Chapter 26 #2
Carson’s memories of how much he enjoyed his younger siblings came flooding back at dinner.
Too young to be tainted by his father’s rigid training, his younger siblings were funny and cheeky—always telling jokes that sometimes even made their father laugh.
It was a welcome break from the constant tension that arose whenever Jackson and his father clashed.
Listening to Galen and Eamon tell Remy about their day brought those memories back from behind the locked door in his mind where he kept others like them.
Now he resolved never to lock those memories up again…
they were too precious. After the massacre he tried to forget his younger siblings but shouldn’t have; now he’d be able to tell his nephews and nieces about their uncles and aunts who were gone.
When he heard his new nickname being called, he returned to the present.
“Carsso, what do you call a train that sneezes?” asked Eamon.
“I don’t know…what?” Carson asked.
“Achoo-choo train!” Eamon said with glee. “Get it? Achoo, achoo? ”
Chuckling, Carson said, “Hey, Eamon, I got one for you.”
“Tell me,” Eamon begged, giggling.
“Why do giraffes have such long necks?”
Eamon’s eyes sought out his brother. “Do you know, Gally?”
“Uh-uh, do you?” asked Galen.
“Uh-uh,” Eamon said, shaking his head. “Remee, do you know?”
“Nope,” Remy said, smiling.
Eamon scrunched his face in thought before he finally asked, “Carsso, why?”
Carson paused a moment, before saying, “Because they have smelly feet.”
“I’m gonna tell my friend that one tomorrow,” Galen giggled.
It took a second before Eamon got it, but then he was overcome by laughter. “Hahahahahahah…smelly feet…hahahahah.”
Chuckling at Eamon’s reaction, Carson said, “It’s a good thing you don’t have smelly feet otherwise you’d need a very long neck.”
Shaking his head, Eamon replied, “Uh-uh, no smelly feet.”
Catching Remy’s eye, Carson said, “Boys, how about you help me clean up while your brother gets Rune ready for bed?”
“You don’t have to,” Remy said, “it won’t take me long because Rune’s very tired from his day out. ”
“Hey, no problemo. I used to do it all the time,” said Carson.
“Okay, then,” Remy agreed. Rising, he lifted Rune out of his high-chair while looking at his brothers. “Guys, be good. Do whatever Carson says.”
“We will,” Galen said and, looking at Carson, added, “Tell me what to do.”
“Me, too,” shouted Eamon.
Nodding, Carson said, “Captain Galen, can you bring the dishes to the sink?”
“Yup,” Galen replied, slipping out of his chair, picking up a plate to take to the sink.
“Good,” Carson said. “Commander Eamon, can you bring me the broom?”
“Uh-huh,” Eamon answered, crawling down from his booster seat.
Carson grinned before getting to work. He’d promised Galen he’d shift after dinner, and he intended to keep that promise.
~/~/~/~/~
By the time Remy pushed open the kitchen door, everything was shipshape and Carson was sitting at the table with Galen and Eamon playing a game of Snap. “Can I play too?”
Grinning, Carson’s heated gaze met Remy’s before continuing down to his mate’s crotch. “Sure, playing with you is fun.”
The tips of Remy’s ears reddened as he sat down, keeping his eyes on the cards in the center of the table. “Who’s winning? ”
“I am,” Galen said, turning over another card. “I’m trying to hurry so Carsso can be a wolf.”
Cocking his head, Remy looked questioningly at his mate. “A wolf? Is that a new game?”
“I told Galen I was a wolf shifter…” Carson began.
“Remee, do ya know that? Carsso uses magic to be a wolf,” Galen said. “Can my magic do that? Can he show me how to be a wolf?”
“Hey! Why only Gally?” Eamon pouted. “I wanna be a wolf, too.”
“Neither of you has that kind of magic,” Remy said.
“Why not?” Galen asked.
“Because your magic is warlock magic,” Remy responded.
“Mommy said my magic is powerful,” Galen said, angrily. “If I can’t be a wolf then I think he’s lyin’.”
“Galen! Apologize right now!” Remy ordered, appalled at his brother’s behavior.
Placing a hand on his mate’s leg under the table, Carson said, “Galen, do you believe in magic?”
Rolling his eyes, Galen said, “Uh-huh. I can do spells…so can Eamon and Remee but we can’t be a wolf.”
“Well I can, but I can’t do spells,” Carson said.
“Back home, in my pack, there are some who can change into bears, wolves, and even a dragon, but none of them can do spells. Different paranormals can do different stuff…you can do a spell…I can become a wolf. Now, are you ready to see me turn into a big wolf? ”
Jumping up from his seat, Galen nodded. “Can Eamon come too?”
“Not so fast,” Remy said. “You owe Carson an apology…now, please.”
Gazing down at the floor, Galen mumbled, “Sorry, Carsso.”
“Thank you,” Carson said.
“One other thing before we go outside,” Remy said, “you must stay next to me…understand?”
“Uh-huh,” Eamon said quickly, stumbling as he scrambled out of his chair.
Carson caught him just before he hit the floor. “Hey, you okay?”
Rolling his eyes, Eamon said, “Uh-huh…Miz B’s always telling me to watch out but my feet wasn’t obeying.”
“Here, take my hand,” Carson said, “I’ll watch your feet for you.”
Smiling as Galen grabbed Carson’s other hand, Remy led them outside, eager to see his mate shift into his wolf.