“Mmm, less of a free-for-all. They’ll set up a flag for a target, and the defenders will try to keep the invaders from capturing the flag.” Audrey laughed. “At least we can see them today. In the winter, the sun goes down so early, we play in the dark. It’s a little eerie.

“I bet. Oh, look, there’s Aric.”

Her son crawled forward so carefully the underbrush barely moved with his passage. He reached Regan, then pulled a knife.

“Tell me that isn’t a real knife.” They wouldn’t; surely, they—

“It’s so soft a rubber that it bends if you look at it hard,” Audrey said. “I think the guys bought some last Halloween.”

Aric sawed at Regan’s “ropes” with his fake knife, and the already wet toilet paper dropped off her wrists. Dropping the knife, Aric covered his mouth with his hands—so obviously trying not to giggle that Kit started to laugh.

A second later, both children disappeared back into the underbrush.

“That was so cute.”

“It was. But it’s not always like this.” Audrey frowned. “The games can get kind of intense. Maybe scary. Aric’s pretty little.”

“That’s what I was afraid of. My son is very good at sneaking around and hiding”—Kit’s mouth twisted bitterly—“because it was the only way to keep from being hurt. But Gabe and Hawk said it might help Aric if he realized those skills can be used for fun. Even for offensive action as Hawk called it.”

Audrey tilted her head in consideration. “They might have a point. And throwing water balloons isn’t exactly frightening.”

“That’s what I hoped, but I wanted to be here…just in case.” Gabe had thought she shouldn’t come, what with her ribs and all.

But Hawk had agreed with her. When he’d said, “She’s a good mom,” she had to blink back tears.

Farther down in the forest, Aric emerged, then crouched behind a shrub, almost vibrating with excitement.

Regan knelt behind the next bush over, cleverly hidden from Bull and Gabe, the defenders of the flag. Turning, the girl grinned at Aric.

He grinned back, obviously still having fun.

After creeping up behind Aric, Hawk knelt and made a gesture, like breaking a stick. Then he pointed at JJ who was sneaking away to the right.

Aric nodded and started forward again.

“I think he’s going to be fine,” Kit said, almost whispering. “Look at him crawl.”

“He’s so little, he’s almost invisible,” Audrey murmured.

Standing behind a tree, Hawk exchanged grins with Caz as they watched Aric squirm his way toward where Bull and Gabe guarded the red flag.