In Little Ways

Chapter 11

Loki smiled as the girls ran ahead of him, giggling at the jokes they spoke to one another.

"Girls? I need you to help me with something." He said, making them turn and run back.

"Yes daddy? Is it-"
"Gonna be a surprise-"
"For mama-"
"For the New Year?"

Loki loved when they finished each other's sentences.

"Yes. I want to get her a very special gift." He said and they nodded.

"What are you thinking about?" Bec asked, rolling back and forth on her heels.

"Well, I was thinking about a ring. Do you know where I can find one?" He didn't have to even wait a second before they were pulling him down the street, narrowly missing the bustle of people that passed. Once, he bumped into an older gentleman.

"I'm terribly sorry sir!" He called back, making the man chuckle and wave his hand nonchalantly.

"Don't worry son! You have a good New Year!" Then he was gone around the corner, leaving Loki with a surreal feeling of deja vu.

"Girls? Did you know that man?" He asked and the girls shook their heads.

"No, but he did look really familiar." Kami said, pausing in thought.

"I think he just has one of those faces. Seems like someone who you run into a lot, like, everywhere." Bec continued before Loki chuckled.

"Oh well, are we there?" He asked, looking up at the store in front of them. The name over the door was Kay Jewelers.

"This is the place! Do you have something in mind?" Kami asked and he smiled softly.

"I know exactly what I want to get."

***

Cecilia smiled as Peter continued to talk animatedly about his school project.

"And then it exploded! Can you believe that! It just- kaboom!" He threw his hands up at the end of the sentence, showing her the way that it had blown up.

"And then what happened?" She asked and he blushed, embarrassed.

"Then Ned and I got detention for blowing up part of the school bathroom." He said and she laughed loudly.

"Is that why you are not excited to go back to school on Monday?" She asked and he sighed, nodding.

"What are you two talking about?" Tony asked, walking into the kitchen where they stood. He looked at Peter and ruffled the boys hair adoringly, as the boy laughed.

"Hey dad, just telling Lia how Ned and I got detention." Peter said and Tony chuckled, shaking his head.

"Blew up a bathroom. Never thought I would get that call. How do you even blow up a potato clock?" Peter was about to answer when the elevator doors opened, Tom and the girls falling into the room in fits of giggles.

"It's about time you got here! It's almost five o'clock!" Lia said, picking up Kami as she ran up to give her a hug.

"Hi mommy! Sorry! We lost track of time." Kami explained and Tom chuckled.

"More like, they wanted to ride a carousel, so we had to find one." He said and Bec smacked his leg softly, her face twisted in disappointment.

"We promised not to tell!" She said and crossed her arms, suddenly looking like an angry parent. Lia looked over at Tony and realized that she did indeed, saying that they were standing in the exact same position.

"Oh! Right! Sorry love. I completely forgot." Tom then scooped her into a big hug, her angry demeanor quickly replaced with one of happiness.

"Alright! Who is ready for board games and fireworks?" Tony asked, clapping his hands together suddenly.