The night was peaceful in the Faulkner home, a welcome change from the chaos of the past few weeks. After their brownie celebration, the boys were bathed, changed into their onesies, and ready for bed. Jake and Alex climbed onto one side of the couch, while Tyler curled up in Jordanâs lap, his thumb already in his mouth.
"Alright, squirt," Jordan said, adjusting Tyler on his knee. "Which story are we reading tonight?"
Tyler sleepily pointed to the bookshelf. "That one, Jordyâ¦"
Jordan followed his gaze and grabbed Where the Wild Things Are. A classic.
"Alright, everybody comfy?" he asked, looking at the two older boys who had settled in with their blankets. Miss Harper and Mrs. Faulkner sat nearby, smiling at the sweet scene.
Jordan began reading, using different voices for each character, making the boys giggle. When he got to the part about Max becoming king of the Wild Things, Jake and Alex roared like monsters, while Tyler squealed and hid his face in Jordanâs hoodie, only peeking out when Jordan reassured him it was just a story.
By the time Jordan reached the endâwhere Max returned home to find his supper waiting for himâthe boys were yawning.
"Alright, sleepyheads," Jordan said, closing the book. "Time for bed."
He carried Tyler up first, laying him gently in his crib. Tyler grabbed his stuffed bunny and whispered, "Night-night, Jordy."
"Night, squirt," Jordan whispered back, tucking him in.
Next, he guided Jake and Alex to their beds, pulling the covers over them. "You two better actually sleep and not start whispering about superhero stuff for an hour."
Jake grinned. "No promises."
Jordan rolled his eyes with a smirk. "Figures. Goodnight, guys."
"Goodnight, Jordan," they both murmured sleepily.
As he stepped out, Miss Harper and Mrs. Faulkner stood by the door, watching.
"Youâre really good with them," Miss Harper said softly.
Jordan shrugged. "Yeah, well⦠theyâre good kids."
Mrs. Faulkner smiled warmly. "Get some rest, Jordan. You deserve it."
With that, the house settled into quiet, the boys safe and sound, and for the first time in a long time, the Faulkner home felt like a place where dreams were sweet and peaceful sleep was finally possible.
As Jordan stretched out on the couch, he let out a long sigh, staring at the ceiling. Tomorrow was a big dayâit would be Tylerâs last day of punishment. No more extra rules, no more strict schedule, and most importantly, no more constant supervision. He had to admit, Tyler had handled it better than he expected. The kid had his moments, sure, but he never threw a fit about it.
Jordan smirked, remembering the way Tyler had cutely said, "Bye-bye bad man" earlier while munching on his brownie. That kid was something else.
He shifted, fluffing the pillow beneath his head. Would Tyler go right back to pushing boundaries the second the punishment was over? Or had he actually learned something from it? Jordan wasnât sure. Either way, he was ready for things to go back to normalâwhatever "normal" meant in this house.
His thoughts started to blur as sleep crept up on him. The soft hum of the TV played in the background, and for the first time in a long while, Jordan allowed himself to relax. Tomorrow would come soon enough.
As Jordan drifted into sleep, his dreams took him to a future where things hadnât changed muchâat least, not in the way most people would expect.
He found himself in the Faulkner home, but everything felt warm, familiar, and peaceful. The walls were still lined with soft colors, shelves still filled with toys and stuffed animals, and in the center of it all was Tyler, giggling as he sat in a playpen.
Jordan walked over, watching as Tyler hugged a plush bear close to his chest. He still had that same innocent, content look he always got when he was being cared for. âJordy, up!â Tyler mumbled sleepily, reaching his arms up toward him.
Jordan didnât hesitate. He scooped Tyler up with ease, settling him against his side. âYou getting sleepy, little man?â
Tyler nodded, rubbing his eyes. âMhm⦠story?â
Jordan smiled. âOf course, buddy.â
As he carried Tyler over to a big armchair, he noticed Jake and Alex sitting nearby, completely at ease with everything, like this was just how things were supposed to be. It wasnât weird. It wasnât forced. It just⦠felt right.
Jordan opened a book and started reading, his voice calm and steady. Tyler curled up against him, listening quietly, his breathing slowing.
For the first time in a long while, Jordan felt a sense of peace. He didnât mind thisâactually, he kind of liked it. Taking care of Tyler, keeping him safe, making sure he was happyâit gave him a purpose.
As the dream faded and Jordan slowly woke up on the couch, he let out a deep sigh. Maybe Tylerâs punishment was almost over, but a part of him wouldnât mind if things stayed just like this a little longer.