A few days later, the front garden of the Wilson Estate had become the quiet center of the afternoon. Caroline, Halle and Angelina went out for a shopping spree. Chloe and Trixie went to LA. Trixie was supposed to spend some time with Dan, while Chloe was catching up with her friends. Rachel was at the office. Alex used the system, found six assistants, and hired them for her. He didn't want her to overwork during her pregnancy. Scarlett and Evangeline were napping inside the house after a night-long gaming marathon.
Alex also put both his clones to work. One was doing a photoshoot, then he would attend the Titan Youth department meeting regarding the renewal of contracts for the Disney OG teen shows that Titan took over. The other one was at home office, going through the financial records and legal papers after the massive amp-up in profit.
Yesterday, Alex locked in movie dates.
Alien 2: September 25, 2009
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: November 20, 2009
Iron Man: December 25, 2009
Coming to the present...
Sunlight filtered through the trees surrounding the long lawn, warming the clean grass while a light breeze moved through the flower beds near the stone path.
Alex sat beneath one of the larger trees with Diana resting against his raised knee, while Max stretched out on the grass beside Aiden and watched him kick happily at the open air. A few feet away, Asher wandered across the lawn with the careful confidence of a sixteen-month-old who had recently realized walking meant adults could no longer decide where he went.
Asher stopped beside a flower bed and crouched with both hands against his knees, staring intensely at a patch of dark soil as though he'd discovered something scientifically important. He pressed two fingers into it, rubbed the dirt between them, then looked back toward Alex with a proud smile. "Dada, dada, dirt," he mumbled, pointing toward the ground as though Alex had somehow missed the enormous discovery beneath him.
Alex smiled while steadying Diana against his leg. "Yeah, buddy, that's dirt, and I'm very impressed you didn't immediately try eating it."
Asher stared at him thoughtfully, then glanced toward the soil again with an expression that suggested Alex had just introduced an option he hadn't previously considered. Max noticed the look and immediately pointed toward him from the grass. "Don't even think about it, tiny man, because I am absolutely not explaining to Halle why her son came home with an organic snack in his stomach."
Asher turned toward Max when he heard her voice, his face brightening with recognition. He pushed himself upright, waddled across the grass with both arms slightly raised for balance, and stopped directly in front of her. "Maaax," he said sweetly, stretching the name longer than necessary while giving her a huge smile.
Max's expression melted almost instantly. "Oh, that is completely unfair, because you can't say my name like that when I'm trying to establish authority around here." She reached forward and caught him gently around the waist, pulling him close enough to kiss his cheek before setting him back onto the grass.
Asher giggled and immediately noticed Aiden beside her. His attention shifted with the speed only a toddler could manage, and he lowered himself onto his knees before crawling the last few inches toward the baby. Aiden watched him approach with wide eyes, one hand opening and closing against his blanket. Asher leaned forward until their faces were surprisingly close, studying his younger brother with enormous seriousness before mumbling, "Baby Aid... ba-ba-ba."
Aiden stared at him for another second, then suddenly smiled.
Asher froze as if he'd performed magic.
He tried again, this time puffing his cheeks before making a ridiculous string of sounds. "Brrr-ba-da-ga-ga, Aid baby."
Aiden's smile widened into a bubbling laugh, his arms jerking excitedly as he kicked against the blanket. Asher's eyes went huge, and he immediately started laughing too, delighted that whatever nonsense he'd produced had worked.
Alex lowered Diana onto the blanket beside her brother, supporting her carefully while she settled onto her back. "You've got another audience member, buddy, so let's see whether your comedy career survives a second performance."
Asher shuffled closer to Diana and stared down at her. Diana watched him quietly, tracking his face as he leaned from one side to the other. He babbled something incomprehensible, slapped both palms gently against the grass, then stuck his tongue out while making a sputtering noise.
Diana squealed.
Asher immediately repeated it.
This time both twins laughed, and Asher collapsed onto his bottom while laughing so hard that he almost tipped sideways. Max caught his shoulder before he could fall and looked toward Alex with a grin. "Congratulations, Moneybags, because your son has discovered his first profession, and unfortunately it's stand-up comedy for babies."
Asher looked between Diana and Aiden, clearly pleased with himself, then crawled between them and carefully placed one hand near each baby. His version of affection remained enthusiastic and slightly clumsy, so Alex gently reminded him to be careful. Asher nodded with exaggerated seriousness before softly patting Aiden's stomach and murmuring, "Baby... baby... Dada... Max."
Max leaned against Alex's shoulder as he sat beside her on the grass, and they watched all three children together while the twins smiled up at their older brother. Asher began babbling another private story that nobody understood, although Diana and Aiden seemed completely captivated by every word.
