Family Reading Night Novels & Stories

At least one person in the family talked to us. We managed to get through the meal without tripping any suspicions. Then Mom asked what my plans were. “Going to Darren’s,” I muttered and balled up my napkin. “We need you to watch Riley tonight.” Was Mom was talking to me? No, she was looking at Jules. “What?” he asked. “We’ve been invited to the Grahams, and we’ll be gone until late. We need you boys to clean up, and Jules can watch Riley until we get home.”

# Chapter Thirteen: The School Event The invitation arrived on a Tuesday, tucked into Sadie's backpack and handed to Julian with the solemn ceremony of a state document: **Maple Street Academy Family Reading Night, Friday at 6pm, parents and guardians encouraged to attend.** "I usually just go alone," Julian said, studying the paper like it might contain a hidden clause. "Renata works Fridays. It's — it's not usually a two-person job." "Do you want it to be, this time?" Ivy asked, careful not to make it sound like more than it was, though some part of her had already started rearranging her schedule at the restaurant before he'd even answered.

“He left. I’m fine. What did you say, Lana?” “We have dinner with my parents tomorrow. You up for it?” “Of course,” I replied without hesitation. “Not missing it.” Betton weekend dinners were a tradition. Weekly meetings with Lana’s parents were non-negotiable—a way to strengthen the bond they shared with their only child. Back in college, it had been easy and fun. Now? Not so much. The meetings had grown redundant and eventually stopped months ago. Apparently, Mr. Betton was determined to revive them. ‘Quality time with family is necessary. Because family is everything.’

she asks spotting a picture of him and his family on his wall. “It is” he says she looks closer at it and then gets out of bed and looks closer again. “Have a met your mother before?” she asks “I don’t think so” he says “she looks very familiar, only she had her hair down. Her lips were, fuller as though she’d been kissed a lot” Amber says Grant looks at her and then the picture of his family. He remembered his father had been really busy expanding the business, back then. His parents had, had to sit down and talk about what was important to them and they had started date night and family night afterwards.

“And we still have the whole day ahead of us.” Sighing, Night leaned against me, the tension leaving his shoulders as he took a sip of the hot chocolate. “Hmmm…so good. You know exactly what I like.” “I do.” I pressed a kiss to his temple, before taking a sip of my own mug. “What are we getting your family this year? The usual wine or something new this time?” “I’m thinking of getting my mom a rocking chair.” Night shrugged. “Damn…can’t believe we’re getting old. It feels like yesterday when we were at the altar, exchanging vows. And now…everyone’s calling us DILF’s! Can you believe that?”

They weren’t a family that was always with technologies, they were more traditional. Eleanor looked at the clock on the wall, it had been twenty minutes, they had until 10 pm before things started, so she stood again and began putting on her jacket. The creatures stuck to a “schedule”. Those three years they had always come at 10, not earlier, and even sometimes later. So Eleanor just decided to walk Anbur now. She headed upstairs and knocked on the bedroom door, walking in. Peter was reading a story to Michelle, who was hugging a stuffed bear and was wrapped in blankets. “Sorry to interrupt, I’m going out to walk Anbur, so if you need anything ask your grammy, okay?” she asked. She kissed b

"So, how's your family?" "Good, I think. Mum still has her days where she's down, but Finn and I have been spending a lot of time with her, trying to make sure everything stays how it has been. We had a family night on Saturday, instead of going out. I think she enjoyed that. We played board games and stayed up until two in the morning watching movies. We haven't spent a Saturday night at home for a while, so it was nice." "That's great. Is your mum seeing anyone? Like, a counsellor, I mean?"

“That’s because you landed on my arm!” “Maybe if you hadn’t been standing in my way—” “Maybe if you could walk straight—” Frank waves his hand, still laughing. “Well, that’s one way to start a love story.” “Yeah,” I mumble, glaring at Tyler. “Real romantic.” After dinner, Vivian insists on showing me the house. Tyler stays behind with his dad, probably pretending to help with the dishes. Vivian leads me upstairs, chatting non-stop about the family, about Tyler’s childhood, about everything in between. Her energy is infectious — warm and kind, like sunlight on a cold morning.

I answered, leaning back in my chair. “Sir, Mrs. Knight has requested a family dinner tonight. Seven o’clock. She wants you and your wife to attend.” “Of course she does,” I muttered. “We’ll be there.” I hung up and rubbed my temples. My mother’s ‘family dinners’ were never just dinners. They were strategic events designed for drama. “What’s she planning now?” I mumbled to myself. My mother wasn’t the type to gather everyone unless she had a reason, and it was rarely a pleasant one.

“What do Sutton and Addy do for the break?” “Well Sutton has to go play daddy’s perfect little daughter and Addy will go home and see her adoptive parents and siblings.” “Alright we have everything and we really need to get going.” Tonight is a Fitzgerald family games night which I have seen a half of at our own games nights here and they are intense and really don’t want to look away otherwise you will miss something extremely important. Loading everything in the car we hit the road. Em is munching on snacks and mumbling the lyrics to the song coursing through my sound system to herself.