They shook their heads. “The Ministry of Defense!”

    Jules and Chenie jumped up and down for several minutes, yelling at the top of their lungs, while the family sat at the table quietly watching with amusement.  Finally, they sat down, picked up their fallen napkins and placed them properly back in their laps again.

    “Sorry, Mama. Sorry, Papa.” Chenelle said quietly.

    “Not me!” Jules burst out and let out another whoop of happiness.

    Needless to say Jules was relegated to clean up duty that night. And cleaning up after a family of six is no easy task, especially when it’s a six course meal like tonight was. Jules carefully cleaned each piece of silverware after letting them soak in boiling water for about thirty minutes, then placed them in their slide out drawer his father had made for his mother. He called it the “Utensils drawer.”

    Jules asked him if he had ever tried to sell the idea. Jules Senior’s eyebrows arched high on his forehead, indicating the thought had never struck him, then answered. “But if I sold the idea, then everyone else would have it and I would no longer have the pride of owning the only one.”
   
    “So it’s pride is more important than sharing?” Jules had asked innocently.

    Marie had stepped in then to save him. “Your father knows what’s best for his family, doesn’t he, mon Cherie.” She said, pinching his right cheek playfully. He turned around and gave her a swing around the kitchen as if dancing with her, while the children rushed in to watch. They began clapping their hands, and soon they were all dancing with each other.

    Jules would always remember those peaceful happy nights, because a day would come when they no longer existed.  But at that time, and in that moment, his heart was full of delight and warmth as only the member of a contented family could experience.

    The next morning Marie had asked Jules Senior to watch the kids while she went to her Naturalist Meeting. She was the Chairman. He gave her a peck and with a smile shooed her on the way. He winked at the kids. “Since it’s summer and the cat is away, perhaps the mice will play?”
Jules and Chenie were heroes at the dinner table that night. When the father and mother looked at the cards, they were flabbergasted. “My God, you children know whom just bought  your work?”