The house had never been this large before, not even on the nights Franz worked late or the twins spent a weekend at Vincent and Amanda's. Arianne sat up in bed with her laptop balanced on her knees, half-reading an email she'd already read twice, when the door creaked open and two small shapes appeared in the gap.
"Mommy Aria?"
Lily stood in the doorway in her pajamas, Petal tucked under one arm, Leo just behind her holding his own whale by one arm. Both of them were already dressed for bed, neither one making a move toward their own rooms without an answer first.
"It's late," Arianne said, setting the laptop aside. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong." Lily shifted her weight from foot to foot. "We just wanted to know if we could sleep with you and Lexx tonight. In Uncle Franz's room. Since he's not here to use it."
