While Dean and Maggie completed the feline shopping list and Cody succeeded in coaxing one of the kittens to lick tuna juice off his finger, Silas pulled up his text messages.

Silas: How’s a guy supposed to get the girl when his baby sister keeps stealing her away?

Michael: Poor deprived baby.

Taylor: Cockblocked by Niri!

Niri: Are you or are you not going to be at Cowboy Jake’s for Mama B’s band tonight?

Silas: Now I am. Instead of tempting her back to my clean sheets and Febreze-scented house.

Michael: You really know how to do atmosphere. *eye roll*

Silas: *bite me GIF*

Niri: Silas, will you or will you not be dragged up onstage by Mama B for at least one song?

Silas: Probably.

Niri: Imagine how much more irresistible you’ll be when you just casually run into her while she’s out having fun with friends and then get up onstage and you’re all swoony and croony.

Michael: Aren’t you too pregnant to have fun?

Niri: You do NOT want my attention on you, Mikey! Not until you have a certain conversation with a certain foursome of parents.

Taylor: What’s happening? What’s the vague threat about? Do I know? I just had to pull a purple jelly bean out of Sullivan’s nose.

Silas: Niri is threatening to set Mikey up with a boy before he tells the moms and dads he’s into dudes.

Taylor: Whew! I thought this was something new. Mikey you have GOT to tell the parents!

Michael: Let’s turn this back around on Silas for being a whiner who didn’t get the girl.

Niri: Listen, my nights out are limited before this baby sitting on my bladder makes it impossible for me to leave my bathroom. You ALL will show up tonight!

Silas: This better not be a diabolical plan to get revenge for that time Mikey and I flattened Jeremiah’s tire when we found out you were sneaking out to meet him.

Michael: I would like the record to show that I only distracted Jeremiah while Silas let the air out of his tire.

Taylor: I miss you assholes. I need to move home. And not just so I can dump my children on their aunt and uncles.

A flurry of real estate listings in and around the Kinship area exploded into the chat.

Silas grinned. He loved his siblings. Even if they were assholes.

Elton poked his head into the kitchen. “Maggie, there’s a grumpy old guy here to see you. Says it’s important.”

Maggie locked eyes with Silas. “Maybe someone found treasure after all,” she said.

“Hang on. Back up,” Silas said as he helped haul Wallace to his feet. “What are you saying?” The man had insisted on getting an up-close-and-personal look at the coin under the mantel. For a round old guy with a cane, he was pretty spry.