Page 4 of Dead Sure
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Tennyson
Tennyson had seen the strange conversation between Everly and Ronan while they’d been hunting for Easter eggs. He’d also noticed how much of his daughter’s joy had vanished afterward. He’d wanted to ask Ronan what was going on, but between keeping Ezra from eating five pounds of chocolate along with grass clippings and helping Ronan prepare side dishes for Easter dinner, there hadn’t been time.
Now, Ten and Cope were moving at light speed, trying to get the meal on the table. Ronan and Jude were wrestling with the kids in the living room, while Fitz and Jace set the table. They’d all had so much sugar that morning and needed to burn some off.
“How did things go giving Ronan his own Easter basket?” Cope asked, pulling the ham out of the oven.
Ten snorted. “He lost his mind. Ronan was so excited to run around the yard with the kids finding his eggs, that was until Ezra decided every egg he found was his.”
“That must have been hilarious.”
“It was, especially when Ronan started chasing Ezzie around the yard. Let’s just say the old man isn’t as fast or as agile as he used to be.” Ten laughed.
“Your time is coming,” Ronan said, walking into the kitchen. “Pretty soon you’ll be the one with a hip that tells the weather and whose knees snap, crackle, and pop.”
Ten bussed a kiss to Ronan’s cheek. “I already have all those things, and a few others besides. That’s why I was the onefilming the kids, instead of running around after them. I know my limits.”
“Ronan, get everyone, dinner’s ready,” Cope said.
Five minutes later, everyone was settled around the table, their plates filled with ham, bread rolls, potatoes, and broccoli, which Ten noticed Ezra was dropping onto the kitchen floor when he thought no one was looking.
“What’s going on at school this week?” Fitz asked, his eyes on Aurora.
“Spelling test tomorrow.” Aurora half-growled.
“I thought you liked spelling?” Fitz wore a concerned look.
“I used to before Miss Stanton was a jerk to Everly.” Aurora rolled her eyes and stabbed a piece of ham so hard that the tines clinked on the plate.
“Wait! What?” Ronan asked. “When I spoke to Max Preston last week he said he’d spoken with Miss Stanton and there were no hard feelings.”
“Yeah, well, spoiler alert, Daddy,” Everly began, “there area lotof hard feelings. She hates me and Aurora and Woofie because they’re my friends.”
“Wolf, have you noticed Miss Stanton treating you differently?” Jude asked, looking as alarmed as Ronan and Fitz.
“A little, but I don’t let her bother me.” Wolf turned to Everly and Aurora. “My Daddy gave me the best advice ever.”
Jude beamed, his pride on full display. “Which advice was that, Wolfie?”
Wolf cleared his throat and sat up straighter in his seat. “Fudge you! Fudge anyone who looks like you! Fudge your entire family!”
Ronan snorted. He slapped his hands over his mouth, but the damage was done. Soon the entire table was laughing hysterically. “That sounds like the kind of advice Jude would give.”
“It works too, Uncle Ronan! Ever since Daddy told me to be my own man, I’m happy all the time!” Wolf got up from the table with his empty plate and put it in the dishwasher.
“Do you think that would work for us?” Aurora asked Everly. “Fudge you, Miss Stanton!” Aurora giggled. “You try!”
“Fudge you!” Everly laughed as she spoke. “I feel much better now. Daddy, is that why you’re always saying bad words, because they make you feel better?”
Ronan nodded. “Hell, yeah!”
Everly laughed, her blue eyes glowed with happiness and what looked a lot like confidence. “I’m not even gonna charge you swear jar money for that one!” Everly hopped off her seat and followed Wolf’s lead, putting her plate in the dishwasher. Aurora was right behind her.
“No more candy until after dessert!” Cope called after them.
“Fudge you?” Cope asked, his eyes on Jude. “Thatwas your great advice to our son? Not some parable or a fable with a moral?”
