Chapter 0
"Unca Mickey, it's too early," Ferdie mumbled as he gripped tight to the back of Morty's shirt. The small mouse looked up at the pink sky as he followed behind the two down the sidewalk. "Even the sun hasn't woken up."
Mickey repositioned the strap for the duffle bag he carried over his shoulder as he looked back at the brothers, Ferdie walking with his eyes closed and Morty glaring at the older mouse with his hands in his pockets.
"You know this is too early for him," Morty stated.
"It's either this or spending the weekend in my trailer bored out of your minds," Mickey pointed out. "I figured you'd rather spend the time with your cousins and Uncle Oswald."
"I just wanna know why you had to drop us off at five in the morning."
"Cause the director wants me there at six," Mickey said with a sigh. He led the twins up the walkway and stopped at the door to look down at the two. "You know the rules, be on your best behavior, don't cause your aunt and uncle problems," Mickey listed off what he had heard Amelia say a lot when he would pick up the boys almost weekly. He looked at Ferdie's sleeping form propped up on Morty's back and added, "Tell him when he's awake to hear it."
"Not like he needs to be told," Morty mumbled.
The front door opened, turning the mice to see Oswald standing in the door in only his lounge pants. He rubbed sleep out of his eye as he mumbled, "Morning."
"Sorry 'bout the time," Mickey tried, taking the duffle bag off his shoulder. "I've gotta get going. Call me if you need anything."
"Like adding two more kids to the pile will break me," Oswald said, grabbing the duffle bag. He looked down at the twins and asked, "You wanna sleep a little bit longer on the sofa?"
"Night Uncle Mickey," Ferdy mumbled, following his brother into the house.
Mickey watched the two disappear into the house before looking up at Oswald. "I wish I could've dropped them off last night," he said. "They're gonna hate me for a while for this."
"They'll forgive you in a few days," Oswald offered with a smile. "You go on and get going. We'll be fine."
"Thanks again," Mickey said, already turning around. He started back down the walkway to the sidewalk and said over his shoulder, "And thank Ortensia for me, will you?"
"Go break a leg," Oswald called out as he gave a smile and a wave, watching the mouse almost run into the mail box as he turned around to start running back home.