𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱-𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭 (𝟏𝟖+) 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃 ✓

Chapter 30

I wake up the next morning to hands slapping me on the head and a crushing weight lying half on top of me. It's blurry when I open my eyes, still fogged from sleep, but as soon as it clears I'm startled awake. Both Wren and Chris are inches away from my face with two big grins, clearly loving the fact they managed to surprise me.

"What are you two troublemakers doing here?" I ask with a yawn.

"Aunt Cleo told us to wake you and Jax up mommy," Wren answers cheerfully. 

"Aunty, wake up," Chris exclaims, high-fiving my forehead.

"I'm awake you two, why don't you go wake up Jax," I say as I bat away his hands before glancing at the sleeping log behind me. I make space for Wren to climb up and I pick up Chris dumping him on Jax. I walk to the bathroom leaving behind the chaos of the two children. I freshen myself up and trek to the kitchen where Cleo and Alexa are the only ones left eating. She pauses in giving Alexa her bottle when I walk in and flashes me a dumb smile.

"Wipe that stupid look off your face," I say in a flat voice as I go pour myself a  cup of coffee. 

"Vanilla," she snickers.

"Vanilla?" I repeat in confusion. 

"I thought you said your night was going to be vanilla Charlotte," she says with a knowing smirk. I start choking on my coffee as she continues howling with laughter. 

"Don't tell me you heard?" I say wiping the coffee from my mouth.

"Nobody would have known but I was awake last night with this little one and wanted to get a drink of water. Who knew I'd be listening to something so scandalous with my baby," she says shaking her head, a what can you do expression on her face. My face flames and I clear my throat placing my mug on the counter.

"Well, you can consider this payback. Don't think I haven't heard you and my brother when you sometimes stayed at my house," I throw back at her. It's her turn to feel embarrassed as she blushes.

"You know what? It's just water under the bridge. Forgotten," she says with a wave of the hand and I roll my eyes. As always there are times where she can dish it but she can't take it.  As soon as she says that Jax walks in with Wren hanging off his back and Chris in his arms. 

"What's up?" he questions looking at the two of us. 

"Nothing, nothing at all. You know what, let me take Chris from you and you can eat something. Wren, get off your brother," I say plucking Chris from Jax. What an awkward situation. I take the two down to the basement where Cody, Benjamin, and Henry are sitting on the floor playing some video games.

"I talked with Jason earlier and I invited him to come over, said he had something to talk about,"  Cody tells me as I sit down beside him. "He's coming with his wife."

"Oh really? I can't wait to meet her, I wonder what she's like," I muse.

"Hopefully nothing like Cleo or you. Both of you have similar personalities and are crazy enough as it is so no need to add another one," he sighs in exasperation. 

"Come now, imagine how much fun we would have," I chuckle at the thought.

"For you guys maybe but not so much for your boyfriend and me and probably Jason," he says, the last part coming out strained. 

"You're such an overprotective big brother but considering you haven't done anything to Jax, I'd have to say you're all bark and no bite, I guess you're okay with him, right?" I snicker as I throw my weight on his back, my arms wrapped around his neck as I hug him, a wide smile on my face. My brother and I have always been close, but our sibling bond just became stronger after our parents passed.