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He nodded excitedly as he ju a ninja kick in midair, and ran down the hall to Maura’s roo up breakfast and barely had Matthew dressed in his khakis and blue plaid button-down shirt when the doorbell rang

“It’s Viper!” Matthew’s legs moved so fast that he ran in place on the hardwood floor for a second before finally gaining traction and bolting toward the front door

“Calm down” I chuckled as I followed hi for another hour”

“It is hilass of the front door

Suddenly I worried that I’dti on the porch carrying a cardboard drink holder with different cups in it

“Viper!” Matthew threw his ar his eyes

Viper reached doith his free hand and rustled Matthew’s hair “What’s up, champ?”

“I feel horrible Storyti tiht I’d co these” He held the cups up

Confused, I looked at the drinks in his hand “What is that?”

“I don’t knohat you drink, so I brought a coffee, a hot tea, an orange juice, and a chocolate shake”

I pulled lance fro hied his shoulders “I got that one for me, but if you want it, it’s yours”

“That’s okay I’irl anyway” I laughed and took the cardboard holder fro it to the kitchen He scooped Matthew up into his ar behind me

“Viper, have you ever been to the library?” Matthew’s voice squeaked with excite time You’ll have to show me around, okay?”

Mattheas so close to Viper’s face they were practically touching noses “I will They have this cool Lego table there and the top is all Lego stuff and you can build right on the table and there’s this net right in the ht in the table for you to use!” Matthew ra a breath

“Really? Did you eat yet?” Viper asked

Matthew nodded

I took the coffee out of the cardboard holder and poured crea under his breath, “Is it okay if we go early?”

“Sure” I shrugged and licked the crea it in the sink “The library opens at nine on Sundays”

Viper looked back and Matthew and tossed hio now?” he asked excitedly

Matthew could hardly contain hiain “Yes!” he yelled

I took a quick sip of the waronna grab his car seat Can you keep an eye on Maura for me?”

He looked at oing on and on about the Lego table again I hustled out tointo the backseat to unhook Matthew’s booster The garage door creaked as I shut it and walked back through the mudroom to the kitchen