Page 53 of My Orc Nanny

I was rattling around the kitchen—Coffee. Need coffee. Lots of sugar and ridiculous special-occasion creamer flavor. Eggnog? That’ll do—when a yawning Aswan joined me. “Breakfast?” he mumbled.

“Benny wants chocolate chip pancakes,” I confessed, having asked our son this morning. “And a day at the beach.”

“Then he’ll get chocolate chip pancakes,” Aswan agreed, bending to pull out the griddle. “And a beach day.”

As a family. That’s what Benny had said, but…what did he mean?

Joshy stomped into the kitchen, dragging Mr. BunBun. Luckily, he hadn’t seemed to understand what was going on yesterday, so it was simple enough to pretend everything was normal as I strapped him into his high chair and cut up the first pancake for him. A glass of cold milk, a sliced banana, and he was delighted.

“Keep it off the floor, young man,” rumbled Aswan from where he stood at the griddle, waving a spatula in mock sternness, “or you’ll help me clean it up.”

“Otay, ‘Swan!” Joshy was grinning as he deliberately dropped a piece of pancake on the floor. “I like oozing da boom!”

Well…I guess if hewantedthe consequences… “Better make him another one, just to be safe,” I murmured to Aswan as I passed him.

Tova, as well, seemed to have shaken off yesterday’s scare when she came skipping into the dining room. “Good morning! Are we going to the beach? Benny said we were. Can I bring Emmy? She has a new boogie board that’s really cool, and I want to try it. Did you know she doesn’t get sunburned like me? I don’t think that’s fair.”

I couldn’t help grinning as I passed her a plate piled high with pancakes. “I think today is going to be family only,” I said gently. “Although the boogie board sounds cool. Maybe your brother will teach you how to body surf instead.”

“Okay. Do I have to wear sumscream?” she asked as she began to saw at her pancakes.

I’d never bothered to correct her adorable mispronunciation. “You do. Emmy’s skin is different from yours, and yours needs protection.”

Aswan placed a jug of orange juice on the table. “Orcs don’t sunburneasily, but we do sunburn. I’ll bet Emmy’s dad makes her wear something to protect her skin if she’s out too long.”

“Nuh-uh, that’s not what she said. She said sumscream makes her itch.”

Aswan shared an amused glance with me over her head, and I mouthed, “Pick your battles.” It was something every parent had to learn, and his answering smile told me he understood.

I was plating the last of our breakfast feasts when Benny slouched into the room, rubbing his eyes and looking worse for the wear. I wanted to gather him in my arms, to rock him back and forth…but I also didn’t want to push him. I was learning that preteen boys had a lot of emotions, and yesterday he’d needed me. Did he still need me today?

He didn’t speak to anyone as he picked up his plate and slogged to the dining room, but I should have known his sister wouldn’t pick up on his mood.

“Hi, Benny! Mom says we can go to the beach, but not bring Emmy, unless yousayI can bring Emmy. Can I bring Emmy?”

Shaking my head, I joined the kids at the table. “That’s not what I said. I said today was family only.” I shot myoldest a cautious glance. “If you still want to go to the beach?”

“Yeah,” he mumbled, staring at his plate. “But just family, Tova. Just us…” He finally lifted his gaze. “Where’s Aswan?”

“Here.” My Mate was suddenly at the boy’s elbow. “I warmed up the syrup the way I showed you. Want some?”

But instead of answering, Benny stared up at him, his eyes serious. “Are you coming with us? To the beach today?”

I winced as Aswan’s expression carefully shuttered. He placed the syrup near Benny’s plate without dropping his gaze. “Do you…do you want me to?”

“Yeah.” Benny swallowed. “You’re part of our family, aren’t you?”

“He’s ournanny,” Tova announced without looking up from her apparent attempts to mutilate her pancakes with her fork and knife. “Emmy says that means he’s not really family, not like Nikki is her stepmom.”

Benny hadn’t looked away from Aswan, and seemed to be waiting for him to deny or agree with his sister. My Mate finally swung dark eyes—with a speck of green in them—toward me.

And I knew it was time.

With a deep breath, I pushed away from the table and moved to his side. I wrapped my arm around his waist, and when Aswan tucked me up against him, I saw our son’s eyes follow the movement.

I smiled softly. “I’m sorry, Benny, that I’ve kept a secret from you.”

He didn’t say anything, but Tova’s knife suddenly clattered to the table. “I love secrets! I’m real good at keeping them!”

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