You More Than Anything In The World

“Let us have a sniff too!” Jasper and the others squeezed in for a whiff of Jesse. She stank.

“It's the poop of the escargots, Mommy!” Zachary told Arissa with a grin. That stuff really stinks!

“Hurry up and change your clothes, Jesse, or Mommy will feel nauseous.” Jasper gave his younger sister a gentle nudge.

Jesse lowered her head and sniffed herself. A wave of nausea overcame her, and her eyebrows furrowed tightly. She felt disgusted with herself.

“It really stinks!”

“Haha!”

Oliver was so amused his eyes were reduced to slits. Gavin and Tim regarded the little girl with smiles on their faces.

Suddenly, Jesse tugged at Jasper's shirt while leaning in to sniff him. He tried to avoid Jesse and push her away.

“Don't touch me. I'm not as dirty as you!”

“You stink too!” Jesse cried, her eyes wide with indignity.

Gavin and the others quickly lowered their heads to sniff themselves at their sister's words, checking if they had the same smell on them.

Arissa watched them, amused. “Why don't all of you take a shower? We can have dinner once you're done.”

As dinner was not yet ready, it was the perfect time for them to take a shower. After having their meal, they were free to pursue other activities without needing to shower again.

“Get going!” Jasper gave Jesse a nudge, and she grabbed him in return. “Hmph. You need a shower, too!”

“How about we do as Mommy says and shower first? Otherwise, we'll stink her up!” Gavin told his younger siblings, who were just helping out with the escargots in the kitchen.

“Let's go. Time for a shower!” Jasper took the lead and jumped off the bed. “We'll come back and keep you company after we're done showering, Mommy!”

“We're going to take a bath, Mommy!” Tim informed Arissa as he followed behind Zachary.

“We'll be right back!” Gavin and Oliver followed suit, running back to their bedrooms to take a shower.

Jasper glanced at Jesse and huffed, “I'm going to take a shower too, whether or not you're coming, lazy bug!”

Suppressing her smile, Arissa glared at Jasper. “Stop giving your sister random nicknames!”

“I'm going to take a shower too, Mommy!” Jesse leaned over to give Arissa a kiss before scrambling down the bed.

“Mind the temperature!” Arissa called out to the scampering children, urging them to be careful.

“Got it, Mommy!” Jasper's voice sounded from the other side of their bedroom door.

Arissa chuckled. If she did not fear the repercussions of Benjamin's fury, she would have loved to join the children and bathe them.

The children must not have shut their bedroom door, as the occasional noise could be heard, which she found quite entertaining even from her own room.

Benjamin was in his study when he heard the children's peals of laughter. He got up and headed up the stairs.

Upon entering the bedroom, he saw Arissa half-sprawled on the bed, giggling foolishly, and raised an inquisitive eyebrow.