"I can't believe I have to sit all day with you doing nothing!" Leon slammed his pencil on the table and groaned.
"Come on, we're studying." Dorita comforted.
"I've been working on this maths problem for days yet I can't get through!" Leon pushed his notebook to his sister who took it and scanned through it.
"This is pretty easy, let me show you." Dorita solved the problem within few seconds.
"You're that good huh? Wonder why you don't wear lenses." Leon harrumphed and folded his arm in displeasure.
"Where did you get the idea that smart people must wear lenses?"
"Excuse me," Leon took on a more casual expression, "all smart people need lenses and they need to have bald heads, have you seen Professor Isaac?"
Dorita sighed and continued with her work. She knew where this was going, if she listened and kept replying then he would never stop.
After a while of silence, Leon groaned again, "seriously, what does it mean to make an unknown the subject of an equation?"
"I'm pretty sure you just read that upside down." Dorita glanced at him while continuing to write.
"Whoever reads a problem upside down?" Leon rolled his eyes and put his notebook near her eyes, "see?"
"Stop it already!" Dorita slapped his hand away and focused on her book.
This brother of hers always had a way of creating distractions especially while they were studying together and whenever they played games. He would cheat and get away with it.
Dorita shook her head and solved some more problems.
"Can you help me, pretty please?"
Leon put his hands together in a praying position and begged his sister for help.
"I knew you'd ask this. Can't you learn to do things yourself?" Dorita was annoyed. It wasn't the first time she had helped him with his math homework but what hurt the most was that he would always brag about it like he solved it himself. The last time, he had taken money from another boy and promised to solve his math problems and then he tricked her into solving it for him….
"Please! You're my big sister and you should take care of me," Leon persisted, "besides, I'll agree to be your servant for a day!"
That was the last resort for Leon. He would do some things for her as long as she helped him out, he couldn't afford to fail the math test again which was mainly the assignments.
Dorita broke into a smile as she imagined all sort of things she would make Leon do for her.
"Fine. I'll help you just this once."
"You're the best!" Leon gave her thumbs up and smiled from ear to ear trying to supress the feeling of selling himself for the answers.
Another period of silence followed. After a while, Leon started whistling a tune.
"Come on Leon! I'm trying to concentrate!" Dorita slammed her pencil down and gave him an intense glare.
"Sorry," Leon waved his hands, "just that I hate staying here like this, I should be on the football field with my friends!"
"That's impossible, we're grounded." Dorita gave a short reply.
"This isn't fair!" he slumped on the floor. They were sitting on the floor in the sitting room while using a small table to put their books on.
Dorita rolled her eyes at him. He was being childish again, "what isn't fair? You're the one who got us into this."
"I didn't, you willingly joined me." Leon corrected, "I hate being bundled up with you!"
"Oh, really? You hate me that much?"
"Of course not, I love you, you're my sister, but we don't fit well." Leon gave her the 'you know what I mean' look.
Dorita smiled, "suit yourself."
After some time, their mother came to the sitting room and took a seat on the sofa. She picked up her phone and began going through some emails.
Today, she had gone to the construction firm she was working for because there was an emergency that required her attention. She was previously handling the purchase and delivery of construction materials to the site before she was granted leave till she gave birth.
Actually it wasn't a maternity leave since she was long overdue for a two months leave to rest after working that hard for the company. The reason the firm allowed her to stay at home till she gave birth was because after two months, she'd be closer to giving birth hence, they added the extra time for her.
"Mom, can I ask you a question?"
Rachael glanced at Dorita who asked the question and replied, "Yes, honey, go ahead."
"Do smart people need to wear contact lenses?"
"Of course, and also have bald head too. Have you seen Professor Isaac?" Rachael didn't give much thought to her words as she continued to read through the email file that was filled with figures.
"Really?!" Dorita was alarmed. She was a girl; does that mean she would lose most of her hairs?
"Told you." Leon leaned over and whispered to her.
"Mom, I'm I smart?" Dorita asked ignoring her brother's snide remark. She wanted confirmation.
"The smartest, honey."
"I better go get that contact lens."
Dorita packed her books in haste while thinking; concave or convex?
Leon followed her. He still had more homework to hand over to her!
After the kids went to their rooms, Rachael continued going through some more emails marking some of them for later. She would need to use her laptop to carry out the remaining tasks. The main problem here seemed like over billing.
After a while, Bruce returned from work. He went over and gave her a warm kiss on the lips.
"How was work?" She asked putting down her phone.
"Surprisingly it went well today." He replied energetically, "where're the twins?"
"Should be in their room, studying." She replied.
"This movement restriction is doing a lot of good, especially to Leon." Bruce said feeling proud that he had handled the situation very well.
"Why don't you go up first, I will make dinner shortly; just have to finish this."
"You're still working?" Bruce found that it was unfair to be pushing work to her even when she was on leave.
"The company called; there was a problem with the budget." She explained and resumed her reading.
"I know, but you're their architect and not their financial officer." Bruce complained.
"Why don't you go up first, then," Rachael kissed him lightly on the lips, "when I come up, I'll show you just how energetic I am."
She winked.
"I like the sound of that!" Bruce pulled her head closer and took her lips in his in a passionate and hot kiss that dragged on for a few minutes. Bruce snaked his arm around her waist and used the other hand to caress her face while feathering kisses down her nape and collar bone.
"Ouch!" Rachael groaned in discomfort, "The baby just kicked so hard!"
Bruce sighed and rubbed his head. This child sure was cunning. He decided to give up and go take a shower.
After he left, Rachael continued reading and replying her emails. After a while, a message popped up on her phone.
It was an unknown sender.
She tapped it and was surprised to see the content of the text:
I'M WATCHING YOU!!!
What the heck?
Rachael felt her heart beat faster and faster….