The Unspoken Promise

Sleepover.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the Sinclair living room buzzed with a warm, relaxed atmosphere. Cassandra, Sebastian,Nathaniel, and Evangeline lounged on the couch, glasses of wine in hand, enjoying a rare moment of peace while their kids played upstairs.

"Do you think they'll settle down soon?" Nathaniel asked, chuckling as he glanced toward the staircase. "I can hear the chaos from here."

"Let them have their fun," Evangeline replied, taking a sip of her wine. "It's good for them. Plus, it gives us a little break."

"True. I could get used to this," Cassandra said, raising her glass in a mock toast. "Cheers to our sanity!"

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Meanwhile, upstairs in Vivienne's room, the energy was anything but calm. The walls were lined with posters, and pillows and blankets were strewn across the floor as the kids settled in for their sleepover.

Jace sprawled comfortably on Vivienne's bed, one arm casually draped around her shoulders while they munched on popcorn. "You know, if we keep eating like this, we might have to rename the sleepover to a feast," he joked, tossing a kernel into the air and catching it in his mouth.

"Only if you stop hogging all the snacks!" Vivienne teased, reaching for the bowl. "You're going to turn into a popcorn kernel!"

"Not if you keep feeding me," he shot back, a mischievous grin on his face.

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On the floor, Lydia was attempting to cuddle her younger sister, Serena, who was fighting sleep with every ounce of energy she had. "C'mon, Serena. Just close your eyes and think of happy things," Lydia whispered, wrapping her arms around her tightly.

"Like ice cream?" Serena replied, her eyes still wide open.

"Exactly! Ice cream and puppies," Lydia said, giving her a gentle squeeze. "Now, shhh. Try to sleep, okay?"

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But just as Lydia tried to quiet the room, Sofia was in the corner, propped up against the wall, filming a TikTok video. "Okay, everyone! Smile for the camera!" she yelled, her phone at arm's length.

"Can you keep it down, Sofia? Some of us are trying to sleep!" Lydia hissed, trying to soothe Serena, who was starting to wiggle.

"Shut up, Lydia! If you wanted peace and quiet, you shouldn't have brought your sister!" Sofia snapped back, dramatically rolling her eyes. "This is the content I need!"

"Content? Really?" Jace interjected, raising an eyebrow. "Who cares about your TikTok when we're in the middle of the best movie ever?"

"Everyone, shhh!" Lydia urged, placing a finger to her lips as she tried to rock Serena to sleep. "Serena needs to rest, and if you all keep yelling, she's never going to sleep!"

"I'm fine!" Serena protested, her eyes still wide open. "I want to watch the movie!"

"Well, you can't watch the movie if you're making noise!" Lydia said, her patience wearing thin.

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Jace leaned over to Vivienne, chuckling softly. "Do you think we should help her out, or just let the chaos unfold?"