Page 18 of A Little Christmas Wish

“Why do you look all pinched?” Baron asked, walking closer to him. “Like you’ve smelled something bad.”

“Perhaps he has,” Royal said, dropping the bag he was carrying on the floor and leaning against the wall of the living room.

“Yeah. Or he could be constipated. That’s a constipated face right there,” Baron said. “Is there anything to eat? Where’re Ma and Zippy?”

Ink sighed. These two. They’d seriously given him a number of gray hairs since he’d first met them.

And there were likely many more to come.

“They went Christmas shopping,” Ink said. “I’m going to call them. They’re late.”

“It’s only eight,” Royal pointed out.

“And it’s not a school night,” Baron added as he walked into the kitchen to open the fridge. “Give them some time together. Although, I hope they’re bringing home food.”

“What’s going on?” Royal asked as Ink drew out his phone. “You’re more tense than usual.”

“And you’re usually really tense,” Baron added as he walked over, eating a huge hunk of cheese. “Like, if we stuck a pin in you, you’d pop!”

Ink sighed. Did he tell them? For all their joking around, they were good guys. Smart and resourceful and protective.

If also reckless, somewhat crazy, and bottomless pits. He eyed Baron as he grabbed an apple and banana and started to eat them.

At the same time.

“All right, sit down. I need to tell you something. But I have to text Betsy first and find out how long she’s going to be.”

And to check that everything was all right.

Both Baron and Royal sat. Royal was sitting up straight in an armchair while Baron sprawled across the couch. Bandit jumped up with him, lying on top of him.

They might look identical but their personalities were very different.

Ink:Baby, where are you?

Betsy:On my way home.

Ink frowned.

Ink:You better not be texting and driving, little girl.

No answer back.Oh, she was going to be in big trouble when she got home if that was the case.

“What’s wrong?” Royal asked.

Ink put his phone down. “Zippy’s foster father has gone missing.”

The boys shared a look. “Has he?”

Both of them said that at the same time.

“Yes.” He eyed them suspiciously. “You didn’t have anything to do with that, did you?”

Both of them held up their hands in gestures of innocence.

“It wasn’t us,” Royal said.

“Although we were contemplating ways we could make him disappear. For good.” Baron gave him a wolfish grin.

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