Alex slipped an arm around Max and kissed the side of her head. "I think they're going to be trouble together."
Max rested comfortably against him while watching Asher make the twins laugh again. "Obviously they're going to be trouble, because look who their parents are."
The peaceful family moment lasted approximately forty-three more seconds.
A faint metallic clatter came from somewhere inside the mansion, followed by the unmistakable sound of something hitting a wall.
Alex stopped mid-sentence and looked toward the open patio doors.
Max lifted her head from his shoulder.
An indignant voice echoed from inside the house. "Release me immediately, you oversized citrus-colored menace. I am a respected culinary instrument, not a chew toy."
Alex slowly closed his eyes.
Max's expression brightened with immediate recognition. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."
A moment later, Nacho exploded through the open patio doors.
The orange cat sprinted across the stone terrace with the Golden Spatula clamped firmly between his teeth, its polished handle sticking sideways from his mouth while the enchanted utensil bounced helplessly with every stride.
"Put me down, feline!" the spatula demanded as Nacho tore onto the lawn. "Your dental hygiene is questionable, and I refuse to spend my afternoon coated in cat saliva." It saw Max, and for a moment, its pervy nature opened up. "But I won't mind coating in some..." It noticed the kids. "Umm, KIDS."
Nacho completely ignored him.
Asher immediately turned toward the commotion and pointed with both hands. "Nacho! Nacho!"
The cat raced past him at a safe distance, tail held high, while the spatula continued protesting from between his teeth. Asher burst into delighted laughter and tried getting to his feet, clearly convinced this was some new game specifically arranged for his entertainment.
Alex caught him gently around the waist before he could join the chase. "You're staying right here, buddy, because whatever happens next is definitely above your pay grade."
Asher squirmed happily in his arms and kept pointing. "Cat! Cat go!"
"Yes, the cat is currently committing armed robbery," Max said as she pushed herself upright and stared across the lawn. "And somehow that's still less stupid than half the things happening in this family."
Nacho circled the fountain at full speed.
"Stop running!" the spatula shouted. "I have never mistreated you. I have occasionally questioned your contribution to society, but those were private professional assessments."
Nacho accelerated.
Alex stared after him. "I think he understood that part."
Max snorted. "I've been telling you that cat understands English."
Nearby, Diana kicked excitedly while Aiden watched the orange blur crossing the garden. Asher started producing enthusiastic nonsense from Alex's lap, waving one hand every time Nacho passed through his field of vision.
"Na-cho go! Ba-ba! Max! Dada!"
Nacho suddenly changed direction and ran directly toward the blanket.
Alex immediately shifted Asher higher and watched carefully, although the cat slowed several feet before reaching the babies. Nacho stepped delicately around the edge of the blanket, still carrying the spatula, then stopped beside Diana.
The Golden Spatula went completely silent.
Max noticed immediately and narrowed her eyes. "Oh, now you're quiet."
There was a dignified pause before the spatula answered in an unusually formal voice. "There are children present, Madam Max. I possess standards."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "You have standards?"
"Several."
Max folded her arms. "That's news to literally everyone who's ever met you."
"I refuse to defend my character while being held hostage by a cat."
Nacho sat down.
The spatula remained sideways in his mouth.
For several seconds, everyone simply stared at the ridiculous sight.
Diana looked toward Nacho and made a happy bubbling sound.
Nacho's ears turned toward her.
Aiden followed with a small squeal, and Asher immediately started laughing again. "Nacho! Cat!"
The orange cat blinked slowly at him.
Then Nacho calmly lowered his head and placed the Golden Spatula onto the grass beside the blanket with surprising care.
The spatula gave what sounded remarkably like a relieved sigh. "Thank you. Finally, civilization prevails."
Nacho immediately placed one paw on the handle. "Meow!"
"You have got to be kidding me."
Max collapsed against Alex, laughing hard enough that she had to grab his arm. "Oh my God, he knows exactly what he's doing."
Alex watched Nacho stare directly at the spatula before tapping it once with his paw.
"Don't."
Tap.
"I am warning you."
Tap.
"Orange beast, control yourself."
Nacho slapped the handle hard enough to send the spatula spinning across the grass.
Asher shrieked with laughter. The twins startled for half a second before Asher's laughter infected them too. Diana began giggling, then Aiden joined her, and soon all three children were making happy noises.
Nacho trotted after the spatula with obvious satisfaction.
Alex watched him go, then looked down at the laughing children. "That cat is too intelligent for a cat." He looked at her. "I think you're right. He does understand English, plus kid language."
Max rested her head against his shoulder again. "I'm voting for a supernatural cat. Or better, a guardian angel."
--
--[POWERSTONES & REVIEWS]--
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[5 advance chs] [All chs available for all tiers]