“That was Marcy on the phone; she’s my assistant.” She told me that part as she looked at me. “Anyway, someone broke in, trashed the place. Likely stole files, important documents. The police need me there right away.”
“Lorcan,” Dean growled.
“Trying to coax us out,” Gideon agreed.
“I get it. Gid, going anywhere isn’t an option, and Marcy told the police I wasn’t feeling well. They said I need to go there tonight, or I have to go to the station in the morning. Either way, I’m going to have to have to leave this house.”
“No, of course.” Gideon started texting. “You don’t go alone. Danny, Alex, Jeff, and I will go with you.”
“I’m going too,” Dean wasn’t leaving room for argument.
Rita glanced at me. “I can watch the kids. We’ll watch a movie or something.”
Her eyes softened. “Thank you, Penn.”
While the three of them talked, figuring out logistics, I checked in with Matteo, Owen, and Olivia. Each was clearly nervous since their parents were all leaving the house after they’d been told doing so was bad. And with what happened to Gideon the last time he’d ventured out, they were so worried about him, gravitating to him every chance they got. Gideon leaving instilled them with dread—there was no hiding that.
“Matteo.” He shifted his attention from his parents to me. “Know what would be cool?”
“What?”
This was something I’d loved doing with Tenny when I was younger. I’d never done it with any other kids, though, and I remembered always wanting to.
“Since the adults are leaving, how about we make the biggest pillow fort ever? Then the four of us eat popcorn in it and watch a movie.”
His eyes brightened, and Olivia giggled. I peeked at Owen, and he had a little grin on his face, too.
“Heck, yeah! Come on O and Liv, go get all the pillows you can from upstairs.” The three of them ran off, and I looked at Gideon, Dean, and Rita.
“You should get out of here before they come back. Be safe. You three are all these kids have.”
Rita came over to me, I stood, and she hugged me tightly. Dean patted my shoulder and Gideon…he held my head in his hands and kissed me breathless.
I was pretty sure Dean and Rita had known we were hooking up, but we’d never really been affectionate around anyone else. This was a declaration, almost.
“Thank you, Penn.”
I was speechless. I simply watched as the three of them flanked by Danny, Alex, and Jeff, left the house.
Nothing better happen to them, or I’ll revolt.
We were halfwaythroughShrekeight hundred billion when a flash of lightning illuminated the room followed by crashing thunder.
Olivia gasped and scrambled onto my lap, and Owen grabbed my arm. Matteo appeared nervous, but I could tell he was trying to be brave.
“Don’t worry, we’re safe in the fort.” I smiled at them.
I remembered one night in Sunshine House, there had been a few kids in the small game room at the time a storm hit, and they’d all freaked out. I hadn’t understood, and of course because I wasn’t crying or afraid, I’d been ridiculed. It was one of the many times I’d wished I could be afraid, be normal.
It was at about the fourth strike of lightning that the power went out, and pandemonium erupted. Olivia screamed, Owen started crying, and Matteo was repeating. “Oh no, oh no.”
Gideon had men in place around the house, and I thought inside, so I was sure it would only be a minute before someone came and got us.
“Hey, it’s cool. We’re in this fort, and sure the power went out, but it’s fine, really. Here.” I moved back, bringing Owen and Olivia with me. “Matteo, come on.” I lifted my arm, and he scrambled over.
“Tenny used to always say that when the skies rumbled with thunder and the clouds lit up like fireworks it was because there was a huge tournament going on up above, in heaven.”
“What kind of tournament?” Matteo asked, a quiver in his voice.
