Chapter 12
After a restless night in her new room, Sam quickly got out of her bed and made it so that it would be nice and neat when she came back later. The headmaster had assigned her a room that had its own bathroom because she obviously couldn't share with the boys in the dorm. She took her shower and dressed in her school uniform. Lucky for her the girls were not required to wear skirts if they didn't want to. The school uniform consisted of black slacks and a red polo shirt. During the cooler temperatures they were allowed to wear a light weight jacket that had the school emblem on it.
Glancing at her schedule, she realized that her first class wasn't for another hour. Making sure that she had everything in her book bag that she'd need for the first part of the day. She looked around her room and made sure that it was organized the way that she wanted. Satisfied with everything, she grabbed her bag and went to Alan's room and knocked on his door.
"Come in," replied a muffled voice. Sam went in and looked around at the mess in his room.
"Alan, what happened in here?" asked Sam incredulously. Alan looked around a bit sheepishly.
"I couldn't find my favorite blanket that I always sleep with," he replied. Sam shook her head and began to clean up the clothes that were on the floor. Next she reorganized his desk and bookshelf. Finally, she double checked to make sure that he was wearing the right clothes for school.
"Let's go check on Gordon," said Sam. "But first let's make your bed." Together they made the bed and went to Gordon's room. Not finding it necessary to knock, Alan walked right in.
"ALAN, I'm not dressed!" exclaimed Gordon as he caught a glimpse of Sam in the door. Sam quickly reached out and pulled the door closed. Shaking her head, she walked over to John's room and knocked on the door. He opened it and invited her in.
"Are you ready?" asked Sam. Much like her room, John's room was organized with the bed made and everything in its correct place.
"As ready as I ever am in a new school," he replied. "What do you have for your first class? I have English with Ms. Edwards."
"That's my first class also. Since we have the same last name we'll be seated near each other if she seats in alphabetical order," she said. "Let's go check and make sure Gordon is ready. He wasn't dressed a few minutes ago." Knocking on Gordon's door, they waited for the all clear. Gordon opened the door and let them in. Alan was sitting at his desk looking at his class list.
"Morning Gordon, do you have everything ready?" asked John. "We need to get to the cafeteria so we can get breakfast."
"Yeah, I'm ready. Has anyone gone to wake up Virgil?" he asked. Realizing that they hadn't seen Scott yet they figured they better make sure that both of them were awake and ready to go to breakfast. Gordon and Alan went to Virgil's door while Sam and John went to Scott's door. Scott answered his door right away and was ready to go. There was no answer at Virgil's door so Scott went in to wake him up. A sudden shout caused the others in the hall to run in. Scott was holding his forehead as was Virgil.
"Geez, Scott what'd you scare me like that for," said Virgil from his bed. He cautiously rubbed his head where it had hit Scott's.
"Virg, it's time to get up and I didn't try to scare you," retorted Scott. He lowered his hand and glowered at Virgil. "I'm going to have Dad send you the loudest alarm clock on the market to wake your lazy butt up. Now get up and get dressed. Breakfast in ten minutes so hurry up and we'll wait on you." They left Virgil in his room to get dressed and stood out in the hallway. As the other boys in the dorm walked by they gave Sam a weird look. Finally, she had enough and went into her room to wait until Virgil was ready.
"Come on Sam," called John as Virgil joined them in the hall. Making sure that their doors were shut and locked as they passed them, the group headed to the cafeteria. Once inside the cafeteria, they got in line to get their food and found a table off by itself large enough for the six of them. Sam couldn't help but notice the looks her brothers got from the girls especially John, Scott, and Virgil. She also noticed the glares that the same girls gave her. She tried to smile at them in a friendly manner to no avail. Sitting down, they all began to eat in silence trying not to notice the looks coming from the other tables.
"This is stupid," said Sam in a quiet voice to her brothers. "We always talk at meal times at home and we're going to do it here too." After that the rest of them felt relaxed enough that they carried on their typical conversations. All to soon it was time for them to leave the safety of each other and head to their classes.
"We'll see you at lunch time," said Sam to Gordon and Alan as they walked to the building where their classes were. As the older siblings watched them walk off, they gave a small sigh.
"Guess we'd better get to our classes," said Scott. The others nodded and headed to the correct building to find their class. John and Sam walked together to their English class and sat next to each other. Ms. Edwards was sitting at her desk going over the day's lesson. When the bell rang she stood up and looked at the class expectantly.
