Carolina Wren

Chapter 29

Wren's POV

My phone buzzed from a text message earlier than I was expecting Saturday morning. Juni was insisting on being held and was crying every time I tried to put her down and Keegan, wearing only a diaper, was currently destroying the kitchen cabinets while I tried to get breakfast cooked up. Cartoons drifted from the television in the family room, Dylan most likely still planted in front of it in his underwear.

As I pulled my phone out of my pocket, I yelled out, "Dyl, please go get dressed!"

Kota: Gabriel, Victor, North, and I are all going shopping with you today. They'll be here with the suburban in about an hour.

Wren: As much as I love hanging out with you guys, do we really need all four of you for this endeavor?

Kota: Gabe is the clothes guy, Victor is doubling as handler and credit card provider, and North and I will be babysitting Dylan, Juni, and Keegan. And to a certain extent, Gabe.

Wren: Since I'm going to be there, it won't take two extra people to wrangle the littles. If you or North want to bow out, we'll be fine.

Kota: Trust me, you're not going to be able to do much in the way of childcare. Shopping with Gabe requires all of your attention.

Judging from how he behaved earlier in the week when he was clearing out my closet, I didn't have a hard time believing that. From the family room, I could hear a sudden dramatic crescendo of music and I frowned. I haven't heard movement from my brother yet, so I stick my head out of the kitchen and call out, "Dylan! Have you gotten dressed yet?"

"No."

Of course not. "We're going out this morning. You can't do that in your underwear."

"I always wear underwear!" he yells back sassily.

Taking a deep breath, I count to ten before saying, "You need to go change your underwear and put clothes on over it." There isn't any response from the family room and I can feel my patience starting to wear thin. "Dylan! I already told you to turn off the TV and go put your clothes on."

"You didn't say anything about turning the TV off."

One of my timers starts going off. "I'm telling you now that if you don't turn off that TV and get your butt upstairs to get dressed, you're losing TV privileges for the rest of the weekend."

The TV clicks off and he whines out, "Fine, I'm going! Why do I have to go shopping, anyway?"

"Because you're seven and I said so!" The thuds of him stomping up the stairs reverberated through the house and I wanted to groan. Instead, I picked up my phone and sent another text to Kota.

Wren: With the way this morning has been going, it's going to be an all hands on deck situation just getting these kids around the mall.

I was plating breakfast a few minutes later when there was a knock at the front door. I blushed when I opened it to find Kota standing there in a pair of well fitted jeans and a t-shirt that still looked more expensive than all of the clothes still left in my closet, combined. There hadn't been an opportunity for me to change yet, so I was still in sleep shorts and the old t-shirt I slept in, complete with what looked like a drool stain from Juni.

Kota's eyes trailed down my legs and a patch of pink filled his cheeks as he looked back up at my eyes. "Morning. I figured since I've already eaten and gotten ready, I could come check to see what I can do to help out before we leave." He holds up a paperback book that looks well-loved and battered-- corners curled up, edges softened. "I brought this over for Dylan to read. He can take it to the mall, too."