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“I’m going to take Nix up to give her a bath and get her into bed. It might take a while judging by this sugar high,” Raven calls with a laugh. I wave them off knowing that they need some time together. Besides, it will give me a chance to plan what we need to discuss in the family meeting once Nix is in bed.
First and foremost, I want to know the story behind the thin scabbed cut that circles her ring finger. And where the hell our ring went.
***
“Is Nix in bed?” I ask Raven when she reappears downstairs a few hours later. “You’ve been up there ages.”
“Yeah, she’s fast asleep. The guys tired her out.”
“Ha! I think she broke them.”
“Well she had a nice bath and we played for a while in her room. We talked about her day and the nicknames she has for you. She’s been asking which of you guys is her daddy, and I didn’t really know how to answer her.”
“What did you say?”
“I completely chickened out. I asked her who she wanted to be her daddy. She said all of you.”
“There you go, even she gets it. It can be as simple as you need it to be. Are you ready?”
“Sure...for what?”
“Family meeting. Ace made paella for the occasion.”
She laughs.
“Actually I’m starving. Let’s do this.”
We walk into the dining room where all the others are waiting, the food steaming hot in the centre of the table. Everyone greets us as we take our seats, and Ace plays hostess by dishing out generous platefuls of dinner. It smells amazing and the room’s pretty quiet while we all dig in.
Thorn, Rebel and Raven bicker over the crispy bits at the bottom of the pan. When we’re done, Ace serves up churros with dulce de leche and Raven just about dies and goes to food heaven.
I clear the plates, stack the dishwasher and top up everyone’s drinks before taking my seat again. I place an unopened envelope in front of me and look expectantly around the table for everyone to fall quiet.
“Thank you for a lovely meal, Ace,” I say. “And welcome home Raven and Baxter.”
I feel awkward, nervous, oddly stiff and formal. It’s stupid.
“So, we’re having this family meeting to discuss the events and revelations of the last few days—”
“Ding, dong, the bitch is dead!” Thorn sings loudly and off key.
“Bitch is too good a word for her,” Rebel growls. I agree, but could really live without the interruption.
“Hang on, is she dead? She is dead, isn’t she? Oh my god, please don’t tell me you wimped out,” Thorn groans.
“She’s dead,” Raven whispers. I look at her in alarm but there’s no regret on her face, just a serene joy that’s radiant to behold.
God, I love her.
“Yeah!” Thorn crows, high fiving Rebel animatedly.
“Give us all the juicy details,” Rebel says. I huff in annoyance and he looks at Baxter and whispers “later.”
“We killed her,” Baxter says on a sigh.
“We?” My surprise is evident as the others’, who all stare in shock at Raven.
“Guilty?” She shrugs a little and smiles nervously.
