CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Sydney woke feeling more at peace and happier than she had in years. After losing her parents, she tried to bond more closely with her brother, but he seemed consumed by his grief, and the way he dealt with it was to be more consumed by his service.

Meeting Conor was unexpected and took her completely by surprise. But to have all of his family and friends as well seemed too good to be true for her.

She showered, reluctantly washing away their lovemaking. When she was dressed, her hair pulled up high in a ponytail, she stepped outside to find three men sitting on her front porch.

"Oh. Hello," she smiled.

"Good morning," said Ben, looking at Adam and Liffey. "I'm Ben Robicheaux, and this is my brother, Adam. Luke is our older brother. And that's Sean Liffey."

"Hi. Am I in trouble?" she asked.

"Not at all," smirked Adam. "We tend to watch out for people in your situation. Especially those that are important to our teammates."

"Oh," she smirked. "So, you're my babysitters?"

"Not at all," said Ben, shaking his head. "We realize that you're a CIA operative and highly trained. We'd like to join you for breakfast and then have you join us for our morning training."

"Seriously?" she asked with a doubtful expression.

"Seriously," smiled Liffey. "We won't take it easy on you, but you'll be able to keep up your skills with us. Shooting, hand-to-hand, running, all of it."

"Wow, yes! I'm all in," she laughed. "But first, food. I'm starving."

"Let's go," laughed Adam.

They walked together to the cafeteria, casually chatting as they did. Ben pointed out the original cottages and the metamorphosis of their design over time, although that was imperceptible. He also pointed to the path that could take her to the animal sanctuary if she wanted to meet the animals up close and personal.

The cafeteria was bustling with activity, the scents of the morning fare filling the air.

"Everything always smells good here," she remarked. "I don't think I've smelled one thing that I don't like."

"It's how Grandma likes it," said Ben.

"Grandma? Oh, Mama Irene is your grandmother," she smiled.

"That's right. Luke, Adam, Carl, Violet, Lucy, and me were all adopted by Gaspar and Alexandra, Mom and Dad."

"I would never have known that," she grinned. "You all look so much alike. You boys especially look just like your father and all of his brothers."

"Yeah," laughed Adam. "It's kind of strange how that happened. We're not really sure how. We just know that, for whatever reason, we started to take on the characteristics of the Robicheaux clan."

"Were you all in foster care? Sorry, is that too personal?"

"You'll learn that nothing is personal here, Sydney. We're family, and we don't hide anything from anyone. Let's get our food, and we'll tell you a story."

Sydney couldn't make up her mind what to eat, so she got a little of everything. Breakfast was always her preferred meal, even before running. She needed the energy. Especially after last night.

"As kids, our parents didn't pay much attention to us," started Ben. "They were drug addicts and couldn't hold down a job."

"I'm so sorry," she said quietly.

"We're not. Our lives are infinitely better. The problem was they bought drugs from a few Russians who wanted payment. Luke was doing everything he could to keep us safe. We stole food, tried to wash in the bathroom at school so the teachers wouldn't know, but it was useless.

"One day, the Russians broke down the door and said we were their payment. We were lucky they kept us together. We were taken to an auction. An auction for abducted children where we were to be sold for trafficking or other things."

"I can't imagine what you went through," said Sydney, shaking her head.

"We were terrified. Then this big, huge, beefy, scary man is sitting in front of us. Uncle Bull. Uncle Gabriel and Uncle John, Gibbie, was with him," smiled Adam.

"How?" smiled Sydney.

"They were working a case and knew what was happening. There were several sites holding the auction at the same time on the same night. The team split up, and each took a city. We got lucky and got Bull. We were terrified, as you can imagine. He was larger than life. Huge. But he promised he wouldn't hurt us, and for some reason, we all believed him."

"That's remarkable," she mused.

"No, it's the Belle Fleur way," said Ben. "Anyway, we got back here and Gaspar was speaking to Luke, asking about our parents. We had no one. They were dead, our grandparents gone. No aunts or uncles. If they put us in the system, we were going to be split up. Mom, Alexandra, she'd been sexually assaulted and couldn't have children."

"Good lord."

"Yep. Anyway, Luke is talking to Dad, and he says that we can stay. All of us," smiled Ben.

