“Mummy?” Frieda called, running down the stairs. “Mummy, what’s for breakfast?”

“Pancakes of course.” Her mother laughed, showing Frieda the mixing bowl. “Go wake the others, please.”

“Yes mummy!” Frieda turned around, taking the stairs two at a time to quickly reach the top.

She ran through the house, banging on all the bedroom doors. She laughed as her siblings slowly opened them.

“C’mon! Mummy’s got pancakes!” she called.

“We’re coming, sweetie.” Her father said, smiling at her from his doorway. “Why don’t you go help mummy get everything ready?”

She beamed at him before bouncing her way back down the stairs.

“Why does she always have so much energy?” Bliss complained, sharing a look with Leta and Ellery.

“You were just like her when you were younger, you know.” Their father said, his smile softening.

“Doubt it.” The triplets said as one.

An hour later all eight members of the family were sitting at their dining room table. All six siblings were eating their breakfast while their father read the newspaper and their mother dished out more food – their father had long since been banned over touching the food, he was too clumsy to do anything other than make a mess in the kitchen.

Just as their mother sat down to eat her own food, the entire house shook.

“Earthquake?” suggested Leta. She frowned as the shaking stopped. It hadn’t felt like an earthquake.