~ Monday ~
Ramin and Dayna are expecting their 2nd baby!
Berjes eases from YA into adulthood.
Chanda passed away. April mourns the loss of her mother.
Reynaldo passed away. Bridgette mourns the loss of her father.
Kylie is too young to understand that her father has gone away.

Today is a workday for both Summer and Van. Van had been taking time off work to care for his children, but Summer let him know that periodically hiring a babysitter is okay.

“Some of them are even stars in their field.”

Van places the call to the agency and is told that Antoinette Roland will be on her way.

Already here! Antoinette seems eager to do her job.

Van drove to work feeling better about this decision.

Antoinette tossed Ben in the air and tickled Bellamy, then put them in the playpen for some together time.

“Peek-a-boo! I see you!”

A few hours pass and then Summer is done for the day. She sends a quick text to let Antoinette know that she will be there shortly.
“Sorry, Benjamin & Bellamy, it looks like I won’t be taking you outside for a little splash time in the play pool, but perhaps your Grandma can since she is on her way home!” Antoinette tells the twins with a smile.

Antoinette gives Summer a payment receipt along with a detailed report on what the twins did during the day with her. Summer waves goodbye and silently notes that babysitting must pay well!

Van arrives home and decides to finish putting away the laundry. He accidentally knocks the “golden” lamp off the dresser and notices how dusty this trinket from a previous Snyder is and decides to wipe off some of the grime.

“What in the world?!”

** poof **

“Hello! I’m Khiara Uzaal. How may I be of service, o handsome one?

“No need for any of that. I’m Van Snyder and these two adorable ones are my children, Ben and Bell. I’m sorry, but none of us realized that this was an actual genie lamp. We all thought it was a mere trinket from a school field trip. I hope you don’t think too badly of us for not asking you to come out before now.”

“Not at all,” Khiara replied with a smile. “So … how may I be of service?”
“Hmm … how do you feel about being interviewed for the Riverview Gazette?”

“Thank you for your time. I know our readers will find this to be as interesting as I did!” Van says and holds out his hand to thank Khiara with a handshake. Khiara looks at his hand with a funny smile and then before Van knows it, pulls him in for a friendly hug. “No, thank YOU, that was fun. I’ve never been interviewed before!”

Van takes Khiara on a tour of their home and sets her up on the computer when she seemed quite interested by the device. He then excuses himself so he can go talk to his mom for a few minutes.

One conversation ends and another one begins. Find out what happens next in Extra Hands, part two.

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Next: Extra Hands, part two