Page 98 of Auctioned to the Devil

“What happened?”

Three children launch off me.

“Daddy said a bad word.”

“Lily lied.”

“Jack jumped first.”

“Sophie said snitches get chores.”

“I said that.”

Emily stops and looks at me. “Really?”

“Effective parenting.”

“Terrible parenting.”

“They stopped fighting.”

“Because you threatened them with laundry.”

I point toward the basket. “Plenty to go around.”

All three kids scream and scatter.

Emily watches them disappear down the hallway.

Then looks at me. “You’re terrible.”

“House is quiet.”

“For approximately six seconds.”

Something crashes upstairs.

Emily closes her eyes.

I smile.

“Five.”

She drops the laundry basket and sinks onto the couch beside me.

I pull her across my lap.

“Caleb.”

“What?”

“I have things to do.”

“So do I.”

Her eyebrow lifts. “You’re supposed to fix the porch railing.”

“Later.”