“Daddy, daddy, Santa came!”
Knight struggled from sleep at the excited cry. Then a child jumped onto the bed, waking him up fully. Another child jumped onto Mal’s side, but Mal was already awake and caught the little one. Someone was tugging on Knight’s arm, trying to get him out of bed. “Come on, Daddy! Come see what Santa brought you!”
Knight rolled out of bed and onto the floor, a child tumbling after him, laughing. It was Roland. The one in Mal’s arms was Caroline, who had gone full human, and Persephone was the one tugging on Knight’s arm. “Goddamn, I’m up now.”
Seph kept tugging Knight’s arm. Knight untangled himself from Roland and the blanket and got up. Mal was already up, with Caroline pulling on his hand. Mal slipped on a robe while Knight got to his feet.
“Hurry!” yelled Roland from the doorway of the bedroom. Roland led the way down the stairs to the Christmas tree in the living room.
Underneath it was a pile of presents. The kids fell upon the gifts like lions on a gazelle. Mal said quietly to Knight, “Did we buy more than we did last year?”
Knight laughed – it was the traditional question Mal would ask every year. “Nah, we jus’ spent more.”
Mal and Knight sat down at the couch and watched them unwrap the gifts. Barbies went to Persephone, along with dresses, shoes, and a pink Corvette. Roland got Transformers and plastic ninja implements, because he decided after doing karate that he was going to be the world’s first cat-ninja. Caroline had Barbies and Transformers, as she played with both of her siblings equally. However, the toys would have to stay at the house, because the Mansion did not have the same kind of toys. They kept her in the traditional Ancient Egyptian clothing, playing Ancient Egyptian games, and learning Ancient Egyptian customs. Although the siblings went to the same school and wore the same uniform, and were picked up by Knight or Baba, after that, Caroline went to the mansion and became queen of her realm there.
If she was a terror with the Egyptians, no one told Knight, because both he and Mal had decided they were going to nip that kind of thing right in the bud. She wasn’t an unholy terror to Mal or Knight, or Scott or Mike. All four of them would not take any bullshit from anyone, even if she was going to the be an avatar of the goddess.
Then the kids found other gifts to other people. Some were to Knight from Mal, others were to Mal from Knight. “Should we call Daddy Scott and Unkie?” asked Seph.
Mal looked up at the clock. “It’s too early. They’ll be over, I’m sure. And Santa brought them presents for you too, I’ll bet.”
Roland and Knight, who also took karate, roughoused with each other and the plastic ninja swords. They both wore glasses at Mal’s insistence. The doorbell rang, and Baba arrived with food and more gifts. Hers were more practical. The girls got their traditional Russian dolls that she always brought every year, and Roland got a book written in Russian. He was trying to learn the language from both Baba and Malcolm.
Just before lunch, Scott and Mike came. They brought no gifts, but did bring a hearty appetite. The whole group of them sat down to dinner, and Mal led them in grace.
After lunch, Mike offhandedly tossed a ring onto the floor, said a few words, and gifts appeared in the middle of the ring. More toys were given, but it was mostly clothes for the kids. Roland got fancy items that his father liked; Seph got velvets, lace, and satin dresses as well as stylish jeans and hand-made shirts. Also, obviously from Mike, she got quills, parchment, and her own grimoire. Caroline didn’t get as many clothes, but she didn’t count the items; her clothes were made of the finest linen and satin. For Kitty, Knight got a sidecar made out of Impervium that held three; Mal got some hand-made shirts, pants and vests.
Mike went into the other room and sat with the kids while the rest of the adults stayed in the kitchen. It got quiet in the living room. Very quiet. Knight picked up on it first. He went into the living room to see the three kids gathered around Mike. All three had their backs to him, and Mike was very serious. Then Mike looked up, and the kids turned around to stare at Knight.
“You never told them,” said Mike.
“Never told ’em what?”
“Daddy Mal isn’t my daddy,” blurted Seph, and she started to bawl.
Knight glared at Mike even as he went to Seph.
“I thought they knew, Knight.”
Roland got up, his hands in fists at his sides. “Daddy Scott’s not my daddy?”
Knight was holding Seph in his arms, even while people gathered at the edge of the living room. Scott said, “Mike…”
Mal said, “Does it matter? We all love you.”
Caroline sniffled. Seph pulled away from Knight. “Who’s Caroline’s daddy?”
“Mal is,” said Mike. “I think.”
All the adults glared at Mike, who shrunk from their gaze.
“It don’t matter,” said Knight. “What matters is we’re a family.”
“Daddy Mal is Roland’s daddy,” said Seph, “And Daddy Scott is my daddy, and Daddy Mal is Caroline’s daddy. Whose daddy are you, Daddy Knight?”
“All of yours,” said Knight, and he put out his arms, scooping all three of the children to him. “I carried you around with me, an’ I gave birth t’ you, all of you. I love you, an’ both of your daddies.” Though he looked ready to kill Mike.
“Forget I said anything,” said Mike.
“No,” said Roland, “Not if it’s true.”
“You know Uncle Mikey,” said Caroline finally. “He doesn’t lie to us.”
“I made a promise,” said Mike and he smiled at Seph. Seph looked away. “Sometimes the truth hurts,” said Mike quietly, getting up. He started to walk out but Mal stopped him, a hand on his shoulder. “We were going to tell them,” he said, his voice a near growl, “When they were old enough to understand.”
“They’re six, Mal. What were you going to do, wait until they got to sex-ed?”
Mal shoved at Mike. Scott stepped in the middle, holding onto Mike’s hands so he wouldn’t make any magical motions. “Mike? Today was not the day.”
“Seph asked how come I’m not a daddy. What was I going to say?”
“‘Ask your fathers’ might have been a good answer,” said Mal, storming away.
Meanwhile Knight came up behind Mike and put a heavy hand on Mike’s shoulder. He said in his ear, “I should fuckin’ kick your ass.”
Mike turned his head to face Knight. “Do it.”
“Knight?” said Scott, still holding Mike’s hands. “No.”
Knight exhaled slowly. “If you scarred ’em for life, I will kick your ass from here back to the fuckin’ hell you came from.”
“They’re kids. They’ll bounce back.”
Years later, they did.