"Good Morning, Ms. Edwards," said the class.
"Good Morning, students and welcome to my class," she said. "I see that there are some new faces here this semester. John Tracy and Samantha Tracy, please come to the front of the class." Sam and John got up and walked to the front of the class and looked at the floor.
"It is customary in our school that new students tell the class something about themselves. Now can you introduce yourselves and tell us what your favorite classes and hobbies or sports that you may have?" asked Ms. Edwards. "Your files say that you two are fraternal twins, is that correct?"
"Yes, ma'am," answered Sam.
"Samantha, why don't you start first," encouraged Ms. Edwards as she realized that her new students were shy.
"My name is Samantha Tracy but everyone calls me Sam. I don't have one favorite class but two and they are English and whatever foreign language I am studying at the time. At my old school I was on the cross-country team, the soccer team, and the gymnastics team. The hobby that I pursue is astronomy."
"Tracy, you're not by chance related to Jefferson Tracy the former astronaut, are you?" asked Ms. Edwards curiously.
"Yes, ma'am, he's our father," replied Sam somewhat quietly. She hated when people asked if she was related to the famous former astronaut. To her he was just her protective and loving dad.
"How many other Tracy children are here at the school?" asked Ms. Edwards.
"There are six of us total. Five brothers and myself," she replied.
"John, would you mind telling us about yourself?" Ms. Edwards asked. She was curious as to why he seemed so withdrawn and quiet. It didn't escape her attention that Sam gave his hand a quick squeeze of reassurance. Keeping his eyes on the floor he began.
"I'm John Tracy. My favorite subjects are math and science. At my old school I was on the soccer team and the gymnastics team. Like Sam, my hobby is astronomy," he said in a low voice. He had heard some laughter when he said that he had been on the gymnastics team. Sam was by his side glaring at those who had laughed. Obviously the ones that had laughed had no idea how much work went into training on a gymnastics team or how much strength and endurance was required just to get through an exercise.
"Thank you, John and Samantha, for giving us some insight into who you are," said Ms. Edwards. With their eyes downcast, they walked back to their seats when a boy bigger than John stuck his foot out in the aisle and tripped him. John didn't see the boy's foot until he tripped and fell to the floor with a loud thump. His forehead hit the floor and momentarily stunned him. Before she was aware of what she was doing, Sam grabbed the boy by his shirt.
"What did you do that for? He hasn't done anything to you but you decide that it would be fun to hurt someone because he isn't big and lazy like you," exclaimed an irate Sam.
"Miss Tracy that is enough, release your hold on Mr. Baldwin's shirt," demanded Ms. Edwards. Shaking with anger, Sam let go of his shirt and turned to help John to his feet.
"You'd think he'd be better on his feet if he was on the gymnastics team," whispered the boy identified as Mr. Baldwin. Full of righteous anger, Sam turned around and looked down at the boy.
"Say one more thing about my brother and I'll hurt you," said Sam in her deadly quiet voice.
"What sissy boy can't stick up for hims…" that was all he got out before Sam punched him in his jaw and knocked him to the floor. Before anyone could respond both of them were trying to land punches on the other. With a fierce struggle, Ms. Edwards was able to pull Sam off of the boy.
"I want all three of you to go to the headmaster's office," stormed a very angry Ms. Edwards. "The first day of school and you're already fighting. Now go." Quietly they all grabbed their book bags and left the room and headed to the main office to see the headmaster.
"Sam, you should have ignored it," said John as they walked across the lawn.
"He had no right to trip you nor could I ignore it," she responded angrily. They soon reached the office and reported to the secretary.
"Ms. Edwards sent us to see the headmaster," said Mr. Baldwin in what he thought was an angelic voice.
"Did you cause another fight with a new student, Daniel?" asked the secretary.
"No, ma'am. The new kid wasn't watching where he was walking," lied Daniel. A sudden growl came from Sam as she tensed up to hit him again. John grabbed her arm and held her against him.
"Ignore it Sam," he warned. Suddenly, Sam slumped in his arms and grabbed her head, groaning. She closed her eyes and tried to fight the pain that was beginning to course through her head. John wasn't ready to suddenly support her weight and together they fell to the floor. Sam just leaned back against him groaning in pain.
