Page 99 of Dreams Do Come True

Again, we laugh at that.

CHAPTER 30

Saturday is another nice day, and we take the children outside to play, which is where Sly and the boys find us, early afternoon.

“Nox, Der,” Lyric shouts upon seeing them. He climbs off my lap and runs over to them.

“Hey, Sly,” I say as he joins us on the blankets.

“We thought we’d gate-crash. Ebby is in full-on chocolate mode, and the boys wanted to play with their cousins.”

“You’re always welcome, you know that,” Kean tells him.

Sly looks at us both. “Do you want me to look after the boys so you two can go and get some sleep?”

“Thanks for the offer, but Lyric still gets upset if both of us are out of his sight for too long,” Kean replies, tiredly.

“Why not go inside with River and have a nap. I’ll stay out here with Lyric, then we can switch over when Lyric falls asleep,” I offer.

Kean looks like he’s really thinking about it.

“Go on, handsome,” I say, gently picking River up from the bouncy chair and passing him to Kean.

Kean gives a big, tired sigh. “Just for a little bit, then you and Lyric can catch a nap.”

“Yep, we can,” I agree as Kean stands up, holding River close and walking back into the house.

“I love that little baby scrunch that River does,” Sly says.

I nod. “Me too. I’ll miss it when he grows out of it.”

We sit and chat for a bit, with the children playing happily together.

“We need drinks,” I say, standing up. “I’ll let Lyric know I’m popping inside.”

Sly stands as well. “I’ll come and help carry them out.”

“Thanks,” I reply as I walk over to Lyric.

“Tus,” Lyric says, smiling happily at me. “Play.”

“I will in a minute. Uncle Sly and I are going inside to get drinks. We won’t be long.”

Lyric looks around. “Clean?”

“He’s gone inside for a nap with River.”

Lyric walks over and hugs my legs and looks up and me, grinning. “Nack?”

I laugh and pat his back. “Yep, be back in a minute.”

Lyric nods and runs off to join Enoch, and I walk back to Sly, who is now stood by the kitchen door.

“Lyric looks okay with you leaving.”

“Yeah, I think it helps that he knows I’m just getting drinks and snacks and will be back out again soon.”

As we’re talking, we walk into the kitchen and see Emily mixing something in a bowl.