th a frown so deep that he looked

ture was harassing his dear Mr. Roberts. He was HIS friend, not a t

to himself with a little smile that foretold great

asure: a small box full of "little friends" he had collected that morning on t

tablecloth being the perfect hidin

ned the box. "Time to be heroes. See that mean lady botherin

. Vanessa had caught Alexander's hand and wa

than a three-dollar bill. "Don't tell me you'

in a snowfall, managed to fr

so high-pitched it almost shattered t

r a little chaos, Vanessa felt something. Something small, somethin

for a second, time

ld probably be heard as far away as

d like she had springs in her shoes, waving her arms like a scarecrow in the middle of a tor

ance that would have embarrassed even the

or call an exorcist. Most of them already had their phones out

head off. His laughter was so contagious that even Alexander, who was t

ough she seemed to be holding back laughter h

old that the credit cards were cancelled.

sponsible adult he was suppose

f I may

t of climate change. "I'm sure you had something to do

ry, Vanessa's eyes locked on Oliver, who was still laugh

a connection and she remembered seeing t

ith a toothache, pointing at Olive

that she was in a fancy restaurant (and that attacking a child is something normal people DO NOT do), lau

efore, at that moment he completely transformed, with reflexes that would make any su

came out like an ice cube, so cold that it probably low

colors of the rainbow before staying

wl of a bear whose honey has been stolen. "Get o

for a demand either), Terrence pulled Vanessa away from her so

ate, although her voice sounded we

zen hell. "You too, Karla, I don't want anyone near my family

th left the restaurant faster than a student on the last

ring took over the place, until Ol

he jumped? He looked l

seconds before a smile broke out. "He sure did

vie, couldn't help but smile. Watching Terrence defend his son with the ferocit

ed, leaning towards the boy. "You sav

at's what friends are for, Mr. Roberts. Plus, that

ile took all seriousness out of the scold

utting on his best angel face. "And she wanted

stern and failing miserably. "Promise me y

just the opposite. And then, in a whisper only Alexa

anyone), Alexander found himself laughing and chatting with the Westcotts as if they

s of pizza, "the witch lady started jumpi

did," Alexander added, u

ne. "Roberts! You're supposed to

gh his smile said otherwise. "But you hav

e arched an eyebrow. "

that bugs make excellent bodyguards. And that some peop

e also learned that Dad is lik

added, gently pinching his son's no

elt a warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the

tensity that made Alexander's (or rather, Amelia's) heart skip a beat.

get into mischief," Alexander joked, trying to i

ested around a mouthful of pizza.

could keep up this charade. Because every day that passed, every

nt. Of Oliver's laughter, of the warmth in Terrence's

ntually, like Cinderella at midni