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Chapter 1

Ryker

It all see hard during the spin cycle, and while I’ainst the dryer while I braid Violet’s hair, I can’t help the full body cringe when I hear the liquid laundry detergent that I had sitting on the top fall and hit the tile floor

Yup…that resounding splat was the sound of the plastic splitting open, and I can clearly see inout onto the floor I can i last week Overloaded the machine because I’m too lazy to do two loads when I can cra the e all the crap I had sitting on top

My fingers, however, neverover the thick, dark locks of Violet’s hair while she quietly hus back and forth happily while she sits on the kitchen chair At age seven, she’s the quiet one…the dreamer I don’t have to see her face at this moment to know that there will be a tiny sray eyes as she spins another epic fantasy story she’s creating in her beautiful head

"D-a-a-a-d," Ruby shrieks from upstairs

It’s a sound that once used to cause all the hair to stand up onafter the call ofnize that particular shrill cry as one of exciterin over what Ruby is possibly into now At almost five years old, she refuses to accept the concept of a well-oes balls to the wall in everything she does

"Is the house on fire, Rubes?" I call out

Her little voice shouts back to me in a squawk "No"

"Have aliens landed?" I keep h to carry up the stairs but still decibels below her own

"No," she yells, and there…right there…that’s a little giggle from her

"Did Timmy fall down the well?"

"No, Dad…but you have to coive her credit, it’s toned down just a bit When I don’t answer her right away, she calls down in a sweet voice that makes my heart pitter-patter "Please, Dad"