Alvin, Ian, and I all jump at once, spinning towards the room, peeking in the window to see –

“Duck!” I whisper, seeing Victor standing alone in the empty room, confused as he looks for his missing family. Alvin and Ian comply immediately, tucking their heads down below the windowsill, but I am either too slow or too large to fully hide.

“What!” I hear Victor gasp in the room, and then I hear his footsteps moving swiftly towards us. “Evelyn! What the -!”

“Stop!” I hiss, popping back up to see him already at the window’s edge, reaching for me. I swat at his hand. “Be quiet! They’ll hear you!”

“What? Who?” he asks, making no effort to lower his voice. I swat at him again and Ian pops up, gesturing angrily towards Rafe and Bridgette in the yard, who, luckily, are too wrapped up in their conversation to have heard us.

Victor’s eyes go wide when he sees Ian crouched next to me, and then wider when he peers to my left and sees Alvin there, eating his candy, his focus already back on his uncle. “Oh my god,” Victor murmurs. “You’re spying – you have a spy platform –“

“Ya!” I say angrily, swatting at him for a third time. “And you’re ruining it! It was just getting really good!”

Victor groans, leaning forward and reaching for me, taking me under the arms and starting to pull me back into the house.

“Noo!” I cry out in a whisper, doing my best to wriggle away from him. “Put me down! I need to hear them!”

“You’re all coming inside right now – this isn’t safe –“

“Yes it is!” I protest. “It’s safe!”

“You’re pregnant, Evelyn!”

“I’m aware, Victor!” I object, angry, still trying to be as quiet as I can. “But it’s sturdy out here – I promise! We’re not coming in! If you make me come in, I’ll shout now, and then your brother will never get his girl back!”

and Bridgette, who are holding each other’s hands and looking deeply into each other’s faces. “Don’t make me ruin this moment, Victor,” I whisper, my eyes

relents. “Fine,” he growls, unhappy, but lets me go. “You’re lucky I had this roof inspected

Ian whispers, spinning on his

at Victor’s

against the window sill. I sit back

hand out to Ian for another helping of candy. He complies. “Go turn

then he settles back in his place in the room, peering out the window with us. I grin, then, loving my little family very much in this moment as the four

think – I think

press a hand to my chest,

let me treat you the way you deserve. I promise, I’ll listen to you – I’ll do everything in my power to

to the back of my head then, running down the length of my hair. He sends me a little nudge down our bond, letting me know that he makes that same promise to me. I

by this moment, so grateful to have been able to see it. Their kiss deepens, Rafe bending Bridgette backwards a little bit, and I lift my hand to reach

course, Ian ruins

he jumps to his feet and whoops loudly at the top of his lungs. The three of us near him all flinch, tuning to stare at him,

auntie is going to be my auntie!” Ian shouts, lifting his

– on the four of us, clearly spying on them from above. Rafe narrows his eyes, clearly perturbed, but Bridgette bursts out laughing. I laugh a little myself when I see her cheerful face – she’s always been a good sport. She gives us

She really

stepping back from the window to make space for us. “Everyone inside, now.

then stepping

getting good – it’s not my fault that Ian wasn’t being sneaky! I should get

favor,” Ian says, coming in next to his brother. “It was getting gross, with

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