Chapter 0176

“You’re coming home, son,” Cora says, crossing her arms and glaring at her eldest child. ” Because if I let you stay here, you’ll drink yourself silly with your cousins and then be

useless to me in the morning.”

“Mom!” Jesse begs, sending an anxious glance towards Daphne, who pretends not to notice the whole conversation.

“Jesse,” Roger says, his hands on his hips, his voice low and dangerous. “Get in line. Your mom wants you home, so you’re coming home. If it were up to me I’d leave you here, because you always rile the small ones into rebellion, telling them all sorts of nonsense about free will –”

“They deserve to know the truth!” Jesse protests.

“But your mother wants you home. So?” Roger points emphatically to the front of the line.

Daphne, to her credit, does her very best to suppress her smile and pretend that she’s incredibly interested in the trim that adorns the bottom of dad’s armchair. Ben has no such grace and watches eagerly, laughing. But Jesse, realizing that he’s lost this battle, just groans and pushes himself to his feet, slumping to the front of the line.

the head. Jesse

of my six cousins straightens their shoulders, standing at attention, and then – at

are swept out into the hall. “Love you, see

it is. I burst out laughing myself, because I mean I’m just so

guys are such a weird family,” Ben sighs, pulling himself up into Roger and

happily and getting to his feet. “Daphne?” He

feet herself. “You’re all off to bed!”

first night home, we’re not going

yes you are!” she says, giving him

Rafe protests, throwing out his

and making dad laugh. “And if I don’t stay up to supervise you, Cora is right – you’ll drink yourselves silly and be all

with embarrassment. “You can’t just make everyone go to bed because you’re

with a sigh, getting to his feet. I sit up straight in surprise.

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