Winter Tales

Chapter 9 - Hot Chocolate

++Ben's POV++

We get home at around 4:30pm that afternoon. Everybody is still in perfect health, much to Alex' relief. Well, obviously I am glad about that, too, because it would sure have put a damper on our mood if we already had to deal with a crisis on the first day here.

Although we are are all very excited about the wonderful day we have spent up in the mountains, the atmosphere isn't quite as buzzing anymore as it has been at lunch. Most of us are pretty tired from being out in the fresh air all day long and from being so physically active. It is not quite the same as when you are just following your regular sports routine, that is for sure.

I smile when I watch Lily trudge into the house behind Luke. She is dead on her feet and she will probably fall asleep the moment she sits down. I guess we have to make sure to keep her up, however, as otherwise she won't go to bed on time tonight. I cast a glance at the younger set of twins. They seem to be pretty spent, too, because for a change neither of them is saying much and they are uncharacteristically placid.

"Who wants a hot chocolate?" I suggest as the last stragglers have found their way inside.

"Me!" The three youngest ones exclaim at once.

They want to storm into the kitchen but Josh calls them back.

"Not before your stuff has been put away," he orders, pointing at the random piles of clothing already lying strewn all over the hallway.

I catch Alex giving him a grateful look. I know that he is sometimes tired of always having to be the bad cop, so to speak, and reminding them of the rules and their manners. That is why Josh and I try to be as supportive as possible in that respect. There are simply too many kids and teenagers to keep in line for just one person.

Aidan has already opened his mouth in protest, but I quickly shoot him down with a withering look. He mutters something under his breath and I have to apply quite a bit of self-constraint to not laugh at his attitude. I am always amazed anew by how defiant he can be, although he should know by now that it hardly ever leads to anything other than additional rebuke from one of us older ones.

He is one of the most bull-headed siblings and is constantly pushing the boundaries. I know that Alex worries that he will end up like Will. Hence, he is often even stricter with Aidan than with the rest of the kids. Nobody wants another Will on their hands.

"Can anybody help me?" Lily whines.

I turn around and find her sitting on the floor, struggling to get her jacket off. All the others have already stripped down to their functional sportswear.

"What are you doing?" I ask, kneeling down in front of her.

"That stupid zipper is stuck," she complains, pulling impatiently at the offending object.

"Let me have a look."

The zipper is in the middle of the jacket and it seems to have split so that the top half and the bottom half are open, but the jacket is still being held together in the middle. The zipper can neither be moved up nor down. I start to pull and push while holding both bottom corners straight. A moment later, I have managed to push the zipper all the way down and the jacket flaps open.

"There you go," I say, giving the tired little girl a smile, which she ignores.

Somebody is definitely exhausted, and a bit grumpy.

"Hold up your arms," I instruct and she does so lazily.

I pull the jacket off her and then make quick work of undoing the back protector, too.