The tune of Frère Jacques was one the Frenchman's lips knew well, so well that even he did not realize he was whistling such a lighthearted tune under the dark and overcast sky. He held a bag nearly overflowing with groceries in one arm and held an old umbrella with his free hand. The light drizzle produced a rapping noise on the material of the umbrella. However, he still did not notice as his mind was elsewhere, more than likely planning the menu for his family's evening meal. He shifted the bag of food he was carrying to the other arm to give his shoulder temporary relief from the weight.
"This damn English food is too bland for my tastes, tonight's dinner must be tres magnifique!"
Francis took a deep breath, the thick London air filling his lungs. He greatly preferred the similar air of his Paris, the large city making him feel a bit homesick. The market in London was simply incredible and offered quite a variety, being a market in a city that many traveled to from around the world, but it would never be home for him. Even so, he enjoyed going to the market most mornings. Occasionally, he would forgo the market to watch the boys and give his partner a chance to sleep in for once.
In the outskirts of town, Francis found himself wandering down the same quiet street he had grown accustomed to coming home to. It was a residential street with many quaint, white houses. He walked with a skip in his step towards the last house on the short street. The old stairs to the front door squeaked and popped under his weight as he fished the key out of his jacket pocket. The door squeaked on its hinges as he gingerly opened the door, quick to close it to keep out the cold air.
"Arthur! Boys! Papa is home!"
He smiled when he heard his two boys clamoring from the upstairs, Alfred's voice much more boisterous than Matthew's. His smile quickly turned to a frown when he heard Arthur moan from the front living room.
"Arthur? Are you alright?" Francis' voice was full of concern, his accent thick. He quickly sat the bag of food down by the doorway and rushed to the front room. The window covers hadn't been drawn open yet, letting what little light there was seep into the room around the curtains. Francis could make out Arthur's frame on the couch, lying down and clutching his head. Francis dashed to his side, brushing the hair out of his face. "Arthur?!"
He slowly opened his cool emerald eyes, taking his hands away from his head. "Shut the hell up, Francy-pants. I have a terrible headache and I'm very nauseous…"
Francis gave a sigh of relief, knowing that receiving Arthur's usual terrible attitude meant that he was just fine. "Oh Arthur…" Francis brushed Arthur's long hair away from his eyes once more, putting his lips to his forehead. Arthur sat up, swatting Francis' hands away from him, "The hell are you doing, Frog?" His English accent was thick and his cheeks were bright red, he was obviously flustered.
"I was checking to see if you had a fever," Francis sighed. "What made you sick in the first place?" Arthur laid back down, covering his eyes with a pillow as Francis moved to open the window covers. "How am I supposed to know? All I've done today was make scones…" He moved the pillow for a moment, wincing at the sunlight that now flooded the room. "Is that really necessary?" Arthur growled, displeased with the daylight.
Francis chuckled and sat in the armchair adjacent to the couch, "Yes, it was. Now tell me, Arthur, did you consume any of the scones you made?"
Arthur let out an annoyed hiss of air, "Of course I did, I made enough for me and the boys to eat for breakfast. I figured you had eaten before you went shopping."
Francis went pale, "Did the boys eat any?" He panicked, knowing how easy it was for Matthew to become sick. Alfred could eat cardboard or even Arthur's cooking without any ill effects, but Matthew had always gotten sick easily.
"….Alfred spit them right in my face and Mattie screamed. They ran upstairs right after."
Francis breathed a sigh of relief, his hand on his chest. "Dieu merci…"
Arthur sat up again, the pillow covering his face falling to the floor, "Are you suggesting that my scones are what made me sick?"
Francis sat with his chin resting on his fist, "Yes, I am." He stood up and straightened his shirt before placing the pillow back on the couch for Arthur. He pulled a thick quilt from the rocking chair in the corner of the room and laid it across Arthur's lap. "Now, lay back and relax. Your stomach will never settle if you keep working yourself up."
Arthur did as he was told and muttered something under his breath, his accent too thick for Francis to understand. Francis tucked the quilt around Arthur and began walking towards the kitchen, stopped by Arthur grabbing his hand. He made a motion for Francis to come closer, Francis kneeling close to Arthur's face. Arthur leaned forward and gave Francis a quick peck on the cheek, "Thanks, Frog…" Francis chuckled and returned his affection with a passionate kiss to his lips. Arthur's cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson though he remained quiet and closed his eyes. "You're so cute when you're sick, it'd be nice if you were like this all the time," Francis teased as he stood up. "Say something like that again and I'll vomit on your side of the bed, Frog." Francis laughed and left the living room, going up the steps as quietly as he could to retrieve the boys.
