The Unwanted Wife and Her Secret Twins (Mia and Kyle) novel Chapter 227

Chapter 227 in the Park

+25 BONUS

Chapter 227 In the Park

Mia’s POV

“Mom, why can’t we bring the rocket launcher?” Alexander asked, his lower lip Jutting out in the signature pout he’d perfected over his four years of life.

1 sighed, reaching for my fourth cup of coffee. “Because it’s not a real rocket launcher, sweetie. It’s a paper. towel roll covered in aluminum foil. And because the last time you brought it to the park, you hit Mrs. Goldstein’s poodle.”

“That was an accident,” he muttered, crossing his arms.

Ethan, ever the peacemaker, patted his brother’s shoulder. “We can bring the compass Uncle Thomas gave us instead. We can explore like real adventurers.”

My heart warmed at the mention of Thomas. He’d been gone for three days on a business trip to Chicago, overseeing the installation of his latest gallery exhibition. I missed him more than I wanted to admit.

“That’s a great idea, Ethan,” I said, packing sunscreen, water bottles, snacks, band–aids, extra clothes, and all the other essentials needed for an outing with two adventurous boys and one energetic golden retriever. Adventure without assault charges is always preferable.”

My mother breezed into the kitchen, looking far more put together than anyone should at 8 AM on a Saturday. Her silver hair was styled perfectly, and she wore a light sundress that made her look at least a decade younger than her sixty–five years.

“Good morning, darlings!” She kissed each twin on the head before pouring herself a cup of coffee. “Ready for your park day?”

“Nana, why are you so fancy?” Alexander asked, eyeing her outfit suspiciously.

She laughed, a sound that still carried the lightness of a much younger woman. “Is it a crime to look nice, young man?”

“You h have a date,” I said, recognizing the particular shade of lipstick she only wore for special occasions. “With Jared?”

“Goodness, no,” she waved dismissively. “Jared is yesterday’s news. We’re doing brunch with Daniel today.” “Daniel from your book club or Daniel from your yoga class?” I asked, trying to keep track of my mother’s active social life.

“Yoga Daniel,” she confirmed with a wink. “Book club Daniel talks too much about his ex–wife.”

The twins exchanged confused glances.

“How many boyfriends does Nana have?” Ethan whispered, not quite quietly enough.

My mother laughed delightedly. “Just enough, my darling. Just enough.”

Since divorcing my father (or we can say since he died), my mother had embraced a life of freedom and non-

Chapter 227 In the Park

+25 BONUS

commitment. In the decade since her divorce, she’d dated more men than I had in my entire life. She was happler now than I’d ever seen her.

“Well, have fun with Yoga Daniel,” I said, gathering the last of our supplies. “We should be back around three unless these two convince me to stop for ice cream.”

“We’ll definitely convince you,” Alexander stated with complete confidence.

“Ice cream is very important for growing boys,” Ethan added solemnly. “Dr. Chen said we need calcium.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Dr. Chen said you need calcium from milk and cheese, not necessarily ice cream.”

“Ice cream is made from milk,” Alexander countered, his expression suggesting he believed he’d just delivered an irrefutable legal argument.

My mother chuckled. “He’s got you there, Mia.”

“Don’t encourage them,” I warned, but couldn’t help smiling. “Come on, adventurers. Let’s get your shoes on. Gas needs his walk.”

At the mention of his name, our gas appeared, tail wagging wildly. Despite the trauma of the hair straightener incident, Gas remained the most patient dog on the planet. He’d endured countless makeovers, impromptu rides in the twins‘ wagon, and being dressed as everything from a superhero to a princess.

Getting two four–year–olds and a dog ready for an outing was like preparing for a military operation. Shoes had to be put on the correct feet (and often redone when I discovered they’d switched them). Bathroom breaks had to be enforced. Sunscreen had to be applied despite dramatic protests that it was “slimy” and “smells weird.” By the time we made it to the car, I had already logged what felt like a full day’s work.

“Can we listen to the dinosaur song?” Alexander asked as I buckled him into his car seat.

“No, the space song!” Ethan countered.

“We listened to the space song last time,” Alexander argued. “It’s dinosaur time.”

I secured Gas in his special harness. “How about we alternate? Dinosaur song on the way there, space song on the way back?”

They considered this compromise with thatching serious expressions.

“What if we forget on the way back?” Alexander asked suspiciously.

“I promise I’ll remember,” I assured him, closing his door and moving around to the driver’s seat.

As the opening beats of their favorite dinosaur song began to play, both boys immediately started singing along, complete with roaring noises and stomping motions limited by their car seats.

“T–Rex had tiny arms but GREAT BIG TEETH!” they shouted in unison.

I caught Gas’s eye in the rearview mirror. He looked resigned to his fate.

“You and me both, buddy,” I muttered.

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Chapter 227 in the Park

+25 BONUS

The drive to Prospect Park took about twenty minutes enough time for the dinosaur song to repeat four times. Each repetition got progressively louder until I feared for the integrity of my eardrums.

I’d chosen Prospect Park over closer options because it offered the Long Meadow an expansive grassy area where the boys could run freely and Gas could stretch his legs. The playground there was excellent, with equipment suitable for their age, and there was usually a good mix of dogs and children to keep everyone entertained.

“Remember the rules,” I said as 1 unloaded everyone from the car. “Stay where I can see you. No going with strangers. No feeding Gas things you find on the ground.”

“What if we find a hot dog?” Alexander asked seriously.

“Especially not hot dogs,” I replied. “Remember what happened last time?”

Both boys nodded solemnly. Gas’s unfortunate digestive reaction to a discarded hot dog was still legendary in our household.

With the boys each holding one of my hands and Gas’s leash looped around my wrist, we made our way to the Long Meadow. The morning was perfect–warm but not hot, with a light breeze and scattered clouds providing occasional shade. The park was busy but not crowded, with families read out across the vast green space.

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I found a spot under a large oak tree and spread out our blanket. “Home base,” I announced, setting down bags. “When I call you back to home base, you come running, okay?”

“Like in baseball?” Ethan asked.

“Exactly like baseball,” I confirmed, unclipping Gas’s leash now that we were in a safe area. “And Gas is the umpire.”

The dog wagged his tail, as if appreciating his important role.

For the next hour, we played an elaborate game the twins had invented called “Explorers and Aliens,” which involved a lot of running, pretending sticks were laser guns, and occasionally hiding behind trees to avoid “alien detection.” Gas participated enthusiastically, though I suspected he thought we were playing a complicated version of fetch.

I kept one eye on the boys and one on my phone.

An email from Jackson Maxwell had arrived that morning.

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