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“Wa-waaaAaaaAAAAAAaaAAah!
“Babe, do ya hear that?” Daniel called out as he reached the third floor of the penthouse. “Sounds like something’s strangling a cat.”
The sound had started 10 minutes ago, a screechy wailing that quickly crescendoed into an ear-splitting racquet. Daniel had started looking for its source around minute 7. The noise had only grown as he climbed each floor before reaching a stop outside their son’s room. Daniel had a hunch; no noise source and no Armand to be found anywhere else in the penthouse. He pounded on the closed door with open palm.
Daniel took a step back. The door cracked open and out crept his gremlin of a husband. The door shut behind him. And suspiciously enough, the noise stopped.
“Since when does Benji have an appetite for cats?” Daniel asked.
“He doesn’t,” Armand replied. “I bought him a trombone.“
Daniel crossed his arms over his chest. “Why?”
Amber doe eyes blinked at him. “Because he asked for one. I suggested he pick up a hobby and Benji chose learning an instrument.“
Daniel didn’t feel like pointing out that iPad time was very much both Benji and Armand’s hobby.
”I always found musical education a pillar to a well-rounded character. Don’t you, beloved?”
God knows he encouraged Sybelle’s playing all hours of the day.
“Sure,” Daniel said. “My daughters both played recorder in elementary school. But you couldn’t have made him pick something quieter?”
“I thought it important that he has the freedom of choice in his decision-making.” Daniel couldn’t really argue with that one. Armand wasn’t just being cute; autonomy was perhaps the most sincere lesson he pressed on his children.
“Ya,” Daniel huffed, “But you couldn’t have used your parental influence to gently guide him to, I don’t know, the triangle?”
A dark look flashed across Armand’s face before he spoke. “He only has time to approve.” And, okay, Daniel really can’t argue now. Benji’s eternal youth was a constant sore-spot for Armand.
Daniel had one last cop-out. “But what about Sybelle? How’s she going to like this?” It was true, most days even the sound of the TV was too much at times and she retreated to her coffin for solace. This was at least twenty times louder than their SmartTV.
Instead Armand just smiled. “Oh, don’t worry, darling. Sybelle got to pick out a gift too.”
At this, the girl in question waltzed down the hallway, as if she’d been summoned. She wore a summer sundress, her slippers, and her favorite going-out cardigan. Curls bounced behind her like a halo and perched on her head and around her ears like a tiara: a pair of Baby Pink noise-cancelling headphones.
Daniel just had to laugh. He could barely hear it now over the resumed sound of Benji’s trombone.
”Well, at least now, the neighbors will really think we’re killing someone over here.”