Xavier and Alvin had pulled a pile of cushions into the center of the carpet, and four little ones—Ash, Leo, Lily, and Diana—were squealing with laughter as they tried to play a "guess game" that had very few rules and even fewer moments of fairness.
Xavier, sitting cross-legged on the floor with a pillow hugged against his chest, grinned mischievously at his tiny audience. Alvin leaned against the sofa, his sharp eyes following every ridiculous move his beloved made, clearly trying not to laugh but failing more often than not.
It was chaos disguised as family fun.
"Guess what I'm thinking of!" Xavier announced dramatically, pressing his hands to his temples like a fortune teller.
Ash scrunched his eyebrows. "Is it… a dragon?"
"Nope!"
"A zombie?" Leo guessed, bouncing on his knees.
"Wrong again!"
Lily threw her hands up. "Ice cream!"
"Closer," Xavier teased.
Diana leaned forward, her tiny face very serious. "Is it a frog wearing a hat?"
Everyone burst into laughter
