AllFreeNovel
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From the hallway, Erin watched her son shake hands with Russell, who smiled at the boy.
“And this is Rachelle, who’s an accomplished student and a good gymnast.”
“Hi, Mr. Malcolm,” Rachelle nodded graciously. “Becky, come here. Say hi. Becky is three.”
“Hi, Mr. Mac...” Becky offered him an adorable smile.
Russell grinned from ear to ear. “Charming children.”
“There are more.” Rachelle turned and signaled to Debbie and Brianna.
“This one is my sister Debbie, and the brunette is her friend Brianna Kent, Coach Tim’s daughter. They’re both seven,” Rachelle specified.
“Hi, Mr. Malcolm,” both girls crooned.
“Hi, Debbie. Hi, Brianna,” Russell said. “All lovely kids.”
“Mom, should we bring in the twins?” Rachelle called.
Tim raised a hand. “I’ll get them. Are they in their cribs sleeping?”
“No, in the playpen, in the kitchen, wide-awake, and shaking it, ready to break it,” Erin said.
“More children?” Russell arched his eyebrows.
“Here,” Tim said, gliding into the living room, holding Nat and Ethan’s hands. The twins had insisted they wanted to walk. “Russell, my friend, meet Nathan and Ethan, the two house-terrors. They’re thirteen months old and have minds of their own.”
The toddlers pulled their hands out of his grip, ran ahead, and fell right in front of Russell.
“Oh, oh … Boom-boom.” He laughed at them.
They looked at him, giggled, and threw themselves at him. Russell wrapped his arms around them. “What I wouldn’t give to have two adorable rascals like these.” He pulled them up onto his lap. Ethan grabbed his glasses and Nathan pulled on his hair. “Easy boys, easy. You’re too fast for me.”
Tim came to his rescue, trying to pick them up.
“No, leave them. Just take my glasses. Here are my keys.” He jingled his keys, gaining a peel of laughter from the happy toddlers.
“I’d better serve the food before they exhaust you.” Teresa stood and hurried into the kitchen.
“Children, who’s setting the table?” Erin asked.
“Coming, Mommy.”
She handed them placemats, silverware, and napkins. “China for the adults and plastic for the children, okay?” They carried the plates and glasses to the table.
“It’s all set,” Rachelle announced.
“The food is ready.” Teresa removed the apron she’d added to protect her blue silk dress and set two trivets on the table.
“Mr. Malcolm, let me take the twins and sit them in their high chairs.” She picked up Ethan, and Tim followed with Nathan, sitting the toddlers in their high chairs and tying a large bib around their necks.
“Erin, you have the loveliest family.” Russell nodded his approval.
“Please, sit here.” Theresa indicated the chair on her left. “Tim and Erin, can you bring in the pans?”
Russell rubbed his hands together with a jovial grin. “The scents coming from your kitchen would revive a dead man. I can’t wait to taste your meal.”
Erin opened the oven and brought out the lasagna.
