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Elspeth

Tegan’s born a twin while her father Amory, old-fashioned, paces in the hall; neither of them will ever see baby Tessa, whom the doctors quickly hide behind curtains and soft words. Elspeth’s got sweat in her eyes, so she only sees her daughter’s harlequin smile for a second. She should be glad, she thinks, that one of them lived.

Later, Elspeth and Amory reach into the incubator through plastic bags. They’ve already agreed never to tell her about the miscarriage, but Elspeth makes a silent promise when Tegan squeezes her finger.

Someday, she says. Somehow we’ll get your sister back.