"Sydney, you have no idea what that felt like. To have someone who wanted all six children, keeping us together, and giving us a life that we could have never expected. I have a video on my phone of when we went before the judge." He pressed play and let her watch the scene play out.

"Children," said the judge, "will you all please stand and come right here in front of my desk?" The children all stood, and Luke led them, all holding hands to stand before the judge. He stepped off his dais and sat in a chair in front of the children.

"How are you, children?" he asked, smiling.

"Fine, sir," said Luke. The others all nodded and smiled.

"Do you all understand why you're here?" he asked.

"To make them our mommy and daddy," said Lucy, pointing at Gaspar and Alex. He grasped her hand and smiled. "And to make them my Uncle Bull and Uncle John for real!"

The judge laughed and smiled at the huge group of men and women.

"And do you children like living with the Robicheauxs?"

"We do!" said Ben excitedly. "Gra… Mr. Matthew takes us fishing, and Unc… Mr. Gabriel took me to the movies!"

"You don't say," said the judge, smiling at the children. "Well now, that's pretty special. Okay, children, now this question is very important, and I need for each of you to answer, okay?"

They all nodded.

"Now, what I want to know is if you children want to be with the Robicheauxs forever? Let me explain. That means you have to obey them, do your chores, go to school, be good boys and girls. And in return, they will become your parents. Forever. Do you understand?" Six blonde heads nodded.

"Alright now, down the row. We'll start with this little princess."

"I'm Lucy, but I'm not the youngest, just the littlest."

"Lucy. Such a beautiful name. What do you think, Lucy?"

"Of course, that's a silly question! And Uncle John will be my real uncle now, right? And Uncle Bull will sing to me whenever I ask?" The judge couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, I'm guessing that they would be your uncles, yes."

"Okay, then my answer is yes."

"Very good. Now, how about you, young man?"

"I'm Ben, and I say yes too." He looked behind him and smiled at Gaspar and Alex.

"Terrific. And you?"

"I'm Carl, and I say yes too, even though I have to eat broccoli." The judge gave a very serious expression and looked at the boy and then back at Gaspar and Alex.

"I'll see what I can do about that," he said with a wink. "And you, my handsome young man?"

"I'm Adam. I say yes if I can keep Uncle Gabe and Raphy as just mine."

"Well," said the judge, clearing his throat, fearing he would burst into laughter. "I think the rules are that you have to share them." He leaned closer to the boy and whispered loud enough for everyone to hear. "But you can have favorites."

Adam's eyes went wide, and he smiled, pumping his little fist in the air.

"And what about you, beautiful?"

Violet stared at the man, her eyes filling with tears.

"She doesn't talk, sir. Please don't make us go away. She can't help it." The judge's heart nearly broke in half from the little boy's plea.

"I see. That is a dilemma." He looked at the little girl, so tiny for ten years old. Her long blond curls were held back with a beautiful pink ribbon. She reminded him of his own granddaughter. "Will you try for me, Violet? I just need a ‘yes,' and then you'll be done."

She looked at the kindly old man, his face weathered and wrinkled. But his eyes were so sweet, she knew he wouldn't hurt her. Violet leaned forward and, in a voice barely audible, "Y-yes." Gaspar and Alex gasped, and the entire room smiled.

"Thank you, Violet. That was very brave of you." He turned his attention to Luke, clearly the oldest and clearly the leader of this group.

"Now, you, my fine young man. I hear that you have been quite the surrogate parent for your siblings."

"Surro-what?" he said, wrinkling his nose.

"Surrogate. That means you stood in for your parents because they weren't there."

"Oh, yes, sir, that's true. I-I have to tell you something."

"Okay," he said, mirroring the boy's serious tone.

"I stole food, judge, sir. For my brothers and sisters. My parents were gone. I didn't have a choice. But I saved my allowance this last month that Gaspar and Alex gave me." He foraged in his pockets and dug out nine dollars and forty-two cents. "It's not quite enough, but I'll work for the rest, I promise. Just don't take me from them. They need me." His lip trembled, and his blue eyes filled with tears. "I-I need them."

The judge cleared his throat and looked over the shoulders of the children to see the entire room in tears.