"J-J-John, it h-h-hurts. Make it s-s-stop," pleaded Sam in an anguished voice. Looking up at the secretary, he turned Sam's face into the side of his neck to shield her eyes from the light.
"She needs her pain medication, Ms. Robinson," begged John. He knew that her headaches only got worse from the onset. "The nurse has our dad's consent to administer it and she needs it now." At that time the headmaster came out to see what all the commotion was about.
"What's going on out here?" he demanded.
"Ms. Edwards sent us here because Samantha punched me and we ended up fighting," said Daniel in an attempt to sabotage Sam and John's version of the story. "Now they're pulling some stunt to get out of being punished."
"All three of you to my office now," the headmaster demanded. John was trying to help Sam to her feet and get her into the office. Daniel had already followed the headmaster in.
"John, I'm…going …to be…sick," whispered Sam as she tried to swallow back the feeling of puking. Quickly grabbing a trashcan and placing it in front of her, John helped her maintain her balance as she heaved everything she had eaten for breakfast into the trashcan.
"John and Samantha Tracy get in here now," called the headmaster.
"Headmaster, Samantha is vomiting right now. I think she needs to go to the sick room," answered Ms. Robinson.
"I want them in here right now," came the response. Leaning heavily on John, Sam walked into the headmaster's office and weakly sat down in a chair and closed her eyes in the bright room. John sat in a chair next to her.
"Miss Tracy, you will open your eyes and stop this pretending to get out of trouble," the headmaster demanded in a loud voice that caused Sam to wince in pain. Slowly, Sam opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Mr. Baldwin states that you punched him in an unprovoked attack. Is that true?" he asked.
"No, sir. He tripped John as we were walking back to our seats after Ms. Edwards had us introduce ourselves to the class and we told them that both of us had been on the gymnastics team at our old school," she said quietly in an attempt to ease the headache that was reaching her highest level of pain tolerance. "As a result, John hit his head on the floor. When I asked Mr. Baldwin why he would do something like that he called my brother a sissy boy. That is when I punched him and then we fell to the floor and began punching each other. I received just as many blows as he did. Please may I go get my medicine from the nurse?"
"Miss Tracy, I made special arrangements in assigning you a room next to your brothers and this is how you behave. I will be contacting your father about your behavior," he said. "As punishment the three of you will have a week's worth of detention for one and one-half hour each afternoon before dinner." Finally the pain became too much for Sam to handle and with a blood curdling scream, she grabbed her head and collapsed to the floor unconscious. John was quickly at her side trying to wake her up.
"Sam, wake up. Please let me know that you're alright," he pleaded. Getting no response he slid his arms underneath her legs and neck and picked her up. "Headmaster, may I please take my sister to the nurse's office now?" The headmaster quickly stood up and led them to the nurse's station. He had thought that Sam was acting in an effort to get out of trouble. He shuddered to think what her father would say when he found out. Mr. Tracy had paid an extra amount of money to the school to keep his children in the same dorm next to each other with a promise of more each year. The headmaster wasn't willing to see that money disappear. Yet, when John and Sam reported what had happened today, they just might be able to get their dad to pull them out of the school and go to another.
"Nurse, we need you to take care of Samantha Tracy," said the headmaster. After John had placed Sam on one of the beds he turned to look at the headmaster.
"We tried to warn you that she needed her pain medication. I'm sure our father told you that she suffered a fractured skull seven weeks ago and had to have emergency surgery to reduce the swelling in her head," said John in a voice that shook with anger and worry. "If anything happens to Sam because you didn't respond quick enough I will make sure our father knows exactly what happened. Turning his attention back to Sam, he watched as the nurse prepared to give her an injection of pain medication.
"John, how long does this medicine affect Samantha?" asked the nurse so she could document it.
"Depending on how bad the headache is she could be out for at least five to eight hours," responded John. "This headache was one of the bad ones that caused her to vomit while we were in the main office." The nurse quickly wrote some notes in Sam's chart and looked at John.
"You may go back to class, John," said the nurse.
"Ma'am, I would prefer to stay here with my twin," he responded.
"There really is no need for you to miss your classes. So take yourself to your class. I'll write you a note to get into class," the nurse stated firmly. Seeing no way to change her mind he took the note and headed back to the main office and grabbed his and Sam's book bags.
