Bound In Secrets

Nephews

Sawyer

The rapping of knuckles on the door this morning is the last thing I want to hear. It's not just an innocent morning wake-up. Oh no! This starts a chain of events that will lead to a day where no amount of coffee will cure to keep me from shooting someone. Starting with whoever is at my door.

Someone better be dying.

I retch the entrance open with my gun pointed at whoever is there. "Woah there, Auntie S! Don't shoot me yet." Kassius.

Katie screams for me and Darius walks blurry-eyed out of his room.

I sigh, knowing well what this kid wants. Breakfast. Behind him is his counterpart, AC, and a red-headed boy who looks similar to my fairy uncle. The new kid seems like he hasn't slept in days and is suffering from a drug-induced hangover.

"Since you were so sweet and woke up my female spawn. You can go get her ready for school while apologizing for waking her up thirty minutes before the alarm," I grumble at Kassius.

He flinches and looks apologetic. "I'm sorry, Aunt S. I'll go help her. But could you talk to Ash, or help him feel better?" He glances back at the red-headed boy. "He woke up crying. AC and I don't know how to help him."

I give my nephew a soft smile. "Yeah. I got him." He nods, walking toward a screaming Katie, who is now in full-blown panic mode since I hadn't answered.

"AC, why don't you and ... Ash? Right?" The boy looks at me with red-rimmed green eyes. He nods in affirmation. "You two can help me by making the kids' lunches. They won't eat what will be served in the cafeteria today."

"Sure thing, Aunt S," AC agrees. He ushers Ash into the kitchen. I tell him where everything is located while I start a full pot of coffee.

I'm not Kassius and AC's aunt by blood, but it makes things easier to be referred to as such with the giant interconnected family we have. Kassius and AC were both adopted by Uncle Tee and his family. Tee is related to me by marriage. His mother had married my grandfather when I was about Darius's age. That was almost twenty years ago.

I watch this random boy my nephews brought over as I gather what I need to make breakfast for these kiddos. Ash doesn't look much older than Kass and AC, which puts him at around fourteen or fifteen.

Even with bags under his eyes, I can tell he is more than willing to help. He even pauses, packing what AC hands him to help Darius locate his shoes that are once again missing. Even if I set that child's shoes out the night before, they will still be missing come morning, so I have just accepted missing shoes as part of the morning routine.

"Thank you for helping, Dare with his shoes," I tell the boy who is stirring the pancake batter for me while I cook the sausage patties. "Ash, do you need to call someone? I'm sure your parents must be worried sick about you."

"K-K-Kass l-let m-m-me b-barrow h-his p-phone l-last n-n-night," he stutters. "I-I-I'm s-s-s-s-sorry," he says, looking at the floor instead of at my eyes.

"It's okay, kiddo. Take a deep breath. You're not in trouble and you can take your time with your words. You have nothing to be ashamed of. How did you end up with the murder twins?"

My reference to Kass and AC has the kid laughing with a smile. "M-Murder Twins?" He questions.

I shrug. "It's what the family lovingly refers to them as. Kass and AC are hellions, but we love them." I grin.