#Chapter 266 – Early Morning Wake-Up Call

“Daddddd!” Alvin shouts the next morning, bursting in through the door to our bedroom banging a toy drum as hard as he can. “Come on! It’s time for our concert!”

Ian comes marching behind him, playing the kazoo as loud as his little boy lungs will let him, and I follow up the rear, banging two plastic cups together and keeping time to my sons’ miniature marching band. The cups aren’t an ideal instrument – but they’re the best I could find in my sons’ room on short notice.

Victor sits up stark in bed, his eyes wide, but then seeing that it’s no real threat, he groans and falls back against the pillows. Laughing, Alvin and Ian jump onto the bed, Archie following them, barking. I dance towards Victor’s side of the bed, still playing the cups.

“Come on, baby!” I laugh. “Time to get up and start your day!”

“Death,” he mutters, glaring up at me, his word muffled by his pillow. “I promise death to you for this – and vengeance on your progeny –“

I swoop down and give him a kiss on his cheek. “Luckily,” I say, a big grin on my face, though I stop banging the cups together. “My progeny is your progeny. So, you’ll have to take us all out for full vengeance, and we are a fearsome crew. I don’t know if you have it in you.”

“I will do it, and then I will have silence,” he growls, though I can see the start of a smile on his face as he swipes an arm out, trying to knock his sons over so they’ll stop with the infernal noise –

I laugh, deciding to give him a break, and whistle to my boys. “Come on!” I call, marching out of the room, two boys and a dog following me like the pied piper. “Let’s go wake up uncle Rafe next!”

But to my surprise (and, I admit, disappointment), when we go downstairs, Rafe is already up, standing fully dressed at the sink, doing the dishes of all things. I can’t help it when my mouth falls open a little bit as he opens his arms, going to one knee to give his nephews a warm hug.

Then, he grins up at me. “Morning, Evelyn,” he says, a wicked gleam in his eye. “How’s Victor?”

“Traitor!” I say, laughing and pointing at him as I come into the kitchen. “You got him drunk! Not the other way around!”

He laughs, admitting it with a shrug and running a hand through his hair. “I took it easy, but yeah, I may have encouraged him a little bit. Though honestly,” he looks at me and raises an eyebrow, “it didn’t take much to convince him. Is he stressed out about something?”

sigh, putting my hands on my hips and looking up the stairs. “He’s been…busy, lately. I think maybe he needed a night with his brother to relax. So, thanks

– and rightly so. But…damn

really is turning

sings, happy, smiling around at all of us. Rafe goes still in the kitchen, staring at her, and I work hard to keep my

Bridgette a hug. “So happy you could come for family breakfast!” I say, perhaps over-cheerful, giving her a wink. She’s in on the plan, of course, though I admit that I did expect Rafe to be in worse shape than he is. This was supposed to be his punishment, but as he stares at her, and

perhaps was just what they

taking the box of donuts from her hand, rushing to the table. I move past them, keeping half a meddlesome eye on

smile to

when I hear footsteps on the

and then stoops to glare

and leaning against the counter. “What’s wrong with a family breakfast?” I give him a cheeky smirk and he narrows his eyes at me, his

Bridgette before coming to me, wrapping a warm arm around my waist. “I’ll take you up on that offer, mate,” he growls in

turn my head to him and playfully snap my teeth. “You’d better,” I mutter, low enough that no one

me swiftly and turns to

shooting in the air. “But, um,” he hesitates. “Can Burton make

Victor says, standing straight up, offended. “What’s wrong

egg shells,” Ian replies, biting

in disappointment. “Pancakes are not supposed to be

has the day off,” I say, clapping my hands and giving

__________________

the little woods out in the back of the house, towards the burned-out wreckage of where the big house was. Alvin and Ian give Victor and I twin scowls as they head back

about

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