...
The loud knocks resonating on the door caused the guy, whose dishevelled hair currently caressed his pillows, to reveal a mildly irritated expression on his sleepy face.
"Shawn!," That annoyingly familiar voice exclaimed persistently as she burst in through the door. "Won't you come down for breakfast?"
Slipping off the bed, Shawn balked over to the door in large strides. He stared down at her for a while without as much as a favourable expression.
"Great!," Phoenix carried on chirpily, her expression much to sunny for Shawn's normalcy. "Mom already—"
"..." Phoenix was speechless when the door shut arrogantly in her face. Was he really hungry or did he just want to starve?
After taking care of that particular nuisance, he retreated to his bathroom and only joined them once he was satisfied with himself.
...
"I'm telling you, Mig," Phoenix was tattling to the blond whom she'd taken a seat right next to. "Brother's been bullying me more and more often these days."
"How so?," Miguel knew her words could only sometimes be taken with a pinch of salt.
Isla also knew that. "Is that right?," She mused.
"Yes!," Phoenix exclaimed. "Brother's such a brute and just likes to terrorize me for the fun of—"
"I'm—," Shawn's gaze was painfully cryptic and domineering as he sunk into the seat across from Miguel. "A brute?"
"No way!," Phoenix immediately shook her head from left to right like a rattlesnake at the sight of that daring stare. "Brother's the sweetest kind of brother there ever was."
"Of course," He scoffed before turning to greet their mother and putting some food on his plate. "Where's Dee?"
"I took her to the school already," Phoenix was fishing for praises automatically. "Won't you thank and tell me how blessed you are to have me?"
Shawn didn't even bother to deign her with a response before he started eating his meal.
Isla suddenly cleared her throat.
Shawn glanced up and dropped his eating utensil with a slight clank. "So, you have a reason you came," He crossed his arms.
"Of course I wanted to spend some time with my children," Isla earned a look from all three kids that told her to drop the bullshit. So she did. "You're already quite old, Shawn."
"..."
"What I mean is," Isla pressed on despite seeing his blasé look. "You should start thinking of getting a wife. Dainee needs a mother figure in her life."
"She has Ilyn," Shawn's lips were already tightly wound. As was the case whenever conversations like this came up.
"Cailyn's a rather nice woman but she also has her own life," Isla hated when this filial son of hers became so stiff-necked to the point of being unable to reason with. "You should get a woman of your own."
"But Mom," Phoenix began to drawl, earning looks from everyone as she reiterated what they knew to be Shawn's response anytime these sort of conversations came up. "I'm not ready to settle down yet. Besides, it's going to take a rather long while to find someone capable enough to be Dainee's mother. Just...give me a little more time, okay?"
"Shut up, Phee," Shawn looked like he wanted to leap across the table and strangle his sister half to death.
"Aren't I right?," She gave a half giggle.
"Is that what you were going to say, Shawn?," Isla had a tired look about her eyes.
"No, Mom," Shawn persisted even though he was hearing that voice at the back of his head telling him not to do it. "I already have a girlfriend." It was rather satisfying to see the gloating look wiped off Phee's face.
"You do?!," His sister screeched.
"When can we meet her?," Isla would have started hopping in excitement if she didn't have to maintain some poise and class as a refined lady.
"Obviously I wouldn't want you to scare her off," Shawn explained. For the record, they all still looked shocked. Save Miguel who was just starting at him, gaze filled with unbelief.
"But I'd really love to meet her," Isla suddenly looked dejected. If she followed her son's pace, she'll only hold a grandchild in her next ten lives probably.
"I'll ask her over soon, Mom," Shawn had no idea what he was getting himself into until the words were out of his mouth.
Isla clapped her hands excitedly and began eating her meal.
Shawn ate the rest of his meal with a pained expression, wondering what to do about the hole he'd just dug out for himself. "Come on, Mig," Shawn dragged his brother up and out of the house with him. If he had to wait until this person finished eating, then he would never make more profit.
...