Sooty Troublemakers

At the dining table, Julian was calmly eating his breakfast.

Jasper covered his mouth with his hand, but those muffled giggles still escaped through his fingers.

His shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.

In front of them, Leo, Big Finn, and Blizzard looked like they'd just been hauled out of a coal mine; three little faces covered in soot, round as coal nuggets.

Leo, choking back sobs, hugged