Will chuckled. “We won’t get into that yet. I know it’s Christmas Eve.” He held his hands up with a fond smile at Megan.
“What interests do you have, Micah?” Miranda asked him with a bright smile.
He looked over at me with a questioning look. I shrugged. I’d already told him he didn’t have to interact with her if he didn’t want to.
“He lifts weights with me, and he loves comic books,” Remy finally said as he tied the hairband on the bottom of Ella’s long braid.
“I like drawing, cooking’s okay, dance is enjoyable, and I like learning to play the piano,” Ella piped up from Remy’s lap.
Everyone laughed at her exuberance. I attempted to. I really wished we could quickly get this over with. I wanted to finally relax for the night.
“Piano? Did you know your dad was a prodigy?” Hazel stated softly. “Most parents had to force their children to practice. I had to beg him to go outside. If I allowed him, he would go to school and play all day. First it was the piano, then the guitar, cello. He started to teach himself the saxophone, last I remembered.” She grimaced. The memory was probably a painful one.
Ella leaned forward with interest. “What’s a prodigy?”
“Someone that’s young and has exceptional abilities.” Hazel smiled.
“Like Blake?” Ella asked pointed towards me. “She’s young, and she knows how to play the piano, guitar, and violin.”
Everyone laughed at her guilelessness. “Did Andy teach you to play?” Miranda asked.
I wanted to sigh in frustration. I really didn’t want to be involved in the small talk. I was just trying to give the children the opportunity to get to know her if they wanted to.
“He did,” I finally said succinctly. “Jace and Pops encouraged me to learn the violin, though.”
“He tried to teach me, too,” Miranda said with a smile. “I could sing, but I couldn’t play to save my life.”
“Blake can sing too!” Alex exclaimed enthusiastically.
“Really?” Miranda's eyes brightened like she was excited to find out we had something in common. “Maybe-”
“What about you Alex?” Greg interjected as he squeezed Miranda’s leg fondly. I knew he was just trying to be a mediator and was trying to prevent Miranda from being too overbearing in her quest to get to know us. “What do you like doing?”
“I like video games, and football’s cool,” Alex stated with a shrug.
I looked over and was surprised to see not only was Harry out from under the table, but he was now curled up in Alex’s lap.
I could hear everyone else’s surprise reflect my own. Alex was slowly stroking the boys head.
He looked up at me. “Can you please find Otto,” he whispered as tears filled his eyes. “He’s not okay. I keep trying to talk to him, but he’s afraid. He won’t listen. He’s afraid to sleep at night, he’s afraid to sleep at all. That’s when he sees the bad people.”
Greg knelt down next to him as he looked over at Will, then Hazel. “He’s so young. I can’t tell. Sometimes I think he’s a dream walker but other times it’s so hard to tell.”
Will frowned. “We already know Alex isn’t quite the same telepath that we’re used to. It’s a possibility that Harry may have similar markings of a dream walker but a different kind we’re not aware of.”
Greg went to take Harry from Alex, but Harry immediately began screaming. Alex awkwardly patted Harry’s back. “He wants to sleep,” he explained calmly as he continued to pat his back. “I’m helping him,” Alex said grimly.
Kade sat down next to him and threw an arm around Alex’s shoulder. Micah took the seat on the other side of him and sat as close as possible.
“Alex,” Will said with a warning. “Remember what I taught you. If you get tired, pull out.”
“Yes, Pops,” Alex said wearily as he closed his eyes for a moment.
“Is it time to open up gifts yet?” Ella asked expectantly.
“Impatience,” Hazel said with a mock look of sternness before she grinned widely. “Now that’s all me. Let’s eat while the kids open their gifts.”
“Can I open mine after he’s asleep?” Alex asked with a smile.