The lunch was had with light conversation going and Nora's remarks either making them laugh or grimace. But George was unfazed by it, the man was smitten like there was no tomorrow.
"Do you boys want to give the girls a tour of the place?" Victoria said while craddling Roserie.
"What about that thing I asked for?" Amy asked.
Victoria smirked, "Don't worry, it's waiting for you."
Zach narrowed his eyes at Amy and it took him a second to realize what it was especially when her excitement grew. "We're not doing a tour. Let's go out for some fresh air."
"Do that, I'll find my way around", she said while getting up.
"What's going on?" Xavier looked between the two, one looking amused and the other annoyed.
"Where's Zach's room?" She asked.
"No-"
"Left wing, second door on the right", Xavier answered quickly ignoring his brother.
"I owe you Xavier", Amy announced as she quickly left for the stairs.
"You'll pay for this", Zach shot as he followed after Amy.
"Zach, it's not your brother's fault that Amy wants to see your baby pictures", Victoria shouted with a laugh.
"Oh! Is that what this is about?" Xavier laughed, now understanding his brother's annoyance.
"Girls, I prepared a similar gift for you in the boys' rooms", Victoria said. George and Xavier's smiles were quickly wiped off while the two girls grew excited.
Meanwhile, Amy had made it to the top of the stairs when she heard approaching footsteps. She squealed as she started running.
"Amy", Zach warned as he walked faster. "Stop running."
He didn't want to chase her seeing as she was in heels but Amy misunderstood him. "There's no stopping me."
She turned to see he was closing in on her but lucky she had found his room, she quickly rushed inside and found the album resting on the bed. As soon as she took it, the door closed behind her. But she quickly opened it and found herself shocked and amused.
"Is this why you didn't want me to see this?" She could barely suppress her chuckle when it was suddenly snatched out of her hands. "Babe, come on."
"You've seen enough", he said, raising the book up, out of her reach.
"It's just you in a tutu, a wig and makeup", she said jumping up to reach for it. "Is that how you knew which lipsticks to buy for me?"
He stopped moving, glaring at her but she jumped him, sending them both falling onto the bed. She was giggling as she snatched it out of his hands. He didn't fight her but simply held her as she looked her fill.
"Just so you know, mom forced me to dress up like that", he said.
"But this huge smile you have on says otherwise", she pointed at his five year old self with two front teeth missing refuting his lie. "Babe, I've never seen you this happy or smile like this, not even with me."
"Amy", he warned.
"Alright, alright", she chuckled as she flipped through the pages. "I was worried about Roserie's tea parties but you'll fit right in."
"Amy."
"Okay, I've stopped", she giggled. "I'm sorry."
"You're not."
"I'm not."
She quietly flipped through the pages, seeing Zach transition from a toddler and into a young adult. She found herself giggling at some pictures and there were some she asked about that he explained the events behind them. It was the sound of Roserie's crying that caught their attention before Victoria's knock resounded.
"Will you get that?" She asked and he shook his head. She just couldn't get enough of seeing his pictures.
He untangled himself from her and got the door. He received the crying baby and started calming her in his hold.
"Satisfied?" Victoria shouted over at Amy.
"So much", Amy sat up and nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you."
"Anytime.... When you've rested, come downstairs. I want to chat with you girls", she said.
"Let me just feed her, I'll be right with you."
Victoria excused herself and let the couple alone. Roserie calmed down as soon as she started feeding while Zach went to their wardrobe to put up their clothes. He could not help his smile when he saw what Amy packed for the three of them.
Not long after, they left their room and went their separate ways. Amy joining the ladies with Roserie in her arms. She found the ladies still seated around the dining table with Nora being the chatter box she is.
"Dear, you might want to leave Roserie with her Dad", Victoria said.
"Why? What are we doing?"
"Karaoke", Nora wiggled her brows with a goofy smile that immediately lit up Amy's features. She took out her phone and dialed for Zach. "Babe, do you mind watching Roserie?.... Thank you. Meet me in the hallway."
She excused herself and rushed to him in. His lips curved up seeing him walk towards him causing her to smile too.
"We're going to do a little karaoke." She handed Roserie over to him.
"Have fun. But not too much, be careful", he reminded.
"Mm", she adjusted Roserie's flunnel to cover her up before standing on her tip toes to peck Zach's lips.
He watched her run back before he resumed his walk to join the boys. He could hear the chatter and laughter going on in the lounge as he approached.
"Amy! Amy! Wait up!" Xavier called out while running.
Zach felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around only for Xavier to gasp and then purse his lips to suppress his smile. "Sorry, I thought you were Amy."
"Really?" He glared, clearly unamused. He was sure he had seen her run in the opposite direction.
"You can't blame me! You guys have matching outfits and all!" He countered, nose flaring at his obvious lie.
"Seems you need another visit to the E.R. I can arrange for a permanent stay", he warned with a deadly tone.
"Hey, don't be like that", he swung an arm over his shoulder and gave him a sheepish grin. "It was an honest mistake."
Henry appeared in the hallway from the lounge. "Where's Amy?"
"Right here", Xavier pointed at Zach who did not waste a second to kick his shin sending bhim hopping on one leg. "Ow!"
"Is everything okay?" Zach assessed his father's serious face.
"Rider called, he was trying to reach you too", he said. Zach fished out his phone and saw he had put on vibration. He made it a habit whenever he was around Roserie in case she fell asleep. "I have a message for her."
"Who wants to go first?" Victoria asked looking around at the other three.
"Why don't you go first?" Amy suggested.
"I don't know what to choose", she replied while going through the list.
"Let me go first", Nora said. The ladies had on uneasy expressions which made her roll her eyes. "Don't give me that look."
There were wholesome songs that Nora skimmed through. 'Can't help falling in love', 'Uptown girl'. All of them were songs everyone was sure Nora would not choose and it was true, but what they didn't anticipate was the choice she made.
"How do we feel about Wham's wake me up?" She asked with a smug smile.
"Ooooooh! It's been a while since I heard this song! Need a partner?" Victoria quickly joined her.
"That's the spirit!" Nora shouted before she started singing while Victoria worked on the ad lib to spice up the song.
"You put the boom-boom into my heart (ooh-ooh)
You send my soul sky-high
When your lovin' starts
Jitterbug into my brain (yeah-yeah)
Goes a bang-bang-bang
'Til my feet do the same"
They kicked off their shoes to be more comfortable as they bounced around to the upbeat song. Amy took a tambourine and shook it according to the beat while jumping up and down. Lorraine found huge clown glasses in different bright colors that covered half of her face when she out them and went around helping the others into theirs.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