Chapter 1 : 3

Now my after school routine. l stop at my locker to drop off my books and pick my backpack. I took only the books l had an assignment on then head for the daycare. Since mom was working an afternoon / evening shift today, I was going to get home early. Lisa usually came home with mom's yoga buddy; Mrs Rattoh while Mika and Maine were dropped off by mika's class teacher. My job was to get home early enough to start preparing lunch. I had an hour and half before Lisa returned and the other two get home few minutes later.

I first had to attend to kobby before preparing lunch so immediately we arrived home, I set our bags down and ran a bath for kobby, l gave him his bath and set him down to watch t.v while l made his food. Feeding kobby was usually a task but l guess he was really hungry because he didn't resist at all. After he ate, l set him in his rocker and began to prepare lunch for the rest of us. So l had two separate meals to prepare and this was because Lisa had a different diet. She was a very selective child when it comes to food. Mom always left a note on the fridge of what Lisa was going to have for lunch and today she was having Fish fingers and Mushy peas while the rest of us were having boiled rice and salted caramel sauce.

Just as l was rounding off on Lisa's lunch, I heard Mrs Rattoh car horn.

"Thank you" I said aloud as she zoomed off.

I helped Lisa run her bath then set out some clothes before heading back to the kitchen.

She came out for lunch just as l set her meal and by now Kobby had fallen asleep so l took him upstairs to his crib.

Then Maine and Mika came back. I did the same for them and while they were having lunch, l took our uniforms to the laundry room to get them ready for tomorrow.

When I came back they were all done and ready for their siesta. It was during their siesta that l had my own lunch and did the dishes.

It was time for kobby's next meal so l prepared it and went to get him up.

He was twenty pounds underweight at birth so we fed him more. He slept back right after eating and l finally had some time to myself,this was when l did my homeworks and watched TV.

By the time they were up l was already making dinner. They played around during this time and by "played around" l meant Mika sat by herself learning her colors, Lisa played with her dolls and Maine played with kobby.

Sometimes l felt like they were my kids but the age difference always reminded me of how impossible it was. They all had their dinner together and then l helped them with study time, this was when all assignments were completed and all questions were answered.

I got them ready for bed and would only had my own dinner when they were asleep. I got kobby ready for bed too and then cleaned up the dishes. I made sure to leave mom a plate of food in the microwave but these were days when she would work really late. Other times she would help them with their study time, get them ready for bed and prepare dinner. Those were the days when l could just relax and enjoy the night since the day was always horrible.

Mom usually checked on us whenever she came back. By us, l mean my siblings. She barely came into my room but l understood perfectly. She was exhausted and they were the ones that needed to be checked on anyways.