You More Than Anything In The World

Chapter 1145

“Mm...”

The children flipped onto their sides and refused to get out of bed, save for Danny, who had propped himself up.

He was still a little bleary as he sat on the bed, and the way he rubbed his eyes was so endearing that Arissa could not look away.

Her heart softened, and she reached out to ruffle the little boy's hair. “Get up and go brush your teeth, Sweetheart.”

“Okay,” Danny answered sleepily as a yawn escaped him. “Mommy, would you mind waking the others?”

Arissa could not resist hugging him and planting a kiss on his cheek. “All right, but only if you go and wake your sister up.”

“Okay!” Danny perked up instantly and quickly climbed over to Jesse's side of the bed, then called out gently, “Hey, Jesse, it's time to wake up. Jesse...”

Arissa chuckled and went on to wake her other sons. “Come on, sleepyheads, it's time to get up! You don't want to be late for school!”

Jasper managed to sit up, but he lasted about three seconds before he fell back onto the bed. With his eyes still closed, he grumbled, “Five more minutes, Mommy.”

Gavin, Zachary, and Tim were still yawning and dozing off in spite of their efforts to wake up.

Arissa laughed. “What in the world did you boys do last night? Why are you all so tired?” She pinched the boys' cheeks, then said, “Hurry up and go get washed up!”

The three boys blinked away the last of their sleep, then slowly and reluctantly got out of bed. Then, having obediently put on their slippers, they padded toward the bedroom door.

Amused, Arissa reminded teasingly, “Keep your eyes open while you walk, boys, or you'll bump into things!”

Seeing that Jesse was still asleep, Arissa reached down to pick the little girl up, then said to the other two boys, “Danny, Jasper, go wash up.” ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Danny quickly tugged on Jasper's arm. “Jasper, hurry! Mommy's waiting for us.”

Jasper, who was half-asleep, peered around and saw that Arissa was, indeed, waiting for them. Resigned, he finally sat up in bed.

The boys quickly put on their slippers and followed Arissa out of the room, then returned to their own bedrooms to wash up.

Presently, Arissa was wiping Jesse's face with a damp cloth while trying to wake her. “Jesse, you can brush your teeth yourself, can't you?”

“Mommy!” Jesse wrapped her arms around her mother's neck as she mumbled lazily, “I still want to

sleep.”

Laughing, Arissa pinched Jesse's cheek and said softly, “No, you can't sleep anymore or you'll be late for school.”

Jesse pouted. “I don't want to go to school. I want to stay home with Mommy!”

Arissa smiled and shook her head good-naturedly. Jesse's been going to school with her brothers for a while now, so why is she still so against it?

“Your brothers will be at school, and you'll be bored if you stay home on your own. Besides, I have work to do, too,” Arissa cajoled the child and kissed the little girl's cheek.

Jesse let out a huff of dismay. She was being clingy, but that was only because she had just woken up.

At that moment, Benjamin walked over and plucked Jesse out of Arissa's arms. “Here, let me hold her while you go wash up,” he offered.

Arissa glanced at him briefly, then at the little girl who did not seem as clingy as she had been earlier. She's more manageable now. With that in mind, Arissa laughed and said, “All right, then. Keep an eye on the kids while I wash up.”

Benjamin nodded. He held Jesse in one arm and took her toothbrush with his free hand, then brushed her teeth for her.

As for the boys, they stood in a single-file line and brushed their teeth without any prompting.

Arissa's gaze was soft as she watched the children wash up. After a while, she returned to the bedroom to go about her own business.

Jesse dared not wriggle around while Benjamin was brushing her teeth. When he was done, he said, “I'll wipe your face now.”

“Mommy already did it for me,” Jesse muttered quietly.

Benjamin chuckled but went on to wipe Jesse's face anyway. Then, he put her down on the floor and turned to the boys. “I might as well wipe yours, too.”

The boys eyed him warily. Then, Gavin, Danny, and Zachary quickly washed their own faces.

Jasper and Tim, however, were held in place by Benjamin. He was a little rough when he wiped their faces, and they could not help frowning.

“Ow! You're scraping my skin, Mr. Graham!” Jasper complained.

Benjamin's brows furrowed at this. His motions were a little gentler after that.

Following this, he rinsed the towel, wrung it out, then helped the three other boys dry the water droplets on their faces.

“Get changed!” Benjamin ordered.

The boys cast him a sidelong glance, then hurried out of the bathroom to do as they were told.