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Mads was safe That was all that mattered

We walked to the cars, cli in

“Did someone say presents?” I called out as I buckled my seatbelt

Octavia gasped and then yelped, already forgetting the incident, her sights set on the pro under the tree

After picking up Athos and the rest of the kids, Will driving the busload back, we returned to St Killian’s to find the winner of the treasure hunt waiting and ready for their prize

The kids were shuffled upstairs to get bathed and into their paja the trust to Tucker Adah While David stayed at the Pope with Taylor and Kai, Da truck, so Lev could deliver it to the coroner

We had so much shit to deal with tomorrow

And to try to keep quiet

A round of applause, a chauests, and the house finally started to empty after about forty-five minutes

The kids rounded the fifteen-foot tree, lighting more candles as only a few reh the nooks and crannies of the old church

I stood back, watching the kids open presents—except for the one they saved for Christets, and throwing the books to the side that we tried to make sure was on every holiday list, just in case they ever took an interest

Da at it almost nervously, like he wasn’t sure he was ready to open it, while Octavia ran to thebench, plopping down next to Madden She colored with her new Crayola markers that her parents had refused to trust her with up until now, as Mads sketched with his new pencils and pad

She kicked her legs back and forth

I slippedher close “Kids bounce back, don’t they?”

My God

She laughed “I think Octavia knehat the rest of us didn’t”

“Which was?”

“She was never in any real danger”

I watched the kids, Mads probably drawing another bird, as his cousin tried to act just like him with her purple marker

“Have they caught the boat?” Rika asked me

“The weather’s too bad” I kissed her head,on her sto”

I wondered if there was anyone on it, or if the three men had manned it all on their own