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Games and Thrones, part 2

"Did you have fun shoe shopping?" Becky clasped her hands behind her back so she couldn't reach for Seth's wallet to see the receipt.

"That's not really what you want to ask, is it?" Seth joked, leaning in to kiss her. "Yes, the sneaker store was fun. Yes, I got stuff for you and Roux too. Not that she really cares yet."

"Just wait. One day you'll wish she didn't care about the type of shoes she was wearing." Becky tried to peek over his shoulder. "So... where's the haul?"

"Patience, patience! It's being delivered," Seth explained. "It just seemed easier."

"Sure," Becky scoffed. "Easier. You just want to make me wait longer." It was the nature of the game, she knew: so many of the appearances they did were taped in advance—often by months—so it could be a struggle to remember what they were supposed to know and what they shouldn't discuss.

"It's something to look forward to," Seth insisted. "How often do I get to surprise you anymore?"

"I guess if you put it that way...." It didn't make the wait much easier, but they were busy enough that Becky was able to distract herself, if not fully forget. When the box finally arrived, she practically pounced on it. "Shoe day!" she called out. "At long last!" Then she turned back to the courier. "Sorry, one moment. My husband's just upstairs."

"Don't you dare open that box without me," Seth warned, hurrying to the front door with Roux on one hip. They had been playing in her room, so Becky knew he would have to navigate all the toys scattered across her floor. "Thanks for waiting," he told the delivery driver, signing quickly and handing Roux to Becky so he could take the box. "Have a great day."

Becky bumped the door shut with her hip and carried Roux into the living room, setting her down by the sofa. "Dada got us new runners!" When she noticed Seth giving her a look, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, sorry. Sneakers."

"Well, would you rather be a sneakerhead or a runnerhead?" Seth replied, grabbing a letter opener from the entry table and cutting the tape on the box. As he unfolded the top flaps, he looked up at Roux. "Do you want to help?"

"Okay." Roux scurried over and peered into the box, pulling out a shirt. "That's not shoes," she said with a frown. "Mama said it was shoe day."

"Dada got a couple of shirts too." Seth took the two shirts and set them aside before grabbing two small shoe boxes. "These are for you." He wisely only gave her one box so she didn't get too distracted.

Roux might not have been obsessed with shoes—at least not yet—but spending time with Maryse and her daughters had given her a love of fashion shows, so now whenever Becky or Seth brought home new clothes or new gear, she always demanded that they model it. "Do we model?"

Becky nodded, creeping closer to the box. "We can model. I think new shoes are a great reason to have a dance party, don't you?"

"Yeah!" Now that the new shoes had a purpose, Roux was happy to sit down and open her box, humming merrily as she tossed the crumpled tissue in the air. While Seth continued unloading the main box, Becky knelt by their daughter and helped her put on her new shoes. "They're so shiny, Mama!"

"They are," Becky agreed, scooting back to give Roux more room to stand. "But you have to wait for me and Dada. Then we'll pick music and have a dance party, okay?"

"Okay." Roux stood up and started walking around. "I like them. Thank you, Dada!"

Seth watched her tear around the living room in her new sneakers and smiled. "You're welcome, sweetheart. I'm glad you like them." He set Roux's other pair on the floor before handing a box to Becky. "For my sneakerhead."