Page 78 of The Family Man

“We promise.”

“Let me tell you a story aboutThe Little Engine That Could. Once upon a time, there was an engine.”

I look in the faces of my wife and kids, I see their love and contentment.

Before I can begin the story, Anise shouts Sage’s name. I can hear her running up the stairs.

“Sage, where are you? Help me!” Anise cries.

“In Poppy’s bedroom. What’s wrong?” Sage puts Nikhil on the bed as she stands.

Anise rushes in but stops when she sees us. “Oh, hi. Sorry Zac.”

“No problem. What’s wrong?” I query. After a year of being married to Sage, I have learned to expect the unexpected from her sisters.

“Hide me,” Anise opens Poppy’s closet and begins to squeeze herself in.

Nik and Poppy both begin to giggle.

“Aunt Ani is so silly,” Poppy whispers to Nikhil.

Sage shakes her as she watches Anise close the closet door.

“Ok kiddos go downstairs and play with Kayla and Finn. Give mommy and I some minutes,” I usher them out the room and close the door.

Sage rubs her forehead and opens the closet door.

“You wanna tell us why you’re hiding?” Sage pushes Poppy’s dress out of the way so she can have a clear view of her sister.

“He is here?” Anise says, she sniffles and wipes her tears.

“Who is here, Ani?” I need to know in case I have to protect my family.

She trembles. “He doesn’t know about Kai guys.”

Sage eyes widen and her jaw drops. “Hold up. Kai’s dad is here?”

Anise nods as tears stream down her face.

None of us know who Kai’s dad is. Anise is always very tight-lipped about it.

Sage rushes to the window. I bend down and wipe her Anise tears away.

“If you don’t want to see him now don’t. But you must tell him about Kai some time.” I couldn’t imagine living without Poppy or Nikhil.

“Babe, who is the man in the black jacket and the lady next to him,” Sage asks.

I stand up and head to the window. I see Rosemary and Cassia walking to the house with a sleeping Kai. They pass by my aunt who touches Kai’s head softly and then they pass a beautiful blonde woman with curly hair talking to our new neighbors. It’s the man at the side of her that gets my attention.

He is like a panther waiting to pounce. It could be his dark hair or his stoic expression. To everyone he may appear guarded and mean. To me he is my college buddy Eryx, he hasn’t been in town for a year. He had to fly back to Greece to take care of a family business deal. The result of the business deal was his engagement to Lyra. He wasn’t pleased with the arrangement, but he will do anything for his family.

“That’s Eryx my buddy. He emailed me, said he was back home, and I told him to come through,” I state.

It hits me like a ton of bricks, I stare back at Anise. “Anise is Eryx Kai’s father?”

Anise nods and cries some more.

“Eryx Demopoulos of Oceania corp?” My mind is blown.

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