reticent

63

• LORENZO •

Amalia comes out after an hour and a half. My eyes soften when I see her, however when she stumbles over nothing they narrow.

     Grayson smiles. "There's the little menace."

     She scowls.

     "Come on." I say. I set a hand on her shoulder. I can talk to her when she's sober, tomorrow. I lead her out to the car, and she sits in the back with Cole and Grayson. Elijah gets in the passengers seat, and within a few moments we're on our way home.

     "You know," Cole says, nudging her. "You shouldn't drink."

     "Says the one who stinks of vodka." She replies.

     He glares at her. She glares back. I sigh and return all my attention to the road, realising I get to deal with three of my drunk children now.

•

"I can walk." I hear Amalia say when Elijah helps her out of the car. He frowns before releasing the gentle grip he had on her arm. She manages to walk into the house, then to the living room.

     "Amalia." I call. She stops and looks at me. "Why don't you go up to bed?"

     "I'm not tired." She says, sitting down on the couch. She uses her feet to get her shoes off, then turns on the TV.

     I sigh quietly. "You can sleep it off, baby."

     "I'll sleep it off when I'm tired." She snaps.

     My eyebrows draw together. "Amalia." I whisper. "Baby, let's just get you into bed, yeah?"

     "Yeah, baby. Time for bed." Grayson says, stumbling over his words as he pats her head. He drops into the place beside her.

     "You too, Grayson." Cole has already went up, I think.

     That thought is immediately contradicted when Cole walks in. He has two glasses of water, and he passes one to Amalia before sitting on her other side.

     "Where's mine?" Grayson questions.

     "Why would I get you one?" He asks. "I don't like you."

     Grayson leans behind Amalia and slaps his twin brothers cheek. Cole slaps him back, and I sigh loudly before walking over. Within a few moments they're fighting with an annoyed Amalia between them.

     "Stop!" She exclaims, pushing them both away from her.

"No. Shut up." Cole replies, leaning over her again to slap Grayson once again. He slaps him back, and they start a pattern until I grab both their hands.

"Both of you go up to bed." I say.

"That's not fair." Grayson whines.

"That's all your fault." Cole tells him, scowling.

"No it wasn't."