Bound to Forever - Book ll

Charleen

Simon's Point of View:

"Okay, Uncle Johnny, all you have to do is hold these pears and we stand on either side of the room," I heard Evie explain, her little ponytail swaying as she skipped across the living room, two pears in her hands as Johnny did the same, except he held a confused expression on his face while I recognized the mischievous grin on Evie's face. Bloody hell, what is this lass up to?

"Um... okay? What is this game called again?"

"It's called Boomba," She giggled. "Me and brother played it last night!"

"What do I have to do, lass? I've never played a game that involves pears."

"You will! Just turn around, Uncle Johnny!"

Even Johnny couldn't question Evie's adorable dimples when she smiled at him. He did as he was told, oblivious to what my little girl was up to. A part of me figured that even if I did know what she was going to do, I wouldn't have told him.

"Okay, and what are we doing with the pears?—"

"Just turn around, Uncle Johnny!"

"Yes, ma'am!" He chuckled. "I see where you get your attitude from."

"So, when I count to three, we—" She didn't even finish her sentence before she threw the pear at Johnny, hitting him square in the lower back and making him shout. "Boomba!"

I couldn't hold in the laugh I bellowed, watching her laugh and raise her arms in victory. "You lose, Uncle Johnny!"

"I didn't know what we were playing for!"

"That's the point! Daddy told me how oblivious you were!"

"Do you even know what oblivious means?"

"No, do you know what it means?"

"L.T., are you teaching her how to gaslight me?"

"I didn't teach her anything."

"See, now you're gaslighting me, L.T.," He groaned. "Can you Google if pears can cause a spine fracture?"

"Bloody hell, Johnny. It wasn't that bad."

"It sure felt like it," He scoffed, sitting down on the nearby couch. "I just don't know how this so-called game crawled into that little mind of hers."

"She's mischievous, that's for sure. Now I know why Jacob was crying last night," I shook my head. "I guess I should believe him the next time he says he had a pear thrown at him."

"You didn't believe him when he told you?"

"Would you believe your son if he told you that he had a pear thrown at him for no reason?"

"Probably not, no."

"Okay, then."

"So, any new leads?"

"Yes. A couple, actually."

"Daddy, what's a lead?"

"I'll tell you later. Johnny, we'll talk about this when the kids aren't around."

"You got it. Where's Kiera?"

"She's upstairs. I felt like she needed some space so she wanted to get some things done upstairs while I watched the kids."

"Ah. So," He cleared his throat. "Do you think we need to call the guys about this?"

"Not yet. I don't want them to worry just yet. They're not just a few miles away, Johnny."