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“The chaos.” I smile. “He used to say you couldn't take a shit at the Hawthorne Ranch without somebody knowing about it.”

Jude laughs.

Behind us, Josh calls out, “That boy had a mouth on him.”

“Wonder where he learned it,” Lily says.

Every Hawthorne brother immediately points at Dex.

“Oh, fuck off,” Dex mutters.

Lily turns towards him. “Dexter.”

“What?”

She points towards the children. “Tiny ears.”

Mia looks up from where Ethan has finally put her back on her feet.

“It's okay, Oma. That's just how Uncle Dex communicates.”

Everyone bursts out laughing, and I laugh with them. Really laugh, so hard that for a few seconds, I forget what I'm carrying.

Then the trees open, and there it is.

The treehouse.

My steps slow as I look up at the old wooden structure. I've been here before, but today it feels different because today, I've brought Damiano with me.

Everyone grows quieter as we approach.

Josh looks up at the treehouse and shakes his head. “Can't believe that damn thing is still standing.”

Lily gives him a look.

“Darn thing,” he corrects.

Mia giggles. “You said damn, Opa.”

“Sorry, Mia.”

“It's okay, Opa.” She smiles up at him, and I can practically see him melt.

I laugh under my breath.

“Dad built it,” Jace says, looking up. “We destroyed it.”

“Repeatedly,” Cas adds.

“And rebuilt it,” Jude says.

Dex snorts. “After Dad made us.”

Josh points at him. “Because you idiots kept trying to kill yourselves on it.”

“We never tried to kill ourselves,” Ethan says.

“You jumped off the roof.”