Thoreau

Short Bonus Chapter part 2

Triplet Tricks (part two of Chip Clips)

Meanwhile, in the living room downstairs, Alpha Jayden Carson was stuffing the youngest triplets into their snowsuits. In the two hours Mommy had been gone for a girls' day out, the room had undergone quite a transformation - its cozy cottage style now merged with an edgier WrestleMania slash exploded toy shop chic - in his and Wyatt's efforts to occupy the trio.

An endeavor which was absolutely crucial to keep the house standing.

Now that all ten boys had been fed and watered and gone to the potty, Jay thought it'd be a good idea to head outside for a while. Not only was there enough snow for a snowball brawl, he wanted to have each of the boys make a snow angel for Mommy to fuss over when she got home.

Because Wyatt's help usually resulted in something that looked a lot like an MMA tournament - hence the current state of the living room - Jay had sent him to gather up the older boys and tell the other fathers the plan, leaving him alone in relative peace to wrangle three little monsters into their outdoor gear, and he quickly suited up Felix.

At least, he thought it was Felix. Not only did all three of them look the same, they acted the same. Maybe it would change as they grew, but at two years old, Felix, Gryphon and Hadrian were identical in both appearance and personality.

"All right, Flix, you're good to go." Jay pulled a red beanie down over the boy's ears. "Now find Papa and have him take you outside while I get these other two ready."

"Otay, Pa!"

Flix ran off with a squeal, and Jay reached for Gryph - or maybe it was H; they had socks on, so he couldn't see their painted toenails to make sure - and had him step into the legs of his snowsuit while the other boy rolled around on the floor behind the couch, giggling at something only he knew.

Flix did half of what Jay said to do: He went and found his papa. Instead of delivering the message, though, he towed Mason back to the living room, and the two arrived just in time to see Jay finish dressing one of Flix's twins.

Mase stood in the doorway as Flix pushed H - or maybe it was Gryph - toward Jay, who was ready with the last snowsuit, then Flix grabbed Gryph - or maybe it was H - and hauled him behind the couch. His gray eyes alight with amused fascination, Mase watched as Flix pulled off his twin's hat, unzipped his snowsuit, and - with a lot of huffing and puffing - tugged him out of his snowsuit just in time for H to be done and Gryph to take his place in front of Jay as Flix stealthy laid the snowsuit and beanie on Jay's blind side.

"What? I thought I already did three," Jay muttered, but shook his head and reached for the snowsuit with a shrug.

Of course, the naughty boys kept the game going, one unsuiting the other behind the couch as the third was being dressed, until Jay looked ready to cry and Mase couldn't hold his laughter back any longer.

"They're pranking you, Jay," he chuckled and linked him what the triplets were doing. "All right, you three, line up. Pa wants everyone to make a surprise for Mommy."

"Mommy!" the triplets shouted and hopped up and down.

"Yeah, and she'll be home before we finish the surprise if you don't behave," Jay told them, shaking his finger at them, before looking up at Mase. "Are the others dressed?"

"Dressed and already outside except for the baby twins. Ash said he'll bring them out when they wake up so the three of them can make their angels, too."

"Posy's going to love this," Jay said with a smile as he wrestled Gryph - or maybe it was Flix - back into his snowsuit.

"Absolutely," Mase agreed as he helped H - or maybe it was Gryph - stomp into his boots. "I think we should take a picture and use it on our Christmas cards this year. Posy's little angels."

"Posy's little devils, you mean," Jay grumped as he finished dressing the last triplet.

"At least they get it honestly, brother." Mase scooped up two of the boys and settled them on either arm. "What's in the pup came from the wolf."

"True enough. Not going to lie, we're lucky none of them are worse than they are," Jay said with a grin, making Mase snort. Then, picking up the last triplet, Jay sang out, "All right, boys! Let's go make a surprise for Mommy!"

"Su-pise Mommy, Pa!" the boys sang back.

"Sheesh. You'd think she'd been gone for years," Mase rumbled as they carried the triplets toward the back door.

"Hasn't she?" Jay scratched the top of his head. "It sure feels that way. What I don't understand is, we follow the exact same routines every day regardless of which of us might not be here and it all runs well, but when Posy's away even for an hour or two, it never goes as smoothly."

"Of course it doesn't," Mase snickered. "We may have built the house, but she's the one who makes it home."

"Our little miracle worker," Jay agreed and opened the back door just in time to catch a snowball with his face.