He could still hear Alfred's voice coming from the playroom, saying something to Mattie. "You're the princess, Mattie! I'll be the hero and save you from the dragon!" Matthew whined, "I'm always the girl! Can I be something else, please Al?" Alfred paused for a moment, "Okay, you be the dragon! I'm still the hero!" Francis rushed the rest of the way up the stairs once he heard a loud crash and Mattie crying. He found Alfred on top of his screaming brother, a small set of chairs toppled beside them. "Papa! Help me!"
Francis laughed and scooped up the boys, one in each arm. He kissed each of them on the forehead, "Alfred, you shouldn't try to slay your brother before breakfast." Mattie clung to Francis' shirt, tears in the corner of his eyes. "Yeah, Alfred…" Alfred crossed his tiny arms, looking away from Mattie. "If you had been the princess then I wouldn't have had to do it…" Francis chuckled and hugged them close, "That's enough for now, boys. Who wants pancakes?" Both of them cheered, Mattie looking particularly excited. "Can I have syrup with mine, Papa?" Still carrying both boys, Francis headed downstairs. "Of course you can, Mattie!"
"We have to be quiet today, boys. Daddy is sick and needs to rest so he can feel better, okay?" Mattie nodded, but Alfred gave a questioning look to Francis. "Did he eat those rocks he tried to give us?" Francis had to stifle a fit of laughter for the moment as they were right in front of the living room. Once they were in the kitchen, he seated the boys at the table and enjoyed a long laugh. He removed a pad of paper and a few pencils from the bureau in front of the kitchen window, placing them in front of the children. "Why don't you boys draw pictures for Daddy while I make pancakes?"
Alfred eagerly reached for the paper while Mattie looked thoughtful for a moment, carefully considering what he should draw. Francis quickly retrieved the ingredients for the pancakes and began making batter, knowing his way around the kitchen very well. Once the skillet was heated and the batter was made, he poured the batter on to the skillet. The boys watched with curious eyes once it came time to flip the pancakes, much to Francis' delight. He smiled as the first batch of pancakes were finished, putting a few on two separate plates. "Here you are! Bon appétit!" He placed a plate in front of each of them, adding a flair by twirling in place afterwards. The boys laughed, Alfred digging in right away and Mattie looking to Francis. "Are you going to eat with us, Papa?" Francis smiled, always surprised by how much Mattie genuinely cared. "I will in a moment, I'm going to check on Daddy."
He crept across the hall, peeking his head into the living room. "Mon cher, are you awake?" He heard Arthur stir briefly on the couch, only to be met with a groggy groan. "Yes…" Francis chuckled at Arthur's messy hair, "Would you like me to make you anything to eat? Do you need anything?" Arthur smiled a genuine smile, a rare occurrence that took Francis by surprise, "No thank you, love. I'll be fine after a cup of tea later, don't worry about me." Francis covered his mouth with his closed hand, smiling intensely. "Oh mon cher, you were so cute just now. You never call me that." Arthur blushed again, his eyes shifting away as he smiled sheepishly. "I don't suppose you'd make me that tea later, would you?" Francis grinned, "Of course I will, now get some rest."
He returned to the kitchen to find that Mattie had drowned his pancakes in syrup, much to his and Alfred's amusement. "Save some for Papa, Mattie!" The boys continued to eat and chat, discussing what they were drawing with one another. Francis used the remaining batter to make a few pancakes for himself. Once his were done, he sat down with the boys to enjoy it. He looked at the drawings each of them did, trying to discern what the childish scribbles were. Alfred had drawn four circles with squiggles and a stack of pancakes, Francis assuming it was their family. Matthew had drawn a large and chunky figure with large ears and what looked like a bottle of syrup, he assumed it was a bear or a large cat.
