Chapter 12: Revelation

September 2011

"Kids, time for breakfast!" Hali called, flipping a pancake on the griddle in the kitchen.

There was a pounding of feet on the stairs and four tousle-haired kids appeared in the kitchen, followed by Atem, who was carrying Sammie. "Morning, Mommy." Ryan said sleepily.

Hali deposited the plate of pancakes onto the table. "You boys have your first day of school today, remember?"

"Do I have to go?" Kyle asked fearfully.

Atem brought a cup of coffee over to the table and sat beside Kyle. "Hey, buddy. What's wrong? You were all about going yesterday."

Kyle bit his lip. "What if I'm too stupid to go to kingaren." He whispered, looking down at socks.

Atem suspected where Kyle got this notion and looked at his oldest. "Ryan Samuel, did you tell your brother that he wasn't smart enough to go to school?" he asked in a dangerous voice.

"Maybe." Ryan didn't dare say no outright as his gaze shifted. "I was just trying to get back at him for taking my truck."

Atem sighed. "You don't say things like that to others. It's not nice. Don't ever call someone stupid again, understand?"

"Yes, Daddy." Ryan nodded.

A small hand touched Atem's arm, startling him as an image appeared in his head. Ryan outside the principal's office. "Woah…" he gasped, as the image disappeared.

"Atem?" Hali asked, concerned.

"I don't know where that image came from, but looks like someone's going to get in trouble." Atem looked over at his son.

"I haven't done anything yet!" Ryan protested.

"How did you see that?" Hali went over to the table, looking curiously at Atem's suddenly pale face.

"I-I don't know." Atem stammered, uncertainly.

"It was Sammie." Taylor informed him, taking a bite of her pancake.

"What?" Atem and Hali looked at her.

Taylor swallowed and looked up at her parents. "Sammie showed you. She's-what's it called? Psychy?"

"Psychic?" Atem exchanged looks with Hali, who shrugged. He looked back down at Sammie, whose blond hair was just a cloud on her head. "Were you trying to communicate with me, sweetie?"

Yes. Came the response in Atem's head, making him gasp. Sammie stared at him intently.

"What's wrong?" Hali asked concerned.

"She spoke to me in my mind." Atem blinked in surprise. "And I thought we had enough issues of our kids keeping things with the twin connections."

"Maybe that's why she hasn't been talking. She prefers to use her ability. Is that right, sweetie?" Hali asked, touching Sammie's head.

Mommy! Sammie cried in Hali's mind, making her gasp in shock. Sammie held up her hands to be picked up.

"She just spoke to me." Hali looked at Atem.

"Join the club." Atem muttered with a grin.

Atem pulled into the parking lot in the van. "Here we are, guys. Everybody out of the pool."

"We're not in a pool, Daddy!" Taylor laughed, sending the twins giggling.

"It's official. You've made your first corny dad joke." Hali smirked as she got out of the van.

"I've been trying to avoid it for 6 years and finally did it." Atem rolled his eyes as he got out of the van.

Hali helped the kids out of the van and led them inside. They arrived at the classroom, where the teacher was waiting. "Hi, guys. Who are my new students?" the teacher asked, looking from one kid to the next.

"The boys are yours this year. You don't get the older girls until next year." Hali explained. "This is Ryan and Kyle. Boys, this is your teacher."

"Hi." Ryan and Kyle smiled shyly up at her.

"There's plenty of toys to play with if you want to before class starts." The teacher offered.

Ryan peered around the teacher and his eyes got huge at the collection of blocks. "I can play with all those?" he asked in wonder. "That's more than I have!"

"Anything in the classroom that is a toy you are more than welcome to play with. But say good-bye to your mommy and daddy first." The teacher reminded them.

Ryan and Kyle quickly hugged their parents and ran off toward the blocks.

"I know it must be emotional to let your oldest go to school." The teacher smiled. "But they're in good hands."

"Thank you. I'll be picking the boys up after school." Hali gave the boys a wistful look before leading the kids after Atem. They ran into Yugi and Hailey coming in the school with Alisa and Matt. "Hey guys. Alisa, you excited for your first day?" Hali smiled down at the girl.

"Yeah! Mommy said they teach you lots of things!" Alisa gestured widely with her hands, grinning widely.

Atem laughed. "Well, you'll have to go and find out for yourself, Lisey."

"We'll see you later, okay?" Yugi asked. "Make sure you bring that sweetie pie over to see her Uncle Yugi."

"And bring the big boy over more often. I haven't seen him in a week."

Hailey laughed. "You were just over the other day."

"Really? He looks like it's been a week, he's getting so big." Atem chuckled, smiling down at his nephew. "You're going to be late for class if you don't get her there."

"See you later." Yugi and Hailey led Alisa down the hall as Atem and Hali left.

Yugi and Hailey arrived at the classroom. "Who might this be?" the teacher asked, smiling down at her.

"Alisa." Alisa smiled politely.

"She goes by Alisa, but if she really trusts you, she'll let you call her Lisey." Yugi explained.

"I'll keep that in mind. Say goodbye to your mommy and daddy and find something to play." The teacher told her.

Alisa hugged her parents and ran into the room to a playhouse set. "I'll pick her up after school." Hailey promised.

"See you then." The teacher smiled at the next family that arrived. "Hello, welcome."

Hailey and Yugi turned and found Luna and Joey with the twins. Luna was just starting to show with twins again. "Hey, sis." Hailey greeted, giving her a hug.

"Another set of twins?" The teacher sighed. "At least you two are fraternal."

Luke and Joanna said goodbye to their parents and ran inside. Luna and Joey left the school.

Hali arrived at the school to pick up the kids. "Hi, I'll let your boys know you're here." The teacher turned toward the interior of the classroom.

"Actually, the other two are busy so they asked me to pick them all up." Hali smiled.

"Sure, Ryan? Kyle? Alisa? Luke? Joanna?" the teacher called. "Your ride is here."

Kyle, Alisa, Luke, and Joanna ran over, backpacks on their back with choruses of "Hi, Mommy!" and "Hi, Hali!"

"Where's your brother?" Hali asked Kyle.

"At the blocks. He wants to stay forever." Kyle explained, giggling.

"You mind if I go talk to him?" Hali asked the teacher.

"Sure, I get this issue with one kid all the time. First day of school they don't want to leave all the toys because they think that they're not coming back. He'll get used to coming every day and he won't be as eager to stay." The teacher chuckled.

Hali went over to where Ryan was making a block tower. "Hey, little buddy. What are you doing?"

"Trying to make a tower bigger than Daddy." Ryan explained, stretching up to reach the top of the tower to place a block. He lost his balance and toppled into the blocks. "No! I worked all day on it!" Ryan complained, frustrated.

"Hey, Ryan? There's always tomorrow to build that tower." Hali pointed out.

Ryan looked over at her, his eyes huge. "I can come back tomorrow?" he asked, surprised.

"Yeah, you're going to be coming here almost every day. And I'm sure nothing will happen to your building project when you are gone." She brushed his hair out of his eyes. "You willing to come home and give it a shot tomorrow?"

"Okay, Mommy." Ryan nodded. Hali got up and Ryan followed her after the kids.