Chapter 44: Piper

They crowd in the house. Finally, everyone's cheerful and back to themselves, which in turn, makes me content. I love everyone here dearly. The Coopers have been like family since Dax and Cam started dating. They all became overwhelmingly protective of Cam's crew: me, Sutton, Charlie, and Rachel. The Wright brothers were a bonus courtesy of Cam and Dax. Julie Wright is the receptionist at the bank Cam used to work for before her attack, and the youngest of the Wrights. Their parents and the Cooper's parents have been thick as thieves for nearly forty years, lived across the street from each other the same amount of time, and had children at coinciding intervals-four in each family. Julie is the only one of the group who's not here tonight and also the only girl.

Watching this brood in my home, I find humor in the run down, each brother having a partner from the other family, well except Dax. His partner passed away several years ago in a horrible car accident no one speaks about. Bu