[bhdire8]

Archie smiled at his mother's bossy ways. "Oh ma, you have been saying that every year. Look where we are now." He said to the fierce little woman. Turning down to whisper into Malorn, he said. "And bear, you gotta tell me what's that that you just muttered. Probably would be some bad thing but I am so gonna rub that into my pa's face. Don't worry about it now, my siblings are gonna compensate you for the trauma just now by smothering you with sweetness and indulgence. That's how our family worked. Our father is actually the outlier. Ma is the reigning queen." He moved forward to the door with Malorn in his arms, then gently lifting him up and kissed his forehead as he carried him to the front door again. He knew his mother would have taken care of things.