MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter One Hundred Ten: The Favorite
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The morning came bright and chaotic.
Percy was in the kitchen, trying to make breakfast. Aurora was on the counter. She had climbed up when he wasn't looking. She had flour in her hair. She had eggs on her shirt. She was laughing. She was loud. She was chaos.
"AURORA!" Percy shouted. "HOW DID YOU—"
Aurora grabbed a handful of flour. She threw it at his face. His face was white. His eyes were wide. His mouth was open.
Honey walked in. She looked at Percy. She looked at Aurora. She looked at the flour. "What happened?"
Percy sputtered. "She—she climbed—she threw—"
Aurora threw another handful of flour. Honey's hair was white. Her face was calm. Her eyes were not.
Percy backed away. "I didn't—she was—I turned around for one second—"
Honey picked up Aurora. Her daughter was laughing. Her daughter was loud. Her daughter was chaos. "You're your father's daughter."
Aurora grabbed Honey's hair. She pulled. She was strong. She was determined. She was chaos.
Honey's face didn't change. "You're your mother's daughter."
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Keiran was in the garden. He was trying to water the roses. Aurora was beside him. She had the hose. She was spraying everything. The roses. The grass. Keiran. His face was wet. His shirt was wet. His hair was wet.
"AURORA!" Keiran shouted. "STOP! STOP!"
Aurora did not stop. She sprayed his face. She was laughing. She was loud. She was chaos.
Keigan walked out. He looked at Keiran. He looked at Aurora. He looked at the hose. "What happened?"
Keiran sputtered. "She—she took the hose—she sprayed—she—"
Aurora sprayed Keigan's face. His face was wet. His face was cold. His eyes were not.
Keiran backed away. "I didn't—she was—I turned around for one second—"
Keigan picked up Aurora. His niece was laughing. His niece was loud. His niece was chaos. "You're your mother's daughter."
Aurora grabbed Keigan's hair. She pulled. She was strong. She was determined. She was chaos.
Keigan's face didn't change. "You're your father's daughter."
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Care was in the medical room. She was organizing supplies. Aurora was on the floor. She had found the bandages. She was wrapping them around everything. The chair. The table. Care's legs.
"AURORA!" Care shouted. "THOSE ARE FOR—"
Aurora wrapped a bandage around Care's arm. She was laughing. She was loud. She was chaos.
Cole walked in. He looked at Care. He looked at Aurora. He looked at the bandages. "What happened?"
Care sputtered. "She—she found the bandages—she wrapped—she—"
Aurora wrapped a bandage around Cole's leg. His leg was white. His face was calm. His eyes were not.
Care backed away. "I didn't—she was—I turned around for one second—"
Cole picked up Aurora. His niece was laughing. His niece was loud. His niece was chaos. "You're your mother's daughter."
Aurora grabbed Cole's hair. She pulled. She was strong. She was determined. She was chaos.
Cole's face didn't change. "You're your father's daughter."
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Rakki was in the living room. She was trying to read. Aurora was on her lap. She had found a marker. She was drawing on Rakki's arm. Flowers. Hearts. Stars. A dinosaur.
"AURORA!" Rakki shouted. "THAT'S MY—"
Aurora drew a smiley face on Rakki's hand. She was laughing. She was loud. She was chaos.
Ci N walked in. He looked at Rakki. He looked at Aurora. He looked at the marker. "What happened?"
Rakki sputtered. "She—she found the marker—she drew—she—"
Aurora drew a flower on Ci N's arm. His arm was colorful. His face was soft. His eyes were bright.
Rakki backed away. "I didn't—she was—I turned around for one second—"
Ci N picked up Aurora. His niece was laughing. His niece was loud. His niece was chaos. "You're your mother's daughter."
Aurora grabbed Ci N's hair. She pulled. She was strong. She was determined. She was chaos.
Ci N's face didn't change. "You're your father's daughter."
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Mica was in the study. She was on her laptop. Aurora was on the floor. She had found the papers. She was tearing them. Small pieces. Tiny pieces. Confetti.
"MICA!" Calix shouted. "YOUR WORK—"
Aurora threw the confetti in the air. It fell like snow. Mica's hair was white. Her glasses were white. Her laptop was white.
Mica looked up. Her face was calm. Her eyes were not.
Calix backed away. "I didn't—she was—I turned around for one second—"
Mica picked up Aurora. Her niece was laughing. Her niece was loud. Her niece was chaos. "You're your mother's daughter."
Aurora grabbed Mica's glasses. She pulled. She was strong. She was determined. She was chaos.
Mica's face didn't change. "You're your father's daughter."
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Freya was at the gate. She was standing guard. Aurora was beside her. She had found the whistle. She was blowing it. Loud. Long. Continuous.
"EEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Freya's face was sharp. Her hands were fists. "AURORA!"
Aurora blew the whistle again. "EEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Erdix walked out. He looked at Freya. He looked at Aurora. He looked at the whistle. "What happened?"
Freya sputtered. "She—she found the whistle—she blew—she—"
Aurora blew the whistle in Erdix's face. "EEEEEEEEEEEE!"
His face was calm. His ears were ringing. His eyes were not.
Freya backed away. "I didn't—she was—I turned around for one second—"
Erdix picked up Aurora. His niece was laughing. His niece was loud. His niece was chaos. "You're your mother's daughter."
Aurora grabbed Erdix's hair. She pulled. She was strong. She was determined. She was chaos.
Erdix's face didn't change. "You're your father's daughter."
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Grace was in the garden. She was training. Aurora was beside her. She had found the punching bag. She was hitting it. Small fists. Strong hits. Determined punches.
Grace watched. Her face was hard. Her eyes were soft. "She's strong."
Denzel walked out. He looked at Grace. He looked at Aurora. He looked at the punching bag. "What's she doing?"
Grace watched her niece. "She's training."
Aurora punched the bag. It swung. She punched it again. It swung harder. She was laughing. She was loud. She was chaos.
Grace almost smiled. "She's your niece."
Denzel pulled her close. "She's our niece."
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Kuya Angelo was in the garden. He was reading. Aurora was beside him. She had found his glasses. She was wearing them. They were too big. They kept falling. She kept pushing them up.
Ion walked out. He looked at Kuya Angelo. He looked at Aurora. He looked at the glasses. "What's she doing?"
Kuya Angelo watched his niece. "She's reading."
Aurora opened a book. She looked at the pages. She turned them. She was serious. She was focused. She was chaos.
Ion sat beside Kuya Angelo. "She's your niece."
Kuya Angelo pulled him close. "She's our niece."
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Tita Gemma was in the living room. She was knitting. Aurora was beside her. She had found the yarn. She was wrapping it around everything. The chair. The table. Tita Gemma's feet.
Tita Rachel walked in. She looked at Tita Gemma. She looked at Aurora. She looked at the yarn. "What's she doing?"
Tita Gemma watched her niece. "She's helping."
Aurora wrapped yarn around Tita Rachel's leg. Her leg was colorful. Her face was soft. Her eyes were bright.
Tita Rachel sat beside Tita Gemma. "She's your niece."
Tita Gemma pulled her close. "She's our niece."
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Alexander was in the nursery. He was playing with his blocks. He was quiet. He was calm. He was watching. He was always watching.
Jay was beside him. She was building a tower. He was helping. She placed a block. He placed a block. She placed a block. He placed a block. The tower grew. The tower was tall. The tower was steady.
Aurora crawled in. She looked at the tower. She looked at her mother. She looked at her brother. She smiled. She reached for the tower.
Alexander's hand shot out. He grabbed her wrist. His face was serious. His eyes were steady. He was saying no. He was saying this was theirs. He was saying she could not touch.
Aurora looked at her brother. She looked at the tower. She pulled her hand back. She sat beside him. She watched. She waited. She was calm. She was quiet. She was chaos contained.
Jay watched her children. Her face was soft. Her eyes were bright. "She listens to you."
Alexander looked at his mother. His face was serious. His eyes were calm. He touched her face. Small. Warm. Alive. He was saying she was his. He was saying he would protect her. He was saying he loved her.
Jay kissed his forehead. "I love you too."
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Keifer walked in. He looked at the tower. He looked at his children. He looked at his wife. "What's happening?"
Jay smiled. "Alexander is protecting the tower."
Keifer looked at his son. Alexander was sitting beside the tower. His face was serious. His eyes were steady. He was guarding. He was protecting. He was his father's son.
Keifer looked at his daughter. Aurora was sitting beside her brother. Her face was calm. Her hands were in her lap. She was waiting. She was watching. She was chaos contained.
"She's quiet," Keifer said.
Jay raised an eyebrow. "She's planning something."
Keifer looked at his daughter. Aurora was looking at her brother. Her eyes were sharp. Her face was determined. "She's planning something."
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Aurora crawled to her mother. She pulled herself up. Her hands were on Jay's legs. Her face was red. Her determination was fierce. She climbed. Her mother's hands caught her. Her mother's arms were around her. Her mother's face was soft.
"Mama," Aurora said.
Jay's heart stopped. Her hands were shaking. Her face was wet. "What did you say?"
Aurora touched her mother's face. Small. Warm. Alive. "Mama."
Jay pulled her close. Her arms were around her daughter. Her face was in her hair. "Say it again."
Aurora held her mother. "Mama."
