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5:32 PM


“Any suggestions for dinner tonight?” Lauren called out.

Four fifths of the Boys looked up from their spots in the living room, cuddled up with their kids watching some cartoons. Baylee and Mason were sitting together with Brian on the smaller couch. Baylee was holding an open notebook, showing his cousin and father some new ideas for material for his YouTube channel.

After their impromptu music video, the kids had gone back to doing other things like playing with some of their own toys they brought, or doing more drawing and coloring and reading and so on. It was a long time before a handful of the younger ones got bored and went back in front of the TV.

“There’s still plenty of leftovers from last night and the night before,” Rochelle pointed out, opening the fridge.

“Probably better to have all that,” A.J. suggested. “I mean, if we keep cooking, we’ll just be letting it all go to waste.”

“Then I guess it’s another smorgasbord tonight!” Lauren declared. “I’ll set everything up.”

“Oh Lauren, let me help you, honey,” Leighanne said joining her behind the counter at the open fridge.

“Okay, guys, why don’t you all go wash up for dinner okay?” Howie said patting his sons’ shoulders. Kevin, Brian, and A.J. prompted their kids to do the same and they all together hurried to the downstairs bathroom.

The guys all crossed through the living room to join their wives in the kitchen.

“Can one of you boys get the plates and set them up at the end here?” Leighanne asked as she and Lauren started dispensing some of the leftovers into dishpans and pots to be reheated.

“No problem, baby,” Brian slipped by her, smooching her cheek. He retrieved a stack of plates from the cupboard, while Kevin found new cups and silverware.

Back on the one sofa, Kristin stifled a moan. She rolled over, facing inwards to the cushions.

Meanwhile, Nick came over to the kitchen with Odin on his hip. “Little guy’s giving me the hungry look,” he said.

A.J. and Rochelle were right behind them with Sasha. “Yeah, same goes for this one, too.” A.J. spoke up, his baby daughter whining in his arm. “Better fix something for both of them.”

In a moment, all the older kids came back in, brushing past the hearth of the fireplace and zig zagging by the sofas back towards the kitchen. “Okay, everyone come grab a plate!” Howie announced. “There’s plenty of food for everyone.”

The youngest kids went first, their parents trailing behind them to watch over and make sure to advert any messes that could be made.

Mason paused before he could make his way down the counter, seeing his mother still on the sofa. “Mom,” he called, starting to walk over to her. “Aren’t you going to have…”

Suddenly, there was a loud humming noise and then everything went dark. The only source of light now only came from the dimming embers in the fireplace.

“Hey!”

“Woah!”

“Turn ‘em back!”

“What’s the big idea?!”

“Everyone calm down,” Brian’s voice piped up. “The power must’ve shut off from the storm.”

“The fuse box is supposed to be in a closet in the hall.” Howie informed everyone. “We can go check it and see if we can get everything back up and running.”

“Oh, I found some flashlights in the utility drawer over here yesterday!” Leighanne called out. A rummaging sound appeared, then a small beam of light lit up across the kitchen counter. An arm stretched across and grabbed the flashlight, and shone it across the room. A blinding flash appeared.

“Ow! Watch the glasses, dude,” A.J. yelped.


“Sorry. Okay, someone wanna come give me a hand?” Brian asked aloud, holding the flashlight just close enough to illuminate his face.

“Point the light to the floor, I’ll tag along,” Howie offered.

“No, point it up!” Nick’s voice came from an opposite direction. “If you point it at the ceiling it should reflect off and give us just enough light so we can all see in here.”

“Then how are they supposed to search for the fuse box without getting electrocuted?” A.J. noted.
He brought up a good point.

“Ok, scratch that.” Nick said quickly.


So Brian and Howie went ahead and found the hall closet and inspected the fuse box. After a few minutes, all the lights flickered back on.

“Thank goodness!” Leigh sighed with relief. “Boys, come sit at the counter.” Her sons were on the floor with the rest of the kids, holding their forks and dinner plates with the food untouched. Howie and Brian were back in the room within moments as everyone else got resettled with dinner.



6:17 p.m.


As everyone was finishing eating, Mason’s focus went back to Kristin, still curled up on the sofa with her back turned. He got up from his spot on the carpet and came to his mother’s side, quietly hovering over her.

“Mom?” he said softly. “Are you okay? You’re being real quiet, and you’re not eating anything.”

Kristin’s head turned and she gazed up at her son. She carefully turned over and sat up, rubbing her hand across her round belly.

“I’m fine, sweetie,” she sighed. “I’m just really tired today, that’s all.” She coughed, clearing her throat.

“Want me to get you some water, Mom?” Mason asked.

Kristin shook her head. “It’s alright, I can get it.” She slipped her legs off the couch.

“Dad’s next to the kitchen,” her son noted. “I can ask him to...”

“Mason, I’m fine.” She insisted, slowly standing up and beginning to cross the room. “Your mother can get her own glass of…”

Suddenly Kristin stopped, gasping sharply and clutching her abdomen. “Mom!” Mason exclaimed, reaching out to her as her knees buckled.


The ten year old caught his mother by the arm as his shout echoed across the room. Kevin and the others’ heads turned, and he was at his wife’s side in an instant once he saw the shape she was in.

"Daddy, what's happening?" Max ran up behind his father, frightened at the sight of his mother in distress.

“Uh, this isn’t what I think it is, is it?” Brian spoke up, he and Leighanne cautiously took a few steps towards the scene. “Kev?”


There was a beat, then Kristin suddenly and sharply looked down. “My water just broke.” She said aloud.

“Water doesn’t break, you spill it,” Max said, confused.

“Yeah, and you never even got one.” Mason added.

Kevin shook his head at his sons as he helped his wife sit back down on the sofa, trying to stay calm as she groaned and squeezed his hand.

“Well, in this case, son, it means we’re getting a baby. Tonight.”