growth

9

She looks at Mason. Frowns. "You won't be able to take me home?"

"I didn't even know you were coming." Mason defends.

"And he said he'd take me to Hobby Craft, so it's not your lucky day."

Xander walks in then, and he smiles at me but as his gaze slides over to Emma, he furrows his eyebrows.

"Xander, take Amalia out, would you?" Mason says, a note of pleading in his voice. He looks annoyed. Did I annoy him? I frown, and the thought makes me unfocused, so I don't have the chance to duck away from Xander before he's lifting me up, holding me sideways.

"Xander!" I shout.

"Let's go, nosy." He replies.

"I'm just curious." I defend.

He laughs and sets me down by the stairs. "Go to your room, kid."

"No. Don't try banish me."

He smirks. "No one's trying to banish you, princess."

"Yes you are. You evil man."

He laughs again, then reaches up to pinch my cheek. "Here, I'll come with you. It's almost your bedtime."

"I don't have a bedtime." I say.

"Yes you do. It's half ten."

"No it isn't."

"Yes it is."

I frown, suddenly realising that he's right. That, somehow, I'm coerced to be in bed by half ten every night.

"That's not fair!"

"It's perfectly fair."

"None of you go to bed at that time." I say as we walk up the stairs. He wraps his hand around mine and holds it, leading me to my bedroom.

"Because we're older." He tells me.

"That's double standards."

"You go to sleep early because you're little, Amalia. Not because you're a girl." He says, smiling as amusement glints in his eyes again. "That's a good term though, save it for something else."

I roll my eyes.

I sit on my bed. He tucks me in, but as he's about to lean down to kiss my cheek my eyes widen. "I didn't say goodnight to dad or Elijah. Or anyone."

"It's fine, Lia."

I shake my head.

He sighs and leans down again, wrapping his arms around my waist before lifting me up. Wordlessly, he walks out of the room, then into Elijah's. He's on his bed, half asleep when we walk in.

He smiles. "Hi, angel."

Xander sets me down next to him. I shuffle to his side and kiss his cheek. "Goodnight, Lijah." I say quietly.

"Goodnight." He says tiredly.

"Next." I tell Xander, and he rolls his eyes as Elijah laughs sleepily. He squeezes my shoulder before turning around and closing his eyes.

My oldest brother lifts me up and takes me into Grayson's room. He's on his phone, sitting by his desk when I walk in. He smiles.

     Xander takes me over to him, setting me down on the floor. I wrap my arms around Grayson's neck and hug him. He hugs me back, kissing my temple.

     "Goodnight."

     "Goodnight." He replies, smiling again.

     I look at Xander expectantly. He sighs before lifting me up again, then bringing me into Cole's bedroom.

     He's sleeping, his face smushed into the pillow, and I frown. "I didn't get to say goodnight."

     Xander walks closer to Cole and flicks his face. Cole opens his eyes, annoyance filling them, and I smile.

     "Goodnight Cole!"

     He sighs heavily. "Night."

     As Xander carries me out, I say: "you shouldn't flick people, it could hurt."

     "Right. Sorry, princess. Are you ready for bed now?"

     "No. I still have to say goodnight to dad and Mason." I say.

"Fine." He mumbles, carrying me down the hall and to the bottom of the stairs. He takes me into our dads study first, and he beams when we walk in. Or, rather, when Xander walks in, with me clinging onto him.

     He brings me around the table, depositing me on our fathers lap. He wraps his arms around me, planting a kiss in my hair. "Are you going to bed?"

     I nod.

     "Okay." He says softly. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

     "Nighty night." I reply. He smirks as he kisses my cheek again.

     I hold my arms out for Xander, and he rolls his eyes before lifting me up again. "Bye dad!" I exclaim.

     "Bye, baby." He replies, amused. Xander carries me out into the hallway, and he's about to turn up the stairs when I grab onto the wall to stop him.

     "Mason's next." I say.

     "Mason has a friend over." He tells me.

     "And?"

     "We have to give him some privacy."

     "Says who?" I question.

     "Says me." He responds.

     I blow a raspberry. He laughs, turning again into the living room. Mason snaps his head up to us, frowning. I frown back, but then he smiles.

     "Mason, we have to talk about this."

     He ignores Emma and stands to kiss my cheek. "Are you going to sleep now?"

     "Yep." I mumble.

     "Okay. Goodnight."

     "Goodnight." I say quietly.

     Xander carries me out, and I see Masons friend Emma glare at me. I glare back.

     We go upstairs, and this time Xander successfully tucks me in. I smile up at him. "Night, Xander. Love you."

     "I love you too." He says, his voice gentle as he kisses my forehead. I close my eyes, drifting off into sleep.