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Rox really shouldn’t be surprised by the things she found Ethan doing these days.
Honestly, she should never have been surprised by some of the things that that man did, even after eight years together.
“What are you doing Ethan?” And yet, she was still confused when she found him in certain situations.
Especially situations like the current one.
“Nothing.” He growled out his response and she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest as she shifted her gaze back and forth between her husband and the person at the other end of the table.
“Nothing? It doesn't look like nothing.” In fact, it looked like he was up to no good, along with his partner in crime.
“Well then Roxanne,” He dragged her name out and she chuckled, “what does it look like I'm doing?”
“It looks like you're having a staring contest with our daughter.” She raised an eyebrow at the girl in question, waiting for her to break.
“Then that's what I'm doing.” But the girl never did and she heard Ethan huff as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
“And who exactly is winning Ethan?” She already knew the answer to that question.
“She is…” Of course she was. “Cheater.”
“Ethan!” She smacked her hand against his shoulder as she watched the little girl frown.
“I am not!” The little voice that rang through the living room was full of annoyance and she couldn’t help but chuckle. “Mama, daddy called me a cheater!”
“I heard.” She glared at Ethan when he turned around and eyed her softly. “That's not nice.”
Her husband huffed and sank back against his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.
“It's not natural how long she can hold her eyes open like that.” He whined almost as good as the little girl across from him and Rox thought it was pretty funny.
Ethan liked to blame her sass on Rox, but it was very clear who she got that from.
“Ethan, she's four, she doesn’t know what she's doing.” She may have been smart for four, very, very smart, but Rox doubted that she understood the point of a staring contest.
“I do too.” The little girl crossed her arms over her chest, mirroring her father as she smiled. “I'm staring into daddy’s soul.”
“See that, that's just freaking creepy right there.” Ethan was right about that, it was creepy.
“Eden Jae, who taught you to say something like that?” She had a guess, but she was curious to see if the little girl would rat out her partner in crime.
“Uncle Mario.” Rox chuckled as she shook her head, she had guessed right.
“Of course he did.” Those two had been thick as thieves ever since Eden had been born and everyone knew better than to allow them to be alone together for too long.
“Well don't listen to Uncle Mario.” Ethan pointed at the little girl and she simply shrugged her shoulders in response before hopping down from her seat.
“Auntie Noa tells me that all the time too.” She bounced over to her father and stood on her tiptoes, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
“That's because Auntie Noa is a smart woman.” Rox chuckled, Noa was definitely the smart one of that bunch, only to be out done by Eden if anyone else.
“So can I have my cookie now daddy?” Eden batted her eyes at her father and smiled softly, eliciting a groan from the man. “What? You said I could have a cookie if I won.”
“Yes you can have a cookie.” Ethan reached over and grabbed a cookie from the package beside him, handing it to her as she giggled softly.
And she was bouncing down the hallway, undoubtedly in search of a sibling to tease with her cookie.
“When did she get so smart?” Her husband looked up at her and she smiled, a squeal leaving her mouth as he pulled her down into his lap.
“I don't know Ethan, I'm pretty sure she came out that way.” She had been blowing them away since day one, leaving her twin brother in her dust as she conquered the world despite the obstacles she faced.
“Wanna have a staring contest with me?” She shook her head back and forth before cupping his cheeks against her palms.
“No.” She whispered as she leaned in, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
“Why not?” He whined out, his eyes batting as he attempted to mirror his daughter’s face from earlier.
“Because I don't need to see into your soul…” She pressed a kiss to his lips before pulling back, moving to stand when she heard a squeal and then a crash from down the hallway.
“That's just creepy.” He shook his head as he reached for his phone. “She's not hanging out with them anymore.”
“Ooookay Ethan…” She knew that that would last all of five seconds, especially considering that Eden was currently obsessed with Noa and Mario’s new daughter.
In fact, she had already declared herself as her guardian angel and refused to let anyone talk to or touch the little girl since she had been born.
“I'm gonna go find another victim then.” He moved to stand and she reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.
“You will do no such thing.” She was not going to submit her other children to such torture.
“Hey Asher…” The boy let out a groan from wherever he was hiding in the house and she chuckled.
“You leave him alone Ethan.” Their son would be much less forgiving then their daughter and he knew it.
“Why?” He rolled his eyes and she sighed.
“Because you know he's gonna win and then you're gonna get mad.” Asher always won at staring contests, apparently much like his younger sister.
“I'm not mad.” Ethan huffed out.
“Uh huh. Let it go honey.” Her husband was a sore loser sometimes and it made her chuckle. “It's just a game.”
“Yeah daddy, let it go! Let it go!” Eden started belting out the words to her favorite Frozen song and Rox couldn’t help but laugh, watching as Ethan huffed.
“You guys are no fun.” She rolled her eyes at his response, watching as Eden came bounding down the hallway, pulling her brothers behind her.
“Daddy, Asher said he’d let you win at Candy Land.” That sounded like the worst idea ever.
“I did not!” The seven year old huffed out, looking more like his father than ever. “She’s lying.”
“Alright, alright, let’s pick something we can all enjoy.” Rox didn’t like where this was going.
“Mario Kart?” Asher’s suggestion shouldn’t have shocked her nearly as much as it did.
“Puzzles?” Everyone groaned at Eden’s suggestion.
“Legos?” Ezra jumped up and down with excitement but his siblings simply groaned and shook their heads.
“I have an even better idea.” Rox had a feeling she was going to regret letting this happen.
“What’s that daddy?” The little girl’s doe eyes were going to get her whatever she wanted and Rox knew it.
“Tickle mommy!” And then the next thing she knew her husband was reaching for her, his fingers connecting with her sides just as three little sets of arms reached for her as well. “Get her! Get her!”
This was quite possibly Ethan’s worst idea ever.
But then she was being tackled to the couch, followed by three small bodies climbing up with her, their giggles filling the living room as they attempted to tickle her.
Suddenly, it wasn’t sounding like such a horrible idea after all.
And maybe later she’d even let Ethan win at a staring contest or two.