Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
“Thank you, Cuddle Bug.”
The doors opened to reveal everyone was there. Sadie carefully held plates and walked around the large table designed to accommodate a crowd to set a plate in front of each chair. “Hi, Celeste. The food’s supposed to be ready in just a few minutes. The kitchen just sent the five-minute warning.”
“I’ll run up and get the cart,” Phoenix offered. He pushed the button and disappeared into the elevator.
Celeste walked slowly to the table, trying not to ruffle her skirt too much. “Can I help?” she asked Sadie.
“Would you like to put a napkin next to each plate?”
The Little girls made circles around the table to add knives, forks, and spoons. They were giggling by the time the last piece of silverware was in place. It was a fun game.
“Thank you, Littles. Phoenix will be back in a minute. Are you hungry?” Caesar asked after coming to admire the table.
Yeses burst from their lips, and they giggled at each other.
Almost everyone settled at the table and chatted. Magnus finally joined them, saying, “He’s in the elevator.”
When the doors opened, the delicious scent of freshly fried fish and chips filled the air. “I almost just stopped the elevator between the floors and had a feast,” Phoenix confessed.
“I have control of the elevator,” Magnus said, narrowing his eyes.
“Good thing I didn’t try that then,” Phoenix said, then laughed.
“Do you ever get tired of watching the world happen around you?” Celeste asked. When Magnus looked at her with a funny expression on his face, she added, “I’m in my lab all the time. Sometimes, it seems like I come out and the seasons have changed, or I’ve missed a holiday, and all the Christmas candy is on sale. You know—like life is passing me by.”
“That’s sad. You need to get away from your research more,” Sadie said before turning to Hawking with a meaningful look.
He nodded, acknowledging her message.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Celeste said quickly. “I would have never made all the progress I have if I wasn’t completely dedicated to my efforts. My brain always reminds me there are real-world problems that are more important than frivolous activities like binge-watching movies.” Celeste seized on their activity the previous evening when she struggled to think of something to use as an example.
“I like movies,” Sadie said, twirling a fry in the air and then giggling when Rocco captured her hand and took a bite. “Hey!”
“I enjoyed the movie last night. I can’t tell you the last one I saw,” Celeste confessed.
“It is possible to balance work and play in your life,” Hawking suggested.
“Maybe…?” she said, shrugging.
“You can choose the movie tonight if you’d like,” Caesar suggested.
“Oh, Daddy and I have a bunch of packages to unpack in my… In his room,” Celeste covered for herself, hoping her cheeks didn’t look as red as they felt.
“Celeste, all the rooms on the top floor are identical,” Rocco shared.
“Really?” she squeaked.
“I’ll show you my playroom if you’ll show me yours,” Sadie said. “I saw the black cat Hawking colored in the security office to put on your door. He did a really good job.”
“You did that yourself? I thought you found it somewhere.” Celeste turned to look at her Daddy in astonishment.
“Colored pencils are too appealing to ignore. Maybe we can have an art night?” Hawking suggested.
“I like to paint rocks,” Kestrel said.
“Really? What do you do with them?”
His lips curved at the corners. “I set them around in places for people to find. It’s a day brightener for most people.”
“That sounds like fun. Could you teach us?” Celeste asked.
“Of course. I’d love to have more hands creating fun,” Kestrel offered. “I was up in the helicopter yesterday, and I saw what looked like a family gathered around the edge of the fountain. I knew immediately someone had found the parrot rock I set down there.”
“Do you try to hide them?” Sadie asked.
“No. I just put them in plain sight. It’s amazing how many people walk right over something without seeing it, but kids find them instantly.”
“I’m going to start looking,” Phoenix said.
Celeste felt her heart sink. She was stuck inside. She’d never get the chance to look for a painted rock.
Her Daddy wrapped his arm around her. “This won’t last forever, Cuddle Bug. You’ll get to go outside again.”
“Promise?”
“Promise. Now, have you finished eating?”
“Yes. Can we go open boxes?” she asked eagerly, shaking off her sadness.
“If you all will excuse us, we’ll head upstairs to see if Celeste likes everything I ordered.”
They stood and walked hand in hand to the elevator. Just as the doors opened, Celeste remembered and tugged her hand away to run to her research area and grab her water bottle. A formula caught her eye, and she almost got sucked back into working.
“Little girl,” her Daddy called from the elevator.