"What did you boys come up with this time?" Francis asked curiously, wanting to hear from them about what they had created. "I drew pancakes!" Alfred exclaimed proudly, holding up his picture. "I also drawed me, Mattie, and you and Daddy!" Francis smiled and clapped, "Why, that looks just like us, Al! You did a great job!" Alfred beamed and finished up the last bit of his pancakes. "Mine is a big bear, just like mine. He likes syrup, just like me!" Matthew held up his picture, he had added a big smile to the bear. "You do love bears, don't you, Mattie?" Francis smiled and looked over their drawings once more. "Yeah, they're big and strong, just like Daddy." Mattie said simply, when Alfred jumped up and stood on his chair. "They're big and fluffy, just like you Papa!" Francis stood up and took Alfred into his arms. "I'm fluffy, am I? Ohoho!" He laughed and rubbed his head against Alfred's head. He laughed and kicked, nearly knocking over the kitchen chair.
Francis placed Alfred back in his seat and took the dirty dishes from the table. He placed them on the counter to deal with later, looking to the grandfather clock in the hallway. It was nearly noon, much to his surprise. Their late breakfast would mean that naptime for the boys would come much sooner than usual. He looked to the young children, both of which were still at the table trying to decide what game to play next. Francis laughed and licked his thumb, wiping it across Matthew's cheek to remove the sticky residue left behind from the syrup. The little boy made a small gagging noise, quick to wipe off the saliva. "Papa! That was icky!" Alfred laughed at his brother until Francis did the same to him as the little one had somehow managed to get syrup on the tip of his nose. Mattie laughed at his twin, jumping out of the chair and running towards the stairs. Alfred quickly followed, giggling excitedly.
"Quiet down a bit, boys. Daddy is trying to rest." Francis said, turning to the stove to start heating the tea kettle. He heard the boys settle in the playroom, their voices much quieter than usual. Francis sat down at the table and rested his cheek on his fist, beginning to plan out the rest of the day. He fidgeted, tying his hair back several times and scratching at his stubbly beard. It was strange for the house to be so quiet in the middle of the day, it was odd to not be chasing one of the little boys down for once. He smiled, knowing that he and Arthur must have been raising the boys well if they were considerate and respectful enough to stay out of trouble for once when Arthur had fallen ill. They were of course well behaved most of the time anyway, their usual antics being the highlight of Francis' days. His thoughts turned to Arthur, concern beginning to cloud his mind. Arthur and he could obviously not have their own children, raising Matthew and Alfred together began a new chapter of their relationship. Francis had grown much fonder of Arthur as of late, he knew Arthur had begun to feel the same even if he could not show it as well.
The tea kettle beginning to whistle brought Francis out of his thoughts and back to the present. He rushed to remove it from the heat to quiet the whistling before removing two tea cups from Arthur's beautiful china cabinet. He poured the steaming hot water into each cup, letting the water steep for a few moments with a teabag. He left Arthur's cup of tea just as it was, knowing he preferred it as just black tea. He added several sugar cubes to his own cup, hoping to keep himself awake for another few hours. Carefully, he carried the tea across the hall and into the living room to find that Arthur had finally fallen asleep. He set Arthur's tea on a saucer that had been left on the coffee table, setting his tea on a stack of papers that had been left lying about. He debated whether or not he should wake Arthur, deciding that it was important for him to at least get something in his system.
"Arthur…" Francis gently shook his shoulder, receiving no response. "Arthur." He spoke a touch louder, using more force to rock Arthur's body. He groaned and mumbled something in his sleep, causing Francis to let out an exasperated sigh. "There is tea here for you when you decide to wake up, you ninny." Arthur's eyes fluttered open at the mention of tea, his vision falling upon Francis. "Don't call me a ninny, you bloody twit." Francis chuckled and took a seat in the armchair across from the couch. "So how are you feeling, mon cher?" Arthur took a sip of tea before answering, not minding that it was still scalding hot, "Much better, though I still have a pounding headache." Francis nodded, blowing a bit of steam from his tea, "I'm very glad to hear that, the boys will be too. They made you something." Arthur's jaw dropped in surprise, "The little tykes actually made me something?" Francis finished a gulp of tea before speaking, "Yes, they did. I'm sure they'll want to give it to you when I bring them down for a story later."
