"Congratulations sis!" Fred said as he came out of the sitting room and hugged me.
"Thank you very much," I said to him.
Words couldn't describe the joy I felt in my heart. Not only did I pass the exam, but I also got the scholarship I so badly wanted. I wanted to run off and share this huge news with Katie but it was already late to do so.
"Finally, everything will return to normal in this house. You can finally stop sulking about and starving yourself." My mom said in relief.
As soon as she said this, we all started laughing.
I can now finally relax and talk about my graduation ceremony which was next tomorrow. I couldn't believe that I haven't asked my parents if they have any plans for that.
"Next tomorrow is a Saturday, right? we will be there. I won't go to work and your mom will take a leave or swap with a Co-worker." My dad mentioned as he smiled.
"Darling, are you making fun of me that I have to work overtime each time I want to attend to something important?" My mom questioned him.
"Of course not, how can I make fun of my loving wife?" My dad chuckled. "After all, I wasn't the one who asked you to become a nurse."
My mom hit him on the shoulder and they both laughed.
"Mom, I don't have anything to wear for the graduation," Fred announced.
"Hmmm, you can wear the cloth grandma bought for you on your birthday."
"But you bought a dress for Elsie. Why can't I get a new cloth?" Fred argued.
"Is it your graduation?" I tackled Fred.
"Alright, alright. No need to quarrel about it." Dad said as he tried to get us to be quiet.
"First thing tomorrow, I'll go to the market with you to buy new clothes for you," Dad said to Fred
"Is it okay by you?"
"Yes, Dad. Thank you." Fred jumped up for joy.
I was envious of Fred. Here he is using his last child card again.
"Elsie, I'll also get something for you. Take it as us celebrating your scholarship." Dad placated me.
Fred turned and gave me an angry look while making faces at me.
"Time to go to bed," Mom announced.
"Ooh!, I am not sleepy yet," Fred grumbled.
"You have to go to bed early so you can leave with your dad tomorrow morning." Mom explained to him.
"And you Elsie, you have to get a proper rest. You have been sleepless for a long time now."
"Yes, Mom" I nodded in agreement.
"Good night Mom, good night Dad," Fred and I greeted them and went to bed.
Mom and Dad cleared the dining table together and sent the plates to the kitchen.
"Why did you agree to buy a new cloth for Fred? You know we are tight on budget." Mom queried him.
"Buying a few more clothes for the kids won't hurt. Besides, Elsie already has a scholarship. All we have to do now is to save for her senior years and for Fred."
"Don't worry too much about the future," Dad assured Mom as he placed his hands on her shoulder.
After they had put everything in order. They went to bed.
I had the most peaceful sleep in a while and I didn't have any dream that night.
*****************
"Fred, Elsie, hurry up. I'm running late." Dad called out to us.
He was already waiting outside for us. I was trying to make sure I locked the doors properly. Mom left for the hospital very early in the morning, she had to work throughout the day to be able to attend my graduation ceremony tomorrow. For this week, she had been working the day shift.
Fred and I quickly rushed outside as soon as I was done.
"What kept you guys?" Dad asked us as we got into the car.
"I was trying to make sure that I locked everywhere."
"Fasten your seatbelt." He instructed me.
We drove off to the market but first, we dropped at his mini market. We had breakfast and stayed for a while for Dad to get things sorted out with his assistant before we left.
I walked around the market while Dad and Fred went to the clothing section before I met up with them.
Dad got me a wristwatch and a journal.
"Whenever something memorable happens to you, you write it down so that you won't forget it. You can also write down important tasks that you want to get done." Dad said as he gave me the journal.
"Dad is not like I don't know what a journal is used for." I chuckled. "Thanks, Dad, for the wristwatch and journal. I like it a lot."
"Okay, let's go and pick something nice for Mom before we leave, otherwise she will say I only bought things for important people." Dad joked.
We picked a set of jewellery for Mom, got ice cream and went back to the mini market.
"Dad, I will be leaving now. I still have to prepare dinner."
"We will eat out today, don't bother about dinner today.
Or do you have any other thing to do at home?" Dad asked me.
"She wants to go and gossip with Katie." Fred chirped in.
I gave him the side eye and turned to face my dad.
"It's alright. Wait for me here." Dad stood up and went out.
Immediately after Dad left, Fred sat on his armchair and began to swivel around the office making funny faces at me.
"Gossip! You are a gossip." Fred chanted as he moved around me in a circle.
I ignored him and when he came closer to me again, I hit him on the back of his head.
"Will you stop that! Do you want to spoil that chair?" I scolded him.
Fred stood up, intending to hit me back and immediately Dad came in.
"What's going on here?" Dad asked us.
"Nothing, we were just playing." We both lied.
Fred and I knew that if we had told him the truth, both of us will get punished.
"Here, take this for your transport fare back home."
I took the money from him and he escorted me to the bus stop where I boarded a bus and went home.