Novel & Cerita Family Reading Night

Footsteps on the stairs. Vivienne appears looking polished and put together, and she peers at my plate and asks Raven to make breakfast for everyone and calls her an angel, and I sit there with my jaw tight watching Raven smile and say fine, it won’t hurt while I’m still half out of my mind from what she said to me two minutes ago. “Movie night tonight,” Vivienne says, turning to me. “The whole family. Come home early?” “I have meetings.” “Please.” She leans against the counter. “We never spend time together anymore.”

"We both know that would raise red flags. Mom and Dad would think I was unhappy at school or about to flunk out. Then I'd be at weekly sessions with Dr. Vanderhugh alongside you." "Pfft. I'm down to bi-weekly meetings, thank you." His tone lilted in humor. "Point being, I want you home as often as you think you can come. Plus, Ernie and Hensley are doing some square-dancing thing on Friday night, so we'd have the house to ourselves." It wouldn't have taken a promise of time alone to convince me to show up, but it definitely brought an unexpected smile to my face. "You're not going to be out with Ethan and Carson? Eighteen is a pretty big birthday."

Raphael ━━ ⛓ ━━ Claire’s voice echoed across the room before I even looked up, “I’m serious,” she said, shifting the small bundle in her arms, “we should do this every week.” The baby made a small sound, his fingers curling into her shirt. She smiled down at him, soft and gone for a second, then snapped right back to us with that same wild energy she always had. “Family game night,” she added, grinning. “Mandatory attendance. No excuses.”

𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚 Dinner at home later that night is a warm affair, filled with laughter, the clinking of utensils against our respective plates and the delectable aroma of my mother's home-cooked meal. Despite having more than enough servants to handle every task in the house, Mom always insists on preparing dinner for the family herself. She always says that nighttime is the only time we truly come together to dine as a family, and thus, she would never miss the chance to feed us all then.

"I might not always tell this to you in person but no matter what I love you Dad and if I have a problem and I am ready to come and talk to you about it I will. I have no one else other than you and Dora and you guys mean the world to me." As I said this he tightened the hug a little and before I knew it Dora had also joined the hug and we made it a family hug. "Okay no you are squishing me. I need to breathe." Laughing they both let me go so I could breathe. "How about a family games night tonight like old times?" We all agreed and set off to finish whatever we wanted to do before the games night so that we could give our full undivided attention to the games and spending time with each oth

"Trevor is probably at our parents' estate, nursing his bruised ego. And that's exactly where we're going tonight." She reached for the coffee mug, taking a slow, cautious sip before frowning up at me. "What do you mean? Why would we go to your parents' house?" "My mother’s assistant just called," I explained, letting a cold smirk touch my lips. "There is a mandatory family dinner tonight at seven. The whole Hayes clan is going to be sitting at the table, trying to figure out how to sweep us under the rug so the country club crowd doesn't find out we're toxic."

"Community buzzes positive. Your family handled the loyalist smart." Victor joined. "Proud to stand with you. Bond shows." Lena said, "Peace settles. Strengthening starts strong." Alex and Riley shared ideas rapid. "More youth nights." "Cross family games." Kane and Elias listened then added. Kane said, "Our bond guides all. Quiet life with family and helping." Elias replied, "We return to coach when called. Community grows because of it." The family planned late into the evening. Voices full of energy. Plans for events. Ways to keep changes safe. Wisdom shared open.

I gave him the nod that meant *yes, I'm alive, please don't make a thing of it. "Wonderful," Lily said. "Tonight we're doing a family game night." Lucas looked at her. "A what?" "Games night," she said simply. "All four of us, it'll be fun." "What's your definition of fun?” he asked sarcastically. "Lucas." He looked at the lake. It sat there unbothered, I wished briefly that I could run away from the silly family trip for just a moment. "Seven o'clock on a dot, everyone should be at the table.”

My throat eased as I helped Olivia inside, my eyes burning with the weight of her fear, my stomach settling with the resolve to create a moment of calm. Inside, my mother Victoria and Carter were in the living room, their faces tense but their hearts warm with concern. Lily and Noah played nearby, their laughter a fragile anchor. My pulse quickened, my throat burning as I gathered them, my eyes stinging with an idea. “Let’s have a family night,” I said, my voice firm, my heart fierce with hope. “Dinner, a movie, just us—something relaxing.” My mother’s eyes softened, her heart open with approval.

He said to me with a smile, and did not seem to look guilty at all for tasking his young uncles with such responsibilities. I shook my head at him, but said no more. That was because I enjoyed his company, as he has been such a great help to me. {Last Extra} Family movie night. It was 6pm in the evening. One by one, they arrived in the living room. Joseph, Aunt Becky, my Dad, Kai, Jordan and Maximus. My husband, my Mom and Brooklyn had been at the mansion the whole time, and they were the ones who helped me put the babies to sleep, granting us the opportunity of having a family movie night.