“Oh my god!” I scream, springing up in bed. Declan lays knocked out beside me. I start shaking him awake. “Declan, wake up! WAKE UP! It’s almost ten!”
“Hmmm? Huh? What’s?—?”
“It’s almost ten, Declan! We must’ve slept through the alarm!”
My husband lifts his head, eyes half open and groggy as he processes the info. And then it hits him and he’s leaping out of bed.
“What do you mean it’s ten? In the morning?”
I roll my eyes. “No, ten at night. Obviously it’s ten in the morning, Declan!”
“But the alarm!”
“It didn’t go off.”
“I’m late for work. I had a meeting today. We were brokering an important deal with a company for sale!”
“Well… I’m sorry! Maybe we should step into the twenty-first century and stop relying on an old school alarm clock,” I say, rushing around the room. I’ve unplugged my phone and started jamming my legs into a pair of jeans. I’ll have to take Willow to school, which started over an hour ago. “I don’t know what to tell you. But look how the clock on your nightstand is blinking. The power must’ve gone out.”
Declan swears, his ears turning almost as red as his hair. He storms toward the wardrobe to get dressed.
I’m already in the hall, and that’s when I hear it: knocking downstairs at the front door. I ignore the sounds for now, heading into Willow’s room first.
“Lo, get up!” I call, flinging her door open. “You’ve got to hurry and get dressed for school, okay? We’re running very, very late. Brush your teeth and put on your uniform. Meet us downstairs.”
She looks as disoriented as me and Declan, blinking groggily in her pajamas and bonnet.
It seems we’ve all happened to have such a good night’s rest we slept uninterrupted. None of us noticed what must’ve been a power outage.
I go to Emmett next, who is already up when I enter the nursery. My baby boy blinks up at me with his large, dark green eyes that resemble his father’s, and his cheeks round as he gives me a gummy smile.
“Hey, Bubba,” I say brightly, despite the chaotic morning. I reach into the crib and pick him up. “You were the only one awake, huh? Let’s get you changed and fed.”
Twenty minutes later, I’m clutching Emmett close as we head downstairs. Willow is already waiting on us in the kitchen, but she isn’t alone.
Chelseasits with her at the breakfast table as Willow spoons some milk and cereal into her mouth. I pause mid-step at the entrance, startled by her sudden appearance.
The morning’s been so crazy I’d forgotten she was supposed to be here. Then I remember I’d had several missed calls and texts on my notifications screenandthere’d been someone knocking downstairs; she was probably wondering what the hell was going on when she turned up for work and no one answered.
At the surprised look on my face, she rushes to explain. “Willow let me in. I’d been knocking for ages. Over an hour at least, I reckon. I did try ringing and texting, but didn’t get a reply. When I saw Declan’s car still in the drive, I wasn’t sure what was going on. I hope you don’t mind I gave her some cereal. Poor thing couldn’t reach the cupboards and said she hadn’t eaten yet.”
“Oh… no… of course not,” I say slowly. “Actually, thank you. Any little bit helps on a morning like this.”
Her brows knit. “Mind me asking what happened?”
“It seems like there was a power outage. I’ll have to call the electric company.”
“Happens now and again out here. The service can be a bit patchy in the countryside.”
“Sorry to leave you stranded outside,” I say, stroking the back of Emmett’s curly head. “We might need to give you a key to the house.”
“It would’ve come in handy this morning,” she laughs. “I could’ve woken you all up!”
“Right, then maybe we would’veactuallybeen on time. It makes sense anyway, since you’ll be coming and going so often. We’ll have one made for you.”
I’ve barely finished my sentence when Declan emerges from the staircase, his expression tense. I step into the hallway to meet him, already aware he’s in a sour mood.
“Don’t wait for me at dinner. I’ll likely miss it.”
