Page 140 of Where Broken Wings Fly

“Careful, Ari. There’s paint everywhere.”

“You’re tickling me with your whiskers!” she shouts.

I frown at the little devil. “Whiskers?”

“Like a big jungle cat,” she explains cheekily.

Silencing Zach and Ryder’s laughter with a threatening glare, I rub my beard against Arianna’s cheeks again. She screams and demands to be put down. I deposit her in Zach’s outstretched arms instead.

“Zach! Why are you covered in paint?”

“Because I’m shit at painting,” he replies with a grin.

“Language!” Willow scolds, stepping into the living room with her hands on her hips. “Ari, doesn’t Mummy get a hug anymore?”

Escaping Zach’s paint-splattered embrace, Arianna races into her mother’s open arms. Willow easily plucks her up, ruffling her blonde pigtails. She laughed her ass off this morning when I brushed and did Arianna’s hair before home school.

The devilish child requested pigtails. What was I supposed to do, deny her? Arianna’s got me wrapped around her fucking finger and she knows it too. I’ll surrender my pride if it makes her grin up at me like she did this morning.

“Sorry, Mummy.”

“Hey, baby,” she coos back. “How was school?”

“Rachel gave me three new books to read!” Arianna looks over at Zach. “Will you read them to me before bed? I like it when you do the funny voices.”

He winks at her. “Of course I will, princess.”

“Yay! What’s for dinner? I’m really hungry.”

“It will be ready soon.” Willow sets her back on her feet. “First, Micah has a surprise for you in the bedroom. Go and have a look.”

“He does?” Arianna gasps.

“Go on. Don’t keep him waiting.”

We all head to the back of the cabin, which is almost complete. We went furniture shopping last weekend and got all of the remaining essentials. I took great care to choose an extra-large bed for Willow, purely for selfish purposes.

“I wanna see!” Arianna screams. “Lemme in, Micah!”

Willow knocks on the bedroom door, waiting for Micah’s voice to call us all inside. We enter the spacious room, and our eyes immediately lift to the furthest wall where his mural is complete after hours of painstaking work.

“Holy shit,” I curse.

I’ve never given a damn about art, but hell. My cousin has some serious talent. He’s been hiding this from us for years. I always knew he was good, but this is next level insane.

“It’s finally done.” Micah nervously spins the paintbrush in his stained hands. “I can change it if you don’t like it, Ari, or rethink… or…”

Cutting off his anxious rambling, Arianna full body throws herself into his arms. Micah hesitates at first, but soon circles his arms around her to accept the enthusiastic hug.

“It’s amazing,” Arianna whispers in awe. “Look, I’m a princess! Wow… and Mummy too. Micah! You’re so clever!”

The entire surface is covered in a colourful, floor-to-ceiling scene. I saw the sketches he drew up, but this is something else. Each leaf, stalk and sprinkle of stardust on the wall feels like it’s leaping off the plaster.

“Willow?” Micah bites his lip.

She gawks at the wall with her mouth hanging open. “Mi, holy crap! I can’t believe you did this all yourself.”

“Language,” Zach throws her words back at her. “Little ears present.”

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