#Chapter 103 – Family Ties

“Mimi!” Ian shouts, bursting through Victor’s back door. He had seen his grandmother through the window as he ran across the yard, his backpack slung over his shoulder. “Are you coming to our school today!?”

She laughs, bending down to look at her grandson. “Your school? What are you talking about?”

Alvin and Evelyn come through the kitchen door, Evelyn pressing it closed behind her. “We go to school here now, Mimi!” Alvin says, equally excited.

Marissa turns a curious look on Evelyn, who nods and shrugs. “Victor and I decided to homeschool them for a few months, until the academy gets on its feet. We’re interviewing tutors today.”

“How exciting,” Marissa says, smiling down at the boys.

“Yeah I’m going to pick a really good one,” Ian says, hefting his backpack up onto one of the high kitchen schools. “Someone who knows a lot about lizards.”

“Very into reptiles, recently,” Evelyn murmurs to Marissa on her way past her, heading for the coffee machine.

“I remember that phase,” Marissa says, laughing lightly and lifting Alvin up into a chair.

Evelyn pours herself a cup of coffee. “Do you need one, Marissa?”

But Marissa points to her own half-full cup, sitting on the kitchen island. “No, darling, but thank you for asking.”

Evelyn looks passively around the room as she heads to the fridge for cream. “Where is Victor? We have tutors coming in about ten minutes.”

Marissa shrugs and settles into a chair next to Alvin. “He’ll be here, you know he’s never late.”

Evelyn nods and settles into a chair across from Marissa. “I don’t know how he does it. Maybe he swallowed a pocket watch as a child, so he always knows the time.”

“Like the crocodile,” Marissa says, smiling and lifting her coffee cup to her lips. “Always chasing Peter Pan.”

Evelyn laughs, charmed. “Yes, that’s right! I’d forgotten about that.”

Alvin looks down at his own stomach, as if imagining his own internal clock. “Would that work?”

“No, baby,” Evelyn says, laughing. “Please, don’t try it.”

Ian starts unloading his books onto the island, clearly planning to quiz the tutors very hard on their credentials. Alvin leans over to help him formulate a plan.

a little, hoping Victor’s

says, smiling softly at her. “I continue to be so sorry,” she says, “about how they treated you at the wedding. It is unforgivable, but I

very firm boundaries, Marissa. When people cross them, as your husband and son did, my instinct is to ensure that they

“That’s…it’s very wise. But I have had talks with both of them, and I

doesn’t mean that they respect me. Deep down, I will know the contempt that they have for me, for the way that I live my

She gets a far-off look in her eyes that makes Evelyn smile, it’s so like the

wondering what she could

in a world well worth dismissing.” She turns her gaze

thing to be ashamed of, or a sign of immorality?”

raises her cup in Evelyn’s direction. “You may be right. But I

to bare my teeth and bite their heads off the next time I see them. I can give peace in this

says, looking at Evelyn fondly. “I do consider you very much a part of this

says softly, touched. Both of their heads turn as they hear

She stretches her hands above her head as she yawns and totters into the kitchen, high heels already strapped to

going to get a cup. “Do you want cream and

nose. “No, that’s way

bit but shrugs, handing Bridgette a

Marissa says, looking over Bridgette

and leaning against the island. “Fine I guess, but Rafe kept me up all

says, giving Bridgette a cheerful smile over the top of his

little laugh. “Yeah, baby.

one?” Alvin says,

room, all business. “Hello, everyone,” he says,

full house, she thinks, as he ruffles the

the tutors arrive?” Evelyn

answers, taking a water bottle from the fridge.

the counter. “Boys, stay here with your Mimi. Dad

Victor opens the door to his office, allowing her to enter first. Burton is in

Evelyn says, dropping into a chair next to

shrugs. “I think I’m used to it. This is what it was always like, when I was growing up. People around

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