"Well, you know that I don't agree with stealing, Luke. But there are rare times when it's necessary. I think you had one of those rare times, and the fact that you want to pay the store back is very responsible of you. I'm going to make sure they get their money, okay?" The boy nodded and let out a huge breath. "Now, I need your answer too. And because you're the oldest, I need for you to tell me why, okay?" Luke nodded again.

"Well, sir, it's only been a few weeks, but we've never been cleaner, had more food, or been happier… ever, sir. We eat vegetables and fruit, not just sandwiches, and we get to take really long baths. My sisters, they don't cry at night anymore, and Ben and Carl are doing really good in school. Mr. Baptiste, he's been teaching Adam to fish, and he doesn't even mind touching the worms." He looked at the judge, nodding his head up and down with each statement. "I guess what I'm saying, Mister Judge, sir, is that we never had any of this. They care about us; you can tell because they never yell or hit us."

The judge nearly burst into tears. Forty years on the bench, and this little man was about to make him crumble.

"They take care of us. And-and I don't have to steal anymore food, sir. So, my answer is yes. I want to be a Robicheaux forever."

The judge nodded his head and pulled out his handkerchief, dabbing his old eyes.

"Don't cry, Mister Judge," said Lucy. "It's a happy day. Uncle John said so. Mister Bull can sing for you if you want."

The room erupted in laughter, and Bull blushed at the little girl's statement.

"I don't think that's necessary, honey," he said, pulling her to him. "I've never met six children who were more grounded, more needing of a family in all my life. I know you understand, Luke, but I hope that you all know one day just how fortunate you all are to have what is being offered to you."

He stood and moved around the dais, sitting at his desk.

"I see no reason why these children should not be permanently placed, adopted, and a legal name change happen immediately. Request granted. Congratulations, Gaspar and Alexandra – you have six babies."

"Oh, my God," whispered Sydney, wiping the tears from her eyes. "You guys are killing me! You were all so little but so desperately needing them, and I think they needed you as well. What a beautiful, beautiful film. Don't ever lose that." The three men laughed.

"We didn't mean to make you cry, Sydney. We watch that film probably two to three times a month. Just to remember how lucky we all are. I wanted you to understand how incredibly special these people are. I know they're my family, and I'm biased, but they're so special."

"What about you?" she asked, looking at Liffey.

"Mine is a different story. I was on Eric's Ranger team. I helped him to save some children and then made sure that everyone knew he was innocent of false charges that were being brought against him. On one of our missions, I met my wife, Shay. She'd lost her son to cancer because of chemical waste. We were fortunate to have Brooke."

"Are all the stories like this?" she asked.

"Not all," smiled Adam. "Carl and Georgie were always in love. They made a huge mistake one night, but it all worked out. Luke and Ajei were in love since they were teenagers. Lucy fell in love with Sniff long before she should have. He's a good bit older than she is, but it didn't matter. And Violet? Well, she's different. She met Striker, uh, accidentally. For one night."

"Oh."

"He traveled home with her to help save a dog, then figured out who she was. He wasn't about to let her get away, nor was he going to disrespect our father by just sleeping with his daughter and leaving. He proposed to her immediately. They're madly in love."

Sydney looked around the cafeteria, seeing the couples openly showing love and affection. Irene and Matthew were snuggled in the corner, watching everyone, taking in the joy.

"It's truly remarkable," she said, shaking her head. "I've been around groups of people my whole life who fight for dominance at the table. Men who want to prove who is the biggest alpha in the room, or women who want to let everyone know who is the prettiest, richest, or most successful. No one argues here. What's the secret?"

"Respect," said Liffey. She stared at him, unsure if she believed him at first. "It's simple, Sydney. When you respect your teammates, your family, those around you, it's easy to never argue. I'm not saying we don't disagree. We do. But we don't ever let it eat us alive."

"But how?"

"Simple. Know that this is true. You never win an argument on the day you start it. Walk away. Think on it. Don't let it eat you alive, though."

"Remarkable. Absolutely remarkable." Ben, Adam, and Liffey smiled at one another.

"Are you ready to train?"

"I hope so," she smiled. "Try not to kill me."

"Never," said Liffey. "Conor would kick our ass."