"You're bringing them in here?" Arthur asked, moving into a more comfortable sitting position. "They've hardly had a chance to see you all day, I thought it would be nice if we all shared a story together before they go down for a nap." Francis said, restraining a yawn. "You look like you could use a nap yourself, love. Why don't you get some sleep now, I can read to the boys and put them down for their naps…" Arthur offered, looking at Francis through concerned eyes. Francis immediately shook his head, "Non, you are sick. You will stay there and rest until you are all better." Arthur opened his mouth to protest, but Francis held up his hand. "I will have none of that, I'll go to bed early tonight if you are that concerned." Arthur nodded, "Alright…" Francis smiled and moved across the room, sitting on Arthur's lap and throwing his arms around his neck. "Besides, this gives me more time to spoil you, Arthur…" Arthur blushed and remained silent, hesitantly slipping his arms around Francis' waist. Francis placed his forehead against Arthur's, his eyes closed and his voice dreamy. "I love it when we can be like this, Arthur…When we aren't arguing like a bunch of brutes…"
Arthur nodded his head slightly in agreement, gently kissing his partner. Francis returned his affection with a passionate kiss of his own before pulling away. Arthur looked surprised for a moment until he heard the boys coming down the stairs. Francis quickly moved to make it look like he had been sitting next to Arthur as the children came into the living room. Alfred toddled in, followed by Mattie holding his white teddy bear. "Do you need something, boys?" Arthur asked, moving the blanket off of his lap. "We're tired…" Mattie yawned, clutching his bear even tighter for the moment. "Why don't you two pick out a story then? Papa will read it to you down here and then we can all take a nap." Arthur suggested, looking back at Francis when he mentioned the nap. Francis snorted, crossing his arms. "Okay!" Alfred took Mattie's hand, leading his brother back upstairs to pick out a book.
Once the boys were out of earshot, Francis stood up. "Very subtle, Arthur." Arthur turned to him, his emerald eyes more concerned than angry for once. "You really do look tired, love. Please take it easy for once. You're always taking care of the boys or you're out shopping or gardening, you never take any time to relax." Francis put his arms around Arthur's waist, "Ah but mon cher, neither do you. Such is the life of two parents with young boys." Arthur smiled, knowing Francis was right. He leaned closer to steal a kiss, stopped by Francis' finger on his lips. "We shall continue that later, I'm going to get the boys." Arthur shook his head and smiled as Francis left the room, silently looking forward to when he could continue kissing his partner. Upstairs, Francis met the boys as they were leaving the playroom with a book to read. He took them into his arms, careful not to drop Alfred's newly found blanket.
In the living room, Arthur began to stack wood in the fireplace to keep the flames alive. He had grown accustomed to the cold and rainy London afternoons, but he knew Francis preferred to keep the house warm. As soon as Francis entered the room, he immediately put the boys on the floor. "What are you doing? I told you to stay on the couch and rest!" He took the wood from Arthur's hands and carried him to the couch, causing Arthur to blush yet again. "W-When did you get so strong, Frog?" Francis ignored him, practically dropping Arthur on the couch. "Now, you stay there this time. Just rest and relax, don't worry about taking care of anything." Arthur did as he was told and snuggled under the large quilt, sighing deeply and muttering more insults his breath. Across from him, Francis settled in the rocking chair by the fireplace. He took a deep breath to begin reading the storybook aloud, only to be stopped by Mattie pulling at his pants. He smiled and leaned down to pick up the small boy. Mattie snuggled in Francis' lap, holding his teddy bear close as his tiny violet eyes fluttered shut.
"Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away…" Arthur felt Francis' voice lulling him to sleep, his rich accent and gentle tone creating a relaxing environment when paired with the crackle of the fire. Just as he was about to fall asleep, he noticed Alfred laying on the floor wrapped up in his blanket. He sat up for a moment, reaching for Alfred. The little boy was startled for a moment but relaxed when he realized it was Arthur who had picked him up. Arthur laid back down, hugging Alfred against his chest. Alfred smiled and snuggled into Arthur's sweater, "I love you, Daddy…" Arthur smiled at the little boy, his eyes glimmering with true joy, "I love you too, Alfred." Francis had stopped reading to enjoy the tender moment, looking down at the sleeping little boy in his lap and stroking his golden hair. "And I love you, Mattie." Francis took a deep breath and continued reading, giving another loving look to Arthur and Alfred.
