's he kept sputtering.

Riddle started to hiccup.

"Here," Danielle held her hand out, and I looked at her strangely, wondering why some stranger would be willing to help clean up a random babies puke. "I'm not very squeamish." She smiled.

"So what made you decide to help some random girl in the grocery store? Don't you have groceries to buy?" I asked.

"Well quite honestly I'm not meant to be out. I'm just visiting and I was told to stay in the hotel. But I was going absolutely mad with boredom so I decided to come out and see the sights." She shrugged. "You seemed like you could use a hand."

"So you're idea of seeing the sights is visiting a Kroger?" I asked, a small smile lifting my lips.

"It's where the bus took me. I wasn't exactly paying attention when I got on." She laughed.

"Well thank you," I said. "For stopping, I mean. I really appreciate the help."

"How old are you?" She asked suddenly, and I felt my face heat.

"Eighteen."

"You're brave." She said, smiling brightly. And I knew I must've looked startled, because she released a bright laugh. "I wouldn't be able to handle kids. You're strong. I can see it. And you've got to be more responsible than any of the 18 year olds I know."

"Thank you," I said slowly, looking at her more closely. I felt like I'd seen her before…somewhere…"Most people don't look at it that way. They see a teenager with kids and…well, you know how those things go."

"I imagine." She nodded, stopping in front of some freezers to pull out a jug of whole milk.

"Have I seen you somewhere before?" I asked, tilting my head. There was definitely something very familiar about her. Like I'd seen her face on a magazine or something. But…I couldn't have.

"We've never met." She smiled, and I didn't miss her phrasing. But I wouldn't push the subject.

"Hmm," I hummed, using my free hand to grab a box of yogurt.

"Listen, I know you don't know me, and you're probably confused to why but I would very much like to help you today. I mean, I don't have children but they seem very restless and…well, you said you had school tomorrow. Let me help you today. I'll…make you lunch or something while you get them settled." She said, eyes wide and excited.

Sometimes in life, you meet people who are just genuinely good. To the core they're beautiful and for some reason the world hasn't tainted that yet. Or hasn't had the heart to. I felt, knew that Danielle was one of those people.

"Well…even if this is all very strange," I laughed, "I think I'll have to take you up on your offer. I have a lot of studying to do."

"Brilliant." She smiled, grabbing a bag and placing tomatoes in it.