"Ms. Robinson, the nurse gave me a note to get into class but I really need to put Sam's book bag in my room until she can get it later. Would you please write me a note stating that?" asked John politely. Ms. Robinson quickly wrote him a note and sent him on his way. After putting Sam's books into his room, he went to his next class that just happened to be math. The rest of the morning quickly passed and soon it was time for lunch. Thinking about Sam, John made his way through the cafeteria line and sat down at the table where they ate breakfast and waited for his brothers to join him.
"Where's Sam?" asked Scott as he joined John. "How did you get that bump on your forehead?"
"In the nurse's office," responded John distractedly. "I tripped and fell this morning." Gordon, Alan, and Virgil all sat down when John was talking.
"What do you mean Sam's in the nurse's office?" they all asked.
"She got into a fight and then got a really bad headache just as we got to the headmaster's office," explained John. The boys all looked around at each other in amazement. They knew that for Sam to get into a fight one of them had to be threatened or hurt. Scott realized that someone had tripped John and Sam had defended him.
"Who'd she fight and why?" asked Scott.
"Some kid named Daniel in our English class. She punched him after he tripped me and I fell to the floor and then he started to call me sissy boy because I was on the gymnastics team," he explained.
"Which one is it?" Virgil asked as he looked around the cafeteria.
"Nuh-uh, little brother, I'm not pointing him out. Sam and I have already been assigned a week's worth of detention after our last class and before dinner," answered John. He knew that if pointed Daniel out his brothers would go after him. You just didn't mess with a Tracy unless you had a death wish. After they finished their lunch, they took their trays to the counter where the dishwashers took them. Suddenly, John was shoved from behind and hit his side against the ledge where they put the trays.
"Ouch," he cried out inadvertently. Looking back at him, his brothers saw his grimace of pain as he clutched his side.
"What happened?" asked Alan. John just shook his head and began to walk away with his brothers.
"Hey sissy boy! Where's your protector? I don't see her around," taunted Daniel with his cronies surrounding him. John tensed up as he heard the taunt. Turning around he looked at Daniel and shook his head.
"I refuse to sink to your level, Daniel," he replied quietly. He turned back around and began to walk with his brothers again when suddenly Daniel grabbed his shoulder and spun him around to face him. Without any warning, Daniel punched John as hard as he could in the stomach. John went down with no fight left in him. He could only lie there and gasp for breath. Alan and Gordon had no qualms about going after someone bigger than them when one of their siblings had been threatened or hurt. Landing some blows before Daniel's cronies stepped in, they managed to give Daniel two black eyes and a busted lip. As soon as the other bullies began to punch on Alan and Gordon, Scott and Virgil jumped into the fray. The four of them quickly subdued the bullies just as the headmaster walked up.
"Tracy children and Daniel, Michael, Chris, and Zach, I want you in my office now," he bellowed over the excited voices of the other students. Gordon grabbed his and John's book bags while Virgil and Scott helped John to his feet. They all followed the headmaster back to the office.
"Explain yourself," demanded the headmaster as he glowered at John. "This is the second time today that you've been in here for fighting."
"I had put my tray on the counter when Mr. Baldwin began to taunt me. I told him that I would not sink to his level and walked away. That was when he spun me around and punched me as hard as he could in the stomach knocking me on the ground," explained John.
"How did the rest of you get involved?" prompted the headmaster.
"We went after that boy when he hit John," continued Gordon and Alan. "Then his friends started to hit us and then Virgil and Scott came to our defense."
"Due to the fact that all of you have been in a fight on the first day of school, I have no alternative but to call your father," said the headmaster. "Daniel, you and your friends' parents will be getting a phone call this evening. The four of you will be expelled from this school because trouble just seems to follow you. Now go pack your stuff, you will be expected to be picked up in the morning." Daniel and his friends left the room while the Tracy brothers sat there and awaited their punishment.
"Boys, I know that Daniel and his friends provoked you but I cannot allow fighting on campus. As punishment you will all have a week's worth of detention as well as the phone conference with your father this evening. John, your original punishment stands and no additional added seeing as how you tried to walk away. Now go back to class." Silently they all stood and headed to their classes. By the time dinner came the school was buzzing with the news of not one but two fights that involved the Tracy children. After dinner the brothers headed for the nurse's office to check on Sam.
