Homecoming

Chapter 23

The next day, a loud boar from the kitchen woke me from a deep sleep. Reluctantly, I opened one eye and looked at the clock on my cell phone. It was only half past five. I firmly doubted that Max was talking to them there, because he was a bigger squirrel than I was. I threw on my bathrobe and left the room. I wanted to make sure everything was fine.

Exactly as I expected, Max was still asleep, but the boys, fully dressed, were already waiting at the patio door.

"What are you doing here?" I went to them.

"We're waiting for you to finally get up so we can go to the beach," Garrett smiled, clutching a bucket of toys in the sand.

"So early?" I frowned. "Do you even know what time it is?"

"See, I told you," Jared said.

"But it's visible," Garrett defended.

"It's visible," I said. "But I bet the fish are still asleep in the sea, and we wouldn't want to wake them, would we?" I leaned over and stroked him gently.

"The fish aren't sleeping," Garrett said.

"I think they sometimes need to take a nap like we do."

"And when will they get up?" he looked at me curiously.

"Two hours too?" I joked. "So you too should go to bed for a while to have enough strength for the day."

"But I'm not tired anymore and I want to go swimming," Garrett insisted.

"You're acting like a kid again," Jared scolded.

"I know you weren't able to wait to bathe, but you'll still be able to last those few hours, won't you?"

"I'm not exactly the same," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What if you lay down next to me?"

"Yes," he beamed.

"Can I?" Jared pointed out.

"Of course, there is room for all of us in my bed," I stroked them. "Let's go."

We returned to my room. The boys lay down in their shorts and T-shirt, and soon I heard only their calm breath.

"So what do we have here?" Max's voice woke me from sleep. He stood on the doorstep, leaning against the doorframe. "A bed party you didn't invite me to?"

"What are you doing here?" I asked him sleepily. "Can't you knock?"

"Come to us, there's still plenty of room," Garrett said at the same time.

"What?" I sat up in horror and Max laughed.

"I don't know about you, but I'm going to have breakfast and I'm going to the sea. I didn't travel half the world just to spend my whole vacation in bed. We could have stayed right at home, "he grinned.

"Neither do I," Garrett flew out of bed immediately, and Jared followed.

And so much for my longer sleep.

While I was in order, the boys and Max managed not only to make breakfast, but also to eat it. I suspected they didn't even eat them, they just threw them in like trash in the trash.

As soon as Max and the children laid empty cups and plates on the kitchen sink, they ran to the beach. I did not follow their faith. I took my time. I took two croissants and a cup of hot coffee and sat down on the terrace, which was now bathed in sunlight. I enjoyed coffee and the distant roar of the sea. Gradually, I felt the warmth warming under my skin.