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He had let the kids out of the Train and they were ecstatic that he was back
They were cooking s’mores over the ca and baked beans --just like a real cookout
Luna sat at Jake’s feet, wagging her tail blissfully
Astrid and I were sweaty and mussed
We took our uess That we’d had our one insane and had sex
"Hey, you two," Jake slurred, his back to us "I was so hungry, we just cooked up souys don’toff her sweatshirt and tossing the air mask on the empty futon couch "We need to reinforce it, but it’s pretty solid"
"Look at ," Jake said to the kids "I missed her so al, Astrid!"
"We missed you, too, Uncle Jake," Caroline chirped
She and Henry were toasting marshot olden with no burnt parts," Caroline added
"Takes patience, though," Henry commented
"And a steady hand"
"I just likeher marshmallow into the center of the fla h
"Careful!" Astrid snapped "You’ll burn someone"
"That’s always the risk!" Jake said
He looked up at us and his head lolled off to the side and he caught it and grinned even wider
"The air’s fine here No sy just fine We h away froot Stay Pufts aplenty"
"I’e clothes," Astrid said "I feel dirty"
Jake watched her leave, a glassy look in his eyes
"Sit down, Dean," Jake called "Stay awhile"
He was definitely high on the sa before Jake turned to the twins
"Henry, d’ya knohat they say about assuht as a penny
"Chloe, do you know?"
"No What?" she asked
"Assuht that was hilarious
"Dean knohat I’ about, don’t you, Dean?" He elbowedabout?"
"Here I a will be the way I left it But of course, how could it be? I’ve been gone for, what, two days? Two frickin’ days?"
"Is ‘frickin’ the f-word?" Henry asked
"Yep," Jake answered "It sure is"
"Told you," he said to his sister
Caroline yawned again
"I think I’d better check your bandage, Caroline," I said "And it o," Jake said
He tried to clap his hand onover
The kids thought this was the funniest thing ever
"Oh, Uncle Jake!" Caroline squealed "You’re such a card"
"Uncle Jake?" I asked "Why’s he an uncle, all of a sudden?"