"May we visit with Sam, please?" asked John politely.
"She's not awake yet, John," said the nurse.
"We just want to make sure that she is okay," he said a little more forcefully. He had been kept away from his sister long enough today and wasn't going to back down now. Scott put a restraining hand on John's shoulder in an effort to calm him down.
"I'll let you visit with her for five minutes," said the nurse when she saw how worried the brothers were for their sister. She led them to Sam's bed and pulled the drape to allow them some privacy. John was by her side first and was holding her hand.
"Come on Sam. It's time to wake up and join us," said John in a whisper. "You've been asleep all day." Scott stood at the head of her bed and brushed his fingers through her hair. Virgil held her other hand and was rubbing it between his own hands. Gordon and Alan just rubbed her upper arms. They were content to be surrounded by their brothers while comforting their sister. A quiet groan made them all pause and stare at Sam. Thinking that she'd fallen asleep again, they resumed what they'd been doing to soothe her. Another groan and John looked down into his sister's eyes.
"About time you wake up," he teased her. He kept his voice low so that she wouldn't suffer anymore. The nurse walked in to let them know that their time was up.
"Sam's awake," said Alan. "Can she go back to the dorm?" The nurse checked Sam's vitals and asked how she felt.
"I'm hungry and a little tired," she answered truthfully.
"Do you think that you're able to go back to your room?" the nurse asked.
"Yes, ma'am," she replied. "I have five brothers to help me if I need it." The nurse agreed to release her after she ate a sandwich and a banana. When Sam was done eating she cautiously stood up and made sure that she was okay. Once she was satisfied that she wouldn't get sick or dizzy she began to walk out of the nurse's office with her brothers. They got to the dorm and took the elevator up to the third floor. Sam was guided to her room and told to go change into her pajamas and brush her teeth. Still feeling tired she didn't argue. Finished with her nightly routine, she came out of the bathroom. Her brothers had already turned down her bedclothes and were on hand to tuck her into bed. She gratefully climbed in and drifted off to sleep again. Each of her brothers gave her a kiss on the cheek and a slight hug.
"Goodnight Sam," they said as they left her room. Out in the hall, the boys said their goodnights.
"Virgil, set your alarm clock on the opposite side of the room," Gordon wisecracked as he went into his room. Scott waited in the hall until all of his brothers' doors were closed.
The rest of the week went smoothly and all six of the Tracy children finished their detention. After that first day no one messed with them. Rumors had been spread that they had beaten Daniel and his cronies so bad that their parents transferred them to another school. Jeff spoke to his children and admonished them for fighting. He made them promise not to do it again. Properly chastised they agreed.
The semester flew by and soon it was time for the kids to return to Tracy Island. They had two weeks to enjoy their friends and family before heading back to school. To ensure the most of the time allotted Jeff picked them up right after the end of the last day of school. He had flown to NYC the night before and was ready to fly back as soon as the kids were packed.
"Dad, can we stop in at the farm?" asked Sam as they boarded the plane.
"Sure, I think that I can arrange that with the pilot," he teased her.
"When we get to California, can we stop and do our Christmas shopping?" she asked next. Jeff groaned out loud.
"Honey, do we have to?" he asked. He hated shopping and he knew the crowds would be bad but he also knew that the kids would need a chance to do their shopping. "Alright, we can stop at the farm but can we do the shopping at a mall in Kansas?"
"That's fine, Dad," agreed Sam. Looking at John, she prodded his shoulder and lay her head against him. "One day I'll have all those lumps worked out." Happy and content that she was heading home for a few weeks she fell asleep.
"Sam, wake up, we're in Kansas," whispered Scott from behind her. Looking out the window she could see that it was dark outside.
"What time is it Scott?" she asked.
"It's about 10:00P.M. We're trying to let the Gordy and Alan sleep so be quiet," he warned. "We'll be landing in about five minutes."
Thirty minutes later, the plane was in the hangar and the kids were in the SUV ready to go. Jeff climbed into the driver's seat and smiled back at his kids. He had really missed them while they were gone even though they had all contacted him to keep him up-to-date on sports and in Virgil's case art and music. He had notified the caregiver of the farm that they would be coming in tonight and to please have their rooms ready. Pulling into the driveway, the oldest kids looked at each other as if to say that they were finally home. Jeff and Scott carried Alan and Gordon to their room and tucked them in. Virgil and Scott went into their room as John and Sam went into their own room. Not feeling tired; Sam went back to John's room and knocked on his door.
