“So, tell us, Mom,” Simon said. “We want to hear it.”

“Alright,” Vinny said. “I remember that day… when everything changed,”

Flashback. Vinny’s POV

It was a few days after we moved in with Tara. You boys were happily playing in the little play area Tara fixed up for you. Things were so quiet. Your father and I managed to steal a few moments alone. I remember us sitting on one of the high branches enjoying the mid-morning sun.

“So, Vinny,” Drake turned and said to me. His warm paw touched mine. “Do you regret leaving the circus?”

“No, of course not,” I said, leaning up against him. “I don’t know what real happiness was until you… and with the boys my happiness has quadrupled.”

He smiled at me which made me giggle. “Momma.” I suddenly heard the faint sound of one of my babies. I looked to the left and saw little Alvin running towards us.

“Alvie, what are you doing out here?” I half scolded. “Don’t you know how dangerous it is out here?”

“Momma, look!” he said, pointing far beyond the trees. There was a bright light coming out of the trees miles ahead. My heart told me what that light was. Suddenly my mouth became so dry staring at those trees. “Pretty light, Momma.”

“Yes, Alvie, pretty light,” I said, not wanting to startle him. Drake looked back at me with the same startled look.

“I think we need to find Tara,” he said.

I nodded and picked up little Alvin. “Where we go, Momma?” he asked.

“Just on a little adventure,” I said as he clapped his tiny paws. “But first we have to gather your brothers.”

A little whining noise came out of him. Alvin was always a little impatient when it came to trying new things. All three of us hopped back down the branch and into the little makeshift tree house. I found Simon looking up through the crack in the tree. He seemed mesmerized by it, while Theodore was playing quietly in the corner.