After a while, Zac wandered off.
Taylor and Isaac noticed and glanced at each other.
"Probably still moping over Lanie." Isaac commented.
"Yeah. Probably."
Zac wandered into another room where Babsie and Rita were looking after the other kids.
"Ahh, can you believe that in four days Myst is going to be a year old?" Babsie was saying.
Rita smiled, then noticed Zac.
"Hi Zac." She said.
"Hi." He mumbled.
"Something wrong?"
He shook his head. Rita shrugged and knelt down to Char, who was tugging on her skirt.
"Hi daddy!" Hope cried happily.
"Hey."
"When's Kel-Kel coming to visit next?"
"I'm not sure. She's still got some legal problems to sort out."
"Ok." Hope replied, and she went back to playing barbies with some of her cousins.
Zac noticed that Babsie was studying him closely.
"What?" he demanded.
She shook her head.
"Nothing. You're just looking a little miserable. Kinda like the time not so long ago - yesterday in fact - when a certain smart alec named Xavier decided it would be a good idea to tell Cyke there was no Santa Claus."
Cyke looked up at that point with wide eyes.
"No, don't worry Cyke. Xavier was just playing a mean joke on you."
That seemed to do the trick and he went back to playing with his trucks. Zac grinned.
"It's umm, it's nothing."
Babsie nodded.
"Oh, by the way, Psy is coming up tomorrow." A gleeful looked crossed her face. "She'll be here for Myst's birthday. And ahh, the birth of another addition to the Hanson household next month."
Zac shook his head in disgust.
"You and your kids." Was all he said.