Arthur and Alfred soon found themselves following Matthew's example, the burning fire becoming Francis' only audience. He chuckled as he closed the book, expecting his boys to have fallen asleep and glad that Arthur had. He looked down to the sleeping child in his arms, pondering what to do for the moment. He placed the book on a nearby end table, careful not to jostle Mattie. He laid his head back and yawned, thinking that it would perhaps not be a bad idea to follow Arthur's suggestion. Francis closed his eyes and took a deep breath, slowly allowing sleep to overcome himself. "A short nap never hurt anybody, I can be up again in no time to take care of Arthur and the boys…"
"Just be patient, Alfred. It'll be done soon." Francis awoke to Arthur's voice and a delicious aroma, both coming from the kitchen. He sat up and immediately leaned back as Mattie's bear and Alfred's blanket fell from his lap to the floor. He smiled, realizing the boys must have put them there after they awoke. He stood and placed his hands on his lower back, stretching and turning to relieve his sore muscles. Once he had stretched his back as much as he could, he sauntered to the kitchen to find Arthur cooking something that smelled delicious for once. The pictures the boys had drawn for Arthur were tacked to the wall next to bureau, Arthur's usual spot to sit when he complained to Francis for never letting him cook. Alfred and Matthew sat at the table waiting for it to be done, Alfred more impatient than his brother. Francis chuckled and slipped his arms around Arthur's waist from behind, putting his chin on Arthur's shoulder. "What are you doing up?" Arthur asked, stirring a mixture of beef and vegetables over the fire. "What are you doing cooking?" Francis retorted, poking fun at Arthur for making himself sick the last time he attempted to cook something.
"Very funny." Arthur said, his voice completely flat. He shooed Francis off, moving to the counter to chop an onion. "What are you making?" Francis asked, crossing his arms and giving a flirtatious smile. "An old favorite of yours, actually. How does Beef Bourguignon sound?" Arthur tilted his head, reciprocating Francis' smile. "That sounds fantastic, I'm starving." Arthur chuckled, "Have a seat, it'll be done in a few minutes." Francis nodded and joined the boys at the table, hounded the moment he sat down. "Papa! Did you find my blankie?" Alfred jumped forward, his little hands splayed on the table. "Yes, I did. Thank you very much, Alfred." Mattie leaned forward, "Did you find Kumajira too?" Francis laughed, "Yes, but do you mean your bear, Kumajiro?" Matthew giggled and nodded, he was always forgetting the name of his teddy bear.
At the counter, Arthur smiled triumphantly as he poured the stew into four bowls. "Come here and have a taste of perfection, love." He spoke over his shoulder, knowing that Francis would have to sample his food before deciding if it was fit for the boys to eat. Francis rolled his eyes and tried a small bite of stew. His eyes widened in surprise, "Arthur! This is delicious!" Arthur beamed, holding an index card between his fingers, "All I did was follow your recipe for it, love. But, I'll take that as an apology after this morning." Francis scoffed, "Don't hold your breath, mon cher. You got lucky this time, I'm still in charge of cooking from now on." Arthur felt his temper flaring but he swallowed his pride for the time being to allow moment of peace. "We can talk about that later. Let's get the boys fed." After many spilled bowls of stew and excited chatter from the boys, Arthur and Francis managed to get both children happily fed.
"Oh my goodness, you boys are filthy." Francis exclaimed as Arthur took the dirty dishes away from the table. "That was really good, Daddy!" Alfred giggled as Francis tried to wipe broth from his face. Arthur smiled and turned to face the table, "Thank you very much, Alfred. I'm glad someone thinks so." He said pretentiously, looking to Francis with a smug look in his eye. Francis merely stuck his tongue out at boyfriend, picking up Alfred. "Okay boys, I think it's time we get you ready for bed. It's been a long day, we all need plenty of rest to face tomorrow with a smile." Francis spoke sweetly, taking Mattie into his other arm. "I'm not tired yet, Papa! Will you play with us for a little bit, please?" Mattie protested, clinging to Francis' arm. "I'm sorry, mon petit chou, but Papa is pooped! We will play in the morning, okay?" Mattie nodded, complacent with his Papa's answer. "I'll meet you upstairs, Arthur." Francis winked before leaving the kitchen, Arthur snorting momentarily.
