Matthew frowned.
The front door opened again, and Toby ran toward his sister waving a bubble wand in the air. “Me, too.”
“Wow, look at the two of you,” Sean said as he ruffled Toby’s hair. “You’re going to be busy.”
“Mom’s got the bubble mixture,” Catherine said solemnly. “We had an accident.”
“Spilled on the floor,” Toby said quietly.
“Tabitha licked it and got sick.” Catherine nudged her brother.
Matthew frowned. Their old cat didn’t usually go far from the barn. “What was Tabitha doing inside your house?”
“She was in the barn,” Toby said. “I showed her the bubbles.”
“She’ll be all right,” Sean said. “Tabitha’s eaten a lot worse than a few bubbles.”
Matthew left his book on the coffee table. “I’ve got an idea. How about we make our own bubbles?”
Toby held his wand in the air. “Yeah!”
Matthew found the dishwashing liquid and squirted some into a tall glass. “Bring your wand here, Toby. Let’s see if it fits.” He knelt beside the counter and waited for his nephew.
Toby dipped his wand into the glass and grinned.
“Well, done, little man. It looks as though we’re ready to blow some bubbles.
Toby sucked in a deep breath and blew through the wand.
Matthew moved out of the way as half a dozen bubbles flew toward him.
Catherine popped the bubbles and grinned at her brother. “Make more.”
Toby handed Matthew the wand. “Uncle Matthew’s turn.”
Matthew lowered the wand into the bubble mixture. “Are you ready?”
Catherine and Toby nodded.
He blew a string of bubbles into the air and Toby squealed with delight.
“More bubbles,” Toby said as Matthew dipped the wand into the slippery bubble mixture.
The next bubbles shot toward Sean. His brother moved fast, barely missing two excited kids rushing toward him.
Matthew added more bubbles to the mayhem, laughing as Sean balanced a bubble on his nose.
“I thought I’d find everyone in here.” Nathan stood in the doorway with a grin on his face.
“We runaway,” Toby said proudly.
“It looks like it.” He held a plate toward his children. “I took your muffins out of the oven. Do you want to share them with Uncle Sean and Uncle Matthew?”
Catherine nodded and turned to Matthew. “They’re chocolate. Would you like one?”
Matthew left the bubble mixture on the mantelpiece. “I’d love one.”
“Me too,” Toby said from beside his dad.