"Come in," he called. Peering into the dark room, she saw him at his window seat looking out at the stars. He was leaning against the wall and had his long legs stretched out before him to the opposite wall. She sat down and leaned against him and stretched out her own legs. Over the course of the semester they had all grown. John had bypassed Sam in height. Not by much just enough to rub it in. As she leaned back he wrapped his arms around her to help ward off the chill from the window.
"I figured that you'd be sitting here and looking out at the stars," she said quietly. "Have you talked to Mom yet?"
"Yeah, I've already talked to Mom. I did that as soon as I sat down." His voice cracked with emotion. He buried his face in her hair as he tried not to cry. "Sam, remember on the island when you told Gordy to let it out and grieve for Mom?" She nodded her head gently. "I wanted to wait until now so that I could let go. Sam, I miss her so much and then I feel guilty that she died and we survived. Sometimes, it hits me how close I came to losing you. It was bad enough losing Mom but if I had lost you I would have lost the will to live. Promise me that you'll never leave me." Turning enough to look in his eyes, Sam held his face in her hands as the tears streamed down his cheeks.
"John, I will never leave you but one day you'll find a woman to love and spend your life with just as I will find a man to love. I hope that we will always be close but our lives will change as we get older," she told him softly. John looked deep into her eyes and nodded.
"Things will change won't they?" he asked. "Do you think all of us will grow apart?"
"I know our bond, the bond between the six of us, is too strong to be broken," she responded honestly. She ran her fingers through his hair to help ease the anxiety on his handsome face. "No matter what happens later, remember that I will always love and be here for you." Standing up she turned towards him and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek and held him against her in a loving embrace.
"Goodnight Sam," he said. "And thanks." He watched her leave his room. Listening carefully, he heard her get into bed and shut off her light. Soon, he heard the sounds that he knew would come. He carefully and quietly walked out of his room and into hers. Without a word he climbed into her bed next to her and held her close as she cried.
"Shh. It's okay Sam we have a long time before we're grown up," he said quietly.
"I don't want to lose my best friend and brother ever," she cried into his shoulder.
"You won't Sam because I don't want to lose my best friend and sister ever, either," he reassured her. Softly she continued to cry until she fell asleep and not wanting to let go of his comfort John fell asleep holding her close to him. Before his family woke up, John walked back to his room and snuggled beneath his blankets and fell asleep.
"Wake up," shouted Scott from the hallway. Sam peered out of her room and Scott saw her. "It was your idea to go shopping so get dressed so we can go. Dad's taking us out for breakfast." They all got dressed in a hurry and shoved their dirty clothes in a duffel bag that Sam had in her closet. Quickly they remade their beds and ran downstairs where their dad was waiting to leave.
"Sorry Dad," said the kids as they zipped up their coats and put their hats and gloves on. Making sure they had their stuff they all headed to the SUV. Later as they pulled into the shopping center Jeff turned to give some last minute instructions.
"I'm giving you two hours to get your shopping done so that we can get home by mid afternoon," he told them. "I will take Gordon and Alan with me. Scott and Virgil, you two are to stay together. John and Sam, you two stay together. We meet back here at 11:00A.M. Oh, and you'll need this." Smiling at his children he handed them each five hundred dollars to buy gifts for each other and the rest of their family and friends.
"Thanks Dad," said six awe struck voices at once. Quickly, the groups scattered after they tucked their money into their front jeans pocket where no one could steal it. Two hours later they met back at the arranged meeting place. They all were bursting with secrets and holiday spirit. They quickly loaded the SUV and got settled so that they could head to the airport. After they loaded the plane and had got settled for their flight they were still all in the holiday spirit.
"Dad can you put this cd into the CD player?" asked Sam as her dad checked her seat belt.
"I'll play it but it can't be really loud, deal?" he answered as he took the cd. As he walked to the cockpit he put the cd in and started the Christmas music cd that she had bought while doing her shopping. As Jeff began to fly to their island home, the children were sitting in the passenger area singing Christmas carols and playing games together. Looking back from his seat in the cockpit, Jeff smiled at his children's cheerfulness.
"Thanks Lucy for leaving me six wonderful reminders of you."