The morning Barbara discovered she was pregnant at 53, she could hardly believe her eyes. The two pink lines on the test stared back at her, an undeniable confirmation that left her in stunned silence.

She had always thought her sudden weight gain and mood swings were just part of getting older, but as it turned out, fate had other plans for her.

Determined to be sure, she made an appointment with her doctor. As she lay on the examination table, the rhythmic sound of a heartbeat echoed through the room.

“Do you hear that, Barbara?” Dr. Carter asked with a smile.

Barbara swallowed hard. “The heartbeat?”

Dr. Carter chuckled. “Heartbeats, Barbara. You’re having twins.”

Barbara’s entire world shifted in that instant. Shock flooded her veins as she stared at the ultrasound monitor. She was already a mother and a grandmother—this wasn’t part of the plan.