Chapter 57: Birdwatching
“Birdwatching?” Serena asked when Carson showed up at her door on her day off. “Yea, it is a fun activity,” he said. “We can go outside, the kids will love it.” Serena looked over her shoulder at where the kids were playing on the floor. She’d wanted to spend the day with just them, but now Carson had shown up for a day together.
“Have you ever been?” he asked. “Not in any official capacity,” she admitted. “I guarantee fun,” Carson said. “Kids, do you want to go birdwatching?” Serena asked, turning to talk to Olivia and Oliver.
“With Logan?” Olivia asked, jumping up. Serena stepped aside so they could see it was Carson at the door. “Logan is busy today,” she said. “You remember my friend Carson? He wants us all to spend the day together. Doesn’t that sound like fun?” “Okay,” Olivia said, less enthusiastically. Oliver remained quiet, but they both pulled their shoes on. Serena turned back to Carson. “Logan promised he’d come see them after we got all moved back in,” she explained. “He hasn’t had the time yet though, being Alpha and all.” “I see,” Carson said with a nod. “Well, I will make sure we all have fun, anyway.” “Let me get my shoes and a sweater,” Serena said. She grabbed what she needed and found Carson on the porch with the kids. He was showing them how to use a pair of binoculars. “Do I need any special bird watching equipment?” she asked. Carson shook his head. “Nah,” he said. “I’ve got two pairs of binoculars, and I know all the best places to see birds.”
“Alright,” Serena said. She took the kids hands in hers. “Lead the way.”
Carson headed off the porch and turned to the left, bringing them in the direction of the tree line. The intermittent forest spread throughout the pack territory was a great place to see wildlife.
“I’ll climb to the very top of a tree so I can see the whole forest,” Olivia was saying, chattering to Oliver. “You can’t climb that high!” Oliver argued. “Mommy, can Olivia climb that high?” “Neither of you are going to be climbing trees. We are going out to see birds,” Serena said.
Carson said. “Don’t encourage her,” Serena teased. “I’ll
crouched down low next to a bush and put his finger
her a pair of binoculars. “There is a woodpecker over there,” Carson said, motioning in the direction he saw the bird. Serena looked in her binoculars first. She saw the woodpecker standing on the tree trunk with a grub in its beak. “Do you want to see?” Serena whispered to Olivia. She nodded, and Serena picked her up, holding the binoculars so her daughter could see. “How about you, Oliver?” Carson asked. He opened his arms, but
down and then picked Oliver up so he
leaning closer to Carson. She didn’t want him to feel bad, but he shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. Serena was happy he wasn’t taking it personally Kids were always saying and doing things that could
Logan,” Oliver added. Serena could have slapped her forehead with her palm, if she hadn’t been holding her
fun,” she said, “being
at the kids and
your thing, huh?” he asked.
around,” she said. Again, Serena felt
obviously haven’t learned how to be
about it, he
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