Chapter One Hundred Forty Three: The Children's Chaos
The morning started like any other. Which meant it started with screaming.
Alexander's voice echoed through the mansion. "AURORA! GIVE IT BACK!"
Aurora's voice was higher, sharper. "I DIDN'T TAKE IT!"
"YOU DID!"
"I DIDN'T!"
Jay buried her face in the pillow. "It's 6 AM."
Keifer pulled her closer. "Ignore them. They'll work it out."
"They've been fighting since they could talk."
"They're siblings. It's what they do."
---
Downstairs, the war had already begun.
Alexander stood on one side of the living room, arms crossed, face red. Aurora stood on the other, equally furious, clutching Rex to her chest.
Rohan watched from the couch, eating cereal, thoroughly entertained. Adira sat beside him, her own bowl forgotten. "What did Aurora take?"
"Rex."
"But Rex is hers."
"Rex belongs to everyone."
Adira nodded wisely. "War."
"War."
---
Anya and Aanya had abandoned their fort-building to watch the drama unfold. Anya whispered to her sister, "Who's winning?"
Aanya whispered back, "Rex."
"Always Rex."
---
Jay came down, Keifer behind her. She took one look at her children and sighed.
"Alexander. Aurora. What happened?"
Alexander pointed. "She took Rex!"
Aurora clutched the dinosaur tighter. "He wanted to come with me!"
"He was with ME first!"
"I NEEDED HIM!"
"For WHAT?"
"For PROTECTION!"
---
Jay pinched the bridge of her nose. "Aurora. Give Rex to your brother."
"But Mamma—"
"NOW."
Aurora's face crumpled. She threw Rex at Alexander. Alexander caught it, triumphant.
Aurora ran. Up the stairs. Door slamming.
Jay sighed again. "And now she's crying."
Keifer patted her shoulder. "You handled it perfectly."
"She's going to be upset all day."
"She's four. She'll forget in ten minutes."
---
Alexander held Rex, but his victory was hollow. He looked at the stairs. Then at Rex.
"Mamma?"
"Yes, baby?"
"Aurora was sad."
"Yes."
He looked at Rex. Then back at the stairs.
He walked up. Knocked on Aurora's door.
"What?"
"I brought Rex."
Silence. Then the door opened a crack. Aurora's face appeared. Red eyes. Puffy cheeks.
"You brought Rex?"
"He missed you."
---
She opened the door wider. Alexander held out the dinosaur. Aurora took it.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"I'm sorry too."
"Rex should be for both of us."
She nodded. "Both of us."
They hugged. The war was over.
Jay watched from the stairs. "They made up."
Keifer appeared beside her. "They always do."
---
Shreya came down with Rohan and Adira. "What happened?"
"War. Peace. The usual."
Shreya looked at her own twins. Rohan was explaining something to Adira. Adira was listening, nodding seriously.
"Yours are calmer."
"Yours are passionate."
"Diplomatic."
She laughed. "Accurate."
---
Akshi came down with Anya and Aanya. The twins were still discussing the battle.
"Alexander surrendered," Anya said.
"He didn't surrender. He negotiated."
"What's the difference?"
"Surrender is giving up. Negotiation is getting what you want."
Anya considered this. "Aurora got Rex."
"Alexander got peace."
"Who won?"
Aanya thought. "Everyone."
Anya nodded. "Everyone wins."
---
Percy arrived with Honey. He surveyed the now-calm children. "I MISSED THE FIGHT!"
Honey sighed. "Percy, children fighting isn't entertainment."
"IT IS WHEN IT'S NOT MY CHILDREN!"
"You don't have children."
"EXACTLY! I'M HERE FOR THE DRAMA!"
---
The morning continued.
Alexander and Aurora played together, Rex between them. Rohan and Adira built a castle. Anya and Aanya conquered it. The younger children watched, learning chaos from their elders.
Jay sat with Keifer. "Our children."
"Our chaos."
"They fight."
"They make up."
"They love each other."
"The most."
---
Shreya sat with Mithun. "Rohan is the peacemaker. Adira is the fighter."
"Balance."
"Like us."
He kissed her forehead. "Better than us."
---
Akshi sat with Chethan. "Anya and Aanya are going to take over the world."
"Together?"
"Together."
"They're four."
"They're planning."
He watched his daughters strategize. "We should be worried."
"We should be proud."
---
By afternoon, the children had moved outside.
The garden was transformed. Alexander was digging for treasure. Aurora was collecting flowers for a crown. Rohan was cataloging rocks. Adira was building a fortress.
Anya and Aanya were leading an expedition to find the neighbor's cat.
Jay watched them from the porch. "They're so small."
Keifer sat beside her. "They're growing."
"Too fast."
"Not fast enough. I want to keep them little forever."
She leaned into him. "Me too."
---
Shreya joined them. "Rohan just told Adira that rocks are the bones of the earth."
"That's... poetic."
"He wants to be a geologist now. Or a paleontologist. He hasn't decided."
Mithun appeared with snacks. "He's four. He has time."
---
Akshi ran out. "ANYA! AANYA! GET BACK HERE!"
The twins were halfway to the neighbor's fence, their quest for the cat in full swing.
Chethan ran after them. "GIRLS! STOP!"
They did not stop.
Percy ran too. "I'LL HELP! I'M FAST!"
He was not fast.
Honey watched from the porch. "This is fine. Everything is fine."
---
By evening, the children were exhausted.
Alexander fell asleep on the couch, Rex in his arms. Aurora curled up beside him, her flower crown askew.
Rohan was reading a book about dinosaurs, his head nodding. Adira was already asleep, her fortress plans scattered around her.
Anya and Aanya had been captured and were sleeping on their parents' bed, still in their outdoor clothes.
The mansion was quiet.
---
Jay and Keifer sat on the balcony.
"Another day," she said.
"Another beautiful day."
"Our children."
"Our chaos."
She kissed his cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too."
---
From inside, Alexander's voice, half-asleep: "Aurora, Rex is dreaming."
"How do you know?"
"His feet are moving. He's chasing something."
"Maybe he's chasing a butterfly."
"Maybe he's chasing a dragon."
Aurora yawned. "Rex would win."
"Rex always wins."
---
Jay leaned against Keifer. "They're going to be okay."
"They're going to be more than okay."
She smiled. The night was quiet. The children were sleeping. And tomorrow—tomorrow, the chaos would begin again.
---
End of Chapter One Hundred Forty Three