Abby and Liza screamed as Jake tried to enter their fort in the living room. The three of them had been playing inside since the rain started and pushed their fun into the house. Collin sat at the island while he did his math homework.

"I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong," he said to me quietly. "I can't figure this out."

I set down the knife I was chopping vegetables with and stepped over to him. "Do you not understand how to do any of it or just a certain problem?"

"Any of it," he admitted.

I had to suppress my sigh. He had been so reserved this past week, and Jake said he hadn't spoken to anyone in the pack either. "Well let me see if I can remember how to do this…"

After a few minutes of looking over the notes the teacher gave him, I flipped the paper over. "Forget everything your teacher taught you, okay?"

He nodded a little hesitantly.

I tried explaining it the way I had learned it when I was in middle school. I worked through a few problems with him before he smiled slightly.

"I think I get it now."

I handed him back his pencil. "Just try all of the problems, and after dinner I'll check it for you."

"Thanks, Kaleigh."

Aidan started mumbling words through the baby monitor that I had set on the counter. "Ma! Ma!"

I grinned and practically ran up the stairs to retrieve him from his room. He blinked against the light as I opened the blinds in his room. "Hi, buddy. Did you have a good nap?"

He reached for me eagerly. I changed his diaper, and then carried him downstairs. He giggled as I bounced him up and down while I checked on the soup simmering on the stove.

"Do you guys want a snack? Dinner's going to be another hour or so."

Within seconds the three of them came barreling into the kitchen. Abby and Liza were attached to Jake's legs.

I laughed, shaking my head. "I'll take that as a yes…"

Aidan wiggled around in my arms, patting my face with both of his hands. "Mama!"

"I'm right here, silly boy." I kissed his forehead and hiked him up so he wouldn't slide down. I handed him over to Jacob. "Are you girls okay with apples and peanut butter?"

They nodded and pulled themselves onto chairs at the table.

I made quick work of cutting up a few apples and scooping some peanut butter onto the plate.

Aidan giggled as I took him back from Jake. He placed a sloppy kiss on my cheek. "Ma!"

**Jacob's Point of View**

"You doing okay, Collin?"

He glanced up at me, and then nodded as he put his head back down. "Yes."

I rummaged around a cabinet before finding a can of soda pushed to the very back. I sat it in front of him. "Are you're teachers giving you a hard time?"

He shook his head, keeping his eyes on his paper.

I found a bag of chips and put it next to the soda. "Kaleigh only buys the healthy kind, but honestly they're better than some of those other ones."

"Thanks, Jacob."

"Daddy, can I have some juice?" Abby asked.

I grabbed two glasses from the cabinet. "What about some water, monkey?"

She nodded, chomping on an apple slice. "Thank you!"

Once they were settled, I wandered into the living room. Kaleigh was lying on the couch, and Aidan was sitting on her stomach. He was holding two blocks and hitting them together.

"Da-da-da-da!" he exclaimed.

Kaleigh glanced up, grinning at me. "Hey, you."

I gave her a kiss. "What are you two up to?"

"He's just being a cuddler."

I chuckled when Aidan fell forward, wrapping his arms around her neck and hiding his face. "The twins still sleeping?"

"Yeah, but they should be waking up soon."

I nodded, rubbing Aidan's back as he turned his face to look over at me. He smiled and settled back down against her chest, still watching me.