“More salad than that, Kiki,” Enola told one of the little girls. “And don’t use your hands to pick up the food. Use a utensil.”
We all sat down at the long table Greg had in his condo. Kiki sat next to me.
“Help her cut up her meat,” Greg told me.
“I have it!” the little girl said happily as she stabbed the slice of ham with her fork and took a big bite.
“Kiki, no!” Enola jumped up, raced around the table, and started taking care of her little sister. It was cute.
I took a bite of my green beans.
“This is nice,” Mike said. “This is the most together time we’ve had in a while. We should do this more often.”
“I brought cake, too, for dessert from the Grey Dove Bistro,” Liam said.
“Cake!” Annie, one of my sisters, said in excitement.
“Eat your dinner first,” Greg ordered.
We left allthe girls with Greg after dessert. They were amped-up with the sugar and chocolate from the seven-layer chocolate cake Liam had brought.
They were herded around Greg, begging for more cake when I said good night and left.
“Glad they’re not staying with me,” Mike remarked as we took the elevator down. The building had been one of the first Svensson Investment real estate projects. Formerly an old factory building with thick brick walls and heavy timber beams and columns, each floor only held one or two spacious units. However, it was starting to show its age. Since Greg was moving us all into Belle’s tower, maybe we could use the opportunity to renovate this building.
“We should probably babysit once in a while,” I told my brother then waved when he stepped off the elevator at his floor. I got off at my floor and swiped the key card for my unit. It was quiet and clean, and everything was in its place.
After working out, I reviewed several spreadsheets, answered emails, then went to bed. I hadn’t even been asleep for three hours when my phone rang.
“Get up here now,” Greg said when I answered it.
I yawned then winced as the girls yelled loudly in the background.
My other brothers were in the elevator when I stepped on to ride upstairs.
“Why is he calling us in the middle of the night?” Walker complained.
“Ever since Belle dumped his ass then scorched and salted the earth he walks on, he’s been beyond unbearable,” Mike said.
One of the little girls opened the door of Greg’s condo when we knocked.
“Did you bring cake?” she demanded.
“You’ve had enough cake,” Greg said.
“Holy shit!” Liam said as we stepped into the condo.
“No profanity,” Greg snapped.
I bit down my own curse.
Greg’s formerly pristine and orderly condo had been trashed. There was cake everywhere, smashed furniture, and one of the bookcases had toppled over.
“Is everyone all right?”
“They’re fine,” Greg said in annoyance, “but this situation is not.”
“You’re sending us away?” Enola cried.
