Page 15 (1/2)

It would be nice to be crazy beautiful for a day, Kas were always happening to her--through no fault of her own--shebeautiful would probably be too much of a hassle

"So, Rob Lynburn fancied you," Kairls were after him, and all the boys were after the twins So the Lynburns are hot blonds? That doesn’t sound so scary"

"It didn’t matter as after the twins Lillian never cared about anything and Rosalind never cared about anybody but Rob"

"Her sister’s husband!" Kami squawked

"Well, not at the time," Mum said mildly

"Jared’s mum was in love with Ash’s father?"

Mum raised an eyebrow "Bit of a surprise when Rob ht that hy she left with that American: hurt pride, a broken heart If any Lynburn has a heart I was hoping that the boys would act like the Lynburns usually do: that they would stay away from normal people That you could keep away from them"

"Mum!" Kami exclaimed "You don’t know Jared Or Ash"

"You’re the one who doesn’t know," Mum said "You don’t knohat it’s like to be in the hands of a Lynburn"

"They aren’t monsters!"

Her mother whispered, "Yes, they are"

Kami skirted the counter to draw close to her mother "Mum," she asked, "what did a Lynburn make you do?"

"Don’t tell your father," Muht in the kitchen went on

"Cookies!" Tomo screeched, and zoomed across the rooht switch Their bright ordinary kitchen was a jarring contrast to secrets in the dark

"Don’t try to eat five things at once, Toue," said Mu Tomo’s silky black hair

Tomo was Mum’s favorite He was the baby, and the one it was easiest to round as a mother, Ka now, faintly, as she reached out and patted Kami’s arm

"Please just stay clear of him," she said, and Kami realized Jared was the Lynburn her ree with your mother," said Dad as he entered the kitchen "Stay away froe Once you reach a nice, entlemen callers will be welcomed here"

Ten slipped out from behind him and made a beeline for the bakery box, where he politely stole the lone brownie froreedy monsters," Dad said "Not a crumb left for your father? That’s it, you’re not my children You’re just sad, bald aainst Dad’s leg He split the brownie in two and offered half silently up to Dad

"Well," Dad conceded, "I guess you ht be my kid after all"

Ten sainst Dad’s shirt Ten had Muh it, and Muray eyes in his thin face He followed Dad as Dad made his way to the counter, a sole his sun

Dad took Mum’s face in his hands and pulled it doo inches to kiss her mouth "Claire," he said

"Jon," said Mu our children by narinned "Aren’t those their names? I could’ve sworn they were"

Mu her children’s Japanese heritage Kaot the names Kami, Tenri, and Tomo out of books, since Dad and Sobo had always acted like the whole thing was a bit silly

"Let me tell you about her account decided they wanted to change their logo Your knight, slaying graphic design tirelessly for your sake, was not daunted, but then--even before my tea break--"

Mum smiled Kami did not know if it was the memory of that last whisper in the dark, that "Don’t tell your father," that made Kami wonder hoell Mum had known Rob Lynburn

Ten hovered and Dad drew him in with a hand on his shoulder Dad loved Ten best, because Ten needed someone to love him best

Kami stood on one end of the counter and watched her faht would keep secrets from each other, her parents each with their favorite child, and felt a little bleak

You’re my favorite, Jared told her

Kami looked out froh the woods and up the hill, she could hts of Aurimere House