April, present day…
It was a few days before Easter. Ronan and Ten had invited everyone over to talk about plans for the holiday meal and school vacation week, which started with Good Friday.
“Okay, people!” Everly O’Mara said, her voice rising above all the others. “The meeting is starting. Is everyone here?”
“Yup!” Wolf said before burping. “ABCDE—”
“That’s gross, Woofie.” Aurora waved a hand in front of her upturned nose.
“I gotta beat my record! When we were in Florida, I got all the way to the letterPwhen I drank Coke.” Wolf wore a proud grin.
“You’ll never beat myY.” Jude waggled his eyebrows at his son.
“Boys are gross!” Aurora said. She hopped off her seat and ran to Everly, climbing onto her chair.
“Preach, sister!” Everly held her hand out for a high five.
Ronan tapped his hand on the table to bring the meeting to order. It took a few minutes for everyone to settle. Ten passed out juice pouches to the kids before making himself and Cope some peppermint tea. “Okay, let’s talk about April vacation.”
“Why do the kids have a week off in April?” Kaye asked. “They had a week off in February.”
“’Cause our heads will explode if Miss Becca crams too much stuff in here.” Wolf made a fist and knocked it against his head.
“Come on, Kaye. Kids need time to be kids.” Ronan flipped to his page of carefully constructed notes. If he had his way, the kids would go to school twice a week and would be home with him the rest of the time. He missed the preschool schedule and all the time it gave him with Everly. “So, the kids have their spring exchange concert on Friday. Who all is going?”
Cope and Jude raised their hands, along with Fitzgibbon. “Jace has to get things in order for Easter dinner at the shelter. He’ll be here with us for the holiday, but that means he’s got a lot of work to do between now and then.”
Ronan had to hand it to Jace. The overworked man had kept his word when it came to putting in fewer hours and spending more time with his family. “While we’re on the topic of Easter, is everyone good with a ham?”
“I would like lobster,” Aurora said, her dainty nose in the air. “And some delicious shrimps too. Maybe even some chowder.”
“That’s not a bad idea. Ten makes amazing scallops wrapped in bacon. What do you think?” Ronan turned to his husband.
“Sounds good to me,” Ten agreed. “I’ll make the chowder and the scallops.”
“Jace and I will get the lobster and shrimp,” Fitz said.
“We’ll make crispy potatoes and mac and cheese.” Jude rubbed his hands together in obvious excitement.
“Your mac and cheese is my favorite, Uncle Jude.” Aurora offered a pretty smile. “Can I come over and help cook it with you?”
“Me too?” Everly asked.
“Sure! The more, the merrier.” Jude pulled out his phone and started tapping out notes for himself.
“I’ll bring dessert,” Kaye offered. “Cassie mentioned having a new baker that makes the most amazing cream puffs.”
“That’s Betsy O’Connell.” Ronan grinned. He, Jude, and Fitzgibbon had recently solved her daughter’s cold case murder. “I’m glad she took us up on the offer to go meet with Cassie.”
“Me too,” Jude agreed.
“Okay, so back to school vacation. What do you think we should do?” Ronan’s eyes were on the kids. He had a few ideas himself so they didn’t spend the entire week camped out in front of the television watching princess movies until his eyes bled.
“I want to go to see the butterflies,” Everly said. “I think Ezzie will like them too.”
“Me?” Ezra raced into the room. He ran up to the table and looked around, most likely for food. The almost two-year-old boy was an eating machine.
“Do you want to see butterflies, Ezzie?” Everly asked, sounding excited.