In the boys' bedroom, Francis dressed each of them in a new gown for bed. Matthew's change was relatively easy as he usually didn't fight Francis, but Alfred liked to run about in his bloomers. Francis slipped Mattie's gown over his head and helped the little boy find where his arms were supposed to go while watching Alfred run in circles in the center of the room. "Alfred, settle down and please put your nightshirt on." Francis managed to scoop up the little rebel and get his nightshirt over his head before Alfred wiggled out of his grasp. He laughed and jumped on his bed, wearing the gown like a cape. Matthew toddled toward the door, waiting for the perfect moment to make his escape. When Francis had his back turned, Matthew darted to the stairs only to be met by Arthur on his way up. Mattie's smile quickly turned to a look of defeat, startled by the tall man in front of him. "And where do you think you were going, you little bugger?" Arthur managed a smile and a weak chuckle despite his exhaustion, scooping up Mattie in the process.
"Alfred, for heaven's sake!" Francis finally managed to capture the little boy as Arthur walked into the room. Francis sat at the edge of Alfred's bed with the little boy in his arms, gently kissing him on the cheek, "You're quite the escape artist, mon coeur! But now it is time for bed." Alfred crawled out of Francis' grasp and laid his head on his pillow, yawning as Francis covered him with the blanket. "Good night, mon coeur. I love you very much." Francis kissed his forehead, stroking the little one's hair. Arthur laid Matthew down in his own bed, tucking the blankets tightly around the little boy. "Good night, Mattie. I love you so much." Arthur kissed Mattie's cheek, tousling his hair. Francis and Arthur switched sides of the room, exchanging a sweet smile with each other. "And good night to you, Alfred. I love you very much." Arthur kissed the little boy's cheek, gently rubbing his shoulder. "Good night, mon petite chou. I love you very much." Mattie yawned, his eyes fluttering open for a moment, "I love…Papa and Daddy…" Alfred chimed in, "Love you guys…" Arthur and Francis smiled and joined hands, bidding the boys a final good night before they left the bedroom.
When they entered their own bedroom that neighbored the boys' room, Francis was quick to collapse on his side of the bed. Arthur laughed and removed his shirt in exchange for a lighter one, sitting on the bed to take off his socks. He ran a hand through Francis' long golden hair, "Are you going to sleep in your day clothes, love?" Francis rolled over, taking Arthur's hand in his own, "Non, I suppose not…" He yawned, kicking off his shoes and unbuttoning his shirt. Arthur laid back and adjusted his pillow to be more comfortable, soon finding himself with Francis' head on his chest. "It completely slipped my mind to ask you how you were feeling at dinner, I'm sorry. How are you feeling, mon cher?" Arthur continued to play with Francis' hair, "Better, I guess. My headache is gone but I still feel like I'm going to heave." Francis sat up and held Arthur's hand, kissing his wrist. "Is there anything I can do to help you feel better, Arthur?" He laughed, placing his head on Francis' shoulder. "Yes, there is. Stop being so sweet and get some rest, I've already threatened to vomit on your side of the bed. That threat remains valid for the rest of tonight."
Francis frowned, somehow guessing that Arthur wasn't joking. "You do that and you can forget about our date this weekend." He rolled over, his back to Arthur. Arthur bolted upright, squeezing Francis' shoulder. "Okay, I take it back, love! C'mon, we've been planning that for weeks!" Francis rolled over to face Arthur with a playful smile on his lips, "Well then, you'd better get to feeling better soon. Quickest way to do that is to get some beauty sleep, you look like you could use plenty of it." Arthur's usual scowl returned to his face, "Shut up, Francy-pants. I'm not the one who spends hours doting on my good looks, now am I?" Arthur hissed, careful to keep his voice down to avoid waking up the boys. "Can't dote on something you don't have, Arthur." Francis said, his eyes closed as he was beginning to fall asleep. "You—" Arthur began to raise his voice, only to be cut off my Francis pressing his lips to Arthur's. "Good night, mon cher. I love you." Francis' blue eyes gleamed with adoration for his beloved partner, "Good night, Frog. I love you too." Arthur blushed and his tone was exasperated, but he meant every word. Francis laid his head on Arthur's chest, quick to fall into a much needed slumber. Arthur held Francis close before falling asleep himself, silently thanking God for his wonderful family. He settled himself, kissing Francis' forehead.
"Dear Lord, thank you for allowing me to protect my partner and my family. A man like me doesn't deserve such a life, thank you for providing me with a wonderful family to serve and protect. Amen."