Ella’s POV
I took in a breath of the fresh air with more delight than I intended it to be. We were finally going home and it was a delight. It wasn’t like the boys had consented to go home. If left to their wishes, we would all have had to sleep over at Gabby’s house but nature had plans for them. I would have loved to blow nature a kiss if it had formed.
An hour later, the boys and Melody had all fallen asleep while still watching TV and we had to pick them one after the other, carrying them out on our backs. They hadn’t stirred as we picked them off the chair and carried them on our backs. I wanted to laugh at them, amused at how deeply they slept. The excitement of the day had finally hit them and it had hit them hard.
We had thanked Gabby for her hospitality and she had thanked us for honoring her invite to the party. We had apologized on behalf of the boys for making her stay so late but she had told us not to bother that we didn’t have to apologize for what her daughter was also responsible for.
And so, we had waved goodbye to one another and set on our way home.
“Finally, those little devils.” Kevin chuckled. “I thought they wouldn’t let us go home tonight.”
I smiled. “Me too. It would have been awkward watching Gabby try to find a place for us to sleep in tonight.”
Kevin snorted. “It would be more awkward for us to start going home in the morning, looking tired and ruffled.”
“I’m sure the neighborhood gossips would have something to say about that.” I chuckled.
“The neighborhood street journal would read something like, ‘Family slept over and became a problem to the friend they recently met’,” Kevin said.
I shook my head. “You should be more creative. It would read something like, ‘Newly relocated family bored of staying indoors maximizes their first outing as a family to a neighborhood party.”
Kevin chuckled. “You are good at this. So creative. Have you ever considered working in the media sector of the human world before we have to go back? I’m sure they would love you.”
I chuckled. I knew he was trying to give me compliments as he usually did but he was laying it on too thick at the moment. Media agency? Was he kidding? Without any form of identification and any traceable background in the human world, I would be the news faster than I could blink instead of being the news anchor.
“Stop it.” I said to him.
He seemed to understand that he had gone overboard and nodded. “Right. That was too much flattery.”
“Glad you know.” I chuckled.
I glanced at Liam to check up on him. He had barely said anything since we left Gabby’s house and I hoped he wasn’t annoyed that the boys made him stay for too long at her place. I knew he was a really private person but surely, he could understand them.
He had barely spoken a word and kept glancing back that I knew something was wrong.
“Are you okay, Liam?” I asked him.
He nodded. “Yes.”
I nodded and continued walking but still looked at him occasionally. He was still doing it. He was still doing what made him seem like he was uncomfortable. I wondered if it was because he had Neo on his back but I doubted that. Neo wouldn’t be that heavy that someone as strong as Liam would have problem carrying on his back. Moreover, he hadn’t adjusted Neo ever since he carried him on his back and since we started walking from Gabby’s house so I doubted my son was the problem.
I glanced at him and was convinced that there was a problem. He had a look on his face that showed me that he was concerned about something but wasn’t ready to discuss it while we were outside.
Fine. I would wait for us to be inside before broaching the topic again. We got home, laid the boys on their room and put them back to sleep when Nathan stirred and asked of Melody while still unconscious.
I smiled as I patted him and watched as he went back to sleep. I wondered if Gabby was having the same problem putting her daughter to sleep. It would be a hassle for her if Melody woke up asking for the three of them but I didn’t think it would be any different for me if all the boys woke up asking for Melody.
I reminded myself that I had Kevin and Liam with me to put the boys back to sleep if I was too tired to do that while Gabby was alone. She had no choice but to do that by herself. I hoped all the kids sleep peacefully tonight so we could also get some rest. They had disturbed us enough.
Now to Liam before I find some sleep for my eyes.
“What were you worried about as we were coming home?” I asked Liam as soon as we stepped out of the boys’ room and were at a reasonable distance that our voices wouldn’t stir them awake.
He sighed. “I saw someone lurking around Gabby’s apartment as we stepped out but wasn’t sure I saw right and that was why I kept looking back to be sure of what I saw.”
“Did you see the person again?” Kevin asked.
“No.” He sighed, looking dejected. “No matter how much I kept looking back, I didn’t see the person.”
“Maybe that was one of the enemies Eliza warned us about.” I said. “The person must have left because he sensed that you had noticed him.”
Liam nodded. “That had to be it because my eyes don’t deceive me.”
I believed him. I was sure Kevin did as well with the way he nodded.
“I guess it is time to be at alert.” Kevin said.
I nodded. I couldn’t have agreed more. It was time to finally get some action.