Once they were in position, Dexter lit a fuse and dashed back.
Colorful streaks shot up into the sky, erupting with a loud bang into a dazzling, brilliant display.
One after another, the bursts illuminated the entire night sky, drawing the attention of many villagers.
The kids, in particular, all turned their wide eyes toward the James Estate.
"It's so pretty! Pandora is setting off fireworks!"
An anonymous child gasped in awe.
"You're wrong, it's gotta be the Clan Successor lighting them."
"The Clan Successor has friends visiting the village, and their fireworks are amazing. Should we go over and play?"
"Yeah, let's bring ours too!"
Right next to the James Estate was the ancestral hall, which featured a massive open square used for community gatherings-the perfect spot for everyone to light fireworks together.
A few kids carrying fireworks passed by the estate, peeking eagerly through the gates. The braver ones called out to Claire and her group, inviting them to join the fun in the square.
Claire hadn't planned on going, but so many kids were flocking over.
Pandora waved her off with a warm smile. "Take them. It's livelier over there, and more people are setting them off."
Mary nodded in agreement. "Go on, I'll stay here and keep Pandora company."
The two women had only met twice, yet they were already acting like lifelong sisters.
Claire just stared. "..." As long as you two are happy.
"Let's head out, then."
Claire took the initiative and hoisted a box of fireworks.
Dexter carried two, while Dewitt hauled three for them.
Shirley grabbed the smaller novelties, like the sparkler fountains that sat on the ground and flared brilliantly for three straight minutes.
In short, Claire had picked out all the little trinkets that came highly recommended for pure fun.
Whether they were actually fun or not, they were all getting lit tonight!
As a result, Shirley and Dexter ended up mingling perfectly with the village children.
They shared their high-end fireworks with the kids.
In return, the village kids shared the ones they had bought.
They might not have been as visually spectacular as Claire's, but they were incredibly entertaining.
Out of everything they played with, Shirley's absolute favorite turned out to be the kids' pop-its.
She was terrible at it, yet she loved every second of it.
The siblings played until eleven o'clock at night. Only after the
younger kids were called homelet
they reluctantly head back.
As for Claire, she simply sat at the edge of the square, watching them run wild!
"Want some roasted sweet potatoes?"
Back at the house, Claire dug three roasted sweet potatoes out from the base of the stove.
Dewitt had given her the heads-up before he headed home.
He told her she could pull them out later for a late-night snack.
Growing up, Dewitt had been the most mischievous kid in the village, which made
him an absolute expert at scrounging up food.
The sweet potatoes he buried were perfectly roasted—caramelized, fragrant, and oozing with syrupy sweetness.
The moment Claire pulled them out, Shirley, who had sworn she was on a diet and Dexter who had
previously scoffed at the idea of eating them, both crowded around.
"Claire, this smells unbelievably good, I want a bite!" Dexter completely abandoned his principles.
He could turn his nose up one second and act like a begging puppy the next.
"I want some too!" Seeing her brother cave, Shirley naturally couldn't let him win.
Claire handed them each one.
The three of them crouched in the kitchen, happily munching on their midnight snack.
Once they finished and washed up, it was time for bed.
Shirley shared a room with Claire, while Dexter set up his own space.
He really wanted to go next door and crash with Dewitt.
But Dewitt ruthlessly shot down the idea.
There was no way Dewitt was sharing a bed with a bratty teenager!
The next day, the second day of the
New Year, the siblings spent their e
time playing with the village kids and helping out at Edison's place.