Jay was crying. She was laughing. She was everything. "Mama. She said Mama."
Keifer walked to her. His arms were around both of them. His face was wet. "She said Mama."
Aurora looked at her father. Her eyes were dark. Her face was serious. She reached for him. "Dada."
Keifer's heart stopped. His hands were shaking. His face was wet. "She said Dada."
Jay pulled him close. "She said Dada."
Alexander watched from the floor. His face was serious. His eyes were calm. He crawled to his parents. He pulled himself up. His hands were on Jay's legs. His face was serious. His determination was steady.
"Mama," Alexander said.
Jay picked him up. Her arms were full. Her heart was full. "Mama. You said Mama."
Alexander looked at his father. "Dada."
Keifer pulled them all close. His arms were around his family. His face was wet. His heart was full. "Dada. You said Dada."
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The family gathered in the living room.
Percy was in the armchair, his face bright, his voice loud. "She said Mama! She said Dada! She—"
Honey put her hand on his arm. "We heard."
Percy's face was wet. "She said Mama."
Honey pulled him close. "She said Mama."
Aries was with Ella. Their face was soft. Their eyes were bright. "She said Mama."
Ella kissed their cheek. "She said Mama."
Care was with Cole. Her face was calm. Her eyes were wet. "She said Mama."
Cole pulled her close. "She said Mama."
Rakki was with Ci N. Her face was hard. Her eyes were wet. "She said Mama."
Ci N held her. "She said Mama."
Mica was with Calix. Her face was focused. Her eyes were bright. "She said Mama."
Calix kissed her forehead. "She said Mama."
Freya was at the door. Her arms were crossed. Her face was sharp. Her eyes were soft. "She said Mama."
Erdix was beside her. "She said Mama."
Grace was in the garden. Her hands were on the roses. Her face was hard. Her eyes were wet. "She said Mama."
Denzel was beside her. "She said Mama."
Kuya Angelo was in the doorway. His face was calm. His eyes were wet. "She said Mama."
Ion was beside him. "She said Mama."
Tita Gemma was crying. Tita Rachel was holding her. "She said Mama."
Keiran was bouncing. His voice was loud. "SHE SAID MAMA! SHE SAID DADA! SHE—"
Keigan pulled him close. "She said Mama."
Keiran held his brother. "She said Mama."
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Lyra was in her corner. Her hands were in her pockets. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on the twins. Alex was beside her. His hand was in hers.
"She said Mama," Alex said.
Lyra watched her niece. Aurora was on Jay's lap. Her hands were in her mother's hair. Her face was soft. Her voice was quiet. "Mama."
"She said Dada," Lyra said.
Alex looked at Alexander. The baby was on Keifer's lap. His face was serious. His eyes were calm. "Dada."
Lyra almost smiled. Almost. "She's chaos for everyone else."
Alex looked at Aurora. At the niece who terrorized the house. Who threw flour at Percy. Who sprayed Keiran with the hose. Who wrapped bandages around Care. Who drew on Rakki. Who tore Mica's papers. Who blew Freya's whistle. Who punched Grace's bag. Who wore Kuya Angelo's glasses. Who tangled Tita Gemma's yarn.
But who was calm for her mother. Who was quiet for her mother. Who was soft for her mother.
"She's her mother's daughter," Alex said.
Lyra looked at Jay. At the woman who had been her sister. At the woman who had saved her. At the woman who had waited for her. "She's her mother's daughter."
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The night was quiet. The house was still. The twins were in the nursery. Sleeping. Safe. Home. Jay stood in the doorway. Keifer was behind her. His hand was on her back.
"She said Mama," Jay said.
Keifer kissed her hair. "She said Mama."
Jay leaned against him. "She said Dada."
Keifer pulled her close. "She said Dada."
Jay looked at her children. At Aurora, who was chaos for the world but calm for her. At Alexander, who was steady for everyone, who protected his sister, who watched and waited. "They're perfect."
Keifer held her. "They're perfect."
The door creaked. Small footsteps. Soft breathing. Aurora stood in the doorway. She was holding her blanket. She was not going to sleep alone. Behind her, Alexander crawled into the room. He was holding his bear. He was not going to let his sister have all the attention.
Jay sighed. "They escaped again."
Keifer looked at his children. "They're our children."
Aurora climbed onto the bed. She crawled between her parents. She pulled the blanket over herself. She closed her eyes. "Mama."
Jay kissed her forehead. "Mama's here."
Alexander climbed onto the bed. He crawled beside his sister. He held his bear. He closed his eyes. "Dada."
Keifer kissed his forehead. "Dada's here."
Jay looked at her children. "They're perfect."
Keifer kissed her forehead. "They're perfect."
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END OF CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TEN