Pregnant With Alpha’s Genius Twins

#Chapter 4 – Quiz Nation

I wave goodbye to Melissa, my client, as she wipes her eyes and walks to her car. She’s going to be all right – but wow, what an exhausting session.

As she drives away I click my phone open and check my email, pleased to see that the confirmation I was looking for is there. “Boys!” I call, “get your shoes!”

My children clatter around in the living room before spilling into the hallway, Ian hopping on one foot as he pulls on his sneaker. Alvin carries his shoes carefully and sits down to tie his laces. “What’s happening, mama?”

I feign surprise, teasing them. “What, didn’t you want to go to the quiz show?”

“Really, mama?!” Ian’s face lights up and he throws himself against me in a hug. “We can really go?!”

I laugh and hug him back as Alvin joins us. “Well, you earned it, and I could use a break from my work. I contacted the show and it’s all real – you earned your place. Since you qualified together, though, you have to play as one. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes!” they say together, two pairs of bright brown eyes smiling up at me.

“Okay, into the car!” I say, smacking their bums as they pass. Off we go.

“Alvin and Ian Ortega,” the receptionist says, her eyes wide. “This…this is them?”

I nod, a hand on the shoulder of each boy. “Yes,” I say. “Is there a problem?”

“No,” she says, shaking her head, surprise clear on her face. “They’re just so…young. You know,” she tears her eyes away from them and looks at me, “most of the contestants on this show are…adults. Doctors. Lawyers. Educated people.”

“It’s not a mistake!” Alvin chimes in. “We qualified!” He slips his printed-out paper onto the desk. Ian gives the receptionist a gap-toothed grin.

the paper. “I guess…everything’s in order!” She laughs,

and the boys scamper off towards it. As I begin to follow, she stops me with a light hand on my arm. “You know, you really are lucky,” she breathes, “to have two such children, so handsome, so

I say. “I know. I count my blessings every day.” I catch up with my boys at the door and wrap each up in a hug, placing a kiss on the top

I said. “Try hard, of course, but overall you must remember to have fun,

Alvin says, smiling

dad were here,” Ian says, looking at me a little wistfully. “I

very busy – he’s out there doing big, big work, and helping people. He loves you,” I say, hoping, deep down, that it’s not a lie. “He just needs to be somewhere else. But he’s out there, thinking

watch them run away to be prepared in hair in makeup, or whatever they do. I shrug and move to the craft services table, pouring

anticipation. I try to keep my face smooth so that if the boys look out into the audience they will find their mother placid and serene. Ha,

Alvin ventures, his voice tremulous. The boys stand on stage behind a podium. Their answer appears in text on

“Yessssssssss!” The announcer shouts enthusiastically, and the crowd goes wild,

Ortega – you have the chance to be champions of

off and assistants rush around, blotting the host’s face with makeup, moving Alvin and Ian to a new set of podiums where they will face the previous champion, a scientist from LA. He generously shakes hands with the boys, who, I am pleased to see, greet him politely despite their

says. Stagehands scatter and I take

against their podium. “You are our youngest contestants ever and have, amazingly, made it to the final round on your first try. To

is real smart,” says Ian, and the crowd

announcer smiles back at them, charmed. “And what will you do, if you win Quiz Nation?

a breath of air and paste a smile on my face. What is with the dad

real busy, but we want him to know

announcer says, a little stiffly, and then moves

continues, heating up as the twins fend off question after