The Babysitter and the Sisterly Trio/ChapterIX/Breakfast

Mike and Laura were already starting to make breakfast when we all enter the kitchen.

"Ah, girls! You're up already, great!" says Mike, grilling bacon and eggs in a skillet.

"Thanks for getting them up, Rei!~" Laura says to me while in the middle of flipping pancakes. "Why don't you stay for breakfast, Rei?"

"Thank you, I'd love to." I tell them cheerily. I get the girls to stop running around and sit down at the table, then go get the plates and utensils out and set the table.

Plopping down at the table, the girls try to fight over who gets to sit next to me. Tera and Riley (being bigger) of course won, and I'm left with Evy jumping up and down behind my chair.

"Hey, no fair!" Evy cries. "I wanna sit next to Rei!!"

"Now girls..." Mike says without turning around. "Share the nice boy with your little sister."

"Don't whine and shout, Evy. It's not polite!" Laura tells her.

To shut Evy up and torpedo the argument, I pick her up and set her on my lap. Unfortunately, this just causes both Tera and Riley to say in unison. "No fair!"

I laugh at them. "You sound like a pair of mockingbirds when you do that!~" They only pout adorably, and settle for scooting their chairs closer to mine.

Mike and Laura finish cooking breakfast and bring it over to the table. Riley grabs the bacon while Tera goes for the eggs. Evy tries to dump the entire bottle of syrup onto her pancakes before I manage to stop her.

I'd just picked up a glass of milk and started to drink when Laura says, "Did you girls have fun last night playing with Rei?"

I nearly choke on the milk. Quickly I try to disguise my twitch by shifting Evy slightly on my lap. Mike and Laura don't seem to notice, but my heart is racing now. What are they going to say??

"Yeah! Lots of fun!~" says Riley, directing a warm smile my way. "We played a lot of fun games!~" Tera adds.

"We did a lotta fun stuff!" Evy chimes in. She looks like she's about to say more, but from underneath the table I notice both Riley and Tera poke her legs. Did they work out some kind of system with Evy to remind her to watch what she says? Either way, I was very grateful to them both...

"Oh, like what?" Mike asks Evy with a smile.

"Just, ah, like games and stuff..." Evy mumbles. I pat her on the head, trying to get my racing heart under control. I keep telling myself, "They can't know anything..."

"Well, I'm glad you girls had fun." Laura says. "The bus will be here soon now, so hurry up and finish your breakfast!"

The girls gobble their food and I relax. It's no fun having to hide this from their parents, but I mean... what choice do I have?

I help Mike and Laura hustle the girls out the door and wave to them as they get on the school bus before collecting my things and heading back home.

Mike and Laura are going back to work, so I'll see the girls again this afternoon after school.

Some time after lunch...

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